company logos

[cdoyle]

I have been asked in the past to do company logos such as chevy bowtie and HD emblem. I have turned down several jobs because of the logo that they wanted. But as I have been going to more and more craft fairs I see alot of people using them in different things. My question is do you have to get ahold of the companies that you are wanting to carve or is it as long as you don't change the logo you are ok to use it. I am guessing you need to talk with the company but I'm not sure were to go.

[gwhiz]

Company logos are copyrighted and it's illegal to use them without written permission. Some companies don't seem to enforce that much, but other's, such as Harley Davidson enforce it vigorously because they make a lot of money from products displaying that logo.

[Digitalwoodshop]

A topic often posted on Signs 101, Sawmill Creek, and Engraving Etc, Three Forums I visit as often as here....

Bottom Line.... If it is a Company Logo and even if you ask permission they will say NO.... You cannot do things like the Boy Scouts, VFW, Red Hat, and many more.... They all have Licensed Vendors....

You will expect to get a Cease and Desist letter at some time. You could even post a pattern here and get baited into making a project from someone all to weed out the Violations... Because at some time you will be asked... Do you have permission to make that logo.... And when Greed Takes over.... Well when the lights go out at the County Jail and Bubba nuzzles up to your ear.... You will wish you had never had the bright idea to profit off of some College Logo or Company Logo.... Sure you see them at Swap Meets... I usually ASK how they got permission to use the logo.... Many make up a good story.... I just Smile.....

Making a copyrighted logo without permission is just as wrong as using you flat bed scanner and printer to make some "Extra Money"..... I you know what I mean... $$$$

Good Luck,

AL

[fwharris]

A topic often posted on Signs 101, Sawmill Creek, and Engraving Etc, Three Forums I visit as often as here....

Bottom Line.... If it is a Company Logo and even if you ask permission they will say NO.... You cannot do things like the Boy Scouts, VFW, Red Hat, and many more.... They all have Licensed Vendors....

You will expect to get a Cease and Desist letter at some time. You could even post a pattern here and get baited into making a project from someone all to weed out the Violations... Because at some time you will be asked... Do you have permission to make that logo.... And when Greed Takes over.... Well when the lights go out at the County Jail and Bubba nuzzles up to your ear.... You will wish you had never had the bright idea to profit off of some College Logo or Company Logo.... Sure you see them at Swap Meets... I usually ASK how they got permission to use the logo.... Many make up a good story.... I just Smile.....

Making a copyrighted logo without permission is just as wrong as using you flat bed scanner and printer to make some "Extra Money"..... I you know what I mean... $$$$

Good Luck,

AL

Al,

Great job of stating the facts!!!

[cdoyle]

Ok that is what I thought. I just was wondering if I was missing something. I have turned down several jobs for this reason. Here is one question that is more in the gray area to me. What if I get a request to do a lithopane of someone and they have an emblem on a car or bike?

[mtylerfl]

Ok that is what I thought. I just was wondering if I was missing something. I have turned down several jobs for this reason. Here is one question that is more in the gray area to me. What if I get a request to do a lithopane of someone and they have an emblem on a car or bike?

You could do like they do on TV sometimes...they "blur" the emblem or logo! Wouldn't look to cool on a lithopane, though!

I would just go ahead and carve the photo...I doubt Coke, Harley or Disney would sue us if a litho showed someone standing by a car or bike with their logos on them...unless you started to mass-market the lithos and they got wind of it!

[www.carvenow.com]

Ok that is what I thought. I just was wondering if I was missing something. I have turned down several jobs for this reason. Here is one question that is more in the gray area to me. What if I get a request to do a lithopane of someone and they have an emblem on a car or bike?

As long as it is for personal enjoyment then I guess there would be no problem.

*Edit*
And what I meant is for carving photo of a person that stand or sit next to an object with logo on it. Not the logo alone.
ie, someone bought a t-shirt with nike logo on it, that person have take a photo of himself/herself wearing the shirt and therefore convert his/her photo into a lithopane for his/her enjoyment.

HT

[TIMCOSBY]

even for personal enjoyment they will tell you to stop it but they would not have "damages" to sue about.

[cdoyle]

Sounds like I should stick to non logo items. Even on lithos, just be easier.

[badger]

If you have a couple hundred of these at a Fair, expect a letter seeking Damages


If you made one of these in your garden at the house dont sweat it, just use common sense.

[Pratyeka]

There is such thing as "fair use". If it so happen that you take a pic of a friend on a Harley, you are not expected to blank out the Harley logo, as long as you are not using the picture in a commercial way. Carving one plaque of said picture for a friend, in my opinion, falls in the same "fair use" situation. Making a dozen and selling them at large is not. Again, that's how I understand the fair use clause. For more, consult a lawyer.