New listing and morality check.

[GrandDesign]

I added something different to my shop. I have to admit that I didn't come up with the idea but it was so cool I had to try making one. Does that make me evil? Seriously, I've seen these on esty by several different artists. I've made a few and I've had a lot of fun with it.
Is it wrong to copy an idea when other people already have and you don't know where the original idea came from? Could use some honest opinions here.

Anyway here it is. A book bag. What do you think?

[Chainmaille By MBOI]

I saw that yesterday and thought it was a great idea. Honestly with the copying thing, I find it really annoying when people start whining about others copying them. As you know I do chainmaille, I'm waiting for a whole buch of knights from a few centuries ago to start haunting me and saying I stole their idea! LOL I personally think people need to get over themselves sometimes.

Now on the other hand, their was a chainmaille Red Panda, haven't seen her around much lately, but she made stitch markers with chainmaille. Her design was simple and unique and she was selling a lot of them, all of a sudden others started to do the exact same thing. We saw the stitch markers and considered doing some twists on the idea, never did to my knowledge, but not the exact same thing.
If your gut is telling you that you copied exactly then I'd worry, but I'm pretty sure this isn't the case. Plus your work is always very unique. So I would say do a quick gut check and move on. I think the piece is lovely and of course I promoted it heavily 

[GrandDesign]

Thanks Andrew, If I had really felt guilty about it I would never have made it. Just wanted to see what others thought.
Thanks so much for promoting it. I can't believe the number of views I have already, and I didn't do any promotion at all. If I had posted it on etsy, and promoted it, I'd be lucky to have more than 10 views.

Now I'm off on a weekend shopping trip with the girls. Planning on looking for more fabric for these.

[CrochetHooked]

Well said Andrew… ;o)  I agree!

My thoughts about this topic: Based on my personal experience:

When you put your work on the internet, others will copy it.  No matter how much you try and protect your product… someone will copy it.

Example: I make wire crochet braided beaded bracelets (say that ten times fast) lol  Crocheting is nothing new… crocheting with wire or beads or crystals or gemstones… nothing new. I took a combination of different crochet and jewelry techniques and applied my own personal spin on it and poof… a Braidlet was born. ;o)

I remember the first time I saw a bracelet made like the ones I make.  In all honesty for the first few seconds, I was miffed… to say the least. GRRRR!  But,I started looking at the piece she made, and it was a little different from mine. She used 28 gauge wire (I use 26), so right there… it became her unique bracelet.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, I was flattered  and humbled  that someone would take time to make something I created, (not exactly like mine) but… they loved what I made so much… they too wanted to spread the joy to others. And for this I am grateful… ;o) I even did a Treasury on Etsy with her bracelet included. ;o)

What I did do for my protection was Brand the name "Braidlets'… which is Trademarked. 

Maybe this will help with the guilt feeling… Andrew is right, if copied 'Exactly'… then I too would worry!

       I personally think it's an Awesome bag! Well Done CJ

[MakinTheBestOfIt]

I love your work and you always put your twist on it.  I really hate the copy thing and always avoided the discussions on other boards.  Most everyone takes inspiration from others and thousands will use well known techniques...and sometimes one person will claim ownership of it.  I agree with Andrew (scary I know!) in that you have to go with your gut.  As he said, I considered doing a twist on an idea once, but my gut was telling me that if I couldn't put my own spin on it I wouldn't do it.
As I have done shows locally for a while, I've seen some of "my" patterns pop up every so often.  After getting over the immediate shock I just figure it is time to put a new spin on it.  Basically I let it push me to keep moving forward and grow!

[trusk4u]

First of all, I think the bag is awesome!

I have followed patterns and kind of copied things. Only once was something as exact as I could make and it was only for myself, not for sale. I do find inspiration from a lot of sources, but always try and mix it up a bit. ANd I never say that it MY original design when it is not.

[GrandDesign]

Thanks everybody. I go to a lot of scifi and fantasy conventions where I sometimes sell my work. There is a lot of jewelry for sale at them now so I felt I need to offer something different. Most of the attendees read scifi, horror and/or fantasy novels so it seemed like a great idea to use book covers in those themes.

Just as a side note, I was the first artist to enter jewelry in the art auction at one convention and now a few years later that auction is at least 1/3 jewelry. I may have given other jewelry artists the idea to put their work in the show but I've never felt like they were copying me. We all have very different styles.

[Larissa]

I'm really late on this, but I think the fact that it's impossible to copyright an idea is telling with regard to this issue.

I think you run into problems if you use someone else's photography to advertise your items.  But making your own with your own twist and using photos of your own stuff to advertise it?  That's fine.

[lisianblue]

I'm really late on this, but I think the fact that it's impossible to copyright an idea is telling with regard to this issue.

I think you run into problems if you use someone else's photography to advertise your items.  But making your own with your own twist and using photos of your own stuff to advertise it?  That's fine.

and even later on this - when I was studying art one of my teachers spent some time talking about this - no, it's not ok to do an exact copy of something, but to take the idea, technique, and make it your own really is a compliment to the other person.  One of the interesting things he said, was there really are very things that come about that are truly new. 

[myeuropeantouch]

I dont find anything wrong with this issue at all and agree with Larissa.....

Question: How do you put your pictures on here?

HELLLLPPPPPP !!!!!!!! :'(

[CrochetHooked]

I dont find anything wrong with this issue at all and agree with Larissa.....

Question: How do you put your pictures on here?

HELLLLPPPPPP !!!!!!!! :'(

Hi Monika…  To add pictures to your post click the Additional Options…  See Attach: click the button (Choose File) Upload pic …  if you want another (4 per post) see (more attachments)

Here is a photo for you Good Luck … I’ll check back and see if you need more assistance 

[CoalescenceDesign]

I totally agree that drawing inspiration from others' work is okay, and completely natural. You have definitely made it your own, and as others on here have said, that is the key. If you make something using a certain technique that someone else has used, but do it in a way that reflects your personal style and not theirs, then I think that is 100% okay .

[thepeasantpailfull]

Really really late but honestly as far as the idea of repurposing book goes I want to say I'm kind of on the fence about it. It's not like it's an item you can mass produce ever again and it's certainly green. But my concern as a writer would be if the author thought wanted it to be reproduced differently.

Certainly it's better than in a landfill and makes me want to read the book. Free advertising! Is it a long series or one book with many stories inside of it?

[Larissa]

Really really late but honestly as far as the idea of repurposing book goes I want to say I'm kind of on the fence about it. It's not like it's an item you can mass produce ever again and it's certainly green. But my concern as a writer would be if the author thought wanted it to be reproduced differently.

Certainly it's better than in a landfill and makes me want to read the book. Free advertising! Is it a long series or one book with many stories inside of it?

I get your point, and have great respect for books.  I honestly hate to see them torn up, cut up, etc.  That said, I don't think the author gets any say in what's done with his/her books.  S/he writes them, publishes them, and sells them.  And then their out of the author's hands.  The can be revered or reviled, burnt or bludgeoned, saved for generations or tossed.  So despite my great respect for books and their authors, I don't see that as a consideration.

I also come from a perspective where I have a friend who's a school librarian.  They regularly throw away books due to limited space to make way for additional volumes.  They toss old, uninteresting, or outdated ones.  The idea of them just getting chucked sucks.  Better that handmade artists find 'em, take 'em, and make something new!

As for me, I'm a book saver.  "Junky" paperbacks get given away, donated, or sold.  "Good" paperbacks & hardcovers, unless they're just truly terrible books, stay on my shelves.  There's a reason we have books in every room & still not enough space for them!

[CJGrand]

I completely understand what you're saying about tearing apart books. I'm a book lover and collector myself so at times it's been hard to take them apart. I mostly use old picture books and pop-up books that are not in great condition. I look for books with interesting covers. The one in the picture had a good cover but the pages had gotten wet and were all stuck together and weren't readable. I rarely use novels, with the exception of an H.G. Wells Time Machine wallet I made for myself. I'm never parting with that one. 
I'm glad I started making these because I've had so much fun hunting online and in second hand shops for interesting books. I've had a reason to buy lots of wonderful books that I otherwise wouldn't have had any use for. Even picked up a few to read if I ever have the time. Of course I've gotten carried away like I do with everything else.