Rants - November 4, 2014

• A lot are against stealing one's work and ideas in the art community but another issue is forcing someone to show their artwork when he/she isn't finished with it yet. It doesn't hurt to wait for a piece to get finished and if one can be against art theft then ideally they should also be against any form of harassment and that includes forcing their way to see something when it's incomplete. The only exception to this is if the artist is willing to show the incomplete sketch as a WIP. 
• Professional artists aren't obligated to but ideally, they should set an example and also be against art theft or the stealing of ideas. I'm not talking about using another's artwork as reference and adding a source, but taking an actual artwork, tracing over it, copying it or worse, doctoring it (with the cut and paste treatment) without permission. Even if a person is in the learning stages, there are always better ways to improve.
• Why is it so difficult for people in the Philippines to fall in line and stay in line? I've had so many moments of frustration with complete strangers on this subject. Sometimes, people aren't aware of what they are doing, and I'm fine when you reprimand them in a nice way and they apologize when they realize their mistake. That's normal and we all make mistakes we don't realize. The people I have most difficulty with are those who get angry when it happens. I don't know if it's because they get embarrassed to be told off in public (even if it was done in a polite way) or if they simply can't wrap their heads around the idea that waiting for your turn is basic courtesy.
  I'm not naive enough to think that this sort of thing only happens in the Philippines; I'm sure it also happens in other countries but the difference is that people there seem to be more outspoken and they have no qualms about telling the offenders to get in line. The results of this outspoken behavior are positive and people in general are more inclined to follow the rules because they get told off. Compare this to that time I had in UP a few years ago, when I witnessed this duo who stationed themselves before the fast food line, just waiting to see which scaredy cat would allow them to cut through. This happened soon enough and nobody said a thing.
  Now, I'm usually a non-confrontational person but I'd like to think that had I been part of that incredibly long line, I would've told them off.  But since I wasn't, I'll never know what I would have done if I had been one of the customers coming after them. Hopefully, not lost my temper.