The 5 biggest threats to the tattoo industry in 2022

What should you expect as a new artist entering the tattoo industry post-COVID?

If you’re looking to become a tattoo artist, you’ll want to make an informed decision before investing time in preparing for a new career. Like other industries, the tattoo world has seen major changes since the pandemic began, affecting both competition and income expectations.

To find out how this change has affected tattoo artists, we conducted a survey on the state of the industry in 2021, asking 600 artists, both new and veteran, for their thoughts on the current state of the industry and their predictions for the future.

Many tattoo shops have closed over the past two years. Tough restrictions on non-essential businesses in 2020 hit tattoo shops hard, with many closing for good.

So it’s no exaggeration to say that our 2021 Industry Trends Survey found that the biggest fear for new artists preparing to enter the tattoo industry is a decrease in job opportunities due to many tattoo shops closing.

But this fear may be based on an outdated model of the tattoo industry.

A survey of professional tattoo artists already working in the industry found that 54% of customers come to them through word of mouth, double the 25% that came from a studio’s social media efforts and foot traffic combined.

So, yes, there is less work being done in the shops…

But with clients being gained through word of mouth rather than the shop itself, traditional shop experience is no longer necessary to build a career as a tattoo artist.

In the past, artists worked from street shops, catering to walk-in customers. However, with the rise of social media, most customers are now looking for artists, not shops. This allows artists to use their own social media and word of mouth to generate customers, rather than relying on shop advertising and walk-in customers for income.

Being independent from a shop owner makes it much easier for artists to work from a private studio and keep all of their income. Of the non-shop owners we surveyed, the overwhelming majority said they work for a 50-60% cut.

Without the overhead of a shop owner, artists can market themselves and double their income or cut their work hours in half by working from a private studio.

Note: Private studios must comply with local health department standards for tattoo studios and must register as a business. For more information and a complete checklist of what you need to do to open a studio, check out our article on how to start a tattoo business.

With fewer shops open and more artists going independent, new artists are able to avoid much of the bullying and gatekeeping that was previously used to keep competitors out of the industry. This, combined with the rise of online learning and self-taught artists, means there are fewer barriers for new tattoo artists.

But it also means that competition in the industry will become even fiercer.

In fact, it was the second concern for new artists and the third for established artists.

That means you need to build a brand.

It would be impossible for most new tattoo artists to reach the level of an artist with 20 years of experience in the industry in just a few months, but most new artists are relying solely on their art and tattooing skills to gain clients through already competitive social media platforms.

But few artists know how to market their work, which means an easier way to stand out from the crowd is to use simple marketing tactics and build a brand that your customers can relate to. When customers get to know you and feel they can relate to you, they’ll want to tattoo you, even if you don’t have the same skill set as an experienced artist.

Note: If you are not sure where to start when building your brand or using marketing techniques, check out our article, 15 Steps to Grow Your Tattoo Business.

Tattoo artists’ income has plummeted in 2020 and 2021, with more than half of professional artists surveyed saying their income has fallen by 25-50% since the COVID-19 shutdowns began. Many artists worry that COVID-19 and other global events could push the U.S. toward a recession in the next year or two (with some economists predicting an official start in the fall of 2023).

However, tattooing is one of the most resilient “luxury” businesses, regularly seeing large increases in sales shortly after major social and economic events (perhaps due to the relationship between tattoos and stress).

According to ibisworld.com, after a slight decline in employment statistics, wage statistics, and the market size of the tattoo industry in 2020, they have increased significantly in 2021. (Some artists attribute this growth to the widespread “YOLO” attitude among people who were hesitant to get tattooed pre-COVID.)

This boom in the industry after an economic crisis is nothing new for the tattoo industry. In fact, some artists claim that they saw a huge increase in demand for tattoos immediately after the 2008 recession, with some even seeing an increase in business in the fall of 2008, right in the middle of the recession.

That’s why it’s important to look at attitudes around tattoos, not just business in general, but especially during times of economic hardship.

While it’s hard to predict if a recession will occur in the next few years, or how severe it will be, one thing new artists can learn is to prepare for a tattoo “boom” that will come after an economically stressful world situation.

Aspiring artists with portfolios and skills that can grow quickly will be able to take advantage of the influx of customers.

Note: If you’re not sure how to build your skills, check out our most popular article, “How to Tattoo for Beginners.”

In our State of the Industry survey, new and established artists alike cited a government crackdown on tattooing as the top threat to the industry.

Britain seeks evidence on safety of tattoo inks.

For new artists, the main concern is the potential increase in requirements needed to become a licensed tattoo artist, while experienced artists cite the ban of some ink pigments in the UK in 2022 as a major concern.

When states and counties tighten regulations on the tattoo industry, already-licensed artists will not have their licenses revoked. Although they may have to meet additional requirements, such changes typically include a “grace period” during which artists are allowed to continue working while they adjust to the new rules.

This means that your best bet is to learn how to tattoo and get your license as soon as possible, so that when new regulations are passed you won’t be banned completely and you’ll be able to continue working while making any necessary adjustments.

Regarding ink bans, it is likely that the US will follow suit in the next few years and ban some of the ink pigments that are deemed dangerous. Most of these bans stem from inconclusive research, which is why it is so important to respond to “Requests for Information” from lawmakers. Requests for Information allow industry participants (artists, manufacturers, etc.) to explain why they believe certain inks are safe.

However, because these bans threaten most ink colors, ink manufacturers are working to use safer materials. Public awareness of safety will make tattoos more “mainstream” and generate more customers.

Note: If you’re not sure what you need to do to get a license in your state, check out our article on How to Get a Tattoo License in Every State in the USA.

“Robots replacing tattoo artists” ranked pretty low on the list of concerns among artists surveyed, but it’s still worth talking about: Last year, the first “remote tattoo” was performed, with an artist operating a robot from a different location.

The experiment was meant to test the capabilities of 5G, not to find out whether robots could replace tattoo artists. But it does show that the possibility of robots creating tattoos is on the way. After all, machines don’t tire or make mistakes, which makes them an attractive option for shop owners who want to adopt this technology when it becomes available.

The possibility of “tattoo robots” means that artistry and personal style are more important than ever, and while it’s true that tattoo robots are still a long way off, it’s likely that the technology will improve to the point where customers will be able to choose a design and have a machine tattoo it for them.

But there’s a big difference between a machine carving a design of a customer’s choosing and an artist custom-making a tattoo on a person’s body. Understanding how to make a design fit and flow with the body, and creating custom artwork, just isn’t possible with today’s technology.

In this more technological age, having drawing and design skills can provide just as much job security as tattooing skills.

Note: Need help developing your own style? Read our article on tattoo design techniques to learn more about creating custom art for your clients.