Clip art parts and pieces
Not every project requires a “from scratch” solution. When I was asked to create an illustration to promote a program centering on a “reef” metaphor, I tracked down a clip art image from Dynamic Graphics (figure 1).
Problem was, there was more there than I needed. The solution was to choose some representative parts and pieces (figure 2) and add a couple of elements of my own (the background) to create a simplified version (figure 3).
It is important to note that this is just an illustration used to promote a program—it is not a “logo.” Most clip art and royalty-free and stock photography publishers draw the line at using their artwork for logos. Why? If they allowed you to claim a trademark on an image that included a part or piece of their illustration, it would create a conflict of ownership. In most cases, unless you buy complete rights to an image, ownership is retained by the artist or publisher.
