Originality in Art: Techniques, Tips, and Building Your Unique Style
Kerri Dixon 
Artistic coaching: learn realist painting, credit original artists, build confidence through exhibitions.
When is it Okay to Copy Other Artists' Work?
The topic of when it's okay to copy other artists' work has been circulating on Facebook lately, so I thought I’d add my two cents. As a realist painter and art coach, I often encounter this issue and wanted to share my thoughts.
Learning from Other Artists
I've given talks on Austin Kleon's book, "Steal Like an Artist," and I fully support learning from various artists.
This process helps you develop your own unique style. I attend workshops by artists who inspire me, not to copy their work but to pick up techniques and ideas that I can incorporate into my own pieces.
For example, while my style isn’t unique, I might be inspired to add an abstract element to the background of my paintings or depict an animal emerging from an abstract setting. I might take lessons in this style of abstraction but would adapt and change it to fit my own art. So, while I'm learning from others, I'm not making a direct copy.
Teaching Realism
As a realist painter, my work doesn’t have a distinct style that sets it apart from other realist paintings. When teaching, I encourage my students to copy my work to learn the techniques I use to create realistic animal art in soft pastels. I expect their work to look similar to mine, but each piece will still reflect their unique touch.
In my online and in-person art coaching sessions, I guide students through my tutorials, expecting them to replicate my techniques closely. However, I encourage them to develop their own compositions and reference images as they gain confidence. This way, their work becomes truly unique.
Selling and Competitions
I'm more than happy for my students to sell their work, even if it's from one of my tutorials. However, I encourage them to create their own pieces as they become more skilled. If I had a distinct style, I probably wouldn’t teach it to avoid it being copied. But if I did, I would expect my students to use what they learned on their own compositions and reference images, especially if they plan to sell the work.
Art competitions often require that the work entered is the original creation of the artist and not something created in a workshop. Therefore, it's important for students to use their own reference images and ideas, applying the techniques they’ve learned from me.
Building Confidence
Confidence is crucial for artists, especially when putting their work out there for feedback. To help build this confidence, I hold a student exhibition every year where my students can showcase their work, whether from a tutorial or their own creations. This experience is invaluable for their growth as artists.
Protecting Your Work
If you're concerned about someone copying your artwork from the internet, you can use a reverse image search on Google. Simply upload your image, and Google will show you other images that are similar. This tool is handy for keeping track of where and how your work is being used.
Final Thoughts
As artists, we naturally learn by observing and incorporating elements from others' work. However, it’s essential to make those elements our own and develop a unique style. For my students, I encourage them to build their confidence and showcase their work, all while understanding the importance of originality, especially in competitions and galleries.
If you have any thoughts or experiences regarding this topic, please share them in the comments. Let's keep the conversation going and support each other in our creative journeys!
Keep creating and growing!
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Kerri xx
