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9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off
A veteran illustrator imparts practical advice for the working creative with candid humor
New York Times and New Yorker illustrator Raymond Biesenger has over twenty years of experience as a self-employed creative. You might say he’s been through it from chasing down a concert promoter for payment on a fifty-dollar Megadeth poster design, to a regular stint at Monocle, to confronting a government agency for stylistic theft. Biesinger’s ingenuity for solving the most unexpected issues extends far beyond his primary task of filling the page.
Sure, everything an aspiring creative needs to know might be at their fingertips. But the question of what to do when their work has been exploited remains. In 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off, Biesenger undertakes the challenge of answering that ever-present question by revisiting some of the most unforgettable—and at times—irrationally absurd moments in his career with a wink and an encouraging nudge. 9 Times… proves time and time again that creative problems will more often than not require creative solutions.
This portable, and elegantly illustrated guide to navigating and maneuvering the least glamorous aspects of the creative industry is a future classic suitable for everybody from the earnest novice to the seasoned professional.
New York Times and New Yorker illustrator Raymond Biesenger has over twenty years of experience as a self-employed creative. You might say he’s been through it from chasing down a concert promoter for payment on a fifty-dollar Megadeth poster design, to a regular stint at Monocle, to confronting a government agency for stylistic theft. Biesinger’s ingenuity for solving the most unexpected issues extends far beyond his primary task of filling the page.
Sure, everything an aspiring creative needs to know might be at their fingertips. But the question of what to do when their work has been exploited remains. In 9 Times My Work Has Been Ripped Off, Biesenger undertakes the challenge of answering that ever-present question by revisiting some of the most unforgettable—and at times—irrationally absurd moments in his career with a wink and an encouraging nudge. 9 Times… proves time and time again that creative problems will more often than not require creative solutions.
This portable, and elegantly illustrated guide to navigating and maneuvering the least glamorous aspects of the creative industry is a future classic suitable for everybody from the earnest novice to the seasoned professional.
- GenresNonfiction
212 pages, Paperback
Published October 21, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 29, 2025
This gem of a book is required reading for aspiring and practising illustrators and other creative types that consider themselves to be under or adjacent to the umbrella of graphic design.
As someone who has worked with copyright issues for more than a decade, it’s exceedingly rare for me to read a book written by a non-lawyer that gets into the copyright weeds without wanting to throw that book across the room at least once. This book didn’t get thrown. Biesinger provides a rare mix of common sense, real world practice, and careful analysis of legal basics related to copyright law and its application in the (commercial) visual arts.
As someone who has worked with copyright issues for more than a decade, it’s exceedingly rare for me to read a book written by a non-lawyer that gets into the copyright weeds without wanting to throw that book across the room at least once. This book didn’t get thrown. Biesinger provides a rare mix of common sense, real world practice, and careful analysis of legal basics related to copyright law and its application in the (commercial) visual arts.
November 17, 2025
AI is discussed very briefly at the end, but its wild how easy it is to rip off creatives using stuff like Mid journey. Even I've experimented with replicating some of the classic poster advertisements using AI for my own ads.
I really enjoyed this guide/memoir. Some of his advice can be applied to any situation where you're wronged by a stronger party. I really wish Biesinger had spilled the tea and named names... but he takes the high road here. Also, I assume most of the ad agencies that ripped him off have closed their doors or spun up under new corps. Ultimately I think there's a disconnect between creatives that actually care about their work and sycophantic corporations who just want to make money. The law unfortunately doesn't help the creatives in a meaningful way.
I really enjoyed this guide/memoir. Some of his advice can be applied to any situation where you're wronged by a stronger party. I really wish Biesinger had spilled the tea and named names... but he takes the high road here. Also, I assume most of the ad agencies that ripped him off have closed their doors or spun up under new corps. Ultimately I think there's a disconnect between creatives that actually care about their work and sycophantic corporations who just want to make money. The law unfortunately doesn't help the creatives in a meaningful way.
December 28, 2025
It's a weird spot to be in, pursuing a lasting career in the tail end of a dying industry.This book might not be relevant in 5 years, but I enjoyed sharing in the collective irritation of being ripped off and a hatred for AI.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews