Tattoo Dermatology: Physiological References for Tattoo Artists and Practitioners

The Story Behind the Project:

In spring 2023, I began a project aimed at visualizing the current science of tattoo dermatology. By the fall, the idea had snowballed into a 14 medical illustrations, using data sourced from scientific studies ranging from the past 40 years, which I copyrighted, printed, and circulated to dozens of shops across the world.

The idea:

When I was learning to tattoo, I was shocked at the lack of research on the process of tattooing. I was additionally taken aback by the lack of anatomical visualizations on how tattoos work. As artists, tattooers are visual people, so I felt that having reputable learning tools would spark curiosity and scientific enquiry in our growing industry. Since I was unsatisfied with what little biomedical illustration existed, I took it upon myself to create figures that would be relevant for the education of tattooers and their clients.

Project Development:

Thanks to some librarian connections and the doctors in my family, I was able to access and read dozens of relevant research papers on tattooing. I then organized my findings into topics that, in my experience as a tattoo artist, would be helpful to see visualized. I reached out to every source I cited in an effort to get the work peer reviewed by the scientific community, and while I was underwhelmed with the lack of general interest and responses, one source provided thorough and validating feedback on my illustrations and written explanations. (Shoutout and thank you to Maxim E Darvin PhD for the help and interest in connecting our worlds of art and science)

Market:

This project was entirely self-funded. As such, I needed to make a marketable product in order for the work to circulate. My intention as such was to appeal to tattooers across the industry who share a curiosity for the physiological science of tattooing. I needed to create a product that aesthetically appealed to tattooers, and explained my findings in a concise and digestible fashion.

Inspired by the aesthetics of victorian anatomical illustration, I created designs that would appeal to tattooers across diverse realms of the industry. I pictured an educational print series that could fit in on the walls of your neighbourhood walk in parlour as well as in contemporary private studios.

Production:

The first edition print run included a large scale 24×36″ professionally printed poster featuring all 14 diagrams with explanations for each illustration, as well as three smaller 8×10″ home printed posters of what I determined to be the three most essential diagrams. The launch of the series took place primarily on my instagram, which directed potential customers to the Etsy shop I created in order to sell the physical prints.

Online sales started in the fall, but most of the first edition series sold at the first tattoo conventions I attended in Vancouver, during the summer of 2024.

Future Paths:

After a successful summer, only 8 of the original 25 large posters were left in stock, and I had turned a healthy enough profit to propel me into further developing the project. On a trip to Berlin in the fall, I met with my advisor to discuss future areas of inquiry, and began drafting a second edition of several diagrams.

Currently, I am planning to update several diagrams, as new data has emerged since the inception of the project . Additionally, I received feedback from other tattooers that they want to learn more about things like tattooing scar tissue, the science of coverups, and how tattooing on lips, nipples, genitals, retinae, and palms are anatomically different. This would lead me to creating new diagrams altogether. With only so much room available on my biggest poster sizes, I’m considering moving the project into a coffee table book format.

As much as I’ve been able to give to the tattoo community through this biomedical illustration project, there are areas of tattoo science whose research is underdeveloped. I don’t have a laboratory or scientific research background, but I dream of creating reputable research studies that inquire into topics like breastfeeding and tattoos, handpoke versus machine, and how exactly coverups work.

Until then, you can find all of the diagrams on this page for your perusal and educational enjoyment.

All images are copyrighted. Prints are still available to purchase globally in print format or digitally through my Etsy