Wikipedia:WikiProject Visual arts/Public art/Image guide

What is the copyright of the image?

Content uploaded to Wikimedia Commons is freely available for anyone to copy, edit, and use, providing they use the same copyright and they provide attribution. For this reason, copyrighted material may only be uploaded to Commons if it is out of copyright or has a copyright that allows this. Wikipedia also allows some Fair use that would not be allowed on Commons, but only under certain special circumstances and for the illustration of specific articles.

Who took the picture?

It is easiest if you personally take a photograph of the artwork.

- Your photograph is considered a Derivative work.

- Copyright restrictions may still remain for the artwork itself.

If you're using someone else's photograph, you have to consider the copyright restrictions of both the photographer and the artist of the artwork.

- This will make uploading to Wikipedia much more difficult.

- If you want to use an image from Flickr that's not yours, make sure you read these guidelines.

- Check out the Finding images tutorial.

Where was it taken?

In the UK you have a freedom of panorama right, so if you are in a public place in the UK you can take photographs of anything that is permanently displayed. This covers statues and buildings, except for "temporary exhibits". There is no Freedom of Panorama in the US, which means that works there are automatically copyrighted and only old public art is in the public domain. Other countries will have other laws, though I think that most are similar to either the UK or the US - but you do need to know what the law is where you took the photograph.

How old is the artwork?

Typically, older artworks are considered to be in the public domain, while new artworks are not. Basic rule of thumb:

Before 1923 = Upload to Commons

After 1923 = Upload to Wikipedia

If it was published before 1923 in the US, it is out of copyright (published means presented to the public and a distinct concept from creation).
If it was published before 1989 in the US and no copyright notice was added, then it is likely in the public domain (artists who failed to give notice could have later rectified the problem through several formal steps).

-See this chart of public domain scenarios for more details.

Uploading images

Unless you are uploading fair use images it is best to load images to Commons rather than Wikipedia, once they are on Commons they can easily be used by all language versions of Wikipedia and on many other projects.

If you are loading small numbers of images then commons:Special:UploadWizard allows you to upload up to ten images at a time. Large projects may be better done by bot.

Images need meaningful names, the more meaningful the more likely they are to be used. Renaming them before uploading means that the upload can default to the filename on your PC.

Images need categories, and you should include at least one when you load it, you can more later, but uploading an image without any categories will look problematic to some and may cause others to waste their time trying to identify your photos.

If you are loading photos taken in a particular museum or gallery consider including them in a category for that collection.

Other relevant categories would be for the creator of the artwork, the era and or artistic style, subject and material.

If you are uploading multiple images of the same object

Image need descriptions. This is an opportunity to thank the institution for allowing photography, and to explain what the image is of.

tips

When uploading a closely related group of images such as several views of a particular statue it can be easier to create a category for the statue on commons and load them all with that category rather than add the same set of categories to each image.

Important Non-Free (Fair Use) policies

In order to claim that an image is fair use you must comply with all 10 non-free content criteria.
Non-free use images can only be used sparingly in articles in order to provide basic visual identification of the artwork.

-Only low resolution images can be uploaded and used in articles.

-Non-Free images cannot be used in Galleries, article drafts, or lists. This is considered excessive use of fair use images.

-Close up or detail photos are typically not permitted if the image is Non-Free.

-Non-free images should only be uploaded after your article is live, when you can immediately place the image into an article and prevent it from becoming orphaned (and likely deleted).

The proper license for these kinds of images is {{Non-free 3D art}}. The template clearly states that a fair-use rationale must be used (see below).

Uploading Non-Free images to Wikipedia

You will be uploading your image into Wikipedia, NOT the Commons.
Only upload an image AFTER your article is live in Wikipedia main space.

-Non-free images cannot be used in drafts.

-Images considered orphans (not in live articles) are often deleted.

When you upload a photo, the image file will have its own Wikipedia page and edit screen. To edit information regarding the photo, you will be editing the image file page, NOT your main article.
Always advocate that the image is educational and also can be used for critical commentary in your articles.
Always include the Non-free use rationale and Non-free 3D art templates ({{Non-free 3D art}}) and be as specific in your rationale as you can.
See the Mega-Gem image file for an example.

Upload your image to Flickr (the unique link to your photo will be used in your Non-free use rationale).
Begin on Wikipedia's upload page.
Select a low resolution image to upload from your computer, making sure it is the same one uploaded to Flickr.
Rename your image's file with the title of the artwork and artist's last name.
Complete the Summary section with the Template:Non-free use rationale & {{Non-free 3D art}} Template.

Simply copy and paste:

{{Non-free use rationale
| Description       = <List title of work, artist, date, date of photo & side of the work the
 image is showing.> 
| Source            = <Direct link to the same image on Flickr.>
| Article           = <The exact title of your article that the image will be in.>
| Portion           = The image shows one side of the copyrighted work of art.
| Low resolution    = Yes
| Purpose           = The image serves as the primary means of visual identification of the 
artwork.
| Replaceability    = There is no free equivalent of this artwork's image, 
so it cannot be replaced by a free image.
| Other information = The use of the image will not affect the value of the original work in
a negative way or limit the copyright holder's rights or ability to distribute the original.
}}

===Licensing===
{{Non-free 3D art}}

6. Edit the sections of the template that are in <brackets> with information specific to your artwork. Be sure to remove the <brackets> after you update this information.
7. Leave the Licensing drop down tab alone. (You already included Licensing information in the Summary).
8. Click the Upload button.
9. Update anything in your Summary section by clicking the Edit button and updating the template.
10. Navigate to your main article and Edit the page.
11. Update the Infobox with the image by copying and pasting the file name into the "image_file" parameter.

-Use the exact name (like Exact Name.JPG), removing the word FILE, but keeping the file extension (.JPG).

-Use spaces if they are in the title, not underscores.

12. Create an image size for the "image_size" slot. Try 200px or 320px. Keeping it smaller is more appropriate for non-free images.
13. Preview and/or Save your work!

Uploading Copyright free images to Commons

If your artwork was made before 1923, it is possible that you can upload an image of it to Commons.
If you don't have your own image, you can still find images in Flickr that have Creative Commons licensing.
Follow the instructions at Commons:Upload
Follow the directions as laid out above, but choose the appropriate template from below (don't copy and paste the non-free template from above).

-For photographs of 2-D paintings or similar 2-D artwork, use the Commons template Painting and follow the guidance at Commons:Template:Painting/doc.

-For photographs of 3-D objects, use the Commons template Information and follow the guidance at Commons:Template:Information/doc.