Ink About It! Tattoo Trends for 2018

MINIMALIST “Less is more” is the word on the street. Too much make-up, too many accessories, loud clothing will lose anyone’s attention quickly. One needs to be more centered in terms of making choices. The same applies to tattoos. Often, it’s the subtle designs that are more effective. As far as visibility is concerned, they can be tricky but they have a long-lasting impression when such a small tattoo peeks out of an earlobe. You can wear a message or something you feel strongly about. Miniature tattoos are a hit among the younger generation.

GEOMETRIC AND MANDALA Alongside the minimalist tattoos, we are seeing a lot of mandalas and geometric patterns emerging as a trend among tattoo lovers. Geometric tattoo is all about the visualisation of balance, perfection, symmetry and harmony. To attain perfection, geometric tattoos should be finely done. They do not only include circles, rectangles, triangles and squares but much more. Artists can transform any preferred image of an animal, a zodiac sign or an inspiring quote into a geometric form these days.

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GEMSTONE From diamonds to emeralds, a varied range of jewelled tattoos are for those who love their jewellery more than anything else. These tattoos are associated with wealth, love, legacy and royalty. If you are going for blue gem, it signifies serenity, love, and affection. They can be given a 3D /realistic effect to create the touch, feel, believe effect. These type of tattoos can also be juxtaposed with other art forms like mandala for a unique design.

ANIMALS Get lost into the wilderness and celebrate your animal instincts with these tattoos inspired by wildlife. They are symbolical, personal with a strong message. Those who opt for animal tattoos commonly select an animal that represents a quality that the person believes in. It’s all about the spirit. A peacock represents beauty, pride and dignity, a cat stands for mystery, power, femininity and lion denotes leadership and strength. If you want to explore more as per design you can mix and match by getting an animal inked in a geometrical form.

PLANTS

The plants and flowers are directly dipped into the stencil ink, instead of using hand-drawn stencils to create the design. Post that, the tattoos are done along the lines of the plant’s stencil followed by shading — thereby creating a realistic version of the plant one likes.

Tattoo artist Vikas Malani is co-founder of BodyCanvas Tattoos.

From the February-March 2018 issue of FHM India.