Tiffany Thornton, 33

Planet Ink

Influences on your art? Different, simple, common things. The way light hits stuff. I like people’s faces. I find even unpleasant, disturbing things inspiring.

Common motifs? Portraiture. Realistic stuff. I do a lot of floral work. Any bone structure, especially human skulls.

Differences between what women

and men ask for? Yes and no. I guess tattoo location is what sets them apart. Men get half sleeves, shoulder blades, back calf. Women are mostly wrist, ankles, thigh, and rib cage.

What is it like being a woman in this traditionally male-dominated

field? There is definitely a stigma to it. I get “That’s really good for a girl” a lot. I also get customers seeking out female tattoo artists because they think women are more patient and attentive to detail.

Current trends? Designs?

Innovations? A lot more fine art is being put into tattoos. People are getting larger, more complex pieces. There are a lot of tattoo artists who have a fine-art background now.

How has the art of tattoo

changed? The normal person who was coming in and getting a small butterfly on her ankle is now getting a half sleeve. Everything is just much prettier these days. It’s not like you just come into a shop and just point at the thing on the wall you want anymore.

Best experience tattooing? I met my now fiancé eight years ago when he came in to get tattooed. Worst experience tattooing? Honestly, the first thing I think about is that I had a customer break wind in my face while I was doing a hip piece. Enough said.