If you’re an artist, designer, or creator, you know, more than anyone, how much of your heart and soul you pour into your work. Considering this, it’s no wonder that so many artists worry about their creations being stolen or plagiarized. There are several ways to protect your work from thieves.
According to research, cybercrime costs the world $10.5 trillion yearly. Additionally, 95% of data breaches are caused by human error, and 64% of companies have gone through at least one form of cyberattack.
So, whether you’ve got years of experience under your belt or you’re just trying to build your career, understanding how to protect your creations when you upload them is essential. Make sure to read these tips so you can keep track of your intellectual property and defend its integrity whenever necessary.
Let’s dive into 5 different strategies that will keep your designs and artwork safe from being stolen or copied without authorization.
1. Copyright your work right away
One of the most basic steps you can take to protect your work, both for traditional media and digital art, is simply to copyright it. This signals you as the owner of your work, and so you can reproduce it, distribute it, and display it however you want.
A lot of artwork is copyrighted the moment it is created, but registering that copyright legally allows you to enjoy additional legal benefits and protections. For example, you can sue the people who distribute it illegally.
So, make sure to include a copyright notice on every platform on which you showcase your artwork.
2. Add a watermark to your works
When you watermark your images, you can effectively stop unauthorized use and assert your ownership over the artwork. Of course, the watermark has to be visible to stop people from simply deleting it while illegally editing your art.
Here’s how to do it:
- Adjust the watermark size and placement to make sure that it’s accurately displayed in every platform to prevent people from trying to crop it.
- Make a habit of checking if somebody has used your artwork without authorization by using a reverse image search tool.
- Add a short paragraph detailing who this artwork belongs to, and highlight how important it is to respect intellectual property.
3. Monitor your artwork online
When you keep an eye on your work, you can quickly detect and deal with people stealing your property. For this, you can set up a Google Alert or set up an alert on copyright image search tool to keep track of your designs, who uses them, and how they’re being distributed.
When you discover someone misusing your work, you can:
- Send a cease-and-desist letter.
- Contact them to ask them to give you credit.
- File a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice if they’re ignoring your warnings to have the infringing content removed.
4. Create strong passwords and use secure platforms
Not every platform has your best interest at heart, especially when it comes to intellectual property and your designs online. Make sure to prevent the issue of security and copyright infringement by creating strong passwords and using safe and well-established platforms.
Unfortunately, research shows that 59% of US adults use birthdays and names as passwords, which is bad for their online safety. If you create a strong password or get a password manager, hackers can’t easily gain access to your accounts.
When it comes to selling your artwork, choosing a reputable e-commerce platform is essential. These have to prioritize data protection and your safety. If that doesn’t cut it, consider investing in a Virtual Private Network like Surfshark VPN.
5. Evaluate licensing agreements
There are several ways to make money off your artwork and even more ways to control how it is used and distributed online. One way is to get a licensing agreement: this helps you grant permission for others to use your work while keeping ownership over it.
If you’re leaning toward this choice, you must draft a comprehensive and clear licensing agreement outlining how and when people can make use of your work. The more in-depth you go, the clearer things will be if you have any problems. If you need to contact a professional, do it quickly so you don’t leave any loose ends.
Conclusion
Stealing other people’s work is something that unfortunately happens far too often. That’s why protecting your designs is so important.
When you take proactive measures, like copyrighting your work, adding a watermark, or scanning the web to catch the thieves, you make sure to protect yourself, your reputation, and your finances.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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