An is more than a copy: it is a that introduces new artistic expression.
Common examples include turning a drawing into a sculpture, repainting a photograph in a new style, or converting a painting into a digital 3D or AR model. Each of these involves building upon an existing work while adding original creative choices.
In many countries, there exists an (sometimes called the ), which gives the copyright owner control over the creation of new versions of an existing artwork. In other countries, a similar result is achieved through a broader , rather than a separate adaptation right.
The copyright owner of the original work usually decides whether adaptations can be made. In many countries, creating an adaptation without permission may infringe copyright—even if the new version adds original creative elements.
Types of Transformations in Visual Art
An adaptation can take many forms, but it must always introduce some new creative input that goes beyond trivial changes. A may assemble elements from several artworks into a new composition. A remix or re-stylization might shift colors, alter brushstrokes, or combine digital and traditional media to reinterpret an earlier piece. A cross-media transformation may move a work from two dimensions to three—such as turning a painting into a sculpture—or reimagine a physical artwork in or .
For an adaptation to be lawful, it must respect the rights in the original work. The original artist keeps their rights, even when someone else creates a new, transformative version. At the same time, if an adaptation is made with permission and includes sufficient creativity, the new creator may receive copyright protection for their own contributions. Permission to adapt, however, does not transfer ownership of the original copyright. In practice, this creates two separate layers of rights: the original artist’s copyright in the underlying work, and the adapter’s copyright in the new creative elements they contributed. Each owner can license or enforce their own layer independently—it is not a single, shared percentage of the finished piece.
Visual art increasingly moves between formats—from canvas to screen, from sculpture to scan, from drawing to virtual model. Adaptation rights, sometimes together with reproduction rights, help ensure that artists maintain control over how their work evolves. Clear agreements between artists, institutions, and collaborators can prevent misunderstandings by defining who owns which rights in both the original and the adapted work.
For more information read our topic on Agreements and Arrangements.
In summary, different countries treat the of artworks in different ways. In some countries, all such changes fall under a right of (or of works). In others, transformations are handled through a broader form of the , or through a narrower concept of adaptation. The right of may even be relevant in some situations. These different approaches have implications on which permissions are required, so anyone interested in adapting a work needs to check which rules apply in their country.
Ask yourself: When I reinterpret or build upon someone else’s work, am I adding my own creative expression, or am I relying too closely on the original? And if others adapt my work, have we clearly agreed on what is allowed and who owns the new results?
Image credit: quantic69