How NOT To Get Images for Sublimation

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I am not a lawyer, and this should not be considered legal advice. Don’t hesitate to contact your lawyer with any questions or concerns.

How NOT To Get Images for Sublimation

Trick question, right? There are LOTS of ways to get images for Sublimation and I have a pretty comprehensive list of where to get Sublimation Images. However, in this post, we are talking about How NOT To Get Images for Sublimation.

One of the things I’ve seen over the years is called Dump Groups. Dump groups have several names, and some of them are pretty creative. Here’s a few of the most commonly used phrases for these unethical groups.

• Phone Dump
• Free SVG Files
• SVG Dump
• Phone Dump Frenzy
• Free Phone Dump Learning
• Free Phone Dump

File-sharing can be posting a photo for “cleaning up” in Design Space or Studio or sending downloaded files to someone else. Please don’t do this. It’s STEALING from designers who work very hard to put food on their tables.

So what is a Dump Group?

It is generally a Facebook Group specifically for the sole purpose of sharing designs. If you share a design you made personally, that is fine and your business. But if it’s not yours, you shouldn’t be sharing it. PERIOD.

If you are new to the Sublimation/Crafting Bubble, you may not even realize what it is or where to find them. Consider yourself an ethical crafter or beginner sublimation person. Remember, I’m just giving you my “opinion and definition” and how it relates to Dump Group as well as Images for Sublimation in general.

These types of groups often share files done by a designer who sells their designs. Which is illegal, and trust me, people are watching. When you buy a commercial license, you are supporting the designer. Another note about commercial rights is just because you purchase the design. It doesn’t mean you are allowed to share it with others; it will enable you to sell your product(s) that you made with that design. The designer is selling their design as their income source.

Should I get a Commercial License for images?

I am not a lawyer, and this should not be considered legal advice. Don’t hesitate to contact your lawyer with any questions or concerns.

If you are making it for personal use. NO.

If you are going to make a product with the intent of selling the product..YES!

I personally buy the Commercial License for designs I purchase, so I don’t have to remember if I could use it commercially or not. It doesn’t cost that much more, and I want to ethically use images.

Looking for Sublimation Images Ready to Press? Email me at admin@creativedye.com and I can print some out and ship them to you.

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What is a Commercial License for Designs?

Commercial is for-profit use.

Last update on 2025-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

I’ve purchased the design. Now what?

Just because you have purchased the design, that doesn’t mean you can go give it away in dump groups. Use can use it to make products and follow the terms in the commercial license, but that’s it.
I understand you want to share with your new BFF in the Sublimation World (or random Facebook Group), but it seriously takes money out of the designer’s hands. Plus, the images usually found in those groups aren’t the best quality, could be screenshots, or have been downloaded and uploaded countless times.

You aren’t being kind when “sharing” your files, it’s illegal, and you can get into trouble legally. Most people who are “sharing” files don’t even realize they are doing so illegally, so I decided this would be a good time to mention it since we are talking about images.

Designers work on designs for hours, days, and weeks in some cases and are truly talented. I personally am not an artist in the context of this post, but I do believe in supporting them.

If you are in a dumping group, belonging to them is often a sticky situation. However, I try to educate people on why they are illegal and report designs I know someone made to that designer. (I’m not the only one.) When someone posts a screenshot asking for this design, someone else likely owns it. Unless you track down the original person for permission to use the file, it’s safe to say every file in that group belongs to someone else, and you do NOT have the right to use it.

Not to mention anything that has been uploaded to Facebook or a screenshot isn’t going to be the quality of design you should be using.

How do I make an image clearer for Sublimation?

I would guess the image is from a dumping group, or you are over-pressing your final product. On the other hand, it could be too much heat or too much time on the heat press or a poor quality original image.

Lots of things affect sublimation image clarity, including, but not limited to:
Quality of your digital image
Calibration of your printer
Quality of Sublimation Paper
Quality of your Sublimation Blanks,
Calibrating your times and temperatures
Or even cooling your products too quickly.

Remember: If you start with a poor quality image, your finished product will also be poor quality.

Looking for Free Sublimation Pictures?

I have you covered, check out Where do I get legal photos for Sublimation?

Can I use Images off of Google for Sublimation?

If you took the image off of Google, it isn’t up for your “use” either. ALL images are subject to copyright laws and cannot be used for profit.

Designers & Facebook

Another thing to note is that designers and their friends watch sharing groups. If they see you ask for a file, comment with a file, or share a file, then they will usually ban you from their design groups. They are protecting their business because you have shown that you aren’t ethical. It won’t matter if you “didn’t” know, if you were helping a friend out, etc., they are protecting their copyright, and then your name is shared with other designers. Which is really a lot more trouble than it is worth.

Some cases have even been taken to court over copyright issues regarding sharing images. Facebook is also starting to shut groups down and locking people out of their accounts. Facebook doesn’t want to be a party to any groups illegally sharing copyrighted material, so a word to the wise, Don’t participate.

Need product care cards? Get them here!

Where do I get legal photos for Sublimation?

• Design Bundles–They have individual files as well as great bundles to help you maximize your savings.
• Creative Fabrica– Has lots of graphics not on other sites as well a daily freebie!
• SoFonsty-Has lots of great images for Sublimation as well as weekly freebies.
• Hungry Jpeg-Lots of great images and freebies as well. They are also my Font Supplier, I have gotten hundreds over the years.
• Etsy- Be sure to check on sites like Etsy to do your own due diligence to make sure that the seller IS the designer, or has the RIGHTS to sell the said design(s.)

The following Sublimation Questions will be covered in the future!

Sublimation Printing Problems

How to Design Sublimation Images

How to Make Sublimation Brighter