1a. In the world of graphic designing, there are always questions and concerns about ethics. Around the corner stores in NYC you would see stock photos of burgers, fries, bagels all rip off the internet. There are even times you could find one of these photos with their watermark still attached. Although this seems to be the norm for a lot of the smaller businesses, the fact that this actually breaks the guidelines of copyrights and devalues the person / group that came up with the design, photography, etc… On top of this, the designs that are found in these stores are normally not very great, as they are often commissioned by a friend, or a family member that has limited knowledge in design. “Design is about the whole, not the parts. If you wear your $2,500 Armani suit with the wrong pair of shoes.” This is a quote from A Client’s Guide to Design: How to Get the Most Out of the Process from AIGA Business Ethics. The meaning behind this quote is that although it’s a good photo, it’s how it is used to deliver a good design.
1b. As an intern currently at my site, there wasn’t a NDA to be signed. Non – disclosure agreement wasn’t something the intern cared for as it was more beneficial for the interns to explore and give more knowledge about their experiences. However there are laid out rules to using photos and logos. We have to request to use their designs, getting their approval to work with their design to incorporate them into the projects we are assigned to. Although making some of the mock ups aren’t in these rules. But having to design for a project that involves publishing has to follow the copyrights rules. As students and interns we have used stock images, photographs, clips. “Fair use is a limited exception to the exclusive power of the designer (or client, if the designer has transferred rights to the client) to control the uses of designs.” This is a quote from Guide Of Copyrights by AIGA Business Ethics. Fair use in terms of stock assets involves crediting the author of the asset. According to Use Of Illustration by AIGA Business Ethics. “Written and signed documentation should be completed before work is begun (even on a rush project) to ensure that everyone has the same understanding.” My supervisor is the one that handles the works from other artists, asking for permission for us, the interns. If this gets approve, then the supervisor gives us the greenlight to use the artwork from that artist.
Sources
Richard, Grefė. “A Client’s Guide to Design: How to Get the Most Out of the Process” AIGA. PDF. New York City, 2001
Richard, Grefė. “Guide Of Copyrights” AIGA. PDF. New York City, 2001
Richard, Grefė. “Use Of Illustration” AIGA. PDF. New York City, 2001
