Custom Printz

Image Search Online Guide

Finding Images for Your Custom Products

⚠️ Important: Copyright Matters

Before using any image you find online, you must have the legal right to print it. Using copyrighted images without permission can result in:

  • Your order being cancelled
  • Legal action from the copyright owner
  • Account suspension

When in doubt, don’t use it.

1. Where to Find FREE-to-Use Images

Royalty-Free Stock Photo Sites

These sites offer images with licences that allow commercial use (including printing):

Site Best For Licence
Unsplash Photos Free for all uses
Pexels Photos Free for all uses
Pixabay Photos, Vectors, Illustrations Free for all uses
Freepik Vectors, Graphics Free with attribution*
Vecteezy Vectors, Graphics Free with attribution*
*Some require attribution (credit) – check each download’s licence.

Open-Source Illustration Libraries

Site Style
unDraw Flat illustrations
Open Doodles Hand-drawn style
Humaaans People illustrations

Icon Sets

Site Best For
Flaticon Icons (attribution required on free plan)
Icons8 Icons and illustrations
Font Awesome Simple icons

2. Understanding Image Licences

βœ… Safe to Print

  • CC0 / Public Domain: No restrictions at all
  • Creative Commons (CC-BY): Free to use, credit the creator
  • Royalty-Free: One-time purchase, unlimited use
  • Commercial Use Allowed: Explicitly states OK for products

❌ NOT Safe to Print

  • Editorial Use Only: News/reporting only, not products
  • Personal Use Only: Can’t sell items with this image
  • Rights Managed: Requires specific licence negotiation
  • No Derivative Works: Can’t modify or print on products

How to Check

  1. Look for “Licence” or “Usage Rights” on the download page
  2. Read the terms (look for “commercial use”)
  3. When downloading, note any attribution requirements
  4. Screenshot the licence for your records

3. What You CANNOT Use

🚫 Brand Logos and Trademarks

  • Nike, Adidas, Apple, Disney, Marvel, etc.
  • Sports team logos
  • University crests
  • Company logos (unless it’s your own)

🚫 Copyrighted Characters

  • Mickey Mouse, SpongeBob, PokΓ©mon
  • Marvel/DC superheroes
  • Anime characters
  • Movie/TV show imagery

🚫 Celebrity Photos

  • Photos of famous people (without a licence)
  • Fan art of celebrities
  • Paparazzi-style images

🚫 Random Google Images

  • Most images on Google are copyrighted
  • “Found it online” is NOT a defence
  • Even if you can’t find the owner, it’s still protected

4. Creating Your Own Images

The safest option is always creating original artwork:

Free Design Tools

Tool Best For
Canva Quick designs, templates
Photopea Photoshop-like editing (free, browser-based)
GIMP Advanced editing (free download)
Inkscape Vector graphics (free download)
Vectr Simple vector editing (browser-based)

AI Image Generators

Note: Check the AI tool’s terms for commercial use rights. Most allow it, but some have restrictions.

5. Searching Smarter

Google Image Search Filters

  1. Go to Google Images
  2. Search your term
  3. Click “Tools” β†’ “Usage Rights”
  4. Select “Creative Commons licences”

Warning: This filter isn’t perfect. Always verify the licence on the source site.

Reverse Image Search

Found an image and want to check if it’s copyrighted?

  1. Go to TinEye or Google Images
  2. Upload or paste the image URL
  3. See where else it appears online
  4. Find the original source and check the licence

6. Purchasing Licensed Images

If you need something specific, consider buying a proper licence:

Stock Photo Sites (Paid)

Site Price Range
Shutterstock $$-$$$
Adobe Stock $$-$$$
iStock $-$$
Deposit Photos $-$$

Important: Check the Licence Type

  • Standard Licence: Usually covers up to 500,000 copies
  • Extended Licence: Required for unlimited print runs or products for resale
  • Print-on-Demand Licence: Some sites have specific POD licences

7. Your Responsibilities

When you upload a design to CustomPrintz, you confirm:

  1. You own the image, OR
  2. You have a valid licence allowing commercial print use, OR
  3. The image is in the public domain

We may ask for proof of licence for any design that appears to be copyrighted content.

8. Quick Checklist Before Using an Image

  • ☐ Did you find the original source?
  • ☐ Did you check the licence allows commercial use?
  • ☐ Did you check for “print on demand” or “products for resale” permission?
  • ☐ If attribution is required, did you note the credit?
  • ☐ Did you save a copy of the licence terms?
  • ☐ Is it free from trademarked logos or characters?

Need Help?

If you’re unsure whether you can use an image, contact us:
Email: contact@customprintz.shop

We can’t provide legal advice, but we can let you know if we’ve had issues with similar content before.

Create responsibly!
CustomPrintz.shop