can I use clip art for a book cover?

Question

I don't like the covers my publisher offers, can I use clip art from word to use as a cover design for my book?

Answer 1

That might beg the question of whether or not you'll have to pay Microsoft to use their clipart. If you're not going to profit off of it, then Microsoft probably isn't going to care how you use it. But you're looking at having your book published so they might see the use of their clipart in a book your having published as profiting off their work. At which point they'll probably want you to start paying for the artwork even though you got it for free when you either purchased the computer or the Word software.

Answer 2

errrrr.... I would say no but I'm not entirely sure about that. Clip Art is designed for personal use or use in presentations and stuff like that. It's used all over the web on websites and whatnot, but when it comes to publishing a book a little ref flag pops up in my mind and says - wait a sec, let's read the fine print!
To cover your butt and get what you want, you should either:
A. Contact Microsoft and ask them for express permission to use a certain clip art from their program in cover art for your book; OR
B. Show the artists that your publisher is using the clip art and ask them to create something similar; OR
C. Copy the artwork in Adobe Illustrator (very easily done) and then make some tweaks and minor changes to it so that the artwork becomes your own. As long as you have changed the artwork in some way it is not technically going against any copywright it may have had on it.
As always, you need to double check with your legal counselor to see if they have any additional requirements/suggestions.

Answer 3

It's copyrighted.

And, hey, you got accepted, congratulations.

Honestly, talk to them about the choices, I'm sure that they'll come up with more suggestions.