The Hottest Tattoo Trends in Dallas According to Local Artists

North Texas has always had a strong tattoo culture, and clients here are always looking for the best local artists to ink them up. But as with any type of personal aesthetic, trends do come and go. Obviously tattoos are no different, whether you're getting flash (designs chosen from your artist's hand-painted portfolio) or custom artwork designed specifically to your liking. It's a tattoo artist’s job to make sure their work ages well so that you don't regret putting it on your body one day (shout out to those tribal arm-band tattoos from the '90s). Unlike fads that pop up and eventually fizzle out of the cyclical zeitgeist, tattoos are permanent.

We asked a diverse set of Dallas-based artists specializing in different styles what their clients are choosing to get tattooed these days. They painted a broad picture of current trends they’re noticing in their line of work.

Rodrigo Canteras

Instagram: @rodrigo_canteras
Shop Name: Elm Street Tattoo
Booking Contact: [email protected]
Tattoo Style: Traditional Japanese Irezumi and American traditional

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"People have been looking a lot for the miniature Japanese-style masks that I do."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"I wish more people in Dallas were getting full sleeves and back pieces of large-scale Japanese work."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"This client wanted a Japanese-style tattoo sleeve, but with cats. And this is what I came up with." (See photo below.)

Cassie Cavazos

Instagram: @ghastlycassie
Shop Name: Lone Star Tattoos
Booking Contact: 469-531-9043
Tattoo Style: Black and gray traditional and neo-traditional

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"I think the most popular designs that clients want as flash from me are moths, butterflies and daggers. Custom work I think is popular are my lady heads, bugs and weapons — which I love to do!"

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"I really wish I got to do more creepy bugs, weirder lady heads and vases."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"The most unique tattoo I’ve done was my client's family's vase that they have in their house for protection, to keep away bad spirits. I got to have fun with the design so the vase can last forever."

Jay Jackson, aka Inkum’up Jay

Instagram: @inkumup_jay
Shop Name: Dallas Inkk Tattoo Studio
Booking Contact: Instagram DM
Tattoo Style: "I don’t have a style."

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"Most definitely my butterfly/skeleton hand tattoos. For some reason, everybody loves those tattoos and they went viral on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. And it seems like 'tramp stamps' are coming back into style. I’ve been getting a lot of those."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"Tattoos that are not on Google or Pinterest. I prefer doing original tattoos, but I really don’t mind. I’ll do it all."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"I’d say a super villain rib piece I’m working on. Because I don’t know anybody with a Green Goblin and Thanos tattoo."

Phoebe Rose Leonard

Instagram: @phoeberosetattoo
Shop Name: Mother’s House Tattoo
Booking Contact: [email protected]
Tattoo Style: American traditional, fine line and hand-poked

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"My flash that has been popular among clients lately would be my traditional ladies and anything nature-inspired. Popular custom designs I get most would definitely be butterflies, which I absolutely love doing."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more of?
"I wish I had the opportunity to do larger-scale work. And I wish I got more hand-poked inquiries. I love how I can achieve a different feel and keep things very unique with that technique."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done lately?
"The most unique tattoo I have gotten to do lately would probably be a hand-poked oyster I did."

Cody Hillman

Instagram: @codyhillmantattoo
Shop name: Death or Glory Tattoo
Booking Contact: [email protected]
Tattoo style: American traditional

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"I work at a walk-in shop, so the subject matter can vary pretty wildly. Probably the most popular, though, would be flowers of any kind. They can be drawn to flow with the body and fit great with tattoos you already have. My favorite things to draw are skulls and devils, so I get to do a lot of those mostly because that's what I'm painting. I paint a lot of cartoon characters, too, and people seem to pick those pretty quickly."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"Skulls, for sure. I've been lucky enough to start some big projects, too, like backs and sleeves, and I would like to keep that going. The bigger it is, the cooler we can make it."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"I'm fortunate enough to have super cool clients that give me a lot of freedom to make some super unique tattoos."

Snow

Instagram: @tattoos_by_snow
Shop Name: Controversy Ink Tattoo Studio
Booking Contact: 915-701-7158
Tattoo Style: Line work, cover-ups and color.

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"I don’t do a lot of flash tattoos because I love to customize everything I do for my clients and make it special for just them. Even the smallest tattoos I love to make more unique, featuring what is important to my client. One of the most requested tattoos from me are cover-ups. Whether it’s scars or old tattoos my clients have grown to truly dislike, I’m here to help them find something they will love forever."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"I wish I would get to do more geometric tattoos, which is one of my favorite styles to tattoo."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"One of the most unique tattoos I’ve gotten to do recently is a watercolor Poseidon. I love combining different styles in one tattoo."

Edna Herrera

Instagram: @yoliartstattoo
Shop Name: Rebel Muse Tattoo Dallas
Booking Contact: [email protected]
Tattoo Style: Geometric fusion

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"My popular flash work usually incorporates a fusion of geometric or wavy patterns, negative space, heavy black elements and illustrative elements such as lady faces, flowers, nature elements and eyes. Sometimes it includes pops of color, but it’s mostly black and gray. My custom clients pretty much take their ideas from my flash and my previously finished pieces, so it’s very similar to my flash work. Most of my custom clients get large projects like sleeves. But I sometimes do smaller pieces, about a sheet of paper size. These projects are largely geometric based, and sometimes they include some of the other elements I like to incorporate."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"I’m really enjoying working on the fusion style, where I’m free to incorporate everything that is in my skill repertoire. Lately I’m very drawn to all these lady faces that transmit some sort of emotion, and seem to capture a moment or a mood. I’m also loving the addition of a pop of color. But most of all, I enjoy when my clients bring me a good idea, with a deep meaning, that I can get creative with."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"The most creative tattoo I’ve done lately is one of the lady faces. My client saw my previous ones, and she asked for a custom one with a bit of purple and a specific flower. The theme is very personal to her so I can’t speak on that, but it is one of my favorite pieces so far."

An Phu

Instagram: @an_phu
Shop Name: Saints and Sinners Tattoo
Booking Contact: 316-253-8977
Tattoo Style: Traditional

What's been popular among your clients lately?
"Skulls, roses, cowgirls and traditional Japanese style."

What kind of tattoos do you wish you’d get to do more?
"I’m open to all kinds of custom work. I enjoy it best when we can come up with unique ideas together."

What's the most unique tattoo you’ve done?
"My unique tattoos come from clients that are open with trust and little restrictions."