Copyright Information For Us From Linda Allen

 

 

Some important copyright information for all of us, from Linda Allen:

Also, important for those of us who collage. And do artwork from tutorials that use magazine, or faces, or tracings for modeling our portraits.

Names are not protected by copyright law. Some names may be protected under trademark law. Contact the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or see Circular 33 "Copyright Protection Not Available for Names, Titles, or Short Phrases".

How do I copyright a name, title, slogan, or logo?

Copyright does not protect names, titles, slogans, or short phrases. In some cases, these things may be protected as trademarks. Contact the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov or see Circular 33, for further information. However, copyright protection may be available for logo artwork that contains sufficient authorship. In some circumstances, an artistic logo may also be protected as a trademark.

How do I protect my idea?

Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.

And here is more from u s copyright office circular 33:

Names, Titles, Short Phrases

Words and short phrases, such as names, titles, and slogans, are uncopyrightable because they contain an insufficient amount of authorship. The Office will not register individual words or brief combinations of words, even if the word or short phrase is novel, distinctive, or lends itself to a play on words.

Examples of names, titles, or short phrases that do not contain a sufficient amount of creativity to support a claim in copyright include

Works Not Protected by Copyright 2

• The name of an individual (including pseudonyms, pen names, or stage names)

• The title or subtitle of a work, such as a book, a song, or a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work

• The name of a business or organization

• The name of a band or performing group

• The name of a product or service

• A domain name or URL

• The name of a character

• Catchwords or catchphrases

• Mottos, slogans, or other short expressions