well, actually i do not know the story, but i wish i could understand. i have decided to write this post today due to another sad story, but i have been thinking about it for quite a while. if you are a photographer, designer, blogger… whatever actually, there is always the chance that your work is being copied. well, this is actually one huge disadvantage of all this online presence and business. people see what you do, what you create, how you do it, and most of the times, they all do this in a very quiet way. and then… suddenly your work is somehow present in another person’s work, blog, photography… who knows what else?
today i decided to write this post, because a friend of mine saw her work being copied and sold at craft fair this weekend. the thing is whoever knows her work, will also know that those fabric dolls were nothing but a cheap copy. her name is rita pinheiro and she manages {matilde beldroega}.
a few months ago, another well-known designer, saw her work being copied… not only the work itself, but the way she styled the pictures to promote her work. the other woman apologized… yet kept doing the same. the designer is {sandra juto} and she knits the famous {wristworms}.
before summer, another friend of mine, well-know for living one delightful handmade life in the most english countryside, shared the same thoughts on her blog. people copying so much of what she does… even the posts she writes… the clutches she sews, the photos she takes to promote the clutches. her name is {concha} and she is the one behind {saídos da concha}.
there are too many of these stories… i just shared three.
why people do what they do when they do a bad thing? well, i honestly have no clue. i was raised to be honest and true to myself. i was raised knowing that stealing was a bad thing, even when internet was not around. and when internet came, stealing kept being a bad thing. just made it easier i think. but then you have this usual conversation… what is copycat? what is inspiration? what is really our own idea? all these doubts & questions are acceptable… with reasonable doubt! i know a copycat of my work if i see one. i know someone who got inspired from me, if i bump into such work. and i also know that my ideas are indeed inspired by what i see & live. i know that my {chevron notebook} was inspired by this {one}.
inspiration is sometimes a hard thing. because we need to be really honest (almost in a tough way) to know if we are being just inspired or if it is too much inspiration and little imagination. we need to be true to ourselves. stealing is easy. creating something different… now that is the hard part. do we feel weakened when that happens? we must not feel like that, but instead feel the strength to make it even better, to change, to innovate. because if some idea was really ours, then it is only in our head, the power to make it even better. and copycats will have to figure out the next step. we know where to go. they just sit and wait for our call. they are the weak ones.
and this stealing and copycat lousy work is not only present in the final work, what defines what we do. it is also in the way we style things… it is also in the way we design our blogs. the way we live our lives. and it does not only come from the quiet ones. i have seen this blog inspiring others. but in that “too much” way. and sometimes that person is not that unknown. blog designs should also be personal. think for yourselves… see what you like, but then come up with something different! i do that, why don’t you?
the story behind those who steal is yet unknown. everyone will have a different excuse, or will not assume the copy. they are still out there, as there are bad people… liars… envious… well, as much as anything else in this world, those who rather follow the easy way will always be present. we just need to come up with better ideas. still, it annoys. it is our hard work. and for those who don’t know, will think that, what they are looking at is the original deal. and that, my friends, that upsets a lot. and has upset a lot of people out there. still, we are way better.
and with this i wish you a delicious tuesday! hope you feel at least a bit of strength and encouragement after this! and you, who know exactly that i am talking about you… do yourself a favour. re-invent yourself. happiness will taste a lot sweeter!
Ana says
Valente desabafo!
Já vi muitas situações como as que referes, mas por muitas mais que veja estas continuaram a existir.
Temos de lutar pelo nosso trabalho mas não podemos deixar que isto nos afecte de tal forma que passemos a vida à espera de ser copiados.
Temos que passar à frente e desenvolver novas ideias.
E tu és uma fonte de ideias, pelo que não se esgotarão tão cedo!
MissLilly says
sad but true!!! There is no merit on doing that and I don’t understand why people do it. For me is a matter of respect like everything else in life. I might quote some works, in order to promote them and recognize their good work but not just steal their ideas. I wouldn’t be happy if someone do the same thing to me. Again it’s all a matter of principle and unfortunately we know there are a lot of people without any…
Good post dear. I think it’s important to raise these type of questions. And we love your work, I would recognize it everywhere :)
Claire | Hearthadndmadeuk says
hmm… its tough…. for people who are selling rip offs.. thats just bad. not acceptable in any way at all what so ever…
when I was starting to craft… when i didnt have a clue at all… I would have seen something and tried to recreate it, it was something I did to learn as a practice as it was a way I learnt in my degree to emulate the styles and work of others… (i never would have blogged about it or if i posted a picture i would have sourced the original to show what i was trying to do) now I know techniques and how things are done I try to take inspiration and work on my own style and pieces I make.
It also is fair to say that nothing is really new anymore. I have a degree in photography from yeeeears ago and really..there is very rarely an image I see that i havent seen before.. or style I havent already seen. I rarely get excited about images unless theyre amazingly styled or insanely good quality which is very rare these days. I could probably name a handful of amazing photographers and stylists. Unfortunately the best ones get nabbed up by stock photography companies and lose their identity.
Peoples inspiration and ideas are usually something that has been done before which is unfortunate.
Sandra Juto is definitely the exception, her work is fabulous.
I tried to find the posts you talk about but i cant seem too.. looking through the Saidos site and her clutch pictures look really basic. In fact im almost certain ive taken images like that for items i had posted on ebay. theres no real styling to those images that people wouldnt instantly think of so tarring people with the copying brush for images like this I think could be quite unfair. I love her interior styling images that are on flickr.. and she is such a talented sewer!!
Id love it if you could put up the links to the copiers and the work. Made by girl did a fabulous post on the same subject and outed the copycats. I would never copy and sell an independent artists or photographers work. If i want their images I will buy them online (price permitting of course) but I will always credit.. I think its important to remember that in the world of blogging nothing is really sacred, original or new anymore and it will be copied. Theres nothing really you can do about it (i used to get very upset about people copying my work, and really annoyed) if i see any copycats I taddle (a girl on deviant art was offering some vol 25 graphics as free downloads which was just not on)
My advise is to have a creative commons license on your blog and demand that a credit is necessary as people will copy. I would take it as a compliment.. that your work is worth it. I think going along the upset and angry route with someone you dont know (could be insane) could stir up some bad blood. Usually if you are polite and ask for an original link to your work you will get results. That way you will get the credit you deserve. People can try to copy but they will never be as good as the original and as long as there is awareness within the community of craftiness people will support you. However if people are selling copies… get your taddle tail hat on ^_^
Good post. I just discovered your blog this morning and ive lots to catch up on
That was way too much thinking for so early in the morning lol
Denise says
here’s to the beauty of original work, original inspiration and the satisfaction of creating something pure…:)
Amanda says
I made a rose cake. http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/2011/02/rose-cake-tutorial.html I just found out that someone is publishing a cookcook and putting that design in her book. When confronted, she declared that it was her idea and it was hers to use. There was nothing I could do.
She is right. I can either sit in anger and resentment and the unfairness of it all… or let it go. I decided to do that latter… but I have to work at it everyday. Everyday is about forgiving her and everyday it gets a little easier.
Your line: ” it is our hard work. and for those who don’t know, will think that, what they are looking at is the original deal. and that, my friends, that upsets a lot. and has upset a lot of people out there. still, we are way better.” Is exactly it. Its hard to see people selling our ideas and profiting from it. To see people oohh and aahh over them… weren’t those oohhs and aaahhh’s meant for me?
Someone (lots of people really) told me, you need to accept that people will be making your stuff and will be posting it on the internet will be buying it in bakeries and that is the price we pay when we publish our work.
I am still pondering that. :)