I commissioned an artist on DA to make me a base for an adoptable specifically so it could be edited/colored/sold on other pet sites. The lineart was created for me for the purpose of being sold however it is not my personal art.

The lineart is here: Click for DA

1. Can I make and sell adoptables using this lineart for gold (not diamonds)?

2. If not can I make adoptables and take tips/donations in exchange for them?


I understand if not, I figured it couldn't hurt to ask since it is art that I paid for.

While I'm no pro at dealing with commissions or adoptable selling, I suppose until an admin or someone more knowledgable answers this, I can take a crack at it.

First, if you haven't already, read this.
Artwork Trade Rules, found in the Artwork Trade Forum.

I assume that the artist of the base knows that you are using her artwork for virtual currency profit, and that by you two exchanging the base and her giving you the right to use it, she fully knows what you're doing with it and gives you the responsibility to do so.

Also, do pay attention to this rule that's in the Artwork Trade Rules, under Commission Guidelines:
1. All commission posts must include artwork copyright guidelines. You must state whether or not the artwork that you are making and selling to people will belong to them or not, whether or not they are allowed to use their bought artwork commercially or personally (if used for Adoptables or on their personal website etc), or whether or not they can resell it at any point in time.

To answer your main question:

1. So long as the original artist of the base knows you're doing this (that is, using her base and gaining virtual currency from it), I suppose you can make and sell them, as you are the owner of the base by now, and you take full responsibility of what comes forth.


edit: if you have any questions, I would ask Faiona in a PM about it, as she is an admin.

I did read the rules, it talked a lot about not using art that I didn't personally draw.

What you linked talks about what the rights the adoptable customers have, but not if I had the rights to do so with art that was not originally mine.

I did PM Faiona a day or two ago and I hadn't gotten a response so I thought I'd ask here as well and if another mod saw it and had an answer I could keep working on it.

I mean, does the artist know what you're intending to do with it, and is she okay with it first of all? o:

I'd assume that if the lineart is yours (since you bought it), it's your responsibility, hence any rights to make art with the base would be yours, if the artist knows and acknowledges such (since you bought it).

When I commissioned her I specifically asked to have permission to use it only any site (with credit to her) for non-real life currency. I wasn't playing Sylestia at the time, just ChickenSmoothie, Felisfire, and a few others that I mentioned.

I have permission to use it for these purposes as long as I don't sell designs for diamonds. She allowed for it to be used on any site.

Funnily enough the concept she disliked the most was that I wanted to have co-owners of my show on CS and let them color adoptables as well. She said it was okay for me to allow a few other people to color it, but I should keep the numbers down.

I can understand her hesitation on that. If you knows you well enough to know that you will do a good job on the coloration then she knows that her name won't appear on something that will embarrass her. I do nature photography. I made the mistake of gifting someone I didn't know well a photograph I took of an eagle in flight with a snake in it's beak as long as they didn't sell it commercially. They turned the photo into a horrible looking sketch (using photoshop) and TRIED to turn the eagle into something resembling a griffon. with the snake in it's beak (not a good job) and left my logo/byline on the bottom, adding theirs. They also added some profanity to the image and referenced Syltherin, then posted it on facebook and several other places. I had a heck of a time getting most of it down.

Long story short. If she gave YOU the right, then you should be the one doing the coloration. That gives YOU the control. As soon as you turn the control over to someone else, it dilutes the original contract in terms of sales and rights.