Hey all, I apologize if this has been covered before, I couldn't find a thread on it. I'm looking for some advice - I'm considering publishing a coloring book for teens/adults through CreateSpace on Amazon with some of my tattoo designs. Many have been tattooed already, some are just new drawings that I may tattoo on my clients in the future should someone express interest. Another artist I work with suggested publishing a sketchbook to be sold only to other tattoo artists and such, but that really wasn't the point. I know many who are into the adult coloring book craze and more than one suggested I make a book of my own. It's meant for relaxing coloring- fun, pretty images that stand apart from the typical mandalas and patterns that many of these books are filled with. However, I'm wondering what rights I may have to those images, and if there's something I can do to help prevent people from having them tattooed by other artists as they are my designs. Obviously people bring in book references all the time and artists often tattoo them, but as this a book of my own work, is there maybe some kind of verbiage or language I could use asking people NOT to take my pictures to another artist? Amazon will sell them globally and as much as I would love to think most artists worth their salt would refuse to tattoo my designs, I'm not so naive to believe that is wholly preventable.
I've never done this before and while I'm not out to publish a best seller, (I'm just looking for some extra money to pay bills and such) I don't want to inadvertently damage myself by choosing more personal designs. I wanted a book that's different, that's personal to me that gave people another choice when it came to relaxing coloring while drinking wine or mimosas or whatever with their friends. Something a little different, pretty things that might inspire others to take coloring to another level rather than the more mundane coloring of simpler patterns.
I considered the sketchbook idea, but I'm not a well known artist and I don't think other artists would buy it when there are so many sketchbooks available by globally known, respected people. I'm not in a position to hand make my own books and attempt to sell them at craft fairs and flea markets, which is what I figure will have to happen to sell them on my own.
Does anyone have experience with this that might give me some enlightenment?
Once you print it, it is fair game. You can ask people to not reproduce, but there are tons of lower to mid level tattooers that are just looking to pay the rent. Just tattoo whatever clients bring them. Using a clients drawing in a commercial coloring book is dodgy. If one of my artists put one of my tattoos line drawings into a book, I would be pissed. Coloring book sounds like a great exercise to draw new designs, maybe try new subject matter or techniques. Treat it like a deluxe flash set and a great daily drawing exercise to complete the book.
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