This is an oversimplification. You absolutely can make and sell art depicting other people. Photographs in public, even if people are identifiable and don't con

This is an oversimplification. You absolutely can make and sell art depicting other people. Photographs in public, even if people are identifiable and don't consent to being photographed, can be sold [1]. Likewise, paintings depicting real people can be sold, even if the depict people in less than flattering scenarios, for example [2]. Defamation is a non-issue if people are transparent that it's a fictional work. Protections on one's image are actually quite narrow, mostly limited to advertisements and non-consensual photographs taken in private. 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nussenzweig_v._DiCorcia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nussenzweig_v._DiCorcia 2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forgotten_Man_(painting) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forgotten_Man_(painting)