Commercial font use - SBB Digital Scrapbooking Forums | Scrapbook-Bytes

Bonnie · #1 (**permalink**) 10-15-2005

When making a kit to share or sell, I know you have to be very careful about copyright for elements and things, but what about fonts? Can you use any font to make word art and alphabets? Do you have to mention the font creator and give a link? Or how does that work?

Synthea · #2 (**permalink**) 10-15-2005

I'm thinking that all the default fonts that come with say, Windows XP, don't need any mention, and most free fonts from the internet are the same way - but there are exceptions, and the creater should state in a file included with the font if it is a free use font or not. Probably doesn't help you much - you'll need to check with the creators.

Edited to add: Fonts that are unique to a brand usually CAN'T legally be used for profit, but it never hurts to email the company and say hey, can I use your font, I'm making "this".

danib · #3 (**permalink**) 10-15-2005

Each font (usually) comes with a TOU and it will state if commercial use is allowed or not. There are fonts you can purchase that are for commercial use, but even those have TOU.. I purchased a font set but I am not allowed to create alphas with them.. for example.

andyapc · #4 (**permalink**) 10-16-2005

Maybe I've done something wrong ... but hardly ANY of my fonts have a Read Me or a TOU file. I'm not a fontaholic - I've only downloaded maybe 150 fonts total. But out of those, I think only maybe 4 had a read me file. I download from reputable sites (Dafont, 1001fonts, Scrapvillage).

Out of my fonts, maybe about 30% had any info listed at all under Copyright and of those, a very limited few had anything more than some cryptic info that I couldn't make out.

Bonnie · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2005

Okay, so when I look at my fonts, most of them have a copyright symbol and date and say "All Rights Reserved". Some of them say nothing except who the creater was, and some don't even say that. So if it has a copyright and all rights reserved, can I use it in a kit? And if I'm not supposed to use it in a kit will it tell me there that it can't be used for commercial use, or should I be looking somewhere else? Where I'm looking is in the font file, clicking on each individual font.

Thanks so much for your help!

danib · #6 (**permalink**) 10-17-2005

Some fonts do NOT come with a readme, if I can't find the designer I don't use it.
I use the Font Thing and if you look under the font info tab it will usually give the site and creator.

PixChick · #7 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonnie

Okay, so when I look at my fonts, most of them have a copyright symbol and date and say "All Rights Reserved". Some of them say nothing except who the creater was, and some don't even say that. So if it has a copyright and all rights reserved, can I use it in a kit? And if I'm not supposed to use it in a kit will it tell me there that it can't be used for commercial use, or should I be looking somewhere else? Where I'm looking is in the font file, clicking on each individual font.

Thanks so much for your help!

Be on the safe side! If you don't have permission from the creator/copyright holder, or don't have a TOU that gives premission, then don't use it. Copyright violations can get you in a good bit of trouble if someone decides to take action. I am trying to find info on a font right now (Adria DB) and I have the creator names but I can't get any info to contact them. So, unfortunately for me, I am just using a different font that I know I have permission to use. I saved the email from the creator giving me permission to use it too, just in case there is ever any issue that comes up.

Again, better safe than sorry!!!

PixChick · #8 (**permalink**) 11-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonnie

Okay, so when I look at my fonts, most of them have a copyright symbol and date and say "All Rights Reserved". Some of them say nothing except who the creater was, and some don't even say that. So if it has a copyright and all rights reserved, can I use it in a kit? And if I'm not supposed to use it in a kit will it tell me there that it can't be used for commercial use, or should I be looking somewhere else? Where I'm looking is in the font file, clicking on each individual font.

Thanks so much for your help!

HOW odd--This got posted twice!! Sorry.

Be on the safe side! If you don't have permission from the creator/copyright holder, or don't have a TOU that gives premission, then don't use it. Copyright violations can get you in a good bit of trouble if someone decides to take action. I am trying to find info on a font right now (Adria DB) and I have the creator names but I can't get any info to contact them. So, unfortunately for me, I am just using a different font that I know I have permission to use. I saved the email from the creator giving me permission to use it too, just in case there is ever any issue that comes up.

Again, better safe than sorry!!!