UNDERSTANDING CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSES

Understanding Creative Commons: Choosing the Right License for Your Art

As a digital artist, protecting your work while sharing it with the world can feel like a tightrope walk. You want your art to be seen, appreciated, and maybe even remixed or used by others — but on your terms.

That’s where Creative Commons (CC) licenses come in. They offer a clear and customizable way to communicate what others can and can’t do with your work.

But with six main licenses — and several symbols — it can get confusing. Let’s break it down so you can make the best choice for your creative vision.

What is Creative Commons?

Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that provides free legal tools to let you share your work with the public while keeping some rights. You retain ownership, but you can give permission.

The 6 Main Creative Commons Licenses

Each CC license builds on four key elements:

BY (Attribution): Users must credit you.
SA (ShareAlike): Users must share any derivative work under the same license.
NC (NonCommercial): Users can’t use your work for commercial purposes.
ND (NoDerivatives): Users can use your work, but can’t change or remix it.

These elements combine into the following licenses:

1. CC BY (Attribution)

Most open license.

Allows: Remixing, adapting, and commercial use

Requires: Attribution

Great for: Artists who want maximum exposure and don't mind commercial use of their work, as long as they’re credited.

2. CC BY-SA (Attribution-ShareAlike)

Popular with open culture communities.

Allows: Remixing and commercial use

Requires: Attribution and same license on new works

Great for: Artists who support open culture and want to make sure remixed versions of their work stay open.

3. CC BY-ND (Attribution-NoDerivatives)

No changes allowed.

Allows: Sharing and commercial use

Forbids: Remixing or creating new works

Requires: Attribution

Great for: Artists who want to protect the integrity of their work and prevent edits or alterations.

4. CC BY-NC (Attribution-NonCommercial)

No money-making off your art.

Allows: Remixing and adapting

Forbids: Commercial use

Requires: Attribution

Great for: Artists who are okay with sharing but don’t want businesses profiting from their work.

5. CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)

Allows: Remixing for non-commercial use

Requires: Attribution and same license

Forbids: Commercial use

Great for: Collaborative artists who want to encourage sharing but not commercialization

6. CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)

Most restrictive license.

Allows: Sharing only — no edits or commercial use

Requires: Attribution

Great for: Artists who want their work seen but not changed or monetized.

Not a License: CC0 (Creative Commons Zero)

This isn’t technically a license — it’s a public domain dedication.

Allows: Anything, including commercial use and remixing

No attribution required. Use with caution. Once you release work under CC0, you can’t get those rights back. It’s ideal for stock image donations or open-source contributions.

How to Choose the Right License

Ask yourself:

Do I want people to be able to remix or adapt my work?
Am I okay with commercial use?
Do I want remixes to carry the same license?
How much credit do I require?

For example:

A photographer sharing stock photos might use CC BY or CC0.
A visual artist selling prints may prefer CC BY-NC-ND to prevent others from selling or modifying their work.
A digital comic creator encouraging fan art might use CC BY-SA.

How to Add a Creative Commons License to Your Art

Choose your license at creativecommons.org/choose.
Add the license info to your website, social profiles, or image metadata.
Consider using a watermark or visual tag for clarity.

Final Thoughts: Protecting Yourself While Sharing Freely

Creative Commons licensing gives you the power to say, "Yes, you can use my art — but here’s how." It encourages sharing, respect, and creative freedom all at once.

At ArtistArmor.com, we believe that understanding your rights is just as important as expressing your creativity. By picking the right license, you empower both yourself and the people who admire your work.