Legal Guide for the Visual Artist, Fifth Edition

"I've been in business for forty years and the book enlightened me in ways I didn't even know I was stupid. It's an incredibly well-done book. Just buy the book, don't ask questions. Just buy it. If you don't like it, I'll give you your money back."-Jay Maisel, photographer

"This fourth edition of the Legal Guide includes the cutting-edge issues in the new technologies and new media that will shape the futures of all graphic artists. This book should be on every professional artist's must-buy list, right beside the Guild's Pricing and Ethical Guidelines."-Paul Basista, Executive Director, Graphic Artists Guild

"Legal Guide for the Visual Artist is essential for both the beginning artist and the seasoned art professional. It demystifies the legal issues all artists must understand to survive in the business of art. I recommend it to all artists, and use it as a text in legal classes for artists."-Timothy S. Kelley, Director of Legal Services, Lawyers for the Creative Arts

"Keep this book within reach at all times. It's not only essential for an artist's self-preservation, but also a fascinating read."-Paul Davis, graphic designer and painter

"Legal Guide for the Visual Artist is written in very clear language, which helps to take a lot of the uncertainty and worry out of understanding business and legal issues and allows me to focus on the business of making art."-George Koch, President, National Artists Equity Association

"Crawford's book has been used as the comprehensive art law text at the School of Visual Arts. I recommend it without reservation."-David Rhodes, President, School of Visual Arts

"It might not be convenient to hold this book in one hand while drawing or painting with the other. On the other hand, to do so is an excellent idea."-Arnold Roth, cartoonist

"The challenge for any designer or artist is to learn enough about his or her rights to challenge unwarranted incursions early and call in reinforcements when necessary. This Legal Guide is the first line of defense for every designer-after, of course, Allworth's stunningly focused AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design."-Richard Grefé, Executive Director, American Institute of Graphic Arts

"Tad Crawford's readable guide is filled with practical legal advice for visual artists, as well as insightful discussions of ethical issues. Immediately useful are the sample agreements and forms, explained in the context of common business practices in the art world and the environment of numerous state and federal laws."-Alma Robinson, Executive Director, California Lawyers for the Arts

"This new edition is an invaluable resource for everyone concerned with the production, sale, purchase, or inheritance of art and photography. It will raise the consciousness of every artist, whether mature or just starting out."-Myrna Davis, Executive Director, The Art Directors Club, Inc.

Legal Guide for the Visual Artist by Tad Crawford arms artists with a broad general knowledge of most legal issues they're likely to face, and includes raft of legal forms that should address many foreseeable legal needs. Starting with chapters on traditional intellectual property-copyright, trademarks, trade dress, and some patents-Crawford delves into more esoteric aspect of intellectual property such as moral rights and the relatively recent Visual Artists Rights Act ("VARA"). The author balances these more personal and insightful historical portions with current issues facing the modern artist, such as the increasing likelihood of an artist being both artist and producer and the pitfalls that come with this dual role. Multimedia and the breadth of what that term means is also touched upon in the book. Legal Guide for the Visual Artist deserves a place in your library if you do any type of artistic work at all.

-Logan Lo, Esq., The New York Journal of Books