OnTheSoapbox: Imitation or Inspiration?
The Internet is a wonderful place. I love that this medium connects people from all over; I love that this channel facilitates a free exchange of ideas.
But like any medium, how people use it can turn the 'Net into a tool for good or the opposite.
Today, my cousin Belinda (http://www.mybeadz.blogspot.com/) discovered yet another almost-exact replica of one of her creations.
Sadly, this is not the first time it has happened. Often, we are told (and given pics and links by concerned well-wishers) of other people who have faithfully re-created (same colours, almost same beads, same configurations) some of our pieces. Interestingly, some of the re-creations also feature almost the same descriptions and/or names .. hahahahaha! Oh and I've also noticed that "On the Soapbox" and some of my FAQ's have made it on to other sites ... near-verbatim. (If you want to use anything, a courtesy e-mail is much appreciated; thanks!)
Shopkeepers also tell her of customers who call, quoting her site and asking for the EXACT SAME beads, charms or whatnots. Belive me, I've heard it myself, so can vouch that it is true.
We're not talking about creations which tend to be more commonplace, but those which are a little more special. And we're not talking about SIMILAR designs, but designs which are almost a photocopy.
Now, either all these were startling examples of coincidence (and coincidences DO happen), or the 99% similarities were deliberately engineered.
And that got me thinking -- where is the line between imitation and inspiration? When does inspiration becomes imitation or is all inspiration some form of imitation anyway?
I mean, I love my friend the other Simone's swirls and I have made some pieces and will continue to make pieces which feature those swirls, but with my own twist (and never as a full necklace or a necklace with donut which is her signature). I am *inspired* by her.
BUT if I were to make an almost carbon copy of Aqua Dreams, but with purple wires and a purple donut instead of blue and call it Amethyst Dreams, for me, that moves into the realm of *imitation*.
What do you think?
Update: Read what I posted in June 2006 about Bead & Button Magazine's article on Beader's Ethics - http://blingalicious.blogspot.com/2006/06/beaders-ethics.html
4 comments:
Positively Imitation, my dear BlingFantastic friend.. It's stealing somebody's idea and turning it to your own for self-profits and undeserved recognition.
I've met people like that and I've been conned many times before only to realise..... Hey! I've seen this piece somewhere!! I know someone who steals ideas and found out that the person charged 4 times of the price of the original pieces available outside. She does have some *original* pieces but I just have certain reservations about whether they are really her designs or not. So both designers AND buyers do get upset too.
I think there are some people who do have inspiration to make jewelry but they don't have their own personal style to create something they can call their own.
Also another sickening thing is that there are prospective buyers who DO request other makers to copy designs and indirectly forcing them to charge a cheaper price. Then they finally get that inspiration to copy as long as they charge lower prices - BUT using inferior quality. Strange enough, some buyers don't mind and they think it's okay for others to copy as long as they don't pay as much.
That's why it's so competitive these days to have your own designs and picking out the best quality. A lot of buyers want "imported" components, one-off designs and yet don't want to pay how much the items are worth. These are the kind of ppl who go to the Copy Cats (that rings a bell. LOL) and the Copy Cats don't mind being unoriginal. Losers. Booo... *thumbs down*
They only know how to make jewelry and not create them. They don't think hard enough and they don't have the real passion for designing. They have no style, no class, and no brains. Bleach.
Those buyers AND Fuji Xeroxes deserve to be punished!
I hold, you spank!... Belle can watch. lol.. You take care! Can't wait to see new Blings *winks*
Yup, we creative people just know how hard it is to have to deal with copycats, don't we? But on a positive note (more like a consolation), only branded things get copied...
This is one of my concerns too :(
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