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Ask a tattoo artist

Tattooist Nikole Lowe shows off her tattooed legs on the opening day of the fifth London Tattoo Convention held at Tobacco Dock.
Tattooist Nikole Lowe shows off her tattooed legs on the opening day of the fifth London Tattoo Convention held at Tobacco Dock.

The first known tattoo dates back to around 3000 BCE. It’s on a body preserved in ice, known as Otzi the Iceman.

In the 21st century, tattoos are becoming even more popular. But instead of tattooed lines like Otzi, they’re elaborate works of art.

Tattoos carry different kinds of significance across the globe. In 2021, there were more than 30,000 working tattoo artists in the U.S.

What’s it like to be the person behind the needle? We put together a panel of them to discuss.

 

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Jorgelina Manna-Rea