Royalties for Album Artwork

  • Thread starter Thread starter fozzy1987
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fozzy1987

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Hi, I'm just finishing up an album and would like to use a painting by John Singer Sargent as the cover. I've had a browse around the internet to no avail - I'm basically wondering how I might go about securing the rights to do so. I'm only making up a few cassette copies to sell online, all of which are being copied, printed and distributed myself, but (perhaps this is wishful thinking) want to cover myself in case my music ever reaches someone who might like to distribute it on a wider scale. Artwork is pretty important to me so I want to make sure I do things right. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
You might try asking at this forum: Intellectual Property Forums - Copyright Forum

My thought is there is no way you would be allowed to do it without paying someone for each copy (or one big up-frontpayment). On the other hand, if you are not selling any copies, not advertising them online, and only making a few to give out, then no one would even know it.
Cassettes? Really? Not many people use them anymore, CD-Rs are the best bet for 99.999% of people.
 
While the original copyright for the painting might have expired (depending on what country you hail from: the lifetime of the copyright varies from nation to nation), you would still be using an image of the artwork that might be protected under copyright laws since someone else (or a business, or an institution) made a reproduction of the work (painting or print) for publication (someone/business/institution took a photo of the original painting or a print).
If it was from a photo of the original painting that you took with your own camera, you might be okay.
Since that is probably not the case, you would not be protected.

You can try this website: Copyright Clearance Center:

http://www.copyright.com/

Enter in his name in the little search window named "Get Permission", and it will come up with a list of all copyright holders for his work. It will also let you know how to contact the copyright holder to find out about fees to use his work. And it will also facilitate payment through the website.

You will need to know the origin of the image that you wish to use so the proper copyright holder can be compensated (such an image would typically come from a book and the image was scanned to get it online, with permission, unless you are planning on using an image directly from an art book or art history book that you possess).
 
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MIDIchlorian said:
People get royalties for album art?
Click to expand...

More often they get paid for single use. I paid $40 for the front cover art on my first CD - but its from the daughter of a friend who I've known since she was born. :)
 
if it were me, I`d save the whole hasle, stress over the deal, and just create something original....

it`s only a cover anyway..
its whats inside that counts..

did I just say that?...LOL
 
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