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Friday, February 25, 2011

For Shame!!

Definition of COPY - An imitation, or reproduction of an original work

Now I know that the miniature world is really an imitation of the real one and we are all copiers in some respect but that does not mean we can blatantly copy what another miniaturist has made without asking for advance permission or giving credit after the fact! It definitely does not mean you can copy to make something to later sell!

I can tell you right now what the result will be: no one will want to show what they're making; most blogs will cease to exist; and this wonderful miniature community of creative artisans will implode & fragment.

All I've heard lately are upset miniaturists who feel betrayed by copiers.
My baby dragon with the butterfly on his nose was copied ...except I didn't find that out until much later because I do not follow the lady who copied me; I do however follow the lady who copied the first copier. I showed my dragon on only two places: on my blog and on a forum that I belong to. The dragon was made following a tutorial but the idea of having a butterfly sit on his nose & having him reach up to it, was mine.
I have seen witches' potion bottles and other accessories copied. And now the latest is a pumpkin pram. I'm not going to name names. That's not my place.

All I'm saying is take heed! If you like things the way they are, if you enjoy seeing what other miniaturists make and being inspired by them, if you take pride in your work and want to show it off, then give credit where credit is due.

22 comments:

  1. I'm right with you there!
    I've stopped showing things on my own blogs because of this...sad, but that's the way it goes :o(
    A lot of folks are saying the same thing too...just makes you wonder how the copiers will cope without their inspiration?

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  2. I agree Karin. I have been copied and no longer post WIP on my blog. What irks me is I spend 15 to 20 hours on something and see a sloppy copy for sale from a follower on my blog. I say onward and upward, I refuse to loose sleep over this.

    Victoria ♥

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  3. I completely agree with you Karin- although I have to admit that sometimes I feel a little scared when I create that I was inspired by someone and forgot. I don't make things to sell, but I do put things I make on my blog all the time. I'm almost positive I have never copied something completely outright unless it was a tutorial- and then I think I've given credit-but it is an important thing to remember-no one would like their idea stolen. I don't think outright complete copying is EVER okay when you are selling- whether the original artist is bothered by it or not. I think if you intend to sell you need to find a style to add your own touch to your work. Like you said- no one really "owns" the idea of something like a potion bottle, etc- but if you are selling you should find a way to make yours unique.

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  4. I also agree with you, Karin....I make food prep table scenes & several of those have been copied right down to every item & placement on the table, but I look at the copier's work & it's really substandard. So, I just sigh & keep on with what I'm creating. It's just not worth the hassle to confront a copier to me :) I think I'm going to start hiding some little symbol on my creations in a place where a copier can't see it LOLOL

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  6. As you know Karin, Hywel and I are sick of spending many, many hours creating something new only for a poor copy to show up for sale on Etsy a couple of weeks later. Which is why we now have our 'invite only, private' blog and have pulled the plug on showing our new work on our old blog. It's a huge shame and I agree if it carries on, it will fragment this little community that we have nurtered. When I started blogging, everyone was supportive and willing to show and share, we did not have the problem of copiers. Over the last year though, there has been a rise in the copiers, copying for their own commercial gain, which is disrespectful and just downright nasty. It leaves a sour taste and pushes us true artists to hide our creations and only sell at fairs and not worldwide, which is a shame for the decent people and those new to the miniature scene who would love to be part of a the careing miniature community we once had.

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  7. I agree that the copiers work is sloppy, in fact it is tat. Whoever buys this rubbish I'll never know as there is far better work out there. It's a shame that people feel the need to steal others ideas, because that's what it is, Stealing.

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  8. It's the worst kind of thievery isn't it?

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  9. I agree with you on some points of this but have been frustrated about another end of the whole copy issue too. A couple of times an idea that I have for a future project, gets posted by someone else before I get around to making it. Now, am I supposed to drop my idea because some one has beat me to it already? I really get frustrated sometimes even viewing others work because I don't want it to stifle my creativity just because someone else has already done something similar. It seems that sometimes it is best to just let go of the worry of someone copying your work because in the end we all have our own take on how we create things and nothing can be made exactly the same. (Buyers are also very aware of who made the "original"). I can't even make doubles of my own work so how could someone else make a double of what I made???? Just my thoughts.

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  10. I agree wholeheartedly with all your comments about copying. In fact I have not put any of my work on my blog for months because although part of me wants to show off the new and unique items I have made (which take a long time to research and build through many prototypes) I am afraid someone with poor morals will copy my work and sell it. I work full time so my minis are a hobby and I sell one or two here and there to fund it. I now sadly seem to only show my work at dolls house club with people I trust.

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  11. Well I agree with Patty, that we can hardly make a copy of our own work, so how could someone else make a copy that looks exactly like it.
    And also with the fact that buyers are aware of who made the originals. (the miniworld is a small world ;)
    Don't get me wrong... I am against mindless copying from others!
    But I refuse to worry if someone will copy one of my creations, because I choose to share them with the world to inspire others, that is what I love to do...
    Make other peoples creative brains get to work... lol!
    I like it myself also when I get inpired by others, but I always make sure to give the credit for it where it is due!

    It is something that has to do with mentality... some people just have bad manners, what can we do about that?
    I just egnore them, because I know that 'what goes around comes around!' you'll see!!

    Hugs, Jollie

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  12. Hmmm....this topic seems to raise it's head every few months or so and always puts me in a quandry.
    I collect a lot of pieces, but I also make a lot of pieces. I spend a lot on my hobby but I also like to have a go myself.
    I enjoy blogging and sharing what I have done, I also enjoy reading blogs and looking on all sorts of websites which means I gather lots of information and inspiration.
    I try to give credit to any idea I have gleaned from other miniaturists but that is not always possible as I simply don't know if the idea is mine or something I may have seen months ago.
    I think it's a great shame that blogging is affected by the concern copyists are causing but not blogging will not prevent such people. If you are selling on Etsy, Ebay or your own web site anyone can view your creations and copy them regardless I am afraid.

    I also have to agree with Patty, apart from the couple of absolutely blatant copyists I have seen selling, some ideas just seem to do the rounds so discovering where they started is a pointless excercise.

    As a buyer I have a number of favourite artisans whose work I respect and trust. I might see a pipe smoking, beer swilling, pyjamed wizard, I then ask my favourite wizard maker to put such a character together for me.......She will then make the wizard in her style, and so on.

    I know it must drive the truly creative mad but I for one would be lost without all the help and support I have received from all the fabulous people in Blogland.

    Phew! That's all Folks!!!

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  13. I'm sorry to hear this has happened to you Karin. We all know the real artisans from the copiers. Please continue to share your work!
    I love seeing what everyone is doing!
    I've found "my" picnic table, adirondack chairs and garden arbor on Ebay. I really don't care because I don't sell my minis. Plus, the things I make are mostly copies of REAL life things. If I do make something that I saw on another blog, I always link and give credit where credit is due.
    It's sad that some people profit from the ideas of others.

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  14. This is issue it going to raise its head again and again and it’s a total quagmire in my humble view.

    When is a copy a copy? My interpretation would be an exact copy of a unique idea, in colour, shape, design etc and if it’s a house etc then the exact layout etc. We are ‘all’ inspired by something or someone along the way and we may not always be sure when or who by at times. When something similar is made in this instance, no malice was intended and we should keep that in mind. :o)

    It doesn’t matter whether one sells mini’s or not, copying isn’t nice, moral nor respectful. However, ideas have to come from somewhere and often we might make/create something not even knowing there is something similar already in existence, no one can be everywhere looking and checking all the time. I bought a wonderfully made pumpkin pram with a witch girl made by a British artisan nearly 2 years ago…not an original idea in any way Karin…sorry.

    I know many individuals have been truly inspired by ideas, method etc in Blogland. This is how it should be in my opinion, I like to think we can help each other in any way we can and long may this continue. I too have had loads of ideas or method to do things, use a certain kit for a certain project only to see another do something similar. Would this stop me carrying on with my own project, method idea? No. It might irk me but nothing more :o)

    Neither is in nice to have an idea and have another use it and not give credit to the person who originally came up with the idea, however, ‘most’ people do give credit where it‘s due.

    If I have made something, bought something that I don’t want the masses to see, I simply do not show it on my blog.

    Does it matter if someone has a similar I idea to me , will I stop going ahead with my own ideas, will it upset me if I see something very similar to my own ideas/projects, and will I lose sleep over it? No, simply because I can’t do anything about it and nor can anyone else for that matter, not unless you patent it or own the intellectual rights etc. Two, five, eight etc people can own the same kit and make it completely different for we all have own style, skill, methods and ideas. :o)

    Michelle :o))

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  15. Never I answer this kind of thing but today I can not shut up with the pumpkin pram I am sorry...
    A pumpkin is a pumkin...I know there is similarities but the lady do not sell anything it is just for her own collection, I met her personally and has a gold heart. I do not nobody so kind as her on blogland. And the inspiration source was a fairy tale.
    Before rasing this things to the air it would much better to ask and to wait for an answer otherwise can be very very painful. In this case is a big misunderstanding.
    I do not want that nobody copy me, of course. I sell my minis but I do not want that blogland can become a place where you can not do anything without being accused of copy. All of us visit blog and take inspiration ones from others.
    I see things very similar to mine, and one time identical in one fair.
    Sometimes I create something and thenI see something created before mine very similar but I have not copied it.
    Hope never I will see a post accusing me of something without asking me before!!

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  16. I'm jumping in here one last time... What fairytale would that be, Eva?? The one where she never saw Debie's before? Fact is, she left a comment about how much she loved it on Debie's blog back when Debie first posted it. So she saw it. What is wrong with saying "I saw the cute pumpkin pram on Pixies and Poppets a while ago and decided to create my own"? Why make a story? And why have your friends show up to defend you but you never say a word? Nonsense...

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  17. Susan, the fairy tale is Cinderella. The carriage is a pumpkin.
    I only say that things are not black or white. That not all human beings moves on in a wicked way, sometimes we are not concious about something. People do mistakes and people forget. And she has apologize to Debie that she explained to her that she didn't realized about how similars they were.
    I have problems to undestand exactly your meaning, I am not an English native speaker so I do not want any misunderstanding with last question. If I understand corect she will do, she is affected.
    In any case I am with Patty.

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  18. Me again,

    I’ve had to research Blogland - lots! Apologies Karin I thought it was you who said a fellow blogger had copied ’your’ pumpkin pram and as I bought mine 2 years ago tis why I said that I did about that. You were commenting on another artisan (Debie) who made the pumpkin pram and then a copy was made by a fellow blogger who did not give Debie the credit for the idea (which she should have done).

    For the record my own pumpkin pram was made by the extremely talented Debie also (her first one I believe). My other comments still stand.

    Off to do more mini work!

    Michelle :o))

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  19. About the pumpkin pram, I am also compelled to say something here albeit short. I want to echo Eva a hundred percent. Personally I am very saddened by this episode.

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  20. I have to agree with Sans- I am also saddened and this is the part I was talking about where I say I am scared that this will happen to me someday. The person I now realize this is all about is one of the sweetest and kindest bloggers around- I am actually disappointed in myself to think she may not blog anymore because of the pain she has felt this week. She does not sell her minis and this seems to me to be partly a mistake--and is the thing I was talking about--how can those of us just doing this for fun and a hobby be completely certain we remember each inspiration and give credit. I agree it is the polite thing to do, but isn't it possible sometimes a mistake is just made?? Especially by the mini hobbyist and not even a seller?? I sincerely think no malice was meant in this instance and I adore the blogger that this is about and hope she continues to keep blogging.

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  21. This is another example of why everyone should relax and enjoy their creativity! What a complete waste of time it is to be seething with anger thinking that you were wronged by some other artist!(not you Karin, just in general) We are all so blessed to have enough talent to create our art and to share it! Everyone's version will be different. I saw a wonderful pumpkin pram on ebay years ago that Jodi and Richard Creager had for sale. I haven't seen anything posted on their blog about people making copies.
    Life is too short for this crap....it is too bad because it seems Debi has closed her blog over this. I guess if anyone gets that worked up then maybe they should just stop doing any type of craft. Sounds cold maybe but, what would be the point if all you were worried about was what you had just made will be copied so you must not blog about it or let anyone see it????

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  22. Credit where credit is due. I think it's a subset to the "Golden Rule."

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