I haven't been able to figure it out, but is there a clear-cut "acceptable use" to use the artwork in Wookiepedia for fan-made adventures or supplement?

Whenever I want to use something that I've found on SWAG or DeviantArt, I know how to contact the artist to ask for permission, but I haven't figured out if I can re-use the art on Wookiepedia or not.

I would assume that it's copyrighted by LFL.

Here is why I'm asking: I want to start compiling a creature almanac, picking up the creatures from the various Star Wars RPG edition and compiling them with EotE stats. But without the artwork, it's hard to figure out what the creature looks like. If I want to share the work with the community, I want to make sure that I can use the art.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:X_closeup.jpg

Look down and notice the copyright clause for the image. That statement should exist for every image that was uploaded to the site.

There's nothing clear cut about "fair use." The easiest way to avoid this is to use only your own artwork in your own supplements. I like to work around this by, instead of including artwork in my modules, simply link out to Wookieepedia with in-line hyperlinks. I can understand why that may not be ideal in a creature almanac, which one might consider primarily a visual dictionary, but that's the safest response.

My view (and who really cares what i think?): The wookepidia use of LFL artwork is just as "grey area" as you using it for a fan supplement. Wookiepedia is a giant fan supplement and nobody tells them to take anything down. As long as you aren't making money, nobody cares.

No you absolutely can not use the art. It's not even their art it's copyrighted art to begin with. Without permission coils could be in trouble if they care to bother with you, it also does NOT fall under fair use.

Examples of fair use include commentary, search engines, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. It provides for the legal, unlicensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author's work under a four-factor balancing test.

I guess I could include it in a post like this, but I'd have to keep it as a forum-based document.:

[Edit: removed the link to the image on Wookiepedia, as using it like that would still be using copyrighted materials the point was about adding a link to the file, thinking that Wookiepedia was maintained by LFL]

Thanks to both of you. I hadn't noticed the copyright at the bottom, mainly because I seldom see the image with that layout.

I guess I could include it in a post like this, but I'd have to keep it as a forum-based document.:

zomg you're going to get sued!!!!!!!!!

No you absolutely can not use the art. It's not even their art it's copyrighted art to begin with. Without permission coils could be in trouble if they care to bother with you, it also does NOT fall under fair use.

Examples of fair use include commentary, search engines, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. It provides for the legal, unlicensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author's work under a four-factor balancing test.

No you absolutely can not use the art. It's not even their art it's copyrighted art to begin with. Without permission coils could be in trouble if they care to bother with you, it also does NOT fall under fair use.

Examples of fair use include commentary, search engines, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. It provides for the legal, unlicensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author's work under a four-factor balancing test.

That closes it, it was what I was expecting (otherwise, I guess I wouldn't have asked, right?)

There is no way I can contact the artist. Though, I was under the impression that Wookiepedia was owned by LFL.

if it's web based can't you just link the pic of the monster instead of using the actual pic? So if people wanted to know what the monster looked like they just click the link and it takes them to wookieepedia?

Yes, but I was hoping of doing a PDF, as it's transportable. I'll think about a good way of doing it.

No you absolutely can not use the art. It's not even their art it's copyrighted art to begin with. Without permission coils could be in trouble if they care to bother with you, it also does NOT fall under fair use.

Examples of fair use include commentary, search engines, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. It provides for the legal, unlicensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author's work under a four-factor balancing test.

Like I said above when I linked to the Wikipedia article, fair use isn't cut-and-dry. Your recitation of the second paragraph of that same article includes examples, but does not include an exhaustive list (you'll notice that list doesn't even include parody, which is trotted out every time "fair use" comes into discussion).

It is of course safest not to use resources indiscriminately (if they are not original resources), but you can't dismiss them out-of-hand like that. One of the biggest parts of "fair use" is whether a use is transformative, and using art as supplementary can be viewed as such (especially provided the user is conservative in using only portions of an art piece).

You've got good advice (the best, really) in (tacitly) saying that one should use his own work, but you're completely wrong in dismissing what the OP is asking about as definitively "not fall[ing] under fair use."

If you are using the images for personal use and are not attempting to make money of the resources, then I would not think it would be "wrong". Now citing the sources so that anyone seeing the resource can see who should get the credit for the awesome artwork may help alleviate your anxiety on the subject.

If you are using the images for personal use and are not attempting to make money of the resources, then I would not think it would be "wrong". Now citing the sources so that anyone seeing the resource can see who should get the credit for the awesome artwork may help alleviate your anxiety on the subject.

I was just about to say something similar. I have always been under the impression that as long as you did not make any profits from the object (whatever it may be) and gave proper credit to the original source, you were fine.

If you are using the images for personal use and are not attempting to make money of the resources, then I would not think it would be "wrong". Now citing the sources so that anyone seeing the resource can see who should get the credit for the awesome artwork may help alleviate your anxiety on the subject.

I was just about to say something similar. I have always been under the impression that as long as you did not make any profits from the object (whatever it may be) and gave proper credit to the original source, you were fine.

Nope. If you use it for personal use (such as at your own table in your own house) then it is likely that the owner won't even know about it or bother to go after you. But they do have every right to stop you should you do something, like share it over the Internet, even if you aren't making money and cite the source. Else all the sharing of music and movies would be legal since most of the sharers aren't making anything off the sharing.

From Wookieepedia:

Wookieepedia is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Lucasfilm Limited or any of its subsidiaries, employees, or associates. Wookieepedia offers no suggestion that the work presented on this web page is "official" or produced or sanctioned by the owner or any licensees of the aforementioned trademarks. Wookieepedia will take all steps necessary to ensure that any usage of trademarked items in no way confuses the audience of this site as to its origin. Wookieepedia makes no claim to own Star Wars or any of the copyrights or trademarks related to it. Images that are displayed on this site are copyrighted to Lucasfilm Limited or another partner of Lucas Licensing, or to the creator of the image. Visitors may download any pictures displayed on this site for personal use, as long as they are not used for profit, and proper credit is given.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wookieepedia:Copyrights

Visitors may download any pictures displayed on this site for personal use, as long as they are not used for profit, and proper credit is given.

There's your answer. I think anything created here falls under this category.

↑ That.

Visitors may download any pictures displayed on this site for personal use, as long as they are not used for profit, and proper credit is given.

There's your answer. I think anything created here falls under this category.

Well, that makes me fell a bit relieved, given the amount of images I'd taken from (and credited to) Wookieepedia in the Unofficial Species Menagerie. I was fairly certain we were in the clear (even checked it with the GSA Editor to boot) before posting it, but that extra bit of confirmation doesn't hurt.

Nice find. So "personal use" in this case would (I presume) simply mean non-commercial, especially since it also mentions that one should include attribution.

I haven't been able to figure it out, but is there a clear-cut "acceptable use" to use the artwork in Wookiepedia for fan-made adventures or supplement?

Whenever I want to use something that I've found on SWAG or DeviantArt, I know how to contact the artist to ask for permission, but I haven't figured out if I can re-use the art on Wookiepedia or not.

I would assume that it's copyrighted by LFL.

Here is why I'm asking: I want to start compiling a creature almanac, picking up the creatures from the various Star Wars RPG edition and compiling them with EotE stats. But without the artwork, it's hard to figure out what the creature looks like. If I want to share the work with the community, I want to make sure that I can use the art.

Just use whatever you want until the author tells you to stop.

Nice find. So "personal use" in this case would (I presume) simply mean non-commercial, especially since it also mentions that one should include attribution.

Personal use means Personal. As in for yourself. Redistributing the items is going outside the bounds of personal use.

Personal use does NOT include publication or distribution in any form. Posting something to the web is publication.

With properties like Star Wars the is also he separate issue of trade mark to consider. If I paint a picture of Darth Vader and publish it, even if it is a completely original picture painted from reference photos that I took of the costume it still may infring on the trade marked likeness of Darth Vader, despite possibly being non-copyright infringing. I say "possibly non-copyright infringing" because the costume itself is copyright and my photos and paintings might be considered derivative works.

As far as altering or changing a work to be free to use it, there is NO legal standard as to how much change or transformation makes it a new work. It all depends on how the judge and the lawyers see it.

Now, all that being said, in the real world, some property owners are less stringent than others in prosecuting every unauthorized use of their properties. Wookieepedia, EotE fan materials, Star Wars t-shirts and fan art all over the web, etc seem to indicate that Star Wars is fairly permissive. In most cases the first stage of any complaint is a "cease and desist" notice. If you then cease publication of the offending material everything is fine again. You may also fly under the radar and never recieve such a notice. This does not make it legal or moral, just doable.

I should add that especially with the advent of google image search I do illustrate my RPG sessions with images gathered from across the web and either displayed on screen or printed out as handouts for my players. This may technically be copyright infringement, but ....

Nice find. So "personal use" in this case would (I presume) simply mean non-commercial, especially since it also mentions that one should include attribution.

"personal use" Not public...

Then what's with "Attribution?" If you're using it for yourself, you already know who you got it from. Why would you need to include attribution to tell yourself where you got an image?