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How to control the illumination while drawing
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Message
Posted
Painters have always copied other painters; it's a way to find your way through the techniques, and perhaps even the emotions, of painters from the past. We know the difference between copying for education, and copying to deceive - anyone is welcome to copy my stuff if they feel like it, but try selling it as your own and I shall be after you with the sharpest implement that comes to hand...
As it happens, while I've been painting for a very long time, I don't THINK I've ever copied anyone else: but perhaps I should have done ... might have taught me a lot.
But - there is nothing wrong with copying - the only 'wrong' is pretending it was all your own work, when you nicked the composition, the palette, the subject, the treatment, from someone else. Probably not a great idea to show copies you've made of a living painter's work without asking their permission; and there are problems with making copies in paint of trade marks, and others' photographs (without specific permission): and I've seen one or two examples of that being done. But I have permission from an artist on this site, who painted a picture in pastel, to have a crack at it myself in another medium - true, I've not done it yet, but when I do I shall be sure to give him full credit if I show it here.
For the strict interpretation of copyright, I refer to m'learned friend Michael Edwards (thus promoting him and myself to the rank of barrister, but I'm sure he won't mind; neither of us needs the wig, but the gown might suit us).
Posted
This is what I like about forums. Sarah asked a question about drawing an egg, and innocently mentioned the word 'imitate'. (That's 'copy' around here...) As Hamlet famously said...'to copy, or not to copy, that is the question...' Well, we've had a few slings and arrows thrown in. An interesting read, and good fun.
Posted
Maybe this should be Semantics On-line not Painters On-line. I think we all know what we mean when using the word copying with a positive inference and when using it with a negative inference.
There are artists whose work I admire and am inspired by. In trying to find my own way into, around and through what I want to do, I have attempted—I stress attempted—to copy their work. It always fails. It doesn't look like one of their works (which was never the intention) and almost invariably it drifts off into something else entirely. And that's where I learn something. That's where the finding my own way into, around and through starts to take more shape and become more clear to me.
So is copying good? Yes of course it is. Is copying bad? Yes of course it is?
It would be so boring if we all agreed.Absolutely. Unless, of course you all agreed with me.
Posted
I don't suppose this is a topic that will ever go away. In my time, I've copied a Renoir, a Manet, an Alphonse Mucha, and a Tamera De Lempicka. Why... because I admired the work, thought I might learn something, and I enjoyed doing it. I've copied photographs, and taken bits from photographs, but most of my work is made up out of my head. But it's the head that's tried to copy those artists and those photographs...has something 'stuck' from that copying? I certainly hope so. As far as I'm aware I don't paint like any of these artists, not would I expect to. Toulouse Lautrec said he preferred to work from photographs...they didn't complain about their wicked landlords...fidget...or need comfort breaks (his words, more or less). Do you know what...his works look like they were painted by Toulouse Lautrec.
So, do whatever you think helps. I will.
Best,
Lew
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