Just like any other industry, the tattoo industry has its own set of taboos, a set of ethical guidelines we artists must all abide by. Out of these taboos, I can think of none more frowned upon than tattoo copying.
For those who don’t understand, the act of tattoo copying occurs when one artist rips off the artwork of another artist, line for line. It has unfortunately been our industry’s most prevalent issue and there seems to be no real way of combating it.
While it may seem like a minor offence, tattoo copying is a very harmful practice that impacts everyone involved in the process, from the original artist, their client, copying artist, and their client. Similar to other creative content, such as writing, photography, and other forms of art, a tattoo artist’s original artwork is basically their brand identity; and to copy that is the same as stealing content.
But, unlike these other art styles, the copyright laws against tattoo copying are very lax, leaving us to fend for ourselves.
Real tattoo artists put years into coming up with unique aesthetics, out of which they give birth to their designs. So to have those designs copied by another person not only devalues their brand but also allows someone else to profit off their hard work.
Tattoo copying happens out of a lack of understanding of the ethics of the industry and creativity, both of which are unacceptable for people who call themselves tattoo artists.
Impact of having a tattoo stolen
As any veteran artist would tell you, you should not under any circumstances copy another artist’s work, even if it is the client’s request. Many clients don’t understand why tattoo copying is wrong and so it’s an artist’s job to tell them that they can’t steal another person’s work of art.
Tattoo artists often spend hours designing and redesigning original pieces to their liking, and these pieces represent their years of experience and their aesthetic. So having it stolen by someone, not bothered to come up with their own design, would just devalue that whole process.
The act of tattoo copying also hurts the client who got the original piece from the original artist since part of what they are paying for is the novelty that the respective artist brings to the table. So seeing someone else don the same piece of art would devalue its meaning and its uniqueness.
Secondly, the client getting the stolen piece of art will most likely end up with a distorted version of the original. Since the copycat cannot understand the original artist’s vision, they will not be able to produce a piece of the same quality as the original. This will leave their client with a visibly cheaper version of the original.
Finally, the copycat themselves end up negatively affected by this. While it may be easy money for them, they end up never growing as an artist and often are not able to come up with their own style, which in the long run would not help them stand out. Instead, these artists are often forgotten.
Exceptions to the rule
There are some obvious exceptions to this rule, however, with the main one being generic flash tattoos. These are usually the smaller tattoos that have been done to death by artists around the world, with little to no changes. Most of these tattoos were originally designed long ago, by artists who have since been lost to history; therefore no one artist can stake a claim on them.
Other exceptions include artists who use a design they find cool as inspiration for their own version of the idea. Or maybe incorporate some of the original design into a larger tattoo. Generally, this is more acceptable because it involves creating something new instead of slavishly recreating the original. However, it is better to credit the original artist for the role they played in the final product.
As I mentioned before, copyright laws against tattoo copying are still lax. While many western countries have updated their existing laws to include aspects from the tattoo industry, countries like Sri Lanka still have a long way to go.
Due to this, tattoo artists must abide by their own morals and not partake in tattoo copying, while clients should do their best to deter their tattoo artists from copying another artist’s work.
The Ink Station: Copying tattoos
16 Jun 2021
The Ink Station: Copying tattoos
16 Jun 2021
Just like any other industry, the tattoo industry has its own set of taboos, a set of ethical guidelines we artists must all abide by. Out of these taboos, I can think of none more frowned upon than tattoo copying.
For those who don’t understand, the act of tattoo copying occurs when one artist rips off the artwork of another artist, line for line. It has unfortunately been our industry’s most prevalent issue and there seems to be no real way of combating it.
While it may seem like a minor offence, tattoo copying is a very harmful practice that impacts everyone involved in the process, from the original artist, their client, copying artist, and their client. Similar to other creative content, such as writing, photography, and other forms of art, a tattoo artist’s original artwork is basically their brand identity; and to copy that is the same as stealing content.
But, unlike these other art styles, the copyright laws against tattoo copying are very lax, leaving us to fend for ourselves.
Real tattoo artists put years into coming up with unique aesthetics, out of which they give birth to their designs. So to have those designs copied by another person not only devalues their brand but also allows someone else to profit off their hard work.
Tattoo copying happens out of a lack of understanding of the ethics of the industry and creativity, both of which are unacceptable for people who call themselves tattoo artists.
Impact of having a tattoo stolen
As any veteran artist would tell you, you should not under any circumstances copy another artist’s work, even if it is the client’s request. Many clients don’t understand why tattoo copying is wrong and so it’s an artist’s job to tell them that they can’t steal another person’s work of art.
Tattoo artists often spend hours designing and redesigning original pieces to their liking, and these pieces represent their years of experience and their aesthetic. So having it stolen by someone, not bothered to come up with their own design, would just devalue that whole process.
The act of tattoo copying also hurts the client who got the original piece from the original artist since part of what they are paying for is the novelty that the respective artist brings to the table. So seeing someone else don the same piece of art would devalue its meaning and its uniqueness.
Secondly, the client getting the stolen piece of art will most likely end up with a distorted version of the original. Since the copycat cannot understand the original artist’s vision, they will not be able to produce a piece of the same quality as the original. This will leave their client with a visibly cheaper version of the original.
Finally, the copycat themselves end up negatively affected by this. While it may be easy money for them, they end up never growing as an artist and often are not able to come up with their own style, which in the long run would not help them stand out. Instead, these artists are often forgotten.
Exceptions to the rule
There are some obvious exceptions to this rule, however, with the main one being generic flash tattoos. These are usually the smaller tattoos that have been done to death by artists around the world, with little to no changes. Most of these tattoos were originally designed long ago, by artists who have since been lost to history; therefore no one artist can stake a claim on them.
Other exceptions include artists who use a design they find cool as inspiration for their own version of the idea. Or maybe incorporate some of the original design into a larger tattoo. Generally, this is more acceptable because it involves creating something new instead of slavishly recreating the original. However, it is better to credit the original artist for the role they played in the final product.
As I mentioned before, copyright laws against tattoo copying are still lax. While many western countries have updated their existing laws to include aspects from the tattoo industry, countries like Sri Lanka still have a long way to go.
Due to this, tattoo artists must abide by their own morals and not partake in tattoo copying, while clients should do their best to deter their tattoo artists from copying another artist’s work.