Is It OK to Make Original Jewelry Using a Technique Learned from a Tutorial?
by Sharon Berg.
Would a jewelry technique learned in a free or paid online tutorial be usable in producing “original’ jewelry without the teacher’s consent?
Many of us need to learn the techniques somewhere and then use them to create original pieces.
I’m not talking about copying the specific jewelry item, but rather using the “technique” learned during the tutorial.
If it is a no-no, then how can we use anything we learn via tutorials or books or whatever… especially when there are only so many techniques to go around?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Sharon Berg
Stitches and basic techniques are available to all, and the stitches can not be copyrighted. Have a great time and enjoy designing original pieces using the stitches you learn 🙂
Knowledge, once aquired is yours. It is technically legal to make and sell pieces you make following a tutorial, though most of us prefer to just use the tutorial to learn the technique and then make original art. Copyright protects the actual tutorials. .. you cannot copy the instructions s without permission.
Yes, if someone is offering a tutorial, they are offering to teach you a technique you can then use yourself over and over. 😀 Enjoy.
Yup. That is the whole point of learning/teaching/sharing techniques and methods.
Thanks all for your responses… I thought so too and appreciate confirmation that what I learn, regardless of where/how, is mine to use for creating my pieces.
I am always deeply grateful for the techniques I learn that help me to expand my skills and grow as an artist. The teachers I choose, I choose because their work “speaks to me.” When I teach, I pass on information about teachers who inspired me so that my students can explore the same resources.
But, the tutorials I’ve taken all say they cannot be used except for the one who bought it. Understandable) “All rights reserved”. Here’s one I took about 1-2 months ago: “Copyright 2016 by ——–. This hand out (and video) only for the use by students (paid students) enrolled in __________ (the name of her tutorial) and where it is found/shown. Reproduction of this handout by or for any persons other than said enrolled students is strictly prohibited.”
I don’t know about the rest of you but that scares me enough not to do it.
Rena, can you help us out with this. What about when we change some things in it, can we do it then?
Hi Betsy, regarding the “All rights reserved” and “Copyright 2016 by ——–. This hand out (and video) only for the use by students (paid students) enrolled in __________ (the name of her tutorial) and where it is found/shown. Reproduction of this handout by or for any persons other than said enrolled students is strictly prohibited”:
It sounds to me that the person who created the tutorial is protecting their rights to the text, video, PDF’s, handouts, photos, books, etc. of the tutorial or class. They don’t want anyone to share or re-sell the actual class materials or tutorial with other people who haven’t paid for a copy of the class / tutorial.
To me it does NOT sound like this person is saying you can’t use the technique learned in the tutorial.
Here’s the most important thing to remember:
Whenever you have any question about how you can use what you’ve learned in a tutorial, it’s always best to contact the person who created the tutorial – and simply ask them how you may use the technique, design, etc. They will be glad you asked, and will be happy to answer your questions! 🙂
Rena, have you ever found that one paint may resist another? Or perhaps a substance that could be doodled in to redirect the paint/ resist it? I love that effect and would use crayons with water paints to get it.
Thanks, yet again for such a thoughtful, step by step tutorial that even I can keep up on) when I’m not in the clouds or visiting planet Zargon). I just dream and see so much color everywhere including the winter and its array of color. This will be fun and I’ve only tried out alcohol inks on poly.
Thank you again for your insight, not only in the world of beauty but spreading it, making it contagious, and giving us all permission to be a part of it.
Betsy
🙂
I may learn the technique via a video, however, I will first produce the piece exactly to the tutorial. Then, I will alter it to change it to suit my taste, or someone else. Or completely change it, but use the fundamental principles I learned from the video. I do the same thing when I sew. I see something on Pinterest, and make it my own, or tweak it because I found a better way to sew the garment. I do not like to use the persons work from the tutorial, but there are times that I just really like what they make!
Just to throw this in here, ideas cannot be copyrighted, only literary, film, and pictorial material. There are also process patents but a process has to be relatively complex and not typically available by easy means. Techniques found in tutorials CANNOT be copyrighted. I’m a graphic designer so I am acquainted with copyright law in the US.