MOC'ing; how original am I?

[BrickTango]

Hi all,

I've came out of my dark ages (of 20 years!) less then a year ago and have been surfing the net looking at whats out there and admiring various official sets as well as many awesome MOC's by many people. I'd like to thank all of you who re-ignited my interest, and I also hope to slow down my purchases soon before I decide to sell my car so that I can buy more LEGO

I have accumulated enough lego now to have started playing with some ideas and slowly producing a few things that might eventually classify as a MOC

Anyway, the thing that has got me thinking was; because I have not been around for long and I've had enormous amount of visual input on how various sets and creations are put together in a short space of time, I believe it is almost impossible for me know when I interlock two bricks together whether it is my original idea or I've seen it done that way somewhere before!!!

I have no interest in creating new techniques, being recognized by the online community, or compete to be the best of the best! I just want to enjoy creating with LEGO!!!

However I'd like to be able to put photos of my MOCs on to net for my friends to have a look and give me pointers. At the same time, I do not really want some smart alec to comment that it is "not original" and "it has been done before!!!" That type of comment I seem to see a lot around the place!!!

Don't get me wrong when I am positively inspired by a creation and if I copy certain parts knowingly, I'd be giving grateful credit to my inspiration! My worry is that how am I suppose to identify the collective inspiration I've been getting?

Should I be surfing the net for 6 months after I complete a MOC, just to check I have not inadvertently copied elements of someone elses MOC? Am I worrying about nothing?

Cheers,

[noname]

I think you shouldn't care about people that seek defects in everything. You can build whatever you want- there are no copyright laws on inventing LEGO building techniques!

(but don't forget to be nice and give credit)

Even if you'll build something that's unoriginal, it doesn't matter- as long as you have fun!

If you unintentionally copy a building technique, you don't have to worry about it- just say that you didn't notice that, tell the whole story, and give credit!

[JimBee]

I wouldn't worry about it - I have not seen much of this kind of criticism for Lego creations, and even if you do get some, you shouldn't let it bother you. You know that you didn't "steal" any ideas, and even if you did you would've given credit.

It's like music - many songs have reused the same beats, melodies, etc. for decades, yet people seem to enjoy them.

Good luck with your MOCing, and welcome back to Lego!

[Ralph_S]

I don't worry about this at all when building. Not even for a second.

If I were to consciously copy parts or techniques from somebody else's MOC, or have been inspired by things I saw elsewhere I will mention that if I post about my model, but generally I just do whatever comes to mind. I usually don't remember whether something I do now is something that I may have seen before elswhere, is a new idea or is something I myself may have done in the past. It's not uncommon for me to take apart my own models from years ago to find techniques that I don't remember using. Many of us are constantly looking at other people's MOCs and picking up ideas and it is impossible to keep track of what you saw where. The possibility that somebody else somewhere on the internet may have done the same thing before you did doesn't mean it is off-limits to you.

Cheers,

Ralph

[robuko]

It doesn't matter. The process of creation often starts as modification of another idea. Give credit where you know you copied. Play well.

Robuko

[Jan]

There was this artist who wrote something like:

Everything has been done before, but not yet by me.

That was his driving force.

just like Ralph_S mentioned

I don't worry about this at all when building. Not even for a second.

where I want to give credits to Ralph_S for using his line.

good luck,

Jan

Edited August 23, 2010 by Jan

[Forresto]

"Originality is the art of concealing your sources"-Benjaman Franklin

Don't worry about being original or not. If you borrow a technique that is very unique, like a way of customizing a minifigure or how something looks, just give credit. If we all worried about originality obsessivly then the SNOT technique never would have caught on. Whatever you do, just don't blantanly steal from somebody by making and posting on here something that looks exactly like someone else's. Or the worst Lego sin you can commit, copy and paste someone else's photo and claim it as your own.

[dr_spock]

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I think on some of the photo sharing sites you can limit who can see your photos. On FaceBook you can limit stuff to your friends only.

[Sisco]

No, man, it's all good. When I started out, I was inspired by many of the MOCs I saw here. Why, my force push from back in November was based off of Cole's Force Cyclone. Don't worry about originality. Just have fun and build.