You spend weeks, maybe months, pouring yourself into a piece. You finally hit publish, share it with your audience, and hope it finds its people. But if you don’t protect your artwork from theft, you’re giving counterfeiters a free pass.
Then one day, you see it.
Your artwork. On a shirt you never made. Sold by a store you’ve never heard of.
>No credit. No payment. No permission.
This isn’t a one-off horror story. I’ve been there too. Most of us have. And the first time it happens, you feel sick. The second time, you start to wonder if it’s worth it. It’s a cycle that repeats across the internet every day. And if you’re not protecting your work, you’re giving counterfeiters the perfect opening.
Here’s what can happen when you don’t take steps to defend your art:
1. You Lose Control
When your work gets stolen, it’s not just about money. It’s about identity.
We’ve seen artists whose designs were repurposed for political merchandise they didn’t believe in. Others whose cute characters were plastered on knockoff sites filled with scammy checkout pages and poor-quality products.
Your art can end up representing something you never intended. Without protection in place, there’s very little you can do to stop it once it spreads.
2. You Don’t Get Paid. They Do.
One artist we work with created a viral sloth design that took off around 2019. By 2020, the same design was being sold by dozens of companies overseas. At one point, his own shop was outranked by fakes in search results.
He didn’t see a dime.
And the worst part? He felt completely powerless. Like the work that once made him proud had become a liability. Until he partnered with us, that is. He’s retired now. We handled the legal side. He just cashed the checks.
The point is: if someone else profits off your work while you’re stuck chasing invoices, something’s gone very wrong.
3. You Waste Time on the Wrong Fixes
Many artists try to fight back alone. Filing DMCA takedowns. Emailing shops. Refreshing reverse image searches.
And while those steps can help, they often act like a temporary bandage. You take one listing down and five more pop up. The more viral your art becomes, the more exhausting it gets.
Some artists have filed hundreds of takedowns across marketplaces. We’ve spoken with artists who’ve spent entire weekends submitting DMCA notices, only to watch new listings pop up hours later. It’s endless.
And here’s the real kicker. All that solo cleanup work can actually hurt your case if you decide to pursue legal action later. Some platforms interpret extensive takedown activity as “you handled it yourself,” which muddies the trail and makes damages harder to prove.
In trying to fix things yourself, you might erase the very proof that could have held counterfeiters accountable.
4. You Might Give Up
This is the one that breaks us.
We’ve talked to artists who stopped uploading. Who quit drawing altogether. Who felt so helpless and burned out by theft, they pulled their shops down and walked away from the thing they loved.
If you’re in that space right now, tired, discouraged, unsure what to do next, please know you’re not alone. And you haven’t missed your shot. There’s still a path forward.
And it’s avoidable.
What You Can Do Right Now
- Monitor and log any unauthorized use. Use tools like reverse image search to see where your work appears online. If you spot a counterfeit, start a spreadsheet. Log the platform, the product, and the link. This can make a massive difference if you need to escalate later.
- Keep your original files with metadata intact. Your working files often include hidden metadata like timestamps, device info, and copyright fields. Don’t overwrite or flatten those originals, it could be useful proof down the line.
- Learn how copyright works in your country. You don’t need to hire a lawyer, but it helps to know the basics – like whether you own the rights automatically or need to register them.
- Request upload data from the platforms you use. Some sites (selling platforms) can provide a record of when you uploaded your artwork, which can help prove ownership. Ask for a data export or upload log if you think you might need it.
- Consider registering your designs with the copyright office in your country. It’s not required to be protected, but it can make legal action easier. If you end up working with the team at Edwin James IP, it can help us move faster on your behalf. If you’re outside the U.S. but your work is being copied there, U.S. registration may also help.
Bonus Tips (If You Want to Go Further)
- Export your social media archive. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X let you download a full copy of your posts – including upload dates – which can back up your timeline if needed.
- Upload new work to your own site or blog. Even a private post can help establish a public timestamp that shows when your work was created or published.
And if your work is getting ripped off? Edwin James IP will fight for you at no upfront cost. We only get paid if you do.
Your art deserves to be seen, shared, loved, and protected.
You shouldn’t have to choose between putting your work out there and keeping it safe.
The best way to protect your artwork from theft is to take action early.
If you’re not sure where to start, we can help.
Get in touch with us. You don’t have to do this alone.