In some parts of the world, you just make your original artwork, and presto chango! You’ve automatically got copyright. In others, you might need to apply for copyright registration to obtain copyright protection (or registration might give your copyright greater protection).
For example, in the USA and many European countries, you can register your copyright to create a public record and potentially improve your ability to enforce your copyright in a court of law. For more information, check out www.copyright.gov and www.eucopyright.com.
In contrast, under Australian law, copyright cannot be registered.
Obligatory Yet Very Important Legal Disclaimer:
Don’t be fooled by any complicated jargon (and how snazzy we look in pinstripe). We are not your lawyer and this is not legal advice. We recommend contacting an attorney if you need an actual legal consultation.
Rather, this is general information aimed at giving you the legal lay of the land. While we can’t defend you in court, we know that art and IP ownership can be murky territory; the least we can do is arm you with the right kind of knowledge to get you started.