There are a number of sites on the net where you can get free pictures to use to illustrate your blog, web site or hub here on HubPages. The usual big name is Wikimedia Commons where there are many images, graphics, sound files etc. Pretty much anything you might need. They come under a range of copyright licences but the easy way to avoid hassle is to stick to images in the public domain.

So when you search for an item just add "public domain" in the search box after it. It isn't infallible but it can cut down the wasted time ploughing through images with licences that are no use to you.

Other useful picture sites are:

• Photos8.com
• Public Domain Pictures.net
• Morgue Files
• Free Images
• PD Photo
• Every Stock Photo

If it isn't pictures you are looking for but graphics then try sites like:

• Open Clip Art Library
• Free Clip Art Now
• Free Graphics World

With all of these links, both the graphics and the pictures, you will need to read what the licence terms are. With the public domain stuff you shouldn't have a problem but other sites are only free for personal use, not commercial use. And some request a link to their site as a condition of use.

If you want to try and create your own graphics then just break out the drawing software or picture software depending on what you have installed. There is also free software available like the GIMP which is cross-platform compatible and is almost as good as Adobe Photoshop. The differences are GIMP is free rather than several hundred dollars. Its downside? A steep learning curve.

There are also 3D drawing and animation software like Blender or Pencil (2D) that are also free.

If you want to read up on what it's actually legal to use of other people's work then check out sites like:

Chilling Effects

UK Copyright Law

US copyright Law