The art of tattooing has been going on since the Neolithic period. Evidence has been found on mummified skin and in 1991 the oldest tattooed body was discovered. It was all the way back to 3100 BC. The profession has changed a lot since then.
These tattoo artists have massive followings on social media platforms such as Instagram, where they share their impressive artwork and provide insight into their creative process. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the top tattoo influencers on Instagram and dive into their metrics. Ready to see some great designs? Let’s get well!
Note: ChampionPeoples is not affiliated with any of the influencers listed below.
Brian Woo
First up, we have Brian Woo, also known as Dr. Woo! Dr. Woo is a renowned, Los Angeles-based tattoo artist known for his “unique and intricate single needle designs”. His client roster includes celebrities including Drake. Dr. Woo’s passion for tattoos began at the age of 13, where he and his friends would play with ink and needles after school. After high school, Dr. Woo trained under veteran tattoo artist Mark Mahoney for three years at the Shamrock Social Club.
Megan Massacre
Megan co-owns an online tattoo academy for beginners and advanced artists as well as a tattoo shop in New York City. Megan’s lifelike designs range from Baby Yoda to pets and look more like photos than tattoos. She also posts about her pregnancy and trip to New York.
Katherine Flores
Katherine Flores, better known as Tatu Baby, is a beautiful artist from Miami, Florida. He got his first tattoo done at the age of 14 and since then he has shown great interest in it. She got her first tattoo done at the age of 19 on someone else.
Keith McCurdy
Next up on our list of top tattoo influencers is Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy. Bang Bang is a New York-based tattoo artist who is also a favorite of celebrities including Rihanna and LeBron James. Bang Bang recently collaborated with researchers to invent Magic Ink, a light-sensitive ink that appears and disappears in response to different UV wavelengths and white light. The artists who work at his shop are also well-known tattoo influencers.
Romeo Lacoste
Ryan Ashley Malarkey
Ryan Malarkey is a famous tattoo artist who first appeared on the television show Ink Master as well as its spin-off. She became the first woman to win Ink Master in 2017 in its 8th season.
She co-owns a novelty store and a private, appointment-only tattoo studio inside the store. Her style consists mostly of black and gray designs with laced detail and beadwork. She earned a degree in fashion from the Fashion Institute of Technology, before pursuing her passion for tattooing.
Nikko Hurtado
Nikko Hurtado is a living legend among today’s tattoo artists. He is best known as a celebrity tattoo artist who has worked with stars such as Diddy, Jeffree Star, Jenna Jameson and Tess Holliday.
His “biggest” client to date was The Rock. With his work, Hurtado is also known as the father of modern color realism. His technique is impeccable, and getting even a small tattoo done by his hands is a true honor.
Chaim Machlev
Chaim Machlev was born in Israel and was a project manager in an IT company before getting his first tattoo. He wasn’t exactly an artistic kid or had any inclination towards tattoos, but he soon became obsessed. After getting his first tattoo at age 30, an experience he described as “spiritual”, McElwee decided to leave his old life behind and move to Berlin to become a tattoo artist.
Sasha Unisex
Sasha Unisex is a tattoo artist from Ukraine, known for her colorful and geometric animal designs. Sasha’s tattoo work looks like they are right out of a painting, which her viewers get to see painted in watercolor on her Instagram page.
Rhiannon
Rhiannon posts about travel, fashion and of course her tattoos. Her 143K Instagram followers are always wanting to see where she’s going, what she’s wearing, and how her tattoos complement her adventures.
