I've created my images, but I think it's already copyrighted since I made it, but how do I make it officially copyrighted without paying? Would DeviantArt work?

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Copyright is asserted the moment you publish it. Publishing means any method to physically display your work. There are also tricks to use to establish the date you published it, and it can't hurt, but really isn't all that necessary to establish your ownership. But don't pay anyone for it. That's just a rip-off. Like those companies a few years ago that charged you $10 a month to 'protect" yourself from liability of unauthorized charges on your credit card. Federal law limits your maximum liaibility to $50, and usually none at all. So, it's a waste of money to pay for protection you already have.

Technically speaking, in the US, the moment you create something it is copyrighted. However, enforcing the copyright is extremely difficult (and may even be outright impossible) if you have not registered the work with the US Copyright Office in Washington, DC.

Copyrignt exist since the moment of creation, NOW, "registration" (official copyright) is voluntary but needed if you want to start a lawsuit for statutory damages (about $50,000 per copyright violation). Without registration you don't have the right to "statutory damages" and you can only sue for your actual damages and any profit the other party made form the images. So if the other party only made $10 in profits that all you'll be entitled to (plus legal expenses). How to get official registration without paying? THERE IS NO WAY to get "legal" registration for free. You have to pay the estration fees at the Copyright Office (and "poor's man registration" or using DeviantArt or any other site is not accepted in court as a substitute for an "official registration." http://www.copyright.gov/ And for your information you don't need to register images "one by one" you can register them as a "collection" and save money on registration fees; for example: "Picture of 2005," "Travel to Paris summer 2006," and so on. (note: you must follow the instructions on how to register the collection.) ========================= >>>"May I register more than one work on the same application? Where do I list the titles? You may register unpublished works as a collection on one application with one title for the entire collection if certain conditions are met. It is not necessary to list the individual titles in your collection. Published works may only be registered as a collection if they were actually first published as a collection and if other requirements have been met..." http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/ ========================= List of registration fees http://www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html