appropriation

After doing some research on several sites, I have read mixed reviews but one common underlying theme: appropriation is copying another artists work. It seems that generally appropriation is illegal aside from its use for satire or criticism. When using a substantial amount or the entirety of a persons work, permission needs to be granted by the original artist especially if it has a copyright. Knowing this information by this time is helpful to all art students, especially those who are over 18 and display work in shows. Growing up, my art teacher would give us magazines or calendars to pick something we would like to paint. Don't get me wrong, we didn't always do this-we had plenty of still life exercises and painted outside landscapes, but I still painted plenty of photographs that I didn't take. As a kid, this is a good way to learn all the important things that contribute to painting (color theory, proportions, ect) especially since young ones don't typically have great photography skills. That being said, it still doesn't make it legal. This makes me sad because I feel like all my greatest paintings are a lie! I wish appropriation wasn't an issue because there are plenty of works that inspire me and I would love to copy them, but I also understand that it isn't fair to steal other peoples creativity. I think learning about appropriation is necessary for all artists for not only legal reasons but also to remind them that creativity should be an original thought. With the art community on the same page of appropriation laws, the possibilities of weird/awesome art are endless.