Question

[Dark Tower Asylum]

I know copying someone else's work is Ripping especially where not giving credit where it is due.

Recreations are frowned upon

BUT If you use the work in question more as a starting point to create your own work. IE taking someone's layout and improving it and manipulating it to a different or better look. Is this ripping? or Is it just using an inspiration to create an original work?

[TechZsue]

acknowledge the original artist
sometimes it's appropriate to ask for permission

if you are making money on it, getting credit for it, etc you get it...then you're a ripper.

[The Family Slitheen]

But are you a ripper if you say, use a tuturial from one of the Photoshop Most Wanted books as part of your image or a tuturial from the Cafe?

[Phil_The_Rodent]

(a) I wouldn't classify that as ripping, not at all. HOWEVER, by that I mean looking at a work a figuring out what works well and what doesn't and learning from it and coming up with a unique creation that incorporates none of the original material... that's fair game as far as I'm concerned... that's learning how to communicate, layout, etc.

In all honesty, we learn design rules because they work. If we were limited to letting only one person use, say, good repetition of form ...or ...say a colour wheel, then we'd be pretty screwed. Learning from good design is good practice.

Don't take other people's work, not even to adapt it to your own vision. EVER. ...Unless you have express permission from the author or copyright holder. But absolutely figure out what works and what might work better -- and go for it.

(b) No. Tutorials are there to be used, adapted and incorporated into your body of work and expand your toolset. You are only a ripper in this case if you repost the tutorial... even if you use your own words to repeat the same steps. If you adapt the steps to come up with something unique but have used a large portion of someone els'e work to achieve that, it is correct practice to acknowledge whoever's work you're building upon.