[Lynn O. Doughty]

I give up!

[susieq]

This is a really tough question. We have all been inspired by someone elses work at one time or another. I re worked a pattern once and started carving my version of it. I actually won at the Florida state fair with it, but it was no longer recognizable as the original piece I had taken my inspiration from.

I took the features I liked and carved them into my carving. That was years ago and not one person ever said " gee, that kind of reminds me of so and so's santa". I think that if you have your own personal style, you are in the clear even when you "take inspiration from someone else". If you are copying their work, that is a different matter. It will be obvious and you wont be fooling anyone. I have had that happen to me too. Exact copies of my style put out there. I just look at it this way.....imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...plus if they want to put the time into it that I did , God Bless'em.

[Keoma]

YES-SUSIE! I have been waiting for you! That is how I feel as well. At fairs and shows, people say, "Oh I think I could do that." I say "I hope you try !" The neat thing is I mean that...and not with sarcasm. I trully hope I can inspire someone else to try what we do, I am not that great a carver, but I learn by looking,this does not mean I am copying, but how else do we learn? You want an answer to something, you look it up right?
I don't do eyes...fer beans...so I look...I'm not taking "your" idea, or "your" technique...but I look and wait for that "AHA!" moment.
Besides, all ideas come from somewhere else...we all get excited when we see something inspiring. Bring it on!
Anyway, I am still laughing about Cain and Able...what a corker! Thanx for everyones answers and opinions. This has been a good read.

[susieq]

Hi Keoma,
I just re read my post and it does come off a bit flippant..... not what I intended and I hope I didn't offend anyone. But I have always felt that I put tons of time into a piece. Detail is my "icing on the oreo cookie" and I get carried away with it. No body (including me) can make any $ on the work when you put that much time into it......or the work would be unaffordable.

I do also really feel that if someone wants to copy me, in a way, it is a huge compliment. They can't be doing it for money, that's for sure.

Locally, there are one or two carvers who sort of do what I do. I'm fine with that. They don't claim it's my work and really, if I wasn't ok with it, there wouldn't be a lot I could do about it. Now if I start seeing someone on ebay claiming to be selling a piece of mine and it isn't my work, then I would try to do something about it.

You are right when you say we look at the work of others trying to learn something and everynow and then we get that "lightbulb" moment over how to do eyes or noses, texture hair, etc......yup, still having those

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I'll step back into this once more to say "Right on Susan!!" All these posts about what constitutes an original design, how to make money, how much should I charge, on and on an on......Your sentence:

"But I have always felt that I put tons of time into a piece. Detail is my "icing on the oreo cookie" and I get carried away with it. No body (including me) can make any $ on the work when you put that much time into it......or the work would be unaffordable."

That pretty well sums up the arguments on any of those topics.

[susieq]

Hi Lynn,
yep, details take so much time that you will never make back in money. I do feel happy with what I am doing though so that is better than money.....almost.....

[MelNM]

Very well said Susie, I too enjoy the detail more than anything. I know I will never probably get rich carving, but I sure enjoy doing it.
Mel

[K Karver]

It sure has been a lot of fun reading everyone's comments. Thanks to all who have commented. I believe that I and the new carvers can learn lots from those of you who have worked at things for a while. The dicussion on style and designsent me to the online dictionary to reread the definitions. Interesting stuff. If you don't love the details, don't love what you are doing get out of Dodge. I do agree that the money is nice, but which would you really rather do, make a pile doing something you hate or make less and get to do something you really love to do? I pick the latter.

John/K Karver

[Keoma]

Hello! I have just read my post and I want to make it clear that when I said "you" and "your", I meant in General.
I am also very happy to hear that the love of what we do is more important than the few bucks that it brings in. I know, I put so much love and thought into a piece that sometimes selling it is very hard...I actually have a friend price them for me. I don't ever know what to charge anyway.
Today was a great day. One of my pieces, a signature one as a matter of fact-...was given away. Yep! It felt great! My Aunt came from WA State and I just gave it to her. The smile and hug was so much better than the $40 I would have got for it. The best part? She said my Grandpa would be proud of me. She said not only do I have his eye and his hands, I have his heart. Now how about that? Money does not compare! Thank you for letting me share...(sorry, rhyme not intended!)

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Keoma... I think you just expressed how the majority of us feel about our craft. While the money is nice it's the look on the face or the kind comment is what really makes our efforts worthwhile. My Dad was a whittler and he encouraged me when I was first starting. Your comment about your Grandfather being proud makes me think of him and how proud I think he would be of my efforts. Unfortunately, he's no longer around. But you know, sometimes I think I can still feel him standing behind me guiding my hand as chips fall away. Thanks Dad!