What Art Can I Use and Where Do I Find It?
One question that I’ve been asked multiple times recently is where I source the artwork used as the backgrounds of my book designs. I love to paint, and I wish I could say I made it all myself, but that is not the case (I work full time and barely have time as it is!) Luckily, there are plenty of resources online for finding high-quality art for personal and commercial use.
Personal vs. Commercial Use
First, you’ll want to consider how you plan to use your design. Will you be making it as a relaxing hobby, just to bring some new life to your bookshelf? Or do you plan on opening up an Etsy shop or giving them out to everyone you know? This will determine how much flexibility you have in terms of art licensing.
Strictly Personal Use
A project can be classified as personal if it will be staying in your possession. It cannot be sold, traded, raffled, given away, or posted for sale in any way. If this is the case for your design, you don’t need to put too much thought into the licensing of the images you choose to use. Even fan-art is generally acceptable to be used. Regardless, I recommend being mindful of how you display your design. Never insinuate ownership of the art. To be respectful to the artist, ask their permission and give credit. There are millions of resources available to you—Pinterest, Instagram, random websites. Go crazy!
Commercial Use
Let’s say you plan to offer up your designs for sale. This is where you’ll have a bit more trouble locating art, but it’s not impossible! You’ll want to make sure any art you use is licensed as public domain. This typically means that it has aged out of its copyright, which in the US, usually means it was made pre-1929. Now obviously you won’t find a fan-art portrait of Dorian Havilliard, or a perfectly book-accurate wyvern, but don’t let that deter you. Use a little extra creativity to find a classical piece that aligns with the story. Here are a few of my favorite resources.
Artvee
Museo
Public Domain Image Archive
Smithsonian Open Access | Smithsonian Institution
Heritage Library | Free Vintage Illustration | Heritage Type Co
Public Domain | rawpixel
And don’t forget—with copyright-free art, you are free to do whatever you wish to it. Edit colors, rotate and flip around, cut out parts you don’t like. Have fun with it!
I hope this helps. As always, reach out to me with any questions!
Madi
