WHEN YOUR CREATIVITY IS STOLEN.

Comment

Comment by Bohemian Things on March 22, 2009 at 8:32am

Hello community,

This is a very touchy subject for me. When someone steals your creativity it's discouraging. I just opened a shop on Etsy...the reason for the hesitation...this very topic. I decided to go for it in spite of it all. I want my creativity out there and I'll try not to let this discourage me.

Looking forward to adding value to this community and incite to this discussion.

Comment by ZAYUNU on November 14, 2008 at 8:37am

Couldn't have put it better myself creative one, :0D

Comment by LaineysPawtique on November 9, 2008 at 7:48pm

i KNOW its very daunting to do it all BUT anything to help keep our work OUR WORK

Comment by ZAYUNU on November 9, 2008 at 3:15pm

Slowly but surely I am doing the same. Everything new has watermarks on them and the older work I'm going though bit by bit...there are hundreds to go through but I will get there in the end, hehehe.

Comment by LaineysPawtique on October 24, 2008 at 3:33pm

I totally agree that you should be here..I know using tinypic or photobucket opens up some ways to be stolen i cant stop them from copying but i stop from stealing the pics and using them as their own...i put watermarks on ALL of my work now...little by little i am doing this....but i am in other sites that this happens in and we have a wall of shame also!!! So i say STAY!!

Comment by ZAYUNU on October 7, 2008 at 6:54am

Its funny how great minds think alike. I was explaining on my black planet blog to another creative how the whole event had changed me somehow. Its not the first time that someone has tried to copy my work and by no means will it be the last. But the feelings that this particular episode brought out in me, made me realise how much energy in motion (emotion) effects me. The action of me stepping back and claiming back my peaceful state has had a profound effect in me. I'm not sure if I could even explain it if I tried. It has however altered the way I perceive things around me like colour and sound. I am seeing colours differently, music moves me more deeply and I look at situations differently. I know all that from someone stealing my design you say. I think that the theft acted like a catalyst in some way. But something has changed within me where my work is about to take a leap.

I've stood still with my work too long. Long enough for mortals to catch up with me...its that time again to catch my beam of light and shift to the next dimension. (My space talk again, hehehe)

Comment by Lauren Austin on October 7, 2008 at 5:30am

I understand the anger. It is so hard when you have spent so much energy to create and someone else simply takes it all and reproduces it. I have had to stop people taking close up pictures of each of my pieces - obviously for their USE as opposed to people excited about the pieces themselves.

I have arrived at a place where I confront quietly. I don't want the stealers to rob me of my quiet creativity and peaceful making of art. I move on. Another artist told me that his work (handbags) gets copied all the time, but that he keeps changing the styles of his output, and the customers know or are willing to learn the difference. This helped me a lot.

I now work at explaining my process to everyone who looks at my work - why it is different, how each part - hand dyed/painted/discharged fabric, sewing, machine quilting, embellishment, design, sculptural elements - everything is created by MY hand in my style and vision. All of those things together cannot really be copied.
This gives me peace and joy.

I hope this helps.
Keep making art.
Lauren

Comment by ZAYUNU on October 7, 2008 at 5:02am

I was rather angry when I set up this group, but I still think it should be here though. What do you think?