Did copyright laws change?

[cre8ivim]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? FL

When I was in Art School back in the mid 80s, my teacher told us that modifying a picture in any way (accept where likeness issues are concerned i.e., a celebrity) cancels the copyright and it can now be owned and used by us as our new creative work to sell, distribute, or otherwise. Did copyright laws change?

 

[divgradcurl]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? FL

When I was in Art School back in the mid 80s, my teacher told us that modifying a picture in any way (accept where likeness issues are concerned i.e., a celebrity) cancels the copyright and it can now be owned and used by us as our new creative work to sell, distribute, or otherwise. Did copyright laws change?

No, the copyright laws didn't change -- your teacher was just wrong.

If you modify a picture such that the modifications are "sufficiently transformative" to create a "derivative work," then you may be entitled to a copyright on the derivative work. But that derivative work is a "new" work, and has no impact on the copyright of the underlying work. Further, the right to control the creation of a derivative work is one of the "rights" granted by a copyright, so even though you may have created a new work, and own the copyright to that new work, that new work that you own the copyright to is probably infringing the copyright of the underlying work, and therefore any distribution of reproduction of the derivative work is also violating the underlying copyright onwer's right to control reproduction and distribution of his work.

EDIT: Actually, there have been SOME changes to the copyright laws over the years, but none that would affect this particular issue.