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Copy or just the same style

M

Mark Warden

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Copy or just Inspiration

I recently watched a video of the late Frank Sudol talking about copying others work. He made some very good points but left me wondering what is copying and what is just liking a style and recreating your own piece in that style.Kinda like music there is only so many chord progressions your bound to sound like someone else even if its not a conscious decision.
 
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I think it gets down to intent:
If you attribute your inspiration (assuming you have one) to the originator - of your knowing, then it's "in the style of."
IF you are replicating, without attribution and or with an eye on deception - "I don't know who made it, it LOOKS like the work of... to me," in hopes of getting a bigger/BIG price, it's a copy.
At least in my opinion.
 
A couple of questions: If I see something which is made from a different material - ceramic for instance - and I turn that shape out of a chunk of wood - is it insperation or a copy?

If I see a woodturning that I like, and I make one similar but in my style - is it insperation or a copy?

Hugh
 
shapes

So me a shape that someone back in history hasn't already made. We all copy or imitate shape whether by intention or not. The trick is whether you try to pass it off as someone elses. Even the big names are using shapes that have already been somewhere back in history, probably in pottery or ceramic.

Vernon
 
Vernon You are correct, but usually they have added their own details, such as Ellsworth's use of spalting or John Jordan's use orienting the wood to accentuate the sap wood.
We all are influenced by what is around us and what we've seen. It only natural then that you will find shapes that you unintentionally copy. I think what we are trying to avoid is purposely copying someones, style, not necessarily the shape.
 
Mark,

Before you get too far into this, use the search function for threads on "Plagiarism" You'll find some monster discussions in the archives.
 
I see two sides to this discussion. I see someone post "inspired by" on a piece of work that has no worldly comparison to the inspiration. I feel it's a sleazy attempt to capitalize on someone else's name. I have students who try to copy my design in class, I do tell them to design one for themselves but...
At the same time, who among us has done something truly original? A peppermill is a copy of another peppermill, or how close does it have to be? If it has two beads is it a knock off of mine, or was I the inspiration, or is it two beads?

I think we need to be guided by our conscience.
 
My good friend who was riding with me to a club meeting tonight said that a lot of people copy his work. He is an expert at turning wood that cracks and has large tool marks and tearout. He said you guys probably even copy the catches that he so successfully achieves, especially with the skew.
 
Must practice skew catches tomorrow. Meanwhile, seems like George covered it pretty well. If you lie and cheat, you are a lier and a cheat. If you tell the truth, still good to have a file full of signed "hold harmless" agreements.
 
(Of questionable accuracy):

Oscar Wilde heard a particularly witty remark, and said "I wish I'd said that."
An onlooker replied, "Don't worry, Oscar; you will."
 
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