Superstar tattoo artist speaks out over Kat Von D’s ‘first-of-its variety’ lawsuit earlier than she blacked out complete physique

A star tattoo artist has shared his ideas on the ‘first-of-its-kind’ lawsuit that Kat Von D was slapped with which led her to place down the tattoo gun for good.

Claudio Traina reckons that the two-year authorized battle, which the previous LA Ink star ended up embroiled in, was ‘ridiculous’ and in his opinion, it appeared like one thing of a ‘cash seize’.

For many who do not learn about how Von D’s courtroom conflict which resulted in her abandoning her profession as a tattoo artist, it began in 2017 when she inked a portrait on her pal freed from cost.

She etched a picture of jazz icon Miles Davis on her mate’s arm and photographer Jeff Sedlik ended up suing her for copyright infringement.

Within the ‘first-of-its-kind’ lawsuit, the school professor {and professional} snapper claimed that Von D had replicated a 1989 portrait he took of Davis with out giving him correct credit score or compensation.

The previous make-up mogul determined to ‘struggle’ Sedlik in court docket as she believed that if she merely rolled over, ‘the harm to the tattoo trade and different artists can be so immense, that she couldn’t reside with herself’.

“I misplaced weight, I misplaced hair, and I misplaced many nights of sleep over it,” Von D beforehand told Inked Journal. “As a lot as I knew this individual didn’t deserve a penny from me, there have been instances that I wished to settle simply to make it cease.

“I do know first-hand what it feels wish to be ripped off by individuals, and there’s not one a part of me that believes tattooing fan artwork is a criminal offense.”

A jury ended up ruling in her favour and the artist subsequently slammed Sedlik’s lawsuit as an effort to get ‘his quarter-hour of fame – and a fats pay cheque’…and Traina shares the identical sentiment.

The Italian tattoo artist and proprietor of the uber cool SixtyInk studio based mostly in Soho, London, has adorned the pores and skin of hundreds of his purchasers along with his bespoke paintings – together with stars akin to Yung Blud, Doja Cat, Kate Hudson and the late Lil Peep.

Traina spoke to LADbible about why he is on Von D’s facet and mentioned of the lawsuit lodged by Sedlik: “It’s ridiculous. Utilizing a photograph as reference for a sensible tattoo isn’t copyright infringement.

“After I studied artwork, that’s precisely what we had been educated to do: examine, reference, be taught from present photographs. It’s how artists have at all times labored.

“If that’s thought of unlawful, then each artwork scholar on this planet needs to be sued.”

Traina mentioned he could not fathom why Von D’s inking bought beneath Sedlik’s pores and skin and instructed that the photographer ought to have really taken her tattoo of Davis as a praise.

“On the finish of the day, this wasn’t about stealing, it was about paying tribute,” Traina continued. “Somebody wished to hold an iconic picture on their pores and skin, completely. That’s respect, not theft. To me, it appears like a cash seize.

“And it’s ironic, coming from an trade that images and earnings off individuals’s likenesses day by day with out consent.”

The 12 months after Von D’s 2019 court docket triumph, she opted to cowl up the vast majority of her tattoos by blacking them out, telling followers she had grow to be ‘fed up’ of them.

“I personally grew uninterested in waking as much as them, and seeing these fixed reminders each time I seemed in a mirror,” she mentioned on the time. “Additionally, I actually love the aesthetic.

“I do know it isn’t for everybody however it is extremely satisfying to me to see a clear slate once I look down onto my arms.”

In 2020, she sat for 17 periods which spanned over a course of just about 40 hours to hide the ‘landmarks in time’ that embellished her physique.

Rapper Machine Gun Kelly later adopted go well with for comparable causes, explaining he had numerous ‘chaotic’ designs on his pores and skin that not ‘resonated’ with him – so he bought rid by getting a blackout tattoo throughout most of his higher physique.

Explaining why he believes this had grow to be a well-liked pattern amongst each well-known faces and common of us, Traina advised LADbible: “Lots of my purchasers recently are protecting outdated tattoos, not as a result of they remorse being tattooed, however as a result of they’ve outgrown what these items meant. Individuals change. They evolve. Typically the paintings simply doesn’t signify who they’re anymore.

“If you’re closely tattooed, a blackout may be the only and most cohesive technique to begin once more.

“Take a look at Kat Von D, and even Machine Gun Kelly. My girlfriend did the identical factor; she wasn’t completely happy along with her outdated vibrant arm piece, so she blacked it out utterly.

“Why all black? As a result of it’s clear, highly effective, timeless. It nonetheless is a tattoo; the issue was by no means having tattoos, it was the topic.”

LADbible has contacted Sedlik for remark.