08/02/2004: "Artist Rights of Reproduction"

Does anyone know if an artist automatically retains the rights of reproduction of their images, or is it something that you have to have a contractual agreement for? I've read in several places that when a person buys an original work of art, they are buying the object itself, and the "rights of reproduction" are retained by the artist unless expressly stated otherwise, in writing.

A woman I work with (who is also an artist) got visibly upset when I told her I was having my work scanned so I could make prints. She said "Does the person who bought the painting know that you're making prints"? And I asked her why, and she said "because they may think that they're getting an original" and I said that they are getting an original, but that that shouldn't affect my right to make prints. I've also read that making prints actually increases the value of the original. Am I way off on this one?

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UPDATE:

OK, I think I have found the answer I was looking for from the Artists Rights Society website. Does this sound right?

Do U.S. Owners of Works of Art Also Control the Copyrights?

Replies: 3 Comments

on Tuesday, August 3rd, Dio said

Sounds on the money to me. If the Rolling Stones sold me their studio mastertapes, I would get copyrights as well unless they specifiaclly signed them over to me. Same goes for an artwork. Unless you specifically sign away your copyright it is yours until it moves into the public domain.

on Tuesday, August 3rd, Dio said

Dozey Dio needs to reread what he types...

If the Rolling Stones sold me their studio mastertapes, I *wouldn't* get copyrights as well unless they specifiaclly signed them over to me

on Tuesday, August 3rd, support@elisetomlinson.com">Elise said

I had to read that first entry twice, but I understood what you meant.

It's funny because having Internet friends puts things into such a larger context when it comes to the law. Just the fact that we all have different ones. I went to a couple websites where I found exactly what I was looking for, only to find out they weren't talking about US copyright law.

:doze: