Here are a few tattoo and piercing trends that are likely to emerge in 2021. By Team Viva

Even though it has been a challenging year for various sectors, including the tattoo industry, we have seen a fair share of tattoo trends this time. As minimalistic trends were on the rise, we could see the micro pieces of ink popped up everywhere. Right from the neck tattoos to matching pieces shared among friends, there were plenty of options to take inspiration from. Just like tattoos, we also saw some piercing trends. While some people choose makeup or outfit as a means of expressing their style, some prefer to do this through various accessories — and ear piercings are one of the most visible ways to do so.

Next year — 2021 — is upon us, and there are various emerging tattoo and piercing trends to try this year. Here’s a list to choose from:

Realistic

These tattoos are characterised by maximising the life-like quality of anything we see in the world — monuments, animals, flowers etc. It can also be categorised as a “3D” tattoo with accurate representations of real-life imagery. 

It is important to note that a realism tattoo done by an inexperienced artist or someone who isn’t trained in that particular style can be a disaster. But if done right, it will surely make you stand out. Tattoo expert, Lokesh Verma, founder of Devil’z Tattooz, is known for his coloured realism and portraits style of tattooing that is mastered by only a few people across the world.

Sternum

Also known as chest tattoo, these tattoos are considered among one of the best chest tattoos for women because it looks great aesthetically and gives a feminine feel.

“People are crazy over these charming sternum tattoos; it is done over an intimate place which means it’s not for everyone to see all the time. The under breast area is a sensitive spot, closer to your bones so you can definitely expect this one to hurt. The amount of pain will also depend on the kind of design and style you have chosen and the kind of artist you are with. So, go for a rather simple design if you are a first timer,” says celebrity tattoo artist, Vikas Malani, co-founder, BodyCanvas Tattoos.

Soundwave/Talking

A new, revolutionary way to immortalise voices or your favourite tune through body art is the futuristic, latest invention in the world of tattooing. “Soundwave tattoos are a new technology and it’s really cool. You can have the messages or sound of your special one and hear it anytime you want. This is more like a coded message which no one else can know, but whenever you feel like hearing their sound you can just scan the tattoo and playback,” says Lokesh Verma, who is known for pioneering soundwave audible tattoos in India.

Here is how it works: Record an audio clip between five to 30 seconds of your loved ones and send it to your tattoo studio. They will create a soundwave of that audio clip and ink it on your skin permanently which you can playback by scanning it with your mobile phone whenever you want to hear their precious voice.

So, if you want to tattoo the soundwave of your baby’s first words, a message from your partner or the voice message in memory of your late grandparent/loved one, then go for this tattoo.

Armband

These are for people who want bold tattoos. While they are mostly popular among men, it has also gained a lot of female attention nowadays. Armbands are usually like a bracelet usually done on arms as the name itself suggests. They can be of different types — solid black or with a theme like tribal, mandala, polynesian, nature-related or space-related. These tattoos can look very cool and aesthetically pleasing without taking up too much space on the forearm or bicep.

Portrait

These are mostly rendered in a realistic style that portrays head shot of a person. Portrait tattoos are usually for tattoo lovers who want to memorialise an important figure or person. They typically represent something or someone extremely meaningful — could be of a loved one who recently passed away, a newly born baby, a pet or your favourite musician.

Minimal

“Less is more” is the word on the street. Too much makeup, too many accessories, loud clothing, etc. is no more in trend and might lose anyone’s attention. People simply don’t have any clue where to look first. The same applies to tattoos. Often, it’s the dainty tattoos that have a huge influence on your style. Want to convey across a powerful message in a subtle way? Then small tattoos characterised with clean lines are the way to go.

Miniscule tattoos are one kind of tattoos that are super discreet, incredibly detailed, pretty and aren’t likely to date. That is why the millennials, especially women still haven’t grown tired of the tiny trend.

 Smiley & industrial piercing

A piercing through the upper lip frenulum is sometimes called a “smiley,” because it is usually only visible when smiling. Similarly, the lower lip frenulum piercing is sometimes referred to as a “frowny.” Originally called an “Upper Lip Frenulum Piercing,” people soon began calling it a “scrumpur.”

Vikas says, “Since ages, piercings have always been in trend but the style changes over the period of time. Smiley piercings have managed to become one of the hottest piercing trends of the year. Due to its increase in popularity and demand, the youngsters have been very open to getting a smiley piercing; mostly because of its location.”

An industrial piercing also called as scaffold piercing or construction piercing, is any two pierced holes connected with a single straight piece of jewellery or a bar, however, it typically refers to a double perforation of the upper ear cartilage specifically and looks like a connecting bridge. This is one of the unique ear piercings and most trending too.