A derivative work is a work based on or derived from one or more already existing works. Common derivative works include translations, musical arrangements, motion picture versions of literary material or plays, art reproductions, abridgments, and condensations of preexisting works. Another common type of derivative work is a “new edition” of a preexisting work in which the editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications represent, as a whole, an original work. 

For example, the IGNIS logo (on the right) is a derivative built from the original lightning image (on the left). Sparks by PhotoGraham used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

To learn more about Derivative works, please read https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Derivative_works 

For more guidance on attributing a Creative Commons licensed work, please visit CC Wiki-Best Practices for Attribution. We highly reccomend you to master elementary CC licensing before advancing to more complex sets of derrivate works.