Guild News Blog

The Guild Supports the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act

The Graphic Artists Guild welcomes the introduction of HR 3945, the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2017 or CASE Act. ...

05 October, 2017

The Guild Joins Photographers in Meeting with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries

Guild National President Lara Kisielewska and Advocacy Liaison Rebecca Blake joined representatives from ASMP, NPPA, and APA in meeting Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) September 15th. ...

19 September, 2017

A Year with the ADAA, Part 2: Mentoring an ADAA Finalist

Member Theresa Whitehill continued her experience as an ADAA judge by mentoring one of the student finalists. ...

30 August, 2017

Boston Comic Con & the Cartooning Industry: A Conversation with Mark Slater

New England Regional Representative Mark W. Slater took it upon himself to be the face of the Guild at Boston's Comic Con this year....

21 August, 2017

Graphic Artists Guild Signs on to Copyright Alliance Letter to NAFTA Negotiator Lighthizer

The Guild has signed on to a letter drafted by the Copyright Alliance requesting that NAFTA negotiations address the modernization of the copyright provisions of the agreement....

18 August, 2017

Photographer Impoverished by Copyright Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Monkeys

In 2015 PETA sued Slater on behalf of one of a macaques, claiming that Slater violated the monkey’s copyright when the “monkey selfie” taken with Slater's camera was included in his self published book....

25 July, 2017

Guild Joins Coalition of Visual Artists for Congressional Visits

On July 20th, the Guild joined members of the Coalition of Visual Artists for productive meetings with Congressional staff on key copyright issues. ...

24 July, 2017

Illustrator and Member Cindy Salans Rosenheim Joins ADAA Judging Panel

Guild member Cindy Salans Rosenheim was asked to join the judging panel for the prestigious Adobe Design Achievements Awards....

14 July, 2017

ICON 10 Education Symposium Call for Abstracts on “Teaching in the Future”

ICON 10, The Illustration Conference, has put out a call for papers to be considered for their Education Symposium taking place next July in Detroit, MI. ...

30 June, 2017

Metro-NY Artists: Pro-Bono Legal Assistance for Copyright Disputes

The Copyright Alliance has partnered to provide pro-bono trial services for individuals and small businesses involved in copyright disputes in New York City. ...

27 June, 2017

A Year with the ADAA, Part 1: Judging the Adobe Design Achievement Awards

Theresa Whitehill of Colored Horse Studio reflects on her experience as a judge of the Adobe Design Achievement Awards....

24 June, 2017

Creating Unity Through Color Editing

Proper color editing of webpage images is a step most web designers overlook, to their detriment....

22 June, 2017

“First Expressed in Nature”: Science Illustrator Pieter Folkens Raises Copyright Concerns

Science illustrator Pieter Folkens is a renowned marine mammal artist and the creator of created animatronics used in films such as “Free Willy”....

24 May, 2017

NEA Granted a Reprieve; Arts Advocates Gear Up for the Longer Fight

Arts advocates were appalled when the budget proposed by the Trump transition team called for eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts, along with steep cuts to other cultural and social programs. ...

12 May, 2017

The Guild Supports S.1010, “The Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act”

The Graphic Artists Guild applauds the introduction of “The Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act” into the Senate as S.1010....

05 May, 2017

Comic Artist Turned Away at US Border for Carrying Work in Progress

On April 20th, Canadian Marvel comic book artist Gisele Lagace was denied entry to the United States when attempting to cross the border to attend Chicago’s C2E2 comic convention. ...

24 April, 2017

Contact your Representative and ask them to vote YES on H.R. 1695

We’re calling upon visual artists and those who support a vibrant creative community to contact their representatives and ask them to support H.R. 1695. ...

21 April, 2017

Copyright Office Modernization: Through an Artist’s Lens

To help facilitate the marketplace for creative works, visual artists have long called for modernizing the US Copyright Office....

21 April, 2017

Urban Outfitters Loses Appeal of Copyright Infringement Case, to the Tune of $530,000

Urban Outfitters lost its appeal of a district court jury decision that found the company guilty of willful infringement, and has been ordered to pay $530,000....

07 April, 2017

Fake Flash Player Targets Apple Users and WP Engine Clients

Currently, a fake Flash Player scam is targeting visitors and users of the popular WordPress hosting platform WP Engine by taking advantage a common typo of the company URL. ...

05 April, 2017

The Guild Applauds the Introduction of the “Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act”

The Graphic Artists Guild applauds the introduction of H.R. 1695, the “Register of Copyright Selection and Accountability Act of 2017,” on March 23. ...

27 March, 2017

Doubleday Solicits Free Labor on Bestselling Author’s Book Cover

Doubleday’s current book cover contest has hit the usual nerves in the design and illustration communities. ...

21 March, 2017

Adobe Design Achievement Awards Student Competition is Open

The annual Adobe Design Achievement Awards global student competition is again open. ...

15 March, 2017

International Women’s Day Yields Treasure Troves of Work by Women

International Women’s Day was marked by a number of blogs and websites with comprehensive reviews of work by women visual artists....

13 March, 2017

New Copyright Office Website: Responsive in More Ways than One

On March 1st, the Copyright Office launched its new website – a huge improvement over the previous iteration....

06 March, 2017

Logobook: Inspiration in Black and White

A new compendium of logos has been published online: Logobook. Each logo is presented only in solid black and white, permitting viewers to focus on the design and to easily compare logos....

28 February, 2017

Copyrightlaws.com Sheds Light on Moral Rights in the United States

In light of the Copyright Office’s Notice of Inquiry (NOI) on Moral Rights, Copyrightlaws.com has done us all a favor in posting their article, “Moral Rights in US Copyright Law.”...

16 February, 2017

Elevating “Real” News Through Web Typography

During the Poynter Digital Design Challenge, Jeffrey Zeldman went after what he described as low-hanging fruit: the website typography....

06 February, 2017

Eliminating the NEA: FastCompany Outlines What a Bad Idea This Is

In its article, “Defunding the NEA Would Be Incredibly Stupid: Here’s Why,” FastCompany pulls no punches in contesting the wisdom of that move....

03 February, 2017

The Guild Signs on to Comment Letter on Group Registration of Photographs

In conjunction with the Coalition of Visual Artists, the Graphic Artists Guild has signed on to a comment letter in response to a Notice on “Group Registration of Photographs.”...

31 January, 2017

Response Submitted to Copyright Office Reform Policy Proposal

The Guild joined the Coalition of Visual Artists in submitting a response to the policy proposal for reform of the Copyright Office drafted by House Judiciary leadership....

31 January, 2017

“Women Who Draw” Directory Showcases Diversity in Women Illustrators

“Women Who Draw” simply features work by women artists, filterable by ethnicity, sexual orientation, location, and faith. ...

19 January, 2017

Photography Associations Need Input on Group Registrations

Our photography associations are requesting input from professional photographers on their workflow and how they register their copyrights....

11 January, 2017

Was Your Copyright Infringed Online? Copyright Alliance Survey Needs your Input

The Copyright Office has sent out a request for additional information from stakeholders on DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) safe harbor provisions. ...

04 January, 2017

We Need Your Voice on the next Register of Copyrights

We’re asking all visual artists, and all who rely on a strong copyright system, to respond to the Library of Congress’ survey on the next Register of Copyrights. ...

30 December, 2016

Fairness for Small Creators Act Introduced

The Guild applauds the introduction of H.R. 6496, the “Fairness for Small Creators Act” introduced by Rep. Judy Chu [D-NY] and Rep. Lamar Smith [R-TX]. ...

08 December, 2016

First Policy Proposal from Judiciary Committee Hearings Released

The Graphic Artists Guild welcomes the first policy proposal resulting from the Judicary Committee’s review of U.S. copyright law, released by House Judiciary Committee Chair Bob Goodlatte and Ranking Member John Conyers....

08 December, 2016

DesignCensus: Respond to AIGA’s Comprehensive Survey of the Design Sector by December 16

Google and AIGA have collaborated on Design Census, a survey to map the educational level, lifestyle, and work habits of designers around the world....

30 November, 2016

Free Art Licensing Q&A with J’net Smith, December 14

J’net Smith of All Art Licensing is running her free Q&A on art licensing on December 14th. ...

29 November, 2016

Judge Dismisses Photographer’s $1 Billion Case Against Getty Images

After the judge presiding in the case indicated that he was considering dismissing a number of photographer Highsmith’s claims, the parties settled. ...

25 November, 2016

Update on Freelance Isn’t Free: NYC Mayor Signs Bill into Law

The law is the first of its kind in the nation, providing legal recourse for freelancers to pursue clients for non-payment. ...

18 November, 2016

Illustrator and Lawyer Collaborate on Law & Artist Videos to Inform Graphic Artists

In a bi-coastal collaboration that benefits artists, illustrator Mark Monlux and attorney Daniel Abraham have been producing Law & Artist videos....

08 November, 2016

Relief for NYC Visual Artists: Freelance Isn’t Free Act Passes Unanimously

The bill redresses the growing trend of non- or late payment experienced by 71% of New York City freelancers....

31 October, 2016

Two New Guild Member Discounts: Art Licensing Services & Products, and Brush Calligraphy Workshop

We have two new member discounts to announce! To retrieve your discount codes, log in to Member Central (upper right corner of our website), and visit our Member Discounts page....

28 October, 2016

Statement on Removal of Registrar of Copyrights by Copyright Alliance

The Copyright Alliance released a statement that echoes our concerns with the removal of Maria Pallante as Register of Copyrights....

24 October, 2016

Ask a Pro Webinar and Resources for Illustration and Design Students Published

Links and resources shared during our Ask a Pro webinar have been gathered into a resource list, along with links to additional resources....

21 October, 2016

Resources for Illustration and Design students from The Guild’s Ask A Pro Webinar

We've gathered the links and resources shared during our Ask a Pro webinar into a resource list....

20 October, 2016

Illustrator Cory Kerr Makes the Case for Using a Contract

Illustrator Cory Kerr covers “Contracts and the Apocalypse” for illustrators who are new to the business side of illustration....

11 October, 2016

$1 Billion Lawsuit Against Getty Images Raises Questions about Public Domain Dedication

Photographer Carol Highsmith was outraged when she received a $120 invoice for using a photograph she had taken....

29 September, 2016

The Power of the © Notice

In her follow-up article, “Your © is More Than CMI,” Burns goes into greater detail on how to effectively use the copyright notice, and why doing so is such a good practice....

15 September, 2016

Workgroups Present to the International Design Community at ico-D Platform Meetings

The Guild particpated in ico-D’s Platform Meetings by heading a session on National Design Policy....

09 September, 2016

National Design Policies: Why They Matter

A national design policy is a systemic and strategic government plan to support its design sector to achieve various ends. ...

06 September, 2016

AIGA’s “Get Out the Vote” Poster Campaign 2016 Resonates

AIGAs "Get Out the Vote" poster campaign solicits designs from AIGA members for posters urging citizens to vote. ...

29 August, 2016

An Open Letter to Political Candidates on Copyright

The Copyright Alliance has published an open letter to the 2016 political candidates, advocating for a strong copyright system and a safe and secure Internet. ...

03 August, 2016

Coalition of Visual Artists Welcomes Introduction of Establishing Small Claims Board for Copyright

A coalition of visual artist groups commends the attention that a copyright small claims legislation is now garnering on Capitol Hill. ...

14 July, 2016

Guild Advocacy Liaison Testifies at Copyright Office Discussion on the DMCA Notice

The Guild participated in panel discussions conducted by the Copyright Office on the DMCA takedown process....

11 July, 2016

Meet Yanique DaCosta, Southern Region’s Candidate for Representative!

We’re delighted to announce another candidate for regional representative, designer and fine artist Yanique DaCosta. ...

30 June, 2016

© Watermark: A Tool to Protect Your Work Under the DMCA

Attorney Leslie Burns explains how including your name and copyright symbol gives you an additional, powerful tool to protect your copyrights online....

29 June, 2016

HOW Design Live: A Fun Pricing Game, and a Memorable Conference

The Guild was invited to participate at HOW Design Live this past May, and decided to contribute a live version of our Pricing Game. ...

07 June, 2016

Introducing Joseph Caserto, Eastern Region’s New Representative

The Guild’s Eastern Region is delighted to announce their new representative to National: designer Joseph Caserto....

24 May, 2016

World Design Summit – Montréal 2017: Call for Speakers

The organizers of the World Design Summit – Montréal 2017 aim to address how design can shape the future. ...

20 May, 2016

Compare and Contrast: Artists’ Rights and the Two Princes

Sarah Howes of The Copyright Alliance compared Prince the musician to his opposite, appropriation artist Richard Prince (RP)....

18 May, 2016

Vox Indie’s Common Sense Proposal for Google to Reduce its Massive DMCA Takedown Numbers

Ellen Siedler of Vox Indie asserts that the sheer quantity of notices processed Google is proof enough that the process does not help rights holders. ...

12 May, 2016

Questions about Copyright Registration? Answers from the Copyright Office!

Copyright Alliance has launched a Copyright Q&A column to roll out solicited copyright questions and answers. ...

10 May, 2016

The Handbook Primer Series: Now in Android Flavor!

Want to read our Handbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines on your tablet? Our digital Primer series has just been released for Android. ...

03 May, 2016

NYC’s Freelance Isn’t Free Act Hopes to Redress Non-Payment

New York City's Freelance Isn’t Free Act has been championed by the Freelancers Union and founder Sara Horowitz. ...

26 April, 2016

Follow us on Instagram, and get a Peek into the Guild

We’re now on Instagram! ...

24 April, 2016

Adobe Design Achievement Awards Strive to Prepare Students for the Real World

The deadline for the Adobe Design Achievement Awards is June 19. ...

12 April, 2016

Marking World Design Day, April 27

ico-D is marking World Design Day by celebrating how design has improved everyday life in local communities....

30 March, 2016

Animations Educate on Copyright Ownership and Registration

Guild member and illustrator/animator Mark Monlux has given us permission to post two animations he created covering copyright basics. ...

28 March, 2016

Katie Lane’s Low-down on Work-for-Hire versus Assigning Your Copyrights

Attorney Katie Lane recently addressed the difference between work-for-hire and assigning copyrights....

21 March, 2016

Graphic Means: Film Project Explores Pre-Digital Design Production

A film trailer released in early March has received a lot of attention, particularly among designers of a certain age....

18 March, 2016

Vox Indie on Google’s Roadblocks to the DMCA Takedown Process

Filmmaker Ellen Siedler explored the process Google employs for those wishing to report copyright infringement via their DMCA takedown notice....

15 March, 2016

Deadline on Survey on DMCA Notice Extended to March 20

The deadline for the survey on infringement of online copyrighted images and the DMCA take-down notice has been extended to March 20th....

11 March, 2016

Survey for Visual Artists About the DMCA Notice

We’d like to know about your experience with online infringement and the DMCA notice process....

08 March, 2016

Copyright Small Claims White Paper Released by Visual Arts Associations

Several visual artist groups, representing hundreds of thousands of creators, have joined forces to propose key components of potentially forthcoming small claims legislation. ...

02 March, 2016

Multiple Instagram Accounts for Your Design or Illustration Studio? Instagram Rolls Out Support

Instagram has rolled out multiple account managment, a boon to those managing both personal and professional accounts. ...

10 February, 2016

The DMCA Notice: “Take Down” is Letting Down Artists

Since the DMCA notice procedure was written into law in 1998, it’s proven to be of limited effectiveness in combating copyright infringement online. ...

03 February, 2016

NYPL Adds Public Domain Images to Digital Collections for Reuse by Artists

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has added over 674,000 public domain images to their on online database of digital collections. ...

02 February, 2016

Designer Jonathan Barnbrook Releases David Bowie “Blackstar” Graphics for Noncommercial Use

In remembrance of David Bowie, designer Jonathan Barnbrook has released the graphics used on Bowie’s last album, Blackstar, for non-commercial use. ...

29 January, 2016

Design Community Dismayed by Decision to Crowdsource Tokyo Olympics Logo

The development of the Tokyo Olympics identity went into a tailspin when Belgian designer Olivier Debie accused Sano of plagiarizing Debie’s logo for the Théâtre de Liege....

22 January, 2016

NEA Report Shows Stronger Contribution of the Arts to the US Economy than Previously Assumed

A report issued in mid-January by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) concludes that the arts make 4% of the GDP (gross domestic product), or $698 billion. ...

15 January, 2016

Lawsuit May Successfully Challenge Fair Use Defense in Art Appropriation

Appropriation artist Richard Prince is being sued once again for infringement, by photographer Donald Graham. ...

11 January, 2016

Copyright Infringement Dispute Highlights Issues of Plagiarism on Social Media

Illustrator Ally Burguieres discovered that one of her illustrations was posted to Taylor Swift’s social media accounts by a fan....

29 December, 2015

Apparel Company Counters Piracy Accusation with Bogus Claim of Copyright Infringement

Eric Kim reported that his illustration of pro wrestler Randy “The Macho Man” Savage was pirated by apparel company Freeze Central Mills Inc....

28 December, 2015

Holiday GIFts, Courtesy of Creative Mornings

Creative Mornings posted the “GIF Channel,” a wall of GIF animations on themes relevant to freelancers and agency staff....

15 December, 2015

Fashion House Appropriates Sacred Inuit Design

British fashion label Kokon to Zai (KTZ) stole a sacred Inuit pattern to print on their “Shaman Toweling Sweatshirt.” ...

03 December, 2015

Guild Gift Certificates

Not sure what gift to give the creative entrepreneur in your life? How about the gift of community and business advice from the Graphic Artists Guild?...

03 December, 2015

David Berman’s 11½ (or 15) Favorite Tools for Testing Website Accessibility

David Berman addresses the pitfalls of ensuring a website meets basic accessibility standards in 11½ Tools for Testing Website Accessibility, a webinar hosted by 3PlayMedia. ...

27 November, 2015

Ad Agency Video on Spec Work Belies Reality Facing Creators

A video and blog post on spec work produced by Toronto advertising agency Zulu Alpha Kilo is burning up the Internet....

18 November, 2015

Guild Participates in Creative Rights Caucus 2015 for the House Judiciary Committee

On November 3, the Guild participated in the 2015 Creative Rights Caucus for the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, DC. ...

12 November, 2015

Sheila Copps Challenges Designers to Address Global Issues

At the Eeum Design Connects international congress, Copps challenged the design community to effectively address global issues. ...

03 November, 2015

ico-D General Assembly Sets an Ambitious Agenda for Design Associations

The ico-D General Assembly 26 took place October 22-23, following Eeum, the International Design Congress in Gwangju, South Korea. ...

29 October, 2015

The Restrictions in Stock Image Licenses Illustrators and Designers Need to Know

Designers and illustrators are cautioned to read through the licenses employed by microstock sites....

06 October, 2015

Guild Member Discount for HOW Interactive Design Conference Boston, Nov. 5-7

Guild members are invited to attend the conference at a discount of $50 off the registration fee....

30 September, 2015

October Drawing Challenges for Illustrators

Two October drawing challenges inspire artists to up their technical skills, as well has have a great deal of fun. ...

23 September, 2015

Library of Congress Technology Woes Shut Down Copyright Office

Creators seeking to register their work online at the end of August were foiled by a system outage that took the electronic filing system offline. ...

14 September, 2015

Orphan Works in Canada: Attempting Accountability

In light of how concerned U.S. artists are about legislation addressing orphan works, it's worth taking a look at how Canada addresses the issue....

02 September, 2015

Illustration Rep Changes Policy of Not Crediting Artists After Protest from Illustration Age

Illustrator Thomas James reported that artists representatives illozoo was not crediting their illustrators on their Instagram account....

24 August, 2015

Yahoo Ads Delivered Malware as Hackers Leverage Flash Security Flaw

Visitors to Yahoo’s main website during the last week in July may have been exposed to malware....

20 August, 2015