Quick question regarding jewelry making and, well, legality.

I've been getting into bottle-cap jewelry lately. I've made some great pieces, with images of people ranging from Greta Garbo to a picture of two daytime soap opera actresses kissing.

I made a pair of earrings, which I feel is my best piece so far, with John Lennon inside. I attached little dangling charms with the word "Imagine" to the bottom of them. Someone made a joking comment about how Yoko Ono would sue if she knew I'd made them.

Jokes aside, if I'm not making this jewelry for profit (I've sold a necklace to a friend of mine but it had a rainbow inside, no licensed images), would I face legal action for using licensed images in jewelry for myself?

Any answers would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Love and kisses
-Pioggia

 

i don't think so..

 

I didn't think so either but I just wanted to double-check. I know it's a dumb question, but it's better safe than sorry, no?
x0
-Pioggia

 

Oh, by the way, I love your site.

 

Thanks

 

Ok.
First off yoko wouldnt have the right to sue, it would be the Photogropher who took the images (or his/her company or family if they have now passed on) copywrite like this lasts for about 100 year and then its free for use (i think) unless its up dated.

However you'd have to be making some serious money off of the images for them to want to sue you. It's not ileagle to use images for personal use, however it IS illeagle to make money off of other peoples images as your own.

However idf you go to craft markets (covent garden is one good example in london) you will find lots of peole using images of disney etc etc. The chance of a company a) finding you and b) being bothered to sue you unless you are being INCREDIBLY degrading of their image or claiming it as your own OR making as LOT of money from their image is pretty low.

 

Personal use is a-ok.

 

You are a hippy pioggia... you shouldn't give a monkeys!

 

you are merely repackaging existing items that the fee has already been paid on.

 

Hello.

Copyright laws are serious and before you go about making things with licensed images you really need to research the laws and find out what is acceptable and not. For instance, anything Disney is copyrighted, even if you hand draw it yourself or make an applique yourself. Disney can sue you if you are using any of their characters or images on items to be sold.

There is a girl on EBAY that makes patchwork bags with images of celebrities and characters and other famous people, bands and artists. What she is doing is not okay under copyright laws, because she does not own any of the images she is using to sell. The same goes for any band logos (Grateful dead, Phish) that people put on patchwork clothing to sell. For personal use it is fine.