Intellectual Property

Three Hundred Seventh Post: Intellectual Property

Well I still have to update the message board. However anyone can start a thread. Today I was designing a simple business card for a friend. The topic was exotic animals, so I turned to the Web for some reference pictures and to get ideas. With search engines having the ability to search for pictures virtually anything can be found. I found pictures of lizards and frogs.

Here is the dilemma. I could just use any picture I find Photoshop it and put it on the business card in less than a minute. I could do that, but I shouldn’t since it isn’t my artwork and I don’t own the pictures. Even for something as simple as a business card, the designer isn’t supposed to use art without permission or isn’t royalty free. So I could easily take the art, but I didn’t. Even if it is only a business card, I have to treat it like it is a professional piece of art.

I have seen a topic on this recently on www.kubertsworld.com/Forum . Artist have been posting their work on the Web and having it stolen. It makes the artist limit what they put on the Web. But there is some responsibility on the artist to realize the Web is vast and by sharing their work there is always a chance of it being stolen.

I place some interesting things on Constructor’s Corner. It may not be the best stuff of the web. However it is original unless otherwise stated. I figure someone may develop something new from my work. But that is the point and what I was intending to do. Copyright and patents have lots or debates and arguments. In fact it would be a good discussion for the message board. So until I see you at the board... May the Creative Force be with You