Tattoos have always been a way to stand out within the crowd, using unique artwork, colors, and designs to form self-expression to Society. And, while many of us plan our tattoos to fit our personality and style, many of us are mind-boggled when choosing the right ones for us. With so many designs and styles to choose from, it can get pretty tricky pinpointing just which ones we want to have on our skin forever.
We often see tattoos from celebrities, role models, or our friends, and we become infatuated with the artwork we see, so much that we start thinking about whether or not we should copy their tattoos. We think about what they would think of the matter, or if Society will think it’s wrong to get someone else’s artwork and have it as our own. But, just how bad is it?
There is nothing wrong with admiring someone’s tattoo and wishing to have the same design on your own body. It’s just a matter of finding a tattoo artist who is willing to copy someones else’s work and satisfy their client. However, the point of getting a tattoo is to have something unique and significant that speaks to you and having something that resembles your personality and ideas.
As we all know, most artists have pride in the original pieces that they do and will most likely not copy someone else’s actual work.
Getting someone else’s artwork would devalue the original owner’s tattoo, and it would take away from the meaning behind why they got the tattoo in the first place. Each tattoo tells a remarkable story that is incomparable to anyone else’s life or struggles, which should be respected and not copied. Additionally, using someone’s tattoo is portrayed as you getting it done without asking their permission.
No one likes people copying and stealing other people’s designs, which is why you should go for a more original piece versus. Now, that said, if you’re thinking of using someone’s artwork for inspiration for your own, then that’s a different scenario. The critical thing to remember is to make sure you can differentiate them by adding something unique to yours to become your piece versus just being a copy of someone else’s thoughts and ideas.
These tattoos don’t refer to the generic tattoo designs that you typically see in all tattoo shops. These designs are just ideas for those who aren’t interested in having their unique tattoos and are looking just for the typical tattoos that we usually see. These generic designs will not leave you any room to customize nor input your ideas into them. The chances of someone else having the identical generic tattoo as you is pretty high if you choose one without adding your personal touch, which makes tattooing all the more special.
It would help if you honestly tried to think of that person’s feeling on how they spent precious time coming up with their design in mind that speaks to their story and life and respect it by not copying the same idea. People typically customize their artwork on a particular milestone in their lives, tragic events, or struggles they have overcome. And this should be highly valued and praised, rather than just stealing their life stories.
Is It Bad To Copy a Celebrity’s Tattoo?
Copying a celebrity’s tattoo is pretty much the same as copying anyone else’s tattoo; it’s simply not the best move to make. Celebrities tend to get tattoos for the same reason as any one of us, to have their own unique story portrayed to the world.
While getting their exact tattoo isn’t illegal, you shouldn’t consider doing it. I know that being a fan, sometimes we want to do things just like our idols, but you should never lose your individualism. And, as we spoke before, many artists find it rude and unprofessional to ask them to copy another artist’s work. Artists take pride in their unique skills and find it offensive if asked to copy someone else.
Tattoos are very symbolic and intimate to each owner. Although they are celebrities, they deserve the same respect from us. We shouldn’t want to have something they already have, especially not knowing the meaning behind their tattoo.
Is It Illegal To Copy Someone Else’s Tattoo?
I know we touched base on whether or not copying a tattoo from someone else is not illegal, but does anyone own their tattoos? As stated by the Copyright Alliance and the requirements for the copyrighted imagery, the answer is not really! While you “own” your tattoo because it’s on your skin, you don’t legally own any rights to it.
This issue can get tricky depending on who you ask or which artist you choose to get your artwork done. Let’s say you select an artist known for their custom artwork, and you decide to have one of their original pieces on your body; in the law’s point of view, the tattoo would be the artist’s actual property.
However, if you gave your artist your input on the design and helped with the tattoo’s layout, it’s considered a collaboration. That means that both of you have rights over the piece.
Now, when it comes to getting a copyrighted tattoo image, it can bring up issues for the artist, so it’s essential to be aware of the risks of getting this type of tattoo piece.
From a legal perspective, the copyrighter holder can pursue a lawsuit against the artist who performed the tattoo. In this case, the holder would have to prove that the artist has negatively impacted their business by using their image. They can sue for the artist devalorizing their property, which can cause quite the headache for your artist.
If you’re still on board with getting a tattoo of a famous image, at least mix it up a little bit and add some features to make it your own. No one likes a re-made copy of anything, so why not tell your own beautiful story with your tattoo for the world to read!