First personal geocoin

[+tinkerbellkel]

So I want to order my own set of geocoins. Can anyone recommend a company who might be able to mint this coin? This is a rough sketch of what I would like. What about copyrights? Thanks!

[avroair]

Look above at the pinned threads. You are on your own when it comes to following copyrights.

[ATMouse]

Strictly MY opinion: You are nuts to take on Disney. I see other coins that have come periously close to their work, and so far (and may I stress the SO FAR part), I haven't heard of anyone paying damages yet. But all it will take is the right geocoin in the right hand (a Disney salaried employee) and there might be big trouble, indeed.

 

That said - there have been stories of faeries long before cartooned films. Go to the library and look up older, illustrated copies of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queen, to get other ideas on how faeries ought to look....or might look.

 

I always thought Walt's vision was kinda washed-out preppy looking, myself. Looks more like a college kid working as a lifeguard for the summer than a creature of the fey world.

 

Edited to add: The above is my opinion, your results may vary.

Edited August 18, 2009 by ATMouse

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Strictly MY opinion: You are nuts to take on Disney. I see other coins that have come periously close to their work, and so far (and may I stress the SO FAR part), I haven't heard of anyone paying damages yet. But all it will take is the right geocoin in the right hand (a Disney salaried employee) and there might be big trouble, indeed.

 

That said - there have been stories of faeries long before cartooned films. Go to the library and look up older, illustrated copies of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queen, to get other ideas on how faeries ought to look....or might look.

 

I always thought Walt's vision was kinda washed-out preppy looking, myself. Looks more like a college kid working as a lifeguard for the summer than a creature of the fey world.

 

Edited to add: The above is my opinion, your results may vary.

I would second that idea. The story of Captain Hook and Tinkerbell and the lot came before Disney's version I pretty sure, so you might have an easier time using a Tinkerbell image that won't get them riled up.

 

As far as the design...Great, I love it. Good job.

[+ECplus3]

The Great Ormond Street Hospital in London holds the copyright to the character of Tinker Bell, as bequeathed by J.M. Barrie, the author of the original stories. Disney had to go to them for permission to use the character in their movies and products. Of course, Disney holds the copyright to their specific likeness of Tink.

 

While most of the character copyrights have lapsed, the Tinker Bell copyright is still in force. A London artist recently had to get permission from the hospital before creating a statue of Tink.

[+Laval K-9]

Just want to say that I really like the design but I would replace the treasure chest by an ammobox

[+Droo]

Just want to say that I really like the design but I would replace the treasure chest by an ammobox

And maybe the wand with a GPS.

 

To answer you original question..... recommending one company over another here is not allowed. Go to the pinned threads at the top of this forum and let your fingers do the walking - contact each company and see which one you can click with. Just beware of messing with Disney... they are as bad as Harley Davidson at protecting their copyrights.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Droo

[+Zelanzy]

I recently researched some copywright stuff for fonts and bumped into an interesting loophope which might apply: parody as fair use. If you do some of the things above (wand to gps) the courts "could" side on your favor provided there was ever a case. The courts have recently struggled with fair use and really go either way on a case by case basis.

 

I would recommend you research this before proceeding. Fair use applies if your take on a subject is somehow making fun of or challenging in some way the original design. Just changing the colors, the scene, or the background is likely considered a derivative work, which the original copyright has the exclusive rights to.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Just want to say that I really like the design but I would replace the treasure chest by an ammobox

And maybe the wand with a GPS.

 

I don't think I would do either of those. The treasure chest is the icon in a Garmin for "a Found Geocache", and I like how the wand represents the "magic" of the GPS!!

[Odyssey Voyager]

So I want to order my own set of geocoins. Can anyone recommend a company who might be able to mint this coin? This is a rough sketch of what I would like. What about copyrights? Thanks!

 

please don't be discouraged by the copyright issues, keep refining your design. you will find that the "re-design" process will always produce a remarkable result! by the way, a subtle "half-height" background design with translucent color will really "pop"! IMHO.

 

~odyssey voyager~

 

.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

as far as the copyrights go, I have no doubt that the company you choose will be able to tweek the image enough to make it original, yet keep it enough the same that you'll have the look you want. it can be a slow process though with one minor change at a time. Stick to it, it's not as easy as sprinkling a little fairy dust, but you are on a great track with this design!!

 

edit to add...I'm not "Into" fairies really, but this is a great looking design, and I'd be thrilled to get my hands on one.

Edited August 18, 2009 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

So I want to order my own set of geocoins. Can anyone recommend a company who might be able to mint this coin? This is a rough sketch of what I would like. What about copyrights? Thanks!

 

please don't be discouraged by the copyright issues, keep refining your design. you will find that the "re-design" process will always produce a remarkable result! by the way, a subtle "half-height" background design with translucent color will really "pop"! IMHO.

 

~odyssey voyager~

 

.

like at nightime, very dark blue(shimmering a little from the textured background, with the stars in shiny gold, or in yellow enamel...

[Odyssey Voyager]

So I want to order my own set of geocoins. Can anyone recommend a company who might be able to mint this coin? This is a rough sketch of what I would like. What about copyrights? Thanks!

 

please don't be discouraged by the copyright issues, keep refining your design. you will find that the "re-design" process will always produce a remarkable result! by the way, a subtle "half-height" background design with translucent color will really "pop"! IMHO.

 

~odyssey voyager~

 

.

like at nightime, very dark blue(shimmering a little from the textured background, with the stars in shiny gold, or in yellow enamel...

 

it looks like you geocache in the beautiful northern california and oregon area, so perhaps a nice forest or mountainous background with a nightime starry sky as suggested by write shop robert...

[Team_Merchlinsky]

Maybe make her outfit blue or purple ? you could even change her hair a lil if you are worried about copyright

[+Wandering Vikings]

I recently researched some copywright stuff for fonts and bumped into an interesting loophope which might apply: parody as fair use. If you do some of the things above (wand to gps) the courts "could" side on your favor provided there was ever a case. The courts have recently struggled with fair use and really go either way on a case by case basis.

 

I would recommend you research this before proceeding. Fair use applies if your take on a subject is somehow making fun of or challenging in some way the original design. Just changing the colors, the scene, or the background is likely considered a derivative work, which the original copyright has the exclusive rights to.

 

Zelanzy adds a good point, but I would caution that you need to be *very* careful about trying to apply parody or fair use to a commercial endeavor. Trying to use this principal against a company that is known for aggressively pursuing infringment claims would be something you should only consider after speaking in depth with a well trained lawyer!!

 

"The first fair use factor, the purpose and character of use of the original copyrighted work, evaluates the new work by taking into consideration the following criteria: (1) Has the new work been created for commercial or noncommercial purposes? Although not every commercial use is presumptively an unfair use, and therefore conclusively determinative against fair use, this criterion emphasizes a preference that fair use will be granted to those works that are created for noncommercial or educational purposes rather than for commercial purposes. "

 

You may be better served, as previous posters have mentioned, to try to change some details of your design so that it has enough differences to be considered 'original'. Good luck!

[+luckycharmer]

There are several ways to make it more original like try a ponytail, less puffy bangs, less angles in her face (more pudgy), A more flowing skirt, remove the pompom from her slippers, change the color of her hair, less almond shaped eyes.

 

Of course I can't draw a straight line so I wouldn't be able to do any of it. It is a cute concept. I also like the wand and treasure box. Now if you could make the stars out of tiny blinking led lights, you'll have a hit. HAVE FUN WITH IT. I'll be watching how your coin develops.