When I started my online business, the last thing I was thinking about was: what if someone steals my designs?
I had my paper and pencils ready, and my artwork was safe in my studio. But now that I’m putting my work out there and sharing my designs online and for sale on my store, things are a bit different.
As I was building my brand and my company, I asked my lawyer what I could do to protect my artwork, should I copyright each design? How does it work?
So many of us have had designs stolen and then merchandised by random online stores overseas… What are our legal rights to our designs once they have been published online?
I wanted to share a bit of best practices with my fellow artists regarding your work. I collaborate with different artists too, and sharing is caring!
Here are a few tips:
It’s important to keep track of the date you first published your work online.
Also, I like to sign my artwork where it cannot be deleted.
Depending on where you live, you can confirm with a lawyer to register your artwork for copyrights. In Canada, there is a government site where you can register artwork in bulk. This helps you prove you are the owner in case you need to file a lawsuit against a company that could have stolen your designs.
Inform your clients on your products so they are certain that they are buying from you. As of today, the only way to purchase my designs is through my online store at Kathome Creations Inc.
Hope this helps!
Now back to the drawing board 😊