As a student of art, should I sell copies?

Question

I am an art student, I believe that before creating my own art I should be able to copy the old masters of Renaissance and so on. That's what I do, I try to learn all techniques from Michelangelo, trough Caravaggio 'till Picasso. Of course, all I am really doing is copying, but there is a group of people interested in buying my copies for quite a lot of money. I feel like I am a liar, by selling copies. What should I do? I really, really need money...

Answer 1

Do it.  All the greats copied from each other. Michelangelo stole from Raphael, and both of them took from Da Vinci.  They aren't copyrighted, why do you think Hollywood likes to redo Shakespeare over and over.  

Answer 2

By all means sell your artwork. Just make sure that the buyer knows that you copied it from an original work.

Copying is a great way to learn different techniques. Why not copy a work and change it using your own style and choice of colours. If these works sell, you're well on the way to become an artist.

Nick

Answer 3

Be sure you label them as studies, master-copies, or "After XXXX (whatever artist)" and you will be perfectly ok to sell your student works.  Be sure you have taken some very good digital images of your works as you grow. . . for your portfolio and for your records. . . .

I think the issue would be if you were copying contemporaries . .  . and selling them!  But master-studies have been a standard in classical art training for centuries. . . .

Good for you!  Can't wait to hear how your original images go!

Answer 4

sell sell sell copies have been around for ever.dont feel like you are cheating.if you got talent you got talent.it should come with a price

Answer 5

the old masters fall under common domain and so they aren't covered by copyright laws. I don't remember off the top of my head what year is the cut off for common domain, but basically as long as your sticking to the classical masters you wouldn't have a problem. I do agree that you should label them with the titles/artists of the originals and that they are copies along with documenting them for your own records.

Congratulations that people want to buy your work :) its a good sign and money is good ^_^