Right before the enhanced community quarantine started, I had my whole year planned out with activities I wanted to do, places I wanted to go, things I wanted to buy and tattoos I wanted to get. But like everyone else, those plans have now come to a grinding halt because of the current situation. Getting a tattoo is an extremely intimate process that is the opposite of social distancing, so it isn’t advisable to go out for it just yet. Still, the quarantine has given me enough time to re-evaluate my tattoo plans and really think about what I want to get permanently inked on my skin.
And because I know a lot of people are feeling the need to get inked right after quarantine, here are some Instagram accounts to follow for when you’re looking for inspiration or if you want to buff up the mood board for your dream tattoo.
@sinewpark_tt
If you want colorful child-like scribbles, this tattoo artist is a great go-to. Their style is very cute and reminiscent of those childhood drawings you used to do on your walls. If you’re familiar with the Korean girl group Mamamoo, their vocalist Wheein got her many tattoos from this artist.
@artetattooph
Standing by their belief that tattoos are a form of healing meditation, Arte Tattoo uses vegan ink for all their tattoo creations. This tattoo shop specializes in creating realistic portrait style tattoos that range from the faces of your childhood idols, favorite Disney characters and even beloved pets. (Editor’s note: I got one of my tattoos here!)
@rit.kit.tatttoo
If you’re looking for floral tattoo inspiration then this Ukranian Bali-based tattoo artist’s IG account is worth a follow. She’s famous for her “botanical tattoos,” which are realistic (and colorful!) tattoos of leaves and flowers. Part of how she achieves this level of realism is by using real plants during the tattooing process, with her taping these onto her client’s skin to use as a stencil.
@kellikikcio
If you’ve always wanted to have a still life artwork on your skin, Kelli Kikcio’s creations are the way to go. Depicting dancing cherubs, naked women relaxing, a simple smorgasbord of fruits and milk or a whimsical carriage pulled by a group of poodles, the creator has a variety of works that you can be inspired by.
@heeyajenny
Jenny is a Seoul-based tattoo artist who specializes in brightly-colored tattoos. Her IG account features various shapes and drawings, from a bouquet of flowers, a reimagining of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and even a drawing of Simba. The variation is balanced out by extremely bold and vivid colors so this account should definitely be bookmarked if you want tattoos alive with color.
@goodhandtattoo
Pay this Manila-based tattoo shop a visit if you want to go for a tattoo in the neotraditional style. Pairing bright saturated colors with humoristic and outlandish images, this page is something to look at if you want a fun tattoo that’s guaranteed to be a conversation starter at parties. If you do end up getting your tattoo from this shop, they have an array of political tattoos you can choose from and they donate some of their proceeds to the peasant movement, so getting a tattoo here is all for a good cause.
@curiouswiji
If you want a clean, minimalistic, watercolor style tattoo, then artist Wiji Lacsamana’s IG account is worth checking out with designs that focus on distinct clean lines and muted colors. Lacsamana’s account is not just for tattoo art—you can also glean inspiration from doodles and drawings that she puts to paper.
@katribu_tatu
For a strong look similar to a mambabatok’s work, check out Katribu’s Instagram account. Many people are familiar with this style because of Whang-Od, Kalinga’s last mambabatok. Utilizing the traditional hand-poked method of tattooing, the tattoo shop’s Instagram features designs similar to the tattoos that Filipino warriors of ancient times got to commemorate victories and life events.
Art by Tricia Guevarra
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