VISUAL ART WORKS - Chapter 901 - What This Chapter Covers

Oct 28, 2026

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Chapter 901 outlines the examination and registration topics for visual art works handled by the U.S. Copyright Office. It defines visual art works as including pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and architectural works, and explains where readers can find related guidance across other chapters. The chapter also clarifies the scope of “visual art works” versus “work of visual art,” references statutory definitions under 17 U.S.C. § 101, and distinguishes other categories examined by different divisions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages54

Reading Time2 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

901 What This Chapter Covers

902 Visual Arts Division

What This Chapter Covers

Visual Arts Division

VISUAL ART WORKS Contents 901 What This Chapter Covers 1 902 Visual Arts Division 1 903 What Is a Visual ArtWork? 2 903.1 Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works 2 903.2 Architectural Works 2 904 Fixation of Visual ArtWorks 3 905 Copyrightable Authorship in Visual ArtWorks 4 906 Uncopyrightable Material 5 906.1 Common Geometric Shapes 5 906.2 Familiar Symbols and Designs 7 906.3 Colors, Coloring, and Coloration 7 906.4 Typeface, Typefont, Lettering, Calligraphy, and Typographic Ornamentation 8 906.5 Spatial Format and Layout Design 9 906.6 Blank Forms 10 906.7 Naturally Occurring and Discovered Material 11 906.8 Mechanical Processes and Random Selection 11 906.9 Measuring and Computing Devices 12 906.10 Useful Articles and the Mechanical or Utilitarian Aspects of Works of Artistic Craftsmanship 12 907 Derivative Visual ArtWorks 13 907.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Derivative Works 13 907.2 Permission to Use Preexisting Material 13 908 Jewelry Designs 14 908.1 What Is Jewelry? 14 908.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Jewelry 14 908.3 Application Tips for Jewelry 15 909 Photographic Works 16 909.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Photographs 16 public draft revised 03/15/2019 909.2 Subject Matter of Photographs 16 909.3 Uncopyrightable Material 16 909.3 (A) Photographic Reproductions, Digital Copying, and Digital Restoration 16 909.3(B) X-Rays, Medical Imaging, and Non-Medical Echo Sonography 18 910 Games 19 911 Characters 20 912 Cartoons, Comic Strips, and Comic Books 21 913 Prints 23 914 Trademarks, Logos, and Labels 23 914.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Trademarks, Logos, and Labels 23 914.2 Application Tips for Trademarks, Logos, and Labels 24 915 Catalogs 24 916 Retrospective Works and Exhibition Catalogs 26 917 Art Reproductions 26 917.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Art Reproductions 26 917.2 Application Tips for Art Reproductions 27 917.2(A) Distinguishing Art Reproductions from the Source Work and Identifying Material 27 917.2(B) Authorship Unclear 28 918 Installation Art 28 919 Maps 28 919.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Maps 28 919.2 Derivative Maps 29 920 Patterns, Stencils, and How-To Books 29 920.1 Patterns for Making Articles 30 920.2 Stencils and Templates 30 920.3 How-To Books, Project Books, and Crafts-Making Books 30 920.4 Application Tips for Patterns, Stencils, and How-To Books 30 921 Graphs, Charts, Tables, and Figures 31 922 Technical and Scientific Drawings 31 923 Models 32 923.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Models 32 924 Copyright Law Protects the Design Aspects ofa Useful Article 34 924.1 What Is a Useful Article? 35 924.2 What Is the Design of a Useful Article? 36 924.3 The Separability Test 37 924.3(A) The Separate-Identification Requirement 37 924.3(B) The Independent-Existence Requirement 38 924.3(C) Separable Features May Enhance the Functionality of the Useful Article 39 924.3(D) Separable Features May Cover the Entire Surface of a Useful Article 40 924.3(E) Separating the Design Feature from the Useful Article 40 924.3(F) The Overall Shape of a Useful Article Is Not Protectable 41 924.4 The Originality Test 42 924.5 Guidelines for Applying the Separability and Originality Tests 42 924.6 Application Tips for Registering the Design of a Useful Article 43 924.6(A) One Application Per Article 43 924.6(B) Completing the Application 43 924.6(C) Preparing the Identifying Material 44 925 Works of Artistic Craftsmanship 44 925.1 What Is a Work of Artistic Craftsmanship? 44 925.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Works of Artistic Craftsmanship 45 925.3 Works of Artistic Craftsmanship Distinguished from a Useful Article 45 926 Architectural Works 47 926.1 Architectural Works Distinguished from Technical Drawings 47 926.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Architectural Works 48 926.2(A) Standard Configurations 49 926.2(B) Functional Features 49 926.2(C) Building

FAQs

What topics does Chapter 901 cover for visual art works?

Chapter 901 covers issues related to the examination and registration of visual art works, including pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and architectural works, along with cross-references to other chapters for registration process and authorship guidance.

Which office handles the examination and registration of visual art works?

The U.S. Copyright Office’s Visual Arts Division (VA) handles the examination and registration of all visual art works.

How does the chapter distinguish “visual art works” from “work of visual art”?

The chapter explains that the Office uses “visual art works” and “works of the visual arts” to refer to the types listed in Sections 903.1 and 903.2, while “work of visual art” is a specific class eligible under the Visual Artists Rights Act, defined in 17 U.S.C. § 101.

Oct 28, 2026

Upload by Miles