Cab Art, copyrights and printers

[PLCJim]

I was well on my way to creating the art for the skin of my cab when I ran across a little caveat about printers not being willing to print copyrighted work.

 

My concept is mostly a collage of album cover art and I would hope this would fall under fair use provisions since it is for home use and record companies don't make trade in album covers, just the music, as far as I know.

 

Is there a generally accepted rule that applies or some amount of modifications that are generally used to keep this from being an issue with the printers?

[LynnInDenver]

It's going to depend on the printer, the quantity you're doing, and how much it might be a problematic reproduction versus something that's clearly a one-off.

 

It mostly comes from 1) a few print shops doing work for colleges that got in trouble with the book publishers over the excerpts from the textbooks and 2) some shops getting in trouble with photographers when a printed piece contained their work in an unlicensed condition and they pulled the print shop into the resulting copyright lawsuit.

 

The best you can do is call around and be crystal clear what you're doing with it. Some shops won't care, some will just have you sign papers saying that you have the rights cleared (which is meant to indemnify the shop if you and them get sued together), and some will refuse outright if they recognize that it has copyrighted images involved.

[robertms]

11 hours ago, PLCJim said:

I was well on my way to creating the art for the skin of my cab when I ran across a little caveat about printers not being willing to print copyrighted work.

 

My concept is mostly a collage of album cover art and I would hope this would fall under fair use provisions since it is for home use and record companies don't make trade in album covers, just the music, as far as I know.

 

Is there a generally accepted rule that applies or some amount of modifications that are generally used to keep this from being an issue with the printers?

 

Are you in the US? Give Brad Bowman a call, he's done a bunch of prints for members here https://vpuniverse.com/forums/topic/803-decals-and-printing-for-your-hyperpin-cabinet/

[PLCJim]

Thanks,

 

I probably should have started with Brad, since Michael Roberts cites him in his wonderful tome.  Plus, someone was kind enough to pin his info to this forum after I posted my original question.  

 

I'm learning... just slowly.

[darrinbrewer]

ive bought from brad, his material, shipping, everything top notch.