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Author Topic: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?  (Read 3658 times)

Offline Doug ex-em4

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I enjoy painting (sometimes) but I’m poor at thinking of colour schemes and also, bizarrely, identifying obscure knobbly bits on castings which are actually something specific. However, I find I can get a reasonable result by copying other people’s interpretations of the same figure. My version is usually not as good as the original (I look for good quality originals to copy) but is pleasing and rewarding to me.

I’ve not used this method more than three or four times but I like it. However I’m wonder how others would feel about it, hence the subject title.

I should point out that any copy painting I do is purely for my own gaming figures and not for any commercial reason.

Doug

Offline Sbloom141

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2018, 11:08:28 PM »
I think it’s absolutely fine. Miniatures aren’t a completely blank canvas; a lot of them have default schemes or official variants that are designed to be mimicked. I think the fact that the hobby has grown around predominately military uniforms naturally means that people copy each other.

Now some kickass freehand on a banner or a tank or something? That might be copying, and if someone compliments you on the design a humble ‘thanks, I copied it from a guy on the internet’ is all it would take to get my moral compass back in line!

Offline Captain Blood

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2018, 11:26:06 PM »
OK  :)
I’ve seen a good few colour schemes that look like ones I’ve done on similar or in some cases the same figures. And I’ve seen various plastic kitbashed figures just like ones I’ve put together. Personally I don’t mind at all, because I’ve done just the same with other people.
There’s a nice blurry line between inspiration and imitation  ;)

Offline tin shed gamer

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2018, 11:35:38 PM »
Don't worry about it.
There's barely a publication these days that doesn't give you a step by step guide for complete figures
Copying colour schemes and compositions.Is practically a mantra for some of the larger companies in the hobby.
Turn it on its head for as second if copying colour schemes was a hobby No,No.
Then there wouldn't be tutorials everywhere you look.
It's a valid method for improvement. As long as your not claiming to have invented the wheel.

Offline Elbows

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2018, 12:26:43 AM »
(throws down his carefully folded baby calf-skin leather gloves)

I'll have words with any foul knave who doth think he shall on my paintjobs impose! 
2024 Painted Miniatures: 166
('23: 159, '22: 214, '21: 148, '20: 207, '19: 123, '18: 98, '17: 226, '16: 233, '15: 32, '14: 116)

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Offline Inkpaduta

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2018, 03:49:45 AM »
I have done the same thing. Not sure how to paint a figure so I paint it
the way someone else has. Like you, I do this for my personal figures
that I game with.

Offline warlord frod

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2018, 03:51:38 AM »
I would dare to say any of us who have painted a fair number of figures over a lifetime has to have copied someone else's work. I have often had people give me a figure to paint for them and an accompanying picture of the self-same figure painted by another with the request to paint it just like this.  ;)

People who take art courses are often told to copy some classic painting to improve their own skills. I think using another painters work as the model for you to copy is no big deal.

Offline grant

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2018, 04:21:31 AM »
If people didn’t copy, WW2 games would look silly!
It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words - Orwell, 1984

Offline MartinR

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2018, 06:59:32 AM »
The only way I've got any better at painting is by copying other people's ideas which I think look good.
"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" Helmuth von Moltke

Offline tomrommel1

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2018, 07:14:57 AM »
copying is the way to go to improve your own painting style . Just do it there is nothing wrong with it!
In hoc signo vinces

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Offline Michi

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2018, 08:08:13 AM »
I can get a reasonable result by copying other people’s interpretations of the same figure... However I’m wonder how others would feel about it, hence the subject title.

That´s perfectly fine, I think. We improve our painting skills by looking over the fence how others do their stuff. It´s not different from adopting a painting scheme from a package cover, magazine page or movie still. I can´t see a point not to do it.
It would be even alright, I think, if you intend to paint it for selling as long as you state that YOU painted it or don´t name a painter at all. A sculpt is intellectual property, but a paintjob on it is your interpretation of what you feel the miniature should look like.
In fact, I´d feel honoured if anybody liked my painting so much that he starts to copy it.  lol

Offline Cubs

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2018, 08:15:51 AM »
It's all good. I've copied people's paint jobs that I particularly admired, or were shown as source material by the customer, and I've seen my paint jobs copied. No worries either way from my pov.
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

Paul Cubbin Miniature Painter

Offline Lowtardog

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2018, 08:29:35 AM »
Completely fine for all the reasons already stated, whether technique, colour or use of similar uniform livery etc. Aside form uniforms sometimes a miniature when seen in a particular colour scheme just looks right and to do it any other way would be wrong  :)

Offline Battle Brush Sigur

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2018, 09:31:16 AM »
It's OK. Always depends on the case of course. If it's an actually interesting idea (beyond painting that Space Marine red-and-blue or something like that) and you get asked don't try to pass it off as your idea and things are a-okay. We're all just copying, don't we? It's not like miniature painting is 'creating original art' and the outcome will always look different (unless you really, really aim to do exactly the same thing as another person. In which case I'd like to question the point of the whole effort).

Offline Daeothar

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Re: Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2018, 10:07:59 AM »
Yup; perfectly OK. In fact, I'm very much guilty of copying an absolutely great paintscheme (and conversion) I saw here on LAF right now. :D

I've copied loads and have been copied loads as well; it's all part of the hobby, and as has been mentioned a couple of times; it's the way to improve your own skills.

Look at craftsmen (centuries ago united in guilds); students and journeymen will copy their master's work in order to learn the trade, and only when they're proficient enough are they allowed to create original work.

But by that time, they're actually capable of doing so.

Nah; copying is just fine... :)
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