Obviously don’t rip off someone else’s design, that’s not going to help you improve. But there’s nothing wrong with allowing yourself to be heavily inspired by designers that are better than you. In fact, it’s probably one of the most efficient ways to learn and become a better designer.
Good artists copy, great artists steal. – Pablo Picasso/ Steve Jobs
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. — Albert Einstein
This isn’t a new idea. People have been learning by stealing for a very long time, and it’s not something anyone should be ashamed about. Most people’s first work is a derivative of someone else’s work. This is true of product design, web design, coding, fine art, writing, and virtually every other discipline.
Here are two well known examples
Andy Warhol, an extremely popular and successful artist, created The Last Supper, which is a copy of Leonardo Da Vinci’s original The Last Supper
Any Warhol’s The Last Supper
Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper
Apple’s iOS multi-tasking interface is copied from Palm’s webOS (source)
Palm WebOS (2009)
Apple iOS (2013)
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