Once considered part of the counterculture movement, tattooing is now undoubtedly a mainstream trend. Forty per cent of Americans between the ages of 26 and 40 have at least one tattoo, and these figures only go up in countries where inking has long been a part of the local culture.

While tattoos have an ancient history beginning as talismans of protection, they are constantly evolving as skilled practitioners reinterpret traditional motifs and experiment with new ones, such as art brut and surrealist designs. With more than 1,000 illustrations from 125 of the most important artists working today, this book is the most comprehensive survey of tattooing ever published. Collected here are designs from around the globe that span a broad range of styles, including Japanese and East Asian iconography, classic Americana, tribal blackwork, biomech, black-and-gray portraiture, photorealism, and modernism.

Featuring the work of tattoo legends alongside pieces by pioneering artists who are pushing the limits of the medium, this visually arresting survey is the essential reference work for anyone interested in this exploding art form.