Believe it or not, we’re almost halfway through 2022, and thousands of trends have come and gone in the past 5 months that we haven't been able to process. As someone who’s constantly searching for new trends and content to write about, I came across some topics about new tattoo trends for this year, and it’s safe to say, my interest was spiked. Just to be clear, I don’t actually have any tattoos of my own (though I’d love to get a bunch!) but I love looking for new designs and tattoo styles on Instagram and Pinterest. However, I realized that just like clothing, tattoos can also become outdated, and thought it would be fun to discover and compare the three current tattoo trends of this year and the three we’ve left behind!
Holographic
This trend started a few years ago, but because holographic tattoos have an extremely difficult texture to master, only a few tattooists have gotten the hang of it. I didn’t even know these tattoos could be inked onto skin until I stumbled upon an article by Inked, a magazine that covers everything about tattoo culture. Inspired by shiny, metallic objects like stickers or metals that are made to reflect rainbows in the light, holo tattoos are designed to stand out. With their bold and eye-catching presence, they’re perfect if you’re into funky colors. But just a warning to the wise: if you’re thinking of getting some new ink, holographic tattoos are not for the faint of heart!
Pop Culture and Fine Art Tattoos
As a lover of paintings and sculptures, this trend caught my eye right away. The blending of iconic paintings and modern pop culture icons is such a fresh approach to tattoos, and it really shows how tattoo art is full of possibilities! Some tattoos mix famous painters like Vincent Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo with characters from your favorite Disney movies and other cartoon characters to achieve stunning results.
The fun part of these tattoos is seeing how tattooists can create insane images and find ways to combine colorful pop culture elements with black-and-white stills of paintings!
Metallic Micro
I just recently discovered this style of tattoo, but it’s slowly becoming a personal favorite of mine! Similar to holographic tattoos in the way the texture is hard to capture, metallic micro tattoos bring gold, silver, and bronze into ink pieces to give them a more life-like quality. It’s definitely a style that sticks out on the skin, but depending on the size and design of the tattoo, it can look ornate and delicate if it isn’t clustered with other tattoos.
Before I talk about the outdated trends, I want to preface it with this: everyone is allowed to have ideas on how to adorn their body with tattoos because after all, it is your body! But there are some trends that even tattoo artists have advised against, so, just remember that. Since tattoos are permanent, please make sure you’re giving your ideas a lot of thought because it’s never easy covering up a regrettable tattoo later on!
White Ink
We’ve all seen the white ink tattoos and thought they looked cool at one point. The unique and fun designs seem cool, yes, but they’re quite hard to tattoo perfect and the shape can warp on your skin over time. In an interview with Bustle, tattoo artist Adam Millani says that white ink tattoos tend to fade incredibly fast, so it’s kind of a waste of money and time for both you and your tattoo artist. Instead, choose a design with longevity so that you’re getting your money’s worth, and you won’t have to come back to touch it up or worry if it’ll change shapes.
Finger and Foot Tattoos
The issue with finger and foot tattoos is similar to white ink tattoos, more so because while they look cute and dainty, they will fade very fast as your hands and feet are constantly in contact with something and harbor a lot of moisture and sweat. You’d have to get touch-ups often just to maintain it, and again, it’s also a slight waste of money in the long run.
Tattooing Your Partner's Name on Yourself
This outdated trend deserved to be on this list because despite what you may think, there are people who still get them. If you thought of name tattoos, you’d be right. Now, of course, it’s completely up to you whether you want to permanently ink your lover’s name on your body to show your love, but I and many tattoo artists would urge you to really consider it! It’s a heartfelt gesture, but it could turn out to be a huge mistake if you and that other person end up separating later on… Not only that, but this tattoo would make for an awkward and painful reminder of your time together. Instead, think of a tattoo inspired by them but also something that could remind you of something other than your S/O so you can look upon it fondly even if you break up with them!
At the end of the day, it’s ultimately up to you what to tattoo on your body! I’m not a tattoo artist, nor am I an expert on tattoos, so I hope that this list doesn't deter you from getting a tattoo, but rather helps you carefully consider what to ink on your body forever.
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