Fanarts: It seems like some don't know what copyright means
By EnslinPorter
@EnslinPorter (1718)
Philippines
March 31, 2010 3:00am CST
Hi everyone! 
I am on DeviantArt and most of my drawings are under the FanArt category. I see others who draw under the same category as well but they think they can sell it because they drew it. I would see some drawings with references and they made their drawings available for print. I think they don't know that ownership is not only a matter of who made the actual work but who actually owns the characters in it.
What do you think?
Thanks for reading and happy myLotting! 
I am on DeviantArt and most of my drawings are under the FanArt category. I see others who draw under the same category as well but they think they can sell it because they drew it. I would see some drawings with references and they made their drawings available for print. I think they don't know that ownership is not only a matter of who made the actual work but who actually owns the characters in it.
What do you think?
Thanks for reading and happy myLotting! 3 responses
@kamimatsu (26)
• United States
6 Dec 10
I know what you mean. Someone rule 34'd a character who is basically me. Trust me. You never want to know what rule 34 is.
@rockywebster (12)
•
10 Jul 10
I'm pretty sure that when you sign up there is a note that advises your art is basically the ownership of DA. Although I would say considering the people are DA members, you could take it up with them. Surely that would at least scarer them away from using your art.
I on the other hand would be flattered if somebody used my DA works lol. Though my works may not be close to what you can produce:)
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
31 Mar 10
You're right. Copyrights apply to characters too. When you draw fan-art, you're making a derivative work. Some copyright owners don't really care if you sell it or not so they don't actively try to prevent fan-work from being sold, but it DOES fall under copyright law and they could sue you for selling work that belongs to them. It doesn't matter if you drew it or not.
The makers of the cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender once made a comedy animation short using fan-art made by fans of the show. Some of the fans complained that they used the art without permission, but as the copyright holders for those characters they didn't need permission to use fan-art of their characters.
