COPYRIGHT

1. What do I purchase? When you commission a picture, you only buy the right to use it in a specific context. All other user rights and copyright belong to the Illustrator.

2. Who owns the picture? The copyright for the delivered picture always belongs to the illustrator. Negotiation with the illustrator is required if the picture is to be retained.

3. How may the picture be used? The picture can only be used in the context negotiated with the illustrator; this refers to the printed matter, the edition, circulation etc. Should something change after the agreement, the illustrator must be contacted beforehand.

4. What applies when a picture is to be re-used? When a picture is to be re-used, the illustrator must be contacted.

5. May the picture be changed? No changes can occur without the illustrators permission. This refers to cropping, retouching, digital manipulation and other methods.
6. How long is the picture under copyright? The copyright for a picture is valid for 70 years after the illustrators death. To be accepted as a piece of work, the picture needs to obtain individuality, originality and have a distinctive character of its own. This means that two people, independently of one another, shall not be able to create the same picture.

7. May I make new copies? New copies of the picture cannot be produced without the illustrators permission, regardless of whether it is produced in magazines, printed matter or as photocopies etc.

8. May the picture be transferred to digital? To transfer a picture to a digital system is the same as producing a new example. This also includes transferring a picture from a digital system to another or printing it out, the illustrator must therefore always give their permission. Nowadays, digital storage is a part of the printing process, note that the stored picture must not be used in any other context and must be removed after production.

9. What applies when buying a stock-image? When buying a stock-image, you only buy the right to use the picture within a specific context. The delivered image should always be returned intact after usage. Should the image be re-used, the illustrator must always give their permission beforehand.

The text is reproduced with permission by the Swedish Society of Illustrators.