Regular readers of this blog, from what in internet terms probably is classed as “days gone by,” will remember a post I did on plagiarism and such in January this year. The latter part of it had an example of rather spectacular tracing of one of my cartoons by a Private Eye cartoonist.
One thing is for certain. The offending cartoonist doesn’t read this particular blog, because she’s been at it again in a cartoon for the latest issue – in an equally shameless manner. Coincidentally she’s copied a cartoon I did of Obama published in The Times on the same day as I posted the aforementioned post!
What’s so incredible with this particular tracer, is the fact that she is so extraordinarily blatant about it.
She doesn’t even change the angle of Obama’s head! As with the Peter Hain rip off, it is copied down to the last wrinkle. The fact that she can’t even come up with her own pattern for his tie, probably sums it up.
You kind of have to admire her audacity though, even drawing it using much of the same technique as me, for a magazine that specializes in uncovering similar offenses among other organs’ contributors.
Oh well…
UPDATE:
Thanks to all of those who have emailed me about this issue with advice and annoyance. Many have emailed wanting to know the identity of the cartoonist, but I really don’t feel we’ll gain anything by outing this person. I posted it on this blog, after some thought, just to show an extreme example of unacceptable practice. I wasn’t planning on taking it any further, but given the reaction of many fellow cartoonists I decided to try to contact the cartoonist directly. When that failed I contacted Private Eye, and they have given me a very reassuring response.
Unless something similar happens again, that’s case closed.
June 23, 2008 at 18:01 |
Go on ! What’s her name ? How d’you know its a her ? Would she like to join PCO ? We could charge her double to make up for nicking your stuff.
June 23, 2008 at 18:35 |
Hehe, I’m sorry Bill. I genuinely don’t want to name and shame.
It’s just a mildly outrageous act that needs to end.
Inviting her to join PCO is perhaps not such a bad idea!
June 24, 2008 at 9:20 |
Wow. There should be an award for Excellence in Plagiarism. That’s just amazing.
And it’s not like this is a blip either, as far as I can tell she just produces one or two very small illustrations a week. But still it seems all her efforts go into tracing your stuff!
I think as it’s a second offence you should definitely complain… I think I might myself actually…
June 24, 2008 at 9:24 |
It’s not a photograph?
June 25, 2008 at 13:07 |
[...] Times of London cartoonist Morten Morland catches a Private Eye cartoonist ripping off his work… again.. (Hat tip: Tom [...]
June 25, 2008 at 15:15 |
Oh dear, I really hate Private Joke. I’m going to have to buy this to check it out and I’ll hate doing that, so I’m probably going to have to name names.
The face actually looks like it has been run through Adobe Streamline and just, well, used.
June 25, 2008 at 15:17 |
Oh by the way, I’m nicking your side-by-side. But I’ll credit you.
Bill Stott eh, ‘The Fauves are Crap’. What year was that?
June 25, 2008 at 21:22 |
Good cartoon, by the way.
June 29, 2008 at 11:55 |
According to at least one, possibly two journalists, because you seem to be happy with the ‘reassuring response’ from Private Eye, there is no need to investigate the Eye’s apparently casual approach – twice.
You do, however, end with a caveat: “Unless something similar happens again, that’s case closed.”
My view remains that Private Eye should be more public about making sure this does not happen again (which they might well do). Apart from innate curiosity (now sated!), I have no desire to out any particular cartoonist. Just for journalistic checks and sums to balance.
Euphrosene
June 29, 2008 at 12:44 |
Euphrosene, I would have agreed with you (and many others) if indeed Private Eye had taken a casual approach – twice.
But from the response I got, I don’t think that’s the case. This is an experienced cartoonist, so I can’t see why they should have had any reason to question her contributions.
My issue is not with Private Eye as a magazine, so I have no interest in somehow making them taste their own medicine, as some have suggested.
All a further pursuit of this case would lead to, is naming and shaming.
If it can be sorted out internally I think that’s a better solution.
June 30, 2008 at 13:57 |
You do understand someone named her in the replies to your January post, right?
Look, every cartoonist knows who she is, and it’s not fair to write about the Eye, as I did today and infer that Ken Pyne and Mike Heath are lazy, but not mention Kathryn Lamb. That would be unfair.
Anyway, the Eye made a big deal about old Doctor Raj, so it takes these things seriously:>)
April 15, 2009 at 12:04 |
After reading this article, I just feel that I need more information on the topic. Can you suggest some more resources please?