Where is the line?
Written by David Woodward, Creative Director, Lava Studio
I’m a Norah Jones fan and I recently came across the cover art for her new album “Little Broken Hearts.” I thought it was very cool and a nice change of image for her.
On her website I was reading about the inspiration for the cover.
Jones drew the inspiration for the album cover from the vintage movie posters that adorn Burton’s Los Angeles studio. “Brian has this great collection of Russ Meyer posters in his studio,” explains Jones, “and this particular one, called Mudhoney, was right over the couch where I sat every day. I always was looking at it and thinking ‘that’s so cool I want to look like her!’ I remember staring at the poster the whole time we made the record. It’s a great visual.”
I was surprised when I found the original Mudhoney poster; I realized the Jones cover was a direct copy. This isn’t some kind of homage or tribute to Russ Meyer films; it’s just a copy of the image for her promotion.
Is this inspiration or stealing?
Seeing this Norah Jones cover really got me thinking about other artwork. As a big fan of pop art, I always liked Roy Lichtenstein, but then I discovered what a direct copy his work was. It seems to me that the original comic book artists were being completely ripped off…and Lichtenstein was getting rich and famous from their work. Did he share the profits with them? Does enlarging it making it original art?
Is this inspiration or stealing? (This is in the MoMA collection)
Original Artist: Tony Abruzzo
Pop art is based on using popular imagery from culture and showing it to us in some sort of new way… either it’s ironic, symbolic, satirical, whimsical, profound, etc.
To me, Andy Warhol seemed to get this. What do you think?
Is this inspiration or stealing?
I use pop images.
As an artist I’m always being inspired by the things I see that spark other ideas.
I used the Coppertone logo for a painting I did years ago to symbolize my thoughts on overzealous censorship. Am I guilty?
Is this inspiration or stealing?
“Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.” -Pablo Picasso (He said this even though I didn’t find any direct copies in his work.)
Is this inspiration or stealing? In this digital age this line has become more blurred…just Google for an image you need, just use a music sample, what do you have to do to make it original? Make it yours?
I’m very interested in others’ feedback. I would love for you to share your comments here.
DW
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I don’t believe that Norah Jones is stealing. You do not buy her album for the cover and she clearly stated where it came from. I also do not believe yours is stealing either. It is a clear icon used to represent something else. It is a clear example of what “pop art” is. The other example to me IS a clear example of stealing due to the direct use of an image for personal & financial gain with no acknowledgement of the real artist.
Clarification: Roy Lichtenstien was the artist I felt was stealing. Not Andy Warhol. Warhol’s work is pop art by using a public image in a new way. RL just duplicated an image and called it his own.
Great article! For me, legalities aside, the difference between inspiration and stealing follows a few criterion. Either the work needs to be obvious in it’s inspiration so that the intended audience can appreciate where the work originally came from (the Warhol painting is obviously Marilyn Monroe and yours is obviously inspired from the Coppertone logo/ad) or it needs to be used in a way where the original work really doesn’t show in the new work (such as using a small chord progression in a song, but with a different melody; or using a similar brush stroke for a type of landscape, but with a different scene altogether). People who listen to Norah Jones probably don’t know who Russ Meyer is, won’t appreciate the reference and will assume it was her own work or the person who designed the cover’s. For me this makes it stealing. As for Lichtenstein, it’s a bit of a grey area for me. What he was doing was in many ways not too different from what Warhol did. After all, a lot of people worked very hard and spent a great deal of money to make Marilyn Monroe famous and Campbell soup a household name. Though, swiping as I understand it has always been frowned upon in comics so if I was given a choice I’d condemn the comic example. Sounds fair?
Wow, David, awesome topic to explore and one I haven’t really given that much thought to. I think that most art has become a derivative of an original – maybe I am completely wrong here, but it appears to me that to create original art in this day and age is quite difficult considering creativity’s long and age old tradition. In Norah Jones case, I would not consider her new album’s cover art stealing but rather an ode or an homage to an image that has left an imprint in her and an honest desire to imitate. As long as the original source is credited, I don’t see an issue with modifying an image to suit one’s vision and message. There exists no doubt that Andy Warhol greatly profited from Marilyn Monroe’s fame when he graced the world of art with his pop inspired images. As long as the source gives her/his/their o.k., I again don’t think that this artful representation of an original can be considered stealing. So it goes with your rendition of the Coppertone billboard. You are imbuing this popular image with your own interpretation. It is such a ubiquitous image in the U.S. that the majority of people would not erroneously assume the actual image to be an original. I think as a painter or visual artist I would be flattered to know that my paintings and images inspired other people to demonstrate their take on it. I believe that art is plastic and fluid and meant to stir up emotions and thoughts in us that hopefully translate into creative output. In my opinion, the beauty of art resides in its ability to inspire
I believe most art copyrights expire after 25 years. However copying is copying. At least give credit to the designer.
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Whenever I originally left a comment I clicked the Notify me whenever new comments are added checkbox and currently each time a remark is added I get 4 emails with the same comment.
We will look into it.
Inspiration or Rip-Off? | Lava Blog I was recommended this website by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re wonderful! Thanks! your article about Inspiration or Rip-Off? | Lava BlogBest Regards Shane
~ Legendary Artists Roy Lichtenstein Ripped Off ~
Jack Abel
Tony Abruzzo
Ross Andru
Martin Branner
Milt Caniff
Hy Eisman
Myron Fass
Dick Giordano
Jerry Grandenetti
Russ Heath
Gil Kane
Jack Kirby
Joe Kubert
Irv Novick
William Overgard
Arthur Peddy
Bruno Premiani
John Romita
Bud Sagendorf
Mike Sekowsky
George Tuska
Deconstructing Roy Lichtenstein © 2000
David Barsalou MFA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deconstructing-roy-lichtenstein/