The AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts ) has formulated a series of standards and ethics that should be used by graphic designers. After reviewing the series of guidelines, I have implemented them within my internship. These guidelines help create an understanding between the designer and the client. According to the AIGA,
“ A professional designer shall acquaint himself or herself with a client’s business and design standards and shall act in the client’s best interest within the limits of professional responsibility.”
At the beginning of my internship, I spoke with my coordinator to understand and develop ideas about the brand and its identity. In my case, this institution for which I work designs custom T-shirts and merchandise business. Its overall image and brand identity promote printing the clients’ or customers’ vision or design. Therefore it would be imperative that the design work does not steer away from that.
In terms of copywriting, photography and non-disclosure agreements, my employer and I agreed to a mutual agreement that all the work created will be in my name unless purchased. According to the AIGA “The designer, as the copyright owner, has the exclusive rights to reproduce work; license work; prepare derivative works, such as a poster copied from a design; perform work; and display work.” The same rules can be applied to photography work because all the images and models were under my control. However, we had a mutual agreement in which we agreed to share any work with them for reproduction. This meant every word I could use I can share on my social media, websites, and journal blogs at my discretion.
