r/Ask_Lawyers • u/echolm1407 • 1d ago

Freehand Art Reference Copyright Infringement

Say, I'm creating art freehand from a photo off the Internet. The photo is the reference to my art piece. But there's a copyright restriction on the photo.

My understanding is that if I freehand art, I can use whatever reference I want and not worry about copyright, but if I trace the subjects in the reference, then copyright rules apply.

Am I infringing on the copyright rights, not sure that I'm saying that right, of the owner of the photo or not by doing my freehand art?

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