When is a design mine?

[K Karver]

Let me begin by saying thanks to Rick Jensen for the great ideas in bark. (And of course now that I am ready to post this thread I realize this should probably be on another - Bark or general - Any one of my handlers who can fix that?) The question still remains, When can I call a design mine? The first thumbnail is a design straight from Rick's book. Are the next four also? Or have I moved into my own? Where is the line? Looking forward to your responses.

John/K Karver

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[Lynn O. Doughty]

To me a carver owns the "design" when it can be clearly recognized as something done only by them. In the case of your Santas that would be kind of hard to do as so many others carve in the same style as you and the carving community seems to be inundated with Santas.

Your first Santa might be a copy of one done from a book but unfortunately if someone came along and mixed them up a person would have a hard time picking it out from the others.

Years ago I saw an exhibit where each member of the CCA carved a similar sized figure. These were all put in a display box. Had it not been for the names under each piece I would have had an equally hard time picking out just who did what. There were a few that because of their unique "design" I could easily recognize as being done by a certain individual but the others were just carvings that were lucky enough to have names attached so we could see who did them.

I think one of the drawbacks of books and seminars are that carvers become so comfortable with carving other carvers styles they never work to develop their own. Books and seminars are fine but to do your "own" work you have to break free.

This is just my opinion.

[Anthony Filetti]

I have to agree with Lynn on this when it comes to figure carving... (not sure about other types of carving).

Most of Caricature carvers can identify a Kaisersatt, Janel, Trygg, Bishop, LeClair, Wolfe, etc. And even closer to home I'm pretty sure I can identify a Doughty, Akers, Arnold Smith...

At this point I can say these folks have arrived.

This being said if your question is: can you say the derived carvings are of your own design, I would say a 'qualified' yes. But I would not designate them as originals.

Just my two cents...

[squbrigg]

To me, they all resemble each other, and there doesn't seem to be much difference in them. If they are coming from a standard model that you were taught from or learned from, I'd say they were variations of the original design. To call a design you own, I would think it would have to be an original concept or idea, not just a variation.

Bob

[Kenny_S]

Lynn and Tony where spot on with their posts. In taking a class or learning from boks, a carver should clean a little from each instrutor and come up with theie own style. Watch Mark Ackers develope his own style from him have classes with different instructors. I can't remember if Lynn has had classes but there again, Lynn has his own style and both carvers have developed them over the years.
Your own design is one that no one else has design whereby copies have been made. There are designs out there waiting to be develop and even Santas. Each year, I see new Santa designs emerge at shows and here on this board.

Best to you on creating your own.

[cgm]

This is a question for anybody. After you know how to carve from patterns, how do you come up with something that is different from the norm?That's where I'm at now. I have been studying drawing books, also working with modeling clay to work out ideas. I find it is quicker to work ideas out in clay before trying it in wood. For a lot of years I thought doing it in clay first was a waste of time, now I have found out for me, clay is the way to go. Then when I work on the wood that part goes faster. The face is the main thing I'm trying to get different than I have done in the past. I guess what I'm saying is what other ideas I could use to get out of the rut?
Thanx,
Carl

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Well, that's is the great problem with originality. You can't go somewhere and find it cause if you could then someone else has already come up with it. One of the biggest problems I think carvers have is that they can't seem to decide on just what they want to carve. One month they carve Santas, the next cowboys, then it's birds, animals, they're all over the place. If that's what you want to do that's great. But surely, back there in the dark recesses of your mind there must be that one thing that you really want to excell at. Jack Palance had it right in the movie City Slickers.....when you find the "one thing" you'll know it. That is what you should apply all your energies toward no matter if someone might already be doing something similar. In time, with lots of hard work, you'll find that that "one thing" becomes "your thing"!

[feb]

I think lynn is right I like to carve ind ians and mtn men and mabye cowboys. I started copying Jeff Phares and now each one Ido gets farther and farther from his style and is becoming mine.

Feb

[cgm]

Thank you, Lynn and feb for the ideas.

Carl

[K Karver]

Thanks to all for the great input. It is helpful to hear the insights those of you who have been doing this a while have. Appreciate it.

John/ K Karver