Whether you’re a sucker for artistic and unique tattoo designs or you like to keep tabs on the very latest tattooing techniques and ideas, there’s a tattoo magazine out there for you. In this article, we are going to celebrate the wonderfully diverse world of tattoos with a list of the best tattoo magazines available in the UK and worldwide. As we’re sure you’ll agree, subscribing is the only option.
1. Inked
Inked Magazine is for men and women who simply love the culture, style and art of tattoos. You will find tattoo-packed content within this magazine including stunning photography sessions with top models and interviews with some of the finest tattoo artists in the world, as well as celebrities. Perhaps the best thing about Inked though is the Q&A sessions with inked trendsetters. It’s fascinating to find out more about the people with these stunning tattoos, as opposed to just looking at their ink.
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2. Inked Girls
Inked Girls is from Inked Magazine. It differs from the latter by featuring women only, but it’s as bold and fascinating as its brethren. Rather than delve into the stories behind tattoos too much, Inked Girls focuses instead on what is describes as the ‘sexiest tattooed girls next door’. Plastered across Inked Girls you will find spread photography that captures the very essence of every tattoo these women have. This could be construed as distasteful, but the professionalism of Inked Girls shines through to offer a glimpse into these women’s lives.
3. Freshly Inked
Freshly Inked is from Inked Magazine. This is a look book magazine, offering ink lovers a lot of inspiration for future designs. It’s also a fantastic way to keep in the know about the hottest things happening in tattoo culture. You will discover the latest trends, what people are considering for their next sessions and what’s going out of fashion. You will also find out the most popular tattoo designs and the meaning behind many of them. And if you love your events, then you’ll be pleased to know that this magazine lists plenty of them.
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4. Skin Deep
Skin Deep isn’t just the best-selling tattoo magazine in the UK, it’s also one of the only magazines that truly captures the stories behind the men and women who have gone under the gun. It also offers a tantalising glimpse into the working lives of the hottest tattoo artists in the UK, so if you’re a tattoo artist yourself, this magazine is for you. Unsurprisingly, Skin Deep has an emphasis on the very culture of tattooing, and regularly delivers insight into culture hot spots, such as London’s Soho.
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5. Tattoo Life
Tattoos aren’t just art, they’re a way of life for many people. If you feel the same way, then Tattoo Life is a magazine that you should check out. In this magazine you will discover interviews with the best international artists and coverage of the world’s hottest events. As you would expect from such a magazine, Tattoo Life features some of the most vivacious inked girls on the planet. Lively and animated, this magazine is best suited to a younger audience however it’s suitable for older tattoo lovers too.
6. Tattoo Energy
Tattoo Energy is from Tattoo Life. While the latter focuses more on international tattoo conventions, news, music and artwork, Tattoo Energy focuses on the tattoos themselves (5 pages are dedicated to displaying tattoo designs) and on the culture of tattooing. As such, this magazine has more depth to it, and it’s a decent read with additional interviews with the best international tattoo artists in the world and unique editorial pieces that will engage everyone, even those new to the ink scene.
7. Paperchasers Ink
Paperchasers Ink the youngest magazine in this list and is the only urban tattoo magazine in the UK. A gritty urban magazine, Paperchasers is always packed full of features with tattoo lovers and galleries of the best tattoos that have been submitted to them. This magazine stands out from the crowd with a real emphasis on multiculturalism, and on the human body. But it’s the focus on urban culture that will attract you, if not for the fascinating features then for the amazing array of products that you can view and buy through the magazine.
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8. Urban Ink
Urban Ink is pitched at a younger audience; it was also the first US tattoo magazine to focus on the body art culture of people of colour. It’s a mashup of photography and stories and it’s packed full of exceptional content for tattoo lovers and tattoo artists. You will discover daring designs and what celebrities and sportsmen are up to with their ink. You will also discover in-depth articles from some of the finest artists in the world. So whether you want inspiration for your next tat or you want to understand urban tattoo culture, take a look.
9. Skin Shots
Skin Shots does away with interviews, editorials and unnecessary writing in favour of photography only. It’s a pictorial magazine, bringing to you pictures of people from all walks of life and all areas of the body. With regular galleries of sleeves and legs, chests and backs, black and dot work and traditional tattoo designs, this magazine will have something for you no matter what you are interested in. It must be said though that Skin Shots features images of women predominantly. Whether that’s an issue comes down to personal preference.
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10. Rebel Ink
Rebel Ink is not your regular tattoo magazine. It focuses on tattoos that break the mould, and the tattoo artists that create them. In one issue, for example, artist Ryan Ashley Malarkey shows off some of her designs, including a tattooed corset. Each issue of Rebel Ink follows the same format – lots of attitude and lots of ink. It always features interesting stories of people who have been inspired to get tattoos and you can’t go wrong with its in-your-face photo spread that captures some truly breath-taking designs.
11. Total Tattoo
Total Tattoo has a little something for everyone. Not only does it feature men and women – along with their stunning tattoos – but you will enjoy the interviews it has with tattoo and graffiti artists every issue, including exclusives. Pleasingly, this magazine shows off every possible type of tattoo, with no bias. It offers a glimpse into the entire tattoo community and will appeal to enthusiasts around the world, despite being UK-focused. The best thing about this magazine though are the thought-provoking articles on tattoo culture.
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12. Tattoo Society
Tattoo Society has positioned itself as a membership magazine, whereby you’re part of the ‘society’ if you subscribe. Looking past this branding technique, Tattoo Society is actually a very good example of a magazine that understands its audience. Every issue, for example, features incredible artwork. And every issue follows somebody’s journey to really pull the reader in. Tattoo artists and ink lovers alike will get a lot out of this magazine, although it does focus on the American scene wholly.
13. Things & Ink
Things & Ink is, quite possibly, the best tattoo magazine in the world for those of you who enjoy the art of tattoos, and want this information delivered in a very artistic way. It has really stunning photo shoots of men, women and couples and these photo shoots are almost always accompanied by the story behind the ink. Things & Ink will also make you think, with interesting editorials on tattoo culture. The best thing about this magazine? For us, it’s the ideas it provides. You’ll never run out of ideas for tattoos with Things & Ink.
14. Tattoo Magazine
Tattoo Magazine is focused squarely on showcasing the very best skin art from all over the world. From the most daring designs to the most extreme areas of the body, Tattoo Magazine covers them all. Great for adventurous tattoo artists and for those of you who like something a little bit different. In our opinion, Tattoo Magazine is best read by a younger audience and those who already have tattoos. There’s little here for the older audience, but if you’re interested in what generation Y is up to, then you can’t go wrong.
15. Tattoo Master
Tattoo Master is a magazine for tattoo artists only, unless of course you are interested in the techniques, skills and stories of tattoo artists. That’s because Tattoo Master has interviews with tattoo artists aplenty and regularly covers the latest products, technologies and innovations on the tattooing market. It’s basically porn for inkers. But it also goes a little deeper, covering tattoo culture with insight into the world of tattooing with regular features such as Digging Deep, Ink Unplugged and Blowcut.
