I absolutely know how you feel, and actually have run into the same thing. I had someone at my junior college wanting to make herself one of my yarn tails. I sat down with her and taught her how I made them. I made it really clear that this was for her, and that she should hopefully not be selling them out of respect for me and my work (I was doing her a favor, she was really well off so not hurting for cash, but wanted to make it herself rather than buy. I can understand that.) What did she do? Turned right around and started selling lesser quality knock offs at half the price
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*hug* Yes, this, exactly. You know exactly what I'm talking about. And all that BS about "imitation is flattery blah blah..." is exactly that; so much bullshit. Imitation = laziness and an inability to be dedicated to self-improvement and experimentation.
But whatever. I'm blessed with more than one good idea. In fact, I'm lucky to have the kind of mind that makes me ~want~ to keep figuring out new methods. No one can copy that. :)
Well said! The more I learn about you the more I realize that we are so very similar.
Many may have similar methods to you, but none of them have your individual talent and drive. And that is why you will always be able to move your products.
Could I have made a similar mask with your tutorial and images of your past work? Maybe. But why the hell would I want a soulless piece of work?
I wanted to make sure you know how thankful I am for all the help and guidance you've offered when it comes to mask making. I've always been interested in masks, but back in 2008 I got bitten by the bug to really MAKE some amazing masks. I started with feathers on plastic and it didn't do it for me, but then I discovered leather masks and wanted to try it out. Your masks were a huge inspiration for me to start, and your tutorial helped me figure out how the heck this leather stuff worked! I could finally SHAPE my own masks - I was so excited
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*hug* I know you are thankful. :) None of this is aimed at you. In fact, you are EXACTLY the kind of person I really wanted to "help". I wanted to see your art in this medium, and you didn't disappoint; your designs are amazing and completely uniquely "you".
Never worry about "copying" either. Like me, I know you work from nature. You just bring your own style to it and you can make as many owls as you want. I only get cheesed when I see a wolf mask or a dragon mask and I know the person who made it looked no further than my own designs for inspiration. That's not art or research; that's just plagiarism. But you don't do that.
You were already an artist in your own right before you met me. You had your own style, already. All I did was show you a new medium for your own art. :)
The masks I've seen that you've made for yourself or designed on-off for shows are *awesome*. That you're getting bored making the same three wolves in different colors over and over is not surprising at all. Consciously doing more experimenting sounds like a very good thing, and I look forward to seeing the results!
I think the glut of copies out there is just one more reason to step up my game, you know? Maybe (almost certainly) I did this to myself. It's too easy to get in a rut making something over and over (especially if it sells really well)...but for me the real fun is in figuring out how to do something completely unique. That's my new goal.
I completely get what you're saying (and I *have* noticed an increasing number of hey-that-looks-familiar masks around lately...). At the same time, I'm truly grateful you shared your techniques, I've still got that box of scrap leather and am tinkering around with it (but to make wall decorations). It's just sad and AWFUL that those tips are being misused so badly
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But whatever. I'm blessed with more than one good idea. In fact, I'm lucky to have the kind of mind that makes me ~want~ to keep figuring out new methods. No one can copy that. :)
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Many may have similar methods to you, but none of them have your individual talent and drive. And that is why you will always be able to move your products.
Could I have made a similar mask with your tutorial and images of your past work? Maybe. But why the hell would I want a soulless piece of work?
I could go on, but we're on the same page.
Keep being awesome. <3
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Never worry about "copying" either. Like me, I know you work from nature. You just bring your own style to it and you can make as many owls as you want. I only get cheesed when I see a wolf mask or a dragon mask and I know the person who made it looked no further than my own designs for inspiration. That's not art or research; that's just plagiarism. But you don't do that.
You were already an artist in your own right before you met me. You had your own style, already. All I did was show you a new medium for your own art. :)
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