When I was a little kid, I often saw people with tattoos on the streets, in shows, and movies. I believed tattoos were a powerful means of expressing yourself, an idea and stance I still hold.  

    Another factor in my love for tattoos was watching shows like “Ink Master”, where tattoo artists worldwide competed for both money and the coveted title of “Ink Master” featured in Inked Magazine. The show, spanning multiple seasons, provided entertainment to me and a higher appreciation and overall liking for the art of tattooing. 

  Ink is a substance used for writing, printing, and even tattooing. Tattoos are a phenomenal form of expression that has been around for what feels like forever. According to the article “The Worldwide History of Tattoos” published by Smithsonian Magazine, “In terms of tattoos on actual bodies, the earliest known examples were, for a long time, Egyptian and were present on several female mummies dated to circa 2000 B.C.E.”  

    While it’s not known specifically when tattooing became a reality, we do get a visualization of how ancient this practice may have been. With its long history in the United States, today roughly 32% of Americans have at least one tattoo, as reported by the Pew Research Center.  

 There are various types of tattoo styles. These different styles help to differentiate everyone from one another; each style has its unique take to tattooing, and look so different from each other. The different styles consist of realism, bio-mechanical, Japanese, portrait, pinup, dot-work, new school, and tribal, to name a few. Preferred styles can come from personal taste and cultural reasons. My favorite style of tattooing is black and gray, since the shading and depth you can create with just two colors is so intriguing to me and overall looks best to my personal taste. I’d love to get this type of style, and already have many ideas in mind.  

   Artists can transition to becoming tattoo artists through their existing skills in drawing, painting, or sculpting. The experience gained from these art forms allows them to start whenever they choose. Already being good at drawing or painting contributes to creativity and a genuine understanding of different key points in tattooing.  

  I feel like more people should think of getting inked, or tattooed, because of how flexible it is. There are so many styles and different forms of tattooing and I think people should give it thought if it is something they are interested in.  

    Tattoos usually have deep and meaningful representations to them, from remembering a loss, showing love for family, or even self-interests. Tattooing can help people express themselves in their passions and in their styles.  

    I wish I could currently get tattoos, but my parents don’t believe in it, and they see it as horrible way of expression. Even though they said this, I still plan on getting them when I turn 18, since I genuinely believe that it’s a phenomenal way to express self-character and interests.