Skip to Main Content
Syracuse University Libraries

Tattoos and Copyright: References

A fool-proof guide to understanding the implications of copyright in the field of tattooing, both for the patron and the artist.

References

Adams, C. (2017, November 29). Can I legally get myself tattooed with a pro sports team's logo? Retrieved from http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2990/can-i-legally-get-myself-tattooed-with-a-pro-sports-teams-logo/
BunnyClaws. (2019, February 15). Tattoo Copying: What's the Big Deal? Retrieved from https://tatring.com/getting-tattooed/Tattoo-Copying-Whats-The-Big-Deal
Entertainment, L. (2018, August 28). LeBron James Testifies In Tattoo Case That Could Establish Precedent. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2018/08/27/lebron-james-testifies-n-tattoo-case-that-could-establish-precedent/#cae53fe7d3d3
Gershman, J. (2014, June 17). Athletes' Tattoo Artists File Copyright Suits, Leaving Indelible Mark. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/athletes-tattoo-artists-want-more-skin-in-the-game-1402972074?mobile=y
Gladwell, H. (2017, July 29). Stop taking tattoo ideas from Pinterest and Instagram. Retrieved from https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/18/stop-taking-tattoo-ideas-from-pinterest-and-instagram-6787727/
Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html
Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html
Jason. (2018, December 27). Athletes Don't Own Their Tattoos. That's a Problem for Video Game Developers. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/style/tattoos-video-games.html
Licensing types. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/
Masnick, M. (n.d.). Who Owns The Copyright On A Tattoo? Retrieved from https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110408/03173713822/who-owns-copyright-tattoo.shtml
Pasquini, L. (2017, September 14). Getting Started with Copyright, Fair Use, The Public Domain, and Creative Commons. Retrieved from https://techknowtools.com/2017/09/14/copyright-creative-commons/
Tauras, L. (2017, July 08). Tattoo Copycats. Retrieved from https://backinktime.com/tattoo-copycats/
Why your tattoo may leave you open to a copyright infringement lawsuit. (2016, August 08). Retrieved from https://www.rawstory.com/2016/08/copyright-and-trademark-laws-mean-your-tattoo-may-leave-you-open-to-an-infringement-lawsuit/

Adams, C. (2017, November 29). Can I legally get myself tattooed with a pro sports team's logo? Retrieved from        http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2990/can-i-legally-get-myself-tattooed-with-a-pro-sports-teams-logo/

Alexa L. Nickow, Getting Down to (Tattoo) Business: Copyright Norms and Speech Protections for Tattooing, 20 Mich. Telecomm. & Tech. L. Rev. 183 (2013). Available at: http://repository.law.umich.edu/mttlr/vol20/iss1/5

Barnett, J. (2010). The Illusion of the Commons. Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 25(4), 1751-1816. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2411861

Bradley, T. (2012). ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS LAW: THE COPYRIGHT IMPLICATIONS OF TATTOOS. GPSolo, 29(5), 68-69. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23630784BunnyClaws. (2019, February 15). Tattoo Copying: What's the Big Deal? Retrieved from https://tatring.com/getting-tattooed/Tattoo-Copying-Whats-The-Big-Deal

Entertainment, L. (2018, August 28). LeBron James Testifies In Tattoo Case That Could Establish Precedent. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2018/08/27/lebron-james-testifies-n-tattoo-case-that-could-establish-precedent/#cae53fe7d3d3

Gershman, J. (2014, June 17). Athletes' Tattoo Artists File Copyright Suits, Leaving Indelible Mark. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/athletes-tattoo-artists-want-more-skin-in-the-game-1402972074?mobile=y

Gladwell, H. (2017, July 29). Stop taking tattoo ideas from Pinterest and Instagram. Retrieved from https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/18/stop-taking-tattoo-ideas-from-pinterest-and-instagram-6787727/

Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html

Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html

Jason. (2018, December 27). Athletes Don't Own Their Tattoos. That's a Problem for Video Game Developers. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/style/tattoos-video-games.html

Licensing types. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/

Masnick, M. (n.d.). Who Owns The Copyright On A Tattoo? Retrieved from https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110408/03173713822/who-owns-copyright-tattoo.shtml

Pasquini, L. (2017, September 14). Getting Started with Copyright, Fair Use, The Public Domain, and Creative Commons. Retrieved from https://techknowtools.com/2017/09/14/copyright-creative-commons/

Sicuso, P., & Miranda, A. B. (n.d.). Judge Rules Copyright Tattoo Over Tattoo Use in Video Game Can Proceed. Retrieved from https://www.bgdlegal.com/blog/judge-rules-copyright-lawsuit-over-tattoo-use#page=1

Tauras, L. (2017, July 08). Tattoo Copycats. Retrieved from https://backinktime.com/tattoo-copycats/

Tushnet, R. (2007). Payment in Credit: Copyright Law and Subcultural Creativity. Law and Contemporary Problems, 70(2), 135-174. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27592184

U.S. Copyright Office. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.copyright.gov/title17/

Why your tattoo may leave you open to a copyright infringement lawsuit. (2016, August 08). Retrieved from https://www.rawstory.com/2016/08/copyright-and-trademark-laws-mean-your-tattoo-may-leave-you-open-to-an-infringement-lawsuit/

Adams, C. (2017, November 29). Can I legally get myself tattooed with a pro sports team's logo? Retrieved from http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2990/can-i-legally-get-myself-tattooed-with-a-pro-sports-teams-logo/
BunnyClaws. (2019, February 15). Tattoo Copying: What's the Big Deal? Retrieved from https://tatring.com/getting-tattooed/Tattoo-Copying-Whats-The-Big-Deal
Entertainment, L. (2018, August 28). LeBron James Testifies In Tattoo Case That Could Establish Precedent. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2018/08/27/lebron-james-testifies-n-tattoo-case-that-could-establish-precedent/#cae53fe7d3d3
Gershman, J. (2014, June 17). Athletes' Tattoo Artists File Copyright Suits, Leaving Indelible Mark. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/athletes-tattoo-artists-want-more-skin-in-the-game-1402972074?mobile=y
Gladwell, H. (2017, July 29). Stop taking tattoo ideas from Pinterest and Instagram. Retrieved from https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/18/stop-taking-tattoo-ideas-from-pinterest-and-instagram-6787727/
Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html
Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html
Jason. (2018, December 27). Athletes Don't Own Their Tattoos. That's a Problem for Video Game Developers. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/style/tattoos-video-games.html
Licensing types. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/
Masnick, M. (n.d.). Who Owns The Copyright On A Tattoo? Retrieved from https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110408/03173713822/who-owns-copyright-tattoo.shtml
Pasquini, L. (2017, September 14). Getting Started with Copyright, Fair Use, The Public Domain, and Creative Commons. Retrieved from https://techknowtools.com/2017/09/14/copyright-creative-commons/
Tauras, L. (2017, July 08). Tattoo Copycats. Retrieved from https://backinktime.com/tattoo-copycats/
Why your tattoo may leave you open to a copyright infringement lawsuit. (2016, August 08). Retrieved from https://www.rawstory.com/2016/08/copyright-and-trademark-laws-mean-your-tattoo-may-leave-you-open-to-an-infringement-lawsuit/
Adams, C. (2017, November 29). Can I legally get myself tattooed with a pro sports team's logo? Retrieved from http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2990/can-i-legally-get-myself-tattooed-with-a-pro-sports-teams-logo/
BunnyClaws. (2019, February 15). Tattoo Copying: What's the Big Deal? Retrieved from https://tatring.com/getting-tattooed/Tattoo-Copying-Whats-The-Big-Deal
Entertainment, L. (2018, August 28). LeBron James Testifies In Tattoo Case That Could Establish Precedent. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalentertainment/2018/08/27/lebron-james-testifies-n-tattoo-case-that-could-establish-precedent/#cae53fe7d3d3
Gershman, J. (2014, June 17). Athletes' Tattoo Artists File Copyright Suits, Leaving Indelible Mark. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/athletes-tattoo-artists-want-more-skin-in-the-game-1402972074?mobile=y
Gladwell, H. (2017, July 29). Stop taking tattoo ideas from Pinterest and Instagram. Retrieved from https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/18/stop-taking-tattoo-ideas-from-pinterest-and-instagram-6787727/
Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html
Heisig, E. (2019, March 21). LeBron James' tattoo artist moves forward in lawsuit against NBA 2K makers Take-Two Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/lebron-james-tattoo-artist-moves-forward-in-lawsuit-against-nba-2k-makers-take-two-interactive.html
Jason. (2018, December 27). Athletes Don't Own Their Tattoos. That's a Problem for Video Game Developers. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/style/tattoos-video-games.html
Licensing types. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/
Masnick, M. (n.d.). Who Owns The Copyright On A Tattoo? Retrieved from https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110408/03173713822/who-owns-copyright-tattoo.shtml
Pasquini, L. (2017, September 14). Getting Started with Copyright, Fair Use, The Public Domain, and Creative Commons. Retrieved from https://techknowtools.com/2017/09/14/copyright-creative-commons/
Tauras, L. (2017, July 08). Tattoo Copycats. Retrieved from https://backinktime.com/tattoo-copycats/
Why your tattoo may leave you open to a copyright infringement lawsuit. (2016, August 08). Retrieved from https://www.rawstory.com/2016/08/copyright-and-trademark-laws-mean-your-tattoo-may-leave-you-open-to-an-infringement-lawsuit/

 

Image Use

All images that have been included and used can be clicked upon and linked to its original site, or are of Public Domain. 

Disclaimer

This LibGuide was created for the purpose of exploring the complexities of copyright law relative to tattooing as an art form. It contains information, research, and links to resources about copyright. The information provided here should NOT be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, please consult an attorney.