By: Will Raffier
Each day, more art is put into the world and one of the most dynamic and growing industries for art is tattooing. The taboos around tattoos start to unravel as more people find themselves getting their own, becoming an artist or simply admiring the art form.
Tattooing has been gaining popularity in newer generations. Statista did a survey in 2021 that shows almost half of United States millennials, and about a quarter of Gen Z, have tattoos. Aaron Goodin, a Jacksonville tattoo artist of almost a decade says, “the new generation, and the newer, newer generation- everybody’s going to be tatted.”
With tattoos growing popularity, there are more regulations set in place to make sure that artists are properly trained, and infections are reduced.
According to Florida.gov, in the state of Florida, tattoo artists are required to be at least 18, take a course on bloodborne pathogens and communicable diseases, and you must also get approved for a tattoo artist license from their local county health department. Goodin says that he always wipes down his station and wraps all of his needles. He also emphasizes that artists be careful with touching unsanitary items in their gloves. “If you touch anything dirty with your gloves, go ahead and just throw those off,” says Goodin.
If you are interested in getting a tattoo, look into local tattoo shops Friday the 13th deals. There are a lot of smaller tattoos that are pre-designed by tattoo studios, which are also at a discounted price, to try and introduce people into the hobby of tattooing.