Question

Read the following three scenarios then answer the questions below.

Designer A was inspired by a photo of flowers that he saw in a magazine and created a sketch based on one of the flowers in the photo. He scanned the sketch and then utilized it in a template layer to create an icon to be used as part of a logo.

Designer B found a photo of a dragonfly on the Internet. He dragged it to his desktop and then created a template layer from it in Illustrator. He used the image to gauge the proportion and overall shape of the dragonfly but simplified it quite a bit. In fact, the final image looked nothing like the original photo except for the overall shape.

Designer C found an image of almost exactly what he wanted for a logo on the Internet. He downloaded it and traced it, changing a line or two so as not to make a direct copy.

All three designers used a photo for inspiration in their final vector artwork. Compare and contrast their approaches.

1. Which, if any, would be considered plagiarism and why?
2. Which would be considered acceptable ways to utilize a template and why?
3. Based on your research, do you think using templates within Illustrator is a good idea? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Solution:-

Part I :-

The Designer C's work shall be considered as plagiarism. This is because what the designer C has done is referred as Paraphrasing plagiarism which states the use of someone else’s writing or creation in any form with some minor changes and re-using it as one’s own. Even if the content shall differ to what a little extent, the original idea remains the same and plagiarism occurs. Here the designer does the same as he changed on a line or two so as to not to be called as copy and past design or direct copy but that does not avoid to be termed as plagiarism.
Please note that it is mentioned in the designer B case too but with a slight difference is that, even if the content was from the internet, the final image looks nothing like the original except the overall shape.

Part II :-

The designer A's way to use the template could be considered acceptable as he seem to just take the idea by the magazine as an inspiration and then design the same via the sketch. He does not even took a single copy of the content but just an idea which was based on one of the flowers as a part of the photo. The original work will still remain intact as the sketch was drawn by him personally with the sense of inspirations.The same is then used for the template purpose for the creation of a part in logo.

Part III :-

Based on my research, I think using templates within Illustrator is a good idea because templates help in saving one's time when he/she is working over and over again with the same page layout or settings. Another point to considered here could be that the person can use the template as starting point and then change settings as per his/her requirements. Also, template layer comes handy to a great extent when one wants to trace a raster image by hand or one who wanted to create artwork from the scan of a mock-up design.