Tattooing Trends 2022 – Part II

Welcome back to this year’s edition of crystal ball gazing as we attempt to predict what will be the most prominent tattooing trends in the year to come. In our latest blog post we looked at technologically enhanced audio wave tattoos and the rising popularity of larger scale vibrant and haunting bio-organic pieces. But what other motives and styles are anticipated to gain more and more traction as we enter into 2022?

Face and neck tattoos

Once considered fairly extreme, as tattooing has grown more and more mainstream, more and more people have fallen for the beautifully decorative qualities of neck tattoos. Ink in various shades can more often be seen sticking out from under shirt collars, traveling up towards jaws and ears.

Neck tattoos will only become more visible and prevalent as the weather warms up and turtleneck sweaters are discarded in favour of lighter fabrics and less coverage.

For those eager to step it up a notch in 2022, a face tattoo or two could also be an alternative. These are also growing in popularity due to many celebrities showing off their facial ink on social media.

Once more discreet motives such as a crosses and a word or two, they have evolved to become more ornamental pieces, often covering near half the face and traveling up towards the scalp. Full phrases and quotes have also grown more common as statements are allowed to take up more space. 

90s revivals – lower back and tribal tattoos

In a nod to the end of the last century, the so-called ‘tramp stamp’ placement at the small of the back is, well, back. Perhaps enough of a generation currently getting tattooed has forgotten about the connotations, or people have just realised it is a pretty great place to get a tattoo (although quiet bony, ouch) and decided not to care about outdated misogynistic terminology. 

Another revival is that of the tribal. Not the traditional tribal tattoos of, for instance, Polynesia, but rather the spiky 90s kind circa Wesley Snipes’ Blade. However, it has received somewhat of an update.

It is no longer the thick black heavy-handed barbs of a few decades ago. Rather, it is a more thorn-like and slightly more delicate and abstract version that is now finding its way into the request repertoire. 

Holographic tattoos

Just emerging onto the Instagram-fame arena are holographic tattoos. The characteristic metallic gleam is no mean feat to recreate, but some artists have already specialised in the technique and we are bound to see more of it in the new year.

They are usually full of life and drawing on 80s and 90s New School and cartoonish aesthetics. They definitely pack a punch in the sparkle department – and we can all use a bit more glitter as we emerge from one of the most somber periods in recent memory.