When you start to paint the first thing that is important to consider is what you wish to paint. There are so many different things what a painter aspires to paint. The inspirations and the triggers vary from person to person. The main objective is what a painter wants to represent though his/her painting. It is of least importance whether the painting is a realistic one or an abstract one. The only thing that matters is the spark that inspires a painter to paint utilizing all his imagination and creativity. Painting is a feeling and is full of creativity.
The trigger to paint is a beautiful imagination. Of course, it involves the risk of copyright issue and some basic principles which are included below:
- It is best not to utilize copyright photos for painting
The photos from google as tempting as it may look like but using it as a reference can infringe some copyright issues. However, if it is not explicitly mentioned that it is copyrighted then you can use it for your photo paintings. For instance, whenever you enter a painting into a competition, it is always asked whether you used the photo with permission and this is especially, asked if you end up winning. It is very important to be honest then, if you want to build a reputation. This is to make you realize that using original images is a strong signal that you should never use copyrighted images for your photo paintings be it in a competition or an art gallery.
- It is best to use your own photos for photo paintings
There is no reference of photo needed when you use the still life form for a painting. For instance, a beautiful landscape or some location. But it is also notable that the best paintings come only from the photos that are taken by self. Taking a photo by self means you have experienced it by yourself and felt it. The painting becomes so much more meaningful then. It also gives you peace of mind that you do not have any copyright infringements.
- Carry photos that are of public domain license
The photos that have a public disclaimer by the author can be used explicitly. The copyright holder of the photo releases his or her work in the public. The photos can be used for any condition and for any purpose unless and until those conditions are required by the law.
In some of the photos it is explicitly stated that those are derivative works which means that every painting from that photo is a derivative work. The license agreement should state if you can paint something out of it or not. The main thing that you should be looking for is "allow derivative work".
- Some research on your own
Do some extra research about the photo license in order to ensure if you have your back covered or not. You sure do not want to be sued for a beautiful painting that is at its peak of success. Obviously nobody wants to be disqualified for a competition that was in his/her favour to win.
In these cases, the best thing to do is to approach the author directly to grant you the permission to use his/her photo as a reference. It is highly probable that they will grant you the permission to use the photo although it is very important that use the granting in writing.
There are so many websites available online that offer you royal photos for free. The content for such photos can be reused and even with some modifications. But when you use such photos for painting with the sole purpose of selling them it is very important to use an extended license.
