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Copying, inspiration, plagiarism. Where is the boundary? (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star) 🥷


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335. Copying, inspiration, plagiarism. Where is the boundary? (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star)

Loosely accompanies Gab & Jam,

335. Copying, inspiration, plagiarism. Where is the boundary? (for the D.I.Y. Rock Star)

(video:  https://bit.ly/335copyvid and podcast:  https://bit.ly/335copypod )


In this post, we will be considering the following questions:  

  • Where do we draw the line between copying, inspiration, and plagiarism?

  • Where might we cross lines without realizing?

  • Is it okay if I copy somebody to learn?




Check out the episode for the full discussion.


This topic was inspired by Art Juice: A podcast for artists, creatives and art lovers: Inspiration, Emulation or Outright Theft? [260], Jul 22, 2024


 


On how we arrive at our topic ideas:



Firstly, we get our topic ideas from other podcasters and journalists who have written something that moves us, so THIS question really made us wonder if it’s okay to take another’s work.  But I would say that, first and foremost, we make a BIG deal to point to the original inspiration, so that you can check it out, we summarize their points and add our own reflections on the thoughts, and if we use quotes, we are sure to cite them properly.  So, in that way, I think it’s more about inspiration than copying. –But maybe you all, as listeners, can let us know how you feel about how we handle what WE talk about on this podcast. Leave it in the comments below.  


What's covered in this discussion?

But on to the discussion, some points that frame this discussion are:


  • “I copied somebody, is it okay if I sell it? I use someone else's style?”


  • “There is an artist who was a member of my group and who took some things, some of my website design, some graphics that I made, a structure for a membership site, quite a few things, and just replicated them. And I contacted her and never got a response.”



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On to the discussion:


1.  Does this person think it’s okay because…

This person was a part of the podcaster’s group, so perhaps she thought it was okay to share what she had gleaned–DIRECTLY–from the podcaster, including the website and group membership design? As teachers, do we NOT impart ways of being in the word that suggest that it is OKAY to follow us?

 


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2. How do you feel, if you think you’ve been copied?

How do you know if you feel you SIMPLY inspired someone or if you think that they are directly STEALING from your art? How do you make that distinction? 




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3. Their perceived point of view might inform how we feel:

If they feel guilty that they are “found out,” then they should KNOW that they have gone too far, but now how do you feel if you find out that you are directly copied?




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4. The difference…:

If you know that someone is JUST learning from you, you might take umbrage to it.  But when they message you and tell you that they have DIRECTLY copied your work makes you feel a certain way.  But the podcasters say that they know that the student has simply copied their work, the original artists KNOW that the work DOESN’T have the complexities of their art, it does not threaten them or make them feel as if this is a person who is PLANNING to compete in that artistic arena.


ALSO, there was a time when there was a company in Russia that tried to copy an exact Alice Sheridan. It was absolutely blatant, AND I just thought, good luck to that. It is NOT going to have the appeal of one of her original works of art. –So, according to the podcasters, when you see something that looks like your work, you have to ask if it’s deliberate or malicious or if it’s done with any “intent.”  If not, it is just re-affirming that they are inspired by the work that you do.



Gab and Jam Episode 46 Steal My Stuff

 

5. What about when folks are copying you to learn?

When someone is copying paintings when they're learning and it HAPPENS to be from you, you might think that's fine–ESPECIALLY, if six months later, you see that they're doing something different. You realize that they are copying you was just their way to get started. –Plus we know that our design will change as we add more to our design arsenal; we will keep improving it as we see fit, which means it may not even be recognized as what it was originally.


6. Templates, darling…: 

The rub of the person stealing this artist’s website and membership design is that BOTH were purchased from templates sold by other entrepreneurs.  So the template wasn’t even created myself from scratch. She says, “I wouldn't even know where to begin doing that.” –But, ALSO, she says, at least, the person got paid for creating that template for us to use–and we think there’s a certain kind of honesty in that. 


7. What if you are selling how to create art a CERTAIN way?  

One of the podcasters paraphrases Brian Rutenberg’s quote that says “copy other people to learn and where you make mistakes is your style.”  Though, she thought it was interesting, it made her think of her own assessment of the fate of creating art.  The podcaster perceives that it's inevitable that you will copy SOMEONE, isn't it? She says that there are times where “you're consciously looking to learn, to absorb, to be observant, to pay attention, to notice what is interesting to you or what you like or what you're responding to. That's the process of making art.”

 

She says, “You are never going to be able to replicate what somebody else does, nor would most people want to. Because that's not where the joy and the satisfaction comes from.”

 

The other podcaster observes that, “That's an achievement, and I suppose even if you could do it, there is a degree of proficiency that comes from being able to do that. But it's not that deep satisfaction from creating something that you know is yours. And I think there is an element of frustration within this, which is, you know, this often happens at a time where you're still searching, you're looking for what your “thing” is.”

 

They also notice that when “You're just at that gathering stage when you’re copying, but that this is a continual process in creating new art. 


8. Does that beginner copying ever stop?

They observe that, “I don't think it's something that just beginners do. I think it's something that even as your own art progresses, you still keep looking outwards. There are things that go into the way you make art that come internally, and there are things that come from external.”


9. Paying attention to “what is in” is its own form of copying:  

They say that “Part of that is the world we live in and [looking at] what other people are creating. What's the zeitgeist at the moment? What's the style? If you look at creativity from the 70s, it has a general theme to it. There is a general feel and that spans from decade to decade.  Looking around and trying interpret your art to fit within the current cultural frame is a form of copying, because we're responding to what we see around us.


10. Is there REALLY original art?!

They ponder, “And there can't be anything completely original in art. There can't be the Smiths if there wasn't the Beatles. But the Smiths don't sound anything like the Beatles, but they are a guitar band singing pop songs, which couldn't exist before the Beatles.”

 

But they say the Beatles couldn't exist without the fact they lived in Liverpool, where all the rock and roll records were coming into the docks and they could get that music before anyone else. And the rock and roll couldn't exist without the black music and the blues and so on and so on and so on and so on. That’s the rub of it all; copying leads to innovation, but only if it is copying to discover and tap into something that includes your own energy.

 

11. How does THINKING someone has copied you make you feel?

How does it ACTUALLY affect me, the artist? The podcasters agree that whether the offending artist is copying my style as a part of independent study, then that’s fine.  The problem is that, if they end up approximating my style and then try to make it seem as if it is their own and are profiting off of it.  They also decide that if I don't know about it, it's not affecting what I do on a day to day basis. They continue to say that, it's not affecting the people who are following me or interested in collecting my work, even though it might feel like a threat when you discover it. But is it really? Perhaps your reaction to what they have done MIGHT be the key to whether it “affects” you.  It is SO disturbing that you cannot continue to want to express your own muse in your OWN way, then there is a chance they MAY have crossed the line.   

 

12. If you’re teaching folks your techniques… :

However, they say, if you do a course where you teach people your techniques, you have to expect that someone is going to go in and use them, so DON’T be surprised when they create something that DIRECTLY copies something that you’ve taught.  –In fact, you should EXPECT it. THAT’S not something you can get upset at and you just have to take it in stride.  

 


 


 

The BIG deal?

Well, those are some things to consider as you encounter work that seems a copy of what you do.  Hopefully, these ideas help you put your reactions in perspective, so that you AREN’T thrown off from your own creative path, which is likely to grow BEYOND anything someone could think to copy.



 

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What do you think?

When is it okay to copy creatively?

Where is the line?

We’d love to hear what you have to say! Leave them in the comments below.



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So, will we do it again? HELL, YEAH! 🙌🏾 In fact, our NEXT livestream is scheduled for soon, where we will debut the next music video for Bourgeoisie Paper Jam’s album “Obtanium Flow” --unless you are a member of our Patreon community. (If you’re in our Patreon, you will see the video one week earlier. Join here.)


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Here’s what we’re into now:

· We’re featured in Variety Magazine! https://bit.ly/featuresxsw2023

· The video for “Every Heartbeat” is doing well in Indonesia! https://bit.ly/everyheartbeatvid

¡ The Tony Webb "Funkalicious" video is going crazy in Honduras, y'all! https://bit.ly/twebbfunkaliciousvid

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If you like this, you might enjoy:

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¡ 7 Strategies for rebounding from creative burnout: https://bit.ly/239digoutofburnoutblog

¡ How to give better interviews (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/236betterinterviewsblog

¡ How to give better live performances: https://bit.ly/219betterliveblog

¡ How to collaborate better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/Ep163collaborateblog

¡ How to write quicker, but better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/228writebetterblogpost

¡ Should you ever play for free? https://bit.ly/214playfreeblog

· 17 Tips for taking better band photos—ESPECIALLY if you taking them yourself: http://bit.ly/betterbandphotos



 

NOW:

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Until next Monday, here’s wishing love, peace, and chicken grease!



Did you know that along with putting together our next album, we are working on our first book? Here’s the link, if you want to pre-order: https://bit.ly/diybookorder

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