The Sticky Topic of Copying

Started by ♥♥Tan♥♥, May 25, 2010, 06:18:33 PM

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♥♥Tan♥♥

The boundaries between inspiration and copying are extremely blurred and this is an issue that confuses and angers many artists both old and new across all mediums. The questions are endless, as are the answers. This is the place to pose those questions.

Please remember, this topic although an interesting one has raised many emotions in the past so be aware that your words are read by many and are easily misinterpreted without the aid of visual interpretation.


theflyingbedstead

Oh Tan...what have you done? Pandora's box is open!
Charlotte x

♥♥Tan♥♥

It's a topic that rears its head again and again, it makes sense to make it a sticky so that the same arguements aren't dragged out and new views can be introduced.

The mods decided this was the best way to go, it will be interesting reading

julieHB

I'd like you to read Michael Demeng's blog post on this subject - The Artistic Timeline: http://networkedblogs.com/2Vh7e

Julie xx

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Sulis (Hazel)

Thanks Julie for posting that, it's a very interesting and well written point of view  :)

xxx
Hazel x

SilverGems89

that was very interesting reading Julie, and i think i mostly agree  :)

Billie


sublimekate

Quote from: Billie on May 25, 2010, 07:19:46 PM
Julie, I liked that a LOT  ;D

Me also :) Thanks Julie, and Tansky I think having this topic a sticky is a great idea!!

glasseyeyes

A story.....

when I first started lampworking I used to love a good browse at the forums.  One day I came across a thread about copying, it went on and on and on, there was enough stuff in this post to actually frighten you.  Indeed it frightened me, I had only been lampworking a few months.  I was so frightened I hardly dare make a bead, even though my beads were so simple, just in case it looked like anyone elses. I did'nt bother with the forums for ages, I didn't bother to look at other artists sites, so I never bought anything. 

Then having been put off glass, I turned back to polymer clay.  I came across one UK artist site with gorgeous polymer beads.  There, on the front page was a statement, basically saying if you copied her she would consider it a compliment, but not to sell 'her' designs.  Fair enough. So what did I do, I browsed and browsed, her work was fresh and lovely, her attitude, inspiring and encouraging, so I went back to her site many, many times, just to look, ultimately this site inspired me enough to get the glass back out, unfortunately the polymer clay went back in it's box!

Dawn

turnedlight

I agree with the blog, it has been my philosophy too - that I will be moving on all the time anyway. At college they taught us not to be 'precious' about something we have made, when learning to throw pots the teacher cut them all in half so we could check for eveness, despite wanting to keep the pots we had worked towards getting right.
I think our forum gets it right, we share and help each other develop and if there's some technique we'd rather hold on to then that's fine too.
kathryn

nemeton

Great story Dawn :)
I know copying is a very emotive topic but I think it's sad when I meet people who are afraid to show and share their work, either because they are afraid they'll be accused of copying or because they think they may be copied. Personally I'd rather take the risk. I make up most of my patterns as I go along, so I know I haven't intentionally copied anyone, but there are only so many ways of stringing beads together, and my subconscious tends to take over when I'm designing, so there's always the possibility that I've been influenced by something I've seen or read. So far I've been lucky and not trodden on anybody's toes, but I suspect this is only a matter of time  ::)
As for being copied, I've been lucky with this too so far - some other beaders I know have had their work ripped off, copied multiple times, and undersold without their permission. This is a particular risk if you publish or sell tutorials  :( I comfort myself with the knowledge that beadweaving is pretty hard to sell at anything like a realistic price - nobody is going to get-rich-quick with my rose garden collar unless they can get a whole factory of very cheap workers cloning the things - that's why I started selling patterns in the first place. And anyway by the time the market is flooded with cheap imitation rose gardens I'll very likely have moved on and started making seedmaille or something instead. Sometimes there is merit in having a butterfly mind  ::)
I rarely refuse someone permission to make and sell one of my published designs, provided they ask me beforehand and credit me with the design (this is mostly for their customers' benefit rather than for mine: beadweaving customers in particular seem to like to know when something's the maker's original design, and if it's not by the maker then they like to know whose pattern it is  :)) - it isn't as if I'm making hundreds of the same thing anyway, and goodwill is always priceless  :)

Hmm, sorry, I seem to have rambled. Not sure how relevant my experience is to beadmakers but hopefully there is something in this lot that may be useful to someone  ::)
Lynn


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Princess Peggy (Priscilla McGirr)

#11
Thanks Julie.....I really found this link helpful.  As a newbie you are so impressionable and it is a worry when you are copying techniques that others on the forum are talking about , showing and explaining, only to find your beads are (though not as good) starting to look like theirs. ....  It's hard to stamp your own individuality on your  beads when you are still finding your way.

When I started as a potter I came across other potters who jealously guarded their glaze recipies, which was understandable in a way but I passed mine on to people who are still using them today.  
I would like to think that what Tan says about the boundaries between inspiration and copying means that I am inspired!..... in which case, big thankyou to you all.

I suppose the fact that everyone on here is so willing to help and share ideas speaks for itself.   Pris
Pris
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Pandanimal

I wondered if this site would be pertinent to this thread
http://www.creativecommons.org.uk/
Its a new way of looking at copyright.

Nikki

I recently listed a bracelet on Etsy, it had some tiger beads I made. I got an email from another Etsy seller to say that the tiger beads where a copy of hers!!!, I have seen many people make these beads, there are at least 3 tutorial free on the internet and several in books. It's such a common style. I didn't do anything about it. She said she would report the item to Etsy.

I did use a tutorial, Did I copy? or was I inspired? I'm more confused than ever.

julieHB

I would just say you used a technique that is widely known, Nikki! if she does report you and they come back to you then that's what i would say. It's the same with many other techniques as well.
Julie xx

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