Can you use a famous character in your artwork and designs for sale?

In this video, I share if it is possible to create repeat pattern designs, graphic design, packaging, or any other products featuring the images of famous characters.

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If you are wondering if you can include a famous character from the books, animations or video games into your designs that you plan to sell online or offline, then this video is for you.

I am NOT a lawyer, I am a designer. This information is based only on my own experience. Please contact a lawyer and read terms of agreements of any website you are selling on.

No, you can’t use famous characters as well as brands of products, logos of products or of the models and pet owners peoples photos in your designs.

Everything in your designs and artwork has to be your own created by you.

You can sell portraits of people and pets but you need to get a special release document from all of them signed and upload it to the website you are selling on.

You can use free for commercial use fonts as part of your illustration (I have a video about that).

☞ How about public domain images or textures?

I do not suggest using public domain images as you can’t know 100% where they came from and who created them.

☞ What if you see someone selling illustrations or designs with famous characters?

They will eventually be banned from the website or there can even be much worse consequences for those people.

I also have a video on do you keep the copyright to your images when you sell online.

Can you use a famous character in your artwork and designs for sale?

As a textile designer with over 13 years of experience and a children’s book illustrator, I have seen my fair share of artwork being used without proper permission. It’s a common misconception that as long as you’re not making a direct copy, you can use any image or character you please in your designs. However, this simply isn’t the case. In this blog post, I will be sharing my expert advice on what you can and cannot use in your artwork and how to protect yourself from potential legal trouble.

First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room: no, you cannot use famous characters or artwork from others in your designs, especially if you’re selling your designs online or offline. Many people may argue that they’ve seen others doing it and making a profit, but the truth is that it’s illegal and if caught, those individuals could face serious consequences such as being banned from the websites they’re selling on or even bigger legal trouble.

The same rule applies to photos, sketches, and all other forms of creative work. In order to protect yourself, it’s important to make sure that you are the creator of everything in your artwork and that the concepts, characters, and images you use are original.

So what can you use in your designs? The answer is simple: commercially licensed fonts and commercially free-for-commercial-use fonts. Just make sure to keep the license documents that come with the fonts and to not resell the font without a special license. If you’re using photos or portraits, you’ll need to get the individuals or their pets (if they have any) to sign release documents to be able to use their image in your design. This is important if you plan on selling your designs on microstock websites such as Shutterstock or Adobe Stock.

In conclusion, while it may be tempting to use other people’s artwork or characters in your designs, it’s not worth the risk. Instead, focus on using your own creative powers and building a strong brand that is protected from legal trouble. If you’re looking to build your portfolio and want some tips on how to do it faster, I have a free workbook available in the description box under this video or in the info cards. And as always, I encourage you to subscribe to my channel and like this video if you want to see more content like this in the future.

Until next time, happy designing!

Grow, Love, and Create!
Oksancia