art ownership

[Mel Noir]

Yeah, definitely not as tattoo flash, haha. I just don't really like it, myself. I can see it's definitely better than the crap I can do, don't get me wrong, but I guess I just don't like it as a personal preference thing. At the minute, I've realised that it's kind of a rare thing to see something that's "tattoo inspired" that's actually good, though. Loads of people out there are just drawing crappy copies of old flash and putting it in artwork, clothes and jewellery- a very small percentage is stuff I'd actually give my money to.

[Bubbleberry]

I guess I try to treat others as I wish to be treated, and allow everyone to live life by their own rules.

The new guy who posted his artwork was treated with disrespect, and it was far from necessary... he is just a kid, so who knows where his life will pan out, and how many tattoo's he will get, but perhaps its best we do not give him the idea that the tattoo community are a bunch of assholes, no matter how young and inexperienced he is ?

[Stewart Robson]

I know I'm late to the party with this.

I did find it interesting that that kid got shot down so inappropriately harshly while Ursula's embroidery was so well received.

Both were non-tattooers offering tattoo imagery for sale.

I'm not really a fan of the embroidered things but for me the difference was that smiling.politely was playing 'our' game. Tattooers paint tattoo imagery based on the designs we have practiced and/or developed for years.

Ursula is using traditional tattoo imagery, pretty much straight from old flash but in a different medium. Most tattooers don't embroider and it doesn't really have a place in tattooing or it's history. It's a different game, so it's not disrespectful to professionals who work hard to produce a high-quality version of the same thing. It came across as kind of quaint and hobby-ish - I mean no disrespect by that.

[Ursula]

I agree fully that one of the reasons my stuff is better received is because it's something different.

If you google "tattoo embroidery" there are tons of people who do it. The difference is I've done my homework (and still do). I've spent the years learning about things like how to do starts and dots and where to put the black. I've also spent years working on my skills as a needleworker.

That guy's painting was painted decent it's the composition and drawing skills that are lacking for me. I am not the best at drawing either which is why I tend to stick with good flash when I'm doing tattoo style stuff. There's no reason to change a Rollo design, it's already bad ass. I've also done stuff where the composition turned out horrible but I don't post those things for the public to see and I don't sell them. All my fails go into a binder so I can look back and learn.

The reason I make these things is because I am driven to. Sewing in all it's forms is a compulsion for me. I can't sleep at night because I'm thinking about thread.

The reason why I make things based on tattoo imagery is because it's bad fucking ass. I am heavily tattooed, and always have been interested in tattooing since I was young. I am marrying a tattooer and have worked in tattoo shops. It's pretty hard to be an artist and be around a certain type of art every day year after year and not be inspired. I do other types of work as well I just posted the tattoo stuff because well it fits the audience. I'm not ashamed to say that 99% of the art works I've sold were to tattooers.

I know I can't water colour for shit or use acrylics on anything other then fabric so I wouldn't even try. I have no desire to paint so I don't. If I did paint I'm sure I'd be painting some tattoo stuff too.

p.s. stewart i hope i didn't come off as mad at you don't apologize for not liking my stuff after reading my post everyone is allowed to like or not like whatever they want

[Ursula]

actually there is one other person who does embroidery that is tattoo inspired and does it really well and that's Robert Ryan's lady who's name is escaping me at the moment. her stuff is done freehand by machine and it's really really nice too.

[Mel Noir]

Ursula, when you remember could you share the name, please? I really like what you do, so it'd be cool to see some more!

[Ursula]

Meghan McAleavy !

There you are Mel!

I havn't met her in person but I've heard she's rad

[Mel Noir]

Thank you Ursula, you rock! Wow, Meghan's work is really cool too- oh crap, I can see tattoo-themed embroidery becoming another money-hole for me, this is all beautiful :)