Posting work that looks like others'

[Mike Cruz]

Has anybody felt this way and hesitated posting a turning that they did?

Would you mind if someone posted something that looked like one of your turnings? Personally, I would be honored. But, that is just me.

Have you avoided posting a turning out of concern that someone will "copy" it?

To answer your questions:

No, I haven't hesitated to post anything that I did that was inspired by anyone else. Then again, I don't believe that I've directly copied anyone's work...Though I'm sure I've done some turnings that I "think" are original, but simply aren't.

If someone was inspired by me (unlikely, but I'll bite), but I wouldn't mind. Of course, if I did inspire them, I'd certainly appreciate a shout out!

Truthfully, yes! But it isn't a turning as such. I do have something that is, well, kind of original. It is "me". It is "mine". I've let a few friends copy it. But I trust they won't take it any further (sell). As someone else mentioned, if you post something in a forum about woodworking, you open yourself up to be copied. I just don't have the $40K or so to get it patent it... Hey, my "thing" isn't the next big thing...it is just my signature.

[Rich Harkrader]

Ecclesiastes 1:9. Nothing new under the sun.

[Dale Gillaspy]

I think it's kind of ironic that many professional turners make a portion of their income demonstrating and teaching their techniques, and then complain when someone copies their work. I agree that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I also agree that there are only so many bowl and hollow form shapes, and you can't really make a good argument that you "own" a bowl shape. That being said, I do think there are limits. Many turners make their living and have built a reputation up on signature styles. I wouldn't turn a bowl from Cottonwood burl or "Mormon Poplar" and put a small pointed bead 1/3 of the way down. That is Mike Mahoney's signature. I'd find some other way to make it my own. I wouldn't turn a hollow form and burn caveman style horses on the top and brand the bottom completely black. That is unique to Molly Winton. Alan Carter does fantastic split bowls. I don't think he has a corner on the market, and if I was going to make one to give as a gift, I don't see a problem with copying that design. If I was going to make something to sell in a gallery or art show, I would find a way to take the concept and make it my own, so no one that sees it would think it was his or that I was copying his work.

What I would do is take those techniques and find a way to make them into something that interests me. Just my opinion, though.

[Jim Burr]

Have you ever turned a bowl? You copied it from the original, ever make a pen? It's copied. The facts are that it's impossible to duplicate another work. That piece of wood no longer exists, the technique can't be duplicated exactly nor can the finish.

[Marc Himes]

I agree with what has been stated above. Give credit where credit is due. Most professional turners that I have heard express themselves on this subject feel that there is a problem when someones work is copied and sold as their own design but have no problem with being emulated otherwise. As for me, I can't even make an exact copy of my own work much less a piece of another turner's. Many of the professional give classes in how to do what they do best. So learning the techniques and using them is very acceptable, in my point of view, as long as credit is given.

[Curt Fuller]

I would say never hesitate to post your work on this forum. It has always been my understanding that this forum is for turners of every skill level and style to post their work. This ain't the Louvre, we're a bunch of friends that like to see what others have been up to. As for copying, I have a few opinions. First, it's almost impossible to copy another person's work. Differences in wood, subtle changes in shape, size, etc make it tough to even make a reasonably close copy. And anyone that gets their feelers hurt by being copied should think about that before they post their work. If someone likes it, they're gonna pay you the ultimate compliment of trying to copy it. But that said, copying is a tool I think we all use as a beginner but eventually outgrow. We eventually take those influences and styles we like, tweek them around, add our own nuances, and develop our own look. But if you are trying to copy something someone else has done, the decent thing to do is to give them credit for their inspiration.

[John Beaver]

I always go back to the quote by Picasso that states "Bad artists copy, good artists steal" (or some variation of that).

As Marc and Curt just said, if you copy someone you should give them credit. If you take an idea and make it your own, then that is good.

Dave Gillaspy said it very well too. A vessel pyrographed with caveman horses is definitively Molly Winton and duplicating that would be ripping her off and shouldn't be done for public consumption. A vessel pyrographed with unique geometric shapes would be stealing her ideas but making it your own.

From a personal perspective, I do demonstrate and share my "wave" techniques. Why should I risk this? Because the woodturning community is extremely cooperative and sharing and I want people to see what I am doing and hopefully make their work better because of it. I want my students to make their own "wave" bowl and display it in their home. I don't want someone to go out and copy my designs and bring them to market, and I just have to hope that most people will be honorable enough to respect that. There is an artist that has chosen to blatantly rip me off, without learning the techniques from me, and when I challenged him on it he told me he can do whatever he wants and doesn't care. To most people he is a hack with no morals (he has ripped off other artists too) and I just have to keep striving to improve and change and stay ahead of him. I am partly flattered, and partly angry but it does damage my reputation some. I worked really hard to develop my techniques and establish them as mine, but eventually someone was bound to copy it and represent it as their own, and I have to accept that risk as part of the process.

[Chip Sutherland]

If I turn something where my design is heavily influenced by someone or something, i am happy to give credit. I have to live with myself. I don't remember ever copying someone's work but I have used techniques of others to help translate my desires.