We’re pleased to announce the official launch of Inkscript Publishing (14.04.2025) – a small but dedicated publishing project focused on tattoo flash books, tattoo symbolism, and the rich history behind getting inked.
At the heart of Inkscript is a deep respect for tattooing as both an art form and a personal statement. Our aim is simple: to publish high-quality tattoo literature, focusing on tattoo flash art books, and to share meaningful writing about tattoo culture and symbolism from past to present.
For now, our flash books are available in PDF format – easy to download and perfect for artists, studios, collectors or anyone who appreciates original tattoo design. For those who prefer the feel of a real book and want to keep a permanent reference on their shelves or workbench – printed editions are coming soon.
Thanks for stopping by. Explore the site, have a read, and keep an eye out for what’s next.
If you’re into tattoos not just as decoration but as something deeper, you’ll feel at home here.– The Inkscript Team
What you'll find at Inkscript
Whether you’re a tattoo artist, an apprentice, a tattoo art collector, a person looking for a good tattoo idea, or someone just curious about the meaning behind the inked designs, we’re building our materials for people just like you.
Tattoo flash art books
Flash books full of beautiful tattoo designs from working artists. Not AI, not stock art – proper flash, made with intention. Inside, you can find more than just hand-drawn artworks – a mix of reference, fresh inspiration, and thoughtful writing on why tattoos matter, and why they always have. The PDF versions of our books are available now. You can browse them, download them instantly, and try them today. Print editions are in the works – with quality paper, strong binding, and all the artwork made for use in the studio or home.
Articles about tattoos
We’re happy to put our fascination to work by writing articles about tattoo types and styles – the variety of tattoo designs, the symbolism behind them, the most and least common meanings and the history behind them.
Other tattoo related stuff
No spoilers yet. Comming soon 🙂
Let's keep in touch!
If you’re on Instagram, we’d love you to follow us there too. We post regular previews from our flash books, behind-the-scenes work from our artists, and small features on tattoo symbols and stories.
Follow us at @inkscript.tattoo
More than skin deep
Tattoos are one of the oldest and most widespread cultural practices in human history. They’ve been found on mummified remains going back over 5,000 years – including the famous Ötzi the Iceman, whose body showed simple line tattoos likely used for therapeutic or symbolic reasons (Capasso et al., 1998). Across the world, from Japan to Samoa, Indigenous North America to Europe, tattoos have carried countless meanings – for belonging, protection, grief, status, love, or protest. Today, millions of people continue the tradition, and the motivations are just as diverse.
One 2022 global survey by Ipsos showed that about 46% of Americans and around 30% of Europeans now have at least one tattoo, with similar trends seen in Australia and Latin America. What was once niche is now mainstream – but that doesn’t make it less meaningful. If anything, it shows just how personal and powerful the decision to get a tattoo really is.
Why we choose to mark ourselves permanently?
What makes tattooing different from other forms of body art is simple: it lasts. The act of getting a tattoo is a choice to carry something with you, under your skin, often for life. That choice can be impulsive, careful, emotional, aesthetic – or all of the above.
Psychological research suggests that people often get tattoos during major life events – to mark a change, process a loss, reclaim a sense of control, or simply to express who they are in a way that words don’t quite cover (Swami, 2012; Wohlrab et al., 2007). And the designs themselves – no matter how simple – often carry stories, references, and symbols that matter to the person wearing them.
That’s one of the reasons we’re so focused on symbolism here at Inkscript. In our writing, we’ll dig into recurring motifs – from snakes, skulls and ships to religious symbols, folk imagery and traditional flash – and explore where they come from, what they mean, and how they’ve evolved.
Sources
- Capasso, L., Michetti, E., & Capasso, C. (1998).
- Iceman: the oldest tattoos in the world. Lancet. Swami, V. (2012).
- Written on the body? Individual differences between British adults who do and do not obtain a first tattoo. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. Wohlrab, S., Stahl, J., & Kappeler, P. M. (2007).
- Modifying the body: Motivations for getting tattooed and pierced. Body Image. Ipsos Global Advisor (2022). Global Views on Tattoos. www.ipsos.com