The Biggest Tattoo Trends of 2024

It should come as no surprise, then, that one of the most popular body art trends of 2024 was highly personal ink. When something or someone means a lot to you then no pain, no gain, right? 

Her mother, Madonna Louis Ciccone, passed away back in 1953 and the tat is a tribute to her. The music legend also employed symbolism by choosing red ink, to represent the blood of childbirth. 

In 2023 she told Allure magazine, “Most people are obsessed with their pets, and are willing to get their portraits tattooed so that they’re always able to have their fur baby with them.”

Beckham’s got a winged cross inked in a gothic design on the back of his neck, which symbolizes his faith: Christianity. It’s a very important aspect of his life immortalized on his flesh.  

Take breast-cancer survivors, for example, who sometimes choose to replace a lost breast with a beautiful design, or a “mastectomy tattoo.” Often they’re a celebration of life, but they can also be used for another reason.

But why cover something up when you can draw attention to it? Yep, some people integrate scars into their tattoo designs, elevating them to ink-enhanced body art. If you’ve got it, flaunt it! 

They say that less is more, and that’s exactly the idea behind another popular 2024 tattoo trend: minimalism. The name says it all really, but simple doesn’t always mean easy. 

Subtle, fine lines are the order of the day when it comes to the minimalist tattoo movement of 2024. What’s more, they work equally well with accuracy or abstraction. Take your pick! 

And speaking of nature, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that since skilled tattoo artists can render accurate depictions of living things in minimalism, fine animal art is a popular subject. 

“Minimal tattoos offer a visual respite,” it continued. “They also appeal to those who appreciate the beauty of simplicity. Secondly, they have the power to convey profound messages and personal stories through their minimalist approach.”

And if you’re not one to hog the spotlight, minimalism allows you to get a tattoo to which you don’t have to draw too much attention. It can be just for you, and no one will be any the wiser. 

This particular body-art fashion parallels a craze in the jewelry world for permanent bling. Instead of clasps to stop accessories falling off, welded joints sealing them on are all the rage of late. 

So what’s the secret to an effective permanent accessory tattoo? Well, it’s what makes real jewelry so refined and appealing — delicacy. Tiny dots are an excellent way to visually represent the fine links of a precious chain. 

Bracelets and rings in beautiful, dainty shapes are commonplace. And while hand designs are the most popular choice of tattoo, nothing’s stopping you getting a necklace or an anklet if that’s more appealing to you. 

“I love that they are a piece of jewelry you can’t lose,” she concluded. And the inspiration goes both ways too, because Bluestone Perr also has jewelry inspired by tattoos. 

They can be as small or as minimalist as you like, and neatly encircle your wrist or finger in a thin band rather than a sweeping mural across your body. Unless you want a really big accessory, that is. 

If you’ve never heard of micro-realism, you’re gonna love it. It has all the detail of its forebear but on a much smaller scale! Mind you, that’s not the only difference. 

“Micro-realism tattoos are created using the very tiniest of needles, making it one of the hardest tattoo styles to master,” it said. “As a result, the best micro-realism tattoo artists require the steadiest of hands.” 

While regular tattoos often employ black outlines, the first technique micro-realistic inkers use is a gradual shading. The result is a piece of body art that exhibits the appearance of three-dimensional depth. 

Pointillism is the art of creating beautiful pictures composed entirely of tiny dots, which look like a complete image from a distance. Since it works great for micro-realism too, tattoo artists replicate it with needles. 

The studio continued, “That being said, the micro-realism tattoo style can lend itself to almost any subject, making them a very versatile tattoo and a great opportunity to let the imagination run wild!” 

Aftercare is important when it comes to micro-realism, so it’s important to make sure you pick the right body art studio for the job. But isn’t that always the case? 

In older times, tattooists used a lower-quality black ink. But since black is made up of multiple different hues, as the body absorbs them they change color to a dark green. 

For example, in ancient times some societies used brighter hues alongside their black ink. Did you know the Inuit people of past generations were fond of using yellow in their tats?

Tattoo artist Koral Ladna spoke to beauty website Byrdie on the subject in 2024. “Tattoo technology has evolved so much that now tattoos that were not possible ten years ago, are,” she explained. 

So if you want something that’s bright and punchy, try color-block minimalism! It’s a merging of several popular styles, and 2024 certainly seems to be its year. Ladna wrote a potential explanation on her Instagram back in 2023. 

With tattoo technology advancing the way it is, color-blocking is coming on in leaps and bounds. And the ability to portray such fantastic hues in small works of art is definitely an advantage for tattoo enthusiasts. 

Let’s face it, most people love animals — they’ve never really gone out of fashion. Whether you appreciate them for their aesthetics, symbolism, or behavior, there’s an animal out there for everyone. 

That’s why many people believe it’s so important to memorialize them, just as we would a family member. A tattoo of your best fur-riend is a celebration of life whether they’re passed or present. 

And while many of us never see a wolf, let alone live near them, their symbolism is enduring. To us they can represent protection and loyalty, to which many of us can relate — hence their prevalence.  

Other birds are commonly used to symbolize spirituality or religion — the Holy Dove with an olive branch in its mouth is one familiar to Christianity — or simply represent the freedom a winged creature enjoys. 

For example, if your big brother loves elephants, you might get one to represent them. You could even go one step further and have a smaller elephant alongside it to symbolize yourself. 

Serpentine dragons are wise and peaceful in Asian cultures, while Eastern ones tend to be destructive and powerful. Don’t forget the unicorns! Or perhaps a phoenix? You see our point, right? 

More people are exploring how to express themselves with creative decoration, though not everyone wants to take the plunge with a permanent design. That's fine: it’s your body and your choice, after all. 

Among the most popular choices there are two kinds of non-permanent inks: temporary and semi-permanent tattoos. If you only want to test the waters, temporary is probably the most attractive pick. 

While permanent tattoos use needles to ink under the skin, non-permanent alternatives are needle-free. What’s more, they only apply ink to the skin’s surface, hence their limited staying power compared to conventional body art. 

Human-guided tat bots are a thing of the present, bringing extra precision to important work. And if you have a prosthetic limb, 3D printers can make more complicated designs for you. 

The key is bio-absorbable ingredients that your body safely disperses within a relatively short space of time. Their lifespan fluctuates from person to person and aftercare, of course, but it’s a game-changer.

And remember, the most important factor is safety! If you’ve made a decision to get body art, be sure to visit a reputable tattoo artist and a studio you trust when you think ink.