'I've Had 3 Good Ideas In My Life, They've All Been Stolen!' Tattoo Copying | Tattoo Artists React
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ม.ค. 2023
- Have you ever had a great idea, only to witness steal that idea and do a piss poor job of bringing it to life? Yeah, we all have. Today we're asking our artists about tattoo copying, one of the most controversial topics in tattooing these days. Get ready to see some sparks fly!
Welcome to Season 21 of Tattoo Artists React! I bet you didn’t think we’d make it this far, did you? We certainly didn’t. This time around we’ve gathered a bunch of our favorite tattooers and asked them a bunch of questions… you know, like we’ve done every other season. But that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a ton of fun! Like, you’ve probably eaten french fries 10,000 times but when you see them on the menu you still order them. I’m rambling. No one reads this part of the description anyways, do they? If you are still reading this please comment “Limp Bizkit are underrated geniuses” down below. Enjoy.
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As a tattoo collector, how would you feel if you saw a tattoo that had been designed just for you on somebody else?
Definitely wouldn't like it but I'm pretty sure my artist would do a better job anyway 😊
@@LwandileDL Love the trust and praise for your artist here!
Depends,If it was really personal,like a portrait of one of my family or just let's say pokemon-like design.If it was the first I would be angry ,if it was the second ,nuh,I don't care.
I’d definitely be upset.
I mean I’d be annoyed, unless it’s a flash or something else that’s meant to be copied yknow?
If you ask someone to copy work you’re icky and if they do it they’re icky too!
It might be a touchy subject, but can we get an episode about working with different shades of skin color? I'm black and want more color tattoos and just like for more insight
We've touched on this topic a bit in the past (check out this video: th-cam.com/video/eG2Mb5cYdSM/w-d-xo.html), and we plan to further explore it in the future, so keep your eyes out
You have to find someone that specializes in doing color on dark skin, or someone that is really good at color in general. Most of the time if you just go to a random the tattoo ends up not aging well. I would look up best color artist near you & then you talk to each one and see there work
Not a touchy subject at all
@@caseyf2323 eh, people get offended easily
There are certain colors that will work on darker skin tones, most wont. Red and green tend to be the best. But to be completely honest, i'd stick with black n grey if your a darker shade of brown. Color tattoos look great when they're fresh but after your skin/melatonin heal over top of the ink, the results can be very disappointing. Black and Grey is timeless and will always look good.
Not about tattoos but still art related: my art teacher in college was a realistic oil painter and entered contests a lot. She said she came across someone actually selling copies of her work at one of the competitions. She said "it's flattering in an obtuse way" then cheekily added "mine were better."
It's a very unfortunate reality that people will use your art, ideas, inventions, anything really, in ways you didn't intend for. It is still wrong to claim stolen work as your own, but to think it will never happen is pure naivete. Another downside is that even if you do want to act on stolen work, what *can* you do that is sustainable and not plain exhausting?
To see who made the acid trip Alice piece makes teenage nostalgia hit my brain. That image and the copy were all over Tumblr.
I was happy to see Myke Chambers in this video. I always love his outlook and demeanor.
Myke is such a rad dude, we always love talking with him
holy shit he is Zen as fuck
It's awesome to see how his outlook has changed. He's more compassionate and happier for it.
One thing I always love to do is find a design or sketch out a basic design and ask the artist to put their personal spin on it, usually they’re really cool about it and it’s fun to see what different artists do when given the freedom to do so on a piece
So you steal ideas from other people.
I 10000% agree. My first tattoo was a band logo, and my artist put so much cool details and shading in something that looks a bit one dimensional. And she really enjoyed it. and I love it. its a W in my book
The Inked TH-cam channel literally used a stolen tattoo of mine as their banner once. I've seen the tattoo they used stolen another time.
I recently got my sleeve finished. And when the artist took photos I told him if anyone comes in asking for the same tell them NO 🤣🤣🤣
Plot twist... you were the 3rd one to get it.
@Jubei Gore While there is a tiny chance this is true, I highly doubt it! The only reference for my exact tattoo is on my arm. It took 7 years and redesigned a number of different references to make sure it's as unique as possible 🫣
I get that this video is about copying custom design tattoos but the original spirit of a tattoo was you go in and you pick some flash off the wall and tons of people have that same design and when you think of it that way I think it's pretty cool to have that shared experience with tattoos my whole lower leg is covered in sailor Jerry designs that tons of people have similar versions or the exact same version but the placement is what makes it unique
flash was made to be copied
a personalized design an artist & client come up with was not
I think a lot of this type of copying has emerged because of Pinterest and how easy it is to steal stencils. I know someone who’s a tattoo “artist” who literally just steals fine line art off of Pinterest smh.
Yeah I had a local shop literally tell me "just find what you want from pintrest and I'll do that" uh... no. Found a different shop/artist and went there instead for a piece that is unique but in the style I liked.
There’s a lot of reasons why people say they copied a design, but I think the worst (and most annoying) reason I’ve heard, and someone even said it in this video, is when you should expect your work to be copied cus you put it online. It almost sounds like you’re blaming the original artist for getting upset that someone copied them. “It’s your fault I copied you, you’re the one that posted it to your Instagram 🤓” goofy @$$
Unfortunately, when you post something on a public domain where any and everyone can see it, you run the risk of it being copied. While "blaming" the original artist for that is, quite frankly, a stupid way to think, that same artist can't be surprised when it happens. But, when it does happen and someone is selling it, sue or call the fuck out of them.
They weren't blaming anyone, they're just giving you a reality check. You can't really copyright tattoos because not every concept is completely original. Every artist includes elements in their work that have already been done/used before. For example, when it comes to photorealistic tattoos, you're more than likely bringing in a picture someone has used before (unless it's like a family member or a picture you personally took) and it wouldn't be considered copying.
FRRRR one of my friends art was getting sold at a tattoo convention, and when he dmed them they were like "well we found it freely available on pinterest" and he was like I DONT EVEN POST MY ART ON PINTEREST TF? pisses me off cuz yes artist are posting their art on the internet, but so many people repost stuff onto other platforms without the artist knowing, and regardless it doesnt mean other people can take it😭
That Darth-Charmander looks dooope 🔥😲
When someone comes to me and wants a tattoo of someone else's design I try to make enuff changes to it so it's not exactly the same. If my tattoo designs were ever copied I wouldn't mind at all, I would take it as a compliment. They say "a good tattoo artist might copy designs , a Great tattoo artist will steal designs"! Difference is making changes to it and make it yours.
I'm not an artist, but I think that if you're doing /photo/ realism and working from the same reference, it's almost impossible to get unique things on every tattoo. I can only imagine how many people want a wolf or a lion from one of the 20 cool looking pics on Google this very moment.
But I'm planning to get a tattoo about my struggles and what I've overcome and what broke me, I've been planning it for a year and a half already and am still trying to get out of the "and add X to symbolise Y" stage, but I'd be pretty mad if someone copied my tat just because it looked good without putting a thought into the actual journey (if they do it because of similar circumstances, like a Medusa tattoo, I'd be cool with it, but again I'm not an artist).
💯
The other thing is it’s going on there body forever so they should be able to pick something they’ve looked at and like everything about it and the. The artist wants to customize it with their style so some people may not want what they add to it … it’s a hard collaboration and I salute all artists and all canvases
one of the main reasons I don't show my tattoos on the internet and my artist only shows a few.
"I can't expect the world to have the same ethics as me" is the quote of the century.
I like homeboy answer about trying to put himself in their shoes and homegirl comments about "if you put it on insta you're creating the possibility for the tattoo to get copy". Both kind of explain my vision on it which is "It's fair game if you wanna copy. It doesn't the fact that my artist did it better sucker hahaha". It's disrespectful but also flattering.
I feel like if it's put online it's bound to happen because that's how most people find ideas and not that many people even think twice about how copying can be disrespectful. At the same time if you take a design from let's say a media account owned by the artist the least they could do is ask if they can get someone else to do it
I copy, I do original, I recycle I get inspired by others work, it’s not that serious 😂😂😂 the client gets what they want, we all work hard and if you love art it’s really not that serious. I love to copy and when someone copies my stuff it’s flattering
this video is why i love my tattoo artist he will not copy sheeeeeet he always takes whatever someone gives him and makes it different and i love everything he’s done for me
I hate the mentality of them saying that if it's online, it's a part of it. NO, it's not ok, just because i shared something doesn't mean people have the right to take the shit and do whatever the fuck they want with it. Normalising it is the worst! So maybe lets do that with shops too? It's there in the open, so what's the problem with stealing it??? It's just stupid way of looking at it, that is one of the reasons people think it's fine to do it, because people are not calling them out for the crappy ethics. Sure if you get tagged and stuff then maybe explain it gently, but if not - I'd say call them out straight and clear. Have some respect for your hard work and your clients!
I've had someone tattoo ME on someone, they probably found the image of me on pinterest, just slapped a pair of horns on the head and called it a day. It's cringy and realllly lazy to say the least. If you use reference images at least make them into YOUR OWN characters where only the pose is used. I was seriously weirded out.
Shops are private property, the world wide web is a public domain. But sure, go rob a store, I won't stop you but the cops will 🤣
@@B0OBIES just because it’s out there doesn’t mean it doesn’t belong to someone and taking it just cuz a cop isn’t gonna stop you, doesn’t mean you should. Just cuz it’s online, doesn’t mean it belongs to the public and you can do whatever the fuck you want with it. That’s my point. It’s just shitty behaviour. But then again answers like that can only come from someone who looks like they have an A.I. produced image/ someone’s artwork as an avatar, so i’m not surprised 🤷🏼♀️
can i just say how incredible all of these artists works are? like fuck dude!
Limp Bizkit are underrated geniuses
The first 2 tattoos you showed at the end are by Mat Rule, from Paris. Cool guy, awesome artist, I would love to see him in one of your panels sometimes
As a tattoo artist myself (baby, second year so not that great) I've had a couple designs stolen and the biggest reason I was angry? Because the local artist who stole it KNEW I was struggling with feeling my art was good enough, let alone as a tattoo. They also stole it because I had actually booked tattoos and they were in a slow lull. I also had my stuff stolen in school, and it was a custom piece for my best friend, and my teachers even gaslit me into saying I wasn't the original artist, I should be happy I was stolen from, etcetc
I will ashamedly admit, I do have a Pinterest copy tattoo and it is the only one I don't like - I HATE it!! SO MUCH! I plan on getting it covered up sometime this year
same omg
No ideas original - Nas
Love this episode and agree fully with Flip Shade’s’ perspective
Myke is so wise, love when he speaks 💯
What sucks is I want a Pliszka tattoo, but she's in Poland and I'm in America. I do still plan on getting something similar, but it could probably be considered a copy since it'll be heavily influenced by her style. I just cannot go to Poland just for a tattoo.
Usually just a stylistic copy is better recived by the comunity
I think you can contact the artist and buy a design from them but have someone else tattoo it on you
@@parnian_8511 some artists find that offensive unfortunately but hopefully that won't be the case in this instance.
Just fly to Poland. Don’t half commit.
@@B0OBIES not usually. it's called a tattoo ticket, they're very common for popular artists to do for people living far away!
I love these videos!
Anyone who does portrait tattoos can't complain about stolen artwork, because photographers consider their photos to be their artwork, rightfully so.
Saw a girl one time who had ever single one of Amy Winehouses' tattoos on her, same placement and everything. I found that weird and kinda messed up but thats just me.
Weird but who cares
I think you are making big deal out of nothing 😂
Please don't copy my lion rose pocket watch tattoo 😂😂😂😂
"Conrad" McGregor? Im dying
Blood of Wolves for my Bubbles Mojo Jojo tattoo please! “My name is not bubble! My name is Mojo Jojo!”
'Im copying off google images but you cant copy my insta'
Everybody walking with the same 5 caligraphys, lions, daendelions and roses.
@@unai49999because google uses the best image of the thing your trying to find. Most of the same pictures pop up for people when they look something up so it’s not peoples fault. It’s googles or photographers fault for not posting more photos.
He’s right you can’t expect for people to have the same ethics as you if your shit is good and you put it on social media is going to get copied
I went to a well known and supposedly really good artist and asked for an original design. When I got there he talked the whole time about how didn't like what I chose to get tattooed and there were better ideas. I should've walked out. I still love it but yeah terrible experience. Then awhile later I see the same design on pinterest 🙃 which I know he stole because he never posted my tattoo and I never posted any close up photos either.
Oof
Oof should do a video on using a photo reference, especially with the Kat Von D situation.
Interesting discussion. It is true that "there's no such thing as copyrighting a tattoo". In the art world making a copy on the Mona Lisa for example is not illegal. What would be illegal is selling it as "the original Mona Lisa". Maybe there could be a small specific symbol, a dot somewhere on the tattoo simply confirming that this tattoo is an original and not a copy or a spin-off and only original tattoo would have that specific symbol or dot ? Like a simple universally recognized "not a copy" signature ? I don't know. But interesting topic, thanks.
My best friend created my forearm half sleeve from scratch, my thighs and others where just drawings and stuff but with changes
I hate this so much because some artist want to do their own version or own designs, but the customer brings in a design that they specifically want. Usually you can change it, but a lot of the time people want what they see, and sometimes people have to pay rent
I’ve had one of my tattoos copied and go viral(ish) and I honestly found it funny. It’s not like I’m ever going to see the poor person that has the crappy version on my tattoo so who cares.
Everything's already been done. It's like music. Everything old just gets recycled and recycled. And it's only going to get worse as time goes on.
5:24 this is exactly what happened to me
I showed a reference cause I wanted something like that design but when she showed me the stencil it was an exact replica of my reference. I was like ‘oh we’re doing exactly that? Ok’ and didnt say anything, maybe I shouldve, idk. Im one of those people that are afraid to speak up lol
The thing I dont like about it tho is that it cuts off very suddenly. I plan on getting something that connects to it in the future so it doesnt look so cut off.
Blue hair lady definitely steals designs
If it is a custom pc can the tattoo artist or the person getting the work done have the image copyrighted?
They shoulda got Mashkow on this one haha
Last three speakers had the right idea. Can’t be getting mad when its on the World Wide Web!
Honestly when I’m looking for tattoos that I like i never go for the tattoos that are on someone else’s body and I try to contact the artist to at least pay for the flash
awesome ppl. also just free marketing. :D
Fun fact, my tattoo artist is the one that did Connor’s chest piece. She hates it and says she would never do it again haha
A long time ago I got a lot of tattoos (alongside some other members of my family) and I saw this one tattoo on pinterest that I really liked and without knowledge of anything about the tattoo community I just showed it to my tattoo artist and told him that I wanted that on my hand (bad placement too I know) but after getting more into the tattoo community and learning about tattoo copying and things like that, as well as being an artist myself, I decided to get the tattoo removed by laser (painful and expensive but I also didn't like having the tattoo on my hand so that was also my bad on my end). Now that I know I will be more careful when deciding what to get tattooed and having something that I know is the most original and also something that I like (and also in a place that I will not hate afterwards, after all that's why you get to see how it'll look like with just the stencil on but I was dumb lmao).
I am so confused about this topic... How can all of your tattoos be original?? For example, I have bugs and insects tattoed on me.. How can I possibly make them unique or original if I want them to lean more on realism?
Basically sums up what artists do in Philippine tattoo competitions, I think one of them got called out already haha
Should’ve invited mashkow for this lol
I had a tattoo copied and saw it was in the exact same spot as it! Like at least move it to another spot on the body 😂 I swear the audacity of some folks!
I'm never quite sure how far copying extends, and I get worried I'll offend somehow. For example does using non-tattoo art count? Is asking for a similar tattoo, but in the artist's style okay? Is it bad to give another tattoo design as a reference? I find it much easier to give specific examples than to describe (and I can't draw myself haha).
I will never show my artist a photo of a tattoo I want that is a photo of a photo that someone has taken of there tattoo I always make sure that is a black outline with a white back ground cause I’m so open to the artist tweeking it and making it personal and different to me
How do you copy a portrait? That Salvador Dali portrait is the most famous reference so if someone does that they surely haven't copied another artist????
There is a such thing as copyrighting your art used in a tattoo tho, The Hangover movie got Sued for using Mike Tysons face tattoo that was copyrighted by the original artist
They'll have to start adding a copyright fee with each new design they do lol
Mikes a cool dude :)
omg he has chynna on his shirt! i need one
Innovation is the name of the game and copyright and trademarks along side other bs like patents just stunt creativity
I find a design I like but change something about it. Like this pinup sleeve I'm getting, different hair style with artist spin on it.
The truest statement right there the copyers are always behind
08:17 i kind of like the copy better for some reason. i like both but im drawn to the copy more
I’m honored if someone uses my illustration. That means I’m doing good
That "Two in the pink, One in the stink" tattoo using a neopolitan ice cream sandwich is genius. I'm guessing skeletal hands is easier to do than actual hands or they just wanted the skeletal one?
it’s an inevitability and out of your control. more than enough reasons to just not care because it will happen
As a client if it’s a piece I really like from an artist in a different country I’m gonna ask if I can get it within reason ofc
there's probably an unknown, unholy amount of copies ben affleck's back tattoo for sho
I design the tattoos I get in collaboration with the tattooer. I explicitly ask them not to share the designs we work on because I put so much work into them and if they refuse I find a different artist. Idk nor do I care how others feel about it, I only know how I feel about it. I worked to hard, put too much thought, and put too much effort into something deeply personal to me for some random hasbin with some extra cash to slap it on their body because it looked cool.
It's like buying a cheap copy of a Picasso
Nearly every tattoo artists copies
Most of these artists don’t tattoo original ideas anyways
I have a tattoo that is technically a copy. She used the shape of the animal. Original colouring, some fixed features and background. It's different enough but still takes the shape from the original artist. It's going to be built off of though as I build my sleeves.
It's literally the bones of the industry in every way. It's how every artist finds out they like art. It's the invention of flash, it's where apprentices start scratching in basements.. never gonna not happen
This is why as an artist I always put watermarks over my art
The first tattoo shown that Lorena got copied for (morty)- the copy is so baddd! 😂
every one of them has done a sailor jerry tattoo.....
my gf just started out tattooing and sold her design to a client that was too far for her to tattoo herself and the artist who actually tattoed it just copy past the designe posted it . gave no credit AND put it up on her wall as an original art for all to see when they go in her shop I was like okkkk
Your GF has a copyright to the original drawing. I assume that she gave permission to use the drawing ie gave a license to the client to have it tattooed onto her skin; and did not specifically transfer the copyright ownership. In that case your GF can request the tattoo shop to destroy copies and not tattoo others for whom she has not licensed. Tattoo copyright law is unsettled but if she is friends with an attorney a cease and desist would probably get it down.
When I was younger I went for a tattoo and they were doing $50 flash tattoos and I found out the girl didn't draw it herself (even tho she said she did) weeks later I found the same tattoos online. So now I feel bad I feel like I disrespected the real artist. But idk who that artist is... Does that count as copying?
Not gonna lie. I just started tattooing a few years ago. And I learned by copying tattoos from other great artist. Lol of course it looks nothing like the original but it gives me an idea of what to do considering tattoo artist don’t take on apprentices anymore unless they’re BFs or family.
P.S. I’ve never gotten paid or asked for pay of any copied work I do it just for practice and enhancing skills
4:20 the nostrils on the right tattoo 😬
Asked my artist for a octopus sent 4 reference photos showed up day of looked at the stencil loved it, put it on my arm. Looked at the reference images and he just copied it from one of them.
Is is an unsaid rule for T-Artists to purposefully mess a copy as a punishment to the fool who wants the copy? If so, Awesome!
I’m stealing that two in the pink one in the stink Neapolitan idea 😊
my boyfriend helped me get my first tattoo and i sent a lot of references, this artist has mostly done realism on my bf but on me .... he copied the pokemon art i found as inspo
Myke chambers seems like a really down to earth guy.
theres too many people on this planet and so many doing tattoos that like yeah shits gunna get copied but like whatever just do your next piece get your money and move on with yourself
Sometimes it's hard everyone wants what they want, I change little things about them, but at least tweek it some
everyone copies everyone. Tattoo, cocktails , fashion, auto mechanics, restaurants, chefs, etc....
I just think people should still give credit to the person they took the idea, and also change it up even if its by a little.
Honestly it's great that the girl was embarrassed about having a copy of your original tattoo. Hopefully now she won't do it again
I remember when I was 18 and got mad when this tattoo artist wouldn’t copy this tattoo I loved. Like I genuinely loved every inch if he would’ve changed it it wouldn’t be the same and I stand by it 🤣
what about american traditional?
NekronEightySix or JP Dawson at Art Rebel is Grants Pass' tattoo thief. The owner keeps him around for cheap tattoos. He has been found to have an entire portfolio of stolen work.
Would artists be upset if clients asked them NOT to upload their tattoo on social media, to avoid copying? Or do the artists think it's in their right to upload it if they want to, because it's their work or something? Even if the customer came up with an original idea of a tattoo.
Is it copying if it’s a tattoo made from a famous photograph, or actually any photograph of a famous person, other than if you took the photo yourself? I don’t think so. The Dali picture is so famous, most likely hundreds of people have that as a tattoo.
98% of the people that want a tattoo do not want original pieces, they want internet pieces that they've seen. If any obstacle comes in their way of getting what they want, they just leave. 95% of the time those same people will not get a tattoo if that design is altered in any way.
Humans r stupid. I tell all of them, no. No one listens.
At least i try and give credit