Scanning paper products for digital use... - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

EeyoreChele · #1 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006

My biggest question I've been pondering as of late.. is it legal to copy my store bought scrapbook paper into my computer for digital use. If so, what is the easiest and best quality yielding way to go about this.

Heck... even if anyone has the scanning capabilities for this type of work, I'd send them a brand new package of all-holiday themed papers to scan for me and keep for themselves..I'd even supply the disk to burn them onto.

I know I can do the 8x11's easily.. but can this be done with a normal all-in-one for 12x12 inch papers?

Sorry if I'm rambling.. I'm running on empty over here...thanks for any info you can help with.

angelarelle · #2 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006

Copyright is a touchy issue. Everything that is "created" in a tangible or intangible form (like digital art) has rights reserved to the artist without having to state copyright.

I think you find that the designs are covered by copyright and despite the fact you have bought the paper, digitising it is technically breaching the designer's copyright regardless of whether it has the copyright mark on it. All designs and works of art are covered, even digital ones.

Digitising for personal use is a grey area though as its well and good to say you are doing it for yourself ... it doesn't take much to go from that to "just sharing with my close mates" and then you are stealing from the person who designed it

Try www.google.com for your local copyright laws regarding the use of designs .... there are usually allowances for "educational purposes". You can also get permission from the designer.

What would be really good is if the paper designers would do digitised designs too for us digi scrappers, the problem being is that it leaves them at the mercy of people's honesty and they can't sell you multiple pages of the same design.

As for scanning, I have found that even the best scanners don't scan true colours - don't quote me on that though

frankcassiesmom · #3 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006

From what I understand you can scan them if you use it one time and throw the paper away. The paper companies are not selling the papers so they can be used over and over and I would think it would break their TOu to do so.

EeyoreChele · #4 (**permalink**) 01-16-2006

Durn. I'll have to dig the pack out and look at the company's info on it. All I remember is that it's from walmart. I agree though, they should make digital designs as well, it would give us so much more to choose from, and they can still make money off the digi scrappers. I'd hate to just hand it to the kids for art paper, it was expensive!