If you are an artist or a creator, and intent on making a living with your work, then understanding copyright is very important to your career. Simply put, copyright is where the money is.
The basics are discussed in this video by Mr. Media who interviews Edward C. Greenberg and Jack Reznicki, the authors of The Copyright Zone: A Legal Guide for Photographers and Artists in the Digital Age. Greenberg is an intellectual property lawyer and Reznicki is a photographer. They explain, in simple to understand terms, how protecting your work can make a difference to your bottom line. Although they are discussing copyright in the United States, I think the logic can apply to other countries as well.
The video is almost an hour long, but totally worth watching.