You might want to sell some of the plates you have made. In that case, you should include a copyright notice on your plate.
You should read the general copyright information from the government.
You can find it at this location: www.copyright.gov
The information we will put on your plate for you is what the government calls the "form of notice for visually perceptable copies" It consists of three things: 1. the letter c in a circle, 2. the year of first publication of the work, and 3. "the name of the owner of copyright in the work, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner".
Some other important points.
"The way in which copyright protection is secured is frequently misunderstood. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright. "
"Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is “created” when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time."
“Copies” are material objects from which a work can be read or visually perceived either directly or with the aid of a machine or device, such as books, manuscripts, sheet music, film, videotape, or microfilm."
A luncheon plate is a 3-D "copy" of a work.
We will insert copyright information onto your plate if:
1. You are the owner of copyright of the photograph.
2. You have permission from any people in the photograph to use their picture.
3. You give us the information you want included in the copyright notice.
You do not have to register your material with the Copyright Office immediately. You can do it sometime during the life of the copyright.
The current cost to register copyrighted material with the Copyright Office is $45.
According to the government, there are certain legal advantages to doing so. They mostly seem to deal with protection from infringement on your copyright.
The government information is pretty straightforward. Be sure to read it yourself.
They also have a Copyright Public Information Office which you can call if you want additional information on any subject related to copyright. Their phone number is (202) 707-3000, Monday through Friday, 8:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. Eastern time zone.
