Royalty-free stock art

[Mike Holmes]

I'm concerned about this, myself, because my current game project (http://www.auroragames.com/pdf/shadows.pdf" target="blank">Shadows in the Fog) will eventually have quite a lot of Victorian images, and these seem to crop up a lot because they're out of copyright.

I wouldn't be too concerned. This is a problem for any historical text, theoretically. But rather than see it as a downside, think of it as potentially helpful. That is, if people have seen a particular photo previously, and are associating it with the era in question then that only helps bring that feel to your game. Any WWII game should have the Imo Jima flag raising pic in it. Even if it was staged.

These pictures have become iconic.

Mike

[Gold Rush Games]

Keep in mind that licensing terms vary from one "royalty free" company to another. Many have restrictions on the use of the images.

  For example, some only allow you to use the images in free products (ads, web sites, etc.), some allow commercial use but limit the number of "copies" of a product that can be produced, etc.

  In other words... Always be sure to read the fine print.

[talysman]

Keep in mind that licensing terms vary from one "royalty free" company to another. Many have restrictions on the use of the images.

  For example, some only allow you to use the images in free products (ads, web sites, etc.), some allow commercial use but limit the number of "copies" of a product that can be produced, etc.

  In other words... Always be sure to read the fine print.

indeed.

here's one suggestion that might help those doing period-piece RPGs for '40s through '60s: framegrabs from some of the ephemeral films in the prelinger archives. you can't sell them as stock photos to another party, and you can't use frames that involve images under a seperate copyright/trademark (for example, a picture of a coke bottle,) but the films themselves are under a completely free license.

I plan on ransacking some of the government's nuclear test films when I do my '50s space exploration game.

[Jon H]

I have to second the check the fine print clause!  Specifically, check to see if you are allowed to alter the images in any way, or produce "derivative work" from them.

This may include cropping, and certainly includes running stock photos through PS filters.  Some sites do not allow you to do that to their photos.  Presumably as allowing derivative works could be the road to copyright infringement: "I put it through Photoshop, I own it now"

Worth checking.


With regard to a stock art board, I'd be willing to get involved.   It's an idea I've had for sometime - I'd like a clearing house addition to my folio site, where publishers could buy permission to reproduce my older images, sketches, practice pieces and the like.  I'm not sure how cheap I'd be prepared to go - certainly not as low as $0.50 an image.  But maybe $10 for quarter page art, or something similar. (That's about a third/quarter of my commission rate, by way of comparison)

Personally I'd like to see the quality quite well regulated, or the whole thing becomes self defeating.  If there's just wads of really amateurish art then that would lower customer interest, and lower the usefulness of the project.  I'm sure I could contact a few pro artist friends and get them interested.  All of them have spare pieces floating around.

Naturally I'd be quite happy for The Forge to take a cut for hosting/building such a site.  Hell, I'd give consideration to a monthly fee, provided it was reasonable.  In fact that could be your quality asurance - if artists' work isn't selling, then they'll maybe have consider if they're work is of saleable quality.  Whereas a percentage cut would actually favour the least popular artists, which could be counter productive.

I'm rambling now, so I'll stop.

Except to say:  Matt Snyder does pay the going rate, and thereby gets some fantastic art.  The Nine Worlds stuff is excellent work and gives a very competant, credible face to Indie Gaming.  Good work, Matt!

[xiombarg]

I thought the following press release was interesting in relation to the current discussion:

http://www.rpgnews.com/article.php?sid=2317

I'm assuming it's a lot of stock fantasy art.