Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

One doesn't protect artwork by patent, at least not usually or primarily. You should be thinking in terms of copyright, not patent. This is a much simpler, quicker and less chancy process. Indeed, an artist gets some limited (common law) copyright protection immediately upon creating a work of art in tangible form. Better protection is afforded by filing for Federal copyright protection. There are some pretty good paperback self-help books available to guide artists, authors, composers, etc. through the steps.