Artist and graphic designer, Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, who happens to be a good friend of mine, had a rude awakening when a friend of hers alerted her to a company who had used her design (claiming it as their own property) in the merchandise they were selling.
this image comparison was taken from Cynthia’s blog
The company, ironically named Totally Creative Design Studio, has blatantly and rather unwisely appropriated the work of Cynthia, who is one of the most popular graphic designers in the Philippines: she designed album and book covers for many artists, including Eraserheads (notably the Fruitcake album and storybook), and was Creative Director of Wedding Essentials magazine for its first couple of years, among her many accomplishments. Her illustrations are also big favorites at the Cafe Press online store (Cynthia’s illustration and design, called “Scooter Sister,” on the merchandise in Cafe Press was the one copied by Totally Creative Design Studio).
Although Cynthia has already contacted the proprietor, Jess Marquez, it’s bewildering how thoughtless, callous and bastos (there’s just no potent enough English translation for this word) these “designers” seem to be.
The design is an exact replica; they didn’t even sweat a little bit to tweak it so it doesn’t look too much like the original, at the very least. Why did they do this at all? Did they really think people — and especially the artist of the original work — would be too stupid to notice? Did they really think they could pass it off as their own work without legal consequences?
I know this is the land of pirated CDs and DVDs and knock-offs, but there are clear copyright laws that we need to follow, not only because we’re citizens, but because we are human beings and we have a duty to do right by each other.
I hope that this company becomes more careful and watchful about the designs “created” for them by their team.