We’re half-way through the year, so now’s a good time to check in on what’s popular this year when it comes to tattoos.
Obviously, some of these trends aren’t new, but for one reason or another have become very popular recently.
Micro Tattoos
We have previously talked about micro tattoos, and how they have become popular in recent years, but 2018 has seen a massive increase in their popularity.
These simple, elegant and small tattoos are attractive to people for several reasons. Their size means the time taken to complete and heal is minimal and, if need be, they can be covered up easily.
Micro tattoos are usually black and white, with a simplistic, linear design, making them perfect for those who want to test the water for their first tattoo.
Watercolour tattoos
When done right, watercolour tattoos can look awesome, which explains their rise in popularity recently. But they’re tricky, and they need a good tattoo artist to get right. The biggest criticism of this style is their longevity; because of the lighter shading and pigmentation, they tend to fade quicker than traditional tattoos with their bolder lines and block colours.
Blackout tattoos
Originating from people simply covering up their unwanted tattoos, blackout tattoos have been the surprise of 2018.
First popularised by Singaporean artist Chester Lee a couple of years back, these tattoos are simply large blocks of black ink, without designs or colour, made popular by social media sites such as Instagram.
These blackout tattoos come with their own risk though. The shear amount of ink needed to black out an arm or leg brings with it an unusually high amount of toxins, such as titanium dioxide, lead, nickel and chromium. This can no only result in allergic reactions, skin rashes, and inflammation in the tissue, but make it extremely difficult to diagnose skin cancers, which, living in New Zealand, is a serious issue.
