Advice - Selling prints of Commissioned pieces

[quescostumes.livejournal.com]

I've recently heard of an artist who is selling prints that contains other people's characters. The art and style is her own, and the art with characters are either gifts or commissions. The prints for sale include the original piece uploaded to art sites, without any recoloring or hiding others' characters. Should people buy these prints, it's basically making money off of others' designs, right?

It's not okay, right? Is it legal? Rude? Or just frowned upon?

How should someone handle this kind of situation if the artist in question is a friend?

Any advice, A_B?

Edit: Thanks everyone for your very useful replies! :)

Comments

[marymouse.livejournal.com]

This is just my opinion...

While it is totally within the artist's rights to sell prints of commissions (as explained by a lot of people before this comment), I personally feel that it's not a good practice to do so in small fandoms (like furry, etc.)

Not only does it cause unnecessary drama with those customers who don't understand copyright, I honestly don't believe there is that big of a market to purchase prints of other people's OCs. Most people want custom art of their own characters, not pictures of other people's creations. If the art is generic enough (basic red fox, typical western dragon), then I could see a demand, but very few people want pictures of hybrid wolfhippoferrets with bizarre color schemes.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Depends on the character. Are you saying there's not a market for pictures of, say, Zig Zag?

[marymouse.livejournal.com]

Well yeah there's always exceptions. I consider characters like ZigZag, Sabrina, etc. more like "real characters" since they aren't really fursonas or personas. Just like selling MLP or other fan art in that case.

[wolf-goat.livejournal.com]

As someone who does sell prints of other people's OCs, there is actually a rather large demand. If people like the art, they like the art.