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Licenses

James
  • Updated

    Each 3D model in the Sketchfab Store includes a royalty-free Sketchfab license, either Standard or Editorial:

    What is a Standard license?

    A Standard license means you may use the 3D asset worldwide, on all types of media, for all types of use (whether commercial and non-commercial), in all types of derivative works. Others can do the same, as none of our licenses are exclusive.

    What is an Editorial license?

    In addition to our Standard license detailed above, Sketchfab offers a specific license for certain limited 3D assets which we call "editorial". We have additional restrictions for these assets. In particular, you may use the said 3D assets only in connection with events that are newsworthy or of public interest (news articles, documentaries, creations of cultural value, etc.). You may not use them for any commercial or promotional use. You may edit the 3D assets only if its editorial quality is not altered.

    This article discusses licenses for Store purchases. For information on the Creative Commons licenses applied to free downloads, see Downloading Models.

    What uses are forbidden?

    As a rule of thumb, you may not use the 3D asset in a way that allows others to use or access the 3D asset as a stand-alone. 

    Some examples of what you can and cannot do:

    • You cannot sub-license a purchased model.
    • You cannot purchase a model and sell it directly to another client/customer.
    • You cannot purchase a model and offer it as downloadable on your own Sketchfab profile. 
    • You cannot distribute the 3D asset incorporated in a derivative work if the derivative work is too similar to the 3D asset. (An example of this is printing a 3D asset or a slightly modified version of it and sell it.)

    You may not use the 3D asset in pornographic, defamatory or otherwise unlawful use. Similarly, you may not use the 3D asset for the direct or indirect promotion of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, gambling, weapons and explosives.

    You may not claim you are the creator or copyright holder of a 3D asset you purchased.

    For a complete list of your rights and obligations, please read carefully our Sketchfab License Terms which are the only binding contract between you and us.

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    Comments

    41 comments

    Date Votes
    • AllStorm6257

      Hello, is it possible to buy a 3D model (from a standard licence) of a ground or a mountain for example, to incorporate it in an NFT called "MicroWorld" and to sell the NFT afterwards?
      And do I have to put the credits of the person who made the ground or the mountain range for example?

       

      Thanks !

      1
    • James

      Hello,

      Under the Standard license, you don't have to include credits to the author. This sounds like it would be ok, but the ground or mountain that you purchase must be a small part incorporated into the larger "MicroWorld". You can't simply resell the mountain, or make small changes to it.

      1
    • AllStorm6257
      • Edited

      Thank you very much for your reply

      So if I understood correctly, exactly as in the 3 examples above (with a standard licence), in a Microworld with :
      -moon soil could be sold as NFT
      -The mountain range could be sold as an NFT
      -The part with the volcanic rock could be sold as NFT

      ?

      0
    • James

      NFTs in general are ok - that being said the derivative work needs to be more complex then slapping the model on the background. It looks like you're using the purchased models and adding more, so I think it's ok.

      1
    • modolla

      I just want to use this zombie's walking pattern and make my own zombie. I'm going to do a completely different stop motion animation on a completely different background. At this point, is it a copyright issue if I use the model as a reference? (or for another model? - the material and everything else will be completely different; dough, plastic, paper... etc,)

      0
    • polygonmaker

      Hello everyone, I am a 3d developer and I have received lots of questions about NFT.

      I cannot say anything about the sketchfab license or answer any legal question. I can only talk as a developer:

      Polygonmaker do not allow any of the models to be sold as NFT. All the developers that I contacted have the same opinion.

      If you want to avoid any legal issue, make sure you contact the developer directly.

      Keep this in mind to understand the reasons:

      Any 3d model costs anything between $500 to $5000 to be created. Why would any developer allow anyone to sell it after paying $50 for it? Does it seem fair? Some developers don´t care, most do care.
      Using inside a game or a app is tottaly fine. (NFT game? This is a very complicated area, I do not allow anything related to NFT as a general rule)
      This is not a general answer, I can only talk about my models.

      PS. This message is not aimed to sell anything (I have no models being sold here as sketchfab anymore)
      Just a heads up for any developer to be careful and avoid future legal issues.

      0
    • kano.melvin

      If I am creating a realistic visualization Image or Video of a Road we designed for a public client like a City or County to get buyoff from the public, could I use an object with editorial license since the work is in the public interest even though it is a commercial product (ie. we are a private engineering company)?

      0
    • Jidan.adn
      • Edited

      Apakah boleh saya membeli aset baju kemudian saya ubah dan saya jual di dunia game? (Mata uang di game dapat saya tukaran menjadi dollar) 

      0
    • James

      @kano.melvin

      If I am creating a realistic visualization Image or Video of a Road we designed for a public client like a City or County to get buyoff from the public, could I use an object with editorial license since the work is in the public interest even though it is a commercial product (ie. we are a private engineering company)?

      This should be ok as long as it's only used for this public comment phase and not any actual commercial aspect of the project. However, I'm not a lawyer so I always recommend consulting your own counsel if possible.

      @Jidan.adn

      Apakah boleh saya membeli aset baju kemudian saya ubah dan saya jual di dunia game? (Mata uang di game dapat saya tukaran menjadi dollar) 

      [Can I buy a shirt asset and then I change it and then I sell it in the game world? (The currency in the game can be converted into dollars)]

      I think this would be fine as long as the shirt asset is never available outside the game.

      0
    • CL7
      • Edited

      I have created a 3D outfit to sell online for specific figures, the only thing left is a shoe. I saw one here under Standard License that fits perfectly the outfit that I created. I have a few questions regarding that:

      1. Can i buy this shoe and adapt for the feet of my figure and resell with the outfit?

      2. Can I do the same as above but changing considerably, for example, the heels shape and sole, so that's not the same shoe?

      3. If the two above are not possible, can I model it similar but using the shoe here as 3D reference inside the 3D modeler software? 

      edit: the license the outfit will be sold under does not allow for reselling it in any way, only use in images, although there is an extra license that can be purchased for use in videogames.

      Thank you

      0
    • James

      Hi there,

      I'm not a lawyer and I cannot provide legal advice. However, I will give you my best judgement:

      1. I think this would be ok because the shoe becomes only a small part of a larger work.

      2. I think this would also be ok if the shoe is definitely changed significantly.

      Based on your edit, that seems ok.

      0

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