Digital Art NFTs Are Re-Shaping The Tattoo Industry

The tattoos trace back to when the first civilizations used them for medicinal purposes, and then, they became tribal and cultural to mark that sense of belonging in a group. However, when does a tattoo take value?

Currently, a tattoo can be valuable for many reasons, apart from symbolic and sentimental reasons—tools and elements used and the type of work to be done is very important when setting the price.

Non-fungible tokens or NEFTs are changing the way we collect and trade assets. NFT art has proven to be popular among collectors and investors and is forever changing the way artists create and sell their work.

Are NFTs transforming the tattoo industry as well? And if so just how are NFTs transforming the tattoos business? They are allowing tattoos to be collected, traded and displayed on digital platforms for all to see. Artists have more options to showcase their work, reach new customers, collect royalties and access a larger global audience than ever before.

The ability to create and own a tattoo on a digital ledger via blockchain brings new opportunities to both artists and people getting tattoos. Imagine owning the digital version of Picasso's work as a tattoo. Now one can thank NFTs and blockchain technology for this.

So, how do you turn a physical tattoo into a digitalized non-fungible token?

Turning a tattoo into an NFT is quite simple. First, the artist creates a draft of the design which is then presented to a client before the tattoo. After approval, the draft goes through a process of digitalization and is minted on the blockchain into an NFT.

The artist drafts what is called a flash. A flash is a handmade piece of art that is scanned, framed, and then minted into a non-fungible token. The flash can be taken to any tattoo artist to have the art inked onto your skin. Essentially, as long as you are able to get the tattoo into a digital format, you are able to create an NFT tattoo.

Approximately 30% of Americans have one tattoo, proving that tattoos are popular. So, why should you want to turn your tattoo into an NFT? Turning your tattoo into an NFT comes with multiple benefits. With an NFT tattoo, you are able to pass your tattoo down to your children or sell your tattoo in a secondary marketplace. Second, people who do not wish want to ink their bodies, can acquire tattoos in digital form and collect more tattoos than ever before.

But wait, there’s more! Imagine a brand like Prada creating its own tattoo. In order to get the tattoo, you would have to purchase the tattoo in digital form as a non-fungible token and then if you want, have an artist tattoo it onto your skin. It’s one way how a non-fungible tattoo can be used for advertising and marketing for businesses.

Tattoos are also amazing pieces of art that share stories of people who wear them. When people pass on, so do the history and memory of every tattoo. With NFTs, this can change.

Tattoos can now be displayed for years to come, even if the beloved person is not around anymore. This means one can share tattoos and artwork with family and friends for generations or leave a special note in the smart contract for everyone to see.

The cost to NFT your tattoo is up to the tattoo artist. One can expect to pay at least $50- $350 for a good NFT tattoo. This fee will include the cost to mint, supplies and the design itself. Expect to pay more if the artwork is from a renowned artist or brand.

Selling NFTs is the new norm, but how about selling your tattoo? Selling your tattoo may be something you would have never thought about until now. Thanks to the digitalization of tattoos and blockchain technology, one can now sell your tattoos on secondary marketplaces. Depending on the smart contract, one can add in a special note every time
the NFT is traded as well.

Selling your tattoo can be as easy as selling the art and rights to that artwork in NFT form, or using tattoos as marketing. Some people may want to turn their current tattoo into an NFT, however, this may prove to be more difficult than minting the tattoo before it is on your body.

It is possible to mint an existing tattoo into a non-fungible token but, it will require additional work. The tattoo would have to be re-created either by hand or on a digital program. After the tattoo goes through the digitalization process, the piece can then be turned into an NFT.

Another way to do this would be to simply take a picture of the tattoo on your body, digitalize it and then mint it into a non-fungible token. This is probably the easiest way, but may not be the most preferred way due to decreased quality. Your best bet is to create the NFT tattoo first before getting the art inked onto your body.

Before NFTs, tattoo artists mostly depended on word of mouth to share their work and build a reputation. With NFTs, there are a lot more opportunities for artists. Tattoo artists benefit from being able to turn their work into NFTs as they gain exposure from multiple marketplaces and platforms. NFTs allow artists to supply their clients with digital tattoos before they ever get the work done on their bodies. You can buy a tattoo from an artist in another country, but get the actual ink done locally.

Another way tattoo artists can benefit from NFTs is the fact that they are able to earn royalties for all their work. When an artist first mints a tattoo, they can choose to put in a royalty percentage of choice and earn that percentage of the sale price on every secondary sale. In future getting NFT to accompany a physical tattoo will be the only way to do it.

One can consider getting the next tattoo as NFT if you don’t want to ink your body or if you’re a client who has run out of space on your body. Or if you would like to pass your tattoo down to your children or someone special to you, NFTs make that possible.

Celebrities will get their tattoos as NFTs so as to keep their legacy alive and earn profits from their tattoo when they put them up for sale. In reality, non-fungible tokens provide new opportunities for all tattoo artists, clients and anyone who have hesitated to get a tattoo due to fear or beliefs.

Now that one can digitally own a tattoo, I think the World will see more people buying tattoos and more artists gaining exposure.