Pdf'S and Art

Wikidogre · 3rd July 2003, 12:48 AM

Ok quickly now i have hopfully a simple question, here we go....

I am currently working on a Pdf product of Npcs and Villians, what i pretty much do is find artwork everywhere, and create using that visual.

My question is, i have made a few using pics found in my copie of Wise and Wicked, and then re-create a new npc or villian from that. So would i be able to re-use that art or would permission need to be obtained from the respective company or artist?

yeah i know, but it never hurts to ask.

jmucchiello · 3rd July 2003, 02:27 AM

Most likely any artwork in a PDF has been paid for. You'll have to pay for it too. You can ask the PDF maker to hook you up with the artist(s), though. And perhaps, the PDF maker has not purchased full rights to the artwork you want and the artist can sell it to you as well. Most likely you will have to commision your own work or buy a collection of clip art. (You might check out V Shanes various releases or Larry Elmore's.)

lmpjr007 · 3rd July 2003, 12:53 PM

Here is something that might help you out with your art issue:

[PRESS] Image Portfolio at RPGNow.com

The price of artists and artwork for your projects got you down? Is it hard to get your little gaming company off the ground? Tired of have to pay out the rates for art that gaming companies have too? Well now is the time to change!!! The Image Portfolio line gives you use of 20 pieces of art that you can use just about anywhere for only $5. If you are a small company looking for artwork for your latest project, then this is the product for you. Available only from RPGNow.com.

Wikidogre · 3rd July 2003, 10:47 PM

Thanks for the help guys, but i did forget to mention it was going to be free, i did not plan too make any money off of it. I am mainly putting in characters and npcs and villians i have created over the time of 3rd ed. in my on-going camp.

jmucchiello · 4th July 2003, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wikidogre
Thanks for the help guys, but i did forget to mention it was going to be free, i did not plan too make any money off of it. I am mainly putting in characters and npcs and villians i have created over the time of 3rd ed. in my on-going camp.

Technically, copyright violations don't care about free or not. You just are not supposed to distribute copyrighted material you don't have rights or license to. Of course if you look around the web, you wouldn't be the first person to play fast and loose with copyrights. (This is not legal advice nor even the condoning of using stuff illegally.)

Why not just point the reader to the page and book title where the image you want to go with the NPC can be found?

tensen · 4th July 2003, 05:49 PM

Joe.. I think he meantioned free, not to violate copyrights.. but that he wasn't making any money, so he didn't really have any to spend on the art.

jmucchiello · 4th July 2003, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tensen
Joe.. I think he meantioned free, not to violate copyrights.. but that he wasn't making any money, so he didn't really have any to spend on the art.

I know. And I said, he was still violating the copyrights of the arts' owners if he didn't pay/license it. Yes, everyone does it. That doesn't make it right. Not making money does not mitigate copyright violation. It only mitigates damages. Since he wanted to ask about whether it was legal, we may well tell him the truth. If you want to tell him, "go ahead, no one will care" you go right ahead. I'm telling him to stay within the law if he wants to distribute the file worldwide (ie, on the web).

He also asked if he should ask for permission. That is another way he could go.