Copying someone else’s paint job; OK or not quite the thing?

[Antonio J Carrasco]

As long as you don't try to sell the resulting miniature as originally painted by someone else, you shouldn't worry. In other words, you can copy Sascha Herman painting style as much as you want, but if you try to pass your production as Sascha's to improve your chances to sell the mini, then it would be no Ok.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I tink copying a good colour scheme for your own use is perfectly OK. That is simply a good way to make your own collection look nice.
Indeed, I write tutorials (and a book) so that people can paint WW2 uniforms in colour schemes that look good.

The only time it would be wrong is if you were selling it as a original from a famous painter.

[Doug ex-em4]

Well who’d-a-believed it? A unanimous answer to a question on an Internet forum. Must be a record

Thanks for the input - now I need to search the internet for a cracking paint job of North Star’s Congo  African Chiefs for me to copy

Doug

[edited to correct autocorrect!]

[Plynkes]

When I first made a concerted effort to get better at painting, I started out by deliberately copying the Prof's style. I think I sort of ended up with a style of my own, but that's how it started. But that was a style, rather than a specific paint-job so I don't know if that's really what we're talking about.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think that's how those Renaissance guys learned how to do it.

[Doug ex-em4]

When I first made a concerted effort to get better at painting, I started out by deliberately copying the Prof's style. I think I sort of ended up with a style of my own, but that's how it started. But that was a style, rather than a specific paint-job so I don't know if that's really what we're talking about.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think that's how those Renaissance guys learned how to do it.

I’m talking about a specific paint job. For example, I’ve had a couple of clown figures knocking round for ages and I thought they’d fit in quite nicely to a VBCW skirmish game. I googled clowns to get an idea of how to paint them and fortuitously an image of the very same figures, painted, came up. So I copied the paint job as closely as I could. Worked out quite reasonably.

I’ve been painting figures since 1970 and my “style” seems to be different every time which is why copying from someone who can really turn it on is a great help.

Doug

[Jeff965]

Pffft I do it all the time I copy everybody's work on here, especially Bugsda (poncho patterns I couldn't resist) who's painting I admire a lot. It's a form of flattery IMHO.

[meninobesta]

Hello,
my name is Pedro,
and I've copied paint schemes from Angus McBride

[Norm]

can a painting style be owned? I don't know, I'm just asking as it seems to be the pre-requisite of the question being asked.

Owning a painting style seems (to me at least) like saying I own the letter 'P' or the number '3' etc.

There must be a ton of people who don't exhibit on the internet who paint in ways that might be original, but no-one would ever know and then someone who happens to both paint in that style and have a media platform can claim the style as theirs and believe that is true, when in fact it isn't. can anyone really claim uniqueness? again, I don't know.

[tin shed gamer]

Oh I don't know ,seems a fast food chain can own the letter 'M'   

[Doug ex-em4]

can a painting style be owned? I don't know, I'm just asking as it seems to be the pre-requisite of the question being asked.

Actually, it’s not a question of “style”. I’m happy to copy from a variety of people, all of whom may have a different style. If I see a painted example which I like of a figure which I have and which I’m in the mood to paint, I will think, great, I can copy that without having to think what colour to paint the socks and, oh blimey, that blob of indefinable metal on the side is actually a small teddy bear - who would have thought? And then there’s shading. Left to my own devices, my shading is pretty random and inaccurate. Seeing an example of the same figure from someone else who has a sure grasp of the principles of shading is a big help.

Those are the prosaic reasons which make copying a good idea for me but I asked the question originally because in a way, it seems a bit rude just nicking someone else’s vision and piggy-backing on their skill. However, the posts here have reassured me that I’m not out of order.

Doug

[Orctrader]

Yes, it's fine.   

[Doug ex-em4]

Yes, it's fine.   

Phew, that’s a relief 

Doug

[has.been]

'Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery'
As said before, if praised, admit who inspired the work.

An article on how to develop your own style (it was about art, but the idea is sound for wargames figures)
said choose 2 or 3 artists you like the style of, and find as many examples of their work as you can.
Slavishly copy their style for about  6 months.
Put away the reference material & paint for another 6 months.
At the end of that time you will have developed your own style.

Do not forget this is a hobby, do not stress it.

[Doug ex-em4]

Do not forget this is a hobby, do not stress it.

Having been in this hobby for 45years+, believe me, I’m well past stressing it 😀

Doug

[Bugsda]

I've been trying to copy Dallimore for years, if he'd had a problem with it he wouldn't have wrote the books.