Coming from a graphic design background, I treat text as a block of graphics. For me to keep the creativity in my design un-interrupted, I cannot look at text like editors would look at it, otherwise I will loose the visual creative mind. But when it comes to licenses and using resources other than your own the graphic designer has to wear the hat of a lawyer and leave creativity aside to read through the small print. Otherwise a hefty fine can be on your door step which unfortunately happened to me.

The openness of the internet and the massive resources that it holds can be disadvantage to you if you not been careful on how to use it.

I once was designing a website for a small clothing company,  and I was looking for image of two hands shaking, so I thought I would look for one on the web and see if I can change it so it looses its originality. So I did. Four years later I received a letter from a well-known news agency detailing that I have used one of their photos without paying for it or crediting it and the amazing thing is that they outlined aspect of that image to the original, although the image was cropped and changed, some of its features was still present. The fine was for £1,500. Fortunately we had a good lawyer in the house and managed to send them an apology and waved the fine to £0.

For me it was a lesson never to forget, it could have been worse which is to loose my Job.

The moral of the story, no matter how good you might think you are in manipulating other work. Don’t do it, technology is well advance to find you.