I’ve been dealing with a copycat lately. A Texan company has been systematically copying my entire ChurchStageDesignIdeas.com site onto theirs. Beside the obvious plagiarism and copyright violation issues…it’s really ticking me off. I’ve spent about 2 and a half years of my life curating and crafting that site.
They’re even using pictures from the site saying they can design these things for other churches! They’re even posting job openings on craigslist looking for designers who can directly copy the designs on CSDI.
I’m annoyed to the say the least.
But as I deal with my personal issues…I can’t help but feel sorry for the guy. He’s trying to break into the creative world by carbon copying everything he sees. Copying is not creating.
Anyone can cut and paste, trace, and plagiarize. You might fool the folks who don’t know the source of your plagiarism…but you’ll never fool yourself. You’ll never get the satisfaction of seeing the fruit of your labors. And…more than that…you’ll always be many steps behind everyone else. You’ll always be copying and trying to catch up. You’ll never be innovative.
Don’t give in to the temptation to copy. Don’t even give into the temptation to mimic. Create!
God created us in His image to be creative.
That’s horrible, but, I appreciate the fact you are sharing such a reality with us. Its something that we may run into between now and later, and the last thing we need to be is unprepared. Praying the situation get’s resolved immediately.
thanks man!
That’s horrible, but, I appreciate the fact you are sharing such a reality with us. Its something that we may run into between now and later, and the last thing we need to be is unprepared. Praying the situation get’s resolved immediately.
thanks man!
I’m still honing the skill of finding inspiration from a specific graphic piece and working that into my own design work without feeling like I’ve copied someone else’s idea. It’s a fine line, and until you have your creative legs underneath you, it is extremely difficult. I love so many aspects of the pieces I see, so it’s tricky to not carbon copy those into my own. But you’re totally right – unless I know and feel that I created it, it just doesn’t mean as much.
you should check out colin harman’s article in this issue of Sunday| mag. It talks about that a bit. 🙂
http://www.sundaymag.tv/issue3/design-habits-that-need-to-die/
I’m still honing the skill of finding inspiration from a specific graphic piece and working that into my own design work without feeling like I’ve copied someone else’s idea. It’s a fine line, and until you have your creative legs underneath you, it is extremely difficult. I love so many aspects of the pieces I see, so it’s tricky to not carbon copy those into my own. But you’re totally right – unless I know and feel that I created it, it just doesn’t mean as much.
you should check out colin harman’s article in this issue of Sunday| mag. It talks about that a bit. 🙂
http://www.sundaymag.tv/issue3/design-habits-that-need-to-die/
That stinks. Like Tori said above, I think there is a difference between using as inspiration and flat out ripping off, and in the case of whats going on with you, thats just dumb ripping off.
We’ve seen on youthmin.org a lot of people emulate what we are doing, at times rip off things we do with our social media, and its super frustrating, but Its also people with larger audiences which (a) makes it more frustrating because then it looks like we are the ones ripping them off, but (b) encourages us because our heart is to see Youth Ministry grow and be challenged and encouraged to raise the bar, so when they copy what we do, its helping achieve this, as frustrating as that is.
Thanks for sharing something personally ticking you off.
Haha. glad to share my frustrations. I have a few more I can vent…errr…I mean share…if you want. 😛
That stinks. Like Tori said above, I think there is a difference between using as inspiration and flat out ripping off, and in the case of whats going on with you, thats just dumb ripping off.
We’ve seen on youthmin.org a lot of people emulate what we are doing, at times rip off things we do with our social media, and its super frustrating, but Its also people with larger audiences which (a) makes it more frustrating because then it looks like we are the ones ripping them off, but (b) encourages us because our heart is to see Youth Ministry grow and be challenged and encouraged to raise the bar, so when they copy what we do, its helping achieve this, as frustrating as that is.
Thanks for sharing something personally ticking you off.
Haha. glad to share my frustrations. I have a few more I can vent…errr…I mean share…if you want. 😛
Real nice. It would be funny to post a link to the rip-off site so you could send your readers to flood it with negative comments as well as posting back links and such on our own sites with negative keywords to drive the copy site down in google and show negative search results. Just an idea.
At any rate, that is too bad. However, I can’t think of any importers that have ever really successfully pulled off a lot of plagiarism and not had it come back to bite them in one way or another. They’ll get what’s coming to them at some point.
Ya. It’s just the bad feelings inside me that make me want to exact my own form of justice. But I’ll be trying to leave that in God’s hands. 🙂
Real nice. It would be funny to post a link to the rip-off site so you could send your readers to flood it with negative comments as well as posting back links and such on our own sites with negative keywords to drive the copy site down in google and show negative search results. Just an idea.
At any rate, that is too bad. However, I can’t think of any importers that have ever really successfully pulled off a lot of plagiarism and not had it come back to bite them in one way or another. They’ll get what’s coming to them at some point.
Ya. It’s just the bad feelings inside me that make me want to exact my own form of justice. But I’ll be trying to leave that in God’s hands. 🙂
I think that this is a great post. Been thinking about it all day long. It’s funny because not too long ago I read Austin Kleon’s book, “Steal Like an Artist”. If you haven’t read it, you totally should. The premise is that everything that we create is a result of what we have seen, heard and experienced in our lives. We all have influences and experiences that drive our creativity.
That said, what you are talking about here is flat out theft. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a concept that I used but definitely after making it my own. The church I work for is part of a group of churches that share good ideas with each other. Even though we do that, every iteration is a reflection of the individual personality of our respective churches.
Jonathan, you are right. We ARE created in His image…an infinitely creative Creator. Our struggle should be to know HIM deeper and in that pursuit, His creativity is reflected through us.
Definitely. If we’re pursuing art or creativity with pursuing Him…we’re missing out completely.
I think that this is a great post. Been thinking about it all day long. It’s funny because not too long ago I read Austin Kleon’s book, “Steal Like an Artist”. If you haven’t read it, you totally should. The premise is that everything that we create is a result of what we have seen, heard and experienced in our lives. We all have influences and experiences that drive our creativity.
That said, what you are talking about here is flat out theft. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a concept that I used but definitely after making it my own. The church I work for is part of a group of churches that share good ideas with each other. Even though we do that, every iteration is a reflection of the individual personality of our respective churches.
Jonathan, you are right. We ARE created in His image…an infinitely creative Creator. Our struggle should be to know HIM deeper and in that pursuit, His creativity is reflected through us.
Definitely. If we’re pursuing art or creativity with pursuing Him…we’re missing out completely.
So I suppose I shouldn’t go ahead with my idea to publish a monthly online magazine entitled SOMEDAY| up here in Canada haha kidding…
Man, sorry to hear that. The internet is great but also problematic for being open to those who will plagiarize. Inspiration is one thing and “everything is a Remix”, but they should give credit where credit is due (and get permission for that matter!!). Well perhaps this a twisted sign of how appealing your work is.
Interesting too, after reading the article, the last statement hit me, when God created us, even he used a template, namely himself!
Thanks for your work, it’s definitely creating some good dialogue around these parts.
See ya @createconference
Haha. Actually I’d LOVE to see SOMEDAY| 😛
Yep…it’s a balance between getting inspired and stealing. I’m usually ok with gray areas…but…
Haha. See you soon! 🙂
So I suppose I shouldn’t go ahead with my idea to publish a monthly online magazine entitled SOMEDAY| up here in Canada haha kidding…
Man, sorry to hear that. The internet is great but also problematic for being open to those who will plagiarize. Inspiration is one thing and “everything is a Remix”, but they should give credit where credit is due (and get permission for that matter!!). Well perhaps this a twisted sign of how appealing your work is.
Interesting too, after reading the article, the last statement hit me, when God created us, even he used a template, namely himself!
Thanks for your work, it’s definitely creating some good dialogue around these parts.
See ya @createconference
Haha. Actually I’d LOVE to see SOMEDAY| 😛
Yep…it’s a balance between getting inspired and stealing. I’m usually ok with gray areas…but…
Haha. See you soon! 🙂
Coincidentally, my first issue of Monday: magazine comes out later this week. 🙂
I, too, am glad that you publicly mention the issues of another company/site ripping your work. It’s refreshing to see people giving real world examples of these things happening. Especially from a Christian business perspective where people assume this wouldn’t happen.
Can’t wait to see Monday: mag 🙂
Coincidentally, my first issue of Monday: magazine comes out later this week. 🙂
I, too, am glad that you publicly mention the issues of another company/site ripping your work. It’s refreshing to see people giving real world examples of these things happening. Especially from a Christian business perspective where people assume this wouldn’t happen.
Can’t wait to see Monday: mag 🙂
Reminds me of an old saying: “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.” Yes, it sucks being ripped off, but obviously you’re doing great work, worthy of being copied. If your work wasn’t good, no one would bother copying it. I hope that’s something you can feel good about.
it’s definitely a consolation prize. 😛
Reminds me of an old saying: “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.” Yes, it sucks being ripped off, but obviously you’re doing great work, worthy of being copied. If your work wasn’t good, no one would bother copying it. I hope that’s something you can feel good about.
it’s definitely a consolation prize. 😛
I get your frustration in some ways… but in others I don’t. Let me explain…
You and I met at a conference in Dallas. I was working for a church in Chicago at the time and a few of my set designs were featured on your site. I love the community you’ve created there and I’m enjoying contributing to it.
About 6 years ago I started a ministry called Love’s Paint (www.lovespaint.com). I travel to churches, bars, schools etc. performing and creating large-scale live paintings. It has been so cool to get to meet people and contribute to their events in this way. However, when I started this ministry all those years ago I was met with hurtful road bump. Another artist that is much more well known than me and very gifted came across my website a few weeks after it went live. I received an email from him threatening me to remove my art and close the site down. I was very confused and hurt. All I wanted to do was to use my gifts for Christ. I wasn’t copying anyone and hadn’t even visited his site before creating mine. He said my depiction of Christ was too similar to his. I respectfully wrote back and told him that while we don’t know what Jesus looked like there seems to be a common idea about his features. I told him I wasn’t trying to copy his version. A few weeks later I was contacted by his lawyer and threatened with legal action. That was a turning point for me. I decided from then on that if anyone wanted to use my art as inspiration or even to flat out copy it I would be ok with it. Just like if someone wanted to steal my Bible. If there’s anything I want copied it’s Jesus.
As the ministry has grown and as I’ve started to rely on the income I receive from it I have certainly been tested in my thinking. For example: A women in California contented me to book an event. I sent the quote and didn’t hear from her for a few weeks so I assumed it wasn’t in the budget or they decided to go another route. Happens all the time and I totally understand. But then I got an email saying they couldn’t afford the booking to they printed off an image of one of my paintings and had a member of their church trace it and project it onto a canvas to sketch out. She sent a picture of the painting and their were many differences but it was clearly a direct copy of my piece. I was frustrated initially. I even had a moment where I considered calling her out. But then I prayed and I felt like God said, “Caleb, I gave you this gift and it inspired someone to use their gifts. People were moved in a service hundreds of miles away from you because you are doing what I called you to do. Be At Peace.” And you know what. I slept better that night than I had in a long time.
Today I’ll occasionally receive emails from kids asking to use the images from my site to make a tshirt or youth poster or something and my answer is always 100% yes.
Now… All of that being said… I do always encourage people to create something fresh. There is a certain joy we share with the our Creator when we are making something new. I feel closest to Him when I design, sketch, paint, build and play. We get that from him. I’m sure you feel the same when you let your gifts flow onto the page or the stage and so many of us are inspired by you. I certainly am.
So be encouraged man. Keep creating and challenging your audience. But keep in mind that the greatest thing to plagiarize is Christ. After all, we all just want to shamelessly steal, copy and broadcast His love. I think He’s cool with that. 🙂
I get your frustration in some ways… but in others I don’t. Let me explain…
You and I met at a conference in Dallas. I was working for a church in Chicago at the time and a few of my set designs were featured on your site. I love the community you’ve created there and I’m enjoying contributing to it.
About 6 years ago I started a ministry called Love’s Paint (www.lovespaint.com). I travel to churches, bars, schools etc. performing and creating large-scale live paintings. It has been so cool to get to meet people and contribute to their events in this way. However, when I started this ministry all those years ago I was met with hurtful road bump. Another artist that is much more well known than me and very gifted came across my website a few weeks after it went live. I received an email from him threatening me to remove my art and close the site down. I was very confused and hurt. All I wanted to do was to use my gifts for Christ. I wasn’t copying anyone and hadn’t even visited his site before creating mine. He said my depiction of Christ was too similar to his. I respectfully wrote back and told him that while we don’t know what Jesus looked like there seems to be a common idea about his features. I told him I wasn’t trying to copy his version. A few weeks later I was contacted by his lawyer and threatened with legal action. That was a turning point for me. I decided from then on that if anyone wanted to use my art as inspiration or even to flat out copy it I would be ok with it. Just like if someone wanted to steal my Bible. If there’s anything I want copied it’s Jesus.
As the ministry has grown and as I’ve started to rely on the income I receive from it I have certainly been tested in my thinking. For example: A women in California contented me to book an event. I sent the quote and didn’t hear from her for a few weeks so I assumed it wasn’t in the budget or they decided to go another route. Happens all the time and I totally understand. But then I got an email saying they couldn’t afford the booking to they printed off an image of one of my paintings and had a member of their church trace it and project it onto a canvas to sketch out. She sent a picture of the painting and their were many differences but it was clearly a direct copy of my piece. I was frustrated initially. I even had a moment where I considered calling her out. But then I prayed and I felt like God said, “Caleb, I gave you this gift and it inspired someone to use their gifts. People were moved in a service hundreds of miles away from you because you are doing what I called you to do. Be At Peace.” And you know what. I slept better that night than I had in a long time.
Today I’ll occasionally receive emails from kids asking to use the images from my site to make a tshirt or youth poster or something and my answer is always 100% yes.
Now… All of that being said… I do always encourage people to create something fresh. There is a certain joy we share with the our Creator when we are making something new. I feel closest to Him when I design, sketch, paint, build and play. We get that from him. I’m sure you feel the same when you let your gifts flow onto the page or the stage and so many of us are inspired by you. I certainly am.
So be encouraged man. Keep creating and challenging your audience. But keep in mind that the greatest thing to plagiarize is Christ. After all, we all just want to shamelessly steal, copy and broadcast His love. I think He’s cool with that. 🙂
One more little addition. I work for a church occasionally doing design and art called New Life Church. Their creative department has decided to make of their series art, motion backgrounds, etc. available for free so that other churches can use them. I helping a church plant get started right now called citypointchurch.tv and we use a lot of their content and just swap out the titles. For small churches who may not have a great creative dept it’s very helpful. We have some super talented guys helping but we all work outside the church since it’s a new plant so sometimes we don’t have time to design something new. It’s cool that the guys at NLC are asking people to use their stuff and call it their own. Here’s a link: http://creative.newlifechurch.tv/
I think that’s awesome. I guess the only difference would be this…imagine another church decides to start selling NLC’s artwork on their site…or selling their services by displaying NLC’s artwork. There’s my beef. 🙂
I hear ya. And if I were being totally honest I’d probably say that it’s easier for me to swallow someone doing a painting based off of mine to impact an audience over someone taking the images from my site and making a tshirt to sell. But for me personally (this may not be for you) I feel like it’s a gift worth giving. So no 13 year old kids will be hearing from my lawyers anytime soon. 😉
Naturally. It’s an issue of scope. But if Thomas Kinkaide started selling your paintings as his own…I imagine there might be some stepping in.
Kinkade would have a hard time doing that because he’s dead and he would hate my work. Not enough “magical fairy light”. But I see your point. However, your site is a plaza for artists to share their work and inspire others. You aren’t selling anything (at least that I’m aware of). Most of the people submitting the designs are selling their work (assuming they’re on staff at a church somewhere). So if anyone should be upset it should be them. Or you if you submitted a design to the site that has been ripped off. But here’s the thing… Most of us (ok I’ll just speak for me) I would have never let you post my designs if I didn’t hope someone would copy them. I have a feeling most of the guys that submit content do it because they want to inspire others. I’ve taken concepts from the site and used them and I’m a staff member of a church… So does that mean I’m making money off someone else’s creativity? I think so. Is it wrong. I don’t think so.
One more little addition. I work for a church occasionally doing design and art called New Life Church. Their creative department has decided to make of their series art, motion backgrounds, etc. available for free so that other churches can use them. I helping a church plant get started right now called citypointchurch.tv and we use a lot of their content and just swap out the titles. For small churches who may not have a great creative dept it’s very helpful. We have some super talented guys helping but we all work outside the church since it’s a new plant so sometimes we don’t have time to design something new. It’s cool that the guys at NLC are asking people to use their stuff and call it their own. Here’s a link: http://creative.newlifechurch.tv/
I think that’s awesome. I guess the only difference would be this…imagine another church decides to start selling NLC’s artwork on their site…or selling their services by displaying NLC’s artwork. There’s my beef. 🙂
I hear ya. And if I were being totally honest I’d probably say that it’s easier for me to swallow someone doing a painting based off of mine to impact an audience over someone taking the images from my site and making a tshirt to sell. But for me personally (this may not be for you) I feel like it’s a gift worth giving. So no 13 year old kids will be hearing from my lawyers anytime soon. 😉
Naturally. It’s an issue of scope. But if Thomas Kinkaide started selling your paintings as his own…I imagine there might be some stepping in.
Kinkade would have a hard time doing that because he’s dead and he would hate my work. Not enough “magical fairy light”. But I see your point. However, your site is a plaza for artists to share their work and inspire others. You aren’t selling anything (at least that I’m aware of). Most of the people submitting the designs are selling their work (assuming they’re on staff at a church somewhere). So if anyone should be upset it should be them. Or you if you submitted a design to the site that has been ripped off. But here’s the thing… Most of us (ok I’ll just speak for me) I would have never let you post my designs if I didn’t hope someone would copy them. I have a feeling most of the guys that submit content do it because they want to inspire others. I’ve taken concepts from the site and used them and I’m a staff member of a church… So does that mean I’m making money off someone else’s creativity? I think so. Is it wrong. I don’t think so.