Artificial intelligence is shaping industries across the board — stealing jobs, creating online shortcuts — and generating photos of your dog as a human. Some believe trade industries are generally safe from meddling by AI, but what happens in spaces where trade and artistry come together?
Squarely in the middle of that tension is tattooing, a practice that’s been around for more than 5,000 years.
The longstanding artistry has turned into a booming industry across the United States. A 2023 survey by Pew Research Center showed that 32% of Americans have tattoos.
“It’s such a funny thing — technology and tattooing,” Betsy Butler, co-founder of Nidum Studios in North Charleston, told Charleston City Paper. “Even when the iPads showed up, oh my gosh, it was wild.”
She recalled the pushback received in the industry from digital drawing from tablets, but noted that it made her job much easier. What used to take hours in design and drawing could be cut down to minutes.
A new tool
For Butler, AI can serve a purpose, but only when used carefully. She recalled using AI software to find a better reference photo for a client. The client wanted her old van inked onto her at a three-quarter view, but only had a side view reference photo. Butler used AI to create a more usable reference photo. From there, she drew the design in her own style.
That distinction, she emphasized, is critical. AI can assist, but shouldn’t replace an artist’s work.
Where’s the line?
Ashley McMullen, owner of Fade to Black Tattoo in Summerville, sees a similar shift happening in her shop. Clients increasingly arrive with AI-generated images in hand, hoping to streamline the process.
“It’s good if clients don’t know what they want, but want to see how it would be put together,” McMullen said, but she’s quick to draw a line. “I will not copy it. You can tell when something’s AI. It all kind of looks the same.”
Clients can certainly save themselves and their artists a lot of time by testing out their own concepts before entering a parlor. But McMullen and Butler agree that AI art should never be taken as final. It’s up to the artist to draw the tattoo on their own.
“When it comes to an artist, it’s absolutely your job to create something special for these people,” Butler said. “Authenticity is any art.”
Trade and artistry, blended
This concern goes beyond artistry for McMullen. It’s about preserving the culture behind tattooing itself. A craft historically passed down through mentorship and experience, tattooing relies on human connection just as much as technical skill.
“Tattooing is a trade,” she said. “You learn how to draw, but you also learn how to deal with people.”
That relationship, she argues, is what makes tattooing so special. It separates the art from other industries through an intimate process of consultation, collaboration and trust.
“AI can’t make you social.” McMullen said.
Beyond a catalog
That idea resonates with Dr. Ryan Milner, department chair of communications at the College of Charleston and longtime tattoo aficionado.
“I don’t want to just order from a catalog,” Milner said. “I like working with someone to execute that kind of shared vision.”
For Milner, each of his tattoos represent a milestone in his life. They hold memories that require a human touch. From his first tattoo in Kansas City to his most recent additions here in Charleston, every design reflects a moment, relationship and piece of his life.
The process, he believes, is inherently collaborative. It’s an exchange between artist and client that shapes the final result. Using AI-generated tattoos would flatten the creative process clients like Milner appreciate.
“If I found out a tattoo was AI-generated, I’d get it covered up,” he said. “It would cheapen what tattoos are about.”
One of Milner’s sleeves was done by an artist he grew close with over multiple sessions. Joe, a tattoo artist from Kansas City, tattooed several other members of Milner’s family and even introduced him to bluegrass music.
Years later, he learned the artist had passed away. Now, those tattoos hold an even deeper meaning.
“It’s kind of like a memorial.” Milner said. “Everybody he ever tattooed is carrying a bit of him on their skin.”
Steps for getting an original, memorable tattoo
In a world of Pinterest copy-and-paste tattoos, here’s how to get the art nobody else has.
- Develop your theme. Understand what kind of tattoo you want. Funny? Sentimental? Memorial? Focus on the feelings you want to have when you imagine yourself looking at the tattoo — whether it’s inspired or thankful.
- Find your inspiration. Collect images of what you’d want. Understand that most artists will not copy and paste an image from Pinterest or Instagram. These images should be jumping off points, not plans.
- Pick a style. Tattooing has evolved past traditional style. Every artist has a style he or she leans towards. Whether you like realism or watercolor, find the tattoo work that fits your creative expression best.
- Find your artist. Not all tattoo artists are created equal — and that’s a good thing. Find an artist whose portfolio reflects work similar to your ideal tattoo. If you like fine line work, for example, don’t pick the artist who specializes in bold traditional. Spend some time browsing through Instagram or online portfolios. Reviews are your friend — especially the bad ones. A great tattoo starts with an artist who understands your vision and has the technical skill to execute it.
- Collaboration is key. To make a tattoo feel like your own, you should have a voice in the art. Be open with your artist about what you want, and work with the tattooist during the design. Find the sweet spot between trust and control. The artist may know more about tattooing, but at the end of the day, this will be on your body forever. A strong artist will take your references and direction and turn them into something original.
- Rock it. Admire your finished product, and brace yourself for the needle that will make it permanent. When finished, you should feel confident in the new addition to your skin’s ecosystem. —Alyssa McDowell
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