[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-255916-105":53,"doc-detail-255916-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":119,"head_meta":121,"extra_data":123,"updated_unix":125},105,"en","inky-ambiguity-of-tattoo-copyrights-addressing-the-silence-of-us-copyright-law-on-tattooed-works","Inky Ambiguity of Tattoo Copyrights - Addressing the Silence of U.S. Copyright Law on Tattooed Works","","Examines how U.S. copyright law leaves tattooed works in a state of uncertainty, especially when tattoos appear through celebrity depictions in modern media. Analyzes the tension created by applying existing statutory categories to tattooed celebrity athletes, musicians, and actors, while weighing competing interests of tattoo artists, entertainment companies, and the tattooed individuals themselves. Identifies limitations in current doctrine, including challenges to fitting tattoos within general copyright rules and the “works made for hire” framework, and proposes clearer legal treatment.",{"@graph":63,"@context":118},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/inky-ambiguity-of-tattoo-copyrights-addressing-the-silence-of-us-copyright-law-on-tattooed-works/255916/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/inky-ambiguity-of-tattoo-copyrights-addressing-the-silence-of-us-copyright-law-on-tattooed-works/255916.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Noah","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-27","2026-09-13",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":8},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"Why does U.S. copyright law create ambiguity for tattooed works?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"Because courts have not clearly addressed whether tattoos fit existing copyright categories, leaving tattooed depictions uncertain under current doctrine.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What competing interests does the Note consider?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"It weighs the interests of tattoo artists, entertainment companies, and the tattooed celebrity individuals when determining which party copyright law should favor.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What solutions does the Note propose?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"It argues for a definitive ruling that tattoos are copyrightable and suggests proposed statutory additions to incorporate tattoos into the existing copyright law framework.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":120,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":122,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":124,"site_id":56},255916,1790431938,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":127},{"doc_id":124,"user_id":128,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":8,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":20},8796095462418,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/80000253c1241d02b47?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1778826106357471780","The Inky Ambiguity of Tattoo Copyrights: Addressing the Silence of U.S. Copyright Law on Tattooed Works  \nArianna D. Chronis*  \nI. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................1484  \nII. COPYRIGHT LAW, TATTOOS, AND CELEBRITY PORTRAYAL IN VARIOUS MEDIA ......................................................................1486  \nA. BACKGROUND ON GENERAL COPYRIGHT LAW.........................1486  \nB. THE COPYRIGHTABILITY OF TATTOOS ....................................1494  \nC. SPARK OF LITIGATION SURROUNDING DEPICTIONS OF TATTOOED CELEBRITIES....................................................1497  \nD. SOLID OAK SKETCHES, LLC V. 2K GAMES, INC...................1499  \nIII. ISSUES ARISING FROM CONTINUED AMBIGUITY, DIFFICULTY FITTING TATTOOS WITHIN EXISTING LAW, AND COMPETING INTERESTS ..............................................1506  \nA. DIFFICULTIES CREATED BY AMBIGUITYAND THE STRUGGLE TO FIT TATTOOS WITHIN EXISTING COPYRIGHT STATUTES...........................................................1506  \nB. BALANCING THE INTERESTS OF THE TATTOO ARTIST,  \nTHE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANIES, AND THE TATTOOED HUMAN IN DETERMINING WHO TATTOO COPYRIGHT LAW SHOULD FAVOR .............................................................1507  \n1. The Creator: Tattoo Artists.........................................1507  \n2. The Canvas: Inked Celebrity Athletes, Musicians, and Actors .................................................1509  \n3. The Industry: Entertainment Companies ................. 1512  \nIV. A PROPOSED SOLUTION TO CLEARY ESTABLISH TATTOOS WITHIN COPYRIGHT LAW ............................................................1513  \nA. A DEFINITIVE COURT RULING THAT TATTOOS ARE COPYRIGHTABLE ...................................................................1514  \n* J.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2019; B.A., English, The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 2016.  \n1484 IOWA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 104:1483  \nB. PROPOSED STATUTORY ADDITIONS TO INCLUDE TATTOOS IN EXISTING COPYRIGHT LAW FRAMEWORK.............1514  \nC. AN ALTERNATIVE, UNWORKABLE SOLUTION:  \nFITTING TATTOOS WITHIN THE “WORKS MADE FOR HIRE ”DOCTRINE ..................................................................1517  \nV. CONCLUSION .............................................................................. 1520  \nI. INTRODUCTION  \nAlthough the law of copyrights is a well-established and codified field, there are a handful of innovative sub-categories that remain ambiguous and unaddressed by courts in the United States. Due to an ever-changing, rapidly evolving society, new areas grow and become prevalent enough to create unforeseen issues as the law struggles to catch up. One incredibly topical example, and the focus of this Note, is the application of copyright law to tattoos, specifically in the context of their depiction on celebrities in various forms of media.1  \nProfessor Yolanda M. King2 briefly describes the societal pattern and impact of the growth and change in attitude toward tattoos:  \nAt one time, tattoo artists and individuals with tattoos were associated with criminals, men in the military, or risqué underground social classes. Today, a young generation enjoys the acquisition of symbolic body art. The demand for tattoo art has transformed the nature of consumerism in this industry, and is therefore changing the perception of the industry and the appeal of its artwork in the eyes of the media and other businesses.3  \n1. The entertainment outlet that this Note focuses primarily on and provides a major case example of is video games. However, the Note also frequently addresses film in its discussions of tattoo copyright issues.  \n2. Professor Yolanda M. King is currently an Associate Professor of Law at the Northern Illinois University (“NIU”) College of Law where she teaches entertainment law and other intellectual property law-related courses. Yolanda M. King, N. ILL. U. C. L., [https://","cbCairZBzn4uqhWQ","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCairZBzn4uqhWQ","pdf",313695,39,"English","# INTRODUCTION\n## COPYRIGHT LAW, TATTOOS, AND CELEBRITY PORTRAYAL IN VARIOUS MEDIA\n## ISSUES ARISING FROM CONTINUED AMBIGUITY, DIFFICULTY FITTING TATTOOS WITHIN EXISTING LAW, AND COMPETING INTERESTS\n## A PROPOSED SOLUTION TO CLEARY ESTABLISH TATTOOS WITHIN COPYRIGHT LAW\n## CONCLUSION","[{\"question\":\"Why does U.S. copyright law create ambiguity for tattooed works?\",\"answer\":\"Because courts have not clearly addressed whether tattoos fit existing copyright categories, leaving tattooed depictions uncertain under current doctrine.\"},{\"question\":\"What competing interests does the Note consider?\",\"answer\":\"It weighs the interests of tattoo artists, entertainment companies, and the tattooed celebrity individuals when determining which party copyright law should favor.\"},{\"question\":\"What solutions does the Note propose?\",\"answer\":\"It argues for a definitive ruling that tattoos are copyrightable and suggests proposed statutory additions to incorporate tattoos into the existing copyright law framework.\"}]","Inky Ambiguity of Tattoo Copyrights - Addressing the Silence of U.S. Copyright Law on Tattooed Works | PDF",1789295239]