Tattoo Trends of 2019
Tattoo Trends of 2019
By Sara Rathbun
Love it or hate it, some styles of tattoos just strike a chord with the general public and the next thing you know - you’re seeing them everywhere. Some say it’s because of Instagram, but tattoo trends have been around as long as well...tattoos. Remember the tribal armbands and fairies/butterflies of the 90s? They sure didn’t have social media’s help!
Anyways, now that 2019 is halfway over, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at the top tattoo trends that have taken off this year:
Russian Criminal Style
Sometimes also called “Russian Prison,” this style of tattooing originated amongst inmates in the infamous Russian Gulag in the 1930s. They peaked in the 1950s, and pretty much died out in the 80s, but a resurgence of this style is in full swing here in the states. Much like their American prison counterparts, there is a lot of symbolism to Russian Criminal tattoos. A cat would typically be worn by a burglar or thief, while a hooded executioner signified that it’s wearer had murdered a relative. The designs are almost exclusively done in solid black, as it was incredibly difficult to achieve gradients or create other ink colors with the tools available to prisoners.
Embroidery/Patch
Sewing isn’t just for grandmas anymore! Embroidery tattoos take realism to a whole new level to make it look like a real patch has been stitched onto your arm. This seems like a natural evolution to the cross-stitch tattoos that started becoming popular a few years ago. Unlike the simple colored ‘x’ patterns of cross-stitch tattoos, embroidery tattoos take a lot of time, ink, and layers to achieve the look of real thread - which also means that embroidery tattoos have a better chance of standing the test of time.
Miniature Realism
Remember when you saw your first realism backpiece, and how impressive the amount of detail was? Now pack that same level of detail into a square inch - that’s what miniature realism is all about. Typically done with single needles, miniature realism tattoos require a lot of patience and an extreme attention to detail. These tattoos have been a huge hit amongst celebrities lately (Just take a look at Emilia Clarke’s dragons), possibly due to the ease with which they can be covered for roles. One thing is for certain - they are definitely helping drive this trend amongst us common folk!
Have you gotten one of these trendy tattoos this year? Show us in the comments or on our facebook page!
