10/09/2026
🎨 AI ART IN TATTOOING — MY PERSONAL OPINION AS A TATTOO ARTIST 💉
I've been seeing a lot of posts and comments lately about tattoo artists using AI-generated artwork, and I wanted to share my perspective on it. I'm also genuinely interested in hearing what my clients and potential clients think.
First off, drawing takes TIME. Sometimes hours upon hours go into creating a custom tattoo design, and the reality is that most of that drawing time is time we, as tattoo artists, are not directly getting paid for.
Another reality is that not every idea a client brings us has a good reference image available. Sometimes you can search Google, Pinterest, and every other source imaginable and still not find anything close to what someone is envisioning.
That's where I believe AI can be a useful TOOL.
If I can use AI to help bring someone's idea to life, develop a concept more accurately, and create a better starting point in less time, I don't see anything wrong with that.
At the end of the day, I'm still the tattoo artist. I'm the one who has to understand how that design will translate onto skin, how it's going to fit the body, what details will work, what needs to be changed, and how to execute it properly.
AI doesn't tattoo anyone. I do.
And just because I use an AI-generated image as a reference doesn't mean I'm copying and pasting that image onto someone's body. I'm going to make adjustments, change things, and create my own rendition of the design to make it work as a tattoo.
Now, I've noticed that a lot of the loudest criticism comes from other tattoo artists.
And here's my perspective on that...
I'm not in this business to impress other tattoo artists!!
Most of the artists criticizing how someone else creates their designs aren't paying me to tattoo them, and many aren't sending clients my way either.... They never have and they never will ever pay my bills with their opinion.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the opinion that matters most to me is the person who is actually going to wear that artwork on their body for the rest of their life.
My responsibility is to give that person the best tattoo I possibly can.
If technology allows me to spend less time searching for references and more time refining a design, improving the composition, and focusing on the actual tattoo, I see that as a benefit.
That doesn't mean I don't value traditional drawing skills. I absolutely do.
Being able to draw, understand anatomy, composition, contrast, shading, and how a tattoo ages is incredibly important. AI doesn't replace those skills.
But I also don't believe that refusing to use a new tool automatically makes someone a better artist.
So here's what I'd really like to know, especially from people I've tattooed or who are considering getting tattooed by me:
1. Does it bother you if your tattoo artist uses AI to help develop your tattoo concept, even if they modify and personalize the final design?
2. Would you rather your artist use available technology to create your design more efficiently, potentially saving you money?
3. Would you be willing to pay additional money for the hours it takes an artist to draw your design completely by hand instead of using AI-assisted references?
4. At the end of the day, is the process of creating the design more important to you, or is the quality of the finished tattoo what matters most?
I'm genuinely interested in hearing people's answers.
I tattoo for my clients, not for the approval of other tattoo artists.
My goal has always been to create artwork that my clients are proud to wear. Whether that starts with a pencil, a photograph, a digital drawing, or an AI-assisted concept, the final responsibility for the artwork and the tattoo itself is mine.
The tools may evolve, but the craftsmanship, experience, and responsibility of the tattoo artist still matter.
💬 CLIENTS AND TATTOO COLLECTORS — I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
I do not care about any other tattoo artist opinion of this... I want to hear from my clients because they are who pay my bills!!!
Let's have a real conversation about it.
