An artist recently sued Apple over the use of some work published as part of its “Start Something New” campaign. Romero Britto filed the lawsuit, alleging that artwork similar to his appeared on one section of the official Apple website. The art was used to show examples of artwork to inspire users with various apps.
Apple art infringement
The piece in question is credited to Craig & Karl and was described to encourage use of painting app Waterlogue on the iPad Air 2. Apple retail stores reportedly featured the same artwork. The court documents filed with the United States District Court of the Southern District of Florida say people who thought he did the work himself contacted him.
According to the documents, the reports ranged from incorrect congratulations to collector inquiries who wanted to know if Britto was behind the work seen via Apple. He soon discovered that Craig & Karl created similar art for years. The filing states Britto’s trademark style is using thick black lines, bright colors, and various pattern combinations. A visual comparison shows strong similarities between the artists’ styles.
Britto’s lawyer opens up about lawsuit
Britto is well-known for this work as it is displayed in many locations throughout the world. He has also teamed up with companies for various advertising campaigns. His lawyer Robert Zacco described him as a peace-loving guy who doesn’t usually file lawsuits. He is only filing the lawsuit because he believes his work is professionally abused and needs to defend his property.
He filed the lawsuit on April 6, and it contains a total of 29 pages. The lawsuit names Karl Maier, one-half of the Craig & Karl art team. He previously contacted Apple and requested that they stopp using Craig & Karl’s art but did not receive a response. He is seeking fees in damages and legal matters. Britto also filed an injunction against Apple for using the art.
