Toronto's new age of tattooing
Tattoo culture in Toronto has taken over, with more and more millennials getting tattooed everyday. What was once a niche hobby designated for punks and bikers, has become own of the fastest growing industries in Toronto.
The city has an abundance of tattoo shops ranging in price, style and demographic. Some shops have even started franchising and opening locations all over the Greater Toronto Area.
While some shops are street level open to any and all clients looking for a tattoo, some upscale shops have opened aiming for millennials specifically, with specifically trained artists who specialize in their signature style.
In a survey conducted with 67 participants aged between 18 and 32 years old, 68 per cent didn’t have tattoos. Though 32 per cent of participants did want to get a tattoo eventually.
Millennials with tattoos
Millennials that want tattoos
Tattoo Shops in Toronto
Kami at Yes Electric, a tattoo shop in the neighbourhood of Church and Wellesley, has been tattooing for
She says that Yes Electric has given her the freedom to work on her style, “I’ve had a lot more freedom to sort of focus on my own style and not so much just taking whatever walk-ins come in.”
Her current tattoo style features mainly illustrative designs and typically she likes to design based off of her own interests.
The main demographic that she sees coming in to get tattooed are students in their early to mid twenties, “they’re sort of getting their first taste of freedom, you know you get your OSAP then go get a little tattoo. You’re going through a lot of firsts, kind of figuring out who you are and I think in a way tattoos kind of help you do that.”
Even if 10 years down the line you regret that first tattoo it’ll always be apart of you and who you were at that time
Tattooing in the Social Media Age
Before the age of social media tattoo artist relied on word of mouth and reputation when promoting their business. But as social media revolutionizes the tattoo industry, it has become an essential tool for any tattoo artist trying to make it big.
Popular tattoo shop Ink and Water has built their brand around social media, with all of their artists operating through Instagram.
@kiratheoddist is one of the newest artists to make a name for themselves through the app. Just starting their career in January of 2019, Kira has been working hard to reach their tattoo goals.
Broadcasting their entire tattoo apprenticeship on their Instagram story they have offered a behind the scenes look of new age tattooing.
Kira says that though they were offered an apprenticeship at 18 they didn’t think tattoo styles were for them, only changing their mind after seeing Instagram tattoo culture. “When I got an instagram I saw so many different styles of tattoos and I thought ‘ok i can be myself and be creative, this is something i want to do and try out’” Kira explained.
Kira’s describes their current style as illustrative, using images of duality and spirituality. “I was always interested in watching avatar and seeing the yin and yang fishes, even before I was tattooing I was drawing the fishes.”
“When I was first starting out yin and yang tattoos were always just the circular symbol, but it can be extended to anything in life,” Kira has since created a niche of tattooing the duality of yin and yang in all their designs.
Companies like Inkbox have also cashed in on the tattoo craze, selling innovative new temporary tattoos.
Collaborating with real tattoo artists, Inkbox created real tattoo design that last one to two weeks, joining the mainstream tattoo culture.
Inkbox’s motto of #TattoosForNow encourages everyone to share the experience of having a tattoo without the commitment.