if i am an artist, or a jewler, or designer etc do i have to copyright EVERY design i make?

Question

does that mean if they don't copyright EVERY artwork jewlery etc someone can take it and copyright it?

Answer 1

Get a book on copyright. I recomment NOLO press, who believes that normally intelligent people can handle a lot of their legal matters without attorneys. In the matter of copyright, my understanding is that copyright exists as soom as a work is "published". These very words are "published" and therefore are protected by copyright. Go farther and put the (C) copyright notice on anything you publish to prevent violators from claiming innocent violation. You don't have to file any papers with the government to claim the protection of the copyright laws. Patents are messy business and unless you have something really worth a lot, I'm not sure I would bother.

Answer 2

You choose to copyright. There is no requirement you do it. If you want to be protected from financial damages if someone copies (steals) your work, you'll copyright. If it's too much work, you won't.

Filing a form with the copyright office is not expensive.

Answer 3

if you are doing one-of-a-kind or limited editions, then your best bet is to sign each with you signature. that makes imitations easy to spot, and if someone signs your signature that is fraud which will put them in jail. After all what makes your work valuable is not just that it is pretty, but authentic and your signature proves it.

Answer 4

It's every expensive to patent your every designs. I suggest you be selective. If you've too many patented designs than your designs won't be considered exclusive any more thus values may drop.

Answer 5

If you consider it valuable to you, then have your intellectual property protected. Consult an Intellectual Property lawyer for advice.

Answer 6

Unless you want to see it copied you should.

Answer 7

i would.