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Old 06-26-2009, 02:49 PM
BRANDON BOND's Avatar
BRANDON BOND BRANDON BOND is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Atlanta GA
Posts: 7,876
Default BOOTLEGING tattoo seminars and a SALE to fight it

A message from Brandon Bond:

If you are a licenced tattoo artist, and you purchase a tattoo seminar, purchase it from the artist directly, and don't share it, resell it, copy it, bootleg it, or otherwise. For real! You would not believe the mail we have been getting about this exact topic, we have been flooded.

Beware of ebay, craigslist, and similar venues. There are multiple people selling bootleg copies and fraudulent copies of seminars. Some have gone as far as to FORGE my signature on them claiming they are "autographed". This is not only disrespectful, but illegal, as well as bad for the industry as a whole. These DVDs in many cases are not even the same material we are selling, or they are low quality, or entirely different footage. We have even received reports of blank DVDs being packaged as ours and sold with NO footage whatsoever on them.



These photos on this specific auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130314619529 - that is a different cover than the actual DVD, and that is NOT my signature. Not even close.

There is also an issue of those artists who have purchased DVDs from myself, Nikko, Joshua Carlton, and Nate Beavers, and then somehow decide to resell them to the highest bidder. Leaving the artists who originated this information completely out of the mix, in other words, for example, if you resell a DVD that Joshua sold directly to you, you are sharing his information without him being compensated for it. Taking money out of his families mouth, and sharing information that he sold to YOU. This is worse than bootlegging discs of pirated flash, and is completely disrespectful. It is not the same thing as purchasing a copy of "Finding Nemo" and reselling it. This is tattooing, this is information, and this information is dangerous in the wrong hands. Which is why we specifically check every single order that goes out, all of us do. It is OUR information, not yours to resell simply because you watched it and your broke. By the way, if you did watch these videos and your still broke, maybe you should watch em again! hahaha, because the information inside these discs will inevitably make you money if you apply the techniques.

I say this not to seem b1tc4y or upset, but more so to educate everyone on what is the real story here.

I have personally contacted many people attempting to resell our DVDs and 100% of them had no idea what they were doing was an issue, so we are announcing this broadly, and DISCOUNTING my own seminar series to make it accessible to everyone, without having to buy a fraudulent copy or otherwise.

When we created "The Whole Enchilada" tattoo seminar series on DVD, it was because I was teaching seminars at conventions and was having trouble cramming all of the information people wanted into only an hour or so. We were blowing through so much information so rapidly in a live setting that the artists were having difficulty retaining all of it. The obvious answer was to film it, so that artists could rewind, pause, and review the material repeatedly.

Now, there are many DVDs like it, several from artists who worked with us here in Atlanta, at All or Nothing. Nate Beavers, and Joshua Carlton for example, both of whom I have collaborated with multiple times, both of whom are amazing tattooers. Both of whom are obviously also concerned about this issue. These guys made these DVDs independantly, and deserve to be compensated every single time a disc changes hands.

We never anticipated that artists who purchased our seminars would exploit the information, copy it, upload it, bootleg it and go as far as to even FORGE autographed signatures on low quality copies to resell them. A tattoo seminar DVD is SOLEY for the artist who purchases it, we printed extremely low quantities so that we could control where these items ended up. In Liscenced tattoo artists hands ONLY. Not for resell, or distribution. This is why you do not see my seminars for sale by American tattoo supply companies, even though every single one has contacted us wanting to purchase bulk orders. We are controlling who gets them, because they are for tattooers, and only for tattooers. not to be resold or otherwise.

Thank you for reading this, I honestly hope this opens some eyes, and helps. There will be discontent and smack talking, and I understand and accept that. I genuinely appreciate those of you who have purchased my seminars, and continue to grow. The explosion of artwork I see in many of your portfolios is a testament to your own hard work, and ability to learn and apply concepts. No where on any of my stuff does it say that what I do is the "only way". It's not, but it is what worked for me, and it is working for many of you.

Respectfully,

Brandon Bond
www.allornothingtattoo.com

Here are some testimonials from those who purchased the seminar series the right way, from www.strangleholdmerch.com :

Okay, so I got my copy in and it was Badass! It was just as awesome as I had hoped it would be. My first convention after watching it I won 1st place in large female color, 2nd in large male color, and 3rd in best sleeve. These are the first awards I have ever won and it feels awesome! My point is, I probably wouldn't have been confident or motivated enough to do this stuff if your videos wouldn't have "lit a fire under my ass". So thanks again Brandon, and I'll see you around.

John Casey (Tattoo artist, Augusta, GA)
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Brandon,
The Whole Enchilada VOL 2 is just as dope as the first, want proof? I just returned from the Fall Philly Tattoo Convention with an award in best Oriental Piece. With a little hard work and creativity anyone can achieve great success!!!

-Jersey Jay Wymbs
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I received my copy of Whole Enchilada several months ago and it's changed, not merely my tattooing, but my vantage point. As an artist, I see so much clearer now; divergent lessons learned over the years, glimpses of hidden truths came together in a moment after seeing the DVD. I Felt different the next day...powerful.
You are a great teacher, and I learned more from your video than all my years in art school.
I'm ready to do some great work,now, and I have a new respect for this great Art form that we do. And it is with thanks to you.
Yours, truly,
Jason Chengrian

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I just saw the DVDs and i really want to try out your blending of colors techniques. And i see now that I have to talk a lot more to the customer about the tattoo they are going to get. I have been trying some pieces out similar to Guy Aitchinson and he told me to use more depth but now seeing your DVD makes me realise that all i need is more black and make the colors blend better.
Thanks for all the info!

-Dutch Chris (tattoo artist)
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