to be pissed off that my "unique" tattoo is showing up all over the place?

[starshaker]

A few years ago I went searching for my perfect tattoo. I spent a lot of time looking for somebody who's drawing style I loved. Turns out the guy was in the USA but we spoke over skype and he came up with a design that I loved. He emailed the image and I found the tattooist I wanted to put it on my skin.

Anyway now, a couple of years on I keep seeing it popping up on the net. AIBU to be pissed that my tattoo is being copied

Heres an idea why, perhaps they have bad psoriasis up their arms?

I wouldn't have thought it was a goood idea to tattoo on top of psoriasis.

No one looks better with a tattoo IMO....even if its a nice tattoo.

formerbabe- I agree. Body grafitti.

Mine are fine, they heal faster than usual

My first thought was that it looks like an injury….If I caught a quick glimpse or from a distance these tattoos look like trauma.

My thoughts exactly. You need to be REALLY careful with this watercolour effect malarkey or you just look like you are sporting a massive week-old bruise. Coupled with lots of solid red and black it's all a bit of a theatrical make-up Gore-Fest when viewed from anything other than very close up.

Sorry.

Although I see that the (German?) tattoo artist linked upthread somewhere (who is amazingly talented, it's true - I mean some of those are just mind blowingly fantastic even if I don't understand why someone would want to wear them on their skin for the rest of their lives) he seems to do a roaring trade in deliberately making people look battered, scratched, bruised and bloody.

It's obviously a 'thing' in certain circles.

I get tattoos too keep me safe. Don't judge something you don't understand. If you don't like tattoos then don't get one. Simple.

I do love my tattoos but I love what they have done for me more

Was the thread "would you like to get a tattoo"? No? Then your opinion on that is irrelevant. Share away, i'm not the thread police, but you are answering a question that noone has asked.

Tattoos don't keep you safe, what a daft thing to say. If you have some sort of deep seated issues and tattooing is like self medicating for you, then fine, whatever floats your boat, but saying they keep you safe is clearly nonsense. No-one is judging something they don't understand. It's quite simple - don't let's go attaching massive meaning to it. It's just a big, big fashion at the moment - nothing more.

Years ago very few people in our culture (other than armed soldiers, sailors and prisoners) liked to permanently decorate their bodies, but over the last 20 years and particularly the last ten years lots and lots and lots of people now like to do this because it has become very fashionable - to the point where it's almost expected in some social circles.

Some people have great tattoos, some people have bloody awful ones, most people end up with something ubiquitous that will date very easily - everyone likes to think that their tattoo is individual and special but as the OP has demonstrated very few really are, because thousands of people are all being influenced by a handful of the same artists and trailblazers as seen on the internet, even if they don't consciously realise it.

What else is there to understand?

RinkRash Hear, hear.

World War one tribute I assume?

Lots of people here totally ignorant about copyright!

Any design is protected by copyright and this certainly includes tattoo flash. (It also covers graffiti, interestingly.) Tattoo design theft is a big problem and a major annoyance for many artists.

Regarding "he made it so even though you paid he has the copyright":
Work for Hire
Basically, for freelancers (which this was) you should ask them to sign (electronically is fine) a Work For Hire agreement which would make it clear that you retained the copyright and he could not re-sell or re-use it.

So in my view YANBU to feel annoyed, however legally your designer would have the right to re-sell the design (and it appears he may have copied it anyway.)

You may think the keeping me safe comment is stupid and ridiculous but you know nothing about my life.

After going through something horrific I wanted to hurt myself. I needed to feel pain so I knew I was still alive even when I didn't want to be. I made a decision that instead of slicing myself with razors I would choose something/draw something I loved and have it permanently put on my body as a reminder that I won that battle. Each tattoo was a different battle. This tattoo was because I dealt with the hugest thing I am ever likely (at least i bloody hope so) to deal with. So yes this tattoo meant a shitload to me. I was under the impression it had been copied but it turns out it hasn't.

I didn't come on this thread to get approval for a tattoo or to be judged for having them. They are mine and my choice. I'm guessing those judging don't have any piercings (including ears) or dye their hair or wear make up and are in no way modifying how they look whatsoever.

I have no permanent modifications- no.

Star I am sorry for your troubles

fwiw I imagined the tattoo keeping you safe was to do with an emotional rather than actual tangible reason and you have explained that eloquently

Best wishes

But you do have modifications i'm guessing.

My dad always told me if you cant say something nice don't say anything at all.

To a point he was right. It's something i try and keep in mind day to day.

OP - .

I'm not into tattoos myself (i am 'beige', to quote Billy Connolly :)), but you've not deserved some of the unpleasant comments here. I hope you can just enjoy your tattoo. It will be different to any others. Unique in it's way.

I would get a free consult with a solicitor, do you have an emAil exchanges with your artist? Something that can prove this was an exclusive to you?

Star you said your tattoist was annoyed? You should point out that the design was poached by your old designer in case he has done other 'unique' designs and also so thr blame is where it belongs.

Sucks when you think something is unique and means something, if you can would be clear to designer that I was not impressed.

I get the keep you safe
I have a wrist tattoo which I don't want to ruin. Every time I feel the urge to self harm I won't do it because it will ruin it

I'm not a big fan of tattoos but I think your one op looks beautiful and very tasteful.

Dressedup your post is one of the vilest I've read in a long, long time. Could you not imagine what the OP meant by keeping safe?