Copywright law

[brightorange14]

Does anybody here have any experience with copyright law as it applies to art?* I think that I'd like an M.C. Escher print, but in blue and white instead of black and white. I'm trying to figure out if legally I can hire somebody with more artistic talent than I possess to make the changes I want if I have first legally bought a print of the work

Comments

[chimalis]

I find you have misspelled copyright in the subject ... but that's it.

[tsobo]

I've had to learn some copyright law regarding intellectual property in lecture captures at the University. My understanding is that you're on pretty safe legal ground, as you legally own the print which you wish to make into a derivative work, and the derivative work will be for personal and private use without any profit or intent to profit from it. However, whomever you hire would likely be in violation of the copyright, since they would actually be creating the derivative work for commercial profit.

A quick search shows that the current copyright holders for Escher's works are trying to make resolving copyright issues easy. Check out http://www.mcescher.com/Copyright/copyright.htm. Since copyright violations cannot exist with permission from the copyright holder, contacting them is easily the most definitive way to answer your question.