Questions about making 40k art. - 40K Terra

CHIAPETOFDOOM · 11-20-2007

Heya folks,

I do alot of artwork and I was concidering trying to make a doller or two on the side making some 40k related works. If I were to make some 40k related artwork and try to sell it, would that be illegal? I just wondered how the rights worked and everything or if you folks knew?

Thanks for your time!

Lord Commander Erus · 11-20-2007

Sadly, yes. The IP works so that if you make a diem off GW's ideas, they can sue your pants off.

hairyyahoo · 11-20-2007

unless you're good enough to sell to them?

p.s-welcome back to the boards

Torquemada Coteaz · 11-20-2007

Yes if you are REALLY good, send a resume type thing to GW.
Probably nothing will turn up as of yet, but you'll probably get a few commissions from them in a few years time.

CHIAPETOFDOOM · 11-21-2007

We'll that puts me in a sad state, I really wanted to make some big battle scenes and wars. And make a little money too. Maybe I'll just settle for letting them hang in my house heh. I don't know if I'm good enough to work for Games Workshop yet

Thanks for the input fellas, I appreciate it!

Thanks Hairy, I visit a fair amount, I just watch and don't say a whole lot.

Torquemada Coteaz · 11-21-2007

Well here's the other thing:
You CAN get around it.
If you just sell it to a friend or something through private dealings, GW can't really do anything about it.
If you decide to produce a lot of prints and sell a lot of them, especially at a specific physical or electronic location, then GW WILL have a problem with it and WILL nail your ass.

EDIT:
Basically, you can't go through major or public venues, and there shouldn't be too big an average volume being trafficked

precinctomega · 11-22-2007

It is not, whatever GW's legal team likes to tell people, illegal to sell original works of art based on Games Workshop's IP.

There are dozens of people who make a reasonable income from selling artwork based on IP from Lucasarts, DC, Marvel et al and Games Workshop is no different.

Your artwork is a valid interpretation of a concept. It's like saying you can't sell a copy of Picasso's Guernica because his estate can sue you. It can't (although, obviously, trying to pass it off as the original will get you more than sued!).

You are perfectly entitled to sell original works illustrating Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Orks, Eldar or whatever you please. You are also - again, despite what GW's legal team insist - allowed to take commissions to paint interpretation's of GW's IP. This includes painting a Space Marine army for someone else, say - something that GW's legal page suggests is unlawful, but which is, in fact, a good source of income for a number of the world's top painters.

What you cannot do is make prints of your original work and sell those. Nor, of course, can you claim GW's IP as your own and all sources of direction inspiration should be fairly quoted.

Regards,

R.

Torquemada Coteaz · 11-22-2007

Wow really?
Thanks man I didn't know that.
Most people tell me somewhat differently (i.e. what I said before)

This can mean swell things hehe...

precinctomega · 11-23-2007

I should add that the market for GW fanart is pathetic.

R.

SteveBerenyi · 11-23-2007

while that may be PO, i would gladly take all submissions you may have CHIAPETOFDOOM for our online magazine

really i would.

Ion Raptor · 11-23-2007

I'd like to see some of your work, doom.....if your good enough you could maybe, sorta, perhaps.....create artwork depicting our homegrown Chapter?

Word Bearer 81007 · 11-23-2007

or at least post somethings on the forum for us all to gock at.

precinctomega · 11-24-2007

Anyone want to see my stuff?

Also, Dark Magenta magazine is always looking for new artwork, too.

R.

Ion Raptor · 11-24-2007

why wouldn't we? start posting!

Lord Commander Erus · 11-24-2007

Depending on your prices and the quality of your work, I might be interested.

CHIAPETOFDOOM · 01-08-2008

Sorry I didn't even see this thread was still posting replys, my mind kind of wanders off to college and stuff, I didn't mean to ignore folks ,heh

I'm not really good with posting stuff, I'll ask my friend whose better with computers, and maybe I can draw up a few things and you can get an idea of what were dealing with.

Lord Commander Erus · 01-08-2008

That would be most excellent.. I'm in need of some good artwork actually

DeAd_cOmMaNdO · 01-09-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Commander Erus

Sadly, yes. The IP works so that if you make a diem off GW's ideas, they can sue your pants off.

only if they find out

Wakim · 01-09-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeAd_cOmMaNdO

only if they find out

Exactly.

I know guys that have made some dcent bucks out of 'not so decent' sellings

Torquemada Coteaz · 01-09-2008

And yet you still talk about it here...
(Keep dealings to emails and IM please, hehe, that way we can't be affiliated.)

11-20-2007	#1 (permalink)
CHIAPETOFDOOM Trooper Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 64 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Questions about making 40k art. Heya folks, I do alot of artwork and I was concidering trying to make a doller or two on the side making some 40k related works. If I were to make some 40k related artwork and try to sell it, would that be illegal? I just wondered how the rights worked and everything or if you folks knew? Thanks for your time!

11-20-2007	#2 (permalink)
Lord Commander Erus Your Friendly Neighborhood Heretic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville, KY (Back home in the bluegrass) Posts: 6,629 Rep Power: 7 Thanks: 170 Thanked 398 Times in 249 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Sadly, yes. The IP works so that if you make a diem off GW's ideas, they can sue your pants off. __________________ "Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves: will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?" - Odysseus (Troy - 2004) Black Saints Adeptus Astartes Chapter

11-20-2007	#3 (permalink)
hairyyahoo Master Procrastinator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: As a figment of my own deranged imagination, i don't actually exist anywhere. Or London, UK. Posts: 3,717 Rep Power: 6 Thanks: 269 Thanked 426 Times in 305 Posts Blog Entries: 1	unless you're good enough to sell to them? p.s-welcome back to the boards __________________ Howling At The Moon - A Truescale Space Wolf W.I.P Black Legion W.I.P Frozen Leaves Falling to Cut - eldar W.I.P Hairys Scratch Build Hallahballu

11-20-2007	#4 (permalink)
Torquemada Coteaz The Grammar Cop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: the TC personal =][= estate on Encaladus Posts: 1,916 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 115 Thanked 50 Times in 36 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Yes if you are REALLY good, send a resume type thing to GW. Probably nothing will turn up as of yet, but you'll probably get a few commissions from them in a few years time. __________________ My Site: www.freewebs.com/ejshtuffz All of my stuff are there. Current Projects, etc. General Wargaming Guide: here Picture/Art Blog: here (BT) Asomrof: Crusade Fluff: here Crusaders Fluff: here http://www.freewebs.com/jason-lastword/index.htm

11-21-2007	#6 (permalink)
Torquemada Coteaz The Grammar Cop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: the TC personal =][= estate on Encaladus Posts: 1,916 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 115 Thanked 50 Times in 36 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Well here's the other thing: You CAN get around it. If you just sell it to a friend or something through private dealings, GW can't really do anything about it. If you decide to produce a lot of prints and sell a lot of them, especially at a specific physical or electronic location, then GW WILL have a problem with it and WILL nail your ass. EDIT: Basically, you can't go through major or public venues, and there shouldn't be too big an average volume being trafficked __________________ My Site: www.freewebs.com/ejshtuffz All of my stuff are there. Current Projects, etc. General Wargaming Guide: here Picture/Art Blog: here (BT) Asomrof: Crusade Fluff: here Crusaders Fluff: here http://www.freewebs.com/jason-lastword/index.htm Last edited by Torquemada Coteaz; 11-21-2007 at 12:41 PM.

11-21-2007	#5 (permalink)
CHIAPETOFDOOM Trooper Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 64 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	We'll that puts me in a sad state, I really wanted to make some big battle scenes and wars. And make a little money too. Maybe I'll just settle for letting them hang in my house heh. I don't know if I'm good enough to work for Games Workshop yet Thanks for the input fellas, I appreciate it! Thanks Hairy, I visit a fair amount, I just watch and don't say a whole lot.

11-22-2007	#7 (permalink)
precinctomega Trooper Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: York, UK Posts: 135 Rep Power: 1 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	It is not, whatever GW's legal team likes to tell people, illegal to sell original works of art based on Games Workshop's IP. There are dozens of people who make a reasonable income from selling artwork based on IP from Lucasarts, DC, Marvel et al and Games Workshop is no different. Your artwork is a valid interpretation of a concept. It's like saying you can't sell a copy of Picasso's Guernica because his estate can sue you. It can't (although, obviously, trying to pass it off as the original will get you more than sued!). You are perfectly entitled to sell original works illustrating Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Orks, Eldar or whatever you please. You are also - again, despite what GW's legal team insist - allowed to take commissions to paint interpretation's of GW's IP. This includes painting a Space Marine army for someone else, say - something that GW's legal page suggests is unlawful, but which is, in fact, a good source of income for a number of the world's top painters. What you cannot do is make prints of your original work and sell those. Nor, of course, can you claim GW's IP as your own and all sources of direction inspiration should be fairly quoted. Regards, R.

11-22-2007	#8 (permalink)
Torquemada Coteaz The Grammar Cop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: the TC personal =][= estate on Encaladus Posts: 1,916 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 115 Thanked 50 Times in 36 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Wow really? Thanks man I didn't know that. Most people tell me somewhat differently (i.e. what I said before) This can mean swell things hehe... __________________ My Site: www.freewebs.com/ejshtuffz All of my stuff are there. Current Projects, etc. General Wargaming Guide: here Picture/Art Blog: here (BT) Asomrof: Crusade Fluff: here Crusaders Fluff: here http://www.freewebs.com/jason-lastword/index.htm

11-23-2007	#9 (permalink)
precinctomega Trooper Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: York, UK Posts: 135 Rep Power: 1 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	I should add that the market for GW fanart is pathetic. R.

11-23-2007	#10 (permalink)
SteveBerenyi Just A Regular Joe. Again Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Butte, Montana Posts: 2,631 Rep Power: 4 Thanks: 204 Thanked 282 Times in 168 Posts Blog Entries: 10	while that may be PO, i would gladly take all submissions you may have CHIAPETOFDOOM for our online magazine really i would. __________________ WIN/DRAW/LOSS On The Battlefield 5 / 1 / 4

11-23-2007	#11 (permalink)
Ion Raptor Khornebob Killpants Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 843 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 25 Thanked 126 Times in 51 Posts Blog Entries: 4	I'd like to see some of your work, doom.....if your good enough you could maybe, sorta, perhaps.....create artwork depicting our homegrown Chapter? __________________ "Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment" - Librarian Isador Akios of the Blood Raven's 3rd Company "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him." - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

11-23-2007	#12 (permalink)
Word Bearer 81007 Sergeant Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: pueblo, colorado (hell) Posts: 569 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 19 Thanked 23 Times in 19 Posts	or at least post somethings on the forum for us all to gock at.

11-24-2007	#13 (permalink)
precinctomega Trooper Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: York, UK Posts: 135 Rep Power: 1 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Anyone want to see my stuff? Also, Dark Magenta magazine is always looking for new artwork, too. R. Last edited by precinctomega; 11-25-2007 at 05:01 AM.

11-24-2007	#14 (permalink)
Ion Raptor Khornebob Killpants Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 843 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 25 Thanked 126 Times in 51 Posts Blog Entries: 4	why wouldn't we? start posting! __________________ "Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment" - Librarian Isador Akios of the Blood Raven's 3rd Company "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him." - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

11-24-2007	#15 (permalink)
Lord Commander Erus Your Friendly Neighborhood Heretic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville, KY (Back home in the bluegrass) Posts: 6,629 Rep Power: 7 Thanks: 170 Thanked 398 Times in 249 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Depending on your prices and the quality of your work, I might be interested. __________________ "Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves: will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?" - Odysseus (Troy - 2004) Black Saints Adeptus Astartes Chapter

01-08-2008	#16 (permalink)
CHIAPETOFDOOM Trooper Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 64 Rep Power: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sorry I didn't even see this thread was still posting replys, my mind kind of wanders off to college and stuff, I didn't mean to ignore folks ,heh I'm not really good with posting stuff, I'll ask my friend whose better with computers, and maybe I can draw up a few things and you can get an idea of what were dealing with.

01-08-2008	#17 (permalink)
Lord Commander Erus Your Friendly Neighborhood Heretic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville, KY (Back home in the bluegrass) Posts: 6,629 Rep Power: 7 Thanks: 170 Thanked 398 Times in 249 Posts Blog Entries: 5	That would be most excellent.. I'm in need of some good artwork actually __________________ "Men are haunted by the vastness of eternity. And so we ask ourselves: will our actions echo across the centuries? Will strangers hear our names long after we are gone, and wonder who we were, how bravely we fought, how fiercely we loved?" - Odysseus (Troy - 2004) Black Saints Adeptus Astartes Chapter

01-09-2008	#20 (permalink)
Torquemada Coteaz The Grammar Cop Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: the TC personal =][= estate on Encaladus Posts: 1,916 Rep Power: 2 Thanks: 115 Thanked 50 Times in 36 Posts Blog Entries: 5	And yet you still talk about it here... (Keep dealings to emails and IM please, hehe, that way we can't be affiliated.) __________________ My Site: www.freewebs.com/ejshtuffz All of my stuff are there. Current Projects, etc. General Wargaming Guide: here Picture/Art Blog: here (BT) Asomrof: Crusade Fluff: here Crusaders Fluff: here http://www.freewebs.com/jason-lastword/index.htm

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