Designing your own . molding out of clay would be 10 times harder than pounding keys on a keyboard, because the first takes artistic talent.
The only way you can learn to force a computer to produce "artistic" output in less than ten years of learning is by starting as a gifted artist with a digital bent. In that case, it may only take you five years of continuous practice. It's not an alternative, it's an additional skillset.
"The only way you can learn to force a computer to produce "artistic" output in less than ten years of learning is by starting as a gifted artist with a digital bent. In that case, it may only take you five years of continuous practice. It's not an alternative, it's an additional skillset." But what about when this computer is doing is copying someone else's "artistic output"? You know, like how one could use a scanner or printer to make themselves a fine copy of "The Astronomer"; would this make them an, ahem, "artist" on par with Vermeer, or just a dude using modern technology to copy the work of others?
There is a great difference between not understanding and simply disliking; this shouldn't be so hard to understand, or the "ignorance" assumption automatic, but is apparently a monumental challenge for some. So you're a computer programmer; that's great and I do mean this. It's obviously a talent and one you seem to have used successfully, but writing a computer program and using other modern technology to exactly copy the work of others doesn't automatically make one an "artist" on par with those possessing the creativity or talent in their own hands.
All "art" is based on, and inspired by, what came before it. I have a number of different avenues I take in making a coin. Some are entirely my own new design, some are revisions to older works I've done, and some others are modifications to public domain designs. So for some things I do copy public domain designs and engrave them with some changes via CNC.
I started programming on a apple IIe, haven't done much in the last 10 years, with the CAD programs that are out there already written should be easy to rewrite some of the code. Along with the 3d printing code thats in shareware or if you own a 3d printer already again if you code most of its done for you.
Before time is wasted in yet another endless discussion loop : I consider the fantasy-date over-strike coins to be altered coins, not "copies". Here are some examples of public domain designs that I did "copy", revise, and mint as part of the design elements for commissioned coin club medals:
I didn't re-write existing code since there was none available that I thought was useful. So I wrote the whole program from scratch. Programming financial applications, record keeping, and the like is nothing compared to 3D computer graphics which involves a lot of mathematics. I utilized a lot of image processing techniques in my sculpting program. These types of algorithms are not found in typical CAD programs. I think if other people thought what I do is "easy", a lot more of them would be doing it.
All are really nice pieces of work but you know full well that this type of work is not the issue. Now you are using these threads and this forum as a way to sell your product and I'm helping you do just that. It's foolish of me to feel that you would care about the damage you are doing to the hobby with some of your work. Finding a way around the laws does not make it right. All this is just my opinion but the number of those that feel the same is growing everyday. Get ready for it.