Copyright and me

[Tygerlilly]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but I didn't see a post.

I've been doing some abstrace Disney paintings for my house, but now I'm thinking of selling on Etsy/eBay. Am I going to get in trouble for copyright infringment since I'm selling Disney inspired things?

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

How abstract? Would you know it's a Disney image if you looked at it?

Disney is pretty strict about copyright infringement and have been known to search etsy and ebay.

Personally I wouldn't do it.

 

[disneylove69]

How abstract? Would you know it's a Disney image if you looked at it?

Disney is pretty strict about copyright infringement and have been known to search etsy and ebay.

Personally I wouldn't do it.

If it looks Disney it is copyright.

 

[puntagordabob]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but I didn't see a post.

I've been doing some abstrace Disney paintings for my house, but now I'm thinking of selling on Etsy/eBay. Am I going to get in trouble for copyright infringment since I'm selling Disney inspired things?

Probably not a good idea to sell them.... However post them here, I for one would love to see what you have created... maybe some of us would pay for your materials and "time" in return for one....

 

[MHSweb79]

I know that around here a few years ago, a tiny little day care center got in trouble from Disney Legal for some Mickey/ Minnie window decorations they had painted on their front windows.

That's how deep the long arm of Mickey's lawyers can reach......

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

I've been wondering about this myself, and have been trying to do research on it because of an item I want to sell. I've seen several, obviously, Disney inspired items ( specifically embroidery work and patterns) sold on Etsy, but the sellers "advertise" said items with names like "Mr Mouse" and "tinkk". One seller has sold over 9000 digitized designs that are obviously Mickey Mouse for around $3.00 each. That's approx $30,000! So exactly where is the line that crosses it into copyright infringement? Can it be something as simple as ears being a couple of millimeters off, or different names?

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Any legal-eagles want to try the above ?

 

[adoucet]

This could be totally wrong, but I was told that as long as you had one thing that was different from what a normal Disney character/whatever you are designing, it would be okay because "technically" it isn't Disney since you're putting your own touch to it. Just like someone said they saw the names "Mr Mouse" and "tinkk". People obviously know what they are referring to, but it technically isn't Micky Mouse or Tinkerbell.

 

[tink576]

I know that around here a few years ago, a tiny little day care center got in trouble from Disney Legal for some Mickey/ Minnie window decorations they had painted on their front windows.

That's how deep the long arm of Mickey's lawyers can reach......

I've heard about this a number of times as well, I just don't think I would do it.

 

[bdoyledimou]

This could be totally wrong, but I was told that as long as you had one thing that was different from what a normal Disney character/whatever you are designing, it would be okay because "technically" it isn't Disney since you're putting your own touch to it. Just like someone said they saw the names "Mr Mouse" and "tinkk". People obviously know what they are referring to, but it technically isn't Micky Mouse or Tinkerbell.

It has to be an original work. Adding a third eye to Pluto wouldn't cut it.

 

[disneym2m]

You could always print a copy of your work and send it to the Disney legal department asking if you could sell it.

I have seen someone free hand draw the buildings all around Epcot, but couldn't sell it because Disney owned the design of the buildings. The artist drew it him/herself but she was drawing what someone else created.

The people on Etsy could either have paid for the rights to sell the design or are selling it illegally. Which makes you wonder about Disney fabric. If someone buys Disney fabric and creates a dress and sells it, is it violating Disney copyright. The dress maker paid for the fabric, so Disney received their money from the purchase. But are they violating copyright law. Again did they use a pattern that someone else created or did they create the pattern themselves. I know, I could go on forever just going back and forth.

But this also makes you wonder about people who draw the Disney men in their underwear and sell it. Aren't they violating copyright as well. It is the Disney character but it is drawn differently. And yes, I have actually seen this artwork on the internet.

If you are concerned about it, just ask. You never know. They may like what you have done and give your permission to sell it. With their percentage of course...LOL.

 

[poohbear8]

What about making projects using Disney scrapbook paper? The paper would be paid for but the maker? I thought about making altered journals awhile back,but my husband said he thought it would still be an issue. I had thought about adding items from the Cricut cartridges also, but I think I read that can't be done either.