Using clip art and fonts in resources you sell
Clip art and fonts make a resource look finished. Before you sell one, make sure every graphic and typeface is licensed for commercial use in products you sell.
Short answer: You can use clip art and fonts in teaching resources you sell only if their license allows commercial use in sold products. Free does not mean free to sell. Read each license for credit lines, file securing rules and limits, keep a record of what you bought and where, and remove anything you can't confirm. As the seller, you are responsible for these rights.
What is the difference between personal and commercial use?
A personal-use license usually lets you use a graphic or font for your own classroom, a birthday card or a school newsletter. It does not cover putting that graphic into something you sell. A commercial-use license allows use in products for sale, often with conditions.
Teacher-authors run into problems most often with three kinds of material:
- Images found through a search engine. Being visible online does not mean you can use them.
- Free downloads labeled "free for personal use". That label rules out selling.
- Graphics from inside apps or school subscriptions, where the app's terms decide what you may do with exports.
License terms differ a lot between artists, font foundries and sites, and how they apply can depend on the law in your country. This page is general information, not legal advice. When the license is unclear, ask the creator in writing or leave the item out.
What should I check in a clip art license?
Most clip art artists who sell to teacher-authors write their terms in plain language. Read the full terms, not only the product description, and look for these points:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is commercial use allowed? | If not, you can't use it in a resource you sell. |
| Is a credit or link required? | Many artists ask for a credit on a terms or credits page in your resource. |
| Must images be flattened or secured? | Many licenses say graphics must not be extractable, for example in editable files. |
| Are editable files allowed? | Some licenses ban use in editable PPTX or Google Slides unless images are locked or flattened. |
| Are there sales or use limits? | Some licenses cap copies sold or exclude certain products such as print-on-demand. |
| Can I use it in my thumbnail and previews? | Usually yes if commercial use is allowed, but check. |
Save a copy of the license text as a PDF on the day you buy or download. Terms on websites change, and your copy shows what you agreed to.
How do I flatten or secure clip art in my files?
Many clip art licenses require that buyers can't pull the original graphic out of your resource and reuse it. Common ways teacher-authors handle this:
- PDF printables: export the finished page so graphics are part of the page rather than separate objects. Some authors also use the PDF security settings in their PDF tool.
- Slides and editable files: place clip art on a background image of the whole slide, then add editable text boxes on top. The graphic is locked into the background.
- Google Slides: set a flattened image as the slide background, not as a movable picture.
Check the specific wording of each license. If an artist asks for a particular method, follow that.
Can I use free fonts in teaching resources I sell?
Sometimes. Fonts have licenses just like clip art, and "free" fonts range from fully open licenses that allow commercial use to "personal use only" fonts that do not. The font that came with your computer or app also has terms, and those terms decide whether you may embed it in a PDF you sell.
Practical rules that keep teacher-authors out of trouble:
- Use fonts with open licenses that clearly allow commercial use and embedding, or fonts you have bought a commercial license for.
- Check whether the license allows embedding in PDF files you distribute. Most sold resources are PDFs.
- For editable files, remember the buyer needs the font too. Many sellers use common system fonts in editable fields, or flatten decorative titles as images.
- Note the font name, source and license type in your log, the same as for clip art.
How do I keep a license log?
A license log is a simple spreadsheet that answers "where did this come from?" for every graphic and font you use. It takes a minute per purchase and saves hours if a question ever comes up.
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Item | Autumn leaves clip art set |
| Creator and source | Artist name, shop or website |
| Date and order number | March 12, order 4471 |
| License type | Commercial use, credit required, flatten images |
| Saved license file | licenses/autumn-leaves-terms.pdf |
| Used in | Fall-Adjectives-Grade-2.pdf |
Keep receipts with it. Clip art and font purchases can also count as business expenses, so the same folder helps at tax time. See records and taxes for teacher-sellers.
Do I need a credits page in my resource?
If any license requires a credit, yes. Most teacher-authors add a short "Thank you and credits" page at the end of the resource listing the artists and font designers whose work they used, with the wording or link the license asks for. Even when a credit isn't required, many sellers include one. Buyers rarely mind, and it shows you take rights seriously.
Who is responsible for clip art and font licenses at TeachLessons?
You are. When you sign the Seller Agreement, you confirm that the fonts, clip art and images in your resources are licensed for commercial use in resources that are sold, and that nothing infringes anyone else's rights.
TeachLessons does not check resources for third-party rights. If a claim arises because of your resource, you are responsible for it. We may take a resource offline immediately if we receive a complaint or have reason to believe it breaks rights or the law.
The Resource Rights Checklist you get after you apply walks through these points for each resource. Questions about the program can go to support@stifo.de. For the wider picture on texts, images and trademarks, read copyright basics for teacher-authors.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use clip art from a search engine in resources I sell?
Not unless you find the creator and the license clearly allows commercial use. Being visible online does not give you the right to use an image.
Does a personal-use license cover teaching resources I sell?
No. Personal-use licenses don't cover products for sale. You need a license that allows commercial use.
Can I use free fonts in a PDF I sell?
Only if the font license allows commercial use and embedding. Some free fonts are personal use only.
What does flattening clip art mean?
It means combining graphics into the page or a background image so buyers can't extract and reuse them. Many clip art licenses require it.
Does TeachLessons check my clip art licenses?
No. We don't check resources for third-party rights. You confirm the licenses in the Seller Agreement and you are responsible if a claim arises.
Can I use clip art in my thumbnail?
Usually, if the license allows commercial use, but check the terms. Thumbnails and previews follow the same rules as the resource.
Ready to sell your teaching resources?
Apply with the short form. We email you the seller documents, you send your final files with previews and thumbnails, and we set up your product pages, your author page and landing pages. You keep 70% of net revenue, with no fees and no exclusivity.
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General information about the TeachLessons Seller Program, not legal, tax or financial advice. The signed Seller Agreement sets out the binding terms. Questions: support@stifo.de.