Book Review: The Legal Guide For The Visual Artist

Book Review: The Legal Guide For The Visual Creative person

By Tad Crawford

The Legal Guide For The Visual Artist is a dumbo book packed with advice attempting to help artists make better informed business decisions. While I did read the book cover to encompass I'yard non then sure that'south the best fashion to feel the volume. Information technology took a long fourth dimension to become through the legal speak and at times served as the perfect nighttime sleeping assistance.

All jokes aside, I believe The Legal Guide For The Visual Artist is indeed worth owning. It serves every bit a practiced reference from which you can begin to plan the business organisation side of a growing art career. The book is rife with interesting case studies on artists and their bouts with clients, taxes, and the police.

An Artwork's Uniqueness

InTad Crawford's chapter on Unique Art And Limited Editions he recalls an interesting example involving the originality of 3 Frank Stella paintings. This involved iii original Frank Stella paintings created by the artist; not prints, fakes, or forgeries in anyway. A collector tried to sue Stella because each painting was essentially the same composition and the collector reasoned that his Frank Stella painting was less valuable because of information technology.

This brought some interesting concepts to light regarding my own artwork. I once did paint the same painting twice to satisfy multiple buyers! I retrieve I'm safety as my work is worth a fraction of what a Frank Stella painting goes for, simply information technology did make me pause and reframe what information technology means to create an original piece of work of art.

Lawyers & Forms

The Legal Guide For The Visual Artist really attempts to cover but about every legal issue that an artist volition encounter so at times you lot'll wish that the author delves a wee chip deeper. He ofttimes resorts to the same advice you've heard elsewhere… Consult a lawyer & get things in the form of a written contract. I wish things were that like shooting fish in a barrel, but nosotros've all been nether pressure and in inconvenient circumstances, simply don't want to lose sales. Many galleries I've dealt with in the past didn't even have a contract or their contract didn't say much. What happens if their art gallery burns down? Nowadays I usually ask to see the contract ahead of fourth dimension and will bring my own contract if necessary.

There are several average artist's contracts presented throughout the book. The only problem? They are not offered online like every other volume that offers forms. I've checked the book high and low and Tad Crawford's website. Naught! I guess you'll have to spent fourth dimension retyping the forms by hand. That's a waste of time. Come on Tad, give us a download to a PDF online!

Fine art & Taxes

The Legal Guide For The Visual Creative person touches on how to deal with taxes within your fine art concern.  The author goes into specifics on what is permitted as a "business expense" when traveling or looking to write off meals.  Everything from gifting artwork to importing artwork is as well covered. Did you know that items imported into the United States are not taxable if they are considered to be original fine art? I didn't. Tad besides turned me onto the fact that artists pay no income tax if they are citizens of Ireland! Hmmm…

Location Matters

Equally you would expect, the legal coverage for artists is really determined by the states where the artist has their business registered. It appears that, and this comes as no surprise, that California has laws in place that are most sympathetic to living artists.

Artwork Infringement

One of my favorite topics of word was Crawford's portrayal of when an artwork has been infringed upon and what is considered fair utilise. This is something I always wondered about. The Legal Guide For The Visual Creative person does an excellent job on numerous accounts past laying out the facts that are considered when artwork infringement is called into question.

The following is from folio 58 of The Legal Guide For The Visual Artist past Tad Crawford

…the test for copyright infringement is twofold: (1) proof of admission by the infringer to the work alleged to exist infringed must be shown (or, if the similarity between the two works is striking enough, this admission can exist inferred); and (ii) the jury must conclude that an ordinary observer would believe one work is indeed copied from another.

On the other manus, fair apply has a fourfold exam: (ane) the purpose and graphic symbol of the apply, including whether or not it is for profit; (ii) the graphic symbol of the copyrighted work (use of an informational work is more likely to be a fair use than use of a creative work); (iii)how much of the total piece of work is used in the form of the apply; and (4) what result the use will have on the market for or value of the copyrighted work.

Conclusion

The Legal Guide For The Visual Artist is definitely worth keeping on your bookshelf. Don't read it encompass to cover like I did rather, employ it as a handbook. Turn to the topic in question and read the chapter once or twice when in demand.