- Tattoo artists told Insider which designs will rise in popularity or fall out of favor in 2023.
- Full-color pieces, bold yet subtle fine lines, and micro tattoos are having a moment.
Insider spoke with tattoo artists to learn which designs they predict will be pretty popular throughout 2023 and which are expected to become less common.
Full-color pieces continue to be popular
Tattoo artist Lorena Lorenzo of Indigo ArTattoos expects to continue seeing more full-color pieces and the addition of brighter hues to pre-existing tattoos.
She said adding color can be a way for clients to experiment with their tattoos and give more life to a design.
People continue to opt for the classic pocket-watch look
According to tattoo artist Josvan González Agramonte, also known as Copán, art depicting a pocket-watch design isn't going anywhere.
"I can almost guarantee I will do at least one a month, and I do not expect that to stop in the future," Copán told Insider.
He said he often sees pocket watches being paired with floral designs, especially roses.
Bold but subtle fine lines are taking over
Tattoo artist Cassie May told Insider subtle tattoos consisting of fine lines will increase in popularity.
"Micro realism and fine lines on the neck or face are growing in popularity," she said. "They're commonly done in a light-gray wash value so they're less noticeable."
Dot work will stick around next year
Tattoo artist Aja-Noelle Po with Ephemeral told Insider dot-work tattoos will remain popular.
"I have seen a huge influx on Instagram and Tiktok with them either being centerpieces or go-to backgrounds," Po said.
Micro tattoos aren't going anywhere
Po said micro tattoos, including small detailed designs on the hand or simple art on the side of fingers, will easily carry into 2023.
The tattoo artist said she's already seeing more requests for small designs, ranging from simplistic to extra detailed.
On the other hand, basic tribal designs are on their way out
Lorenzo told Insider the previously popular and fairly standard tribal tattoo designs are on their way out in 2023. Instead, those opting for tribal tattoos will likely pick a more personal design tied to their culture.
"Nobody wants this anymore," Lorenzo said "If they want a tribal piece, it will be more along the lines of their culture and not those harsh '90s pieces every temporary tattoo set comes with."
Custom designs are replacing pre-drawn ones from flash sheets
In 2023, Lorenzo told Insider, personalized tattoos will replace pre-drawn ones from flash sheets that might not have as much meaning to the person getting them.
"Clients now request more custom work with personal touches and meaning," Lorenzo said "Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of influencers who get flash pieces, but I see this trend disappearing over the years and more unique and distinctive pieces filling the gap."
White-ink tattoos aren't as common as they used to be
White-ink tattoos may have become popular for their subtle look but May said this trend will be less common.
"I think they've become less common because the clients who might have been interested in them before are now committing to fine-line tattoos," she told Insider.
Cartoon characters aren't as popular of a request as they once were
Copán said clients are also moving away from nostalgia and are no longer asking for art of their favorite cartoon characters.
"I am guessing people know better now than to get a character from a TV show or a movie they liked once and then could grow out of," he told Insider.