Google Translator

Recommended Links

Monday, February 28, 2011

Creativity, Inspiration & Copying...

Well, I certainly picked a controversial subject!
Opinion appears to be firmly divided between people who are sellers and those who are hobbyists; by the comments that I received, it seems that many more sellers are affected by copiers than I thought.

I don't want to harp on this topic; it appears every so often & I think I mentioned it once before. It was not my intention to do more than remind people that giving credit is simply good manners. Now having said that, it's sometimes extremely difficult to remember where your inspiration came from.

A couple of years ago, I made a fimo mouse sleeping inside a real size teacup; I placed a letter to Santa and a plate full of cookies & carrots next to him. I just knew I'd seen that before but couldn't for the life of me remember where. Several months later I found the original. It had been an image on a Christmas card.

On a miniature site, well known for its Saturday tutorials, the lady whose pumpkin pram started this latest round, showed off her latest creation. I saw her post, fell in love with her creation & proceeded to make one just like it ...and then posted my version almost directly below hers. Who knows how long it had taken to perfect hers. Obviously mine looked nowhere near what it was meant to be; as we say here: close but no cigar! But the lady in question got extremely upset. So maybe long standing feelings of guilt caused me to dust this topic off again.

Here's a few email quotes sent to me about it. I'm not going to name names and I hope the people who wrote them won't object:

"It (i.e. copying) certainly shows no imagination, no original creativity and NO TALENT."

"I would rather have the creativity and have everyone copying me than to NOT have the creativity and have to copy everyone else."

"I say create and be happy. Be inspired and give credit. Don't blatantly copy."

I think that says it all! So nuff said!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me show you what I've been making lately:

These were inspired by a tutorial from Kris of 1inchminis. Here's the link but before you point your finger at me, let me just say that there were a lot of baskets that didn't make it and a lot of sewing baskets made before I was happy with my adaptation.

Oh and by the way, here's what Kris wrote me: "This is the best compliment you could give me, taking a tutorial and making it your own. I love it and I am so glad to see you using the information." Thanks Kris!
Now isn't it nice when you give credit....

2 comments:

  1. A very nice baskets!!
    The tutorials are for that.
    It is a pleasure to see how others do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You certainly chose one hot topic Karin! If I hadn't seen your post, I wouldn't have known anything about the fiasco until D's last post. I agree a very much divided subject and one I don't think Blogland will ever recover from sadly. I have been put off from posting for a while and no not because of the fear of copiers! lol

    Great baskets, I don't think I could make them, but I'd like to try as I can see them in different colours and more in keeping with my project themes! :o))

    Michelle xx

    ReplyDelete

Always love hearing from you....