When does inspired work stop being original?

Many artists state that they are inspired by their artist idols. Painters may look up to Van Gogh. Musicians may look up to the Beatles or Amy Winehouse. Inspiration is where you appreciate a certain element of a person's work and try to incorporate it into your own work with a spin to it. Sometimes, though, "artists" use inspiration as a defense for stealing another person's work. As an artist, your art must be something fueled by your own creativity.  Even if it may be difficult to come up with an original concept, people shouldn't take a carbon copy of someone else's work. There is a difference between inspiration and straight up stealing.

The internet has made it very easy to steal artwork. People have found ways to slightly edit another person's work to claim it as their own. Within 5 minutes, someone can download your work, edit out your watermark in Photoshop, and post it on a media platform claiming it as theirs. Musicians face the same dilemma through remixes and sampling. A writer's words can be rearranged and replaced with synonyms to appear original. Worst of all, there are times artists aren't even aware that their art is being stolen.

Should people never try to find inspiration in other people's ideas? Of course not, that is impossible. Actually, inspiration is what allows artists to grow and think of new ideas. Finding a certain style you want to replicate is acceptable as long as you don't take credit for it. Using references or even tracing work, for example, to practice can be allowed if you are wise about it. I emphasize, IN PRACTICE. Inspiration is allowed in the brainstorming portion of making artwork. Once you put your pen to paper or paintbrush to canvas, the outcome should be from your own mind. You shouldn't post it or show it to an audience claiming it as your own.