I am thinking of making wooden miniature (toy) cars; can I remodel them after real brand cars?
Asked by
rebbel (
35553
)
November 28th, 2011
The cars I am talking about are about to look like this.
Only I don’t want to make trucks but cars like Audi, Chevrolet, Porsche, etc.
Can I remodel them after their life-sized brothers?
Are the brands going to sue me, were I to sell them?
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5 Answers
Better to get these companies approval in writing, before you make any attempt at selling them. This is what copyright laws are all about. I saw your display and you certainly are equipped to make the vehicle copies.
Better safe, than sorry.
In US copyright law, you’d be safe. Car body designs are not protected by copyright law because they are utilitarian objects and their design is related to their function. But you should avoid using brand names or logos.
One thing that I know you can’t do is to put the brand logos on the cars; however, if you do not plan on profiting off of the cars, you can put the brand names on them.
It might fall under art and freedom of expression. If a painter has a known kind of car in a painting seems he won’t get in trouble from car companies. If the car models are not exactly perfect duplicates it could be argued they are different.
If you are going to make them as undetailed as those in the photo, I think it would be difficult for any car manufacturer to say it is their car. Were you going to make them more detailed. Personally, I like the look of them the way they are.
That is a fantastic workshop, is it yours???
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