#'imitation is the highest form of flattery' and 'no art is original' and all that

[casiavium]

at the risk of the person I am talking about seeing it. I am going to vaguepost on tumblr.com lol

there's someone on ao3 straight copy-pasting my fanfic After the Sunset and changing the POV, and you know what. I can't even be mad about it.

There's honestly.... A lot more than this, even if most of it is original, this is just what stood out to me the most because like. Hey. That was my idea. The other stuff was generic ghiralink/skyward sword (even if it was my exact wording) but like.... I can't be mad, I straight up copy pasted from the game in this fic. I don't even like my own writing, but this made me feel better about it tbh. I kind of think the author is either younger or their first language isn't English, especially because for some reason Gaepora's name is Robert? In this fic?

But also if you happen across this fic don't attack them, I'd rather not say anything directly to them, I'm a little annoyed and definitely would if it was writing I liked more, but also.... I 100% admitted I copied from the game, and don't really care about Sunset enough to be upset so. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[rou-luxe]

ikevil - tips on how to draw william rex

next: harrison ->

what better way to start this than with our beautiful lord rex? I hope I make sense with this guide oml

introduction: you know how you want to draw your favorite characters, but don't know where to start? you know, those characters with ridiculously difficult designs?

this is for ikevil. hope this helps

(there is no tracing whatsoever in this. this was all done by hand. analyzing anothers' artstyle is NOT a form of art stealing. people naturally learn from observing others. imitation is the highest form of flattery. this is not meant to disrespect natsume lemon in any way.) disclaimer, I am not a professional artist. these are not set in stone. these are just tips.

section 1 - observation

finding important traits

my writing sucks. let me sum it up for you

thin, angular features. thin nose, sharp eyebrows, elf sharp ears

his face is quite long. the chin is not completely sharp, it is more blunt.

william has an earring on his left ear.

large forehead to plant a kiss on

his smile is :>

his eyebrows are in a ] shape (I don't know how to describe it)

section 2 - study

imitating the original sprite

this is the part that gets tricky.

it helps me learn better because it translates the reference into something I can understand. it's also so I don't forget anything (so many accessories...)

I crudely slapped the colors from the original onto my imitation to save time 😭😭

let's break down his design.

hair

monstrosity. aesthetically pleasing to look at. but drawing it? hell. I have color-coded it into pieces here:

magenta: back hair. very spiky and a bit long. it's a bit poofy on top (at least on the main sprite)

red: extends outwards. try to have the part dangling down cover the end of the hairline.

yellow: think of it like a little extension from the green section. just dangling down a bit.

green: make it dramatic

blue: similar to red, but smaller and on the other side. tucked behind green.

2. eyes

his eyes are in a parallelogram shape. the slant is similar for both ends.

outer corners extend upwards.

they're not opened very wide.

almost everything is sharp. very little curves.

his pupils are a bit larger than slits.

the inner corners are lowered significantly.

3. clothing

I only did a bust but still

underneath that outer collar is the same dress shirt you see in the sprite below. don't forget about it.

the cravat (???) is crinkled by the outer chain

I was obviously too lazy but remember to draw the pattern of the outer collar

all these accents have a rope-like texture

the chain mainly consists of triangles, but they rotate... I could not be bothered to go through that pain

accessories in the third image

section 3 - personal application

applying all these tips to my own artstyle

this was arguably the most painful part of the process. I got artstyle envy because of the study, so I had to hide the study 😭😭

I hope I portrayed him accurately

got a lazy with the clothes... but I make up for it in coloring. eugh trust the process

final comparison

I still like the study better but my artstyle is fine too 🤧

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

taglist!!

@bakersgrief @floydsteeth @tako-cafe @rubia8 @xxoomiii

@sh0jun @noxinara @g0dwat3r @sapphire-323 @lycemagee

@citrusmornings @drachonia 

please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed!! or if you'd just like to be tagged for this series

[eddsworld-the-masquerade]

SABBAT!

New designs for Bing and Larry, designs for the other two members, a relationship chart...more art and info under the cut! (trust me, there's a whooole lot)

A curious bunch. Kind of an unlikely match (I mean Lasombra and Ventrue under the same roof sounds like a recipe for disaster..lol), but circumstances played their part. They may not be ideal for each other but it's all they have. Family, woof 👆

Why would I assign them with animals and elements? First off, it makes the designing process so much easier, since it creates direction. Second, it makes thematic sense. They've been denied humanity, and then they chose to keep it that way. "You see me a monster, well then, I'll be the monster" kind of situation. So, they'd rather associate with animals and elements than humans.

I could go on, but I'd rather have you experience the thing first hand in game (also doubt people would read further into this post otherwise lmao). Onto the characters!

Bing

Animal: Serpent

Element: Earth (Nature)

Main shtick: Change; Pain

Bing has more backstories than he does fingers, so nobody is quite sure on his origin. The one thing that seems certain is that he spent most of his existence in Russian Empire but fled when the civil war broke out in the 1910s. You'd think a Tzimisce of this age and history would be up to something nefarious now in Britain, but Bing is more concerned with "self search" and identity crisis. You could say he spends his retirement days here, or rather...used to spend, before one thing happened. But this, you'll learn more of playing the game XP

Bing dresses up kind of similar to the way he used to, back in the XVIII century. The outfit is rather loose (before I added clips onto the coat, I was told it looked more like a bathrobe...which, I suppose, is kind of fitting too XD), in order to leave extra room for when Bing uses Vicissitude (more on that later).

Bing's main gimmick is Tzimisce's signature, Vicissitude and the way he chooses to use it. Instead of turning his head into a giant pickle (Andrei lmao), Bing turns into different people. Not just appearance wise, it also includes voice, mannerisms, even personality. This is what I mean when I say he doesn't need to make clones - he IS the clone.

What he chooses to turn into most of the time are personas he used to "play out" during his glory days, XVIII century coups. Sometimes when prompted, sometimes just to troll others (if they dislike certain mannerisms or find the general idea of shape-shifting weird/scary).

These were crafted in accordance with the "ruler of the week", to win them over and then later "direct" them towards what Bing's Tzimisce sires and mentors needed. In a way, they are "clones" of these rulers (except maybe appearances), cuz imitation is the highest form of flattery lol

Though Bing also likes to experiment with his default form, as he doesn't find it ideal (his "true face", the one he forgot). Bing switches pronounce depending on current form (he/she/they, or anything else he feels like at the current moment).

Bing's battle form, aka the pinnacle of his Vicissitude mastery. If you happen to see it, usually it means you'll die a painful death in the next five minutes X)

Larry

Animal: Jackal

Element: Water

Main shtick: Loyalty and betrayal

Larry was dealt some shitty cards and forced upon the life of crime since early childhood. First a pirate (where he got his tan, scars, and vision problem), then a mercenary for a, uh, "dubious company" sponsored by Lasombra clan. Certain events made him overly sensitive to betrayals, so if you betray Larry, or hurt those he swore loyalty to, he will loathe you. And Larry's hatred runs deep. He always means business.

Larry's outfit is like, a modern take on pirate fashion. A bit rough around the edges, just enough to give him that "jackal" look. Larry's second name is practical, so he carries lots of belts. Never know when you mind need one.

Larry's signature, Obtenebration, comes from the Abyss and runs on his negative emotions. Which is why he's prone to lashing out and general bad mood. Needless to say it is extremely unhealthy, but power is power.

The story behind him coming to know Bing is fun. Originally, Larry was sent to kill him, but it was a set up, since Larry didn't stand a chance against that. So they kind of bonded instead, "enemy of my enemy is my friend". And after a while Larry just grew attached XDD He still goes on about murdering Bing "one day", but at this point everyone is aware it's not gonna happen like, ever.

Adella

Animal: Raven/Crow

Element: Fire

Main shtick: Control

Adella is half-chinese born in Britain. Do I need to say she didn't have a particularly fun time or is it obvious enough? From a very young age she was forced to believe she can only count on herself. Adella strived to climb the corporate ladder and get on top. To "burn her way through the obstacles". Might be lonely up there, but she was used to it either way, and she'd have the power and control to smack down anyone who tries to harm her. For now, let's just say she ended up upsetting the wrong people and had to run for her life. Sabbat was "kind" enough to let her stay under their wing.

Adella's relatively fresh meat, so her grasp on Sabbat "culture" is rather small for now. Though she is attempting to fit in more. She's determined to stay, despite whatever Larry says about her "looking for the opportunity to dump them". Adella insists she'd rather die than go back to the cammies. Bing is willing to give her the chance to prove herself.

Her and Larry's relationship is quite fun in how disastrous it is. Both constantly looking for jabs to throw at each other. The irony is, their stories and goals are kind of similar. But they're also different in ways that make their blood boil when they have to interact.

Zephyr

Animal: House centipede

Element: Wind

Main shtick: Security

Zephyr is truly a victim of circumstance. Lost ability to speak, lost all his loved ones, lost his home. Not a penny to his name, and no name either. His mind in ruin. He roamed around in the wild, until Bing found him. Seeing something familiar in him, Bing let him stay by their side. Found him a new name. A new purpose. A reason to keep on existing. Slowly, Zephyr is learning ways to communicate again. Perhaps he'll be able to remember, and tell his story one day.

Zephyr is the least human-like kindred, and looks like an atom bomb fell on his face. Despite the first impression he might create, Zephyr is a rather meek soul, doesn't seek conflict and is fine with following orders. That attitude changes when something threatens rest of the "family", though...

Zephyr is generally adored by his packmates, one could call him the "gentle giant" of the pack. Adella loves spending time with Zephyr, even Larry tolerates him. Though I'd say the most sympathy for him comes from Bing. As mentioned earlier, Bing sees a kindred spirit in Zephyr, so he is most invested in Zephyr's well being. Bing was the one to give him his new name. He's also the one learning sign language with him, so they'd have a better way of communication.

[ilovemylawyer]

last time i am talking about this.

this is the tweet that has been causing me great distress

my therapist said Imitation Is The Highest Form Of Flattery. this is a sentiment that i dislike, but i understand that while i dislike it it is still true. if anyone has forgotten/not read sickfic pt2 'as a dog' below is the snippet that 'inspired' fifi to make this tweet

i do not want beef with this artist. why would i want to fight with one of the very few people making art for the show that i love? i do not want to fight. i do not want to be angry. but i want peace of mind and i want to continue sharing my fanfiction with people without fear. i do not want something like this to happen again, but i understand that it is out of my control. i do not enjoy having my ideas/art twisted and presented as someone else's original thought. but it has happened and my only option is to move past it. i don't want to let it slide tho, which is why i am making one last post about this event with provided evidence. i am aware that this happened, and it has really dampened my mood and my attitude toward posting- which started flimsy on its own. this has made me struggle and made me doubt myself and my art.

but i know my shit is good. i am proud of what i have posted so far. i am so excited to share pt3 of this series. i think people will like it! i don't want to be subdued into deleting all of my work because of something as insignificant as an uncredited jwds ship tweet. i am aware that everything i have done/thought so far because of this event has been an overreaction. but as i have already said, i put all of myself into my writing and it is a really uncomfortable feeling to have parts of myself be twisted like this.

if this had happened to be two years ago i would have exploded and been evil and antagonistic and mean about it. but i do not want to act like that. i want to provide some fun stuff for you to read and i want to have conversations about the wonderful world of evilive for many years to come.

OK. that is all. i have not been writing at all for the past two days because of this, but hopefully my passion will return today and i can get some work done. please in the future be more gentle with the art i share with you. thank you and i hope we can all get along.

[vivalamusicaltheater]

Types of art reposters, ranked by how much I personally hate them

Hey so I haven’t personally had art reposted bc I’m a small artist and not that good in terms of technique yet (this isn’t self deprecation, just an acknowledgment that I’m not that great at anatomy and lighting and shading and such yet), but I see art reposters all the time on Instagram and (occasionally, not actually that often) here, and I’ve seen the negative effects art reposts have on other artists and I’m big mad about them, so I decided to make this list. This is gonna be a long post so if you want to be salty with me (or genuinely don’t know why I think art reposting is bad and want to find out) just know that this is gonna be fairly long.

Disclaimer (and I know this may seem obvious so I’m sorry to everyone who already knows but I feel like I have to put this here because I’ve actually seen people confused about this): reposting is not the same as reblogging. Reblogging is a function on tumblr (the little black arrows in a square right next to the like button at the bottom of posts) where you can share an artist’s work to your blog. Reblogging is good because it provides an artist with more exposure, as you probably have people following you that don’t follow them, so the more people who reblog someone’s art the more people see it and the more attention the artist is able to get, and because reblogged art provides a direct link to the original post and the artist’s blog. This way if someone likes an artist’s work they can go directly to the artist’s blog and see if they have more work they like. Reposting (saving someone’s art to your device and uploading it to one of your accounts) is bad because it takes away that direct link to the original artist. This means that is is way harder for the original artist to gain exposure for their art and often leads them to be discouraged when they see a repost of their art that got way more attention than the original, which can make them a lot less motivated to make more art. That out of the way, time to rank reposters.

13) People who directly tag/provide a direct link to the artist and provide proof that the artist allowed them to repost their work/that they allow all their work to be reposted

I don’t actually hate you if you do this. I don’t really understand why you’d want to repost someone’s art instead of just reblogging it or putting a link on your Instagram story, or retweeting it if you’re on Twitter, but by directly linking to the artist and showing that you asked them about it or know for a fact that they’re okay with it, you’ve shown that you respect the time and effort they put into their work so thank you for being a decent human being.

12) People who directly tag/provide a direct link to the artist

Ok so you didn’t actually ask permission (or at least if you did you didn’t let anyone know that you did) so I don’t respect you as much as the people who do ask for permission to repost artwork, but at least you did provide a direct link to the artist so you’re not as bad as you could be.

11) People who provide the artist’s correct username and what platform they’re on but don’t directly link to the artist

Again, good that you provided their username and where to find them, but because you didn’t directly link to the artist, many people will just be lazy and like your post and move on, or like your post because they don’t have whatever social media the artist is on. This takes away notes that should go to the original artist, which frustrates me. I don’t flat out hate you but you’re on thin f*cking ice

10) People who provide the artist’s correct username but don’t specify what platform they’re on

Hey if you do this, especially if you post art that was originally found on another platform, it makes it significantly harder to find the original artist. People are even more likely to just like your post and go on with their days instead of checking out the original artist. This barely counts as credit and you have got to do better.

9) People who credit the wrong person

Usually when people do this it’s an accident, so I don’t hate you nearly as much as some of the other people on this list, but not taking the time to make sure the information about the artist you provided is correct is lazy and shows you don’t respect their work as much as you should. By the way, if you credited the wrong person on purpose so the original artist wouldn’t find out you were reposting, I hate you a LOT more.

8) People who ask the original artist for permission to repost their artwork but don’t actually wait for them to say yes before doing it

If you do this it’s clear that you are entitled and asked the artist for permission not because you actually cared about their answer but because you wanted to be able to say that you asked for permission. It’s clear that you don’t actually respect artists, and I hate you.

7) People who credit the right person but purposefully put a / right after the @ sign so it doesn’t actually tag the original artist

The only reason I don’t hate you for doing this is if the original artist knows you’re reposting their work but specifically said they don’t want to be tagged because they don’t want to deal with the notifications or something like that. If that’s not the reason than you’re likely just doing that so the original artist doesn’t get a notification that they were tagged in a post and thus doesn’t see that you reposted their work. That’s cowardly you’re a coward and a loser and I hate you.

6) People who don’t credit at all, but don’t claim to be the original artist and it’s obvious they’re not

If you don’t even bother to try to credit the artist then it shows you don’t care enough about their labor and just expect an endless supply of art that you can repost and get thousands of notes for even though you didn’t go through the effort of drawing it. I hate you with a passion. Credit artists you sack of sh*t.

5) People who say “credit to the artist!” or “credit to google/pinterest” or “I don’t know who made this but dm me if you do!”

Listen. The fact that you’re only my 5th most hated type of art reposter is not because I don’t hate you on an ASTRONOMICAL level, but because there are (unfortunately!) people who repost in worse ways than you do. “Credit to the artist!” is NOT actually giving credit to the artist because you’re not telling your followers who the artist is!! It’s not credit if you don’t specifically name who it came from!! I see this so much and I hate it I hate you if you do this. Similarly, “credit to Pinterest/google/some other website!” is not credit either!! A website did not draw that art, a person did and I will drop kick you off a cliff for refusing to acknowledge that!! Finally, and I think you can probably see where this is going, “I don’t know who made this but dm me if you do!” is, you guessed it, not crediting the original artist! The fact that you are so lazy as to not find the original artist but you also ask your followers to do it for you? Unbelievable!! The level of entitlement!! And these happen so much!!! I hate you I hate you I hate you.

4) People who repost work from artists who have specifically stated that they don’t allow reposts or who refuse to take down reposted work after the original artist asks them to

If you respect artists so little that you repost their work knowing they don’t want you to or refuse to take down their work after they ask you to, you are a horrible person. That art does not belong to you, you did not take the time to make it, and I HATE you so much for thinking you’re entitled to it. “Well then they shouldn’t have posted it on the internet -” shut UP that’s how they choose to share their talent! Art is art even if it’s not displayed anywhere, but artists who post their art on the internet are kind enough to share their talents with the world. Maybe the artist put their work on the internet so that they can find people interested in commissioning them, which helps provide them with funds that could be necessary to their survival. Or maybe art is something they do for fun that they could very well stop doing because of people like you who feel like they own sh*t just because it was posted on the internet (hint: posting artwork on the internet does not equal consent for everyone to use it)! I hope you have a sh*tty life. I hate you.

3) People who say “I’m not gonna credit, what are you going to do about it?”

If you do this, you’re most likely a troll, and most DEFINITELY an awful awful human being. If I met you in real life I would actually physically fight you regardless of whether I thought I could win or not because I hate you that much. Step on a rusty nail and learn basic respect for people’s time and effort. I hate you. (Also, if the original artist finds out what you’re doing they can at least file for copyright and hopefully get their work taken down. If you’re an artist whose work has been reposted by someone like this I’m deeply sorry for you and hope these reposters get all the sh*tty things they deserve in life).

2) People who pretend to be the original artist even though they’re not

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, but definitely not in this case. If you have the AUDACITY to take credit for the work someone else put their time and effort into and accept all the praise and attention that the original artist should be getting, I hate you so unvelievably much. How is it possible to be that awful of a person? You are stupid and I hope you lose your job or something else similarly awful. (Again artists if you have ever experienced this I’m so so sorry for you).

1) People who repost art for the sole purpose of making fun of it

Congratulations, if you do this you are the worst asshole on this list of huge f*cking assholes. Not ONLY are you creating all the usual problems that come with reposting but you ALSO have the nerve to call someone’s art bad?! There is a SPECIAL place in hell for you. Likely if you do this you also make fun of marginalized people or kids, as most “bad art” blogs feature lgbt+ artwork done by lgbt+ people, or art of people of color, or children’s ocs that have like rainbow hair and vampire fangs and wings or something. I don’t CARE how bad you think their anatomy is and I don’t CARE if they have the “calarts art style” or “tumblr art style” the fact that you are taking the time to repost something somebody spent time on and criticize it is despicable and I hate you more than I hate anyone else besides bigoted people. I also don’t care if you think it’s a “joke”, if the original creator of the art ever found your repost it could be really harmful to their self esteem, and could cause them to stop making art, which means they’ll never have a chance to get “better”. Doing this is a personal attack on someone’s passion and I hate you so incredibly much for it. If you want art that you think is good so bad then f*cking make it yourself. What’s that? Oh you don’t make art you just think you could do better even though you’ve never drawn in your life/you just know what “good art” is? Sit down and shut the f*ck up. I hate you.

(Disclaimer #2: this category obviously does not extend to things like art that is racist or transphobic or anything like that. There’s a difference between calling out something that is genuinely harmful and mocking artists for drawing things that make them happy. The former is good the latter is bad.)

Anyways that is my list of art reposters ranked by how much I hate them! If you are any of these kinds of art reposter besides 13, 12 and maybe 11, then congratulations I hate you and hope you have an awful day!

[the-enigma-blog]

"Battle royale." By me. i inspired the famous fantasy artist Justin Sweet to copy my original pure imagination composition. He couldnt copy my battle royale of the two most powerful creatures in eastern and western mythology bc its ©copyrighted by me and all my pieces r all original compositions and design. and all from my own imagination "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." Thats the saying. But it gets me that a famous artist says this is his original piece. But in fact its my original piece he copied the composition i created from my own imagination Ive seen so many artists both famous, to proffesional, to amatuer artists nowadays copy my original composition's. Its absolutly rediculous how many people are coping my called "powerful"and "epic" compositions. Thats what my work has been called by many others. i believe all my art is super unique and "epic!!" If my art wasnt epic, why would this drawings composition b copied by so many artists? after i drew this and posted it years ago online of the two modt powerful mythological creatures in battle. My composition has been in this design and composition. Awesome!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/CA743QuA5Wx/?igshid=i6dckf76tv5q

[easythetape]

Journal Update #5 FEB - ICE TEA and the Sampling Dilemma

One of the main ethical issues I am facing with my project is the extensive use of samples. Sampling has always and will always be a part of my musical process I am a Hip-Hop head and I just love the art. This post will explain my stance on the ethics and the issue, how I intend to combat it and in cases not combat it and ignore the rules. The history of Hip-Hop is rich with examples of high profile sampling lawsuits and sampling troll companies that have negatively effected and sometimes ruined artist's careers, definitely stopping them from gaining any royalties on their releases. As a disciple of Madlib, crowned Complex’s producer of the year 2019 (Skelton & Simpson, 2020), and J Dilla, who both heavily utilised samples in their productions and are integral to their styles it will be hard for me to stay away from this element of my own productions. Madlib has, “after decades of perfecting his sample-based production techniques, worked with everyone from MF Doom to De La Soul to Mos Def to Kanye West.” (Skelton & Simpson, 2020).

Sometimes sampling is viewed as ethically and morally wrong or immoral. On the other hand sampling can be viewed as the highest form of artistic ‘flattery’ and a strong case can be made that supports the fact that sampling in one form or another has existed for centuries. For example, a Diabelli composition named Waltz in C Major was essentially remixed by Beethoven in Diabelli variations, a collected piano works released in 1824 (Read, 2017). Thats a long time ago. Today many of the opinions about copyright law are largely shaped and driven by copyright holders who commonly believe that the purpose of copyright is to protect their works from infringement. But as it’s clearly expressed in the United States Code, that’s not the central purpose of copyright. The a purpose of copyright is “to promote the progress of Science and useful Arts.” The United States Copyright Office even doubles down on this declaration in its own description of the function of the copyright office: “the purpose of the copyright system has always been to promote creativity in society…” Any serious conversation about the role of copyright, creativity, and the arts must begin with this key fact: Copyright was created to promote creativity (Said, 2016).

Mark Ronson argues in his TEDTalk How Sampling Transformed Music, it is not about “hijacking nostalgia wholesale”, but about creating new tapestries of sound. Ronson eloquently explains, “We take the things we love and we build on them. And when we really add something significant and original and we merge our musical journey with this, then we have a chance to be a part of the evolution of that music that we love.” Rather than looking at sampling as a form of disrespect, it is often the case that artists that sample have the utmost reverence for the people who created the music that came before as you’re not going to sample music from a song you hate. Instead it is likely that they heard something in the music which inspired them, and so “they instantly wanted to inject themselves into the narrative of that music.” (Khoo, 2019).

I have to be realistic and understand that at this point in time I am an unknown artist with a small audience, and no commercial backing. I am not looking to release The Tape with any label and therefore I do not expect to make any money off this release. The fact that sample clearance is monetarily prohibitive, and I don’t have the budget, (which I’m mainly reserving for the release itself and marketing) prohibits me from paying for samples. Hank Shocklee of Public Enemy is quoted saying “Jay-Z and Kanye can afford to pay the sample rates, but not the kids starting out in their own little home studio in their house,” Shocklee says. “And that, to me, is what’s holding back creativity,” (Richards, 2012). 

Seeing as Hip-Hop and Trap are largely reliant on samples I am not going to creatively limit myself, with this project because I want it to be my best work, and as a hero of mine Stan Lee says you “do your best work when your doing what you want to do and your doing it the way you think it should be done.” (UCLA Extension, 2018). I am well aware of the legal implications of doing this and not limiting myself to royalty-free and un-copyrighted material or material in the public domain. Although I will make use of as much un-copyrighted material as I will write some of the tracks on ‘The Tape’ completely from scratch, I won't be able to do myself justice if I don’t allow myself free-reign to sample anything that works within the concept of the beat-tape. For example, Led Zeppelins breaks, which have already been heavily recycled in Hip-Hop, are not out of copyright but would be subject to the idea of De-Minimis. Many cartoons, tv shows, and films I wish to sample from will also not be out of copyright because I grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s.

(IF) any track does blow up I will sort it out with PRS and the publishing companies after the fact. There are a few things I can do to minimise the risk of any lawsuit, however, I will sample from family archives, cassette tapes, films, my own vinyl collection and attempt to, following in the footsteps of DJ Shadow, take obscure snippets and manipulate them or transform them in a way which makes them my own. On DJ Shadow’s debut album Endtroducing he sampled more obscure records, making it a sort of rule to avoid popular material; he said: "I've always pushed myself to use obscure things, and if I use something obvious, it's usually only to break my own rules.” (Keyboard, 1997). Also sampling from other Hip-Hop artists usually means you are okay and they won’t sue, so there will be a few samples (mainly vocals) from other Hip-Hop songs in The Tape.

ICE TEA

A beat that I started working on this week is called ICE TEA which is based on a sample from an acapella by Jamaican artists Home T, Cutty Ranks and Cocoa Tea. The rest of the instrumentation is mine but there are other sampled vocal shots from other Reggae tunes in the beat. There are going to be multiple samples taken from some of my favourite Reggae artists throughout ‘The Tape’. This is one example that links to my love of Jamaican music. When I was a teenager I was heavily into Reggae and Bob Marley and became a Mod. For a long period of my youth I identified as a mod/casual it wasn't a particularly popular sub-culture it just fitted with my musical tastes at the time. I love Soul and classic Reggae and Dub, and used to go to Channel One nights at a local venue in Tooting. My mate ‘Skinhead Dean’ is a DJ and runs Good Intentions sound system, he introduced me to loads of great Reggae and Ska and I used to go to their Up their Junction night. Brighton and Carnaby Street were favourites and where I got the gear, I used to have a parka, tonic suits and all swag (I still have my tonic suit).

References:

Skelton, E., & Simpson, P. (2020). A Conversation With Madlib, the Best Hip-Hop Producer of 2019. Retrieved 2020, from Complex website: https://www.complex.com/music/madlib-interview-best-hip-hop-producer-2019

Read, C. (2017). A History of Sampling w/ Chris Read (WhoSampled) at Point Blank London [YouTube Video]. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZGobMX9I48

Said, A. (2016). Hip Hop & Copyright Part 2: You Can Be Sued for Samples on Free Mixtapes. Retrieved 2020, from HipHopDX website: https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.3197/title.hip-hop-copyright-part-2-you-can-be-sued-for-samples-on-free-mixtapes

Khoo, Y. (2019). Sampling: Is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery? Retrieved 2020, from PHASER website: https://phasermagazine.com/main/2019/11/29/sampling-is-imitation-really-the-sincerest-form-of-flattery

Richards, C. (2012). The court case that changed hip-hop — from Public Enemy to Kanye — forever. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-court-case-that-changed-hip-hop--from-public-enemy-to-kanye--forever/2012/07/06/gJQAVWr0RW_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.6cdf1ff6573c

UCLA Extension. (2018). Stan Lee Keynote at the 2017 Graduation Ceremony [YouTube Video]. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMo9Guj5gCc

Keyboard. (1997). WebCite Query Result. Keyboard. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.webcitation.org/6FGMHPpaB?url=http://www.solesides.com/winblad/shadowkeyboard1097.html

[nadiatheintern]

Reading & Response #1

Postmodernism can be difficult to define due to its many components. The concept says that there is “no real truth” because knowledge is always discovered or invented by humans. There may or may not be some sort of truth to this knowledge we invent, but we will truly never know according to Postmodernism. Overall, Postmodernism is a 20th-century movement defined by subjectivism, relativism, skepticism, a suspicion of reason, and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.  It is a way of thinking about culture and many other things. For example, one work of art is never better than any other, it’s only that you prefer it based on a certain set of principles, standards or tastes that makeup who you are as a person. Something I found to be rather interesting upon researching Postmodernism is that according to the concept all ideas and facts are “believed” and not fully “known”- which can make one think “wow have I been living a lie? Are my truths, beliefs, and reality what is the actual 100% truth?” .. kind of a trippy thought if you ask me! There’s a lot that comes with Postmodernism (I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all) but these bulleted points I am about to list below have helped me understand the concept better!

Postmodernism is..

- an emphasis on the centrality of style, at the expense of substance

- recycling past cultures and styles

- a playful use of “useless” decoration

- celebration of complexity and contradiction (mixture of high and low culture)

- sensitivity to the subtleties of image, language, and signs

- intermixing different styles (collaging)

- accepting the collapse of distinction and difference

- celebrate pluralism and diversity 

- skepticism towards absolutism

- decline of the idea of only one source of meaning (truth)

(source: https://www.slideshare.net/AlexMacDonald1/postmodernism-for-beginners)

Postmodernism examples through art! 

1. Escaping the confines of museums 

Title: Untitled

Artists: Travis Czejaksju, Jon Stommel, Rather Severe

Year: 2017

This piece is really cool and actually located right here in Denver on the Cherry Creek Trail! I think this absolutely escapes the confines of the museums because you do not have to go to a museum to witness the art. We are lucky to live in a city where there is art like this every where :) 

2. Collapsing boundaries between “high” and “low”

Title: Mona Cat

Artist: Romero Britto 

Year: 2010

This resembles escaping high and low for me because it is mixing a classic masterpiece that is treasured with a fun twist on it! 

3. Rejecting originality 

Artist: Yesenia Caloca

This piece rejects originality because she is obviously “copying” and remaking her own interpretation of this Frida piece! It is sad that imitation is the highest form of flattery, and I think she did a great job :)

4. Jouissance 

Title: Boats in the Harbour

Artist: Andre Derain

Year: 1905

“Art must not be intelligent; art is a jouissance, an enjoyment.” – Andre Derain - I think he nailed it.

5. Working collaboratively 

Title: Olympic Rings

Artists: Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat

Year(s): 1980-1986

These two artists worked together for years to create this masterpiece along with many others! Team work makes the dream work baby!

6. Appropriating 

Title: Mona Lisa Duckface

Artist & Year: Unknown

This was a brilliant representation of appropriation! Using a timeless classic with the twist of society today.

7. Simulating

Title: Maple Street #4

Artist: Gregory Crewdson

Year: 2003 

I personally struggled with this one, but I think the book’s example of Gregory Crewdson was perfect! He photographs In suburban settings or on elaborately detailed sets of American homes, interiors, and neighborhoods- Gregory Crewdson stages haunting, cinematic photos of alienation and eerie quietude. 

8. Hybridizing 

When learning about hybridizing, this image is the first thing I thought of. I think it does an incredible example of showing different cultures of people into one piece of art to share a message. I unfortunately could not track down the artist, year, or title of this piece!

9. Mixing media 

Title: No title

Artist: Taylor Stark

Year: 2018

I have this piece hanging in my room! It’s mixed media because it’s a combination of oil paint and gold foil all combined together to create this.

10. Layering

Artist/Photographer: David Samuel Stern 

Stern uses different photographs and combines them in a layering effect to create a sense of “mood” when viewing the image! It places an emphasis on emotion and depth.

11. Mixing codes

This image is the perfect example of mixing codes because we all associate the color green with “go” and the color red with “stop”! This creates a state of confusion for the viewer. I unfortunately was not able to locate the artist, year, or name of this photograph or sign.

12. Re-contextualizing 

Title: Allegory of Venus, Restored (oil on panel)

Artist: Kathleen Gilje

Year: 1997

Kathleen shows the viewers re-contextualization by adding hidden twists to classic pictures that change the context of the picture entirely!

13. Confronting the gaze

Title: Vertical Screws

Artist: Judith Berstein

Year: 2014

Upon researching “confronting the gaze” I’d have to say it’s probably my favorite! For centuries, women have been sexualized and objectified in way that’s appealing to men. Nowadays, a lot of feminists use this form of art to show their freedom of sexuality- an example of this is that their art can be depicting their sexual desires in a way that does not cater to men, but to themselves in a way that’s liberating! Judith has titled this piece “vertical screws” but I think we all know what we truly see, which is confronting the gaze! 

14. Facing the abject 

Title: Chicken Knickers 

Artist: Sarah Lucas

Year: 1997

Abject refers to the “ugly” in art and the unsavory parts of life. The abject has a strong feminist context, in that female bodily functions in particular are ‘abjected’ by a patriarchal social order. 

15. Constructing identities 

Title: The Emancipation Approximation (Scene 18)

Artist: Kara Walker

Year: 1999-2000

This piece resembles constructing identities to me because the girl in black (I would assume to be her true self) feels the need to wear a mask or disguise as the girl in the white, which is what I would guess society expects her to be like.

16. Using narratives 

Title: Andromeda freed by Perseus

Artist: Piero Di Cosimo

Year: c1510-1515

This piece tells a story and really lives up to the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” which uses narratives!

17. Creating metaphors

Artist: Joey Guidone

This is heartwarming picture showing how the smallest gesture can make someone’s day. The man with the umbrella may not of thought he was doing much, but as you can see it totally made the homeless man happy!

18. Irony, parody, and dissonance 

Title: La Clairvoyance.

Artist: René Magritte

Year: 1936

Upon researching this piece of art, it appears Magritte is painting a self-portrait of himself painting a bird. But, as with all of Magritte's work, there is so much more going on. Not only is he painting a picture of a bird, he is using an unhatched egg as his point of reference. Magritte is painting more than what is right in front of him: he is painting the possibility, potential, the future! 

[futurethinkingconsulting]

You and Your Career Coach are so Cute! How can I get One?

That’s right baby – a good Coach and their client is a relationship that can be very cute! If by cute you mean fierce, money making partners – ROAR! If you want to grow your business and hit a level like never before, it takes savageness. Business is not for the weak and we don’t need sweet little words when describing what we are doing. Some of the things that you should expect from your Coach that you don’t hear about are high energy, humor and creativity. Of course your Coach needs to be qualified and experienced – duh! But without get-up-and-go, wit and inventiveness a business owner and Coach will only go so far and then hit a wall. With a lack-luster Coach that only works with you as if you are a template…your results will be mediocre. Your business can absolutely survive and go on for years but it will never truly reach its potential.

Let’s get our bad ass on!

Find an energized Coach that wants to get up in the morning and dream about your business. If they don’t take time out of their workweek and think about your company then why are you paying them? They should never be more obsessed than you but they should be a close 2nd. By the end of your contract, you and your Coach need to be worn out from so much planning and implement’n. Let me tell ya something – business building is a sport and the Coach and client need to prepare like Olympic athletes or just go home. That Business Coach needs to be able to lift up the client out of a pit of despair when the client is at the point of exhaustion. There is no shame in being tired but there is disgrace in being complacent. That vigor-filled Coach needs to recognize when the client is falling down and staying down and that is when the pushing starts. The client won’t want it but remember you guys are cute!

OK, wit and charm can go a long way in business so seek out a Coach that has a funny bone. That charismatic Business Coach can save you when you’ve lost all of your personality to several business failures. Yep, disaster is inevitable and you need a person that understands the “power of the laugh”. I’m not talking about a goofball, I am talking about a person that gets it. A coach that comprehends what you are going through but at the same time can find the funny in it. A person that can do that will move you forward like nobody’s business. If you have a Coach that sulks over every unpleasant incident, you will die from the seriousness of business. Trust me, there will always be a certain amount of pressure in business and it’s a good thing because it keeps you current and awake but when there is too much – you will require a smile and a giggle to advance you through your predicament.

Creativity in business is an ignored art that can boost the heck out of your company. I know they say imitation is the highest form of flattery but as a customer you’re all boring us to death. Clients want something special not something regular – how mind-numbing! Your Coach needs to be somebody that can not only think outside the box but somebody that doesn’t even want to be standing next to any dang boxes. At Future Thinking Consulting some of our biggest successes had to do with wild, unprecedented ideas that quite honestly were considered nuts by most people. It takes guts to be creative because every time you do something it is an original. You are the ground-breaker! Hunt for a Business Coach that isn’t scared to freely travel through the business arena with a light bulb over their head.

Absolutely hire a Coach that you’ll look cute with, it can save your business

[naranjajajaja]

Imitation Is The Highest Form Of Flattery

I’m sure we’ve all heard of the saying “Imitation is the highest form of flattery”. Yet, there is still a debate about Fan Art: Is Fan Art really art or is it plagiarism? Let’s define Fan Art: Drawings, digital art, or other tributes made towards a show, band, person, or novel; this work is unofficial. I thought about my childhood and remember that I often drew myself and friends as Star Wars characters. I remember that Star Wars had me so invested into its world and story that I had wanted to insert myself into it by any means necessary. This made me think about why others made fan art. Perhaps, they wanted to draw out scenes from a novel in the way the artist had interpreted it, or maybe they wanted to show off their OTPs and preferred ships, or maybe they wanted to make a tribute to something they love and appreciate? When I see people post fan art, they don’t say that it’s their original creation but they say “fan art of _____” or “My fan art of _______” . When someone wants to make a tribute to something, they want to put their best foot forward. They put in work, time, and their skill into their tribute and then they share it to the world celebrating the original work. I don’t consider this plagiarism, but as a form of art that inspires others to create their own work.

Fan Art by GAN-91003 on Deviantart

https://picolo-kun.deviantart.com/art/Danny-Phantom-209558032