Graphic Design and It's displacement for cookie cuter solutions in the POD space

[OiStepanka]

(If this topic is too much a part of the commercial web just tell me and I'll take it down. I however merely intend to speak on the issues only as an artist.)

So I 'm a graphic designer by day, and in the sphere of print on demand apparently the rumbling around the web is that .. companies are no longer allowing folks to use clip art or media galleries to make bank if they are not the original creator. I have have a lot of thoughts about this.

For starters to be really raw, I feel like so many people have just ran around with my profession. Just making it seemingly worthless due to a copy paste culture mentality. Like.. actual graphic designers, artist in general .. we work hard. Reallly hard to make things from scratch (and/or compilation.) But making things from scratch takes time. This issue directly connects with certain aspects of the YesterWeb (the manifesto of antiquity lol) in it that over commercialization has let to the rapid fire of the creation of media that gets one meager look and it's on to the next thing. It creates a depersonalization and dehumanization that really make one wonder as an artist, if you are even good enough to make/create something people would like and find necessary, and along with that an income from this profession. An income that allows you to continue doing what you love and generating value to your clients, and thus society and your community at large.

It is really worrisome. Many of the would be graphic design purest i.e. those creating intellectual property posters, ironically enough, advertisements in the traditional sense.. actually started selling t-shirts (and I mean full in house operations: screen printing, heat pressing, DTG etc.) Because.. with supposedly anybody being able to do "graphic art" they felt displaced and felt as though physical wearable products.. is all they were left able to do with the occasional advertisement job for let say a festival, and organization and what have you.

Otherwise it can be a dry spell from hell. And you wouldn't think it, seeing all the graphic based media online.. But this is a whole subject by itself and I don't want to get off topic which is Print On Demand and the people who use clipart they don't own to make a side hustle.

Canva has apparently stated in one of their terms of service (item 5 I believe) that people, even with a pro account can no longer use their media library as a standalone option for print on demand i.e. a design out their collection as is, not altered.

This very point to me says.. and validates. Graphic Design. IS a PROFESSION. Even though a lay person can feel more than welcome to have fun and learn. When it comes to the business side.. Graphic Designers have to know the laws, have to know what alteration means and part of me is glad the distinction is being made again. Which gives me hope that, even in the face of ai.. that human touch is still required.. that actually working directly with a person actually matters. That I, and my fellow peers have a place in society. Like, we want to give people what they want! And I have a deep respect for DIY alternative culture. However, theres a certain respect that needs to make a comeback, that while anyone could do the basics of design.. certain things take skill. Skills people worked decades to build. And even Ai will never displace that. It could on the contrary, enhance it.

I'm not really concerned about mid journey or any other iteration that follows in the same vein. It's good art but.. theres just that little spark of magic people add to it that makes it special. At least to me. If anything, I am excited to learn how to be better and perhaps see things I might not have caught before.

If anyone else is a graphic artist/designer/ artist in general. How do you feel about this subject and what has been your experience?