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This is true, it might be confusing for some collectors.
The main problem, from Windstone’s standpoint, as I best understand is not necessarily collector confusion- but the confusion Windstone has when it comes to fakes- i.e. “Is this dragon I see a rip-off, or is it a production piece painted a different color?” Basically they need to know if they need to go after the piece legally, or if it’s legit. If it’s an official Windstone, either a OOAK by Melody, myself, or any other Windstone artist, chances are they will know what they are looking at. They can check with Melody or myself and say, “Hey- did you paint this?” and hopefully we’ll remember. 😉
Though, I do understand why you ask. That’s why the recent OOAK and special Windstones come with a COA and are signed. 🙂
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comI have to agree that well….its not very ummm great to say the company discourages us…but then do it themselves.
The truth is that “Windstone” could hire any of us artists to do a custom paint job, and sell it themselves…and that makes it okay? No…not really to me.
I understand the legal problems…but I also love seeing the custom stuff. Melody can’t have work that is as detailed as Nams or many other artists here, because of time restraints and the fact that you JUST can’t mass produce them. But we as collectors realy enjoy the high detail that can be seen in these works when hand painted. It really makes a difference.
I think that while they may not LIKE us to make them, we still should. Just make sure you clearly sign and label your auctions that way…and we should be okay. I love seeing all the amazing ideas.
But I also have another thought in favor of stopping custom work. The custom world of My Little Pony was really HURT by Hasbro. About a year after the newest ponies came out and people began to make customs out of them…hasbro started coping our ideas. We did faded legs…so did hasbro. We did sculpted symbols..then hasbro did. We did super long hair…umm yeah hasbro started. You get the idea. Many customisers believe truly that we were copied. I even questioned one of the designers who happened to be on deviantart…and happend to be watching a bunch of pony artists…and happened to mention where she worked. We checked and it was true. She was one of the designers…watching US! But we had no way to prove it. We were just skunked.
This could happen to Melody….and how horrible for her. What if *take my example* she decided to release the Moon Oriental Dragon as a koi dragon…would people think of my koi oriental. Probably. Even if it is a common idea and not origonal for me…people would assume she copied me. How horrible.
So yeah, I understand that part of it. But I still belive even if the above example happened…it would not be handpainted…how could it be? So it would be different. And I would want one of each.
But it does go to prove one thing. We as collectors are HUNGERY for new and different stuff..and particularly OOAK stuff! Yeah for windstone and their wonderful sculptures.
LIH, Mimi, and Whippet have all raised very valid points about the repaints and production OOAKs. I hope John reads this. I’d like to hear what he has to say about the issues they have mentioned. 😕
Nambroth wrote:The main problem, from Windstone’s standpoint, as I best understand is not necessarily collector confusion- but the confusion Windstone has when it comes to fakes- i.e. “Is this dragon I see a rip-off, or is it a production piece painted a different color?” Basically they need to know if they need to go after the piece legally, or if it’s legit. If it’s an official Windstone, either a OOAK by Melody, myself, or any other Windstone artist, chances are they will know what they are looking at. They can check with Melody or myself and say, “Hey- did you paint this?” and hopefully we’ll remember. 😉
If the premise is that the color scheme is instrumental for identifying fakes, then the basic assumption is that fakes will usually have a color scheme different from an “official” Windstone color scheme. I wonder if that’s true for the majority of fakes?
Its seems that if someone had no compunctions about violating the copyright on the sculpture, they would also have no compunctions about violating the copyright on the color scheme. Actually, I would think that it would be easier to copy an existing color scheme rather than to try and come up with an original one that was equally good. Plus, if they were deliberately making a copy, why not make it as similar to the original as possible so that people would think that it was authentic, and make it harder for Windstone to notice? After all, its a lot harder to spot a fake Windstone with a pseudo-peacock color scheme than a fake Windstone that’s been painted with a completely different color scheme…a good example is the fake green mother that was discussed in this thread.
Besides, now that it has started, I don’t think that it can really be stopped… Just think of all the artists out there that are not members of the forum and so don’t know Windstone’s position on customizing.
AND of the artists who are on this forum and know the position but choose to do it anyway (not criticizing, I love to see custom work).
After all, “it’s not illegal, but we would prefer you didn’t” isn’t a very binding statement any way you look at it.
One last word: Despite the possible confusion and ensuing potential legal trouble… Might not this trend bring more interest and a whole new set of “fans” to Windstone Editions?
littleironhorse wrote:Might not this trend bring more interest and a whole new set of “fans” to Windstone Editions?
Very very good point and extremely true! Its already happened! I did not collecting til I saw a windstone auction that had ooak as a listing word. I was bored and looking up weird crap on ebay. I put in OOAK and was looking through and saw them. I then looked up Windstone. I now own 42 peices!!!
Owch- I’m not going to touch this one again and will leave any further comment to Melody & John.
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comNambroth wrote:Owch- I’m not going to touch this one again and will leave any further comment to Melody & John.
Sorry…didn’t mean to drag you into it. Not your fault. 😥
Melody wrote:Does anyone know if Breyer actually encourages re-sculpting and repainting? Or do they just ignore it?
I’m guessing they encourage it since they have their big Breyerfest show every year where people show their customs pieces. It’s a BIG event.
Here’s yet another argument that goes round and round and round and gets nowhere.
It’s legal to do it. Some of us will therefore do so. Some won’t. I do so for my own personal use and not for sale, generally. I see no problem with those who do. I see no problem with those who don’t.
I will say, in response to Whippet’s post, that what Nambroth does is different, because Windstone has a record of every single peice she’s painted, so they can still recognize them. Not so with the peices that we fans paint. So there is at least one difference in that situation. (And will add that sometimes the security of certain and steady work is worth a slight loss of possible income. I mean I’ve just recently found out how very un-fun it is to have your sales up and vanish for a month. It sucks. Plus Nam’s work is selling so well in part because it has the official Windstone name attached. By herself I highly doubt she’d be doing as well, as others nearly as skilled can hardly sell their stuff for twice the unpainted sculpture’s cost.)
Anyhow, that’s all I’ve got to say on this issue, I’m afraid the topic of repainting production pieces is going on my list of things to not bother reading now.
littleironhorse wrote:Well, I sort of think that Melody’s test paints also serve to promote the confusion, somewhat.
I mean, when there were only production colors, it was easy to say: “Oh yeah, that’s a Windstone Editions dragon by Melody Pena in peacock”. But with so many test colors, some of which differ only slightly, and even more coming out regularly, it’s getting more and more difficult to draw a line.
Again, I love all those test colors and could not be happier that Melody is offering them for sale. But I feel that the situation is not as clear cut as it once was.That is why they come with a letter of authenticity, and are signed , to prove they are real.
Melody wrote:I’m with Nambroth. I’ll let John handle this thread.
ROFLMAO I’ve heard this before…..something about “Ask John about Phil and Olimpia” “Ask Melody…” “John said that? Well go ask him again…”
=P Love you guys
PS I’m not touching this thread with IMHOs either, but it really is fun to listen to you guys. 😆
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