Copying other's tattoos and tattoo designs

* Im going to prelude this Blog with this is just MY thoughts, feelings and opinions on copying other artists tattoo work. Im not shaming anyone. To each their own*

*This image was taken from Google Images to show example of this Blog topic. I follow this artist and I learned different viewpoints reading his comments as well as others that commented on it.* 

    Sigh....the age old debate...Is copying other people tattoos and tattoo art bad. Oy....well.... Ill say this....

Myself, I really enjoy creating art for each client. I like the art we make together shares their stories and the things they may like...I love that feeling when a client gets complimented on the uniqueness of their tattoos, (or if its a common image like lets say for example roses) how the client changed things up and made it their own.

I love that, because their art is kinda like they're wearing who they are on the inside on the OUTSIDE of their skin. And others acknowledging that is acknowledging their uniqueness on the inside. If that makes any sense lol.

I love that I get to make that for people, its an honor to create cool things for people. 

When a client and I create their rough drafts and then put it together in a tattoo, it takes a lot of time. There are times where creating a rough draft takes several hours! And then to tattoo it is like 30 or more hours! Thats a lot of dedication for each person, artist and client. And seeing that hard work and time plagiarized and copied by someone is kinda a kick in the stomach...it sucks.

Ive personally had clients take my rough drafts I spent hours creating for them, and go to another artist to tattoo...it hurt to see that...and what made it even worse is that it wasn't even done well. Now if I was financially compensated for the time spent creating that, It wouldn't have bothered me, they paid for a rough draft. But they made an appointment with me to have it tattooed and they went somewhere else.

I personally dislike copying other peoples tattoos...especially now. (Learning to tattoo is another story in my opinion) Now that I have the skill level to create and execute my own creations I much rather create unique art for clients. I love to use references from others, I like to take inspiration from other talented people. Doing that I learn from them, I learn a LOT from others...but I like the teamwork it takes to work with clients to create unique art for them. 

Plus....copying someone else's tattoos or artwork puts A LOT pf pressure on artists! How on earth can we match that exactly!! How? How do we know what Pigments they used? Or what exactly what colors or technique they used? Theres no way of really knowing! Its not really fair to put that kinda pressure on artists in my opinion.....thats like asking a barista "Hey lady at a small town coffee shop in Florida, make that Carmel macchiato JUST like the lady at the Safeway Starbucks does in New York." Uhhhhhh what? lol. I mean but why couldn't they? Aren't ALLL coffee shops the same? Don't they ALL use the SAME stuff and do things the same way? NOOOOO.

See what I mean? 

So...in conclusion... usually doing unique work and not copying stuff is less expensive...Most artists like creating new things :) Its fun! It takes a lot of trust in one another...and maybe that's where the issue lies....is there's not a lot of trust.

Like do people want to copy tattoos because they don't think the artist can do the work good?

Do some clients think that if the artist creates one of a kind art for the client that they themselves won't LOOK like the people the clients coping the tattoos from? (For example. Finger mustaches. How popular did that get, and how many ppl posed the same way when they got that tattoo?) Was it just for that reason? 

Do some clients copy tattoo work because they cannot think of anything else themselves?

These are legit questions I have had myself as an artist...And I ask people...What about this already done tattoo do you like? And why?...........Most don't really know how to answer....  Why is that? 

Nothing wrong about it.....I just wonder why?