I was hired to do a logo for a home
improvement company with the words “overall improvement” included in the name.
The client wanted a pair of overalls or coveralls as part of the logo. I
illustrated a cute pair of blue jean overalls and sent him several designs
using that as part of the design and some using other icons for round one of
the design process.
Client: I hate these.
Me: What don’t you like in particular? I
can change anything you don’t like.
He emailed me a horrible looking cut
and paste job that used comic sans.
Client: You know what? I don’t need you
anymore. I’m going to do it myself.
Obviously, this meant I wasn’t getting
paid. The design he sent me was awful, but that wasn’t the worst of it. The problem
was he was using my illustration of the overalls.
Me: It’s fine if you go your own way with
this, but I have to tell that I designed the illustration you’re using and you’re
either going to have to pay me for that or not use it.
He sent me a series of angry, awful
emails arguing why he should be able to use my illustration for free. Finally
agreed to pay a fee for the overalls after I threatened to sue him for
copyright violation.
The best part? I never gave him a vector
of the file. His professional logo is based on a very small jpg.
the worst thing about spending your life on the internet is that when you’re playing a game like cards against humanity at a party you’re the person who has to explain what things like bukkake are
