Tattoo artists receive payment for each tattoo they complete, but if they don't own their own studio, the studio owners will typically take a commission from each tattoo. The specific commission arrangement varies depending on the contract, with a common split being an even 50/50 between the studio and the artist.

We can start with a simple fact: The U.S. Copyright Office declares that any creative illustration fixed in a tangible medium is eligible for copyright. This means that while the actual tattoo is paid for by the athlete or celebrity, the copyright for the artwork is owned by the tattoo artist.