Selling Fanart on Inprnt: What You Need to Know

Selling Fan Art on INPRNT: A Complete Guide for Artists

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As an artist, you pour your passion into creating work that celebrates your favorite characters and worlds. You’ve just finished a stunning piece of fan art, and the thought crosses your mind: "Could I sell this?" This question leads many artists down a rabbit hole of print-on-demand sites and complex legal questions. One platform that consistently comes up in these conversations is INPRNT.

But can you sell fanart on inprnt? The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about INPRNT, the legalities of selling fan art, and how you can navigate this landscape to share your creations with the world—the right way.

Table of Contents

What Is INPRNT? A Curated Marketplace for Artists

Before we dive into fan art specifics, it’s essential to understand the platform itself. So, what is inprnt? Unlike massive, open marketplaces, INPRNT is a gallery-quality, print-on-demand service that is curated by the artist community. This means you can’t just sign up and start selling immediately. You must submit a portfolio of your work, which is then reviewed and voted on by existing INPRNT artists.

This application process maintains a high standard of quality across the site, making it a prestigious platform for artists to be featured on. They are known for their exceptional print quality, using archival inks and fine art papers, which appeals to both artists and collectors.

How INPRNT Works for Selling Your Art

Once your application is approved, the process of selling on inprnt is remarkably straightforward. This is a brief overview of how inprnt works:

  1. Upload Your Art: You upload high-resolution files of your artwork to your personal gallery.
  2. Set Your Prices: INPRNT has a base price for each product (prints, canvas, acrylic, etc.). You then add your artist profit on top of that base price. You have full control over your earnings for each sale.
  3. INPRNT Handles the Rest: Once a customer places an order, INPRNT takes over. They handle the printing, framing, packaging, shipping, and all customer service inquiries.
  4. You Get Paid: You receive your artist profit from the sale, which is paid out via PayPal.

This hands-off model is a major reason why many artists wonder how to sell on inprnt, as it allows them to focus on creating art rather than managing logistics.

The Big Question: Does INPRNT Allow Fanart?

This is the core of the issue. The official answer is yes, INPRNT has a specific, approved method for selling fan art. They have established a "Fan Art Program" where they partner with certain intellectual property (IP) holders.

When you upload a piece, you can tag it as fan art and select the relevant series from a list of their approved partners. This means the IP holder has given INPRNT and its artists explicit permission to create and sell art based on their characters. A portion of the proceeds from these sales goes back to the original creators as a royalty, ensuring the process is fully licensed and legal.

However, if a property is not part of their official program, uploading fan art of it violates INPRNT’s Terms of Service regarding intellectual property rights. Submitting unauthorized fan art can result in the work being removed and, in some cases, your account being suspended.

Understanding the Legal Maze of Selling Fan Art

To truly understand INPRNT’s policy, you need to grasp the legal basics. The central question many artists ask is, is fan art legal? Creating fan art for personal enjoyment is generally fine. The legal complications arise when you try to commercialize it.

At its core, selling fan art without permission is a violation of copyright law. The original creator or company owns the exclusive rights to their characters, logos, and stories. This is the foundation of fan art and copyright. When you sell a print featuring a character you didn’t create, you are technically profiting from someone else’s intellectual property, which can be considered is fan art copyright infringement.

Many people bring up "Fair Use" as a defense, but is selling fanart fair use? For commercial purposes, almost never. Fair Use is a complex legal doctrine that is typically applied to works of commentary, criticism, news reporting, and education. It’s an incredibly difficult and expensive argument to win in court, making it a risky defense for an independent artist to rely on. Therefore, the answer to "is it legal to sell fan art?" is generally no, unless you have explicit permission.

How to Sell Fan Art Legally on INPRNT and Beyond

Given the legal complexities, you must be strategic. If you want to sell fan art legally, your options are limited but clear.

  1. Use INPRNT’s Official Fan Art Program: This is the safest and most direct way on the platform. Stick to the properties listed in their program. This is the best answer for where to sell fan art if you want to use a high-quality print-on-demand service with a built-in legal framework.
  2. Get a License: The most comprehensive way is to learn how to get a license to sell fan art. This involves directly contacting the IP holder’s licensing department and negotiating a formal agreement. This is often a difficult and expensive process reserved for established artists or businesses, but it is the proper legal route. If you want to know how to get permission to sell fan art, this is the official channel.
  3. Seek Out Permissive IP Holders: Research what companies allow selling fanart. Some game developers and content creators have public policies that allow for limited sales of fan-made merchandise, often with specific rules and revenue caps. Always find their official policy in writing before proceeding.

Ultimately, the most important of all rules on selling fan art is to secure permission first. The laws on selling fan art are designed to protect creators, and respecting them protects you as well.

INPRNT Artist Payouts vs. The Competition

A common question is, what percentage does inprnt take? This is a slight misconception of their model. Instead of taking a percentage, INPRNT sets a base production cost for each item. You then add your desired profit on top.

For example, if the base cost of an 8×10 print is $10 and you want to earn $5, the final price for the customer will be $15. You keep 100% of your added profit. This transparency is a major factor when artists consider is inprnt worth it. Because you control your margin, it’s easy to calculate your earnings.

When looking at inprnt vs society6 vs redbubble, INPRNT’s primary differentiators are its curated nature and superior print quality. While Redbubble and Society6 are open to everyone and offer a wider range of products (like t-shirts and mugs), INPRNT focuses on being a true art marketplace. Many believe is inprnt good for artists who are focused on selling high-quality prints as their main product.

A Note on AI-Generated Images: The INPRNT AI Art Policy

In the age of generative AI, many platforms are grappling with how to handle AI-created works. INPRNT has taken a firm and clear stance. The official inprnt ai art policy is that they do not accept art created using AI image generators. Their platform is dedicated to showcasing and selling human-made art. So, does inprnt allow ai art? The answer is a definitive no. Any submissions found to be AI-generated will be removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you sell fanart on Etsy?
This is a very common question. While you will see a lot of fan art being sold on Etsy, it doesn’t mean it’s legal. Etsy’s policy requires sellers to respect intellectual property rights. The responsibility for ensuring you have the right to sell an item falls on the seller, not on Etsy. Selling fan art on etsy without a license carries the same legal risks as selling it anywhere else and can lead to shop suspension and legal action from copyright holders. Many artists see others selling fanart on etsy and assume it’s okay, but this is a dangerous assumption.

What is the best place to sell fan art?
The best place to sell fan art is through channels where you have explicit, legal permission. This includes platforms with official partner programs like INPRNT, or at artist alleys at conventions if you have obtained a license or the convention has an agreement with the IP holder. Selling without permission is never a "best place" as it puts you at risk.

So, can you sell fan art at all?
Yes, but only legally. To reiterate, can you legally sell fan art? Yes, if you have a license from the copyright owner or if you are participating in an officially sanctioned program, like INPRNT’s Fan Art Program. Without permission, you cannot.

What are the general rules on selling fan art?
The primary rule is that you need permission from the person or company that owns the copyright to the character. Any sale made without this permission is technically copyright infringement. This is the simplest of the copyright laws for selling fan art to remember.

Do you need a license to sell fan art?
Yes, in almost all commercial situations, do you need a license to sell fan art is an absolute. A license is the formal legal agreement that grants you permission to profit from someone else’s intellectual property.

Can I make fan art and sell it?
You can make it for your own enjoyment. However, if you’re asking, "can i make fan art and sell it?" for profit, the answer is only if you have legal permission or a license.

Can you sell art of copyrighted characters?
No, not without permission. The question "can you sell art of copyrighted characters?" is fundamentally a copyright question. The copyright holder has the exclusive right to profit from their characters.

Is it ok to sell fanart?
From an ethical and legal standpoint, is it ok to sell fanart comes down to permission. If you have it, it’s okay. If you don’t, you are infringing on another creator’s rights and open yourself up to legal and financial risk. Learning how to sell fanart legally is the only responsible way to proceed.