While giving credit for inspiration is definitely the higher ground, CC is a public forum. As such, if we post pics we have to realize that they will be used by the public. I agree with the statement " imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." What is the difference whether someone who borrows our designs gives us credit? We know and take pride in our work. To me needing that extra credit suggests we're not about loving to decorate cakes, but more about seeking recognition.

I would also like to point out: If a client asks for a specific theme, for instance, Ocean, or Beach or Garden, or flowers on white....well, there are only so many elements that you can use. So, perhaps there will be many cakes that look similar. For example: I would like a halloween cake with an outside, scary theme. Okay....what to do, strawberry shortcake? There will be ghosts and trees and a fence and gravestones. Right? And we all use fondant or BC, we all have the same tools. It is like being in high school art class a little bit, and given an assignment. We all have slightly different interpretations, but still...a ladybug is red with black spots.

I agree with others, I have looked at possibly all 1,000,000 cakes on this site, and stir them all up in my head when I am trying to SLEEP! Sorry you seemed disappointed, but consider it flattery if it really is so similar.

I also know that I sometimes forget to put things into my posts, then it has been too long and I can't edit them. Then I have to repost a new entry to finish what I was trying to say. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed!

Also, gifts are meant to be shared. You aren't given a gift (talent) to keep to yourself. Consider this, your cake made your people happy, and a rendition of your cake made other people happy. You don't need to have acknowledgement to have satisfaction. Don't let the left hand know what the right is doing. Your design has now made many people happy. Consider that a side-effect blessing from your gift.

Consider that a side-effect blessing from your gift.
That about somes it all up. I think that is a very good statement. We all love what we do so lets just keep enjoying it and recognize our inspirations. Does that make sense?!

I have attempted (and I say attempted loosely) to copy a couple of cakes myself...and while I do try to give credit (as I did for my niece's b-day cake) when I did the "oh boy" baby shower cake there was no way of knowing who the original creator was/is....there were far too many posted on this site.... I also try to PM the person who inspired me and ask for their permission...and so far everyone has been extremely helpful. If I ever don't give someone credit, its most likely that mine was such a sorry attempt that I dont want others to think their work was anything like mine at all!

i can say, myself, that i was so flattered when a few people mentioned that they might want to do a cake of mine right in the comment section of my cake. it was one of my first few cakes and i couldn't believe they wanted to copy MY work! MEEEE?! r u sure? LOL
i was so very flattered and i truly appreciate and respect those that came right out and mentioned they might copy or asked if i minded.

i think what sometimes might sting a bit is when you think you've come up with this original idea... you spend the time designing, constructing, decorating... basically putting your "all" into it, only to find someone else attempted to copy your idea and just downloaded it like "hey everyone! look at me!!! look what i came up with!!! yay!!! weehooo!!"
this is surely NOT the case but thats what it seems like to you after all your hard work. this whole cake decorating/sharing thing can be bittersweet at times.

(look at it this way - if you do a search under the particular subject that your cake falls under, both cakes will come up but yours will show that it was downloaded first. )

oh, and i guess i'm also supposed to tell you that "imitation is the most sincere form of flattery... blah blah blah....
seriously, though, you should be very flattered and know in your heart that you do incredible work.

ok, i'm done ranting. just my 2 cents.

Okay I have no pictures on here so it isn't me LOL Actually I think all of you guys and gals are so good! The cakes truly amaze me. If I ever copy a design please take it as the highest form of flattery and know that I am jealous of your creativity.

I will say that everyone on here has been so kind and helpful. Last night, I pm'd Socakes to ask for her shoe pattern. She ever so kindly sent it to me. One day soon, I will post that shoe and thank her again.

Meghanb: Oh, may I please copy your sunflower cake? I love sunflowers and that is just wonderful to me?

If I forget to thank someone, it is not intentional.....just old age

Yep, there really is nothing new..I remember being a little girl and my mom piping royal icing flowers on wires..

then about 10 years ago some lady in Baltimore, the one that taught me how to do the Pastillage carriage...was doing them as a cheaper alternative to gumpaste..

go figure!!

I often have brides come to me with pictures of their wedding cake that they want. There is no way I can thank the original designer as I have no idea where it came from.
I do get my ideas from CC also and I would have to spend my time writing notes so I could acknowledge the original cake decorator. I would find it highly unlikely that I would copy a design exactly. I would be flattered if someone decorated a cake after a design of mine.
I get a great feeling of achievement when someone asks about my designs, how did you, what did you use etc.
If we couldn't copy other designs, the well would run dry but hey give credit where credit is due if able to.
Hey everyone of our cakes are original as they have been made and decorated by us!
Thanks to all the CC'rs for letting us see all your designs to give us inspiration.
"We share because we care." (thanks to the CC'r who posted this saying with I instead of we.

Responding to RisBus last statement. I love that though. I hate seeing tradition die. I felt like alot of this stuff was a lost art until I found this site. I recently posted a Aunt Chicks cookie I did and was surprised how many people recoginized it. I guess I am not the only sentimental ol' fart out there.

Uh-oh....I'm guilty. I copied someone's Ohio State cookies on here. But, I thought they were so cool. So, thank you for the idea whoever you were! I would feel honored if someone copied off me. Unless, they did it 10 times better then me....then I would be jealous! lol I think this sight is about sharing techniques and ideas! I think it is a nice gesture to try and give credit where credit is due. But, I think if you really don't want to be copied you might need to get copyrighted. Even then it won't matter. Look at Disney...they still get copied. It's all art. Art is beauty that is meant to be shared and enjoyed. I would feel good if someone copied my design even if it was just to make a little 5 year old girls b-day party a little more memorable!

If it is the cake I think your drawing everyones attention to.......

She could not give you credit, she might when the competition ends and your name is shown!!!!

She gave as much credit as she could.

I have been the "victim" if you will of a cake "hijacking"! I was flattered definately that I inspired someone. I contacted this person by pm and told them that I liked their cake and I liked the use of two tone coloring vs. my one color! The person apologized that they forgot who inspired them. I have recieved many pm's from CC members letting me know about the somewhat identical cake!. I was flattered but not upset. Maybe a bit hurt at first so that's why I pm'd and the acknowledgement was made! I'm good to go with that.

I also get pm's practically daily about my cakes and questions about how I do this or that. I even helped someone design their complete cake because they asked me to help!

If I see something I'd like to try I'll either leave a comment saying so or pm them asking permission.

It is definately the highest form of a compliment and really, this is what we are all here on CC for right?!?!?! Inspiration! I think we all accomplish just that!



Amy

I honestly think that if you're going to post a picture on a site like Cake Central you should assume that people will take inspiration from it. That's why we post - to share our work. I also don't think that it's fair to expect someone to give credit to every single person they took ideas from. I think it's perfectly acceptable to say " . . inspired from CC members, etc." Honestly, how many ideas on this site are 100%, never been done before original. I guarantee 99% of these pictures on this site are inspired (either in whole or in part) but at least one picture they saw here or somewhere else. If you don't want your cake copied don't post the picture.

OK R U GUYS TALKING ABOUT CAKE.. iF SO I DID NOT TRY TO TAKE ANYTHING FORM ANYONE ..I SAID THANKS CC FOR THE HELP.. I AM BAD IN GIVING CREDIT TO THAT ONE PERSON.. IT HAS BEEN DONE TO ME BEFORE , AND ITS OK I LIKE WHEN I CAN HELP SOMEONE... PLEASE DO NOT BE MAD..i HAVE COPYED PLENTY OF CAKE SOME TO THE T AND SOME WITH MY OWN FLAVOR...

Moderator edited; name of cake removed from post

I would take it is flattery, as long as the person gave a shoutout to you.

This seems to me that you are just trying to get people to look at your cake to get more votes. I think you should have waited until the contest was over to post your "awkward question" especially when the person who used some of your design did say she got the idea from about four cakes here.

Your very clever, you didn't quite break the rules of the contest.

My wife has entered the contest and was anoyed that you have an added advantage now.

Now if you do win or get a place in the contest would it be because you did a pretty cool cake or would it be because of this post???

Wow, Great Answer! I love it! I can see you making the S-list, right next to me!

Welcome to the forum!

Theresa

Icallitasiseeit....I dont think that was fair I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I think attacking people is just rude. If you want to make such a suggestion (in the future) might I suggest you PM the person instead?

Not to mention the fact that even if it were true (and I DO NOT BELIEVE That it is) nice of you think that all of us that are a part of this forum would vote for that cake just because we saw this post!

First of all, thank you to everyone again for your replies.
Secondly, I find it very unfair that someone would suggest I used this post to garner more votes. I never once mentioned what cake I was refering to. I find your accusation unsettling and hurtful.

I would like to clarify that it's not that I don't want anyone "copying" my designs. I was just surprised mostly that someone would. I have only been decorating for 6 months and still consider myself to be a newbie.

AnythingSugar, you are more than welcome to copy my Sunflower cake. Please PM me if you need any help.
Thank you again.

And to the poster that thought I was refering to their cake, no, it's not you.

Yes maybe a little rude, but I am not the only one that was thinking the same thing. I have received a few PM's saying that they were glad I said it.

Added to that her cake has been viewed over 100 times in the past few hours where the other cakes have only been viewed maybe 10 times. If you want proof that this post might have given her an advantage, just watch the number of views go up and up! even if only a few people decided to vote for her cake because they were there it could be the difference between placing or not placing which then potentially puts someone else out of the running.

Regardless of her intentions for this post, she has given herself an advantage.

If she had waited a few days to discuss a cake that she knew was entered in the competition (which is against the rules) there would be no problem with this post at all.

I think credit should be given where it is due and if the contest was not confidential then I am sure that credit would have been given.

Yes I could have sent a PM to her just the same way she could have sent a PM to the poor person that didn't give her credit (because she couldn't). I hope that poor lady never sees this post because the fun she had making the cake would be sucked away. And If she is reading this now, I think you did a great job.

I do believe this is the second post about this cake since it was entered into the contest though!

I NEVER SAID WHICH CAKE I WAS REFERING TO.

Please stop making assumptions that I am refering to a cake entered into the contest.

If everyone would feel much better about my cake being removed from the contest, fine, so be it.

But I never once said in this post what cake I was talking about.

Everyone has good points and views so far; but I think it is get too much in the attack mode; it may be time to end this one and let the moderator's decide what is next.

It's not really your fault if we are all so nosey that we went and looked at all the new uploads and tried to see if one looked like yours. I don't think you could have planned that response. you're not a forum addict; so I don't think you have seen enough of that happening to know it would

Okay ladies, I know I am new, and have yet to post any of my pics. and to tell you all the truth, not sure that I want to! I am neverous that someone might think I have "STOLEN" an idea. Let's face the fact ladies, we all have work till the wee hours in the morning, we all know what it like to spend 30 hours on a cake, we all know the defeated feeling when something doesn't go the way we planned. I think of this website as a support group almost, with people willing to help others out, and at the same time, a way to appreciate the art of cake making and baking. Since we all know it is an art. So ladies I guess what I am trying to say, is take it as a compliment if someone is inspired enough from your pics to make a cake that looks similar or almost exact and stop the caddiness! We are all adults and all know how hard we work, time to grow up! If it's that big of a deal, call the patten office!

SORRY to be so blunt, but I have been a member here since September, and I am already sick of these type of forum posts!

I was just making a point. I've never entered a contest because I don't think my cakes are good enough, but I would be flattered if one of my cakes were copied. If the copy had been entered into the contest, I would be a little upset, but it wasn't...be flattered that someone thought your work was good enough to be copied!