The deal is: in a creative marketplace, any one of them, if you make the first example of something, you're in the money. However, it's a sure thing that someone will make a similar item. Fashion, music, cars, art, jewelry, etc etc etc.. happens all the time. The backpack wasn't an exact copy, just stylistically similar, and thus it is pretty hard to say she "copied". It's like accusing H&M of "copying" a Dolce and Gabbana jean pattern. This is why styles change, and you've gotta be on top of people who will copy your style, not necessarily "rip if off", but use it as a building block for their own.
So: no big deal, it's the nature of creative business
All of this is true--except that the fandom is a pretty unusual (and micro!) example of an economy where most "consumers" actually give a shit about who came up with what idea, etc. If it was just a generic backpack, or even a similar (flat, or floppy with arms hanging down) backpack, I wouldn't have freaked... it's just that it was a purse/backpack combo with the upper flap over the zipper, with the arms pinned in to the flap and a flat two-sided stuffed head placed low on the flap. The girl later admitted in an e-mail that she had seen my work before. If this was the "real world" of business, then yeah, I'd be pretty helpless. But I was able to confront the issue and I'm happy that she agreed to change the pattern so it no longer seemed identical to mine. I make my living off the fandom, and I consider myself incredibly lucky for this fact, because it allows me to defend what little unique qualities I can use to differentiate myself from other artists.
Well yeah, it's a small community, but it's still extremely commonplace. Imagine the first person who had someone copy their 3d fursuit eye design (or "gather inspiration", as I've seen it put before), or make a certain type of nose on a costume, etc. I never said it wouldn't feel bad, and I'm sure the girl saw your work before, just like everyone else in the community has seen someone else's work before. Also, since you are trying to make a living off of selling all things furry, you should know as well as anyone that it's just as "real" as any other business :P
But anyway, just gotta keep moving and making improvements :)
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The deal is: in a creative marketplace, any one of them, if you make the first example of something, you're in the money. However, it's a sure thing that someone will make a similar item. Fashion, music, cars, art, jewelry, etc etc etc.. happens all the time. The backpack wasn't an exact copy, just stylistically similar, and thus it is pretty hard to say she "copied". It's like accusing H&M of "copying" a Dolce and Gabbana jean pattern. This is why styles change, and you've gotta be on top of people who will copy your style, not necessarily "rip if off", but use it as a building block for their own.
So: no big deal, it's the nature of creative business
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If this was the "real world" of business, then yeah, I'd be pretty helpless. But I was able to confront the issue and I'm happy that she agreed to change the pattern so it no longer seemed identical to mine.
I make my living off the fandom, and I consider myself incredibly lucky for this fact, because it allows me to defend what little unique qualities I can use to differentiate myself from other artists.
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But anyway, just gotta keep moving and making improvements :)
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I just wouldn't want people to make them the exact same way I do.
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