Keep a component record for composite artwork that identifies every source image and its role in the finished asset. Review the available usage documentation for the intended publication and the changes made during composition. Approval of the assembled image's appearance does not replace checking the sources from which it was built.
Identify the components before flattening
List the photographs, drawings, textures, and other visual elements used in the composition. Include small background elements as well as the dominant subject. Once the file is flattened, it may be difficult to recognize which source supplied a particular detail.
Give the final composite and its components stable identifiers. Preserve their relationship in the project record rather than relying only on filenames chosen during experimentation. If a component later needs to be removed or replaced, the author should be able to find every accepted image that uses it.
Separate inspiration from incorporated material
Record whether a reference informed the concept or whether material from it was actually included in the final artwork. Those are different relationships and should not be merged into an undifferentiated folder of references. Inspect the working file when necessary to establish what was used.
Do not assume that a component has disappeared merely because it was recolored, cropped, or placed behind another layer. Review the accepted composition and its source history. The record should describe the actual production process rather than the degree to which a viewer can recognize the original image.
Connect each component to its documentation
Keep the relevant source, creator, acquisition record, and usage terms or other project documentation together. Identify uncertainties instead of treating possession of a file as sufficient evidence for publication use. KDP's content guidance places responsibility for published material on the publisher, so unresolved source questions remain part of the preparation work.
Review the intended use and the actual modifications against the available documentation. Do not infer that permission for one use automatically covers every later composition or format. Where the record is unclear, resolve the question through the appropriate source or replace the component with material the project can document adequately.
Track generated and human-created elements accurately
Identify components created through AI generation and those supplied through other processes. A composite can contain several creation paths even when it is delivered as one final file. Keep those records available for the publication workflow rather than labeling the entire image from the origin of its largest component.
Review current platform guidance for the retained generated material and the actual process used. The source-use record and the AI-origin record answer different questions. A component can have a clear creation history while its use still requires attention to the project's other documentation and publication responsibilities.
Reconcile credits with the accepted composition
Check whether the project's recorded conditions call for particular credits or other handling, and connect those requirements to the final retained components. A credit list prepared before the artwork changed may include removed material while omitting a newly added source. Review the final image, not just the initial brief.
Keep credits accurate without presenting attribution as a universal substitute for authorization. The project should be able to explain both what it used and the documented basis for its intended use. Do not resolve an uncertain component merely by adding a creator's name to the back matter.
Preserve the editable record through export
Save the accepted layered source where available, the component register, and the final exported asset together. Record which version was placed in the manuscript or cover. This makes later corrections possible without reconstructing the composition from an opaque flattened file.
Before publication preparation is complete, inspect the actual exported book for the accepted composite and any required credits. If the image is replaced, reopen the component review for the new version. A traceable composite is one whose visual content, origins, and source records remain connected through the final package.
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers for this publishing decision.
Does flattening an image remove the need for component records?
No. Flattening changes the working format, not the history of the material used. Preserve the component relationships before they become difficult to inspect.
Can I assume a heavily cropped source no longer matters?
Do not make that assumption. Record what was incorporated and review the documentation for the actual intended use and modifications.
Is adding a credit enough to resolve an uncertain source?
Not automatically. Attribution and the documented basis for use are separate questions. Resolve the uncertainty rather than treating a credit line as a universal answer.
What should happen when one component is replaced?
Update the component register, relevant origin and usage records, credits, and final export reference. Review the accepted new composition rather than carrying forward the old approval unchanged.
What must I check, disclose, and verify myself when AI helped produce the book?
Review facts, rights, and source material yourself, record which parts were AI-assisted or AI-generated so you can answer Amazon’s disclosure question accurately, and treat every automated check as a starting point rather than a verdict.
See what the compliance checks cover