This originally was shared by Shelly in early 2016, it is published here with permission.
Shelly moderates the popular coloring group on Facebook the Cracked Crayon and she does great video reviews of coloring books at Adult Coloring Book Reviews by Shelly
By Shelly Durham
There seems to be some questions as to what you can and can’t do with your coloring pages, so some of these issues are listed here, without a bunch of legal mambo jumbo, that may or may not confuse you and I will only mention one: fair use and what constitutes fair use.
The answers are simple and straight forward. If you have a question, that it not addressed here, PM it to me. Your question will be researched and you will receive an answer.
QUESTION: Can I post my colored pictures on my Facebook page or in my coloring group, without getting in trouble?
YES, This falls under “fair use” .
QUESTION: Can I sell my picture, after it has been colored?
NO, This would be a violation of the copyright.
QUESTION: I bought a digital image, from an Etsy shop; can I share it with my friends, even if I don’t charge them for it?
NO, and I want to present the answer to this, in a different way. Everyone here, has purchased a DVD at some point, right? Do you see the warning, that flashes up on your TV, before the movie starts? It clearly states, do not make copies. It doesn’t say that it’s okay to make copies, as long as you don’t sell them. It’s considered piracy, either way; it’s plain and simple. It’s the same for images.
QUESTION: Can I scan, or take pictures of the illustrations in the book I just bought and share them to the internet or with my friends?
NO, This falls under the same rule as purchasing a digital image and the answer is the same as stated above.
QUESTION: Someone in the group asked me if they could see some of the images in my new book. How can I show them, without breaking any rules or laws?
EASY, Just lay a colored pencil, or marker, across the illustration and take the picture. Make sure to lay it across the drawing and not off to the side. Everyone will still be able to see the pictures, but will not be able to save and use them.
QUESTION: I FOUND a picture on Pinterest; is it okay to use it, or will I get in trouble?
To answer this question, the word FOUND is the basis for the answer. If you found it pinned to the artist’s page, meaning that the person that pinned it, is the person that drew it, by all means color it. They gave it to you as a gift. Can you share that picture, before it’s colored? In some cases, the artist doesn’t mind and other times they do, so to be respectful, please share the link, where you found the picture, with anyone that asks you for a copy.
QUESTION: If I found a picture on Pinterest and I don’t know who drew it and there isn’t any information on it, can I color it anyway?
NO, it’s very possible that the image was stolen and YOU can be held responsible, so it’s best not to take images, unless you know they are really free to use. If you feel like the law doesn’t apply to you, I certainly wouldn’t post it online and tell everyone about it.
QUESTION: I can’t afford to buy coloring books and I don’t know where else to find free pictures except Pinterest and Google; where should I look?
Many of the groups have numerous albums with free pictures. You can also hit the “like” box on the artist’s Facebook pages and many will post free images that will appear in your feeds. Many blogs and pages also offer newsletters and will email you pictures, once a week or once a month.
I know you may have additional questions and they aren’t all listed above. These are the most FAQ, frequently asked questions and therefore needed to be addressed.
These answers are meant to inform you, not to argue about. Please be respectful in that we are trying to help you to understand and not to criticize you or chastise you.
At Coloring Books For Adults, ColoUring For Weirdos and The Cracked Crayon, we appreciate the rights of the artist’s and colorist’s alike. Have a wonderful day and thank you for taking the time to read our simple outline to these frequently asked questions
