Industry Structure

DESIGN HOUSES
A design house is a company that employs individual illustrators and graphic designers to work on briefs from clients in the design house and externally. The employees are to work within their 'house style'.
Case study: 'I love dust' http://ilovedust.com/

FREELANCE
A freelancer is a person who works for themselves - is self-employed. They must work from a legal structure. Unlike a design house, they must secure commissioned work themselves. They can be represented by an agency who will sell their work for them and will take a percentage of their earnings.
Case study: - 'Ed Grace' http://www.edgrace.co.uk/

NETWORKS
Building a network has been made much easier with online social networking sites like behance and Facebook.

• Building a network
• Support your market
• Introduce to new markets
• Expanding opportunities
• Creative CV's

COLLABORATION

• Building a network
• Support your market
• Introduce to new markets
• Expanding opportunities

EXHIBITIONS

• Selling artwork
• Originals
• Limited editions
• Site specific
• Installations
• Self initiated 
• Commissioned

COMETITIONS

• National and International recognition
• Opens up possibilities
• Exposure to a wider audience
• Work is often exhibited or published
• Potential prize money

Agencies

Illustrators are represented by an agency or work in house.
If you work for an agency you work within the house style. If you are freelance or represented by an agency, you are employed for your individual illustration style.

Agencies work on behalf of illustrators. They find the illustrator new clients, help promote the illustrator, develop their portfolios and give the illustrator feedback on their work.

Where do you see yourself?
I would like to be represented by an agency and eventually become freelance. I think that being a part of an agency is important for me as an illustrator to help me understand which area of illustration I would like to go into the most. An agency would also help me make contacts which could benefit me later on if I become freelance. I would even like to consider starting my own illustration agency eventually. However, I don't want to limit myself to one area of illustration style;  I want to leave the door open for many job opportunities and set myself apart from others.

How do you want yourself to be represented?

I'm not sure how I would like to be represented just yet. I think I need more information on the pros and cons of being apart of an agency before I decide.
I'd like to learn more about the cuts they take out of your profit and how much work on average you would get.

How do you want to be perceived by the market?

I want my illustrations to be recognisable by the style so I am probably most suited to freelance work rather than working for a design house.

How do you want to win commissions?
I'm not entirely sure yet.

Plagiarism

'Misappropriate content and wrongly attribute it to oneself': This means copying someone else's original idea or concept without any acknowledgement of the original source and passing the idea off as your own. By performing this act it can prevent you from getting further work. Future employers tend to check up on your past in order to judge whether you are suitable employee - if plagiarism was detected in your check up then you would certainly not be getting a job. Each employer or client wants your services to be original otherwise they could be sued by the creator whose work you are imitating. To stop this from happening Copyright infringement laws are put into place. Plagiarism should be seen as a serious copyright infringement, but unfortunately without copyrighting it is not illegal.  Therefore, copyright laws and creative piracy protection are there to ensure your ideas are safe and can be counted as your own.  Plagiarism can easily be prevented by acknowledging the original source where your ideas came from in your work - especially the things you find on the internet


Iconic images do not tend to be plagiarised because everyone already knows who the idea belongs to.The style in which 'The Great wave off Kanagawa' was painted is often copied but the outcomes are parodies of his painting. This is not plagiarism because there is a clear link of who is belongs to.

Unfortunately some people still attempt to plagiarise well known designs. Plagiarism is very common even amongst big companies such as apple. Apple was accused of plagiarising the iconic swiss clock design. The clock originated in Swiss railway stations. They claim that they did not permit apple to use the design and that they do not have a license to use it. Apple have not only plagiarised SBB but they have also copied the 1977 Braun ET44and ET66 calculators.

http://www.wired.com/2007/07/iphones-design/#comments
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/21/3367216/apple-sbb-mondaine-clock-watch-design-plagiarism