Ok, we all post pictures here and see books and samples all over the place. What is prodical for using someone's idea? Should you ask first, or is it fair game?

I recently did a cake from a photo posted on the site, I of course adapted it somewhat to my need, but it is very similar. Now I am afraid to post it for fear of offending the maker.

I assume that when someone has their cake duplicated, it is an honor.

What are your thoughts?


Stephanie

Hi, Stephanie.

Almost all of us have borrowed ideas from other decorators on this site. The important thing to remember is that if you decide to post your cake, remember to give credit to the person whose cake inspired you.

Theresa

I would take it as a compliment if some used one of my cakes for their idea!! That would mean I did a good enough job that someone wanted to use it. I think its ok to use them!!!!

You'll find lots of very strong opinions from CC members on this subject. My opinion is that if I put a cake picture in "my photos", it is free game for anyone else to copy/duplicate/use for inspiration. If someone doesn't want their cake design to be copied/duplicated/used for inspiration, he/she shouldn't post it anywhere online. Once it's online, it's free game. Now, let me also say that I do not think it is OK to actually take someone else's picture and post it as your (theoretical) own. That is completely different. But, if you want to make a cake that looks just like a cake that I made, then feel free! I am very flattered when someone else uses my design as inspiration. In reality, I think most of us find our inspiration from other cakes anyway, so these days, there probably aren't a lot of truly original cake designs out there. Again, this is all just my opinion, and lots of other people have their own different opinions. Hope this helps!!

I agree with you, if someone does not want their idea copied, then they should not post it. After all, this is supposed to be a sharing forum.

Theresa

I think lots of us get ideas from the galleries on here and I think it is ok . It's not like posting a picture of someone else's work and taking credit for it.. You are making the cake yourself, just getting a little inspiration from one that you saw and liked on here or in a magazine . It is nice to give credit to the person that you got the idea from if you can remember who it was..
Liz

Just look at my gallery, proof I'm not very creative. BUT I do give credit to those whose ideas I copy. I have often wondered if perhaps I should have written to the original artist and asked permission first.

I think if you give them credit in your post with your photo then that is ok. I have pm'd several people about their cakes and how to do them. No one has ever not shared their info. I would be flattered if someone made a cake like mine but then all my cakes are from seeing someone elses cakes at some point in my cake dec days.

I totally agree with cakesbyjess. If you post your cake pics here you should do so in the spirit of sharing. We're all here for the same reasons, to learn from and share with others, in my opinion. I appreciate the ideas and advice I receive here and am happy when I can help out another decorator/friend at cc. However it's not right to take someone's pic and post it as his/her own here or at another site. To me that's stealing. I believe in thanking others for their inspiration and giving credit where it's due. I appreciate everyone here . It's a great place to be!

I think most people are probably cool with it, I have PM'd several people whose cakes I want to TRY (and mine will never live up to the originals) but I keep changing my mind I love too many cakes...so now I have permission to do 3 or 4 cakes...now I just gotta get in there and do it!

I hear ya mkerton! I've saved far more pics than I'll ever use but you get one idea here, and other there, adds up to something somewhere down the line.

smbegg, Thanks for this topic. I too have several cakes that I have not posted because they are very similar to, or identical to the original and I got the original off of CC. It's good to hear that people don't mind and are willing to share their wonderful creativity (of which I have none.)

I think that it would be an honor if a cake that you made inspired someone to also try his or her hand at it. However, posting a picture/taking credit for a creation that is not yours is disgraceful. When I see a picture of a cake that I would like to make one day, I write the artists name down so that I can be sure to give credit.

Thats a good idea KylesMom.. sometimes we save a photo and by the time we get around to trying to make the cake we forget where we found the picture.. I know that has happened to me before.. I will take your advice and write down who made it when I save a pic.
Liz

Thanks everyone. I was just curious because I know that the more that I do this, the more I will be able to know what can be done with cake and frosting, until then, I am going to need to depend on others for my inspiration.

Stephanie

I have had instances where I have made a cake and did not look here for samples because I already had an idea in my head. But then after looking later, I would find a whole bunch that were similar. Now, I won't give anyone credit for my inspriation because I never saw their cake until after I made mine. The most recent one I can think of is the ever popular (which I now know) giant oreo cookie. My sister's BF asked me to make one for him, I figured what I wanted to do, did it and then just happen to look in the gallery and saw a bunch of them. It is diffucult when there are so many basic designs out there. If it is something unique and someone got inspiration from it, then it is nice to give kuddos to the person who did the inspiring.

lol...

true about the oreo cookie cake and many similar designs. I mean, if you really *nail* an oreo cookie cake, chances are it's going to look just like someone else's...lol

Copy away if you want, is my opinion. I don't mind a bit.

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0n the other hand, can you iMAGine if you pm'd someone to say "Hey, love your cake! Can I borrow your idea?" and have them write back "NO, stop! Don't make that cake!"......? LOL

Hey, if the big time pros let us copy thier cakes then by all means feel free to copy mine.

I always look on here for ideas and then I will take the ideas and somehow tweek it so it becomes my own. Sometimes I take an idea from several cakes.

I would give credit to the person if I could remember who I saw the cake from. If I don't remember then I would just say I got the idea from seeing a cake like mine in the gallery.

It would be an honor for someone to like someones cake enough to want to make one like it. At least to me it would be.

Joanne