typeface copyright

[wookiedabo]

Hi, does anyone here happen to know what copyright laws there are on using typefaces in a commissioned logo or company name design in the UK? Any info would be greatly appreciated. I'm sorry it's not a more interesting discussable question.... :(

[HunterKiller_]

It should be the same as anything else - if you haven't paid for it, then you can't use it.

[Grumbledook]

depends on the font licence

not like you can't get some good ones for under a tenner

[_Mario]

HunterKiller_ is right and wrong.

Using some glyphs of a font (that you have a legally licensed) should not be a problem.

As fonts have a strange position. You have glyphs (the letters) on the one side and whole sets of kerning pairs and other typographical relevant information (ligature usage rules, ...) on the other. And when you buy a font you license rights to both but these rights are restricted and look somehow like a mix of a software license and a license for creative work.

Where you certainly would have problems is if you were to embed a font in some software (for example) to be used by the software buyer (licensee).

But you should read your font license agreement for more information. But in general the created logo is your original work and fonts are supposed to be used in the creation of work. Why else would you buy the license for if not for using the font?

[Jabo]

You have to buy the font in order to be allowed to use it in your design work. You can then sell the logo, but you can't give away the font files themselves. If the company wants to use the font for correspondence, they'll have to buy the font as well. Basically, those who want to use the font have to pay for it. How much it costs to buy the font depends on the license.