Post #119176 by beachin on Tue, Oct 12, 2004 12:37 AM

I'm just reading posts to try to get a feel for this new community. I wanted to address something that was said about starting out copying and then establishing a style.

I've been making tiki mugs for two years now. When I first started out, all I had was the Book of Tiki to go on. I took elements of tikis, went to the sketch pad, and added my own style.

After two years, I can no longer see other's work in my own. I have also gotten a feel for the type of nose I like to draw, the look I want to see in the eyes, and what mouths will "speak" to me.

I'm in agreement about respect for other artists, though. It's really hard to "copy" other artists, even out of respect or training, as it just feels so WRONG. Also, there's the challenge to add a fresh angle to the art form.

I love what I do, because not too many people handbuild ceramics anymore, and I can get personal with each new personality I create. I keep the original of every piece I made, and find myself talking to them (yes I AM crazy) as I attempt to make duplicates! My agent thinks I'm a nut, but it keeps my work real.

In this world of copyright law being violated at every step, it's nice to see the respect for artisans on the internet. It brings a tear to my eye.

Good luck with the carving. Can't wait to see how the next ones turn out. (I tried carving plaster once - ONCE - and don't think I'll be doing that again! Think I'll stick with clay!)

[ Edited by: beachin on 2004-10-12 00:44 ]