← OG Academy · Business basics · 5 分钟阅读
Copyright: what happens to image rights when a work sells
Selling a painting sells the object, not the right to reproduce it. Many artists — and almost all buyers — assume the opposite.
Two separate things
The physical work and the copyright are different property. Unless you explicitly transfer copyright in writing, it stays with you for your whole life and, in most countries, for seventy years after.
That means the buyer may hang it, resell it and photograph it for their own private use, but may not print it on products, use it in advertising or licence it to others.
Say it kindly on the certificate
One line is enough: "Copyright remains with the artist. Reproduction for commercial purposes requires written permission." Almost no buyer objects; most simply never thought about it.
It also protects you when a work ends up in a magazine feature or a company reception years later.
Commissions need it in writing
Commissioned work is where confusion is most expensive. A company that commissions a mural often assumes it owns the image entirely. Agree in advance what they may use it for, where, and for how long.
A single paragraph in an e-mail, confirmed by both sides, counts as an agreement.
Protecting your images online
Upload at a sensible resolution — large enough to look beautiful, not large enough to print. Online Gallery discourages dragging and long-pressing on images, though nothing on the internet is fully copy-proof.
Visible watermarks across the middle of a work usually cost you more in sales than they save in theft.
简而言之
Selling the object is not selling the rights; state it on the certificate, agree commissions in writing, keep your high-resolution files, and upload at a sensible size.