Black ink. Minimalist. Small-scale. This is the new tattoo aesthetic.
Millennials are approaching tattoos with fresh designs and a new mindset. More young people are open to ink — according to a 2010 Pew research poll, about 40 percent of millennials have a tattoo and around 70 percent of those tattoos are hidden under clothing. While the intensely personal spirit of tattoos is as old as the artform itself, millennial tattoo culture appears to be trending further towards introspective expression.
As Generation Z turns 18 and can legally get a tattoo in most states, Gen Zers seem to be right in step with their older peers by quietly refining a new, more modest tattoo culture. Some USC students shared their journey to tattoos and philosophy on getting inked.
Photos and text by Jordan Winters
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“Obviously, she’s my sister, and we’re twins, and nothing will ever change that. We’ll be twins forever, in our lives and past death. I value our relationship so much that we were both like, ‘hey we should do this, it would be cool to have on us forever, kinda like a constant reminder that we’re always going to be connected as twins,’” Nick said.[/ezcol_1half_end]
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Tom has always wanted to fly — his grandfather was in the Air Force, his mother is a flight attendant for Delta, and now he studies aerospace engineering. It was only natural that he get his own wings his junior year of high school.
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“Personally, I like blackwork. Color is hard to do as an artist, so it’s hard to find good quality color work that’s not a million dollars,” Tom said.
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“I really love the band OneRepublic. Their lyrics mean so much to me, and their music always makes me so happy. For the past four or five years, I’ve always listened to this one song called if ‘If I Lose Myself.’ There’s a part where [the lead singer] goes ‘take us down and we keep trying, 40,000 feet keep flying’ and it sticks with me all the time. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot but every time I think about how far I’ve come, it seems like I’ve got a ways to go. And so it’s a constant reminder that you can be happy with how far you’ve come but you still got more to do and more to accomplish,” Naik said.
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“People always get confused on what ethnicity I am, so I have this little piece [that confirms] yes, I am Hawaiian,” Elaine said.[/ezcol_1half_end]
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The hardest decision for Austin wasn’t whether to get a tattoo or what design to pick, but which way to face them. Ultimately, he decided that his tattoos were personal statements and thus, they’re oriented towards him.
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Growing up in wooded Marin County, California, Rachel was always comforted by the redwood trees that loom larger than life. Now a piece of home comes with her wherever she goes.
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Terrance would be more than happy to tell you about his adoption date tattooed on the inner fold of his arm. However, he believes some of his art should be kept private. That’s why he only lets certain people see some of the other ink he’s got under his shirt.
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“I like to go to studios. The first tattoo was made by a friend of mine. And this was made by an artist in a studio who I became friends with later. It’s an experience you share with somebody,” Aslan said.
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