$12256 / $11500
If someone modifies a CC0 art/work, do the modifications made become CC0 as well or are they separate meaning the modifications could be under a different license while anything of the original work is still CC0?
For example I make a pine tree and license it as CC0. Someone likes the pine tree and adds decorations to it to make it look like a Christmas tree. What would the licensing be on the modified tree?
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From what I understand (as a non-lawyer, but "who read some stuff"TM) it's based upon how much creative work you add, instead of just "sweat of the brow" work. So, if not really adding enough that anyone would recognize, I think it would still be CC0. If it's substantial and "non-obvious", then it would count as a newly copyrighted work that could be licensed any which way you wanted, from holding it compltely to yourself to any of the others that are here (and some that are not).
Note that that woul not change the orginal. It would still be CC0, and anyone could use it. In fact they could make modifications similar to yours. Only the new part would be protected in it's artistic sense instead of just the "idea" (which is never covered by copyrights anyway). In practice you would have to prove they ripped off your work instead of just independently adding whatever they wanted to.
Something so largely based upon private domain work often is labeled CC0 too just to make it easier for everyone involved, but that's a choice. Small changes and you're better off just doing that anyway. If you made a big change I'm sure no one would care if you copyrighted it and gave it CC-By, or whatever. It's the middle ground that's rough, and it would really take an expensive court case to find out. And nobody wants that.