DC Metro Ink - A Brief Introduction

Washington, D.C. The District of Columbia. The capital of the United States of America, arguably one of the greatest countries in the world. It is a place of politics, education, history, and culture – a melting pot, if you will. Let's talk about that DC culture. Focus it a little more and let's talk about tattoos.

Tattoos have been around for centuries. They have graced everything from the faces of warriors before battle to the ankles of teenage girls on Spring Break. Tattoos provide an outlet for individuality. They are self-expression and self-identification.

According to a Pew Research survey, as of December 11, 2013, 14% of ALL Americans have at least one tattoo. That number is about 45 million people. Financially that is estimated to be $1.65 billion (yes, with a B!) spent on tattoos annually.

With all the tattoos in this great nation, this blog looks to focus on just one segment of that population: the DC/Metro area. With this we are going to explore tattoo parlors, tattoo artists, and the people that have ink on their bodies.

Who am I? My name is Lauren. I have grown up in the DC Metro area my entire life and for as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by tattoos. They are part of my family, friends, and coworkers alike. Am I addicted to ink? No, I wouldn't say so. I can, however, spend hours listening to people tell me stories about their tattoos. Whether it is a beautiful piece of art that takes up the person's entire back or the name of an ex-lover on the arm, every tattoo has something behind it. Tattoos are artwork and they are one of the most ultimate forms of self-expression I can think of.

There are many different parts to this project and so much fun to be had. Are you ready? I’m ready.

Let’s do this.