Fear of being a "copycat"

[mysdefy]

Lately my fear of feeling like a "copycat" has been preventing me from producing products to sell for my business. I work as a visual artist, creating paintings and selling them on the internet through ebay and other sites.

I have practiced my craft for years and have the ability to paint in several styles. One of the styles I can paint in allows me to produce paintings very quickly. The dillema is that these quicker paintings end up looking sort of like another artist's style. That artist is already very successful on the internet, but I am still an unknown.

If I paint in the quick style consistently I could probably make a living from my art. Painting in my other styles takes too long for it to be profitable.

Unfortunately, I can't help but worry what will happen if people view me as just copying that other artist...should I just not give a damn and do what is best for me business wise? Would it be unethical, even though the similar style is unintentional?

[Brutha]

A lot of good art is inspired by other people. As time goes on and you practice your way of doing things you might change them a bit to make them yours.

[robertanthony]

There's an art shop were I live in Brighton and they only sell hand painted fakes and I LOVE the place. It's like having millions of dollars on the wall. If you can do art quickly and make a good living out of it then it's the customers who are happy. I would put the customers before other artists. I have noticed that top interior designers also use fake style using the words INSPIRED BY. In the UK we also have copycat designer clothes and the people go crazy for it - even poor people can have designer style things and clothes. The art shop that I mentioned even has the word fake as the shop name which is very kitch. Can I place an order please :-)

[CBlokland]

A lot of musicians start out intentionally coping others before they evolve and their unique take on things shines through.

In your situation the similarity is not intentional, still there is the posibility that you will add your own spin on things in the future.

So I would just go ahead with it.

[Holistic Star]

I would say go for it too. So long as you are not copying actual paintings and passing them off as the other artists I think you are ok.

Is your style abstract or realistic? Is there a way you could paint different subject matter, but in the style you like?

I think as long as it is sold as your work you will be fine. Think how many watercolours there are of landscapes, or how many impressionist or abstract artists there are.

[mysdefy]

Thanks for the replies!

I think I will probably go ahead with it. After some thought I realized it is only other artists that might get upset. The customers would be happy because they could get paintings in that style at a more affordable price. That will probably annoy that particular artist, but I guess in business there will always be competition, right? I'm still getting used to the business side of things.

I am not copying any actual paintings at all, so I don't have to worry about copyright infringement. I paint my own ideas, it's just that the painting technique and subject matter are similar to the other artist's.

Holistic Star: The style is cartoony with some realistic elements thrown in. It's a little bit like the old Disney animation style, with cartoon characters against more realistic backgrounds.

[Holistic Star]

ooh interesting. Can you send us a link. I'd like to see your stuff


ps - pleased you are going for it. Wishing you lots of success!

[mysdefy]

Holistic Star: Go to linranae.com to see my art The style I'm talking about here is under the "big eye" section on my galleries page. I haven't done any in that style for awhile because some artists gave me a hard time about it.

[Holistic Star]

Wow - amazing. Your paintings are beautiful. You have so much talent!