How to Copyright Art

With more content being made available on the Internet, including songs, poetry, movies and books, it has become easier to steal the intellectual properties of other artists. Copyright laws are becoming enforced more strictly to protect the rightful owners. There are a number of ways to copyright your art so you can benefit from these protections.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Original art in your name
• Copyright registration form
• Filing fee

1. Ensure that the art that you want to copyright is truly your own creation. If anyone else was involved in the creation, she must be included in the registration process of that art.

2. Read the useful literature that the US Copyright Office puts out on copyrights (see Resources below). This will help you understand your rights and legal requirements.

3. Pre-register your art with the US Copyright Office. While there is no law that requires you to apply for a copyright, it is a good idea to register your art with this office so that any legal enforcement can be obtained in the future if necessary.

4. Fill out an application to register your copyright with the government through the US Copyright Office. There are different forms for literary works, performing arts, sound recordings and visual arts.

5. Submit your art copyright application to the US Copyright Office. Do not forget to include a copy of the art that you would like to register.

6. Expect to receive a certificate of registration for your art copyright in about 6 to 8 months. It takes time, but it is well worth it. The copyright will last as long as the lifetime of the certificate holder, plus 70 years.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a company to license your art and even make it easy for people to "borrow" your work for a fee. It makes sense to protect your art, but you can still profit from it.
• Remember that all types of art are covered under copyright law, including animation, blogs, graphic art and paintings. You will want to protect everything that you have created.
• Do not assume that your work is protected simply because you put a copyright symbol on it. You must take greater precautions so that no one takes your work and claims it as her own.
• Follow up with the US Copyright Office if you feel that someone has published your work without your permission.
• Understand that a copyright only protects the physical aspects of your art and does not cover any intangible properties of it, such as ideas or concepts.

Who Can Help:

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Resources

• The US Copyright Office to pre-register your work
• Information on copyrights from the US Copyright Office