Inspiration or Imitation? [92]
Art Juice: A podcast for artists, creatives and art lovers
Louise Fletcher/Alice Sheridan
4.8 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 13 October 2020
⏱️ 56 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week’s topic was inspired by a question from Sharon Mayfield who wrote “can you discuss imitation and originality. Is there any such thing as ‘original’ work these days? Is it ‘wrong’ to reflect styles of work or techniques we’ve seen used by other artists?”
This week, we discuss the difference between ‘stealing like an artist’ and copying. Of course we are all influenced by those who have gone before - it could not be otherwise. So how do we distinguish between taking an idea or technique and using it to inspire our own unique work, and simply copying what someone else has done? What does it mean to be influenced? How can you tell that's what's happening and when do you know you've crossed a line? And what does Austin Kleon mean by his idea of 'stealing like an artist'? We also share some information on copyright laws in the UK and US - but be warned that we are not experts! It does, in the end, all come down to common sense. And usually, if you are taking from someone else, you know when we have gone too far.
Mentioned
Steal Like an Artist : Austin Kleon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Steal-Like-Artist-Austin-Kleon/dp/0761169253
Ted Hughes - Poetry in the making https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poetry-Making-Handbook-Writing-Teaching/dp/0571233805
US copyright:
https://www.artbusinessinfo.com/copyright-and-fair-use-for-artists.html
UK copyright digital images and the internet: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/481194/c-notice-201401.pdf
Find us and sign up for our newsletters at:
Submit a question at bit.ly/artjuicepodcast
Support the podcast with a small donation at: https://ko-fi.com/artjuice
Follow us on Instagram:
Alice @alicesheridanstudio
Louise @louisefletcher_art
Credits
"Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | When we do something that's not authentic to us that we've taken from someone else or we've seen and stolen |
| 0:07.2 | Can we feel it? Do we know that we're really not doing something authentic. |
| 0:13.0 | Hi and welcome to episode. |
| 0:17.0 | Hi and welcome to episode 92 of our Juice. This is honest, generous and humorous |
| 0:25.4 | conversations to feed your creative soul and get you thinking with me Louise Fletcher |
| 0:30.6 | and me Alice Sheridan and today we are talking about a topic that was |
| 0:36.4 | raised by a listener imitation originality influence we're just to have a chat so we don't know what the episode is called |
| 0:46.0 | at the time of recording, but we'll come up with something. But we just want to talk about how important |
| 0:51.1 | is originality, what is originality, is there any such thing and where do you |
| 0:57.0 | cross over into doing things you shouldn't do? |
| 1:01.0 | But before we get in... You haven't done that then, if you ever done anything you shouldn't do? |
| 1:05.2 | We're not going to cover all the things you shouldn't do. We're just going to cover the things you shouldn't do when it comes to |
| 1:10.8 | copying other people. But before we get to that, tell me about |
| 1:15.8 | your week, Alice. |
| 1:16.8 | Um, kind of mixed week, I have to say, I've been a little bit up and down this week generally but shall I tell you |
| 1:24.1 | about some of the just you know we're just the frustration just blur some of |
| 1:30.3 | that it happens but some good things so that little reels that I did that also prompted some of this |
| 1:39.0 | discussion from people and questions about copyright and using images. So on my Instagram, which is at Alice Sheridan |
| 1:46.0 | studio, there is a reel there which I did that was just showing how to take a gel transfer from a magazine image and actually then dissolving the paper so that |
| 1:58.0 | you've then got this translucent section that you can place on your work. |
| 2:01.6 | Anyway, last time I looked it had reached something like 68,000 people which... |
| 2:07.0 | Which is a bit crazy. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Louise Fletcher/Alice Sheridan, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Louise Fletcher/Alice Sheridan and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

