Can I sell OrnaMENTALs coloring pages after I have colored them?
When you purchase any coloring book, it is legal to sell the colored pages under the First Sale Doctrine (explained here). As long as you aren’t copying the pages in your books, a book that you purchased is yours to do with as you please.
Digital files are another matter. Copying the coloring pages other than for the purposes of printing for yourself, and for backup, is prohibited under international copyright law. However, the terms of use statement I include with my digital coloring pages allows a bit more than that. For example:
This PDF download is for personal use only. Please don’t share the PDF or the printed pages without permission, except to print in small numbers to color with a friend or two. If you’re hosting a coloring party you may share printed copies of these pages, but I ask that you distribute copies of the information page for your group attendees to take with them. Do not remove my branding or copyright notice.
As you can see, I permit making additional copies in small numbers with some conditions.
So what about selling the colored pages when you purchase them in printable format?
This is entirely up to the creator and what they wish to permit. Each artist will have to answer this question for their own artwork. What follows only applies to OrnaMENTALs™ designs by Sue Chastain. Let’s explore some scenarios…
Scenario 1: You printed one copy of a page, colored it beautifully, and someone offers to buy it from you.
That’s great! I want you to be able to make money with your talent. Art supplies don’t grow on trees, after all. In one-off situations, you do not need my prior approval. However, I would be grateful if you gave a portion of your profit back to me as the line artist either by contributing a donation, or buying more of my products. I would also love to see and hear about what you sold!
Scenario 2: You colored a page and wish to make copies of the colored page to use on items you will sell such as greeting cards, framed prints, print-on-demand-products, tshirts, etc.
I’m sorry, but any making any number of extra copies of the colored pages for commercial use would not be permitted. It is also not permitted to upload the colored pages to another party for mass production, such as a print-on-demand site.
Related: May I upload OrnaMENTALs™ to a print-on-demand site?
Scenario 3: You wish to make multiple copies of OrnaMENTALs™ line art, to color each page individually and resell the colored piece, or to use the colored piece in a handcrafted project you will sell.
This would require special licensing. Contact me to explain your usage in detail and I can make arrangements with you for extended licensing that is mutually beneficial.
Feel free to get in touch if there is another scenario your feel I have not addressed in this FAQ.
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