Are Tattoos "art"?

[brightwater03]

Are "tattoo artists" really artists? Do any art schools teach this? Based on the number of people getting tattoos there seems to be an explosion in the business.

What happens if you pay to have the oriental characters for "I'm an artist" tattooed on your forehead and find out later it says:" Chicken Chow Mein"?

I'm also posting this on a brand new forum on www.salestipsforartists.com. Drop by and comment or start a new thread.

Dick Harrison

[BadGeometry]

There's no question of the fact that it's art. Now, whether it's art or Art with a capital, as Kev Ferrara puts it, is an entirely different story.

[drd]

Oh yes. What is the difference between inking skin and inking paper? None, at least not to me.

I have seen beautiful work done by tattoo artists.

[markz]

What happens if you pay to have the oriental characters for "I'm an artist" tattooed on your forehead and find out later it says:" Chicken Chow Mein"?

If someone is, let us say, uneducated enough, or hasn't done the research about something they are having permanently tattooed on their face, then I would equate that to someone wanting to buy an expensive piece of art because it would look good over their couch or it "goes" with their color scheme. They deserve exactly what they get and hopefully it costs them double.

[JonZ_]

Oh yes. What is the difference between inking skin and inking paper? None, at least not to me.

I have seen beautiful work done by tattoo artists.

eh? I don't know what you mean by that but inking paper is far different with inking a skin. From my experience inking a skin is very different even more difficult and impredictable. Most of the tattooers Ive dealt with have no basic knowledge of art and drawing skills. They have however a good sense of observations and have good practice with the inking technique, even if they apply a lineart on the skin before putting the needle in it. The tattooers in my opinion are hardly an artist but more of a technician, unless he create his own tattoos. The person who did the tattoo illustration itself is more the artist in the case.

[Jacob Kobryn]

My art teacher from last year's husband was an amazing tattoo artist, amazing painter, and excellent drawer. He was skilled in all forms of art. It was awesome!
In one simple answer: YES!!!
Jake

[Elwell]

What happens if you pay to have the oriental characters for "I'm an artist" tattooed on your forehead and find out later it says:" Chicken Chow Mein"?

Justice.

[jadefoodog]

Are "tattoo artists" really artists? Do any art schools teach this? Based on the number of people getting tattoos there seems to be an explosion in the business.

What happens if you pay to have the oriental characters for "I'm an artist" tattooed on your forehead and find out later it says:" Chicken Chow Mein"?

I'm also posting this on a brand new forum on www.salestipsforartists.com. Drop by and comment or start a new thread.

Dick Harrison

google

guy achinson
aaron cain
brandon bond
joshua carlton

theres a large number of tattoo artist with their work in many art galleries and even some that own art galleries

[jadefoodog]

eh? I don't know what you mean by that but inking paper is far different with inking a skin. From my experience inking a skin is very different even more difficult and impredictable. Most of the tattooers Ive dealt with have no basic knowledge of art and drawing skills. They have however a good sense of observations and have good practice with the inking technique, even if they apply a lineart on the skin before putting the needle in it. The tattooers in my opinion are hardly an artist but more of a technician, unless he create his own tattoos. The person who did the tattoo illustration itself is more the artist in the case.

the people your talking about are a dying breed to be a successful tattoo artist in todays market you need to be a competant artist a whole lot of people nowadays do not want something off the wall or out of a book they want something custom so they can have it for their own and be the only person with that tattoo people dont want tattoos they want works of art

[brightwater03]

Great comments all! Does anyone here know how tattoos are priced - per square inch, by the hour, where it's placed on the body? If a gallery owner buys a tattoo, does he or she get a "trade discount?"
Please add your comment in the forum on: www.salestipsforartists.com, and feel free to start a new topic or ask a question about how to sell your own art.
Dick Harrison
PS: I've posted two articles about raising swans - a great "backyard biz" for artists who want to raise their own models - also a slideshow of David and Bathsheba and the cygnets.

[tomwaits4noman]

yeah its body art....
as with everything there are examples of good art and bad art

[Brendan N]

There's no question of the fact that it's art. Now, whether it's art or Art with a capital, as Kev Ferrara puts it, is an entirely different story.

It would, for all it aims and purposes, for the most part rather be art than Art, but since there is no real clear cut distinction between the two, and since there are artist out there doing really interesting stuff with this, the question of whether it's art or Art really is inapplicable imho. Besides, who cares?

[BadGeometry]

eh? I don't know what you mean by that but inking paper is far different with inking a skin.

I think you misunderstood what drd meant.

Yes, from a technical standpoint, inking skin and inking paper are entirely different, and you did a good job at explaining it.

Drd meant that in seeing both of them as art, they are not different.
For instance, murals and paint on canvas are the same in that they are considered art. I hope the way I explained it makes sense.

It would, for all it aims and purposes, for the most part rather be art than Art, but since there is no real clear cut distinction between the two, and since there are artist out there doing really interesting stuff with this, the question of whether it's art or Art really is inapplicable imho. Besides, who cares?

Point taken. :P

[steve kim]

Justice.

i lol'd

[JonZ_]

the people your talking about are a dying breed to be a successful tattoo artist in todays market you need to be a competant artist a whole lot of people nowadays do not want something off the wall or out of a book they want something custom so they can have it for their own and be the only person with that tattoo people dont want tattoos they want works of art

Not true. A Tattooer can get as well custom illustration jobs done by a freelancer artist on his arm while he perform at the needle, and it tend to be more that way nowadays.

[drd]

eh? I don't know what you mean by that but inking paper is far different with inking a skin. From my experience inking a skin is very different even more difficult and impredictable. Most of the tattooers Ive dealt with have no basic knowledge of art and drawing skills. They have however a good sense of observations and have good practice with the inking technique, even if they apply a lineart on the skin before putting the needle in it. The tattooers in my opinion are hardly an artist but more of a technician, unless he create his own tattoos. The person who did the tattoo illustration itself is more the artist in the case.

Is not arranging lines onto a surface to represent something art?

They're artists as far as I'm concerned.

[Darryl_Holmes]

yeah, if they can create something that is beautiful then it is art, no matter what it is made from or based on it is art.

[Silverwing]

Being someone who has an extensive tattoo (over my back) I can happily say that I definately think tattoo artists are 'Artists'. More so than the jerks at the last exhibition I went to where they were charging £5 a head to see a gorilla suit draped over a yellow piece of wood.

In fact my tattoo is a colabiration of my own art (pardon my spelling), which the tattooist transferred on to my back, and his. I'm currently saving up for getting more colour and some more design work added on to it as I want it to extend to the top of my shoulders. This time though I'm going to let the tattooist do all the work, sadly I have no time to do it myself.

Custom tattoos are definately what most people want now, I was looking at a career in flash art and its dead in the water!

[steiner116]

I have to say yes, it is an art.
Although that doesnt always make the tattooist an artist!!

[pvrhye]

This is pretty obviously just a spam add for that forum rather than a legitimate question, but since it turned into a legitimate discussion... here's my 2 cents.

Tattoo is a medium. A Tattoo is not inherently art (insert random sci-fi dystopian example in lieu of the one that would Godwin the thread), but just as paint or a pencil can be capable of producing art.

[ReCreate]

Tattoo is a medium. A Tattoo is not inherently art (insert random sci-fi dystopian example in lieu of the one that would Godwin the thread), but just as paint or a pencil can be capable of producing art.

I deffinately agree with you. Yet I feel this medium should be supported more by art schools because of its booming popularity.

[brightwater03]

Hi,
Back again to add a thought to the original post and would like comments.
As soon as you, the artist, create a work of art you own the copyright.

Even if the art is sold you still own the copyright to the original and can produce "derivative" works, such as prints, etc. unless you also sell the copyright in a separate transaction.

Here are the questions, who own all rights, including the right to use the tattoo design for other purposes? You or the tattoo artist? If it's the tattoo artist and he wants to publish a giclee print of the art on your butt, can he force you to be photographed?

Do you know any tattoo artists who give their clients a legal release to the copyright for original art they create on their bodies?

If you have a tattoo and have it photographed and printed as a giclee can the tattoo artist sue you or claim damages?

There are many questions artists and art buyers never ask - but should. I don't know the answer to the questions above, but will try to find out.

There's a great deal you should know on www.salestipsforartists.com (no charge for any of it) and I've just added a podcast about the best artist/gallery contract I've ever run across - along with a sample contract to print out.

Dick Harrison

[Silverwing]

Dude, this feels like you are just advertising those links you put up.
PMing me the exact post above just made me grumpy, it did not make me click on your link. If you want to PM me with questions about tattoos at least treat me like a fellow person, not like a statistic that you can send your bumf too!

Apologies for the rant, but it really annoys me when people don't appear to really want answers, just to pimp out their wares!

[JonZ_]

haha I have exactly the same thing

[Elwell]

Dick,
Since Silverwing, JonZ, and I all got the same same PM, can I assume you mass PMed everyone who had posted in this thread?
Bad form.

[lumar]

its art but you dont have to like it huh

[Jacob Kobryn]

I know this is an old thread but does anyone know of a tattoo artist named Joe Lenard or something like that. He's my old art teachers husband and I can't remember his name.