About copies

(Last update: 24.09.2021)

Whether a wanna do or a custom design, the heart of the artist is in every single piece. A design, whether small or large, takes a lot of work, time and adaptation before it even sees the light of day. 

Of course, an artistic work can and should be used as inspiration. An inspiration means giving an impulse to propose a particular flower, rough idea or placement. But getting inspiration is a completely different thing than copying. 

Taking a foreign design to a tattoo artist to have it implemented as a tattoo is not only punishable for those who want to wear the design on their body, but also for the tattoo artist who implements it. Copying the motifs with the purpose of having them tattooed in another tattoo studio is a criminal act according to § 106 UrhG which can be punished with a fine or imprisonment.

Please also consider whether you would like to be tattooed by someone who is trying to earn money with stolen motifs. Wearing a fake on your skin is especially not a good feeling when asked about it.

Tattoo copiers take advantage of stolen designs from talented artists and pass them off as their own work in order to deliberately deceive their clients. How can you call yourself an artist if you steal from other artists?

Often there is also a lack of knowledge that a motif cannot simply be copied just because it was found on Pinterest, for example. Basically, every work of art is copy-protected without notice and the copyright always lies with the artist.

Pinterest isn't a source of free designs.

Please let artists know if you spot a copied motif anywhere on Instagram, Facebook or other social media - this is the only way artists can try to prevent dubious studios from making money with stolen designs.

On the other hand, I would like to ask you to share this text. For the reason that as many people as possible are protected from getting to copy-tattoo-artists / fake-studios in order to end up in a situation in which they regret their tattoo.

Thank you & best regards,

Alina