Is it necessary to copyright EVERY piece of artwork you show online, even if it's a generic drawing?

I would. And I would mark as a work in progress.

That being said, in today's "If I can steal your music, writing, artwork, photo and get away with it, I will." attitude, it would be best if you only showed the work in controlled situations to particular, trusted people.

Joe(Best of luck)Nation

Even if it's a GENERIC piece of work or a SIMPLE LINE DRAWING?

Common sense would say no. What would the need be to copyright a line drawing? Anyone can do a line drawing so it has no value. It'd make sense to copyright anything you think has value and is of such a design that might have some market value.

All artwork is automatically subject to copyright protection as soon as it is created and fixed in a tangible form. There is no need to have it registered with the US Copyright Office in order to copyright it, although registration provides some additional safeguards.

I just want to show a SIMPLE cartoon drawing to illustrate a point about something-it's NOT a fixed piece of artwork.

"Fixed" means that it is set down permanently on something. If you draw a cartoon on a piece of paper, it's "fixed" on the paper.

Hi-I mean "finished", not "fixed". I have a quick simple drawing I want to show some people online.

So show it. What's stopping you? If you created it and it's "fixed" in some type of medium (computer program is fine), then it is already copyrighted.

I wanted to know if it was neccessary to get a copyright from the Library of Congress, or put a circled C, the year and my name on my art, before I showed it to anyone online. If it's a simple, generic line drawing and NOT a finished piece of work I think this would be a waste.

Question: Do you want your work (in whatever condition) protected.
___ Yes
___ No

If yes, do it.
If no, don't do it.

Joe(yes/no)Nation

It's a SIMPLE GENERIC drawing, NOT A FINISHED PIECE OF WORK. SOMETHING SIMPLE I WANT SOME HELP WITH. SOMETHING I WANT HELP WITH NOW.

The OTHER JOE answered the question.

I am NOT SPENDING 20$ on a COPYRIGHT if it's NOT NECESSARY- I DO NOT HAVE TIME OR MONEY TO WASTE.

Question: Would you copyright a STICK FIGURE or a HAPPY FACE?

I would if I wanted to. If the drawing was in some way unique or the smiley face was a really funny parody of the original, yes, I would try to protect it.

Stop shouting.

I put a lot of photos on line and I reserve the rights to them both in their original form and in the form they become once I re-edit them.

This is simple and , as JoefromChicago already told you, you do not have to register your drawing in order to copyright it.

(Did you read his link to the Copyright Office? I hope so. It's very revealing.)

Joe(Do what you think is best for you)Nation

Hello Joe. I am not yelling. That's not what the other Joe said- if it's already fixed in some medim, it's already protected.

It's a SIMPLE line drawing, NOT a finished cartoon. A drawing of some cartoon eyes. I am not going to copyright that because it's NOT part of some finished work.

Hi. Here's what Joefromchicago said :


Repeat: If you created it (and you did) and it's 'fixed" in some type of medium (like on your computer) it is already copyrighted.

So, you don't have to do anything more than what you have already done.

Joe(fin)Nation

By the way:


This is shouting.

Joe(stop it)Nation

I am EMPHASIZING. Or do you prefer I use boldface?

According to JoefromChicago, it's already protected, so I DON'T have to spend 20$ on a copyright. END of thread.

Hooray.
and yes, THIS IS SHOUTING; this is emphasis.

Joe(but you know that.)Nation