Are you talented if you just "copy"?

Question

So I have a question for all of you on Glow. I really like to draw and paint, stuff like that. But I am not a free hand artist. Most of my ideas I just search things and then copy the design of the original artist. Lately I copy birthday card designs and paintings. 
For instance, once I wanted to copy an oil pastel painting of someone online. So I printed it out and I traced the outline. But I did all the actual working with the oil pastels on the paper myself, filling in the color using my own hands. But I copied the color scheme they used. 
So what do you guys think?
When people tell me wow you're a talented artist, I literally tell them oh thanks but I copied this design from another artist it's not my original idea. Is that a good way to put it?

Answer

You definitely have skill and talent if you can paint and draw however you couldn't claim the idea to be your own. as long as your honest I don't see the issue

Answer

I hope you just keep those to yourself or giving them away for free. If you're selling them or making any money off of them, then you could be in a world of trouble. As an artist myself, I have fought people in court and won thousands of dollars because multiple people were copying and selling my works. 
As for your question, it takes talent to know how to work with paint and such, but I wouldn't consider you a talented artist because it's not original. There's nothing about it that came from you other than the brush strokes.

Answer

What you're doing takes talent, so yes you're talented. What it lacks is creativity and imagination.

Answer

I'm a free hand artist, but I do draw ideas from others art. I can't copy very well like my little sister, but I use others concepts in my artwork. So if it is something that wasn't my original idea I usually say

"yeah I saw someone do a similar drawinng an I really liked it and wanted to try it out"

There is nothing wrong with copying as long as you don't claim it as your own artwork.

These are two free hand drawings, the second one is an Illustaration of Nirvanas: Heart Shaped Box.

Answer

Tracing doesn't make the art. I've tried it. I don't have talent when it comes to painting so tracing made no difference for me it was still a disaster when I would try that. As long as your honest about it (also if you sell make sure the original artist doesn't have it copyrighted or you could be in trouble if you don't have their written permission).

Answer

If all you're doing is copying another's work, that's not considered talented. But if you know how to shade and what goes good together and what not, that's still a talent. I suggest going out and getting inspiration to come up with something original. Look online and get inspirations from people's style. Don't keep copying others work, they worked hard for it to be viewed, not copied.

Answer

Maybe you could claim some credit if you "remixed" the original piece amd added some touched of your own to it. Maybe do different color schemes then the original piece. If the original was a guy make it a girl instead. Just an ideal but I am not an artist so you know do you. But as a person who may want your art I would be interested in an artist interpretation piece from an original piece of art. You have a talent just have to make the work your own. If you want credits.

Answer

I'm artist who also can't draw something unless I use a picture to reference. My best friend is also an artist and also needs a reference. You would have to have a photographic memory to make something look realistic. It has to have all the details that our minds naturally forget. That's why artists go to school and learn how the light source would hit an object etc so they can make something realistic straight from your imagination. That's a process. I know many artists who use pics for reference, but they take the pictures themselves so they aren't stealing anyone else's work. You are an artist. Just in a process, just like any artist. We always have more to learn 😊

Answer

Honestly I'm an artist and do everything freehand. I cannot for the life of me trace or reprint or repaint ANYTHING... To be able to do that actually requires a lot of skill and traditional techniques that most people have to learn in school. It's really hard. I say it's talent because with talent you still have to practice practice practice!!!

Answer

Ehhhh tracing anyone can do. If you were to just freehand all of it then it would be talent, copied or not. But tracing isn't really talent.

Are you talented if you just "copy"?

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