NOTE: It is an infringement of U.S. Copyright law to market and/or sell any artwork that contains Disney intellectual property, without a license or other written consent from The Walt Disney Company.

Can you sell fanart of Disney?

Fan art is absolutely okay to make and share. However, if you are drawing an almost exact replica of a Disney character, you cannot sell your fan art. There are no protections for selling fan art that is a near copy of a Disney character.

Where can I sell my Disney art?

Gallery of Art & Collectibles Inc. is a licensed gallery for Disney Fine Art, Cartoon Network, Paramount, FOX Studio Art, The Simpsons, Clampett Collection, featuring Warner Bros., DC Comics, Hanna Barbera, MARVEL, Star Wars and WDAC!

Can you use Disney characters in your art?

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.

Are Disney character images copyrighted?

Technical, characters are not copyrighted, but the creative works they appear in are. All creative works — books, poems, drawings, paintings, photographs, songs, movies, video games, etc. — have copyright protection in almost every country in the world, whether they are created by Disney or yourself.

Selling Fan Art the LEGAL Way

How do I legally sell Disney crafts?

If you're planning on selling Disney products or characters, you must obtain an official license from the Walt Disney Company. This means that your product must be expressly authorized by the company to be sold legally; without this authorization, you may face hefty fines and other legal consequences.

How do I get permission to use Disney images?

Who do I contact to request permission to use Disney intellectual property for non-commercial uses such as hand-made artwork, clothing, themed private parties, student projects, stage shows, etc.? These requests are handled by the Disney Legal Department on behalf of Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Can you draw Winnie the Pooh and sell it?

Winnie The Pooh is a Disney copyrighted character, and as such can't be used for commercial purposes without acquiring the proper rights for it. The images available on Etsy that you mention, even if they say they are for personal use, are infringing the law.

Can I sell crochet Disney characters?

Any character that you have seen in a movie, tv show, and most books is most likely trademarked. Using a trademarked character in your designs or products is both unethical and illegal.

What Disney stuff is public domain?

Among the stories they told in their famous fairy tale collection were Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and other stories that inspired Disney. Stories of Cinderella and these other princesses are in the public domain with a major caveat — it depends on the iteration of the story and Disney's Cinderella et al.

Is it legal to sell Disney art on Etsy?

Can I sell Disney art on Etsy? You cannot sell Disney art on Etsy. Disney is the copyright owner / copyright holder for all Disney images, logos, names, etc. A lot of people believe it isn't an infringement issue to sell products that incorporate Disney characters or use a Disney character's name in their product name.

How much is Disney licensing?

Disney and other licensors usually receive a licensing fee of 5%-15% of total retail sales of product associated with their brands, according to experts.

Can I sell Mickey Mouse painting?

However, the Mickey Mouse character is trademarked. If you use a trademark for commercial purposes in a way that can cause customer confusion (e.g. the customer thinks you are selling a legitimate Disney product) it is illegal and you can and will be sued.

Can I sell my 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.

Can I sell a painting of a cartoon character?

You cannot legally copy a copyrighted character for sale or profit. That is the purpose of copyright. There are exceptions: parody is the most obvious, but there are other circumstances.

How do I sell fan art on Etsy legally?

To get a license to sell fan art, you need to contact the copyright or trademark holder and get written permission to use their work. You may need to pay a licensing fee as well, and some fees will be very expensive in order to weed people out.

Can you sell Disney embroidery designs?

These designs can not be bought or sold and there are restrictions in the embroidery machine that limit any changing of the designs. I even think they sew out Disney by the design. What you buy on that embroidery card is how it must be sewn out on garments. I know I have a jacket I purchased at the Parks last Dec.

Can you sell handmade items with characters?

As a general rule, you shouldn't sell crafts with any character, image or logo that's not your own. Etsy can and will remove items or ban you for selling work that infringes on others' intellectual property rights — that includes copyrights, trademarks and patents.

How do I legally sell crochet items?

As a general rule, it is legal to sell crochet items made from a copyrighted pattern. Copyright law only applies to the distribution of the pattern itself, not to any items made from the pattern. Despite any language to the contrary, there are no legal repercussions for selling crochet items.

Can you draw Mickey Mouse legally?

For example, artists who want to use Mickey Mouse in their creative works must first get permission from Disney (the current copyright holder) until November 2023. After that date, the copyright will expire, Mickey Mouse will enter the public domain, and artists will not need Disney's permission to use Mickey Mouse.

Are Winnie-the-Pooh images copyright free?

Winnie-the-Pooh is now part of the public domain and the original work — the story, the setting, the characters, etc.

Is Tigger still copyrighted?

Many classic creations will be following in Winnie the Pooh's footsteps and entering the public domain in the next few years. In addition to Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore have already been released into the public domain. Following them, Tigger's copyright protection is set to lapse in 2024.

How strict is Disney with copyright?

Disney is known for being very protective of their intellectual property, including their copyrighted characters, logos, and designs. If someone uses their copyrighted material without permission, it could be considered copyright infringement and result in legal action.

Can I sell my Disney photos?

Now, the fine line is whether the photograph has anything that is identifiably 'Disney', that can be considered trademarked, copyrighted, or protected imagery...they can't really ban any photograph taken on Disney soil from being sold.

How do I get permission to use licensed characters?