Designer Questions!

[sdhsmith]

Greetings!

I am a newbie here and I am soooo glad to find a place to ask some questions... hopefully a designer or 2 can answer some for me!

I am thinking about making custom photo's to sell... my vision is that I would like to create photos using scrapbooking backgrounds (papers) and or embellishments on them.... with the child's name printed below the photo.... I am thinking about selling them on line and to family, friends etc... This would involve cropping scrapbooking papers to 5X7's or 4x6......

I have tried to make my own papers with some commercial templates that I have purchased and mine just don't look as good as what I see here and other places! I have tried and tried to spruce them up.... but I am not an artist!

I would like to use some papers that other's have done... but I don't want to just buy and use them! I have read that most of these papers are for personal use only... I know how hard you as a designer have worked on your art... and I could not sleep at night just taking something and selling it!

As a designer... what would you suggest that I do? Is there anyway I could make this work????? Is this something I should just give up on or should I pursue it?

Your input would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

Blessings!
Sharon

[DarleneH]

Sharon, what you are needing is a "scrap-for-hire" (S4H) license. This would allow you to legally use designers products and make a profit from it. When you're shopping, look for a product that says something like S4H-friendly and you can trust that particular product will be licensed accordingly. If you see a kit or item you'd like to use but aren't certain about the license, I recommend emailing or sending a private message (PM) to the designer asking about such a license. Sometimes designers will sell a separate license for a product that is marked "personal use" in the store, but having purchased the extra license will enable you to use the product.

Excellent question and I'm sure this will help others, too. :)

[digimomdesigns]

Darlene explained it pretty well, also remember that you can use S4H friendly kits, but be sure you are selling a flattened final image, you are putting the photo in and the client gets a flattened jpg file that cannot be changed and they cannot pull anything out of it to use.

Many designers, including myself, now offer all or most of their products as
S4H friendly.

Good luck!

[sdhsmith]

Thank you so much for your help!!!! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this info!

I do plan on sending the pics in jpeg format... I wouldn't have it any other way!

Guess I can go shopping!

Blessings!
Sharon Smith