Technically speaking, there’s nothing illegal in the US about making and selling fan art because copyright isn’t enforced criminally. If you don’t want that threat hanging over your shoulder, your best option is to try to get permission from the copyright owner to make and sell your fan art.

Personality / celebrity rights are protected by both federal law and in around thirty states. There is an exception under this law that allows the likeness etc. to be used in unique (but not multiple) works of visual art.

The short answer is a big NO. Unless you have the authorization, agreement, and contract with rights and limitations in doing so from the celebrity/ his/her management/agent, then you have no legal right to use and especially print and make sales off of a celebrity’s image.

The best places to sell your artwork online to support your creative business.

• Etsy. You can’t talk about sites to sell artwork without mentioning Etsy.
• Amazon. These days, people buy just about everything on Amazon—and that includes art.
• FineArtAmerica.
• Saatchi Art.
• Shopify.
• TurningArt.
• Society6.

The main issue with selling fan art commissions is not only that they are illegal, it is that the creation of fan art can hurt the sales of officially sanctioned and licensed merchandise. The illegal part is not paying royalties or asking permission.

8. Apply for Business Licenses and Permits. Etsy doesn’t require sellers to have a business license to sell products via its platform. However, the state, county, and local municipality where you’ve formed your business may require you to hold licenses and permits to operate your company legally.

Etsy reports your gross income to the IRS on Form 1099-K, but even if you don’t receive a 1099-K, you must report Etsy sales income on your tax return.

So do you have to have a business license to sell on etsy? The answer depends on which region you are living in. So the country or the municipality you live in may require a business license.

What kind of taxpayer ID do I need? If you’re a sole proprietor—meaning you are not a business entity that is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company—you may use your Social Security number for tax filing and reporting. Even if you’re a sole proprietor Etsy shop owner, you can still opt to get an EIN.

Re: When does Etsy send out W-2’s Yes, your accountant does need a copy of the Etsy Taxpayer ID page or 1099-K to file, but the form does not get mailed in with your tax forms, it is only needed for the $numbers, the copy we receive in the mail is our copy to keep.

Welcome to India. For years now, Indian artisans have been selling through Etsy, the e-commerce marketplace focused on handmade or vintage items. But with demand for handicrafts from the country on the rise, the NASDAQ-listed firm has now set up a dedicated team in India to onboard more sellers.

Etsy has been owned by Etsy Inc. since its inception in June of 2005 and has not been bought out by another company to date. They have since acquired other online marketplaces and eCommerce sites, and have allowed sellers to partner with manufacturers.

The expense of selling through Etsy is lower, and lower risk, than selling at a craft show, so if you have lower profit margins, Etsy may be the better choice between the two. Etsy is also a better choice when compared to selling wholesale, if you have low profit margins.

Profit. On average, our Etsy shop owners priced their products at a 68% markup to cost. I found those numbers staggering and expected them to be raking in major profits. But with the exception of a few high volume shops, after Etsy fees and costs, the median shop brought in $291 of profit a month.

While fairy tales of wildly successful Etsy sellers abound and overall sellers report an average household income of $56,000 annually(opens in a new tab), up to 65 percent of those sellers(opens in a new tab) earn less than $100 per year from their Etsy shops.

Re: Are you/Can you make a living off of Etsy? Yes, “a different kind of seller” for sure… I think there are very few “Etsy success” stories that actually attribute their success to Etsy. They may have a shop on Etsy that is Part of their success, but have other venues and drive all their traffic themselves.