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Must be because it is Fall again
Oct. 21st, 2005 09:31 amI think there are some discussions/fights that happen once a year in some Internet groups. The Lord of the Rings costuming group had its yearly reminder that Halloween is not the time to go off topic and here are a number of groups you can join that you can discuss these other costumes you might want to make. The Madam Malkin's group is abuzz with both Halloween and the upcoming Goblet of Fire movie so the moderator has removed a number of posts that are not at all relevant to the costumes of Harry Potter. Fantasy Costumes strongly suggest that Science Fiction costuming is a separate subject but they are not been hard-nosed about it.
Then there is one of the bigger doll lists I belong to and the age-old argument about patterns and what constitutes a new pattern has reared its ugly head. This one can go on and on. Everyone has their position on the subject and they don't always match. We hear the yearly howls about how lots of money was lost because the big corporation stole their pattern but they are OK now about it. We hear the "what if two people come up with the same pattern or technique at the same time" chant. Then there is the "well I changed more than 65% of the original pattern so it must be an original now" or it is original according to some rule that no one can come up with the source. There are the purists who say the only way a pattern can be an original is if you draft it yourself but keep meticulous records so if someone claims you stole their pattern you can prove you designed it independently. Paranoia in the doll world is ramped. Makes me wonder why some of these people teach how to make these dolls and then tell their clients that they may not make any based on these techniques for profit.
For me I believe that there are only so many ways of making a leg or an arm. Some are those that our ancestors taught us, others we came up on our own or learned by taking a doll making class. If I use a straight up pattern, I give credit to the designer of the pattern but the doll made from it is my imagination, color choices, and look. I don't tend to use partial patterns because that doesn't work for me. If I make a doll with some of the techniques that I learned from Wendy Froud if asked I will credit her with teaching me some neat stuff about making dolls but the doll design is mine not hers. My dolls don't look like Wendy's even though I have made a fairy or a goblin or two.
I think that may be what is yanking my chain here. For example doll makers who claim that every fairy has a version of their wings so they have a right to grouse about how everyone is stealing from them. I know a number of people who came up with the same neat idea of how to make wings when a new fabric went on the market allowing for this new wing to be made. There is a new fabric that will allow electricity to be put through it that will allow these sorts of wings to glow. It looks really cool and the company, which will eventually be selling the fabric, has instructions in its use. If I make a doll with glow wings do I credit the company who made the fabric? Should I credit all makers of the pieces of stuff that I use in my work? It would be like sending a piece of art out with the equivalent of an ingredient list which to me is kind of absurd but some people think that that is how it should be done. My two cents is if you are that afraid that someone is going to "steal" from you then don't sell patterns, techniques, or classes.
I am grateful for those creators who teach us without assuming we are ripping them off.
Then there is one of the bigger doll lists I belong to and the age-old argument about patterns and what constitutes a new pattern has reared its ugly head. This one can go on and on. Everyone has their position on the subject and they don't always match. We hear the yearly howls about how lots of money was lost because the big corporation stole their pattern but they are OK now about it. We hear the "what if two people come up with the same pattern or technique at the same time" chant. Then there is the "well I changed more than 65% of the original pattern so it must be an original now" or it is original according to some rule that no one can come up with the source. There are the purists who say the only way a pattern can be an original is if you draft it yourself but keep meticulous records so if someone claims you stole their pattern you can prove you designed it independently. Paranoia in the doll world is ramped. Makes me wonder why some of these people teach how to make these dolls and then tell their clients that they may not make any based on these techniques for profit.
For me I believe that there are only so many ways of making a leg or an arm. Some are those that our ancestors taught us, others we came up on our own or learned by taking a doll making class. If I use a straight up pattern, I give credit to the designer of the pattern but the doll made from it is my imagination, color choices, and look. I don't tend to use partial patterns because that doesn't work for me. If I make a doll with some of the techniques that I learned from Wendy Froud if asked I will credit her with teaching me some neat stuff about making dolls but the doll design is mine not hers. My dolls don't look like Wendy's even though I have made a fairy or a goblin or two.
I think that may be what is yanking my chain here. For example doll makers who claim that every fairy has a version of their wings so they have a right to grouse about how everyone is stealing from them. I know a number of people who came up with the same neat idea of how to make wings when a new fabric went on the market allowing for this new wing to be made. There is a new fabric that will allow electricity to be put through it that will allow these sorts of wings to glow. It looks really cool and the company, which will eventually be selling the fabric, has instructions in its use. If I make a doll with glow wings do I credit the company who made the fabric? Should I credit all makers of the pieces of stuff that I use in my work? It would be like sending a piece of art out with the equivalent of an ingredient list which to me is kind of absurd but some people think that that is how it should be done. My two cents is if you are that afraid that someone is going to "steal" from you then don't sell patterns, techniques, or classes.
I am grateful for those creators who teach us without assuming we are ripping them off.
