What is Contemporary Tattooing?

In modern times, the art of tattooing has becomecultural traditions.
largely youth-driven, dominated by youngSlowly and steadily, modern tattooists and
tattooists with training in fine art and culture. Theirpromoters of tattooing successfully reintegrated
clients are similarly young and often adorned withtattooing into modern Western society. Tattoos
bold loud designs on their arms, hands, legs, andshifted from a mark of stigma used by bikers,
bodies as well as multiple piercing.criminals, gangsters, and the military to a mark of
Contemporary tattooing first came about duringindividual expression. A new elevated status was
the hippy 1970s when anti-establishment youthsthus born.
began to wear tattoos as a symbol of resistanceOver time, contemporary tattooing brought about
to law-abiding, middle-class values. Coincidentally, attwo lasting and significant changes in the world of
the same time new tattoo artists appearedtattooing. First, the general tattoo designs changed
equipped with different types of training.radically by moving from traditional badge-like
Before, it was typical for new tattooists todesigns that have been common for hundreds of
apprentice with an experienced tattooist, learningyears in the West to non-Western designs which
the ropes the slow way. But with this slew oftarget large swathes of skin.
counter-cultural sentiments, many new and youngSecond, contemporary tattooists started to give
tattooists simply ordered a machine and somepreference to customized tattoo designs which
basic supplies and got started on their own.were created by them rather than use tattoo
With their presence, new tattoo images began toflash or something taken off the wall of a tattoo
emerge which appealed very much to thisstudio. Tattoo customers are strongly encouraged
younger, rowdier audience. These tattoo designsto design their own tattoos with the assistance of
were mostly inspired by "exotic" cultures such asthese new-fangled tattooists.
Japan, Borneo, Samoa and North America ratherIronically, the transformation of our views on
than stemming from traditional sources like Northtattooing is possible because a tattoo's historic
American and European designs.position as a stigmatized sign was never really
The rise of contemporary tattooing is turningfixed, and eventually the negative status of a
unstoppable. Long unpopular and stigmatized in thetattoo eroded over time, giving rise to
West, tattooing has been given a new positivecontemporary tattooing.
spin that is more associated with well-respected