Especially for brand new beaders, it can be a little confusing to navigate what beaded jewelry designs are OK to copy and how to give appropriate credit.
In this post, I'm going to break it down for you so you don't have to second guess yourself, because there's nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy creating with someone else's beadwork designs, but there are a few guidelines that are important to follow to have good etiquette and respect other artists.
I don't speak for all beading pattern makers, but this is my perspective on the topic of pattern/design etiquette and how to give appropriate credit.
First off, I must address the importance of not copying other people's designs without permission.
Designs take quite a bit of time, love, and creative energy to produce and not all artists want their designs recreated by others, so we never want to outright copy someone else's work unless they have explicitly said it's ok to do so.
This can be a little confusing, so here's what to check for:
- If you're following a tutorial, more than likely it's ok for you to use the design for whatever you like, but it's always good practice to check-in with the artist first.
- For any of my tutorials, I've made them especially for YOU! Don't hesitate to use these designs and sell anything you create from them.
- If you've seen someone's work on Pinterest or an artists IG, etc; these are NOT safe to copy. This is a common mistake we all make when we first start beading. It's as simple as counting the beads… but it's a habit you should break asap. Not only is it upsetting for the artist who designed the jewelry, it's actually illegal. As soon as a design is created, it's protected by copyrights.
- For example: all of my patterns are available for purchase and recreation, but there are a lot of designs I create that are personal and I haven't made available to the public.
- If you're not yet confident in creating your own designs, you're better off purchasing a pattern via Etsy or the artist's website, like mine! When you purchase a pattern, always check to see if the artist has given permission to sell what you create with it. More than likely they are happy for you to do so!
- All my patterns give you permission to recreate and sell what you make when you purchase the pattern.
- Here's a FREE fringe design + tutorial to get you started!
- Lastly, please be sensitive about cultural boundaries. It's important that you are non-indigenous, steer clear of Native cultural designs, "southwest inspired", etc.
Now, back to the subject of how to give credit…
Some pattern makers will explicitly ask and require you to give them credit whenever showing their designs like tagging them in your instagram post or saying something like “designed by Ashely Benson”, others ask as a suggestion.
Personally, I love when other artists give me a shout out on their IG posts tagging The Wholeness Shop on Instagram when they are showing off my pattern and tutorial designs! It's such a lovely feeling of appreciation and goes a long way to helping me promote my work. It's not a requirement, but highly appreciated.
Bottom line, if you're not sure - just ask! Better safe than sorry, and artist's really appreciate when other artist's show this kind of respect for their work ❤︎
Have you ever had your beadwork designs copied without permission? Share your experience in the comments ⤵