The Hundredth Monkey, again
I've been working with polymer clay for a while, and last winter I was doing some experimenting. Decided to see what would happen if I carved a couple of face stamps, and squish them into some clay. So here are the results:
The eraser carvings are there, the face beads (or cabochons if I use them that way), the stamp impressions on some pieces of paper.
I had to go dig these these out from the nether regions of my non-centrally located "craft centers" because of this--.
See? And there are other things this famous lady has done that are real similar to things I've done.
So, I have a really big question, with a possible scary answer: If I decide to sell my faces, or items using them, will she or other people think I'm stealing from her? I swear to God, I never saw these faces anywhere except in my head, and the idea came from Chinese carvings. Another question: Can she sue me? Another one: WILL she sue me?
Granted, hers are nicely finished, but mine are just experiments, at least these ones are. I just wanted to show what's happened.
Has anyone out there ever been through this themselves?
I keep thinking this is that Hundredth Monkey thing all over again-- so many times I come up with an idea, and a little while later I see it someplace else, then someplace else, and I kick myself because I didn't put it out there first, and then I don't do it at all because I don't want anyone thinking I was copying!
If it IS that Hundredth Monkey thing, how come I just always seem to be the last Monkey? How come I'm the Saturation-Point Monkey? I'm that last drop that causes the rest of the water to spill on over the sides.
I swear (and believe me, I really DO, when these things happen), it's getting to the point where, if I have what seems to be a good idea, I immediately regret it, because I just know I've sent that idea out there to swirl around and land in a whole bunch of other people's heads. Or I'll try to slam shut my mind so no one can read the idea I just had, and I start looking around furtively, to see if I can spot the idea popping up on anyone's face.
Oh, what to do, what to do? Geez, I HATE when this happens!
The eraser carvings are there, the face beads (or cabochons if I use them that way), the stamp impressions on some pieces of paper.
I had to go dig these these out from the nether regions of my non-centrally located "craft centers" because of this--.
See? And there are other things this famous lady has done that are real similar to things I've done.
So, I have a really big question, with a possible scary answer: If I decide to sell my faces, or items using them, will she or other people think I'm stealing from her? I swear to God, I never saw these faces anywhere except in my head, and the idea came from Chinese carvings. Another question: Can she sue me? Another one: WILL she sue me?
Granted, hers are nicely finished, but mine are just experiments, at least these ones are. I just wanted to show what's happened.
Has anyone out there ever been through this themselves?
I keep thinking this is that Hundredth Monkey thing all over again-- so many times I come up with an idea, and a little while later I see it someplace else, then someplace else, and I kick myself because I didn't put it out there first, and then I don't do it at all because I don't want anyone thinking I was copying!
If it IS that Hundredth Monkey thing, how come I just always seem to be the last Monkey? How come I'm the Saturation-Point Monkey? I'm that last drop that causes the rest of the water to spill on over the sides.
I swear (and believe me, I really DO, when these things happen), it's getting to the point where, if I have what seems to be a good idea, I immediately regret it, because I just know I've sent that idea out there to swirl around and land in a whole bunch of other people's heads. Or I'll try to slam shut my mind so no one can read the idea I just had, and I start looking around furtively, to see if I can spot the idea popping up on anyone's face.
Oh, what to do, what to do? Geez, I HATE when this happens!
Lori finally stopped procrastinating at 12:01 PM
6 Comments:
There is nothing new under the sun. This is your interpretation and the buttons don't look exactly the same because of it. If it were me I'd go for it. After all someone designed the first button by thinking of poking two holes in a round of something. Hasn't stopped people making buttons. And your buttons do look Chinese. I like the colour, I'm a sucker for pink!
Darling, those are awesome, you carved them, THEY are YOURS! Sell them, trade them, create with them, do what you will, just remember to have fun. Just like Valeri said, there are no new ideas, just interpretations. Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
P.S. Thanks for calling me famous, I almost believed it for a moment ;-)
First, to Valerie and Mamarox-- thank you! Hearing people as awesomely creative as you two say what you did makes me feel empowered! Thank you, thank you, thank you! (And Mamarox, you are TOO famous! So are you, Valeri. You're both on so many link lists! Everyone loves you, and so do I!)
And Keith, I definitely could make "work" faces-- I'd have dozens of models to look at! And there are tons of ways to make letters in polymer clay-- depends on how you want to use them. For a button, I'd use stamps, then stain the button after it's been baked:)
This is the first blog ever where I think I've read almost everything you've written here (saying something since I taught College English for 22 years and reading other people's writing is no longer fun). I just wanted you to know that I really enjoyed your blog, and I've bookmarked it. I'm also starting to do polymer clay (by the way, there are quite a few Sumerian faces on disks/pendants circa 1500 B.C.; I don't think you have to worry )
Dear Cluny (no, really-- I mean it!), THANKS! Sumerian, huh? I like that. People from ancient Sumer won't sue me!
No, I want to thank you guys for sticking up for me-- encouragement is always something I can use. Especially when I get all dramatic on myself!
Oh hells yeah! *pumps fist*
You do get dramatic. o.o
- Signed, your loving youngest,
ME
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