(A Creative Reality Check)

You've seen them everywhere. Edgy tourist tees, the meme mashups, the clever twists on famous characters. They feel fun. Creative. Harmless.

But here's the truth no one wants to hear:

Copyright does not care how cool your idea looks.

If you're building a legit brand, even a small one, you need to understand the game you're playing.

What Copyright Actually Means

Here's the simlplified version:

The moment someone creates an illustration, design, photo character; anything; they own it.
Automatically.
No paperwork. No © symbol. No disclaimer.

Ownership only changes when:

• you buy the rights,
• you commission work with a proper agreement, or
• you get a license.

Otherwise, the original creator still holds the rights. Period.

If you print a design without owning or licensing it, you're not being creative.
You're taking a legal risk.

Why "I Changed It A Bit" Doesn't Save You.

Let me cut straight through the biggest myth in T-shirt culture:

Tweaks are not tranformation.

Changing colours, flipping an image, adding sunglasses, slapping on text; that's all derivative work.
And only the rights holder can approve derivatives.

Using a recognisable font, referencing a character, mimicking a logo... they're landmines.

And parody?
Fair use?
Satire?

They sound like shields, but in commercial use they're closer to wet napkins. Flimsy, unpredictable, and rarely defensible.

Need inspiration that's 100% safe to use?
Check out the artists I personally recommend.

So What Can You Do Without Walking On Eggshells?

Here's the sustainable path:

1. Make Original Work

Your art. Your ideas. Your style.

Builld a visual vocabulary that belongs to you. Motifs, shapes, type choices, colour systems, all become your brand's fingerprint.

Think less "public domain remix".
Think more "your own design language". (Or conlang for the DND players)

2. Use Properly Licensed Assets

Royalty-free for commercial use.
Or get written permission like you would for any business agreement.

3. If you Don't Own The Rights, Don't Use The Work

There is no shortcut for this one.

The Brutal Reality

"Everyone's Doing It" ≠ "It's Legal"

Yes, infringing designs are everywhere.
Yes, even big platforms sometimes sell them.
No, that does not make it safe.

Most infringers slip by because they're small and hard to track.
But when a rights holder does enforce?
You're looking at takedowns, legal fees and inventory loss.

If you're serious about building something  long-term, "hoping you don't get cuaght" is not a strategy.

Need a second pair of eyes on your business ideas?
I offer 1:1 strategy sessions.
We’ll look at your goals, your positioning, and your opportunities.
Together.
Plan a meet here.

What I Want You To Walk Away With

• Copyright isn't optional.
• Small tweaks aren't protection.
• Build your brand from the ground up.

Design is about integrite, sustainability and respecting the craft. Yours and everyone else's.

When you play the creative game right, you do more than avoiding lawsuits.

You build something that lasts.

Want to discover incredible artists who create fully original, license-ready work?
Explore my recommended creators here.