How To Make Photo With Celebrity?

Is it illegal to use a professional celebrity photo, paint it in your own style and make profit from it?

• I am an artist and I wanted to paint a picture of celebrity that I found on the internet. Usually I prefer using only pictures I snap myself but if it's a celebrity there's a rare chance I can go out tommorow and take my own professional picture. The First thing I do is change the style of it so it's more like pop art. With more simplified shapes to make up the portrait. What I want to know is it illegal to do it this way and sell them? something like this http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=673&tbm=isch&tbnid=Pej5ZQqOvLtzuM:&imgrefurl=http://agi.seaford.k12.de.us/sites/dpaternoster/MrsPaternoster/Other%2520Teachers%2520Lessons/Pop%2520Art%2520Portraits.docx&docid=xevEBoFhmnEb_M&imgurl=http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/high/images/Ken-pop2.jpg&w=378&h=504&ei=RNiqTp6WKtGgtgek8JDbDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=325&sig=114780825884471252080&page=2&tbnh=137&tbnw=103&start=19&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:19&tx=23&ty=73 If you could give example of how much change need to done that would be inorder for it to me legal that's PERFECT! Thanks

• Answer:

  If it is a "professional" photo than it is likely licensed....using it for your own profit might not get you arrested, but you will certainly get hit with a "cease & desist" and possibly sued for damages.