#painting inspiration Vs ethic

17 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

tame hemlock
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Hi all 🙂
Today I have a little strange topic/ problem.

I have a little mental problem with the bust I am currently painting (there is WIP gallery if someone wants to see). I'm following the tutorial . Sure I changed some colours, materials have different textures ect. But the main idea for the miniature, sources of light, placement of highlights are taken from the tutorial. I did it deliberately because I think it's a great exercise, but now I have a problem that it's less my work because not all, artistic decisions let's say, are mine.
I'm wondering what you are thinking in this matter?

Additional question is is it ok to enter some competition with piece painting like that?

Cheers!

subtle plinth
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You are still painting it - the end result is the product of your skill

lament tinsel
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Studying off of other artists is natural, commonplace, and a great way to learn. Derivative creation is less rewarding in the moment than more original work, but you'll learn things to apply to your own stuff in the future. So it's all good. If you're concerned about a competition, I'd reach out to the people who're running it before submitting a anything that significantly borrows from a preexisting piece.

subtle plinth
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For ours here, I am one of the judges, fwiw

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No judge in any comp is going to disqualify you if you're basing work off of something else - if they did they'd have to dq like half the entries at any given moment

dim crown
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Ill definitely note that people paint Ultramarines all the time. Borrowing ideas and recommendations from people is not only normal, but expected

tame hemlock
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Thanks all 🙂
It makes me better to know that the community is looking at it that way not like "you copy it, it's not your work loser" 😄

grizzled radish
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I feel this dilemma in my soul. But everyone starts somewhere and emulating helps understanding. And many, many artists use references in a variety of forms.

tame hemlock
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My other dilemma connected with this is painting miniature and having reference in drawn or painted art (mindworks have many of that) Maybe it's a bit extreme but I can't help it 🤨

grizzled radish
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That's like kids who say drawing from a photograph is cheating. It isn't.

subtle plinth
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we'd have like no art if that was the case lol

grizzled radish
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I understand the desire to produce something 100% original though. But that's at the top of a long staircase of cumulative practice and knowledge. And when you get to the top, you'll find your stairs are built on a foundation and you might want to tear it all down and start again. And that's okay and the striving is okay.

tame hemlock
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Yeah, I know it's irrational, it's not bothering me that much 😉
Just sharing with you my thoughts 🙂
And yup, @grizzled radish , you are 100% right, I have a strong desire to produce something original, but like you said, it's a long way, a lot of things to try and learn. Patience is a very important trait in our hobby 😄

solemn olive
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i feel like a huge majority of competition pieces in particular all draw inspiration from the same very small pool of artists/sources, fwiw

grizzled radish
uneven knoll
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I agree with Nan here as in the end your outcome is the product of the re-elaboration of your mind and manual skill. That said art is a cycle of inspiration and reinterpretation and i feel this is ok as long as something personal is put in there everytime. On the competition side, i can say that that both "original" works and paintjob that are a 3d representation of a 2d painting are totally ok to bring and are evaluated for what they are worth. Still, a reinterpretation, if done well, always adds something more than just a copy of a painting where all the "problems" and the ideas are brought together by the original artist. But, i mean this can be the difference between a BoS and a gold medal if the actual paintjob is masterful. Just to cite actual examples take Moses works. They are amazing reproduction of actual canvas paints and rightfully took a gold at last Mss, but i know they weren't even considered for a BoS. On the other hand take this old but amazing work from Rusto. http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/3537 you see the side by side picture of the original illustration and his work. He kept the mood, the idea, but made it his own thing. And rightfully (imo) took the Bos that year

Putty&Paint
Jack in THE PLUCKER by RUSTO art and craft show Fabrizio Russo · Pu...

this figure is sculpted by Joaquin

tame hemlock