WIP Old and New - A sad and drepessing state of affairs - What should I do?
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I have been working on a piece for the March contest based on the prompt - Old and New. I created a rough but felt like the piece needed some more work to be resolved, so I didn't submit it right away - then a few days later I had seen someone else had posted another piece on the forums very similar to my idea. So, should I just drop my idea and do a new idea? But I don't know if that would solve anything because the same thing might happen again. Or should dig in and fight a bitter fight to get back my idea? But, is it even worth it and can I even do anything about it? I am frustrated because this is not the first time this happened to me. Another time I submitted some work to a online tshirt company for approval and someone else had submitted one of their designs based off the same idea right after I posted my idea. This is annoying and I am not sure what I can do about it. I could use some advice on how I should approach this problem. Has anyone else ever have this problem before?
Here is the piece I was working on. It is a dinosaur bones (old) and a baby robot born from an egg(new). Again it's not finished but I thought I'd just post it to show where I am at and to get feedback of what people I should do... Is it too close to the other persons idea? I came up with it about a week or two ago, when the challenge was announced... So I feel depressed and frustrated. Some help and advice would be nice.
Thanks
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If you feel strongly about your idea, I think you should illustrate it to the best of your ability. Even if someone has a similar concept, it's highly unlikely that they'll resolve it the same way you do. There's so much involved in composing an illustration; our personal experience, imagination, skill level, personality, artistic style, etc., will impact how that concept is interpreted. Just focus on making the best artwork you can.
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I wouldn't change my idea even if someone chose the same theme or subject. We all have our own styles and visions and where one design may appeal to a certain audience another design will appeal to a different group. If you ask 10 artists to paint the idea you chose then you would have such a range of styles and they would each be unique. If you have identified your own style then put it in your work and it won't matter if someone has a similar theme
I'm not sure who else on the forum had a similar idea, but I wouldn't let it get to you or make you feel down. Think of it more as a challenge to make the final painting the best you can personally.
On the other hand, If someone stole your idea and did it exactly the same as you (composition, color) but changed a few things and called it their own then I would be pretty annoyed
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@alexsen Hi there! I can't tell you how many times I thought I had an original concept (for greeting card designs), only to run across the same on a greeting card rack at some point...the temptation for me is to feel let down because my idea wasn't as creative as I'd imagined!
But there's also another interpretation, which calls to mind this passage (origin of many variations quoted as proverbs):
Ecclesiastes 1:9 - "What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun."I believe it is rare that an idea is truly original and it is your treatment of the concept that makes it unique. That said, every now & then something like @Jake-Parker's Hot-Dog Bot-Dog comes along!
If you can work through the frustration, go for it! Otherwise, I would switch gears.
Best,
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Hey, I know the piece you are talking about and I think they are different enough, but anyway, I don't think it's a big deal. In the "octopus" contest last month, several people had an octopus scooping ice cream. It was fine! There really are only so many ideas under the sun. Don't worry about it--just make the best piece you can and have fun with it and submit it.
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Thanks everybody for the advice! I feel better about it now, but I still would have liked to have an original piece.
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@alexsen Your piece is still original. If I'm thinking of the other piece you mentioned it doesn't include dinosaurs or robots (I've been preoccupied so I may have missed it) neither is it being composed and illustrated exactly the way you would do yours, as others have already said.
If you are still truly unhappy with your concept then try getting into your sketchbook. Let your hand and pencil dance across the pages drawing whatever you like and you may find a new idea and inspiration. Then do some thumbnails to experiment with different elements within your new concept. It's not too late in the game to get something done. Don't give up!
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@alexsen Pretty much what everyone else has said. But, also, just think about how many illustrated versions of Cinderella or Red Riding hood there are. How many times has Pride and Prejudice or Romeo and Juliet been remade - both in literature and film. Your idea may come from a mix of imagination and experience and you may just click with other people and where their brain goes. You might find you like the same thing or think along the same lines, but no one will execute the concept exactly the same way. I think there is value in trying to get your unique perspective on paper and problem solving your way through your own vision. That's where the uniqueness comes from.
