Table of Contents
You cannot sell your drawings of Disney characters because, by doing so, you would be infringing on The Walt Disney Company’s copyrights and trademarks. These characters are their intellectual property. If you want to sell your Disney artwork, you have to secure a license from them.
Is it legal to sell Disney characters and paint them?
No you cannot paint, offer for sale, sell, or otherwise tinker with a Disney character, at least it is illegal without an express license from the Walt Disney company.
Do you need a license to sell Disney art?
Copyright and trademark law says that you can’t make Disney items without a license. However, buying items, then reselling them is legal under the first-sale doctrine – you don’t need anyone’s permission.
How can I sell Disney fan art legally?
Write a formal letter requesting permission to sell your fan art. Address your letter to the copyright owner and explain who you are and what you want to do. Be clear about the fact that you want to sell your fan art and let them know where you plan to sell it.
Can I sell drawings of cartoon characters?
Legally, you cannot sell paintings of characters that other artists have invented. Due to trademark, copyright, and art plagiarism issues, selling paintings of characters is stealing the work of others and selling it as your own, even if you created the painting yourself and put a unique spin on it.
How do you get rights to Disney characters?
In order to use the characters legally, you must request permission from Disney Enterprises. Multiple corporate entities of Disney own many of the intellectual property rights of Disney characters. To learn more about which Disney entity owns the character you want to use, visit the Disney website.
Can I use Disney images for personal use?
The safest way to use Disney characters’ images or names is to obtain permission from Disney to use the image or name. This permission to use the name or image is called a license. However, as a general rule in licensing, the broader the rights granted, the more expensive a license will be.
Is it illegal to sell Disney art?
Why? You cannot sell your drawings of Disney characters because, by doing so, you would be infringing on The Walt Disney Company’s copyrights and trademarks. These characters are their intellectual property. If you want to sell your Disney artwork, you have to secure a license from them.
Can I draw someone and sell it?
Each person, including celebrities, have what’s called a “Right of Publicity.” This means you cannot exploit another person’s name or likeness without permission. Exploitation includes both public displays and selling for profit. Creating the artwork is not a violation of the Right of Publicity.
Can I sell Disney themed items on Etsy?
You CAN sell things that have the same “theme or story” that a Disney movie has used. You CAN’T sell Disney inspired products. So yes, Disney themed items do infringe on trademarks.
Is selling fan art copyright infringement?
The answer is, if you are creating fan art whether for profit or not, any copyrighted character or use of trademark in a description or title without prior written consent from the copyright owner, then selling fan art is illegal but making fan art is not illegal.
Is it illegal to sell fan art on Etsy?
Originally Answered: Is selling fan art in an Etsy shop illegal? If you are breaching trademarks or copyrights, yes, it’s illegal. The term “fan art” has no legal standing.
Does Disney sue for copyright infringement?
Disney Enterprises, Inc. vs. Mouseprint Media LLC—In 2020, Disney won the lawsuit against Florida-based retailer Mouseprint Media—also known as DisGear—because they used copyrighted lyrics and images from Star Wars, Frozen, and other Disney-owned movies.
Can I draw a picture of a cartoon and sell it?
Any commercial use of a copyrighted cartoon character without permission of the copyright holder is a violation of law. This includes the sale of any drawings or art works, either by themselves or in some other form such as on a T-shirt, team logo, advertisement, billboard, or promotional design.
Is drawing cartoon characters illegal?
To clarify, under federal law, drawing and animation are considered child pornography, and you can be convicted for possession or marketing of such material.
Can I sell drawings of celebrities?
You can sell a fine art painting of a celebrity as long as it is a transformative work of art. This means it needs to be artistic in nature, not just a faithful likeness. The painting cannot copy an existing work of art (including a photo), and cannot interfere with a celebrity’s “right of publicity”.
Can you resell Disney products?
Copyright and trademark law says that you can’t make Disney items without a license. However, buying items, then reselling them is legal under the first-sale doctrine – you don’t need anyone’s permission. And if the items you’re selling are unlicensed bootlegs, expect a cease and desist letter from Disney.
How much does a Disney commercial license cost?
If they agreed to let you make it to sell, there was be a yearly licensing fee (starting at, at least $10,000) PLUS 50% of what you sold the item for (Not 50% of the profit, 50% of the selling price).
Is Disney a trademark or copyright?
In addition to the copyright, Disney chose to register a trademark—to identify and distinguish Disney as the owner of the goods. Over time, customers have come to associate Disney with these characters well beyond the animated films they came from. This association is a form of goodwill.
What Disney images are public domain?
Rapunzel, Snow White, and Cinderella. They are now in the public domain and can be used freely. Of course, you can’t use the Disney’s retelling of the stories. If you are curious, the Brothers Grimm are also responsible for recording many other stories.
Can you wear homemade Disney shirts to Disney World?
Lots of people make custom Disney outfits for their children or their whole family to wear when they visit the parks, and Walt Disney World does not prohibit guests from wearing homemade Disney-themed clothing.
Are Disney tattoos legal?
Yes, Disney tattoos are legal, but it may be illegal for a tattoo artist to tattoo the logo on you. To do the tattoo, they need a license or permission to use the design from Disney for tattoos, as they would be making money using Disney’s intellectual property.
