Tattoos mean different things to different people. For some, the point is to have a tattoo rather than the point a tattoo can make. Speaking of pointing, you can just point to a piece of pre-printed flash on a tattoo parlor wall and get that inked. And that’s what a lot of people do.
All of the flash-inspired designs are pretty standard; Hello Kitty tattoos on lower backs and Celtic knots and tribal arm bands wallpaper many a tattoo studio wall. That stuff’s there for easy decision-making.
But there are tattoo artists out there with Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees who are creating detailed, saturated and compelling illustrations on skin canvases. The images here, for example, are from Diving Swallow Tattoos in Oakland, California, and boast a painterly quality to them.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Illustrative Tattoos
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new techniques and technologies for creating highly detailed and painterly tattoos.
- Skin Canvas Art
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Bridge the gap between traditional art and body art by exploring new ways to create unique and frame-worthy tattoos.
- Artistic Tattoo Artists
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Foster the growth of the tattoo industry as a legitimate art form by supporting and promoting tattoo artists with formal art education.
Where This Applies
- Tattoo Studios
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce innovative tattoo designs and artists to attract a wider range of customers and challenge traditional tattoo norms.
- Art Supplies
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop specialized tattooing tools and materials that enable artists to create intricate and highly artistic tattoos.
- Fine Arts Education
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with tattoo artists and institutions to offer formal training and education programs that bridge the gap between traditional arts and tattooing.
