Eye-wateringly shocking tattoo body art revealed

Inking outside the box As a tattoo artist you can expect some weird, wonderful and shocking requests. In a survey of 500 tattoo artists they have revealed the most extreme ink things they have been asked to do. These have included a mother who enquired about a neck tattoo for her 14 year- old daughter, a woman who wanted her entire body tattooing two shades darker as an alternative to tanning. Elderly tattooing There was also a couple who asked to be tattooed during intercourse and an elderly lady who requested her first tattoo at the age of 95. Barber DTS, Europe’s leading supplier of tattoo equipment and ink supplies, carried out the survey of the 500 UK tattoo artists to provide an insight into tattoo trends ... and the results are eye-watering! Ink requests on some of the most painful parts of the body prove to be popular, including a man who wanted a giant cross on his face as his first tattoo, a customer who wanted their nostrils inked black and someone who wanted the soles of their feet tattooed “just for the pain”. When it comes to the downright bizarre requests, these include a neck tattoo of a rainbow unicorn pushing a wheelie bin with stars and rainbows coming out the bin. Can you believe it? And a fishnet stocking pattern, from the waist down covering every inch of the body. Then there was the digestive biscuit with angel wings and the Primark logo! Tattoo artists also revealed that customers are not shy when it comes to requesting tattoos in intimate areas. These range from tributes to partners to portraits of famous people and their favourite foods. Jon Wilmshurst at Barber DTS said: “This is the first time we’ve surveyed our database of tattoo artists and it’s provided valuable insight into customer trends, and into the more challenging side of the job that we don’t always see, including the extreme requests (and sometimes illegal) that they have to turn down.” The survey also revealed the most popular tattoo designs of the last 12 months, with sketches of lions being the number one choice, followed by roses and flowers. According to 55 per cent of tattoo artists, millennials have the best taste when it comes to tattoo styles, followed by Gen Z while baby boomers have the poorest taste. Some two thirds of artists believe that celebrities influence tattoo trends. Despite competition from younger influential figures, David Beckham inspires most designs. Rapper Post Malone and singers Rhianna and Justin Bieber are also at the top of people’s lists when it comes to following celebrity tattoo trends. For more insight into the unusual tattoo requests revealed in the survey visit www.barberdts.com/uk/blog/tattoo-artists-reveal-all-in-barber-dts-survey website.