INSPIRATION vs. IMITATION - CREATION vs. COPY

Let’s admit it - there is a very, VERY fine line between the two.

It is easy to blur the line between inspiration and copying. You might have heard about someone’s idea, someone's project, resonate with it, and then can’t shake it out of your mind, and even if you don’t consciously mean to - 'borrow' the idea and convince yourself that it was your own.

And then, you 'create' a project so similar, using the same concept, same idea, even same or very similar terminology (and colours for your adverts), that it becomes pretty obvious that it was founded on a 'borrowed' idea.

And if on the top of all you claim that you invented it - you are in very murky waters - morally and legally.

We might have heard the phrase: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", however when it happens to an artist it feels more like the sincerest form of disrespect, and if there was a professional and financial gain as a consequence from 'borrowing' our ideas - as a form of violation and abuse.

Or, if it happens because we trusted someone with our ideas, and then they 'adopted' and presented them as their own - as a betrayal of our trust. (Just ask yourself how would you feel if you graced someone with your trust, and they used that for their own gain, bypassing you completely ? Putting yourself in other people's shoes could be of a tremendous help here.)

In whichever form, and for whatever reason - it hurts !

Even though copying our style, ideas, projects, etc. doesn’t make us less unique or creative, it is still a harrowing experience to cope with, and it is still very much not ok.

It is ok to be inspired but it is not ok to imitate and claim that work as your own invention without, at least, acknowledging the creator.

Besides, inspiration and blatant copy, where the idea is exactly the same - are two different things. Inspiration respects the original work by crediting it, and then builds upon it by adding (a lot of) original material and ideas, while copying disregards the originality and creativity of the source, claiming all the work (including the original idea) as their own.

So - don't copy ! And if someone's idea or work inspired you, give them the credit that they deserve. Every single time.

Ultimately, the difference between inspiration and imitation is INTENT and MINDFULNESS. Choose to be conscious and mindful of what has been done before you, what is happening around you, and what you intend to put into the world. Find your own voice and the form that fits it best.

And then - create your own ORIGINAL !