Looking at other artists work

[Renate]

I love eye candy, browse several sites and dozens of jewelry pictures each day, drinking in and absorbing ideas and inspirations along the way. I would never have the patience to copy step by step (nor do I usually intend to), but take it as a prompt to start and let my own ideas flow, and let the material guide my hands.
I admire and enjoy other artists skills and genius, but sometimes I wonder if it is not stifling one's own creative work, and if I shouldn't stop looking at other artists work at all.
Often I see something and think - look, you have had this idea, too! Of course that means I will have to censor myself on that idea. Recent example for this happened in the other thread of Tela's earrings - by pointing Tela to Aniko Sandors work, apparently some of her own ideas were suffocated before they had time to develop.

I suppose we all have experienced this situation. How do *you* deal with it?

[glenda]

Great thread! I hope you don't drink them literally - that's my department!! ha ha

I love to look at other's work too. As already said, it's difficult to look without digesting, and the moment you have done that there is a danger that at some point you will reproduce some of what you have seen. Maybe, without even consciously realising it.
There fore while I am filled with inspiration and working on projects I tend not to look around 1. Because I am busy and 2. because I don't want any outside influence to rub off.
Most of my inspiration comes from my surroundings. My challenge is then to convert that into something wearable!!
When my muse has gone and I am suseptable to digesting others work, I do just that!. I buy some tutorials and work on areas/techniqes that need it!
It's not always as cut and dry. If I do look whilst my muse is with me then I have to try to censor my intake AND censor my subsequent output!!!

[Tela]

Yes, great thread!
I look at lots of artists, too. I tend to look at traditional silversmithing for ideas, though. I don't know why but they seem to inspire me most.

I rarely look to other wirewrappers sites. Mostly because I don't want to be unduly influenced. I like to see what ppl are doing at JL or CWJ, but for some reason, I don't feel overly influenced there. Maybe because I am looking at things in a different way. I like to look with an eye towards CC and trying to add some helpful words. But, when I saw Aniko's work, I knew I would get into trouble because I think that we must think along the same lines (literally) because I could see me doing her work. In a way that, too, was helpful because it made me try something outrageously new, to get her out of my head, so to speak. (My verdict is still out on it. I will have to develop it more. It is for Renate's earring challenge.)

What a great subject to dish about!

[christine]

I have learned so much from other's work and tutorials. In trying to develop my own voice, I try not to let other's influence it yet how can it not when I have learned from others?

[Tela]

That's such a good question! I have spent hours today mulling it over. I guess, there really is no answer. The important thing is to take what you learn and make it your own and that's no easy task.

[Dearrings]

I've struggled with this too. (that came out past tense...I STILL struggle with this

The thing is, certain artists become known for specific techniques or items or something that other people can point to that defines thier style of art.

I sometimes find myself using that technique and then think I'm channeling a certain artist and then I worry about copying. For that, Ive decided that as long as I am not exactly reproducing a piece made by someone else, its ok to look and be inspired. In fact, I usually add that a certain person has inspired or influenced my work.

I also don't worry about people reproducing or copying MY designs...most of the time I can't replicate them either

[Tela]

D, I think we all still struggle with it. You aren't alone by any means.

I think it is just good old fashioned courtesy to give credit to the original inspireer. It's not always possible, but when one can, one should. There is no shame in it and I can't imagine why an artist would be upset by it.

I've heard it said that if you look at a piece and immediately think of a different artist's work, then it is a copy- versus an inspired piece. The trick is to take the inspiration and incorporate it into your work- making it yours.

Then, there are some techniques that have kinda become public. I think to Eni Oken's netting. She wasn't the first to do it. I saw it in a book decades ago, but she did popularize it. Now, everyone is doing it! Not everyone gives credit, either. Should they? I don't know, it has been polarized to the point where it seems like public domain. I have given her and Lisa Barth credit where credit is due, but I see few people do that.

No easy answers.

[Kate]

I'm still fairly new and need to look at all the different styles for inspiration. I need to learn different techniques before I can create my own. Right now I feel like a sponge just soaking it all in and sometimes just spinning my wheels because there is so much to learn.

[Tela]

When we are just starting out, it is hard not to be influenced

[Renate]

Hello and welcome, Kate!
Are you drawn to a particular technique or a particular artists work?

[Tela]

May I refer you to Kate's introduction, Renate LOL! She's into wirewrapping, a girl after my own heart

[Renate]

Yes, have discovered that by now, thanks Tela.

But there are a lot of different techniques in wire work, too! I guess that will make a great thread.

[Tela]

Yes, it would! I just started a new thread about it. Thanks, Renate

[janaita]

I struggle too.

I also have had it happen that I get ideas from looking at other people's work. And sometimes I get an idea sketched out, only to find the same idea made reality in one of the forums I belong to... jinxed...

Sometimes I use a design I like as a base for my own work. Other times, I buy a tutorial to learn how to do something. If there is a design I like, that I see as a possible base for my designs but there isn't a tutorial available, I even may "reverse engineer" it once (ducks and hides) to get the gist of how it works (ornate clasps for example)
That last one is dangerous, sometimes I risk developing ideas that have already been made. Of course, I never present such a work as my own and give credit where it belongs to. Yet I have found out the rough way that some people like to spend their time policing the net just to find someone who copied someone else's work (not even their own) and start yelling "Thief!" straight away. Often these same people have used "inspiration" from others as well... sigh, it's an old horse, I know... but...
Ok, now you can bite my head off.

Finding my own voice is proving to be difficult for me... although I try hard.