Copyright and image rights for media graphic designers
What you are allowed to use — and what can become expensive
A media designer constantly works with material others have created: photos fonts illustrations icons and music. Almost all of it is protected by copyright and using it without permission is not a minor matter — it can trigger compensation claims and damage both your and your client's reputation. Being able to navigate rights is part of the professional craft not a formality you skip.
§What does copyright protect?
Copyright arises automatically when an original work is created — nothing needs to be registered, and there doesn't need to be a copyright notice. This means that an image you find online is protected by default, even if nothing is stated about rights alongside it. The starting point is therefore the opposite of what many believe: you may not use anything unless you have been given the right to it.
§Copyright and usage rights
There is a distinction between owning the copyright and having been given the right to use the work. As a rule, the creator (photographer, illustrator, font designer) retains the copyright, while you or the customer get a usage right — a license — on specific terms. Therefore, the central question is rarely 'who owns it?' but 'what are we allowed to do with it, and for how long?'.
§License types
| License type | What it typically means |
|---|---|
| Rights managed | Usage rights for a defined purpose, area and period — price according to use |
| Royalty free | Broader use against one payment but still with terms and limitations |
| Abonnement/stock | Access to a library on the platform's terms — read them |
| Creative Commons | Free use under certain conditions (e.g. attribution, non-commercial) |
| Exclusive vs. non-exclusive. | Whether others are also allowed to use the work, or only you |
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§People in pictures
Beyond copyright of the image itself, there are rights tied to the persons in it. Using a recognisable portrait of a person — especially in marketing — typically requires the person's consent. A stock photo may be free to use copyright-wise and still require a model release before it can be used commercially. Check both.
§Fonts are also licensed
A typeface is software and comes with a license that determines how it can be used — on how many machines whether it can be embedded in a print file whether it can be used on the web and whether it can be passed on. Copying a paid typeface to a customer's machine or embedding it without permission may be a breach of the license. Keep track of which fonts you have rights to and for what.
§Keep track of rights
- 01Note for each item: source, licence type, terms and expiry.
- 02Save license certificates and receipts with the project.
- 03Credit where the licence requires it, and comply with restrictions on use.
- 04Clarify with the customer who is responsible for obtaining rights.
- 05Use material you have created yourself, or material with clear, documented usage rights.
§When the customer provides the material
If you get pictures or logos from the customer, it doesn't automatically mean they're legally obtained. Ask if the customer has the right to the material and note the answer. It protects you if a claim arises later — and it's part of being the professional who doesn't just build on something that might turn out to be stolen.
“The question is not whether you can get hold of the picture – it is whether you have the right to use it. The first is easy; the second is the professional part.”
— Principle of image rights