Who leave a mark every day
Learnings of the creativity of tattooists
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15170/MM.2026.60.01.06Keywords:
creativity, creative process, creative industries, tatooing, tattooist, tattoo artistAbstract
THE AIM OF THE PAPER
Creativity is a difficult phenomenon to map, but its manifestations in the different creative professions in which it is applied are similar. This provides an opportunity to apply what is found in one profession to other fields. The aim of this study is to map the creative process of tattooing and, by learning from the experience of tattoo artists, to formulate solutions and ideas that may prove useful for other creative professions such as marketing or communication, showing a new perspective.
METHODOLOGY
Within the framework of qualitative research, we investigated the components of the creative processes of tattoo artists through semi-structured interviews. In our research, we interviewed tattoo artists working in Hungary who experience their creativity at a high level in their daily work. We examined the aspects of creativity through the meaning of creativity, the collaborative creation process, the conditions of creativity, and creative periods.
MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS
Our study can be considered as a missing piece, since the number of publications on the direct analysis of the creative process of tattooing is very low. In the long creative process, tattooists work closely with the client (co-creation), they coordinate multiple times. Good client management and customer relations are very important, as the artists say this is an integral part of their work. It is also important that tattoo artists use a variety of solutions to achieve and maintain a creative state.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Applied creativity is peculiar to the work of tattoo artists, meaning that both the tattoo artist and the client put a piece of themselves into the artwork. For other creative professions (e.g., wedding photographer, hairdresser, pastry chef), and for business-to-business services (marketing consulting, interior design, communication planning) trust building, process management, inspiration can be important, as well as personal connection and psychological aspects. Future research directions include the deeper understanding of co-creation, the study of other applied creative professions and their comparison with each other.
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