I love sharing my projects and creations, and I knew it wouldn't be long before I encountered a copy-kitten. I am not a cat person, so I refuse to say copy-cat. Besides, it sounds nicer anyway. Well, today I encountered a whopper of a copy-kitten. And, although everyone says I should be flattered...I SOOOO AM NOT!! Look, I know that on the internet there is rarely anything that hasn't been copied or modified somehow. I get that, you put your stuff out there and somebody "creative" (NOT) decides that they'll sit back and do everything you do. Well, I'm not very cool with that. Sorry.
I decided to contact the person and they haven't responded. I am really hoping that they come to their senses.
Anyway, I decided to "copy" the copy-kittens work and show you mine in comparison. Mine are all on the right. What do you think? Should I be upset? Please don't say I should be flattered...
There were actually 2 more but I'm really tired and my mouth is throbbing...and I have to pack!!! Remember that Bollywood party? Well, it's THIS weekend!! WOOT WOOT! It's also my 13 year anniversary. So I have lots of fun to look forward to if my tooth (actually, my extraction site) decides to behave. I'm looking forward to your feedback and want to know what would YOU do??
Keep it sweet, but NEVER copy ;)
Hmmm....I would say if it was ONE card that maybe it was something they saw awhile back and maybe thought they came up with the idea, but since it is multiple of your cards and they are so much the same yes I would be upset, esp if they didn't give you credit for coming up with the origional idea. If they said Leesandra @ Sweetspotcards was the origional designer and I decided to make a card like her's (i'm not wording that right, but you know what I mean) if she gave you credit for designing them origionally. Plus it's not like with the cricut where so many people have the same cartridges and designs that it's easy to have cards with the same images made either.....
ReplyDeleteWow! Well I must say that 1. the printed text on the copy kitten's cards is horrible. It is not neat at all and makes the cards appear to be almost childlike; 2. there is a certain something about your cards that I truly cannot put into words, but whatever it is, it is definitely lacking in the other cards; and 3. The coordinated envelope that accompanies your cards adds a great touch that I do not see in the "copy kitten".
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be flattered, I would be upset as well. I hope you give her a piece of your mind!
Sandy...this horrible.
ReplyDeleteIt is a blatant disregard for your work and it is VERY CLEAR that these are YOUR designs. I truly understand how you feel as I would feel like I was kicked in the stomach. As you say there is a difference between inspiration and stealing. Shout it out to the world....I hope this person holds their head in shame. And it is another thing to imitate someone's work for your own use than it is to blog it to the world. How did you find these? Does she/he have a blog we can go to?
I must tell you that I recently noticed that my owl card looks very similar to yours and I felt bad about it. I didn't see yours until after I had done mine. I got my idea from a pattern in a book...but I still felt bad. I know you are not talking about my card...
Copykitten sounds like too nice of a word....STEALER sounds more like it.
Cheryl
Oh Sandy! :(
ReplyDeleteI have one of those too... and even contacted me a couple of times to ask me where I had done those sessions. I'm not an envious person that likes to keep my photography session locations top secret or think that someone else will 'steal' my spots... but it does bother me. A lot.
I drive around hunting for places that I like. Places that are inspiring, have great light, and that well... portray my style.
A lot of people in the world are like that, they lack creativity and cannot discern between finding inspiration and copying someone. You inspired me and my designs are completely different... I learned the technique & created my own art.
I hope that you don't let this get to you too much. I now feel proud of myself, bc I'm creative and very proud of how original I am.
xoxo
Analy
*** btw, the technique that the other photographer also copies mine and even that photographer's blog welcome message has the same wording as mine. I had recently updated my page and I'm working on my blog, and as a mater of fact I just took the time to read the blog today and I was VERY.VERY mad to find that it was identical to the one I had on my website.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a joke. People need to go to art school, read books, watch inspirational films and then find who they are... and not try to copy the identity of others bc our art is who we are.
I don't understand people that copy someone else's work. As a crafter, I look for inspiration everywhere. So I might look at something that you make and be inspired. But when I make my own, it might have some resemblance to yours, but it will be totally mine because I actually have my own taste, personality, likes and dislikes, etc. I actually pity that other person because it would be horrible for my creativity level was so low that I couldn't come up with my own ideas. The old Masters like Michaelangelo, Picasso and others have been copied for years, but do you know the names of any of those copycats? I'll bet you don't. You're like the sun and he or she is like the moon. You have your own light, but she's opaque and the only light that shines through her only comes from you. Just like the light that shines through the moon belongs to the sun because the moon has no light of its own.
ReplyDeleteWell, did they say they were inspired by your work?
ReplyDeleteWould you be upset if i copy one of your works but in my posting i say that you are the source? I do not intend to do so. I am just asking.
Since the idea is yours, and they only resort to copying (if that's all they can do) then it's just that they have no imagination. They are not creative, just hard working. I see no harm. They are not using your actual work (photos or products). They are using your ideas but in their own vision.
After all, the images posted by you are now public. if you want , you can copyright them and ask for money. But as long as the images are frely available on the internet, i am not so sure you should be upset.
I am not saying that what happened is good or bad. I only provide some feedback, some ideas.
Anyway, your work is gorgeous and let me congratulate you on what you are doing.
It's me again :)
ReplyDeleteIn your Copyright note you say: "Original artwork and images are shared for your personal inspiration and enjoyment only and may not be copied, imitated or sold in any form."
Can you draw a limit between how much is inspiration and how much is imitation in that work?