If i like a drawing on internet and try to copy and make my own just like that.. would it be plagiarism?

Question

if not then when is it considered copying?

Answer 1

You have to call it a replica, you can turn it in for anything, you can't put it in your portfolio...basically the only thing you can do with something like that is consider it good practice and give it to someone...you can't sell it. I asked my art teacher this same question one time. If you were going to call it your own it would have to be changed significantly or be considered a parody. I hope this helped!

Answer 2

If you copy something it is considered copying. There is no way around that unless you make it your own. Many artists have copied famous works of art and never been accused of plagiarism as they are 'in the hand' of the one that copied it.

Some people even make a living by copying paintings:
http://www.famouscopies.com/index.htm

In art is is very hard to draw a line when it is plagiarism. They call it a study. Most people therefore don't draw that line. Where they DO draw a line is:
a) Counterfeit. Stating your copy isn't a copy at all.
b) Making a copy without reference. Always mention what and from whom you copied it.
c) Signature. Should be yours and nobody elses.
d) Selling: check out this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_infringement

Answer 3

An important point: "copying" and "plagiarism" are not the same thing.

As long as you make it clear to anyone looking that it is a copy of someone else's work, it is not plagiarism. The code artists use to show they copied it from someone else is to sign it this way:

Mary Jones (After Joe Smith)

This tells people that the image was created by Joe Smith and you copied it.

If you don't know the name of the original artist, you still need to make it clear it is a copy of someone else's work.

The only time it becomes plagiarism is if you try to pass the work off as your own.

Lots of artists use copying the work of masters as a way of learning more about technique -- it's an effective way to learn. But it should be the starting point and not the only thing you do to improve your drawing -- take a crack at some subjects of your own devising, to develop a sense of what interests you.

Good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

"copying" isn't wrong, its actually good practice, and I've yet to meet an artist who hasn't copied someones work. But just do it for practice, for yourself, you can NOT publish it, hang it in a gallery, sell it, print it in anyway like back on the Internet, even giving it away is touchy. But I agree with the first answer, artists tend to "push it" when it comes to copying others work. Just make sure if you do show it to anyone (like to a friend) that you give credit to the original artist. You CAN however "copy" someones style, just make sure the content or subject is your own. (BTW, this goes for photographic images as well.) Artists magazine has an article on copyrighting work in this months issue, I haven't read it yet, but their articles are always very accurate.

Answer 5

Well, it's not uncommon for an artist to do "studies" of a piece they like. I guess it would be wrong if you didn't acknowledge the original. There have been many artists who have tried to push the envelope on this question....there are laws as to how much of an image can be made identical....google 'copy-right laws for artists'. It's ok in my book, and most everyone elses ,too, to do a STUDY and hang it up.

Answer 6

Yes it would be plagerism unless you ask for permission from the person who made the picture.