Hi people, I’d like to start making auction templates for ebay to sell. But a few things in mind, and need your heip.
Does anyone know of any sites that you can find graphics, backgrounds, fonts, etc. for commercial use? I am confused a little about using vintage graphics. I’ve seen many people selling vintage graphics. If they were made before the copyright laws and are considered public domain, how are people able to sell these and put their own copyright on them? Aren't they public images? I know people get them from greeting cards etc. What if you had the same greeting card (because I am sure more than one was printed), can you use the image? For example, a painting of a rose. I feel like this is such a general image.
Also, what about basic stuff like dots or stripes, there is nothing original about them.
Hopefully someone could clear this up for me or direct me to a good site or book to find the info. I have been searching for months and everything seems so ambiguous

http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/showforum3.htm
http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/showforum63.htm

It's hard to find non-copyrighted images that are safe to use, especially if you want to sell them. That's why I prefer to make my own. It looks like you know something about the copyright laws already, but in case anyone is interested:

Copyright is a right granted by a government to the author or creator of a literary or artistic work; a copyright protects the tangible expression of an idea for the specific length of time provided in the copyright law and gives the author or creator the sole and exclusive right to print, publish, or sell the work. Creations that can be copyrighted include virtually all forms of artistic or intellectual expression, including books, music, artworks, recordings (audio and video), architectural drawings, choreographic works, product packaging, and computer software.


In the United States, works created after 1977 are protected for the life of the author plus 70 years. Works copyrighted by corporations or not-for-profit organizations are protected for 95 years from the date of publication or 120 years from the date of creation, whichever is earlier.

In the past, many countries (including the U.S.) required the creator of a work to register that work to obtain copyright protection. U.S. law still allows registration, but registration is no longer required. A work that does not include the words "copyright" or "copyrighted" or the © symbol, and that was created after 1977, is copyrighted automatically by virtue of the copyright law unless the creator makes a specific statement on the work that it is not copyrighted.

Once the term of copyright has expired, the work is in the public domain, which means that you are free to copy the files without requesting permission from the source. Older literary works, such as Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, are in the public domain and may be copied and reprinted freely. An author or creator can intentionally place work into the public domain at any time. Even though you can freely use public domain information, you should check the site carefully for requirements about whether and how you should acknowledge the source of material when it is used.

The U.S. copyright law includes an exemption from infringement actions for fair use of copyrighted works. The fair use of a copyrighted work includes copying it for use in criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. The law's definition of fair use is intentionally broad and can be difficult to interpret.

The above text is from: The Internet, 5th edition, by Gary P. Schneider and Jessica Evans. © 2006 Course Technology, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.
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These below have all been copyrighted at one time or another. When you like an image or the work of an artist always read their terms of use/conditions before proceeding. Keep in mind that these terms/conditions may change periodically in the future and that even some Clipart, .gif CD's that you have bought may also be copyrighted. Be aware that Tubes can also be copyrighted and that some tubes deemed to be free are actually copyrighted images.

These are the most common and this list should be used as a general guide only


--All Star Santa®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Amy Brown (artist) (limited) (read her current terms of use; it varies periodically)
--Animation Factory (must give credit; cannot group graphics for distribution)
--Anime
--Anne Geddes (artist)
--Barbie™, ©Mattel, Inc.
--Barney & Friends™, ©Lyons Productions
--Batman™, ©DC Comics
--Berta Hummel™, ©Goebel
--Betty Boop, ©King Features Syndicate Inc./Fleischers Studios Inc.
--Blessed Are Ye®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Boris Vallijo & Julie Bell (artists)
--Boyds Collection® (bears)
--Calico Kittens™, ©Enesco
--Cherish® - A Lovely Cherub, ©Ruth Morehead
--Cherished Teddies®, Priscilla Hillman
--Daniel B. Holeman (artist)
--Dexter’s Lab, ©Nintendo
--Dickens’ Village Series®, ©Department 64
--Dorian Cleavenger (artist)
--Dreamsicles™, ©CastArt Industries
--Easter Parade®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Elfquest, ©Warp Graphics, Inc.
--Endangered Young’uns®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Eyeore from “Winnie the Pooh” Works, ©Disney, ©A. A. Milne & E. H. Shepard
--Faeriewood Collection™ (artwork of elves)
--Flintstones, ©Hanna-Barbera
--Frosty Tots®, ©Ruth Morehead
--G.I. Joe™, ©Hasbro
--Garfield and Odie, ©Jim Davis, ©uclick LLC & Paws, Inc.
--Garfield, ©Jim Davis, ©uclick LLC & Paws, Inc.
--Grinch Cartoon Characters, ©Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P.
--Gumby™ and Pokey™, © Premavision, Inc. and Prema Toy Co.
--Gumby™, © Premavision, Inc. and Prema Toy Co.
--Hanna-Barbera™ Characters
--Harry Potter, ©J. K. Rowling, ©Warner Brothers
--Hasbro Products (all), ©Hasbro
--Hello Kitty™, ©Sanrio
--He-Man Cartoons, ©Mattel, Inc.
--Hey Arnold (and all characters), ©Nickelodeon
--Holly Babes®, ©Ruth Morehead
--House Mouse, ©Ellen Jareckie, ©House-Mouse Designs
--James Dean, ©CMG Worldwide
--Jan Brett (artist)
--Jimmy Neutron, ©Nickelodeon
--Lena Lui© (artwork and graphics of angels)
--Linda Bergkvits (artist)
--Little Big Top®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Little Mermaid, ©Disney
--Looneytunes – Warner Brothers©
--Lord of the Rings, ©New Line Cinema
--M&Ms®, ©Mars, Inc.
--Mary Engelbreit© (artist)
--Monopoly®, ©Hasbro
--Muppets™, ©Jim Henson Company
--Odie and Garfield, ©Jim Davis, ©uclick LLC & Paws, Inc.
--Paddington Bear, ©Michael Bond/©Paddington Co., Ltd.
--Peanuts© (Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy, Linus, etc.)
--Piglet from “Winnie the Pooh” Works, ©Disney, ©A. A. Milne & E. H. Shepard
--Pokemon, ©Nintendo
--Pokey™, © Premavision, Inc. and Prema Toy Co.
--Powerpuff Girls, ©Cartoon Network/Time Warner
--Precious Moments™, ©Precious Moments, Inc. (Ltd)
--Pretty As A Picture®, NBM Balmer Studios/Alaska Momma, Inc., ©Kim Anderson
--Rabbit (from “Winnie the Pooh”), ©Disney, ©A. A. Milne & E. H. Shepard
--Rag Tag Teddies®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Ren and Stimpy, ©Nickelodeon
--Rugrats™, ©Nickelodeon
--Ruth Morehead (artist)
--Sandra Kuck© (angels)
--Sarah’s Angels™, ©Pavilion Gifts
--Scooby Doo, ©Warner Brothers
--Seraphim Classics®, ©Roman
--Shrek and Characters, ©Dreamworks LLC
--Smurfs, ©PEYO
--Snowbabies®, ©Department 64
--Snowonders™, ©Department 64
--Speed Racer, ©Nickelodeon
--Daniel B. Holeman (artist)
--SpongeBob Squarepants™ and Characters, ©Nickelodeon
--Strawberry Shortcake and Characters
--Superman™, ©DC Comics
--Suzy Spafford© (artist of Suzy’s Zoo characters)
--Suzy’s Zoo®, ©Suzy Spafford (artist)
--Teenie Halloweenies®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Teletubbies, ©BBC and Ragdoll
--Thomas Kinkade© (artist - Painter of Light Series)
--Thumble® (The thimble-sized mouse), ©Ruth Morehead
--Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh,” ©Disney, ©A. A. Milne & E. H. Shepard
--Toyland Treasures®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Undercover Kids ®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Walt Disney Characters
--Warm and Whimsical Characters®, ©Ruth Morehead
--Webshots.com (these are primarily screensavers & not for altering)
--Winnie the Pooh, ©Disney, ©A. A. Milne & E. H. Shepard

Hi Olive,

Thanks for your reply, I think I've learnt something.
By the way, are you an attorney or something？

www.sxc.hu - free stocks

Here's my philosophy. If you're doing some small project and it's for like a relative, friend, band, small company, etc. I usually use things like free stock images, brush packs that I downloaded, etc. And nobody is really going to care, since it's fairly small.

For any big project though, where you're getting serious $$$ and it's going to be fairly special, I make all my own content from scratch. Even if that means sub-contracting various aspects, like photography for example.

hey,
i'll check.
thank you !