getting picture for a book

fenyo

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Hello, I'm not sure this is the right place for the question, I hope it is.

I wanted to know what would you recommend for me to do if I want to put pictures in my book.
the point is, I want to be the owner of the picture that I put in my book, but I know that the artist has the copy right to every art they make.
so even if I commission a picture to my book I can't use it however I like.
can I make a special contract that say that I buy the picture and all the copy right to the picture?
 

mrsmig

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You could try. I doubt any designer worth their salt will give over their full rights to you.

Think about it. Would you want to give a publisher complete rights to your book, to use any way they want?
 

fenyo

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every thing has a price.

but I understand from you it is not common.
 

Chris P

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No matter how you pursue this, be sure you have top-notch guidance from someone well versed (I.e., a professional) in intellecutal property rights and copyright.
 

fenyo

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No matter how you pursue this, be sure you have top-notch guidance from someone well versed (I.e., a professional) in intellecutal property rights and copyright.

I will, if I decide to go for it.

thank you.
 

DanielSTJ

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I suppose you could offer the prospect up on sites that have graphic artists/photographers and see who takes you up on it.

Just a thought! :D
 

cstoned

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I almost always just hire a cover designer to handle any illustration or imagery related to my book... but otherwise, I'm pretty sure there are some handy websites that hand out Found most of my info on them here.
 

fenyo

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I am not talking about a book cover, but more about pictures inside the book. I personally really like pictures and don't understand why "serious" books don't have any pictures.
our days only comic book and children's book has any art. while throughout history many books were illustrated and colourfully decorated.
 

Laer Carroll

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I personally really like pictures and don't understand why "serious" books don't have any pictures.
Then you obviously haven't given the topic any serious thought. The reason is that interior illustrations have many practical problems.

  • The illos/photos must be as artistically great as the text.
  • It must complement the text, not replace it. The two have to work together.
  • The pages on which they are printed must be expensive photo quality paper OR
  • They must be converted to half-tone or something similar if B/W.
  • For ebooks they must be sized wide and short if they are in the interior of chapters.
  • At the beginnings of chapters they can fill the entire page or nearly so. As here:

england_ireland-map-copy-2-aw-resized.jpg


This image was done by a commercial artist in exchange for my computer expertise on her new computer for her studio. (I'm a 40+ year computer engineer who charges $1000 an hour for my services - and gets it.)

It's a good balance between too simple and too complex. Plus the colors are carefully thought out.

Color images can work in ebooks. As I said above, for "pbooks" they must be converted to B/W by half-toning or other process so they work well in monochrome.
 

llawrence

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can I make a special contract that say that I buy the picture and all the copy right to the picture?
What you're looking for is a work for hire agreement. This turns the artist into an independent contractor and reserves rights on the deliverable to the hirer (you). Any professional artist should know what that means and whether or not they're willing to do it. It'll probably cost you a bit more since the artist is giving up not only reproduction rights, but also both using the image for self promotion and selling their original drawing or painting.

I agree that inner illustrations should usually be black and white. I know an artist/author who put color illustrations inside a few of his books, and he's lamented the price tag for the print run (as well as the mountain of labor in creating all those paintings) and has warned me off trying to do the same. Personally, I always loved the black and white ink drawing reproductions that filled my books when I was a kid. If the ink artist vignettes (leaves all four edges white) then uneven margins won't be as much of a noticeable problem in any particular format.
 

WeaselFire

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As for Full Rights. It's a normal sale, just costs you more.

Jeff
 

GFXJames

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Some of us give full rights. I typically prefer a sure sell of custom illustration work than putting obstacles and due to this get then fewer gigs. Luckily, I'm busy, as I attend many niches/fields, just hit very recently self published writing, but I don't want to revive that feeling of the beginning when not having work for several days. Sometimes an entire week... I had to research myself about it, right now I'm a bit more versed in legal stuff (but not a lot), because some people willing to get a custom illustration (or game art, logo design, brochure, website, or etc. But each field has its peculiarities in agreements, of course) are aware of this, already bring a contract, and then you review it, add whatever you need there (also as a proposal) and often request some details removed or modified. For me, is usually practical just to get them a template, as this has been studied by many, obviously, and there are very good templates covering a lot, I choose very simple ones (one or two paragraphs page), I often remove too restrictive things, and tend to go perfecting the papers. Is rare to deny something requested by them, unless being quite unreasonable. Some people think this is a hassle, but is not. You can sign the doc in the end digitally through Acrobat, or some other, or even the old simple print , sign and scan, then send it (It has legal value. Even more, probably. I'm not a lawyer...).

Very often people don't want to deal with a contract, NDA or whatever, and that's fine...

The thing is : Each artist has own red lines... Mines are: I want to be able to show the image as portfolio (in my site or social media), at least a non printable (or in lower resolution than the final file), usually a reduced JPG sample to show as portfolio. I believe most laws in every country do protect this right, just like the one of always being your authorship . Mostly meaning that the writer can't (or shouldn't) claim is the creator of the illustration. Which isn't something needed at all by the author, anyway. And the other only second thing I tend to request in the contract or whatever the written agreement, and if there's no contract, I ask it in the mails, is that the illustration is not going to be used to be sold as part of a catalog of images (for example, for a premade covers selling service, or any image catalog stock site), but fully unlimited rights for usage for the author's book, author's marketing, social media, etc, etc, and for ever. The two rights I mentioned are merely obvious (I believe the first is "automatic" by US Copyright laws), and the least thing one could ask... But stuff happens....So, when possible, I like to mention it. Both in a contract and in some email. Is not something that keeps me awake at night, though ! If something gets blatantly copied, I might take actions, or might not (probably is the author who will do so towards whatever other writer). Is none of my main worries, although it hurts if you see your custom work used in a catalog, as par of a texture pack or sth, without my permission and the client's, of course.

For me, it is even easier than go fine tuning on every possible domino effect on rights limited by time, type of media, size of audience or printed copies, etc. And in the other aspect of it, well... Heavily customized work, painted from scratch, not even from catalog photos, is not that reusable in anything else, or I see it like that. Also, I don't think is a good deal for any client if I make a custom illustration, and is something to be found later in a number of publications, or as part of other pieces, etc.

But I absolutely see the point on setting prices according to rights, licenses, type of usage. I can see how that's the way to really make a business out of it. I just believe there's room for different takes at the whole matter. Each one's circumstances weigh in, strongly. As also do own motivations, preferences, etc.
 
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