Notes for a new week: Nothing is Original

Hello friends! How was your weekend? Hope you all enjoyed a relaxing time with your loved ones!
I didn't had my regular analog Sunday this weekend and it made me realize how important it is for me. This little break from the online world is a must in order to clean my head and refresh.
Lesson learned and I promised to myself to plan my time right, so I can have my Sunday off(line) from now on.

All of you twitter peeps couldn't possibly miss the design copy/ideas stealing issues that were talked about non-stop during this weekend.
Some were totally justified and annoying but at some of the cases I couldn't but think about the very thin line between inspiration, paying homage, and stealing.

I immediately recalled one of Jim Jarmusch's Golden Rules of Filming - Nothing is Original (see above).
One cannot talk about this without being reminded by a second (or first..) great famous quote: "Bad artists copy. Good artists steal" (Pablo Picasso).

Just to clarify, I'm not justifying stealing designs and ideas. I believe that it is wrong and disgraceful.
I am personally familiar with much too many cases of stealing independent designers designes by big name brands, sometimes to the point where the designer had to shut her business down.
I just think we should all be aware that we are not isolated. Our inspiration and ideas comes from similar sources. Most of us are influenced by the same fashions and events. There were and there will (hopefully) always be original minds that come with new and genuine concepts. But then again, Nothing is original....

I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Have a good week friends!


P.S. I couldn't find the source for this excellent poster anywhere. Please give me a shout if you know who is the designer. Thank you!!
Poster by Mark Malazarte (thank you Kim!!!)