Copyright

When it comes to the design industry it is important to know about copyright when creating. Here is my understanding of copyright which I have considered whilst putting my designs together.

What is copyright?

Copyright is a form of protection that allows the creator of their own original work claim exclusive rights to publish and distribute the work. Copyright is automatic though you need to register for legal reasons. The main legislation dealing with copyright in the UK is the Copyright, design and patents act, 1988.

What does copyright protect?

Anything that is an original creative piece of work for example; music, art, software, photography, footage, scripts, novels etc.

Literary works
dramatic works, dance
musical works, including musical notes themselves
artistic works
motion picture and audiovisual works
sound recordings
architectural work
typographical arrangements of published editions, e.g.. layout or actual appearance

What isn't protected?

work that hasn't been fixed in a tangible form of expressions (needs to be in material existence to be copyrighted). Titles, names, short phrases and slogans; familiar symbols and designs.
Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries.

What is fair use?

The acceptation to copyright. Something that doesn't change the works value in the marketplace.
Reproduction of some work may be considered 'fair use' when used for:
Parody, reporting, teaching, critical comments, scholarship research

Limitations
fair use is only a guideline not a law. The effect of the use upon the market values of the copyrighted work (competition for the original?) The purpose and character of the work (commercial or not profit?)
Credited work
The amount of work that will be used (the heart of the work?)

What is the public domain?
Content is no longer owned or controled by anyone, items in the public domain may be freely:
used
adapted
distributed
used for any given purpose you like without having to seek the permissions of any copyright owners.

Creative commons
free liscences you add to your copyrighted work making it easier to share and allow other people to build upon your work.
multiple different liscences exist.