Can an artist sue over a virtual tattoo? Its complicated

Tattoos are an integral part of many athletes’ images, from singular designs like Mike Tyson’s face tattoo to Kenyon Martin’s or David Beckham’s extensive collections. But as those images get translated into video game form, some artists aren’t happy.

Over the past several years, the creators of two major sports titles have fought protracted lawsuits over their right to use tattoos on avatars of players without paying a fee to the person behind the tattoo. Late last week, one of those suits went to a jury, ending with a payout to the artist. It’s not a clean win for either side, but it does offer a fascinating case of how complicated tattoos and copyright really are.

The athlete here is pro wrestler Randy Orton, a long-running character...

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