Creative Commons

All images have an original creator, author, or artist. We are bombarded with images, especially when online and it is easy to forget that an image so easily shared has been created by someone.

If you are a creator, have you considered the impact of sharing and promoting your work online? Focusing on copyright can obscure the positive impact of sharing your work, such as promotion, sharing knowledge or creativity with the public. You can retain control over your work by adding a copyright licence which meets your needs by visiting the Creative Commons website and using their free online tool.

How can you promote and protect your images online? 

Sharing your work through online platforms, including your own website and social media sites such as Pinterest and Instagram, can allow you to reach new audiences. Despite the positives of online platforms, there is the risk of your images being copied. Below are ways you can make your images harder to copy:

• Add your name, logo, website, or email address to your images
• Use small low-resolution images
• Use a section of your image, especially if it is a repeat pattern
• Apply a Creative Commons licence

Useful resources to support creators

You can directly access the following resources under 'Related links' on the right-hand side of this page.

• Copyrightuser.org aims to make UK copyright law accessible
• DACS is a not-for-profit organisation for visual artists that collects and distributes royalties
• The library subscribes to a-n.co.uk to support visual artists. It can be accessed via LibrarySearch and the ‘Find databases a-z' link.