Attorney Katie Lane recently addressed a question she often hears from her creative clients: what’s the difference between work-for-hire and assigning copyrights? ...
A film trailer released in early March has received a lot of attention, particularly among designers of a certain age (and with the Xacto knife scars to show). The trailer is for a film currently in production: Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production. ...
In one of her recent posts on her blog Vox Indie, filmmaker Ellen Siedler explored the process Google employs for those wishing to report copyright infringement via Google’s DMCA takedown notice (“Why does Google make it so damn difficult to send a DMCA notice?”)....
We recently requested graphic artists to respond to survey to gather information about infringement of copyrighted images on the internet, as well as the effective use of the DMCA take-down notice. The deadline for survey responses has been extended to midnight, March 20th....
Have you discovered infringing use of your images, or the images you license, on the Internet, and used the DMCA Takedown Notice procedure to have the images removed from a website? If so, we’d like to know about your experience....
While there has been a great deal of discussion recently about the possibility of Congress creating a small claims process for visual arts, several visual artist groups, representing hundreds of thousands of creators, have joined forces to propose key components of potentially forthcoming small claims legislation. ...
Instagram has rolled out multiple account managment. The change is a boon to designers and illustrators who manage both personal and professional Instagram accounts. ...
Since the DMCA notice procedure was written into law in 1998, it’s proven to be of limited effectiveness in combating copyright infringement online. ...
The New York Public Library (NYPL) has added over 674,000 public domain images to their on online database of digital collections. The public domain database includes prints, photographs, maps, video, and manuscripts, which can be downloaded in high resolution. ...
In remembrance of David Bowie, designer Jonathan Barnbrook has released the graphics used on Bowie’s last album, Blackstar, for non-commercial use. ...
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....
A report issued in mid-January by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) concludes that the arts make a substantial contribution to the US economy – 4% of the GDP (gross domestic product), or $698 billion. The report, A Decade of Arts Engagement: Findings From the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, 2002–2012, summarized the first in-depth study by the federal government of the impact of the arts and cultural sector to the GDP. ...
Appropriation artist Richard Prince is being sued once again for infringement, by photographer Donald Graham. And this time, experts agree that a fair use defense by Prince will have a much dimmer chance of succeeding. ...
Illustrator Ally Burguieres discovered this past Fall that one of her illustrations was posted to Taylor Swift’s social media accounts. The work was a copy of an illustration Burguieres sells as a print, and the fan who copied the work signed her own name rather than including Burguieres’ credit line....
Canadian illustrator Eric Kim reported that his illustration of pro wrestler Randy “The Macho Man” Savage was pirated by apparel company Freeze Central Mills Inc. In October, Kim discovered that Freeze had taken his artwork, flipped it, erased part of the image, and printed it on red sweatshirts with a holiday message. ...
Creative Mornings, the global network of free breakfast talks on creativity and technology, posted a wonderful freebie for creative professionals during the month of December. The “GIF Channel” is a wall of GIF animations on themes relevant to freelancers and agency staff....
In November, Canada’s CBC Radio reported that British fashion label Kokon to Zai (KTZ) stole a sacred Inuit pattern to print on their “Shaman Toweling Sweatshirt.” As it turns out, a descendent of the shaman who created the design is a producer at CBC North, which broadcast her story. Salome Awa told CBC radio that her great grandfather created the image in the 1920s for a protection parka made of sealskin. The design is considered sacred, and by Inuit tradition, only the shaman is permitted to wear the design. Since no one at KTZ contacted her family for permission to...
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?...
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. ...
A video and blog post on spec work produced by Toronto advertising agency Zulu Alpha Kilo is burning up the Internet. In the video, an actor approaches different businesses unfamiliar with work on spec (for the most part) and asks for free products or services – a cup of coffee, a breakfast, architectural design, picture framing, and personal training. ...
On November 3, Guild members Shaftel (Advocacy Liaison) and John Schmelzer (past National President) participated in the 2015 Creative Rights Caucus for the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, DC. The event was held in a Judiciary Committee hearing room in the Rayburn House Office Building. ...
At the Eeum Design Connects international congress this past October in Gwangju, South Korea, Sheila Copps delivered a riveting keynote address that challenged the design community to effectively address global issues such as climate change and sustainability. Copps currently heads the World Summit and Congress of Architecture + Design + Planning, the 2017 international design congress which will bring together a multitude of design disciplines. She was asked to replace the scheduled keynote speaker, Victor Margolin, who was sadly injured right before the Congress. If the last-minute call caused any difficulty, it wasn’t evident in either the content or delivery...
The ico-D General Assembly 26 took place October 22-23, following Eeum, the International Design Congress in Gwangju, South Korea. This year saw an increased role for the Guild, since as Guild representative to the organization, we agreed to head an ico-D workgroup on national design policies. ...
Microstock websites – websites that purvey low-cost photos, illustrations, and icons – have become a standard image source. However, both designers and illustrators are cautioned to read through the licenses employed by microstock sites. The low fees and “royalty free” label extended by microstock sites do not translate to unlimited use of their images....
At the HOW Interactive Design Conference (HIDC) in Boston November 5-7, designers and developers will explore the intersection of design and technology. The conference is packed with seminars, breakfasts, and happy hours. Talks will be given by industry leaders, such as Jen Simmons, designer and host of The Web Ahead, and Stephan Mumaw, Director of Creative Strategy at Hint and author of Creative Bootcamp. Guild members are invited to attend the conference at a discount of $50 off the registration fee. Register online on the conference website with the code GAG50....
For illustrators, October means more than autumn leaves, Halloween, and the return of pumpkin-spice-everything. Two drawing challenges extended during the month inspire artists to up their technical skills, as well has have a great deal of fun. ...
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. The outage lasted for nine days, from August 28th through September 5 and was caused, according to a report issued by the office, by the shutdown of a Library of Congress data center for scheduled maintenance. ...
The alarms sounded this summer about orphan works legislation, while unfounded (no such legislation is under consideration at this time), underscored the emotional resonance of the issue. Congress has long wanted to address the issue of orphan works, and creators are justifiably concerned that any legislation would weaken their copyright protection, or would enable businesses to use orphan works as a way of avoiding the cost of commissioning or licensing works....
Illustrator Thomas James reported on Illustration Age that he was startled to discover that artists representatives illozoo was not crediting their illustrators on their Instagram account (When an Art Rep Puts the Agency Before the Artist). In post after post showcasing beautiful illustration work, illozoo failed to credit the illustrators, instead referring to all as “illozoo illustrator.”...
Visitors to Yahoo’s main website during the last week in July may have been exposed to malware. On August 3rd, security software company Malwarebytes reported on their blog that they had notified Yahoo as soon as they discovered the security flaw, and that Yahoo immediately took steps to remove the threat. ...
Ed Shems, a Guild member, was asked to testify on behalf of illustrators on proposed changes to the First Sale Doctrine. The House Judiciary Committee is continuing hearings on revamping US Copyright Law, and recently issued invitations to individuals who have previously testified before the Committee....
Earlier this spring, illustrators were up in arms when it appeared that an online business, Wallpart, was appropriating their work and selling high resolution prints. A closer investigation revealed the Wallpart is not what it appears to be. ...
With over 2,000 attendees and 30+ speakers, DesignThinkers is Canada’s largest conference for visual communicators. It is a must-attend for any informed, forward-thinking creative, communications or marketing professional or team. ...
The publicity engendered by Taylor Swift’s protest of Apple’s licensing terms on behalf of artists brought to light the onerous contracts her management company had been requiring concert photographers to sign. The outcry cast a spotlight on other troublesome concert photography contracts....
The Graphic Artists Guild has filed a response to the Notice of Inquiry (NOI) extended by the Copyright Office on April 24. The NOI, titled “Copyright Protection for Certain Visual Works,” seeks commentary on authors of visual works and licensees on five specific questions....
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Well into its world tour, The Sketchbook Project takes the concept of a mobile library into territory dear to the hearts of artists, illustrators, diarists, and obsessive doodlers. Their Mobile Library is housed in a vehicle that strongly resembles a foodtruck, but contains a selection of books submitted by artists around the world. Visitors can thumb through a collection curated from the Project’s Brooklyn library of 34,000 sketchbooks, contributed from creators in over 135 countries. Currently, the Mobile Library is in the middle of its world tour, traveling the west coast before heading...
Within a day of Swift’s open letter to Apple advocating for musicians, UK photographer Jason Sheldon published an open response to Swift, stating that as admirable as her stance was, it was somewhat marred by the contracts her management company requires concert photographers to adhere to. ...
Brooklyn-based graphic designer Roberto Blake has done us all a favor. In his video, “How Much Does a Logo Design Cost,” he educates non-designers on what to expect when soliciting a bid on a logo design. ...
Proud Pratt Institute alum Joseph Caserto was shocked to learn that his alma mater issued a call for students to participate in a crowd-sourced mascot design contest. ...
The first US federal copyright law was enacted 225 years ago, and the Copyright Office and Copyright Alliance marked the anniversary. ...
The Guild has sent a letter to the Small Business Administration protesting the federal agency’s crowd-sourced “Seed for the Future” logo design contest. The agency is soliciting a logo for their Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs....
After a controversial logo contest bitterly criticized by national design organizations, the Canadian government revealed its chosen 150 anniversary logo. The logo, a maple leaf created from a mosaic of multi-colored diamonds, is the creation of University of Waterloo design student Ariana Cuvin. ...
In response to widely recognized confusion regarding the doctrine of fair use, the Copyright Office has published the Fair Use Index. The index publishes cases searchable by jurisdiction and category, including type of work and use. ...
It’s a case that puts a twist on the familiar David vs Goliath, artist-suing-major-corporation-for-copyright-infringement story. As has been widely reported, Miami-based Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto is suing Apple, Inc. and the designers known as Craig & Karl for trade dress infringement and unfair competition....
For the past decade, Typetester has been an online resource for website designers. Users could compare up to three fonts at a time, and customize size, line height, alignment, color, and spacing. ...
John Degen, novelist and Executive Director of The Writers Union of Canada, recently engaged in a back-and-forth of the value of copyrights to creators. Degen summarized the importance of copyright to creative professionals as, “If you create it, you own it. If someone wants to use what you own, there needs to be a discussion.”...
Art director Giuseppe Castellano has compiled a list of 10 common mistakes illustrators make in delivering their artwork that are guaranteed to sour a working relationship. ...
The Graphic Artists Guild, together with a coalition of visual artist associations, has published a letter addressing concerns with the College Art Association’s “Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts.”...
The Graphic Artists Guild has joined CreativeFuture, a coalition of over 350 companies and organizations that seeks to address piracy. ...
Now in its eighth year of netcasting, Typeradio is an internet radio stream with a wealth of material. The website offers a truly global view of typography....
For your diversion: design students Ellen Mercer and Lucy Streule of Central Saint Martens – University of the Arts London have compiled a video of graphic designers as portrayed by Hollywood. ...
If you’ve been advised to keep your heart rate steady, you should probably avoid @forexposure_txt on Twitter and shitspecworkon Tumblr....
Eric Benson and Yvette Perullo of Renourish, the initiative to promote sustainability in communication design, are working on a book for graphic designers who “want to integrate a sustainable ethos into their workflow.”...
Canadian designers were startled when their government issued a contest, challenging design students to submit their original designs for a logo marking the 150 anniversary of the country’s confederation. ...
The Logo Factory, a logo design and branding shop, had their logo ripped off on Fiverr not once, but three times....
Artist and writer Molly Crabapple – no stranger to controversy – shared her thoughts on achieving creative success in that rough-and-tumble environment....
Hoping to galvanize public demand for effective policy addressing climate change, Milton Glaser unleashed a campaign titled “It’s Not Warming, It’s Dying.” ...
Self-described tech-tinkerer, Femmebot (Phoebe E.), has come up with a solution to show web fonts in their natural environment: Google Web Fonts Typographic Project....
Cartoonist/writer Colleen Doran muses on the conflicted relationship artists have with money, made toxic by low expectations, envy, and hackneyed stereotypes....
Last fall, UK designer Joe Harrison unveiled his exploration of scalable logos: Responsive Logos....
Flickr allows users to share their work as photo-mounted or canvas-printed Wall Art, and it had added over 50 million “freely-licensed” Creative Commons images to its Flickr Wall Art service after one month....
Graphic Artists Guild members have been contributing artwork in the memory of the cartoonists and staff killed at Charlie Hebdo’s offices....
Guild Webinars on Responsive Design...
Icograda, the International Council of Communication Design, changed its name to ico-D, the International Council of Design. ...
In the United States, over a million tons of landfill waste is created per week in the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. About 70% of us welcome less emphasis on gifts and spending, and 52% of us pass on those unwanted gifts...
The second season of Yule Log has been published.(2014)...
Transition to Guild Regional Structure Completed...
Every month, Jeremiah Shoaf showcases his favorite websites, discusses the typography behind each, and provides links to both the websites and the foundries featuring the webfonts....
Fiverr, which connects buyers with sellers willing to provide their services – has been aggressively promoting their design services....
Guild attended Icograda’s first-ever Professional Platform Meeting in New York City, attended by representatives from over 14 countries. The meeting provided a structure for professional association members of Icograda to address common concerns in the industry. Is the economy we want to create for the future on a global level based on a commodity mindset where everyone competes on pricing is a top issue which been raised....
Otto Steininger has rallied the talents of his colleagues in creating a means to generate funds supporting Ebola relief efforts. Art Against Ebola sells artwork created by a number of prominent artists...
Marvel Comics announced a settlement of a long-standing copyright dispute with the estate of Jack Kirby...
Tax Court Ruling Supports Working and Teaching Artists in early October (from New York Times)....
New discount offers to Guild members...
Designer Jason Santa Maria published an article speculating on what course his career (and life) would take should he ever stop designing websites. ...
William Wegman, the artist whose iconic portraits of his dogs Man Ray and Fay Ray, brought the Weimaraner dog breed to new heights of popularity in the 1980s. ...
One inspired take on the Pantone system is cataloged in Tiny PMS Match, a blog created by designer Inka Mathew. ...
A group of photographers, visual artists and affiliated associations have reached a settlement with Google in a lawsuit over copyrighted material in Google Books. ...
If a monkey takes a selfie, who owns the copyright?...
Jen Adrion and Omar Noory shared the story of their setbacks in growing their design and illustration studio, This are the Things....
On July 22, the Graphic Artists Guild joined in signing on to an amicus brief on behalf of the heirs of the creators of “Superman,” Siegel and Shuster, and Jack Kirby....
Dorm Room Tycoon is a collection of podcasts with innovators in design, technology, and business. ...
Portuguese digital design agency Bürocratik has developed Outdatedbrowser.com, a lovely solution that encourages users to update their browsers. ...
The new organizational structure of the Guild divides membership into five regions: Western, Midwestern, Southern, New England, and Eastern. ...
Members of the Graphic Artists Guild get special pricing on the the 15th annual DesignThinkers Conference this November....
Guild member Ed Shems spoke on the impact proposed changes to copyright law regarding the first sale doctrine could have on artists at a hearing in front of House Judiciary Committee members on June 2....
Launched just this month, oozled is a web developer’s dream: a web app which provides a steady stream of curated resources from accessibility through wireframing....
A coalition of organizations devoted to addressing waste and recycling issues launched the Make It, Take It Campaign on April 30....
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]Iconic designer Massimo Vignelli passed away May 27, leaving behind a tremendous legacy of work, from the original branding for American Airlines, to brochures for the National Park Service, to stacking dishware. A hallmark of his aesthetic was an adherence to simplicity and clarity, most notably expressed in his groundbreaking work in redesigning the map and signage for the New York City transit system. SEGD, the multi-disciplinary organization of environmental designers, has long recognized Vignelli’s impact on the discipline. In 2001, he was named an SEGD Fellow. Upon hearing of his passing, the...
Illustrator Joey Ellis has published an eye-opening account of his travails in developing the iOS game, Bonsai Slice (by Playground Theory). ...
The UK-based Illustrators’ Union has created a campaign to help illustrators stay on track in managing their paperwork....
J’net Smith of All Art Licensing has announced her Summer/Fall 2014nschedule of licensing webinars and teleclasses, and is offering a mix of free and discounted events....
April 27 marked both World Communication Design Day, and Icograda’s 51st birthday. The organization marked the anniversary by soliciting graphics on “What a Designer Does.” ...
The Copyright Alliance notified us that the Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF), a working group within the U.S. Department of Commerce, has scheduled a number of roundtables on copyright issues. ...
ComicsAlliance senior editor Andy Khouri wrote an article, “Fake Geek Guys: A Message to Men About Sexual Harassment,” directed at both Internet trolls who issue anonymous threats of sexual violence against women, and at comic book male fans in general....
Lettering and illustration rockstar Jessica Hische’s most recent blog article deals with the thorny issue of ripoffs....
Seattle member Mark Monlux published “Stickman’s Advice to Having a Table at a Comic Book Convention,” sharing advice is borne of his many years of experience....