Feeling odd...

[merimask]

Hmm.  I'm feeling a bit off lately.

 

I think I've been doing too much again.  I'm all at odds with myself because I feel stressed out but I'm not sure why I should.

I have orders to make...plenty of them.  This is good because orders = money, but I'm daunted by how many there are and that causes me to procrastinate.  So, I'm creating without joy right now, in fits and spurts when I can force myself to do it.

I'm definitely escaping on my bike too much...just putting on my i-pod and taking off.  Sometimes that's good because Char comes with me, which is sweet.  Sometimes I'm all alone and I don't realize how fast or far I'm going until I pull up in a daze with a cramp.  That's not excercise.  That's running away.

I mean, it's silly to feel this way.  Working is good...I'd be lost without it.  And of course everyone knows I love to ride my bike.  I'm just feeling a bit unbalanced and stretched thin lately, like a watery pancake mix.  Like I might break. 

Also, I'm sabotaging myself.  I'm playing video games instead of reading a book.  I'm thinking about getting old, quite a bit.  This is really starting to bug me, the getting old thing.  I look in the mirror and my face doesn't match my spirit, and I can be vain so...it bothers me.  More than that, it frightens me.   It's not like you wake up one day and, surprise; you're seventy.  It happens slowly, and lately I'm seeing the new lines my face will fall into as I age and I'm seeing my grandmother...my own mom.   The clues are there and they scare me.  I'm not ready for old age, the same way I'm never ready for winter in November each year.  

Is this a midlife crisis I wonder?  It's not as fun as I'd heard.  I thought it'd mean I'd go to Europe alone, or have a fling, or install a hot tub or buy a motorcycle.  Instead I just feel anxious and stretched thin.  Hmm.

 

But enough whining.  I need some practical advice.  For any of you out there with DevArt accounts; how many comments do you reply to?  All of them?  Just the first page?  I have a monster of a backlog of comments and I always try to at least say "thanks" but the sheer amount is so massive that it'd take hours to do at this point. 

Also, another DA question...I'm getting a LOT of "Ooo I want to make that" comments.  Which of course is copyright infringement.  Like, to the point where kids are contacting me, asking for my PATTERNS so they can TRY TO MAKE A MASK.  Now, I don't own the idea of maskmaking, heck no.  But I sure as hell do own my mask designs.  Should I continue to ignore these comments (which is what I've been doing so far) or do I come down on these kids like the wrath of god?  Surely they must be kids.  Adults wouldn't dare suggest something like that to an artist...would they?  I suspect I'd be accused of being a bitch if I explain copyright law to a 13 year old kid who really likes my dragon, so I'm reluctant to be honest with anyone there.   
 

Comments

[aoi-tsuki1.livejournal.com]

I...think there's some middle ground between ignoring those questions and Wrath O' God. :O Preeetty sure no one is intending to steal your work and run away laughing; people just think they're really really neat and want to try a new handicraft based on what they've seen and liked, and don't understand that you make your living based on not giving it away.

I don't have a DA account, but I believe protocol would be to make a note on the entry itself thanking everyone for their comments and a polite "For everyone asking about mask patterns, they're copyrighted, so I can't give them out" and maybe a link to resources on how to make their own or find some more generic ones. It may be paranoia speaking, but anything more detailed - even "It'd be like a baker giving away her recipes" - would probably just provide an opening for argument.

As for the backlog, does making a schedule help for you? (Sometimes, I find it helpful; sometimes, I find it just gives me something to say "FUCK YOU, YOU DON'T OWN ME" to and flick off and run away from, laughing maniacally.)

[(Anonymous)]

Well, I have made the same experiences like you merimask. If people saw my projects, than they often ask me "How can I make this too?" or "I want to make this one too". Because of the copyrights I can only tell them how to create games, animations or 3D models easily, but with the advice to use their own design / concepts. But mainly many "idiots" can only copy from each other and then call themself artists or designers.

greetings

izo84

*the mask hasn't arrived yet.....thats so sad*

[oraien.livejournal.com]

For part A of your post: The only advice I can really offer is that awareness of what you're doing, whether it's riding a bike, making a mask or feeling stressed out, is the first step to turning that activity into something fruitful for you. It's good to be aware of what you're feeling because personal accountability is important.

For you, I feel like if you're getting on your bike, then you need to make a conscious effort to pay attention to what you're passing, where you're going, setting your limitations before you start out, and with maskmaking the same way. You have to do it, to fulfill your orders, of course, but set yourself a goal.

I'm a list writer. If I have a list, nothing is too daunting because I know, when the list is done, so is the tedium. I have to remember to write in my breaks though :)

For the second part, on DA, I think it's acceptable to make a journal entry at the top of your page and leave it there for awhile as a thank you for all the comments because you can't possibly get to all of them at once! But since you appreciate them, you can do it that way?

And if kids are asking for your patterns, you could tell them just what you told us above - draft a response you can copy and paste, put a version of it up in your DA or on your site or whatever, and then use it to reply to requests.

"Because my masks are my intellectual property, attempting to recreate what I've done would be copyright infringement and I don't want to encourage that. If you want to make masks, please do, but you'll need to make your own pattern..."

Etc, etc.

-hugs-

I hope you get through the rough spot soon, dear. You're really an amazing, impressive, talented woman. I definitely admire you and your creativity and your self-awareness. If you need an ear, I'm always around LJ.

[golden-meliades.livejournal.com]

That would piss me off royally. (People actually asking you for patterns!) Have they no sense? I'd just tell them that I don't use a pre-formed pattern, that I make my own patterns/designs. If that doesn't clue them in to the fact that they're asking to have your hard work for free, and persisted in asking for YOUR patterns, I'd be really flat with them. (But you know I'm much happier doing so than you are, likely.) They'd be told that this is what I make a living at and that if I gave my designs away I'd be bankrupting myself...I WOULD use the analogy Aoi mentioned, of the baker with her recipes. (What kind of bakery gives out the recipes to everything they sell? If they did, very few people would bother to BUY any more! Or a magician and his tricks. If he tells everyone how he's doing the magic, it's not magic any more, and his act will die out completely.) I don't think that opens things for argument at all, because that simply isn't arguable by any but the worst idiots, and the worst idiots can safely be dealt with harshly...or completely ignored. (Who the heck would bother to argue with a total idiot anyway? It's pointless.)

I keep telling you you need to try the 'being reasonable' method. It's WAY more effective than the 'go all out' method...it really, really is. I developed muscle faster (and lost more weight) by being reasonable than I ever did by pushing as hard as I could. There is a point at which pushing is not gutsy or brave or determined or wonderful in any way, it's just stupid because it's so ineffective...wasteful (of energy) and damaging (of you/your life in general). Everyone crosses the line sometimes (unless they never push themselves at all, of course, which is worse) but to do it regularly...well, it's a pretty bad policy.

I know whereof I speak. Or something like that. I'm not a naturally reasonable person. The trick is to find the balance between 'I'm challenging myself' and 'I'm punishing myself'. Challenging feels invigorating and makes you healthier...but going too far feels exhausting and actually drags your health DOWN.

Back to Avatar. I'm not doing very well at talking to people these days, it keeps going all wrong and makes me want to go for days without speaking at all, online and irl. I might need to up my BC a bit, or something.

[justrambles.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Explain to them. I run a site for teenage writers, and they're quite capable of understanding copyright laws. We come down on them HARD if they break that, whether they break it in writing, art, or anything else. Most of them take it fine and say 'oh ok, I'm sorry, I didn't know', and I point them in the direction of some info on copyright law, and ask them how they'd feel if someone stole their work. Sometimes they go nuts. The worst I've had was some kid who thought it was hilarious, and after I banned him, he posted my novel on another site with just the name of the main character changed. After that I tracked him down on every writing site he was a member of and warned the admins. Unfortunately most didn't care (he's now a moderator at one of the sites!). So, that's my long-winded way of saying you should try to prevent it before it happens. Personally I'd go the way of putting some standard spiel in the description of each deviation that effectively says 'thanks for admiring, but no, you can't make one'.

As for being old and answering lots of comments, I don't have those problems, so I have no advice.

[uminomamori.livejournal.com]

Sounds like me lately. I procrastinate a ton, but I wish I had that many orders too :(

I mostly only answer the longer comments or those who ask questions. Maybe you can write a post in your blog or a FAQ and point them to it when someone asks whether they can use something.

[kelkyag]

You may want to point out that you're a professional artist who sells her work. I think a fair fraction of the folks on DeviantArt aren't, or only do so incidentally, and asking someone who made one of something for themself how to make one's own is much more socially acceptable. I'll second the suggestions to reply with a pointer to your tutorial, that your designs are copyrighted (perhaps also with a pointer to information on copyright law), possibly a few words of encouragement on making their own design, and possibly that you have licenced your designs in the past (and I don't know what you'd want to say about that or if you'd consider doing it again). That's a lot, though, and winds up being a form letter.

I know too well about procrastinating in the face of too large a pile of things to do. Is it possible to carve out some guilt-free time for yourself in there somewhere?

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

I really hear you about your discontent and stress. I feel many of the same things -- ovewhelmed by my art/job and avoiding it, longing to escape into physical activity, watching myself grow old, and the rest. I don't feel them all the time, but when they come? Wow, it sucks. One thing that gets me out of these funks to finishing a project. Not sure if it's the same for you, because it takes me weeks or years to finish a project, so it doesn't happen as often as for you. I do get interested in doing other stuff and then forget to be distressed.

Would you consider doing a new pattern you could send to them? It could be a variant of a popular mask, or something unique.

"My work is copyright and so cannot legally be reproduced in any fashion, but if you're interested in creating a mask of your own, here's a pattern I have designed just for new mask-makers. By using this pattern, you agree that this mask is for your own use or to give as a gift; and you agree not to sell the mask, or to give it to anyone else with the intention that they sell it."

Unless you're Disney, or have a lot of patience to hunt down infringement and a brother-in-law who's a lawyer, copyright is really difficult to protect. There are .pdfs of my books out there that neither I nor my publisher have anything to do with. It is illegal, unethical, and inconsiderate to the creator.

[ramblinsuze.livejournal.com]

As my last few LJ entries can attest to, I've been feeling a wee bit of stress myself lately! So, I feel your pain. :\

I have a bad tendency to procrastinate, too, when I'm feeling overwhelmed. My to do list is the only thing that keeps me on track. I have to see everything there in black and white, with the deadlines. Then I just start checking them off, one by one. It doesn't mean there's any less work, but at least I can calm down enough to get it done.

The biking is great for you...but not if you're overdoing it all the time or using it as a method of escape. I don't think you should quit ('cause then you'd just feel miserable in another way), but limit yourself. Maybe get a watch with an alarm so you can alert yourself when X amount of time has passed. It's up to you to find the right balance, but maybe that would help keep you in check a bit.

I don't think there's anything wrong with playing video games instead of reading! Mix it up a bit. As long as the games aren't taking away from something else (family time, work, etc.), just have fun!

Mid-life crisis...probably. Unfortunately, time marches on whether we like it or not. I see it in myself, too. I've already got my mother's/grandmother's hands! I don't know what to say about trying to alleviate your fears...I guess I'd just ask why you're so frightened? Well, ask yourself that, I don't need to know! lol What is it about aging that distresses you? Then you can try to confront it. My mother jumped out of a plane for her 50th birthday...though not everyone is quite so extreme. ;)

DA comments - I finally gave up after a while, and I don't get nearly the response that you do. I think it's okay to respond to specific comments (those who leave detailed comments or ask questions, etc.) and just do a generic journal entry or something thanking everyone else.

As for the pattern issue. Argh. This is one thing I detest about DA. There's such a huge number of plagiarists that you can't tell the folks who just want to learn something new to those who want to rip you off. And as this is your livelihood, you have to err on the side of caution.

I would do two things. First, point them toward your tutorial. That gives an excellent overview of how you make your masks and for anyone who is really interested in giving it a try, it provides plenty of information to get started. Second, I would put up a notice somewhere (in each deviation description, in a journal header, wherever) that explains that you are a professional artist and your patterns are copyrighted (or is it trademarked...hm...it's been ages since I read up on it). It won't prevent them from imitating you if they really want to, but it's a bit of an explanation and a CYA.

I don't understand why they would need your patterns anyway. You can get the gist of it, just from looking at them (and definitely from the tutorial), so unless you are intending to replicate the mask (which would be infringement), you don't need it.

It's probably kids asking this stuff (as they tend to be the ones who think it's fine to just copy from other people), but I would redirect them by saying, check out my tutorial to find out how I make my masks, but use your own creativity to come up with your very own pattern, something unique to you. So it's s rebuff, but a positive one. It'd probably be more effective than just quoting copyright law to them, y'know?

[kls-eloise.livejournal.com]

There's an amazing jeweler that I know who doesn't sell online for exactly these reasons. They figure that as soon as their designs are posted online, they'll be stolen. They can't afford that, since it's their business, so you can only buy from them in person.

I think it's a risk you have to decide to take if you're going to put stuff on those forums.

[fantasyforever.livejournal.com]

I wish I could offer advice on the getting-older thing, but I'm 23 so I can't really relate. >_>;;

As for the work load and running away, I can sympathize. Sometimes it helps me to just break down and start working. If it comes easily, then great! If it's still hard, I'l switch to something and then come back. For me, the hesitation and avoidance (creating guilt) is usually worse than the actual act I'm trying to avoid.

And for DA? I try to respond to everyone, but I get only one comment in a blue moon. I would say ignore the "Cool!" or "OMG I <3 This!" comments that are generic with no substance. But if they actually write out a detailed comment, or ask a question, then it might be better to respond to them.


I absolutely LOVED the tutorial you did! I was always curious about your techniques, but I never wanted "your pattern". The way you do masks is beautiful and unique, and I'd rather your art be an inspiration to me, instead of being a copy-machine. I would just explain that it is your art, your work, and your way of making a living. If you're not patronizing or ugly, they should take it well. Maybe even encourage them to try their own designs and ideas, and add a note that copying someone's design is stealing.

It astonishes me how many people think that copying things out of books and the internet isn't "stealing". *rolls eyes*

[tallymark.livejournal.com]

Honestly, when I make a comment on deviantart, I don't expect the artist to respond. I figure they're too busy making art--it takes me two moments to make a comment, but you two hours to answer *all* the comments. For the comments I recieve, I've adopted Ursula Vernon's policy: I'll answer it if it's a question. If they ask a question then they're really hoping to hear from you; if they're just giving a compliment, getting a "Thanks" doesn't really make a difference in their day.

I get asked about patterns a lot too and it's frustrating. Firstly because I've only explained a billion times that needle felting isn't the kind of craft that *has* patterns, and secondly because I made up all my creatures myself. People ask for tutorials on my dragons, but if I make a felting tutorial I think I'm going to have to make it *not* a dragon...because I'm perfectly happy to help people learn my techniques, but only so they can make up their OWN designs. Not so they can make identical dragons. Which I think is what they're hoping to do. *sigh* Your tutorial was great, and it was really smart of you to use one of your more unusual designs instead of a mega-popular one--if you'd used a stormwolf, I'm sure there'd be tons of copies out there by now. I'd just be polite and explain you're happy to help them learn to work leather but not to replicate. It's for their own good, ultimately.