Whether you have to name the source of a free illustration is rarely obvious. Sites that say “no attribution required” sometimes attach conditions further down the page, and the wording expected varies. Here is how to decide, and what to write when you do need a credit.
What a credit line is
It is a short note naming the source or the creator of the asset, such as “Photo by ○○” or “Illustration: ○○”. It exists because the creator has not given up copyright: you may use the work for free, and in return they ask you to show where it came from.
This is a condition in each site’s terms of use rather than a general legal duty. “It is free, so I do not need to credit it” does not follow. Check the terms of the site you actually downloaded from.
“No attribution required” often has limits
A heading may say attribution is not required while the body narrows it. The common patterns are:
- Not required for personal use, but required for commercial use
- Not required on the web, but required in print
- Not required in general, but required when the asset itself is the product (asset packs, templates)
- Not required, but appreciated (optional)
Keep that last case separate from a real requirement. If it is optional, leaving it out does not breach the terms.
How to write one
If the site specifies a format, follow it exactly. If it does not, anything that makes clear whose asset it is and where you got it will do.
- Illustration: Site Name
- Illustration: Site Name (URL)
- Image courtesy of Site Name
If a link is required, keep the link. Removing it and leaving only the text can fail the condition.
Where to put it
Directly under the image is clearest. In long documents, or articles with many images, a single list at the end is acceptable. The point is that a reader can trace the source, so shrinking the text until it is unreadable or hiding it somewhere unfindable defeats the purpose.
Social media and video
The post body or the description field is the usual place. Where the character limit is tight, people link to a page that lists the credits instead. For video, either the end credits or the description works.
Avoid using an asset that requires attribution in a format that gives you nowhere to put it. You would be using it without meeting the condition.
Keep a record even when it is not required
Even where the terms ask for nothing, note which asset came from where. It helps when you want to swap an image later, match the style of a set, or answer a question about the source. The file name and the URL are enough.
How Visual Hub handles it
Our assets need no credit line. That does not change between personal and commercial use, or between web and print. You are welcome to credit us, but nothing breaks if you do not. See the terms of use for the full conditions.