Monday, August 23, 2010

Not mine.

Ohemgeeeee! Someone copied my painting May Daisies, see my original post here. They posted it on their website here. (Scroll way down.) At least they gave me credit... I am oddly flattered. nodp

19 comments:

sara star said...

Good thing they are crediting you. I copy Monet's and from photographs, it helps me learn. I'd be flattered too. Good work, you are famous in Asia somewhere :)

Linda Popple said...

Good grief! At least she chose a good artisit!! How did you find it? Who knows how many other copies are out there!

Diane Hoeptner (hep-ner) said...

Linda, I was hoping no one would ask that. Ok, yes, I admit it I googled myself under "images" on Google. That's how I found it... So shocking to see that little image that is so dear to me--only painted by someone else! I reported the whole incident to the woman who bought the painting, she was shocked too. (:

LindaHunt said...

Wow that anyone would have that much moxxy!

Marie Theron said...

Sigh......this is fearful! And truly, it is not even near your work,amateurish really!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh!! That is amazing, Well you are gonna have that I guess.
Sista!

Pat Washington said...

Imitation is the best form of flattery, so they say....

Wendy L. Trommer said...

Is this really wrong? I do studies of other artists work sometimes. It helps me to learn, and I always credit the original artist and clearly mark the work as a study. I also do not sell it, as I did the piece for me to learn. This is a time honored way to study painting. Is the issue that it was posted on the web? I would be much more concerned about people representing the work as thier own.

Diane Hoeptner (hep-ner) said...

Wendy, it would be wrong if they didn't credit me or if they tried somehow to make money on it? But they did credit me and as far as I can tell they aren't trying to sell it. I suspect this an earnest attempt at learning by a student (her website is in a foreign language.) I did a post about it because I found it to be entertaining and I thought my readers would agree.

Elaine Hurst said...

Spooky how these things show up. I hope she is just a student trying to learn, and it was good that she did credit you. I'm a little afraid to google myself now.

Maija Baynes said...

It would be interesting to have someone translate this for you. My gut reaction, your painting is being sold as a print,...or an original, and will be available at a trade show like Decor Expo. If you ever go to Expo, you'll find tables with unsigned work out of China for sale to galleries...or to ever else is interested. This has become a real problem for the legitimate artist. I don't know how we can protect ourselves.
I have been personally approached by a company, saying their artists, who work in a factory like setting, will copy my work, and they will paint 100's of original copies for me...how many do I need? Original? Are you kidding? The idea is outrageous!
I don't take this as flattery. I look at it as plain plagerism and thievery.
Like I said, I don't know how we can protect ourselves, but we have to figure out a way.

Joan Breckwoldt said...

Hi Diane, my first reaction was to be flattered! But after reading the last comment it's a bit worrisome. Can you copy some of that text into an online translator? That might give you a feel for what's happening on that website. The copying in China is a problem though.
Joan
p.s. oh, now I'm going to google my name.

Wendy L. Trommer said...

I went to the site and grabbed the text and did a translation using Google Translate. Here is what it says:
"Not copy a copy of the later, more tired,

Imitate other people's style is a thankless thing

Although I like this style


Original painting here" and then a link to your site.

Diane Hoeptner (hep-ner) said...

(: Thanks Wendy.

Virginia Floyd said...

I had a couple of thoughts. First, I bet you are really driving up the hits on that person's website! Second, I often see paintings that I think I'd like to try to paint. I haven't because I was afraid I might make someone really, really mad!

Marie Theron said...

I agree with Maija. It gets out of hand! Some South African artists have found their work reproduced as prints in a large furniture shop. The shop bought the prints unbeknowingly!

Carol Schiff Studio said...

Diane, I had two e-mails last week about others copying my work and it didn't bother me at all. Much like you, I was flattered that someone felt my work was worth copying. After all, with all this wonderful art available on the blogs, why should it bother me if a student level artist is trying to learn from my compositions and brushwork? If it is someone who is more accomplished, I would still be flattered that they were so impressed with my work that they wanted to use it for inspiration. It could never be as good as the original.

Libby Fife said...

I am a lurker on your site but thought I would add this to the mix. For an artist who is living, I always ask first if I can use one of their pieces as an inspiration for my own work. I would never sell the finished piece and I say so upfront.

I don't know what to think about multiple copies from China-I just don't buy stuff like that.

FruitsOFtheBLooM.etsy.com said...

There's no denying the quality difference between your work and hers!!! This painting makes my eyes scream, while I LOVE yours. I think it's one thing to copy something to study as a personal thing in your own studio, but to post it online seems wrong to me. I would be upset.