# how are Copyrights aquired **URL:** \ **Category:** Off-topic Chat\ **Created:** [October 7, 2003, 8:44am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085 "2003-10-07T08:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tallguy64](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Tallguy64](https://blenderartists.org/u/Tallguy64)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:44am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/1 "2003-10-07T08:44:16Z")
This has always confused me. Are copyrightsjust somthing you personally put on somthing or is it something that you would need to consult somone to get. ---
**Author:** ![silver\_hook](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@silver\_hook](https://blenderartists.org/u/silver_hook)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:04am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/2 "2003-10-07T09:04:46Z")
1. you get copyright on a piece of anything (in this case artwork) at the very moment you make it. to let it be known it’s yours you have to sign it with your name or synonime (nick, sign, etc.) 2. when you acquire the copyright (which as you see is easy enough) you can then add a license to it, but it’s not neccessary. examples of licenses are the Artistic license, GPL, LGPL … some of them are called copyleft, because you give up all (most) the rights you get with the copyright. i hope i helped you out a bit 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tallguy64](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Tallguy64](https://blenderartists.org/u/Tallguy64)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/3 "2003-10-07T10:57:39Z")
Yeh that helps alot thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Cessen](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/cessen/32/700817_2.png) [@Cessen](https://blenderartists.org/u/Cessen)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/4 "2003-10-10T07:56:51Z")
You automatically recieve copyright for any original work of “art” that you create. (The term “art”, however, applies to things such as text books and scientific papers in addition to things such as peoms, paintings, and 3d renderings.) If you wish to release something as public domain (i.e. not copyrighted) then put the following in the same place as you would have put a copyright notice (without quotes): “This work is dedicated to the public domain.” If you want to make it clear that it is _not_ public domain, you should put a copyright notice on it. For instance (without quotes): “Copyright © 2003 Nathan Vegdahl” However, even if you do not put a copyright notice on your work, it is still copyrighted. In pictures (rendered or otherwise), the copyright notice is generally placed in the lower right-hand corner of the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Timothy](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/timothy/32/3_2.png) [@Timothy](https://blenderartists.org/u/Timothy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/5 "2003-10-11T03:00:20Z")
from what I heared from someone, digital art and documents are copyrighted ‘on touch’ so you would need to print it Timothy ---
**Author:** ![Tokabola](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Tokabola](https://blenderartists.org/u/Tokabola)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/6 "2003-10-19T02:24:49Z")
A work (be it visual art, text, or music) is copywritted when you: a), record it in any permanant medium b) perform or show it in public However, good luck sueing for infringement it you don’t register it with the appropiate (to your country) government agency. Google “copywrite & (country)” to find the right place. I know in the US it costs less than $30 to register. The “poor man’s copywrite” is to mail it to youself registered mail and don’t open it. Not 100% effective but better than nothing, at least it shows some proof of date. ---
**Author:** ![silver\_hook](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@silver\_hook](https://blenderartists.org/u/silver_hook)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/7 "2003-10-19T03:44:21Z")
more or less it goes on-touch …signing it helps you prove that it’s really yours . but author rights differ from country to country …i can only tell you how it is where i’m from (slovenia, central europe) …the best thing’s still to read the law that handles it, or ask someone you know (preferably lawyer) who should know it ---
**Author:** ![Fred\_Pyo](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/fred_pyo/32/55_2.png) [@Fred\_Pyo](https://blenderartists.org/u/Fred_Pyo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/how-are-copyrights-aquired/310085/8 "2003-10-19T19:06:08Z")
err… uhm… LINK! [http://whatiscopyright.org/](http://whatiscopyright.org/)