Does Saudi Arabia's 2026 copyright law cover my work if I live in Riyadh but am not Saudi?

Article 2(1) of the Implementing Regulation for Saudi Arabia's 2026 Copyright Law says the Law and Regulation apply to works with at least one Saudi or Saudi-resident author. Article 2 also covers works from treaty countries. Ask your own adviser how it applies to each work you plan to have painted again.

When did Saudi Arabia's new Copyright Law take effect?

Saudi Arabia's new Copyright Law took effect about 12 August 2026, 180 days after the Umm Al-Qura gazette published it on 13 February 2026. It replaced the 2003 law. Its Implementing Regulation followed on 31 July 2026. Keep the paperwork for older sales with each work, so your adviser can read it against the new texts.

How should I describe a hand-painted canvas made from my AI image in Riyadh?

The Saudi Ministry of Culture's advisory guide for government art buyers lists painting and digital design as separate work types. So describe the canvas as a painting made by hand in a studio from your AI-assisted image. Keep your generation records for each image, and ask your own adviser before you sell AI-based work. The AI image to painting guide covers how we work from an AI file.

My photo shows traditional patterns. What should I check before ordering a painted version?

Saudi Arabia's 2026 copyright rules give traditional cultural expressions, including traditional craft and artistic works, permanent protection against distortion or harmful use. Ask the relevant Saudi cultural authority whether your commercial use needs a license. If you go ahead, mark woven patterns or traditional dress on your reference, and check them in the daylight photos before you approve.

How do I compare a larger version with the original still in my Riyadh studio?

You approve daylight photos of the finished canvas before it ships to Riyadh, so you can set them beside your original first. Look at your original in daylight too, so you compare both in similar light. Before painting starts, mark the color, shape or detail that matters most on your reference, and look at that spot first. Our how we paint page shows each step of the work.

Hand-Painted Versions of Your Art in Riyadh

01 / Where the source photo was taken

Shot at At-Turaif or in the National Museum? Check the photo's terms before it becomes a canvas you sell

Diriyah Company runs At-Turaif and Bujairi Terrace, on Riyadh's north-western edge. Diriyah Company's visitor FAQ, read in its February and August 2026 versions, says visitors may take pictures for personal use only. It says commercial photography needs the company's prior approval. Another answer in the English version says commercial photography of any sort is not permitted at Bujairi Terrace or At-Turaif.

The Saudi National Museum on King Saud Road permits photography for personal use, without flash. It asks production teams to contact its Media Center about permits.

Neither operator says whether a painting sold later, made from a personal-use photo, counts as commercial use. So ask the operator before you order canvases for sale, or choose another image.

Saudi Arabia's 2026 Copyright Law, in force since about 12 August 2026, deals with works in public places in Article 29. It says the outside of a building standing permanently in a public place may be drawn or photographed without permission. The same goes for works of applied art there. The condition is that this does not harm the author's financial rights. The article also lets public works appear in the background of a photograph. It does not list sculptures, murals or other artworks as free main subjects.

Tall vertical impressionist painting of a whitewashed seaside cafe with blue shutters, an orange awning and flowers above a blue sea, in a thin silver frame — 01 / A building frontWhitewashed walls, shutters and an awning.

Long horizontal palette-knife painting of dark cypress trees across golden hills under a pale blue sky, in a thin black frame — 02 / An open landscapeCypress trees across golden hills.

Two catalog paintings: a building front and an open landscape. Neither shows a Riyadh site or a customer's work. The main subject of your own photo decides which check below applies.

Three kinds of source photo, and whom to ask

Photo from a heritage site with visitor terms. Ask the site operator before you order canvases for sale. That means Diriyah Company for At-Turaif and Bujairi Terrace, or the Media Center for the National Museum.
Public sculpture or mural as the main subject. Ask the artwork's artist or rights holder for written permission first. Or choose a crop where the artwork stays in the background, and ask your adviser whether that crop is enough.
Building exterior or open street. Check whether the spot sits inside a site with its own visitor terms. Then ask your own adviser how Article 29 applies to that one image.

02 / What the first sale or commission said

Sold it, or painted it on commission? Read that paperwork before you order another version

A collector may love a canvas and ask for it larger. Another buyer may want the same image for an office wall. Before you say yes, look back at how the first piece left your hands.

Where the first piece went	What to read, and who to talk to, before ordering
Sold outright, with a plain invoice	Article 20(2) of the Implementing Regulation for Saudi Arabia's 2026 Copyright Law says copyright in a work is separate from owning the physical object. It says transferring ownership of the object passes on none of those rights. Read what your invoice or sale note said.
Sold with a statement that it is unique	The Ministry of Culture's advisory guide for government art buyers (1442H) covers one-off works. It asks for the artist's confirmation that the work is unique and no other works in the same style are planned. That confirmation comes as a certificate of authenticity or a full invoice. If you gave a buyer that kind of statement, talk to that buyer first.
Painted on commission	The 2026 Law (Article 18(2)) and its Implementing Regulation (Article 15(2)) point in different directions here. The question is who holds the financial rights in a commissioned work. Read the commission paperwork, and ask your adviser before ordering.
A new commission from now on	Regulation Article 22 asks rights holders to put contracts in writing, naming the work, the use, the duration and the territory. Write down who holds the reproduction rights. Name the image, the number of versions, the use and the territory.

03 / How the canvas is described

Painting, photo or print? Describe each canvas the way the Ministry of Culture's record form sorts them

The Ministry of Culture's advisory guide for government art buyers includes a record form. It logs each work by type, such as painting, photo, print or digital design. It also logs the size in centimeters and papers such as an invoice, receipt or condition report.

The guide dates from 1442H, about 2020 to 2021, and may be out of date. It was written for buyers, not as a rule for artists. Still, it shows how a government office buying art may file what you sell.

So give each canvas a line that fits the right box. It is a painting that a studio made by hand from your original, photograph or digital image. It is not a print, and it is not painted by your own hand, so the line should not call it a print or say you painted it.

What your invoice line can say

The title of the work.
The medium, for example “acrylic on linen, painted by hand in a studio from my photograph”.
The image size, and the canvas size if it differs, in centimeters.
Whether this is the only version, or one of several painted versions you have made.

Our guide for artists and photographers explains how to describe studio-painted work to any buyer or venue.

04 / How the canvas will be stretched

Stretching in Riyadh? Choose the edge depth before the painter starts

If your canvas will travel rolled and be stretched in Riyadh, the edge depth is the first thing to settle. Artigiani, an art-supply store on Olaya Street, publishes its own stretching list. It offers a standard 2 cm stretcher or a deeper 3.5 cm one that it calls “3D”. Its sizes go up to 150 x 150 cm, and the customer supplies the canvas.

A deeper stretcher wraps more of the blank border around its sides. Our suitable rolled work has an extra 5 cm of blank canvas on every side. If you want the 3.5 cm depth, tell us before painting starts, and we can leave a wider border.

Is your canvas larger than 150 x 150 cm? Check with your framer first, or order it stretched from us. Heavily textured work should travel stretched or framed in any case. Rolled, stretched and framed each get their own price in the quote, so the choice is easy to weigh.

Planning example: one rolled canvas for a Riyadh stretcher

Illustrative numbers, not a store rule.

Image 70 x 100 cm, rolled canvas 80 x 110 cmThat is the standard 5 cm blank border on every side. For a 3.5 cm deep wrap, ask for a wider border before painting, and the quote shows it.

05 / The version you are ordering

Which version are you ordering, and from which source?

Was the first piece sold outright, sold as unique, or made on commission, or is it still in your studio? You are welcome to share that answer and everything below in one WhatsApp message.

You can read how we build a quote, line by line. If your source is a photo, our photo to painting page shows how we take it from file to canvas.

Each source image, and where you took or made it.
Image width and height, and the number of canvases per image.
Rolled, stretched or framed, plus the edge depth if a Riyadh store will stretch it.
The Riyadh delivery address.

Studio order & delivery terms

Made by hand: Painted directly on premium linen, with no printed base. Acrylic is standard; oil is available on request. One painter takes each canvas from the first marks to the last.
One piece or a collection: Orders start at one painting, with quantity tiers from 6 and 21 pieces. Mixed designs count together. A sample is a separate single-piece order, priced on its own and not credited against a later order.
Rolled, stretched or framed: You choose the image width and height. Suitable rolled work includes an extra 5 cm of blank canvas on every side for stretching or framing. Please mention a larger allowance before production. Heavy texture should travel stretched or framed.
A complete delivery quote: Your quote sets out the artwork, presentation and delivery charges. We work with more than 200 logistics partners to compare express and sea options. Most destinations are served on DDP terms, with exceptions where local customs rules require another arrangement. The quote states the delivery terms for Saudi Arabia.
Time for each stage: Painting, your review, transport and any local framing are separate stages. Rush production can be requested, and we confirm a feasible date for the actual order.
Payment: Usually a 50% deposit, with the balance after final approval and before shipping.

Larger and Extra Hand-Painted Canvases of Your Own Work, for Riyadh Artists and Photographers