Stealing Tattoos-Is it Legal or a Crime?

Stealing Tattoos

Stealing Tattoos Hey, everybody this is me and welcome back to tattoo talk Tuesday. If it's your first time joining us tattoo talk Tuesday is our weekly interactive talk indicate where I take user-submitted questions and to continue efforts to lend my own experience you guys as a tattoo collector.

So today I wanted to touch on stealing tattoos that I've already talked about um videos like this prevails all over the internet um and it's a conversation that happens almost every single day in tattoo community especially online, and you know what I'm going to say before I even said it and it's people copying tattoos So I have a hard time discussing this topic because two years ago I made a video all about the subject where I talk about my cry-baby tattoo being stolen and The person messaging me and saying that I was their tattoo inspiration, and how I replied in a...

I guess less than excited behavior to this person and in the video. I encourage everybody watching to go and seek out talented tattoo artists who do not copy and adhesive in to create original articles of art and To patronize them and give them your fund versus somebody who is just skating by and journeying the coattails of other tattoo artists to put in "the worlds largest" project. So I think that video was received here there are still. And of course, with any video like that, you're going to receive negative feedback. A plenty of this negative feedback either comes from people who don't see the specific issues with copying tattoos. They articulate "Hey. There's an image out there I want that image. You demonstrate you having the image is what introduced me to the image and now I crave it." Um, a lot of people think that tattoo stealing is flattery.

Um, there's a lot of commentaries on the feed that was like "I would be more than flattered to have someone take one of my tattoos and wear it." And um I necessitate I'm not super sure this is right the adulation comes from but I imagine a lot of that does come from people who may not have a ton of tattoos who may have never actually had one of their tattoos bitten before or Um I don't really know maybe it is genuine um I'm somebody who is not really on that barrier I I don't like I don't think it's flattering when a person takes one of my tattoos um it's cool to be inspired by my tattoos for sure I've seen different takes on my cardinal different takes on my shark and that's cool.

Do it! um I just tagged in people who have a really similar back tattoo um As mine all the time and I have to say that my tattoo is based on flash It's not an original concept whereas my shark tattoo is an original concept it was therefore kind of depends and a lot of that language isn't super familiar to people who are diving into tattoos and experiencing them for the very first time that's where I think some of this like adulation language comes from But formerly you get into tattoo culture and realize that it is a billion dollar industry When people come along and induce copy tattoos they taint it for everybody involved It's funny the inspiration for this video I necessitate I get questions all the time sometimes I get nerve wrenching Inquiries that I even know where to begin to answer.

I got one on Tumblr two days ago That told like a husband and wife layout to tattoo together with a quotation that was special to their marriage and then that tattoo artist designed Another tattoo based on their original abstractions and then set it on a flash sheet. They told, "What do I do? That's my tattoo that represents my marriage" I don't know it's so hard because all of us have so many moods about this but sensitive sensitive issue And I feel like the more tattoos become socialized the more "they're coming" become accessories versus permanent articles on our form that that value gets diminished But I feel like "there's gotta be" Exchanges that "re coming out" maybe people like me or people who have experienced tattoo theft where we bring it all back together and remind people that these are articles of artwork that are private to us and we wear them every single day and we Potentially commissioned the artist to make the piece and then people come and pick up the scraps it's strange It's weird. We don't like it. It's icky But when I articulate we I know that there's going to be commentary that's like "Don't include me in your fucking sassafrass because my tattoos get copied daily, and that's okay." So I'm here today to talk about Inspiration versus copying I'm not the first person to make this video I don't think but I just wanted to share some things that I say to questions I answer a lot of questions, and I necessitate things that I experience every day-um You know a month ago I was under a lot of heat because someone said that they had an appointment to get one of my tattoos and they craved my permission and I told them they didn't have my permission to get one of my tattoos and that they shouldn't have messaged me and that they should have left me out of the process.

Um, I got a lot of heat because it was like "Wow! The person asked you and you said no" Because um you know as much as I enjoy my subscribers And me much as much as I enjoy the ones who contact me. I do have every right to to] say no if that's how I honestly feel and I'm not here to like comprise anybody's hand if they're like hey, I'm running with one of your abstractions No , no so I want to talk about inspiration versus copying because I guess but that my language and its own language I use and the ways that I feel maybe have not been expressed by other YouTubers or other bloggers or other Instagramers, or other tattoo artists who put out the word So I kind of want to go over what I do and how I feel and bring that language back to you guys and have a conversation.

So how do you avoid copying someone's tattoo immediately?. You heard what have to say in the beginning, and you're like " Okay, okay I don't want to Copy anybody's tattoo, but I determined a tattoo that I didn't know I liked, determined it is currently. I like it." So I have a video on my YouTube channel. If you've never seen it That's all about brainstorming tattoo abstractions in the video I create almost like a humor committee where I take a bunch of different ideas and abstractions tattoos that are present that I was inspired by and I put together a folder on my phone that you are able to various kinds of run through and In this is how you are able to various kinds of create a humor committee with your tattoo artist if you check tattoos And you don't know how to be inspired outside of what the tattoo looks like you can only check tattoos, you can't see like an image Like if you craved a bumble bee tattoo, but you can't look at an image of a bumblebee You have to look at a tattoo of a bumblebee.

I have a video all about how you are able to put those images together Into one large-hearted humor committee and kind of have a speech with your tattoo artist about what you like and what you don't like about certain tattoos in order to Commit A genuinely authentic Tattoo experience to your tattoo that isn't copying off a cluster of people But is inspired by the tattoos that originally invigorated you. I think this is a really safe behavior to have a speech with your tattoo artist that still includes visuals because if you are a visual person Presenting the tattoo to your tattoo artist is what feels most natural You come in and you're like "Hey. I have this image, and this is a tattoo. I crave It's best to at least have wiggle room or at least talk about a couple tattoos. So you don't end up with an exact copy Not all of us have access to Altogether original 1,000, 000% talented tattoo artists so if you feel like You know you live in the middle of nowhere And you cannot access these like super artists tattoo artists that you check on Instagram, and you have to go to a local store Give somebody a ton of options another thing I like to do is there is an image or a tattoo that I'm inspired by immediately And it's not like a whole humor committee hypothesis it's not something.

That's like a bunch of things. It's just like oh, I like that. That's it. If you feel like that's the case with your tattoo my best advice is to find an artist who has a very specific like Stylized technique that they use Whenever I get tattooed by Jessi Preston for example. I feel like she has a very concrete mode a very bold Simplified traditional that has a very nice little feminine touching to it. I enjoy that. She applies bright colors lots of florals everything she does I feel like is super unique to her unique mode and in a lineup I can always pick out a Jessi Preston tattoo every time I get tattooed by Jessi Preston, we typically have to email back and forth because we are not from the same city and typically when you are emailing a tattoo artist it's hard to show them a thousand illustrations or talk about subtleties things like that so I can trust that when I email Jessi a couple images she's going to look at them and with artistic ability transform it into something else that could never be a copy When I got my swimmer girl from her when I got my igniting bra tattoo even when I got my bang trim tattoo I Sent her specific images, and then when we are in conformity with real life, she said hey, this is why this image doesn't work but this is what I did to change it, for example, my swimmer girl I emailed her a picture of a girl doing a cannonball and When I fulfilled up with her in New York after that she told Well, I took your image, but I thought about it And when a person is physically doing a cannonball this is how they would actually do it And this is the logistics of a real cannonball, so this is what I changed, and I was like brilliant.

You're brilliant same with my slam trim Tattoo when I was talking to Jessi she told just with gravity this is how this the image would actually project and Jessi took an image that I shared with her of a person get bang trimming And she added little articles of whisker she moved the arm So the anatomy would be correct and I can trust that Jessi will ever do something like that so that an image I obtained Can be transformed immediately into a tattoo You know she put the girl in a baggy sweater with a floral layout And I think it's brilliant if you can find a tattoo artist that has a very specific and unique mode It's always guaranteed that you're going to get a unique piece "that's really not" facsimile from someone else, for example, Sad Boy Kurt I feel like In Warrington he has a very kind of dreamy and mystical various kinds of mode, and I feel like if you go on his Instagram his mode is so specific and unique if you want to him and you were like hey I want to watch tattoo.

It would be in this mode. Which I feel like is very identifiable you can go on his Instagram and it's very specific So if you evidenced him a tattoo of a witch that you liked he would become it into his mode And then it would be something completely brand new If you find these tattoo artists that have very specific stylized paths ways to their tattoos. I feel like you're always guaranteed to get a unique tattoo that has not been doing before Even my back tattoo like I mentioned which is a very old piece of tattoos flashing I'm not the first person to have this flashing But I am the only person who has a tattoo that is completely stylized in this way Mark Cross is very specific in the way that he tattoos and I feel like I have a tattoo that no one else has just because I went to him and I told "I've never liked this piece of flash.

It invokes this kind of imagery in my intellect, and I want to represent it." Mark took that and he made something that is completely his own and I feel like if you check other people who have the same back tattoo as me it's still never ever going to be the same I think it's the best way to make sure you never copy somebody's tattoo and plus if you commissioned these talented artists who are true artists who are tattoo artists who can Imagine and dream up these very concrete tattoos Not merely are you putting fund in the pockets of people who are benefiting the industry You get best available tattoo So I feel like oh, that's the best way to do it That's how I do it that's that's how I feel like you always get a tattoo.

That's never been done before Another behavior that I like to get tattooed that guarantees that I'm not copying anybody is by not applying any illustrations at all um I kind of do this to Derrick Hooper of Derrick[ Barimze] all the time But I feel like all the tattoos. I've ever got from him are just so amazing I Remember Derrick has done Derrick did the back of my knee if you recollect my tattoo healing video? That's the tattoo my feature When I was emailing back and forth with Derrick the only thing I told him was a hand holding a piece[ of] what I Didn't send him any references.

I didn't tell him what I craved I told a hand holding wheat cuz I like bread When I fulfilled up with Derrick. He showed me the tattoo that he'd designed and it was awesome The hand has attached He craved the hand is holding the piece of wheat it has a little cuff to it, and I was like I enjoy this I was not a part of the process. I would not they're like yeah put a little[ ruffle] on the cuffs I was completely absent from it, and he showed me a tattoo that I absolutely loved because I determined his portfolio I trusted him he's my friend, and I enjoy it a Time later. I did the same thing[ I] got a tattoo from him, and I just said sad manacles He emailed me. He told I'm going to be in Philly. Do you want to tattoo? I said yes, sad manacles He told um okay And when I fulfilled up with him. He showed me the sketch that he created and I instantly loved it. No citation photos no Sentences no paragraphs nothing I gave him a bit of an idea, and then[ he] rolled with it, and I thought that was awesome You're going to have to approach a tattoo artist, whose project you are familiar with and comfortable with and enjoy in order to various kinds of Roll the dice in this way But I likewise do[ believe] this is a great way to be stealing tattoos. I've seen hand tattoos that I genuinely enjoy I've seen[ manacle] tattoos that I genuinely enjoy and although I was inspired by those images I did not take those images with me to the consultation or in the consultation process I just was verbal about them, and I left the rest up to Derek and Honestly, I[ adored] the tattoos that he created with just a couple terms, and I think that it was Brilliant There was not feasible I could be copying another tattoo if I just gave him a couple terms those are my techniques I used to in order to take inspiration from Subsisting imagery and tattoos, but not to immediately facsimile them[ I] feel like in this way I patronize all my favorite artists.

I'm Seeking artists that are amazing and talented and true artists with true inspiration True developers inducing something unique for me that I'm happy to wear eternally But what do you do when your tattoo is facsimile? Patently this episode received from somewhere and it's because once again Someone is out there taking my cry-baby tattoo, and it's kind of like to this degree. I'm so depleted But I'm likewise genuinely disconcerted because I Trusted my tattoo artist to induce something unique for me. You know in our consultation process It was the same thing not really any illustrations. I said hey, I want to cry maybe tattoo I don't want the image of the baby because it's scary[ I] craved I ball and I went to tattoo my skin who does really amazing text tattoos He's a sign painter He's a tattoo artist And I know that all of his text his text specialized tattoos are my favorite my Joanna Newsom Tattoos are from him because they involve text So I remembered I went to him[ for] a particular text tattoo since then I can't even How many times that people have been stealing tattoos it was something he created original specifically for me And I feel like him and I should share that that appreciation of that prize like desiring that tattoo and Honestly every time it's taken from us because it was not flashing, and it was not a copy.

It was something. He Created with a couple terms from me It kind of sections so I say if you need to be stealing tattoos for yourself. Don't take a picture of it Do not take a picture of it Don't put it on the internet if you need my tattoo you don't get to take a picture of it You don't get to celebrate it You don't get the[ treated] as your own you are able to have it put your shirt back on and then that's it Because it only took me 20 seconds to find this and No, I'm not investing every single day searching the internet for my tattoos Regrettably people send them to me forever because it's not too wise anymore It's a million eyes everyone's on the internet checking on these things and considering them and witnessing them How many times is a brand that you're following reporting that some other corporation is biting one of their images it happens so often because all of us are on guard, and I think if you need to facsimile one of my damn tattoos you need to keep it off the internet[ or] else you are going[ to] receive Feedback and I think that you should be honest with your tattoo[ artists][ I] Don't know if any of you guys recollect I think it's high voltage that's Kat von D's tattoo store[ um] one of her tattoo artists tattooed this image on a girl and it turned out that the girl had brought in a Johnny gloom[ flashing] and the Tattoo artist recreated it on her path for path and Resisted it as his own project and then the internet proceeded crazy Kat von D.

Had to make a statement and Their official statement was the girl brought in the image, so they didn't know that it was a facsimile If that's the case the girl who brought in the end basically[ make] all of this contention[ you] know the internet all eyes are on the internet and Kat von D. And her store are so famous that a million people watched this like various kinds of Pr hiccup develop now Who knows what really happened? but I Would say you know if this girl honestly brought in this from what I speak from the back-and-forth[ she] brought in a design on shark like a sharpie on paper to have tattooed I Envision you know I do check a lot of tattoo artists now that articulate Patrons reference in their Instagram post[ which] I imagine does alleviate them from a lot of fault but at the same period That girl could have caused that tattoo artist his vocation by biting that original piece but who knows so so much better goes into copying tattoos you know Even if it doesn't come from the tattoo[ artists] and it comes from the girl who lied and said it was her own hypothesis His reputations at[ States] Kat von D's reputation was at bet[ I] was speaking through specific comments, and I saw something that was like typical of tap on these tattoo shops I Was just like oh shit So much[ of] that[ stink] So I necessitate is this video just a love letter to not copying tattoos? I don't know you can't stop it.

You can't stop the process You know so many people are getting tattooed now and a lot of people just want to wear tattoos, and they don't know why? so I think if people Just take a second to enjoy the process and take a second to receive a custom-built tattoo You take so much better of that copying out of the mixture Now I'm not talking about like very commercialized tattoos like[ weed] like Garfield Tattoo a playboy bunny tattoo like I emphatically Understand that that stuff prevails out there but from my perspective, it's the crab babe tattoo that people keep get a Tattoo artists keep posting on their own page as If it's something they more than anything I want to open this discussion up to you guys in specific comments What do you think? all of the times of my Tumblr that I've received contents like our friend slip my tattoo my tattoo artist put my tattoo on someone else all of[ these] things are so upsetting to me and I try to help and answer And I hope there was some revelation submit a report to you today with my techniques for not stealing other people's tattoos But there's just so much out there, and so many people who aren't hurt by people biting their tattoos When I did have tattoo from[ Jesse] Preston, I'm paying for the time She spent gleaning an organic piece to put on me if someone comes along and facsimiles it then they get all that free of charge[ I] don't know it's shitty is a horrid analogy that I should have said but all I can say is there is a ton of call-out culture out there[ on] Instagram and Although some of it can be really wearying I check tattoo artists more than ever who post something and they're like I'm sick of posting this but here's my tattoo versus the tattoo someone slip from me and The commentaries are all the same you know Fuck them Fuck off But all we were able to do is followed up with chagrin this behavior and kerb it along the way So brand-new comers and people brand-new to tattooing don't pick up these habits You know the Instagram profile of the crybaby that I just evidenced you if you go through their Instagram You know they have Alex Strangler tattoos[ that] they bit and they have I? guess um[ Kyla] Tattoo[ or] tattoos that they bit, and it's like are they brand new to tattooing and they think that it's okay to emulate some of their favorite tattoo artists or Did no one tell them that that's not alright Going through these tattoos.

I've seen it all before and It's really upsetting But if they're brand-new[ to] tattooing does they not know I'm not sure I could talk about this forever. It's something I talk[ about] all the time but It's so hard because there are such divided moods on it Let me know how you feel in specific comments share your horror narratives. I necessitate Even my friend hannah[ she] said one of her tattoos blew up on Tumblr formerly and she can't even tell you[ how][ many] Infinite amount of people have the same exact technique where she'll[ be] in a public place, and she'll check her tattoo Who knows maybe we just have to start a conversation that isn't negative and that is a positive approaching I'm not stealing tattoos and not fuck you go die for stealing my tattoo who knows.

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