Tattoos are growing increasingly popular in today’s society. And with about 14% of Americans having at least one tattoo, it’s no surprise that tattoos get more and more creative every year. That being said, tattoo trends seem to change every year and 2017 was no exception.
Tiny tattoos dominated the world of ink this past year. Especially on wrists, necks, and behind the ear, small, minimal tattoos were everywhere. While these tattoos may be tiny, they give off a soft and subtle aesthetic.
Along with small tattoos came an increasingly popular choice of geometric tattoos. This modern style has taken a new turn, allowing artists to use geometric patterns in an illustrative way. From landscapes to animals, geometry was used in completely new ways.
The minimalist trend continued with simple pieces consisting of continuous lines. While the majority of tattoos are made up of several lines, many tattoos this year consisted of just one single line. Having to create a piece of art using only one line is both challenging yet aesthetically pleasing.
Speaking of continuous lines, another big tattoo trend consisted of fine-line script morphing into an illustration or design. While some tattoos often feature both an image and script, this year saw a lot of text tattoos and image tattoos literally being combined into one piece of art.
In the past, complex tattoos were designed, using an outline as the foundation. However, this year saw a lot of people choosing to have just an outline tattooed. More and more people seem to have chosen to forego the complexity and stick to the bare bones.
One of the strangest tattoo trends seen this past year? DNA tattoos. No, they aren’t tattoos of DNA molecules. Rather, they are tattoos that involve adding the DNA of a person into the tattoo ink. A sample of DNA is taken and sterilized before being mixed with tattoo ink.
This practice is supposedly safe for injection due to the fact that the non-biodegradable polymer used does not absorb into the skin. This eliminates the risk of being recognized by the immune system. However, this ink is recognized by the FDA as a cosmetic, which means it is not regulated. If any issues start to arise people may consider having a laser tattoo removal in Brisbane or at a more local establishment. Time will tell if this practice will remain in the tattooist’s repertoire, but so far it seems to be growing steadily in popularity.
Whether it was having someone’s DNA put permanently on the body or getting a simple black line, tattoos continuously evolved throughout the year, and are sure to continue doing so next year.
