Is the UK tattoo scene the best in the world?
All across the UK there are incredibly talented tattoo artists, ready to make their mark on willing walking canvases. It will come as no surprise that the cultural melting pot called London is riddled with ridiculous skill, style and skin stamping, but how does the UK tattoo scene stack up against talent from around the world? We think that it’s right up there with the big dogs, but don’t just take our word for it. We’ve collated our own little world of info to find out why you might like to get inked in the big smoke, or maybe wander into the hidden secret gems of the tiny towns in this beautiful little island.
Bringing World-Renowned Artists Together
London is home to one of the most iconic tattoo conventions. Dubbed as one of the world’s wildest tattoo shows by sticknpoke.com, The London Tattoo convention hosts over 400 artists of the highest calibre. However, this isn’t all about showing off what London has to offer. The huge event celebrates talent from all over the world. The welcoming culture saw the exquisite Japanese artist Shige with the biggest booth at the convention in 2018.
Tattoo by @shige_yellowblaze
The UK tattoo scene isn’t all about London though. Tattoo conventions and shows stretch all the way from Cornwall to Scotland and everywhere in-between. Worldtattooevents.com notes 70 tattoo conventions in the UK alone.
London Is Repeatedly Named A Top Tattoo Destination
As far as the great cities of the world go, London regularly picks up a top spot in destination tattoo features. Wanderlust.co.uk states, ‘The UK arguably has the highest percentage of tattooed people in the world, even more so than in the US’. They also named London within the top 5 places in the world to get tattooed. Wanderlust.co.uk goes on to say that ‘London serves as an international epicentre for tattooing’, and we couldn’t agree more. You can find almost any style of tattooing in the UK because of this international pull.
Hypebeast.com calls the London tattoo scene ‘arguably one of the world’s most diverse’ and goes on to describe it as an‘artist’s mecca’. With a huge amount of cultural diversity within the UK’s capital, it’s clear to see why this view holds up.
Acclaimed Resident Artists
With such a strong, diverse tattoo scene, the UK is the residency of some of the most exquisite artists on the planet. One name that repeatedly shows up online when searching for the best tattooers in the world is Valerie Vargas. She owns Modern Classic Tattoo in London which is noted in this top ten list at travelandleisure.com, and her work is recommended by insider.com.
Tattoo by @valeriemodernclassic
It doesn’t take much to find even more stunningly successful tattoo artists from the UK scene for any style that takes your fancy. Tattoodo.com recommends Jondix, Claudia de Sabe, Ami James, Steve H Morante, Servadio, Dan Moreno, Warriorism, Hermione Finch and Wayne Galbraith... all without leaving the capital. Wanderlust.co.uk recommends Alex Binnie and Maxime Buchi.
Ink Beyond The Big Smoke
When looking beyond the big city, the UK has a vibrant and thriving scene. From Glasgow to Edinburgh, Nottingham to Manchester, and Bristol to Cornwall, you will be able to find your fix of incredible artists nearby. There is even a show or an exhibition not far from any town at least once a year. There really is no part of the country where you won’t be able to scout out some beautiful ink and the skill to accompany it.
The UK tattoo scene is pretty hardcore, so why not check out our Hardcore Collection for some sweet threads to match your sweet ink.
October 13, 2020
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Sarah Rachel