16 Surprising Tattoo Facts

Tattoos are one of the oldest and most fascinating art forms in the world — and the vegan tattoo movement has added a whole new dimension to them. Here are 16 surprising facts about tattoos and vegan tattooing.

1. To get a tattoo, the skin is pierced between 50 and 3,000 times a minute by the tattoo machine.
2. Black tattoo ink is usually made of burnt animal bones and sometimes the resin of shellac beetles. However, a vegan tattoo is much more than just vegan ink — it also includes the ointment, soap, stencil paper, razors and aftercare.
3. Alfredo Meschi is the most tattooed vegan “artivist”. According to him, tattoos carry a political connotation, and their permanent nature signifies a sense of strong commitment — something he calls “Artivism”. He has decided to fight for the liberation of animals by adorning his own body with no less than 40,000 tattooed X’s, a moving commemoration of all the animals killed every second worldwide just to satisfy our palate.
4. Early tattoo methods included using chisels, rakes, or picks. Soot-covered thread was also used, sewn through the skin.
5. The world’s longest tattoo session took place on July 1st, 2015. Fremantle tattooist Krzysztof Barnas worked for around 72 hours, taking only a 5-minute breather after each hour. It was recorded as the longest tattoo session performed by a single person working continuously, and he donated all the earnings to charity.
6. Glycerin is a derivative of animal fats. It functions in tattoo ink as a stabilizer and makes the ink easier to work with. Vegetable glycerin is used in place of animal glycerin — it is plant-based and also called glycerol.
7. In 2012, on ‘World Farm Animals Day’ in central Tel-Aviv, animal rights activists performed an act of solidarity with abused animals exploited by the human race. They were branded with a hot steel brand, in the same way farm animals are branded all over the world. The number 269, burned onto their skin, was the designated number of a calf they encountered on one of Israel’s dairy farms. The calf’s story has inspired a worldwide tattoo movement.
8. The top 10 most popular spots for tattoos are: lower back, wrist, foot, ankle, armband, back-piece, arm, chest, breast, and neck.
9. Among women who have tattoos, 27% say they prefer the ankle area while 25% opt for the upper back. Men overwhelmingly choose a more noticeable spot, with 75% getting ink on their arms.
10. Berlin is the most vegan tattoo-friendly city, with more than 15 vegan tattoo studios.
11. The most tattooed man in the world is Lucky Diamond Rich (born Gregory Paul McLaren, 1971), who has spent over 1,000 hours having his body modified by hundreds of tattoo artists. He is 100% tattooed.
12. 17% of those who have tattoos regret them. The most common reason for regret is that it’s the name of another person.
13. The most searched language as inspiration for tattoos is Japanese.
14. When looking to get a tattoo, 49% of people consider the reputation of the tattoo artist or studio the most important factor, 43% want a tattoo with personal meaning, and only 8% consider price the most important factor.
15. 42% of people think tattoos don’t make a person any more or less attractive, while 24% think they do and 22% think they don’t.
16. 32% of people with tattoos claim that they are addicted to ink.

Want more? Browse all our vegan tattoo articles and guides for the latest on ink, aftercare, and studios.