They represented 47.5% of the works carried out in 2022, which represents “one more step in the destigmatization of this very popular art”, says Joel Orteu, co-founder of the Tattoox platform.
The tattoo, one of the most important urban fashion trends of the 21st century, has left behind the old cliché of being a man’s thing. We knew that one in three Spaniards between the ages of 18 and 35 has a ‘tattoo’, according to an estimate from the Spanish Academy of Dermatology, and we also knew that we are the sixth country with the most tattooed people worldwide, but now we can say Furthermore, that women We practically equal men in terms of tattoos made in Spain.
According to a study of the ‘marketplace’ Tattooxthe largest platform in the sector in Spain, they performed 47.5% of the total work on the skin which were made last year. “This data is especially significant since it represents a further step in the tattoo destigmatization and in its process of becoming a ‘mainstream’ and popular fashion”, assures Joel Orteu, co-founder and CEO of what is known as ‘Tinder of tattoos’, since this company is dedicated to connecting people who want to get tattooed with their ideal tattoo artist, taking into account their location, preferences, style and desired characteristics. Since Orteu launched this project in 2021, together with Jordi Tena, Genís Morral and Enric Miró, they have received more than 4,000 monthly requests for a community of more than 1,500 tattoo artists (a third only between Barcelona and Madrid).
erase myths
“every time is more common the presence of women in tattoo studios, and many attend for the first time. This is something that undoubtedly contributes positively to the sector and will help erase myths and clichés“, stresses Orteu. According to the data handled by Tatoox, “compared to 2022, there have been no big surprises, however, the main trend that must be highlighted is the growing role of women in the world of tattooing”. And he continues: “This female protagonism derives, on the one hand, because there is a loss of fear of getting your first tattoo, and, on the other, because we also observe how each time there are more tattoo artistswhich seems to us a clear sign that this sector is ceasing to be a sector dominated by men”.
the same opinion Laura Cuberoorganizer of the Barcelona Tattoo Expo, one of the largest conventions in Europe, as well as the BAUM Fest (on urban art) and the Only Tattoo -which was held last weekend in the Catalan capital-, as well as other salons in Asturias, Pamplona… In his opinion, the “massive” arrival of women to tattooing is “since the popularization or socialization of the tattoo from 2000when tattoos began to be more visible and, of course, better seen”. And, according to the expert, “well-known people began to show off their ‘tattoos’ shamelessly, breaking a spear for both men and women”. Today, he notes, “at an event like the Barcelona Tattoo Expo you can see the same number of women and men, not just visitors, also equally getting tattooed.”
Cubero further broadens the focus, as it corroborates “the increase in professional tattoo artists”, some “very well-known in the sector, such as Deborah Cherrys [@deboracherrys], Viviana Calvo [@vivianacalvotattoo] and Blanca Meret [@blancameret_tattoo].
equal hobby
But in addition to verifying this equal taste for tattooing, the Tattoox studio offers a panoramic vision of the sector. For example, with regard to the age, the tattoo is still something eminently youthful. Thus, 62% of the tattoos made in Spain in 2022 have been done to people between 20 and 30 years. For their part, people between the ages of 30 and 45 represented 27% of the total, while the youngest, those between the ages of 18 and 20, represented 11% of the total.
As for the body zones in which more tattoos have been made, stands out above any other the arm, which continues to be the option chosen by more than 50% of Spaniards, specifically 54%. The arm is followed, at a great distance, by the leg, chosen by 12%, and the back, an area chosen by only 9% of Spaniards. Cubero highlights two aspects that women pay a lot of attention to: design and position. “We look more than visually be aesthetic and follow the shapes of the body; perhaps men look more for a piece and that drawing can be done on any part of the body,” argues the expert.
In regards to tattoos styleis imposed by a minimum difference the realistic style, elected by 21% of Spaniards. Realistic tattoos are, as their name suggests, those that try to capture an image on the skin that is as similar to the one that serves as a model. Immediately afterwards, with 20%, goes the ‘black work’, which is characterized by work exclusively with black ink, with high contrasts, without shadows or gray tones. In third position, 19% have chosen the ‘fineline’, fine and discreet tattoos that require less time and size and can appear more sophisticated and subtle.
In this section, Cubero points out a small difference between women and men when opting for a type of drawing: “I would say that the styles are unisex, but maybe the reason is what differentiates one tattoo from another. In the case of women, they are usually very personal. and capture a vital moment in their lives”.
As for the areas of Spain With a greater number of tattoos, the Tattoox data does not reveal any surprise, since these respond to the greater population weight of the Spanish geography. Thus, 37% have been carried out in Madrid, and 24%, in Barcelona. In the ‘top 3’, but at a distance, is Valencia, which accumulates 8% of the bulk of tattoos in the country.
in 2023
Looking ahead to this year, Orteu advances that tattoos will be imposed that combine different stylessuch as the geometric microrealism or the fine line minimalism. In addition, it points out that the ‘tattoos’ will gain prominence neotribal just like him color hyperrealism. Of course, it is also clear that “the presence of women in all areas of tattooing will continue to grow and increase their role and relevance, either as users and clients or as artists.”