Hi folks this is not animation related but I hope some of the professionals here can help me out in this one. I have designed a letterhead, on which I am using a faded image of the world map. Can anybody tell me if there is any restriction/copyright issues in using an image of the world map on letterhead or other promotional materials?
You're probably safe, but never cling to that old adage that 30% modification makes you imune. Someday someone may come after you.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
Yeah you are right. :)
But still... to draw a map and all we need to refer "something"
It depends on which image you are using. A lot of maps are copyrighted. You need to make sure the one you are using is in the public domain.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
Ah man, there's an actual photograph copyright post. I was going to go for the "Who owns the copyright to planet Earth" angle.
You could always just outline a map in illustrator and use that. I can't imagine the "shape" of the continents is copyrighted.
Just tracing or vectorizing an image does not absolve you from copyright infringement, be very careful of this. Many folks have a an undocumented/unsupported understanding that by changing an image by a certain percentage you are free and clear, that is not true.
Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.
I know maps can fall under copyright. I have heard sometimes local maps may include a non-existant street, the mark to signify a certian cartographer created it.
I should ask my sister-in-law's husband next time I see him. He's a cartographer.
As for the world map...
If it is ancient I wouldn't worry much about it. The copyright issue for that may be the ownership of the digital image of the PD map but altering it may take care of that concern. If it is historically realtively new, I'd stylize the heck out of it, more angular for example.
I used an image that was drawn on Photoshop a long time back. I must have traced the outlines from a real world map (could be copyrighted!). The real maps have continents and countries marked on it… but I took the outline of the continents only and filled it with color. This image was later converted to vector in ‘macromedia flash’. So now it have sort of sharp edges … no curves. I hope I am not in too much trouble… because the printing has already begun.