What is a flash tattoo? Tattoo flash sheets became popular in the early 20th century. Reddit is divided on the origin of tattoo flash art, which makes it all the more interesting. Some think “flash” refers to the act of quickly showing off tattoo designs to potential art collectors, either from a suitcase or on a roll of paper, which could be quickly hidden in an era when the art form was illegal. Others think “flashy” refers to a tattoo shop that outshines the neighborhood competition by filling the walls with art. The term may also refer to the fact that small tattoos on flash sheets can be done quickly, in which case the whole tattoo procedure could happen in a “flash.” A client sitting for a long session told me that he didn’t think my drawings should be considered flash because they take a long time to do. It’s hard to know if the term was coined to focus on the artist, the collector, or the tattoo shop, but we can confidently define flash tattoos as drawings that are ready to be tattooed right now. This term is still alive and well in this digital age in which flash flashes before our eyes with the flick of a thumb.

Many shops in Brooklyn still identify with “old school” American Traditional art styles which are often seen on a tattoo flash sheet. Walking around Williamsburg, Bushwick, Greenpoint, and Red Hook, you’ll instantly recognize a traditional tattoo parlor instantly because the walls will be covered in tattoo flash art we’ve seen many times: hearts, dragons, butterflies, skulls, daggers, roses, devils, beauties, snakes, stars, anchors, panthers, swallows, ships, etc. Generations of artists captured archetypes of human stories in bold line work and a limited color palette. This is a rich folk art tradition from a time when flash tattoo ideas were physically traded, traced, riffed, and reinvented. I used to think it would be interesting to go against tradition and create unique flash that would not be repeated, but a lot of clients tell me that they think it would be fun to meet another person who has the same design. I might have missed the point: flash connects us to something bigger—universal stories are told with talismanic cartoons.

Growing up in the 90s, I remember flash art tattoos peaking when Ed Hardy started printing them on clothing and when they appeared on bottles of Sailor Jerry rum. Some trendsetters are down on it now, but I think the popularity of traditional flash tattoo designs in this era helped a lot more people embrace the medium and get tattoos. Without those guys, we wouldn’t have moved forward and created room for tattooing to expand. 

A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. The current generation is divided on traditional flash. I heard a critic say that old school shops “look like McDonald’s with a bunch of frames collecting dust.” The new standard for a tattoo shop is an industrial space with all the artwork either on an iPad or a client’s body. Interior decor aside, many say that the subject matter of traditional flash is male-centric and no longer connects with a generation that cares about diversity, equity, and inclusion. A new generation of artists are mirroring their own experience and attracting like-minded communities, especially as an artists’ digital footprint becomes more relevant than their physical location. Tattoo flash ideas are lurking in every corner of the cultural subconscious. A friend told me she was going to get her next tattoo from an artist whose artworks are based on the Polly Pocket toy franchise that was started in the 80s. 

As new artists contribute their voices to this medium, collecting flash becomes an art curation project. The traditional fine art market is elitist and cost-prohibitive for most, but tattooing offers equitable access to art-collection. Plus, you never have to worry about crowding out the wall space in a tiny apartment, archival art storage, or damaging a valuable piece when you move. Of course the downside is there is no secondary market, but tattooing is about embracing art for art’s sake, in the present, and social interaction. Ride a few stops on the subway in New York on a hot day in summer, and you’ll find yourself in a living art gallery.

Flash tattoo ideas save us from having to overthink our next tattoo. For a lot of my sitters, choosing their design and placement right before the tattoo procedure is part of the experience and introduces an element of chance. In a time when we are overwhelmed by choices, it’s freeing to walk into a studio and point to the wall.