Copyrights and paper patterns?

[cbroberson23]

I get the sense that these forums are as much for professional designers as they are for scrapbookers who do it for fun. So I'm fairly certain someone will know the answer to this. If a person makes and sells some type of product made from die cuts (like greeting cards or something to that effect), is it legal to use patterned paper in your designs? For example, if I purchase a book of Martha Steward patterned paper (or Bazzles or Doodlebugs...whatever) and I want to use it as a decorative accent on a greeting card that I design myself, cut myself and sell, is there any copyright violation for using her pattered paper in my design?

[Shirley803]

It is completely legal to use the papers for your projects!

[JennieBean]

We had an issue here in the UK recently when a well known company was selling card making kits (backing papers, embellishments, toppers etc) but the policy was that cards made from the products could only be used for personal use, not for selling. It became a bit of an issue as it was not clearly advertised that way.

I think all of the ones mentioned above are ok, but it is always best to check, especially if any type of well known character is included on the papers.

[scramper75]

I would contact the company which you would be using. It really is up to them as they are the "artisit" for that particular paper.

[Paperthreads]

That's what the paper is for :) You aren't stealing their copyright. You are using that paper in your final project that you are selling.

It would be like a having to ask the "nut and bolt maker" for permission to use his nuts and bolts in the resale of the mousetrap he built. It's WHAT IT'S for!

You purchased the paper to use in a final project, it's a completely "consumable" item (meaning, each sheet you purchase isn't reproducible, so you are consuming it and the company is being paid for its use each time...where as stamps and digital products aren't "consumable" but reproducible....which is why they have limits to the number of use. Most stamp companies angel policy allow for 100 uses before that stamp would have to be purchased again.)

what you CAN NOT DO....you can not SCAN that paper in, and create your own copies of it, your pieces you sell would have to include the actual original paper you purchased and paid for.

[cbroberson23]

Thank you all for your responses. The consumable vs. reproduceable argument makes great sense. I suppose that by purchasing the paper, the artist is making money every time I use a sheet, and that's the whole point....the creator of the paper wants to be able to make money from the use of their product.

It probably couldn't hurt to try to contact the artist, just to be safe. But I think this argument is very logical.