Tattoos are permanent, although most measures to protect them seem temporary or even fleeting. There must be a more long-lasting way to preserve the image and sensation linked with getting a tattoo. And by 2022, the technology will exist to digitize and immortalize them: tattoo NFTs. What happens to our tattoos once we die? Are images the only way to recall the beautiful, emotional, and often expensive pieces of art we have permanently tattooed on our bodies? You may have someone remove your skin to protect your tattoos, which happens more often than you think. Putting a loved one’s bodily parts on display may seem macabre to most people. So, what is the most effective method for preserving the legacy of a person’s tattoos? The designer may always provide a physical or digital copy of the original mockup upon request. But why keep a replica of something that is already an integral part of your body? Undoubtedly, the actual product feels much more relaxing on your body.

Are tattoo NFTs an actual phenomenon?

Yes is the quick answer. Non-genital tattoos are undeniably a phenomenon. However, they are several separate things at once. Similar to how “generative art” encompasses a variety of methods and applications, “tattoo NFTs” is often an umbrella term. Because this sector of Web3 is still mostly unpopulated, tattoo NFTs are diverse and sparse. Some tattoo NFTs start as tangible things before being digitized. Others are digital art NFTs with a functional purpose. And some are essentially tokens, like tattoos,   may swap that.

A few pictures from yesterday’s #NFT #Tattoo Flash Day at the #Devcentralized event pic.twitter.com/PbYC2OPoSI

— INKOLLECTORS (@inkollectors) October 28, 2022

Currently, the tattoo NFT market is unregulated. Tattoo artists may be interested in Web3, but only some have made the required efforts to investigate non-fungibles extensively. Those who want to imbue the blockchain with their features must often use unique approaches. Others choose to publish generative collections rather than 1/1s or editions. However, each scenario utilizes the digital part of their creative process. Others, like Scott Campbell, have created whole marketplaces for tattoo NFTs, expanding the ecosystem’s infancy. As a digital wearable transcending individual initiatives, tattoos are accumulating and being promoted. Several efforts, including Swallow, are in the early stages of attempting to enable Web3 communities to show tattoos on the “skin” of their metaverse avatars. Despite the slow growth of the tattoo NFT industry, this sector may still be seen as a massive collection of unconnected singularities. However, ignoring the trend that is forming would be unwise. We must first identify their creators to appreciate tattoo NFTs and what they may be ultimate.

Tattoo artists, as contrasted to tattoo NFT designers.

We must make a critical distinction concerning those experimenting with tattoo NFTs. Even though many (if not all) members of this expanding profession are seasoned tattoo artists, they are, first and foremost, artists. It may say much about tattooing as an art form and practice, yet it is rare to find a tattoo artist that uses entirely freehand. Other types of creativity must exist for tattoos to be imagined and created. Numerous tattoo artists exhibit their talent via artwork created either digitally or by hand. Whether producing flash (pre-made graphics) or writing a custom design for a client, artists use their unique skills as an outlet for their ideas. Concepts must go through the iterative art process before we can realize them.

Also read: NFT Blockchains Proliferate. The Best of Web3

Consider Gossamer Rozen as an example of what sets the tattoo NFT sector apart from others. Before achieving notoriety on the blockchain, a significant person in the non-fungible token (NFT) market explored a variety of artistic endeavors, eventually gaining a reputation as a tattoo artist. Their status as tattoo artists shaped their path to success from the early days of their Web3 career forward. Rozen used their illustrator and tattoo artist talents to create collections such as Squishin Kitties, Internet Graffiti, and TZttoo (get it?). While they also attempted to integrate their various areas (such as sculpting) into Web3, tattoo NFTs were the most effective.

Rozen was one of the first to bridge the gap between blockchain and physical space by allowing collectors to exchange Squishin Kitty NFTs for tattoos. By merging its crypto-art activities with real-world incentives, Rozen has positioned itself inside the NFT ecosystem at an extraordinarily unique and specialized intersection. The interaction between physical and digital items has only grown through metaverse fashion and real-world clothing. “Because the collector and I were acquainted and discussed it beforehand, I was able to make it happen,” Rozen stated in an interview with nft today. Even though this was a rare incident for Rozen, it confirmed the possibility of tattoo NFTs. As a result, there was a screening mechanism in place, as this is what we both desired.

Rozen’s early work clarifies why tattoo NFTs are unique from other forms of NFTs. In truth, the tattoo is what distinguishes them from others. Tattoo NFTs cannot be grouped with other digital collectibles in the same way that generative avatars are differentiated for their use as profile photos, and photographic NFTs are distinguished as an emergent sort of tokenized nostalgia. Rozen’s tattoos and NFTs are a statement on the permanency of both. Consequently, it matches the durability of tattoos on people in the real world. About their tattoo x NFT projects, Rozen said tattoo NFTs are permanent. They are endless on the blockchain. Rozen noted, “These two thoughts have always been on my mind.”

In the end, Rozen’s efforts in the tattoo x NFT sector stopped as they hit their stride in Web3 and proceeded to build an IP empire around their beloved tiger mascot. Nevertheless, the relationship they helped create with their early work may continue to serve as a model for many newly emergent NFT ventures. Initiatives such as Campbell’s Scab Shop — an exclusive curated platform that allows NFT collectors to redeem tokens for tattoo sessions with some of the world’s most renowned artists — also highlight the shifting nature of tattoo NFTs as we go further into the tattoo NFT space. Indeed, the distinction between NFTs and practical utility is fascinating. Moreover, this is not the only use of tattoo NFTs. However, the sector has struggled to establish a foothold in the NFT market.

Why aren’t tattoo NFTs more common?

Even though several tattoo NFT efforts have come and gone between 2021 and 2022, there is no notable center for producing and collecting tattoo NFTs. At least not in the way of street art or music NFTs. Similar to tattoo NFTs, there are no common frameworks or widely accepted best practices to aid manufacturers with a systematic success approach. The customized character of tattoo NFTs makes it impossible to oversee the entire industry. Due to this and the fact that “tattoo NFT” is such a broad term, many tattoo NFT collections are not acknowledged as part of this broader movement or spread across critical networks and venues. Due to a lack of apparent interest in tattoo NFTs, which may be linked to the sector’s lack of profitability (compared to music, photography, or even generative NFTs), producers at the intersection of tattoos and NFTs often leave the industry over time. Alternately, they may need more excitement for showcasing their other skills and traits on Web3 to escape their tattoo NFT designation.

The tattoo artist Snuffy fits this criterion. When the renowned New York tattoo artist Snuffy first entered the NFT scene, he followed a similar path as Rozen. He let collectors trade NFTs for real tattoos with his first few releases. He rapidly realized, however, that the potential of NFTs for him was not confined to tattooing. I may sell this piece of art for a far higher price than the tattoos I produce. “If I build a piece of art and you hang it on your wall, I can sell it for $10 million.” Today, Snuffy told nft, “Because when I put it on your skin, it’s not a commodity.” “My tattoos have been converted into an asset by NFTs. Previously, it was only available to tattoo owners.”

Using this commoditized model, Snuffy continued to build his initial 555 tattoos into an NFT collection. As his portfolio grew, however, he moved away from the intersection of tattoos and NFTs, extending into several blockchains, IRL displays, and installations that have helped reveal his works as the singular masterpieces they are. Although he is still well-known for his tattoos, Web3 considers him more of an imaginative fine artist than a tattoo NFT designer. As shown by the efforts of the renowned tattoo artist Trudy Lines, NFTs are both promising and elusive. In the case of Trudy, the prominent designer aimed to combine motion, computer programming, and ambient noise to create NFTs in the shape of a simulation of smoke particles. Movement of Mind seemed to be an extension of her creative abilities, but it lacked the tattoo-leaning aspect that many of her supporters may have expected, as stated by Trudy.

“I didn’t want to get a tattoo that was just an NFT… I feel some [tattoo artists] are motivated by financial gain. They conclude, “Oh, there is money in NFTs; I’ll put a design on the blockchain and sell it to several people.” Today, in an interview with nft, Trudy said. “I dislike linking my tattoo NFTs heavily with tattooing.” I saw in NFTs a chance to promote my ideas outside of the tattoo industry.” The introduction of Trudy, Snuffy, and Rozen into Web3 indicates that although influence and skill as a tattoo artist may be sufficient to establish an NFT career, they are unlikely to sustain one. It is only natural for artists to concentrate professionally on what is most effective. That is why, when joining the NFT atmosphere, many tattoo artists like Trudy want the freedom to create distinctive and frequently lavish works. However, innovation is only one of the things that will contribute to the growth of the tattoo NFT sector.

The case for a more robust tattoo NFT environment

Both innovation and infrastructure must develop for tattoo NFTs to become a more viable feature of the NFT ecosystem. Tattoo NFTs need more than random collection drops and collaborative drops. Tattoo artists and collectors interested in the confluence of tattoos and non-fungible tokens would undoubtedly profit from a single hub for this business. Currently, technologies like Ethernaal are feasible first steps towards establishing NFT marketplaces. Ethernaal enables artists who need more technical understanding to convert their designs and flash into NFTs. This non-exclusive website makes minting as simple and accessible as other well-known marketplaces.

Other than Ethernaal and Scab Shop, only a few other viable platforms are seeking to push the boundaries of tattoo NFTs. The difficulties of this attempt may be one of the reasons why there is a disproportionate focus on innovation compared to the tattoo x NFT industry’s growth. Although innovation is a driving force in the NFT market, it is almost harmful to tattoo NFTs. As previously said, tattoo artists like Snuffy and Rozen have innovated in their professions and left the tattoo x NFT sector to pursue other opportunities. Even those like Trudy Lines, who join the NFT field with novel ideas, do not shackle their identity as tattoo artists. Builders and developers would be required to innovate in terms of infrastructure and usability, allowing artists to iterate in the future. Infrastructure and innovation must go hand in hand if the tattoo x NFT industry is to flourish to its full potential.