Do you ever copy another artist’s artwork? And do you feel like a bad artist because you find it difficult to draw without using another artist’s work as reference?
Most artists seem to think copying is something to be either ashamed of or guilty of. But y’all, there’s nothing inherently wrong with copying, and in fact, there are many reasons you should copy.
There’s a big difference between copying to learn and copying to plagiarize, and this class will help you follow the best practices to copy ethically.
Almost every artist’s journey begins by imitating other artists. And it’s one of the most powerful ways of learning there is. Over time, the experience of copying other artwork leads to exploring and developing your own unique style. You learn how that artist does what they do, what you do and don’t like about it, how you might could do it, and eventually, how to do it in your own way.
There are four reasons an artist might choose to copy other artists:
- Imitate + Learn
- Steal + Combine
- Honor + Play
- or Plagiarize
In this class, we’re going to take a look at those four reasons to copy and the best practices to follow when you choose to copy another artist.
Now, you may be thinking: ok, so you’re saying copying is good but plagiarizing is bad? Well, what’s the difference? How do I know where the line is? Don’t worry, I’ll be covering that as well!
And together, at the end of the class, we’ll put our knowledge to work with a project assignment where you’ll choose a piece of artwork and copy it using the theories and practices we’ve covered.
