Valerie Vargas Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 A tattooer called Paul Cramman has been passing off my work, among others, off as his. He managed to get a job in Glasgow based on his stolen online portfolio. He has literally cropped my images right down, photoshopped the background off and put his name on them, this was not a thoughtless task. I'm livid, but less so than when I found out last night thanks to a friend in Scotland. I think it's important to bring this to everyone's attention, no one should be able to pass other people's work off as their own and go unreported. This guy claimed to have been tattooing 14 yrs yet not a single photo was his, he probably has never even held a tattoo machine. Something similar happened to my boss, the guy who taught me, years ago. He hired some guy over email who sent him an online portfolio filled with good solid tattoo work. He moved countries for the job and we found out within hours what a lie everything had been, he didnt even know how to set up a tattoo machine and was promptly fired. ALWAYS ALWAYS check up on artists looking for a job at your shop if you are a studio owner, don't just accept some emailed photos as someone's work, do your research, ask around, who last employed them for crying out loud! there are ways to check up on people. And for customers it goes without saying research your tattooer, check their work at the studio, google them, etc. It's not a nice thought knowing this sort of thing happens and puts customers at risk, and makes a mockery of any hard work tattooers put in. This guy in question has now been fired. Steve and hogg 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Varty Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'm sorry that someone is ripping off your work. It is absolutely a shame and leaves a sour taste in my mouth. If you can't work hard enough to develope your own skills, why would you work so hard to steal someone elses work. It is immoral, unprofessional, and of questionable standards. Absolute horse shit. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54830 Share on other sites More sharing options...
gougetheeyes Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Always amazed with stories like this. Dude will fucking get his one day! Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54831 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatB Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I googled his name and the shop still has the stolen/fraudulent portfolio on their website and your lady heads basically scream "Valerie Vargas made me!" so I'm surprised anyone would try to pass your work off as their own. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54833 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugilist Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 This sucks and I'm glad he was caught. What I always tell my students re: plagiarism is that just as the Internet makes it so easy to just grab someone else's work these days, it also makes it so much easier to catch people. And yet folks still try to get away with it. hogg 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54835 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CultExciter Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Ugh, Valerie. Ridiculous. I hope he doesn't get the chance to mary anyone up with his bogus ability. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54836 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylegrey Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 @Stefan Johnsson I recognise a wolf-head thats blatantly yours amongst the stuff he's passing off as his portfolio . tatB 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54837 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Switchblade Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 This totally sucks.....I hate when i hear about this kind of thing happening! Is it being "handled" Valerie??? On a side note.....my bestie is in London this week...not too far from the shop! Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54838 Share on other sites More sharing options...
reverend1 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Scumbag Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 One that was pretty clearly stolen from Angelique Houtkamp as well. What a fucking scumbag. hogg 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54840 Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaincabinet Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Did the guy really think no-one would recognise some of these tattoos?! I just can't imagine what the guy expected to acheive in the long term. tatB 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54842 Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarapressey Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 That's terrible! I am glad you are letting everyone know about this guy. He does not deserve to call himself a tattooer. That's terrifying to think people likely went to this guy unaware of what he was doing. Ugh. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54844 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Switchblade Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 The portfolio is gone from the website! ;) CultExciter 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54849 Share on other sites More sharing options...
EzRider Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Liar and a thief....Doesn't get much lower. Glad he was caught and fired. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54850 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yes a liar, thief and stupid if he thought he could get away with stealing such a renowned tattoo artists work. EzRider 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54854 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Someone needs an asskicking. RoryQ and slayer9019 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54857 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 first thing tomorrow I'll order a cool tat-kit from china, steal someones pictures and email them to cool studios where i'd love to work!!! i mean, how hard can it be to actually tattoo someone? CultExciter, captaincabinet and hogg 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54859 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Someone needs an asskicking. It's Glasgow, not hard to get much worse than that there. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54860 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delicious Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 ugh fuck that guy... seriously, how did anyone even believe it? You can spot a Valerie Vargas tattoo almost immeadiately! Same with the others that he took, all so recognizable in style it seems so lazy just to photoshop every thing the way you want it... I hate thieves. Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54861 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 It's Glasgow, not hard to get much worse than that there. Good. Nothing like an old-fashioned boot party to get a yobbo's mind right. Jack 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54879 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileyJunior Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I think we had the same guy email us at old town tattoo in edinburgh. we gave it a pass because there are a few sheets of your flash in the shop and we just thought he was copying your work not stealing it. He will be getting what is coming to him soon no doubt. ill spread this around up here and i hope this grade a douche is out on his arse soon. Woody, Delicious and RoryQ 3 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-54935 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Yarian Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 What a shame slayer9019 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-55081 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinm Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Tim Hendricks was on Twitter a few days ago complaining of the same thing, is this a common problem for top artists? slayer9019 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-55432 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Tarinelli Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Ive had pics stolen out of my Portfolio and reported to have been seen in some piece of shit hacks book the next city over. I'm sorry this happened to you its super frustrating to say the least. Its one thing to be out in public and see your custom work flat out plagiarized on a another person, which has also happened in my former home town, but stealing pics and claiming other work as your won deserves old school justice. Bring back Spiderweb's tactics, lol J.k kinda. gougetheeyes and slayer9019 2 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-55509 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 If it's any consolation, this LST thread is now the first result in google for the phrase 'Paul Cramman Tattoo' https://www.google.com/search?q=Paul+Cramman+tattoo&pws=0 ..above his own facebook page.. Delicious, Pugilist, slayer9019 and 8 others 11 Quote Link to comment https://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/t/3203-a-tattooer-called-paul-cramman-has-been-passing-my-work-off-as-his/#findComment-55627 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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