How can I protect my artwork from unauthorized use?

If you are an artist in California and want to protect your artwork from unauthorized use, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure that you own the copyright to your artwork, as the copyright holder you will have exclusive rights to make copies, distribute your work, and create derivative works. If you have created a work of art that is “fixed” in some tangible form, you will have a copyright in that work as soon as you have created it and put it in some tangible form. You can register your work with the United States Copyright Office to obtain additional legal protections. If you want to protect your artwork from unauthorized use, you should also consider trademark registration. Trademark registration will protect you from someone else using the same or a similar name, logo, or design. You should also consider registering your artwork with the California Arts Council. This will provide evidence of your ownership should a dispute arise about your artwork. Finally, it is important to put procedures in place to protect your artwork from others. You should make sure that you are the only one who has access to your artwork and that others must obtain your permission before using it. You should also be mindful of where and how you post your artwork online. If you are posting images of your artwork, be sure to give credit and place a copyright notice on the image. This way, viewers will know that the work is yours and that they need your permission to use or reproduce it.

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How can I protect my artwork from unauthorized use?

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