Here’s a great article from TAM’s blog by Dawn Cooke that I’d highly recommend individuals check out. It’s not very long, but it conveys the message all the same. I see posts all the time on Tumblr, Facebook, and on various websites that I frequent where people get some kind of painting, drawing, or piece of art tattooed on them. While I understand someone’s appreciation for a particular piece of art, the idea of getting an exact replica of said artwork tattooed on them is something that doesn’t resonate with me. Art is a wonderful thing, but I appreciate tattoos that look like tattoos, not tattoos that are trying to mimic some other kind of art form.
At any rate, you should also check out a few other posts by Dawn that are definitely worth taking a look at. Thanks for reading.
Does that mean that if you choose a tiger, as long as its altered slightly from say the earlier design it was based on, you attribute this to be an important part of making it unique to you? After all, the actual tigers the design would be based on are in essence the same world over.
Surely the fact you have decided to pick a particular artist, this symbol or representation, singling out the particular place on your body to place it, is unique enough. Why is it that everyone places heavy emphasis on being unique, I think this is simply vanity? Everyones different, just like everyone else, eh! Keep up the blog!
If however, you’re addressing plagiarism, then yes this isn’t acceptable. Not meaning to contradict above statement. By all means use reference material, perhaps searching further back each time, not cross referencing the numerous tumblr, wordpress, flickr, etc sites. Lets all broaden the input of the Art work by referring to the obvious origins of the images, notably a trip to the Zoo to look at a Tiger, or perhaps in its natural habitat if that is an option to you.
Most definitely each design should be redrawn, unless of course the image is used has been deemed free to do so ie classic flash. Cheers!