I have gained a great deal of knowledge about copyright, using other artists’ photos and illustrations, and my obligations as a designer to clients, other designers, and the public from reading the AIGA Design Guides. After reading about the “HOPE Poster” case, Shepard Fairey faced legal issues after using an Associated Press photograph of Barack Obama as a reference for the iconic design without proper licensing. The case raised important questions about copyright, fair use, and the balance between artistic inspiration and intellectual property rights.
I now have a better understanding of image source and how altering photos that I haven’t sought for permission to use or bought a license for could harm my reputation as a designer and artist in addition to costing me money.
Sources
- âA Clientâs Guide to Design: How to Get the Most Out of the Processâ AIGA. (2001). PDF. New York City; Richard GrefĂ©, AIGA.
- âCase Study on Fair Use and Fair Dealing: The Hope Poster Litigationâ Fisher, W. (2012). PDF. Cambridge; Harvard Journal of Law and Technology.
- âUse of Photographyâ AIGA. (2001). PDF. New York City; Richard GrefĂ©, AIGA.
- Kennedy, R. (2012, September 7). Shepard Fairey is fined and sentenced to probation in âhopeâ poster case. The New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://archive.nytimes.com/artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/shephard-fairey-is-fined-and-sentenced-to-probation-in-hope-poster-case/
