Inlay Copyright Question
- Thread starter PMS
- Start date
You should be concerned with whether it is right to copy someone else' design. If you like the design so much you should buy a cue from the maker or at least get his permission to use his creation. But Hell, what do I know -- I'm just a grouchy old man.
I don't know that there are any 'copyrighted' designs on cues but even
if there were, my greater concern would be for my personal ethics.
IMO, you're on unsettled ground here. We've had this debate already.
Is the design copyrighted? If not, then you're free to use it......
as your conscience allows.
KJ
if there were, my greater concern would be for my personal ethics.
IMO, you're on unsettled ground here. We've had this debate already.
Is the design copyrighted? If not, then you're free to use it......
as your conscience allows.
KJ
Some high end cuemakers have been known to copyright their designs. I think it would not be wise to copy his design either way. A now fairly well known cuemaker got blasted pretty hard on here and other forums some time ago for copying another cuemaker's design. I would think that you could get inspiration from that design and come up with something different that looks just as nice without copying his design. We all get inspiration from other's designs, but to copy them is foul play IMO.
Hi,
Copywriting a design is a smart thing to do and it only costs a small amount of money. Designs for inlays that are unique and original are a signature feature to a cue maker.
You can let people know your designs are C on your website to stop someone from using your artwork. It is that simple.
If you want to use a design, check with the CM first. They just might say ok, remember, copying is the greatest form of flattery.
Rick
Copywriting a design is a smart thing to do and it only costs a small amount of money. Designs for inlays that are unique and original are a signature feature to a cue maker.
You can let people know your designs are C on your website to stop someone from using your artwork. It is that simple.
If you want to use a design, check with the CM first. They just might say ok, remember, copying is the greatest form of flattery.
Rick
No particular thought on this one way or the other, but.....are you saying that no one should ever make a Hoppe style cue, since the Hoppe ring wasn't their design? Again I am just asking. I could understand being tee'd off over a complete, out and out rip-off without any acknowledgement to the cue-maker, but what is acceptable, and what isn't? Honest question/s.
Rambow is dead. He won't mind.
Hi Kim,
Thats up to a court.
Litigating something like this is in most cases is not worth the time and effort when dealing with a single cue maker. Who wants to do that anyway. Reminding another CM that your design is copy written would be a common courtesy and I believe most people would stop using it if notified.
On the other hand is some huge production cue company were to put a cue out using your design on thousands of cues after you file, that may be a horse of a different color.
Their are a lot of designs out there being used over and over and it is hard to come up with a new fresh image in the geometric parameters of a cue without using radial geometry. Points, spears, diamonds, caskets, propellers, razor and the likes are very common.
New original designs should be protected if you are serious about your art and branding imagery.
JMO,
Rick
First I think it is in very poor taste to steal a design that some one else thought up with their own imagination. A good example of this is the Scalloped designs that Sugar Tree cues developed. Not long ago there were threads concerning another forum cue maker using this design, the designs inventor was offended and pretty upset that some one else would copy his work. I totally understand his point and concern and I agree that what the other maker did was wrong.
However, on the other side of this same coin cue makers copy or use similar designs every day, in most cases what I am talking about are all the so called tribute cues that are built using designs developed by cue makers that are no longer with us. This seems to be completely acceptable to most everyone, however I suspect that it also is not a good concept to be followed.
In my opinion copying another cue makers work will not give the copier fame or fan fair as a cue maker. It doesn't matter if the work is copied from a living cue maker or one that has passed years ago or even recently. Coping some ones work can lead to fraud at a later date if some unscrupulous individual makes additional changes or just represents the work as something it is not. This has happened many times, that is why there are more Balabushka and Szamboti cues on the market than the number George / Gus were known to have built. At least with the Szamboti cues Barry is still around and in most cases he can settle disputes about authenticity, however, nothing or no one is perfect and Barry has made mistakes identifying his fathers work.
I agree with another poster who said if you like a design being made by a current builder, give them the respect they deserve and order a cue with that design from the originating cue maker, or make an offer to the current cues owner and try to buy the cue from them. But, whether a design is copyrighted or not stealing another's work is wrong, and it only shows bad character for both the builder who will copy the design and the buyer for commissioning the design.
Oh and by the way, I am not offering anyone a debate on this subject if you disagree with my comments so be it!!:smile:
JIMO
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No I am not saying we need to be that picky. Hoppe rings, Slotted diamonds and standard diamonds, morrocan windows, butterflies, stitch rings and v-groove points and all that has been done over and over is public property IMO. But a unique artistically drawn design, copied exactly is wrong IMO..
Once I read this thread, I guess it really hits home. I’ve been told I have no common sense. The “fish” I made & posted in another thread is a good example. Arnot’s shark is one of the coolest yet simplest inlays I have seen. I made mine more out of respect than disrespect. I did not contact Arnot because honestly I didn’t even think about it. (Refer to sentence number 2). If Arnot or the majority feel this is wrong, then I won’t repeat what I’ve drawn. Sorry if I stepped out of line Arnot. Mine is nowhere as cool as yours.
I think this is a very articulate and honest post, we have all done things that were not well thought out, but admitting it and understanding it's implications are very admirable and the best step anyone can take in the right direction when making an apology for ones actions!!
JIMO
Rick....
Somewhere back in time I remember someone (probably a self proclaimed expert) told me that if you change a design or anything that is copy righted by 10% it is ok......
Is there any truth to that????
Kim