The future of the tattoo industry has a lot of potential. In fact, the industry has increased every year over more than a decade by 10%.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic will certainly affect the industry’s outlook, tattoo shops and artists are preparing to make a comeback.
So what should you do as an artist during this time?
Even if you can’t open shop to do your craft, you can still find ways to stay creative so you can come back with a bang. Keep reading for some of the top tattoo websites and resources to help inspire you.
1. Inked Magazine
Inked Mag is a place where pop culture and tattoo culture intersect.
They have the largest web, print, and mobile interaction with the millennial generation, greater than any other media brand in the United States. This also means that most of their social media platforms stay fairly active.
If you’d rather watch videos to get inspiration, Inked Mag uploads regularly on their YouTube Channel. Or if you want to quickly scroll through some creative ideas, they have lots of Instagram and Pinterest material to scroll through.
For artists that need some inspiration on edgy styles that target a younger adult audience, Ink Mag is a great place to start.
They offer the cool and the eccentric. While they have tattoo ideas for popular designs related to comics or movies, they also have designs you don’t expect, like chickens. Yes, that’s right. Chicken tattoos.
2. World Tattoo Gallery
If you’re looking for an official site where you can browse styles, artists, and just tattoos in general, World Tattoo Gallery is a great resource.
In a word, this blog is simply a comprehensive place to browse. You can either look at the general gallery or turn to specific artists and themes. All of these sections easily have dozens of samples to gather inspiration from.
World Tattoo Gallery even lets you toggle with filters to narrow your search for tattoos with specific styles, colors, designs and body parts.
This is also a great site for artists who want to embrace new styles but don’t know where to start.
Thinking about trying some anime, watercolor or geometric styles? Or, maybe you want to try some cubism or New school styles?
Either way, these are just a few of the styles you can find on the site. There’s a whole tab with a list of specific styles with a visual of each one to pique your interest.
3. InkHunter
InkHunter is a fairly well-known app that helps people visualize tattoos. It’s a significant technological achievement because it uses augmented reality to project tattoo images on the body.
The app helps clients “Think Before You Ink,” and ultimately preview a tattoo before it’s permanently inked on their skin.
As a tattoo artist, using this app with your customers can potentially increase your approval ratings. If customers can try different styles and colors with more confidence, they’re more inclined to move forward with the final product.
Users can upload their own designs or choose one from the app’s gallery. There’s also a feature that displays the tattoo from different angles.
The photo editor is another customization feature that lets users modify a chosen design into their ideal style.
4. Tattooton
This is a mass compilation resource for finding artistic tattoo inspiration.
Tattooton has extensive design lists for masculine styles, feminine styles and even unique genres for specific body parts. Many of their design lists have 50 styles, and there are dozens of lists just on the home page alone.
You can find also find lots of styles for specific body parts including those on the neck, thigh, shoulder, wrist or back.
If you’re looking for mythological niche designs, Tattooton has design lists including mermaids, birds, deities, and even Harry Potter lore creatures. This blog also features designs that have increased in popularity like 3D tattoos.
5. Tattoo Life
Serious tattoo artists should have a resource where they can get professional advice and learn about industry trends. Besides working at your craft in the shop, you can use Tattoo Life to stay knowledgeable.
You can learn about the industry’s new natural aftercare products or even tattoo ink history.
In terms of art, Tattoo Life has a gallery section that highlights intricately designed tattoos. If you like black and grey styles with layered detail, this may be the site for you.
For artists that need some hands-on inspiration, Tattoo Life also has free art plates available for download. They add three new styles each week to keep artists inspired especially during the COVID-19 crisis.
How to Use Tattoo Websites
All of these tattoo websites can help you with different parts of your tattoo artist journey, but you should also use them to see what ideas your clients may be thinking about.
If you’re looking for a site that helps clients and artists stay informed, Authority Tattoo is another blog that deserves an honorable mention.
Whatever you do, remember to keep fueling your creativity with inspiration and tips!
What’s more, if you’re one of those artists who’s obsessed with inspiration, but hates the logistic parts of the business, we can help.
If you’re looking for an easier way to book appointments, communicate with clients and request payments, request info right here to see how you can get started!
