Monday, January 27, 2014

Design Overlap

I've touched on this subject quite a few times before, but whenever it comes up in my life, I like to mention it….

Independent co-design, design collision, design overlap, whatever we may call it, it happens.  I do think certain stitches, CRAW being one of them lend themselves to certain shapes and those classic shapes are bound to be explored by different designers simultaneously.

In last years master class one of the shapes we explored was what I inelegantly referred to as a CRAW pendant.  The shape was elongated and came to a point.



You see it above in pink, in bronze and in green.  It's a handy little shape.  Below you see it pressed into design action by Sandy Brock as well as Victoria Henson and Monica Powell.  Here you see pretty distinctly different designs on the far left and far right.


Yesterday I worked up a pretty little pendant, using the original shape and extending it with two more tiers of points.  It's pretty, but a little underwhelming.  I did get to thinking though that if I were to make the same component about 18 more times it would make quite the dramatic necklace.  I happened to be chatting with another beader and shot off a photo of what I had come up with.  Crazee!  was her response as she shot back a photo of an amazingly similar piece.

Oh, in case you've forgotten, commenting on this post or any one or more between January 23rd and January 30th will enter you into the drawing for a signed copy of Marcia DeCoster Presents.  Each comment is one entry, but only one comment per post will be counted.

32 comments:

MPowell said...

The old saying "great minds think alike" is true in more ways than one.

beadyknitter said...

I made a bracelet once and several months later it appeared in one of the beading magazines. They appeared identical but I don't know if they were made the same way. Just after the twins came out I made some little beaded beads and then found out later that there were some that looked the same--don't know if they were made the same way. I don't consider myself a beading 'great mind" but it can happen even among us not so great beading minds!! And yes--I hope I win your newest book.

Cathey said...

CRAW is on my to-do list 'cause I haven't gotten one of those round-to-it things yet.

coolmoon said...

You're right, Marcia, it does happen. Just as I was ready to send an 'original' project to a magazine, someone else's similar project appeared. First come - First published. Doh!

LIndsey said...

I've had the same thing happen to me. I came up with a bracelet design and then saw an almost identical project in the very next issue of Bead & Button. It happens.

Rose said...

There are only so many designs and stitches so overlap is inevitable.

Pepita said...

I'm sure it happens to everybody sooner or later to come out with a similar design than another beader or artist in general.
However, your pieces are always so delightful :-)
Alenka

Rita said...

Thanks to you I have learned the CRAW stitch. But, I have not played with the stitch. Maybe someday, I'll try making different things. I loved that one necklace, en pointe (???) I'm still waiting for a kit! :)

Ilona said...

A hasonló design elkerülhetetlen, de különbségek mindig vannak, formákba, színekbe, az ékszer összeállításában.

Unknown said...

I was about to submit a project to a beading magazine when I received the next issue. It actually fell open to a necklace just like mine but a different color!

Cath Thomas said...

I am all the time victim of horrible 'Déjà vu' sensations, often paralizing me - I have tons of projects but feel so not confident. Especially since I designed a pair of Pepper earrings... But I have now decied to go for what I developed with my own hands and head. I'm an honest girl, and try to respect the other designers and their work. I even take time to search the web if my 'newety' isn't already out there - but I can't screen the entire world, and I noticed that there are so many wonderful designers and designs out there, that the time spent to search for a potentiyl 'design overlap' is just too much time spent not designing and not having fun...

Cindy said...

Happens all the time... When I first got my hands on some O beads, I made up a little sampler pairing them with SuperDuos. I liked the look of four O beads surrounding a SuperDuo, but I never really did anything with it, and I never showed it to anyone, but it was such an interesting pairing that I knew that someone else would come up with it too. Sure enough, once the O beads were released, a couple of people have made bracelets with the same idea. Oh well!

Unknown said...

Sometimes I wonder where our 'original ideas' come from. I think we are always inspired by what we see, or what we have made previously. Our work and ideas are always transforming. Would love to have the opportunity to learn your wonderful ideas by winning a copy of your book.

pogata said...

Very versatile and beautiful.

Sharayah said...

With the vast exposure on so many different sites, this is bound to happen. Great blog Marcia.

DeniseU said...

It's inevitable... but your designs are always so beautiful. Love your color choices!

ktdid1 said...

It happens. There are only so many ways the different stitches can be combined.

Sweet Freedom said...

Still beautiful!

Unknown said...

It does happen. What is sad is when the designers get into fights over who has the rights to a design.

cw whitedogjewelry said...

I remember reading a quote that someone said, "There is nothing new under the sun". It's worth thinking about and can be interpreted in many different ways.

Aunt Mary said...

yours are most beautiful!

Sharon Wagner said...

I believe it happens more than we realize!

Marcia DeCoster said...

I do love it when there is no finger pointing and both designers just recognize the coincidence of it, as was the case in this coincidence.

Catherine King said...

We have this discussion within our bead group at least once or twice a month. Our group consists of designers and instructors and I am amazed at how often we even use with same colorway on seperate pieces and designs. I firmly believe that " Great Minds, think alike". Just a thought.

DJDietz said...

I am still learning a lot about beading, but I'll pick up beads and play then I'll see a picture of what I've made somewhere in a book or magazine. Completely unintentional, but glad to know I'm learning something. :-)

Jamie Lubin said...

Hi Marcia! I know it's been a long time. Killed me to miss your class at Blanches! I'll be eagerly awaiting for next years. Remember when we bought those beautiful silver druzys from Blanche to make bracelets? We were going to use CRAW for the band using this shape....I finished mine ages ago and I always tell everyone the band was your brilliant design! I get so many compliments....I think your mix and matching of components is fabulous and is opening the eyes of other designers as well with their work! Miss you!

Jamie Lubin said...

Hi Marcia! I know it's been a long time. Killed me to miss your class at Blanches! I'll be eagerly awaiting for next years. Remember when we bought those beautiful silver druzys from Blanche to make bracelets? We were going to use CRAW for the band using this shape....I finished mine ages ago and I always tell everyone the band was your brilliant design! I get so many compliments....I think your mix and matching of components is fabulous and is opening the eyes of other designers as well with their work! Miss you!

Tobie said...

I need to learn this technique.

Becky Pancake said...

Yes some beaders think alike so this kind of thing does happen.

Unknown said...

Le grandi menti pensano all'unisono. Capita veramente molto spesso. Io ho ancora molto da imparare e la tecnica CRAW mi ha sempre affascinata. Grazie per l'opportunità che con ci dai.

Geometricjewels said...

Dont't let deja vue paralyze you and your great muse!

Geometricjewels said...

When the tilas came out, they 'asked' to be used in RAW.
There are only 3 ways to make dense, flat weaves with delicas and tilaa, so of course there were duplicate developments. My bad luck was chosing even the same name for one of them!