[Djdomino]

I just wanted some feedback on designs that you have had done by a designer?

1.Can designers be trusted as far as your ideas go?

2.Did you ever come across your designs being used by other people?

3.Did a designer ever use your design that you paid to have made and use them?

Just kind of nervous on who I can trust so my designs do not become comprimised, thanks.

 

[Fenrir]

If you hire an outside designer, if they are professional, such things will be outlined in the contract. In most cases, unless there are explicit ownership and exclusivity clauses, you don't own the design, they do. You have bought the right to use the design on a t-shirt (or whatever you are selling). Buying "full ownership" generally costs far more than just the design fee.

This, of course, entirely depends on the designer.

 

[Islandfever]

I just wanted some feedback on designs that you have had done by a designer?

1.Can designers be trusted as far as your ideas go?

2.Did you ever come across your designs being used by other people?

3.Did a designer ever use your design that you paid to have made and use them?

Just kind of nervous on who I can trust so my designs do not become comprimised, thanks.

I do all my own design work but I think I can still answer these questions for you.

1. I think so. Designers are trying to create the vision that you have in order to make you happy with the end result being that designer gets paid. That's what makes the designer happy. I have done what some may consider (slight) 'knock-offs' of my own work for people, ie., designs that may look similar to a design I created previously for another customer but only 'style wise', never the SAME design for different clients/customers.

2. Being a graphic designer for 14+ years and 11 of those years being resort wear tee designs (surf shops, dive shops, marinas, coastal stuff, etc.) I have seen many designs that were almost identical copies of designs I have created in the past. Have even had sample prints stolen off the walls of our trade show booth. Pisses you off and at the same time, even if just for a second, you think, that must've been a good design! It can be a ruthless business sometimes.

3. I've never sold a design to someone that I've already created for someone else.

 

[Islandfever]

Fenrir is right about it depending on the designer. For the most part, I strive to create something uniquely yours, that is probably not going to work for someone else. You buy it, it's yours -do whatever else you want to with it.

On the other hand, you can have a design, say a certain frame style around it, a certain font maybe arched or something but the design has an image of something in it, maybe a fish. But a sales rep may show the same design to someone in another region and they may want an image of a bear in it with the text changed to whatever is appropriate for their retail place. That's a different story though, the co. owns the design and tweaks it for different customers, only thing that changes it the image/icon and the text/location.

 

[GraphixGuys]

Really the 1st question is the most important question and will answer the other questions.

Asking if designers can be trusted is like asking if people can be trusted. The answer is yes and no.

Short Story

There was a designer that I worked with who designed a fishing logo for a federation. He copywrited his design and started selling his designs to other federations who wanted the design. He later found another designer selling his exact fishing logo and touting it as his own . The crooked designer even had updates on his facebook about the status of the design . He made over 100 shirts for his organization. Once the orginal artist found out he told the organization about thier crooked designer. They ended up having to destroy the shirts that they got from the crooked designer. The organization ended up sueing the designer for the 100 shirts they bought that went into the trash.

The morale to the story is even if you find a trusted designer that will be everything you wanted in a designer there is still other slimes out there that will jack your art.