ArtMetal

I personally don't have much meaning stealing any ideas. But if I had a job like say, making 3d cad models of "antique" looking lamps and usually order a thousand units at a time from China. I go out on the internet and look at artwork you usually been able to make small series of.
How do you copyright and does it have any effect?
Or maybe this is such a small unusual problem it's not much of a problem?