In my History of GD class the other day the topic of Shepard Fairey came up.  Few do not know about this situation within the graphic design and illustration world.  He is being sued for using an image of Obama in this poster:

In my opinion, he is playing a risky game using an image from a multi-national corporation like this and not expecting something to happen.  On the other hand, he didn’t make any money off it (or so he says).  Since fame is not a quantifiable thing, especially in regards to a monetary value in a lawsuit, I feel that this lawsuit is something more of a police action than a legitimate battle to fight. In some aspects I think Fairey is very wrong, but if he is honest in saying so… simply the fact along that he wanted to do something to help promote his choice in the election is a fair game.  People do things all of the time.  Clipping photos from the paper and attaching them to posterboard and holding it up at speaking events or in lawn signs, etc.  Fairey in that regard was doing his patriotic duty.  The trouble is though, is that this image that he used and the success of his message is the catalyst for this lawsuit.

Glaser said:

“It’s a dangerous example for students, if they see that appropriating people’s work is the path to success. Simply reproducing the work of others robs you of your imagination and form-making abilities. You’re not developing the muscularity you need to invent your own ideas.”

I couldn’t agree more. As a student we are here to learn.  You can argue that learning from imitation is best, some musicians learn simply from playing other people’s songs.  In design on the other hand though, our careers are about being creative, the whole “reinterpreting a cliche” is not stealing, but it can be dangerously close to ripping someone off unless the conceptual message is different.  Because as well know design is a process that does not only include producing, it also has to have a concept to have substance.