Page:Compendium of US Copyright Office Practices, II (1984).pdf/131

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A certain minimal amount of original creative authorship is essen­tial for registration in Class VA or in any other class. Copyrightability depends upon the presence of creative expression in a work, and not upon aesthetic merit, commercial appeal, or symbolic value. Thus, registration cannot be based upon the simplicity of standard ornamentation such as chevron stripes, the attractiveness of a con­ventional fleur-de-lys design, or the religious significance of a plain, ordinary cross. Similarly, it is not possible to copyright common geometric figures or shapes such as the hexagon or the ellipse, a standard symbol such as an arrow or a five-pointed star. Likewise, mere coloration cannot support a copyright even though it may enhance the aesthetic appeal or com­mercial value of a work. For example, it is not possible to copyright a new version of a textile design merely because the colors of red and blue appearing in the design have been replaced by green and yellow, respec­tively. The same is true of a simple combination of a few standard symbols such as a circle, a star, and a tri­angle, with minor linear or spatial variations. Examples: An unpublished design for textile fabric is submitted for registra­tion in Class VA. The design con­sists of a standard unembellished

[1984]