Are you ready to sell your artwork as prints online but feel anxious about protecting your images from unauthorized use? Selling prints of your artwork online can be a great way to make money and gain recognition for your creative efforts.
However, gaining success in the art industry also means taking proper steps to protect digital versions of your work and remain secure from any potential copyright infringement.
This blog post will explore some best practices for safeguarding artistic prints when selling them online. From understanding the different types of copyrights available to you as an artist, selecting strong file formats that are harder to copy or alter, and adding watermarks.
We’ll cover everything needed so you can confidently take the plunge into print sales.
Understand basic copyright laws before selling prints online
If you are considering selling prints of your images online, it is important to understand the basics of copyright laws. Copyright protection automatically applies to any original work created and fixed into a tangible medium, such as canvas or paper. This means that when an image is printed on paper or canvas, for example, the artist who created it owns the copyright for that image.
Most common ways to prevent image theft online
The most common ways to prevent image theft online are discussed below:
Start with low-resolution images
When selling prints online, it is important to start with low-resolution images. Lower-resolution images are more difficult for people to copy and use without permission.
They also reduce the risk of copyright infringement as they do not have enough detail for a quality print. You can also turn off the right-click button on your website to make it more difficult for people to obtain a copy of your image.
Finally, you can use watermarks as an extra security measure – though note that watermarks will not protect an image from being copied or printed in other ways.
All these steps taken together will help keep your artwork protected and safe from any potential copyright infringement.
Keep your images small
Keeping your images small is important to protect them when selling prints online. Resizing and compressing your images helps ensure that they can not be easily altered or duplicated.
It also makes it easier to upload the images quickly, which can help drive sales by reducing buyers’ wait time before seeing their prints.
It makes it more difficult for someone else to use or duplicate them and improves the customer experience by reducing upload times and helping you stay within budget.
Protecting your images online should be a priority for anyone selling prints, and keeping the image sizes small is a great place to start.
Use portions of images
Using portions of images is a great way to protect them when selling prints online. If you offer prints in multiple sizes, you can crop the original image to fit each size without storing multiple versions of the same file.
This helps keep your storage costs low and makes it harder for people to copy or use your images without permission. Cropping can also be a great way to frame your artwork, giving it an extra artistic touch while protecting it from theft or improper use.
So if you’re selling prints online, consider using portions of images to protect your artwork and keep it safe.
Add a copyright notice
Adding a copyright notice to your images is essential for protecting them when selling prints online. This notice will inform others that you own the rights to the image, and any reproduction or distribution of it without your permission is prohibited by law.
When adding the copyright notice, use a readable font like Arial to ensure maximum visibility. You may also include the creation date as part of your copyright notice to further protect yourself from potential infringements.
Use a watermark
Watermarking your images is an effective way to protect them when selling prints online. Adding a watermark logo or text onto the image can be done easily and quickly with software like Adobe Photoshop, Pixlr, and GIMP.
Watermarks help ensure that the copyright of the images remains with you, as well as providing an obvious deterrent for those who might steal the image.
When creating a watermark, it’s important to ensure that the logo or text is clear and visible enough so that others can easily recognize it. The size should also be considered – the watermark should stay within the photo’s aesthetic while still being large enough to serve its purpose.
Make it easy for people to contact you
When selling prints online, making it easy for people to contact you is important. People should ask questions about the product or discuss the payment process and delivery options.
Therefore, providing up-to-date contact information on your website is essential so that potential customers can easily reach out if needed.
Ensure your contact information is visible, easy to find, and conveniently located on your website.
You can also provide customers with an email address or phone number so they can ask questions directly. A contact form on the website also allows customers to input their details easily and quickly.
When providing contact information, make sure it is accurate and up-to-date. It is also important to provide a response time frame so people know when to expect a reply from you.
Furthermore, ensure that someone responds to inquiries promptly, as not doing so could lead to customers feeling discouraged and not wanting to purchase the product.
Take action when you find a violation
When it comes to protecting your images when selling prints online, there are several steps you can take to ensure that your work is not violated or stolen. The first step is to be proactive about monitoring the usage of your photos.
Take the time to search online for any unauthorized use of your photos or artwork, and if you find any violations, take action immediately. Depending on the severity of the violation, you can contact the violator and request that they take down your work.
Consider sending a cease and desist letter or filing a DMCA takedown notice if necessary. Finally, make sure that any online stores or galleries where you are selling prints of your artwork have secure and reliable checkout security measures in place.
By taking these steps, you can help protect your work when selling prints online.
FAQs
How do I protect my art when selling online?
The best way to protect your art when selling online is to understand basic copyright laws and use the most common ways to prevent image theft. This can include starting with low-resolution images, keeping your images small, using portions of images, adding a copyright notice, using a watermark, making it easy for people to contact you, and taking action when you find a violation.
How do I stop people from stealing my art online?
One of the most effective ways to stop people from stealing your art is to turn off the right-click function. This will prevent people from downloading and copying your images. Additionally, you can add a copyright notice or watermark on all of your images, making it easier for you to take action when someone violates your copyright.
How do I protect my art watermark?
To protect your art watermark, ensure it is visible but not distracting or detracting from the overall image. Additionally, ensure the watermark is large enough and in a spot where people are unlikely to crop it out. This will help protect your images and establish ownership of your artwork.
Finally, take action when you find a violation of your copyright. This can include filing a cease and desist letter or DMCA takedown notice.
How do I protect photos from being copied?
To protect your photos from being copied online, consider starting with low-resolution images and keeping them small. You can also make it difficult for people to copy and paste by turning off the right-click function. Finally, if you find someone has copied your photos, take action by filing a cease and desist letter or DMCA takedown notice.
Should I watermark my art prints?
Adding a watermark to your art prints can be an effective way of protecting them from theft. Make the watermark visible but not distracting or detracting from the overall image. Additionally, ensure the watermark is large enough and in a spot where people are unlikely to crop it out. This will help protect your images and establish ownership of your artwork.
Conclusion
Protecting your images when selling prints online can be very important. A great start to this process is to first understand the basic copyright laws. This blog post has provided several tips to help prevent image theft, such as by starting with low-resolution images and keeping the small size of the images, using portions of images, adding a copyright notice, creating a watermark, making it easy for contacts, taking action upon any violations that may arise, and turning off the right-click function. These methods are useful tools in defending your images against being stolen.
