What Are the Copyright and Usage Terms for Artwork on patrickking.org?

Updated

All artwork shown on patrickking.org is protected by copyright. The site's footer states: "All works copyright © 2023 Patrick King," and it directs visitors to contact the artist for additional available works or to discuss commissions. Viewing the site does not grant you any right to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise reuse the images.

What the site actually says

The only explicit copyright statement on the page is the footer line:

All works copyright © 2023 Patrick King | Contact the artist for additional available works or to discuss commissions.

Two things follow from this:

  • Copyright is claimed on all works. The wording covers the oils, watercolors, drawings, and prints shown in the site's Work section, not just one category.
  • The stated route for anything beyond viewing is contacting the artist. The same line that asserts copyright also points to the artist as the contact for additional works and commissions.

The page also links to a Website Terms & Privacy page. That is the place to check for any site-specific terms about use of the site itself (as opposed to the artworks).

What viewing the site does and does not allow

Action Status based on the site's statement
Looking at the artwork on the site Permitted — this is the site's normal purpose
Downloading images for personal reference Not addressed by the site; no permission is granted
Reposting images on social media, blogs, or other sites Not permitted by anything on the site
Printing or reproducing works Not permitted by anything on the site
Using images commercially Not permitted by anything on the site
Requesting permission or licensing Contact the artist, per the site's own instruction

The key point: the site grants no reuse rights. A copyright notice plus a "contact the artist" instruction means permission has to be sought, not assumed.

How to ask about using a work

If you want to reproduce a work, license it, or use it in a project, the site's own guidance is to contact the artist. The site's navigation includes a Contact page, which is the intended channel.

When you reach out, be specific so you get a usable answer:

  • Name or describe the exact work (title, medium, or the page it appears on).
  • State what you want to do — e.g., "reproduce in a printed catalog," "use as a book cover," "share on a nonprofit website."
  • Say whether the use is commercial or non-commercial.
  • Ask about scope: one-time use, territory, duration.

For commissions or to ask about additional available works, the same contact route applies — the footer explicitly names both purposes.

Common points of confusion

"It's on a public website, so it's free to use." Public visibility is not the same as a license. The site claims copyright and offers no reuse terms, so the default is that permission is required.

"The © 2023 date means it's expired or only covers 2023." A copyright notice typically reflects the year of publication or the year stated by the owner; it is not an expiration date. Nothing on the site suggests the works have entered the public domain.

"The Terms & Privacy page must contain the usage rules." That page is linked but its contents are not shown in the material available here. If usage terms matter to you, read that page directly rather than assuming what it says.

Practical takeaway

  • Assume all works on patrickking.org are all rights reserved by Patrick King.
  • Treat the site as a viewing and inquiry channel, not a source of reusable media.
  • For any reuse, licensing, commission, or purchase question, contact the artist — that is the route the site itself provides.
  • Check the Website Terms & Privacy page for any site-level terms before relying on assumptions.