Tattoo Culture Is Evolving

Social Norms Impact Tattoo Culture

Tattoo culture is shifting before our very eyes. There was a time not too long ago, when working in an office, at a hospital, or in a school meant that you could not have visible tattoos. Now, oftentimes when you walk into an ER, the majority of staff taking care of you, ranging from technicians to doctors, will be decorated with full tattoo sleeves. There has been a generational shift in stigmas about tattoos, and they are more widely accepted and adorned than ever before particularly in the Western world.

The Tattoo Experience Is Changing

Since tattoos have become socially acceptable on a wider scale, the demand for them has increased exponentially. As such, there is more room for artists to shift the way they want to go about tattooing. Artists like Keith “Big Bang” McCurdy have made motions to fight against tattoo stereotypes and make the experience of getting a tattoo less daunting. McCurdy remarked in an interview with the Huffington post, “I didn’t feel very welcomed when I was a younger person that wanted tattoos and I would go into a tattoo shop,” McCurdy says. “I felt very nervous and in a really vulnerable spot.” Now, tattoo artists have more freedom and agency to run their studios the way they want, and to be more particular about what they tattoo. Projectors playing movies and purifying plants are taking the place of blaring heavy metal music.

_{At Creative Ink Studio in Keene, NH there are almost always movies or music videos playing on the big screen.}

More Room for Individuality

In more modern tattoo studios, instead of saying yes to any tattoo request that walks in the door, artists are able to stay true to their niche areas of skill and interest. This has opened the door for more artists and more creativity within the field. There is also less incentive to keep people out of the field of tattooing, because instead of seeing another artist as competition, you can see it as an opportunity for you to focus more on your style, while they can take clients who fit their style. The world of tattooing continues to grow and develop, with artists gaining more respect for their trade and having more opportunities to succeed.

References:

Artists Are Fighting Back Against Stereotypes In Tattoo Culture | HuffPost Entertainment

The Changing Tradition of Tattoo Culture – The Cord

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