Creative Clarity Series
Published on May 5, 2025

The Creative Journey, Part 3 of 12: The Ethics of Proper Copying

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2877 words // 15min read time

Hello, lovely crafter! Today, I’m releasing Part 3 of 12 of the Creative Journey Series. I am so proud of this series, as it’s a deep dive into the life cycle of the creative art experience. I hope you will read the tips and insights, and decide where you are in the journey, gleaning any help that you can to guide you through to the next step. Head to the main page if you’re just jumping in and you want to start from the top. Enjoy!

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[Crochet Pattern Shown: The Color Riot Blanket]

3 Phases: Intro and Quick Links

The Creative Journey Series has an over-arching theme of 3 phases, each one with 4 parts, making the whole 12-part series. Here’s a quick overview again of the 3 phases, just so you know where you are in the journey. I’ll be adding this intro reminder at the top of each part through the series and hyperlinking Parts 1-12 as I go.

Phase 1, Imitation and Inspiration: Steps 1-4 are a deeper dive into Phase 1 of the Creative Journey. You can read more in my series post Creative Clarity, Episode 2: Phase 1 of the Artist’s Journey and a Deep Dive into the Realm of Copying

Phase 2, Innovation and Identity: Steps 5-8 break down Phase 2 of the journey, which is the topic of Creative Clarity, Episode 3: Phase 2 of the Artist’s Journey and How to Beat Creative Burnout

  • Part 5: What Style Really Means
  • Part 6: Experimentation and the Messy Middle
  • Part 7: Surviving the Burnout Phases
  • Part 8: The Power of Finding Your Unique Voice

Phase 3, Integration and Ascension: Steps 9-12 will be a dive into Phase 3 of the journey, but this episode of Creative Clarity has not yet been released. I will be sure to release that episode before we begin Step 9.

  • Part 9: Sustaining Your Style
  • Part 10: Cross-Pollinate through Fusion and Play
  • Part 11: Staying True Despite Style Challenges
  • Part 12: Artistic Evolution – Never Stop Growing

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Part 3: The Ethics of Proper Copying

We’ve already talked about the power of imitation, and how it helps you build confidence and grow your creative voice. But now it’s time to go deeper. Because not all copying is respectful, and not all inspiration is harmless.

This part of the journey is about integrity. It’s about copying with care and consciousness. I want to cover the who, what, when, where, and why of copying, because there is a lot of nuance when it comes to imitation. There’s a reason why it is such a topic of contention. I want to help you get down to the bottom of it by examining the 5 W’s, or the “who what when why (and how)” of copying.

  • What is copying?
  • Who should copy and when?
  • Why and how should you copy?

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What is Copying?

First, let’s take a look at the definition of copying. This is definitely the most detailed and technical of the 5Ws, but there seems to be so much grey area in imitating others, especially in the art world… So what do the experts say?

The Authorities Speak on Copying

As you gather inspiration and start learning the basics by imitating others, it is important to familiarize yourself with copyright and intellectual property, especially if you want to start making money from your works and turn your hobby into a career. I have compiled a few resources to help you get started.

  • U.S. Copyright Office (copyright.gov): Offers detailed information on U.S. copyright laws, including topics like ownership, infringement, and fair use.
  • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): Provides a global perspective on intellectual property, covering areas such as copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. 
  • Fenwick & West LLP: A law firm that offers a simplified guide titled “The Basics of Copyright Law,” which breaks down complex legal concepts for non-lawyers.
  • Creative Commons: A nonprofit organization that facilitates the sharing and reuse of creative works through standardized licensing, allowing creators to specify how others can use their work.

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Creatives Speak on Copying

This section explores how artists, writers, and musicians understand imitation not as theft, but as an essential part of developing a personal voice. Imitation is a means to an end, not the end goal. It’s part of the journey toward originality, not a detour from it.

  • Stephen King describes how early stylistic copying fades as a writer’s natural rhythm emerges, though influence can reappear whenever the artist encounters new inspiration.
  • Chuck Palahniuk emphasizes that originality is built from collective influence: “Nothing of me is original.”
  • Geddy Lee defines originality as the point where your many influences have blended so thoroughly that they become invisible behind your unique voice.
  • Josie Lewis distinguishes between private copying (essential for learning) and public sharing (which carries ethical obligations, especially if you intend to sell).
  • Steve Jobs notes that creativity often comes from making connections between different influences and life experiences.

Together, these voices affirm that copying is a natural, even necessary stage in creative growth, but it should be approached consciously, with respect, and always as a stepping stone toward authenticity.

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When to Copy: Imitation vs. Appropriation

The line between imitation and appropriation must be examined and fully acknowledged. Examining this line often comes down to power and permission. If you’re borrowing from a culture, tradition, or maker that’s been historically marginalized, you should take a pause. Ask: Who does this belong to? Who profits? Who is erased?

Key distinctions to help you spot appropriation:

  • Taking without understanding
  • Profit without acknowledgment
  • Style without context
  • Mimicking sacred or identity-rooted work for trend

This doesn’t mean you can’t be inspired by others, it just means you approach that inspiration with humility. Here is a chart outlining some key differences.

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How to Copy in the Most Productive Way

To use copying as a means to an end, you will need to know how to copy in a way that will guide you to the next level where you can break away from your influences and find your own style. Here are some best practices.

Action Items for Useful Copying

  • Look for patterns. Assess the works of your favorite artists, and look for patterns. In those patterns, you will find what works.
  • Research the basic elements. Use the “rules” of your art. You can examine the works of influential artists and see how they use the different elements in their pieces.
  • Reach out to your influencers. For the most part, artists will be flattered that you enjoy their work and are inspired to create something. Reach out to ask questions and interact. They will probably share some valuable knowledge with you.
  • Honor the artist. Painter Salvador Dali said, “Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.” Artists know about imitation, and that’s why we consider it the sincerest form of flattery. Be sure that your intention is to honor the artist and share credit in the influence.

A Word on the End Goal: Developing Your Own Style

To paraphrase Alfred Hitchcock, personal style is just plagiarizing yourself. During the Creative Journey: Phase 2 discussion, I will talk about Self Plagiarism, or making a copy of a copy of a copy.

Once you get going learning the basics and making your super derivative art, put away those pieces that you created while imitating another artist. Then, without looking at them, try to re-create a similar piece. Then put that away and start fresh with another piece. I can almost guarantee you that some of your own authentic artistic style will start to creep in.

How will you know when you are exiting Phase 1 and starting Phase 2? When you start showing signs of exhibiting your own style. Eventually, during Phase 2, your influences will no longer be easily discerned in your pieces. I’ll talk about this more in Part 4: Signs You’re Ready for the Next Phase.

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Name Your Sources Generously

Copying becomes community when you credit where credit is due. There’s nothing more alienating than seeing your work echoed without acknowledgment. And nothing more affirming than when someone says, “This work wouldn’t exist without you.”

Ways to practice ethical citation:

  • Tag artists in posts (with context!)
  • Use phrases like “inspired by,” “based on,” or “in conversation with”
  • Share why the work moved you, not just that it did

Credit is more than just a courtesy. It shows you have integrity.

Why and How Should You Copy?

Copy in the pursuit of finding your own style. If you steal an idea or a concept, and then make it your own, combining the ideas with others and making a transformation, then you are an artist. That’s just being creative. Do this enough, and you will build a style of your own that someone else will steal and so on.

In this case, “steal” does not mean “plagiarize”, and that is an important distinction. In this case, to steal means acknowledging and accepting your influences and using them as a starting point to create unique output. Again, it’s about intent.

Here are some reasons to copy the work of another artist:

  • When you are learning the fundamentals of your craft
  • To learn a new technique that you haven’t tried before
  • Learn the “rules” of your art form so you know how to “break them”

That last one is especially important. You’ve heard the saying that “rules are made to be broken.” Your craft has boundaries in place. It has a structured anatomy of inherent rules and systems. Here are some examples.

  • According to Wood and Fire Studio, a pop song consists of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, end.
  • In their Painting for Beginners course, the Virtual Art Academy defines the 7 elements of art as color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value.
  • Scribophile says every great story can be broken down into 12 essential elements: protagonist, antagonist, setting, perspective, something to fight for and something to lose, rising action and falling action, symbolism, language, theme, and a nugget of truth.
  • The Cambridge Dictionary defines a quilt as “a covering for a bed, made of two layers of cloth with a layer of soft filling between them, and stitched in lines or patterns through all the layers.”

If you want to work outside of the confines of your art, and create ascension, you first need to study these rules during Phase 1 of your Creative Journey.

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Understand Cultural Lineage vs. Personal Ownership

Many creative ideas don’t “belong” to a single person, rather they are part of a lineage. Think of the granny square. Someone came up with that, but we don’t credit them every time.

Here are some more to think of:

  • Quilting traditions
  • Folk motifs
  • Weaving patterns
  • Story structures

If you’re pulling from communal or ancestral practices, learn the roots and celebrate the history, instead of just stripping it down.

Ethical Copying Checklist

Use this before, during, and after using another artist’s work as inspiration.

Before You Begin

  • Do I know who made the original work?
  • Do I understand the cultural or historical context it comes from?
  • Am I working from a place of learning, not profit?
  • Would I feel comfortable explaining my intentions to the original artist?
  • If this comes from a marginalized group, have I researched it respectfully and thoroughly?

While You Work

  • Am I copying to study or am I presenting this idea as my own?
  • Have I made intentional changes (style, color, medium, meaning)?
  • Am I keeping notes on who and what inspired me?
  • Does this piece still feel like a step toward my own voice?

Before You Share or Sell

  • Have I clearly credited the original artist or tradition?
  • Am I profiting from this work in any way?
  • Would the original artist or community feel honored or harmed by this?
  • If someone asked me where the idea came from, would I answer honestly?

Proper copying is participation.

For example, don’t just remix Indigenous beadwork into modern accessories. Study the meaning. Learn the history. Credit the origin. And ask yourself: Should this be mine to use at all?

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Who Should Copy and When?

Copy while you’re practicing, then move forward. Ethical copying is just the beginning. Use imitation as a private tool in your drafts, not in the polished product.

Everyone learns by imitating other people. In the creative world, it is nearly imperative to copy someone’s work when you are learning the basics of your craft. You don’t yet have an individual style, and are only learning the actual techniques, and you are being inspired all the time by artists that you admire. It is only natural to want to try and see if you can do what they do.

The important thing is to only imitate your favorite artists during these beginning learning phases. If you will be sharing your imitations in the public sphere, then I recommend reaching out to the artist and talking with them about your inspired pieces. Credit them and gush over them. Once again, and I’ll say it over and over: this is about intent.

Rule of thumb: If you copied it directly, don’t sell it or present it as your original work.

And when you do share work shaped by others:

  • Clearly say so
  • Offer a link or source
  • Celebrate the influence

Over time, the influence will fade and your voice will come through. But transparency builds trust along the way.

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Treat Inspiration Like a Collaboration

Imagine every time you’re inspired by someone, you’re entering into an unspoken dialogue. Would you want to be on the other side of that exchange? “If this artist saw what I made, would they feel honored or erased?” Ethical copying is slow and thoughtful. It asks you to see the artist behind the art. That mindfulness makes you a better artist, and a better participant in the creative world.

Creative Art Blanket Course

If you want to enroll in my Creative Art Blanket Course, it is designed for crafters who are struggling with their creative journey. In the course, I tackle such problems as, “too many WIPs”, “lost my crojo”, “analysis paralysis” and much more. Along the way, I’ll guide you through the layout and construction of a beautiful art blanket with yarn from your stash.

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Creative Voices to Follow

These artists and writers speak directly to this part of the journey. When choosing inspiration artists, if you’re feeling unsure of your ability, ask yourself what you would do if fear was eliminated from the equation.

  • Wendy Red Star – An Indigenous artist whose work critiques cultural erasure and appropriation.
  • Thandiwe Muriu – Uses cultural symbols with deep personal and historical awareness.
  • Shantell Martin – Discusses originality, influence, and the fine line between borrowing and stealing.
  • Kandace Chimbiri – Talks about cultural education through art.
  • Faith Ringgold – Elevates quilting and storytelling as culturally rooted, historically rich practices.

10 Bonus Tips for Ethical Copying

  1. Always ask: “Would I want this done to me?”
  2. Use others’ work as a jumping-off point, not a landing pad.
  3. Learn deeply about the culture you’re referencing.
  4. Credit clearly and repeatedly. One mention isn’t enough.
  5. When in doubt, ask for permission.
  6. Avoid copying from artists in vulnerable positions (smaller platforms, underrepresented voices).
  7. Don’t copy work that’s marked as sacred, spiritual, or ceremonial.
  8. If your work is influenced by a culture you don’t belong to, say so plainly.
  9. Don’t profit off of copies. Practice privately or remix clearly.
  10. Always aim to add, not erase. Ethical inspiration makes the whole field richer.

Thank you for reading this part of the Creative Journey Series! Next Monday, we will look at Part 4: Signs You’re Ready for the Next Phase. Part 4 will help you figure out if you are ready to get to making and meet me at the messy middle. I can’t wait to dive into this topic.

Hope you have a great week, and happy crafting!

Rachele C.

Order my crochet pattern book: The Art of Crochet Blankets

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