You’ve fallen completely in love with a piece of art and you want to get it as a tattoo? Awesome! Getting some amazing art tattooed is a great way to express your story and share what’s deeply meaningful to you. And when you come across a design or illustration that perfectly resonates with you and moves you so much that you know you’ll love it forever, getting it inked might be just the way to go.

But hang on a second. Before you head to your local tattoo artist, there’s something you should square away.

Do you have permission to use that art as a tattoo?

Why do you need permission to use existing artwork as a tattoo?

Just because an image is posted publicly online - such as Pinterest, Instagram, or anywhere else - doesn’t mean that it is fair game for anyone else to use in any way. That image is copyrighted. (Even if it doesn’t say it’s copyrighted.) Every artwork is owned by the artist who created it, and it’s also automatically copyrighted according to US and international laws.

That means that the artist automatically holds the rights to use that artwork and even if she chooses to put it online or sell it on products like stickers or prints, no one else can use it without written permission. So, unless you have specific permission from the artist, you have no right to use their art as a tattoo.

How do you get permission? Just ask! Most artists (myself included) will be honored that you love their work so much that you want it as a tattoo, and they’ll often be glad to give you permission when you ask them beforehand. Then you will have their permission in writing to show to your tattoo artist - and a good, reputable tattoo artist wouldn’t ink someone else’s design without such permission anyway!

What about payment?

When you contact the artist, he may ask for a fee or commission for you to use his art for a tattoo. If that sounds perfectly reasonable to you, then please feel free to skip this part, but if you don’t see why you should have to pay, then please read on.

Why should you pay for the use of art as a tattoo, when it’s just for personal use? Think of this: when you buy a book, isn’t it just for personal use? Yet the author deserves to be paid for their work in writing it. Likewise, when you buy a print of an illustration or painting to hang in your home, you pay for it, and the artist deserves to be paid.

It’s exactly the same when you find a design or sketch or illustration or painting which you love so much that you want it as a tattoo; the artist deserves to be paid for their excellent work.

So when you contact the artist to ask their permission, if he doesn’t ask for a fee or payment from you, then it would be a great idea to suggest it. Or at the very least, buy a print or something to show your appreciation and support their art. And of course, if you post photos of your amazing new ink online, be sure to tag the original artist, so they can see the final tattoo!