Blackdot – a company introducing A New Way to Tattoo – announced its official launch out of stealth and unveiled its patented automated tattooing platform, opening up bookings for the first Blackdot tattoos at its flagship studio in Austin, Texas. By integrating hardware, software, and cloud technology, Blackdot enables artists worldwide to have their designs executed as tattoos with new precision and predictability. Blackdot is the first automatic tattooing device and online marketplace – making art previously out of reach as a tattoo now accessible. This platform delivers an unmatched opportunity for intricate self-expression with minimal discomfort.
According to a recent Pew Research study, Blackdot’s scalable new approach has arrived amid the tattoo industry’s expected expansion to a massive $3.9 billion by 2030 and amid the growing popularity of tattoos among Americans of all genders, races, and political ideologies. Top generative artist Tyler Hobbs, renowned tattoo artist Omer Tunca, and living legend John Craig support Blackdot’s launch with exclusive designs.
Hear from Tyler, Omer, and John in Blackdot’s Artist Spotlight videos.
Blackdot’s device uses a small number of concealed test dots to “learn” the skin characteristics of the client. The test dots are compared against Blackdot’s skin database to determine which settings (number of punctures and puncture depth) will yield the perfect black dot for that client’s preferred tattoo location. Combined with a dedication to top-tier customer service, the result is a fast, accurate tattooing experience with minimal discomfort.
Artists who partner with Blackdot can control the supply of their work, allowing for limited edition collections and one-of-one designs to be offered. Tattoo designs are stored in a secure cloud that can be accessed at any Blackdot Studio, and the company utilizes blockchain technology for tracking tattoo execution. Every time an artist’s design is used, they earn a royalty. Blackdot is fundamentally redefining what is possible for the tattooing industry, establishing new practices and revenue streams to shift a paradigm that too often trades time for money to the detriment of many artists.
At launch, Blackdot offers custom tattoos from its first Blackdot Certified Artist (BCA) Tyler Hobbs, a breakout generative art star and NFT pioneer. Blackdot will also offer limited edition collections from renowned Turkish tattoo artist Omer Tunca and limited release art from John Craig, the visual artist behind the iconic cover art for The Smashing Pumpkins’ diamond double-album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Tattoo-seekers can apply for these designs on Blackdot’s website.
Through its Blackdot Certified Artist (BCA) program, tattoo-seekers can commission original designs from artists around the world and conveniently get them tattooed at any Blackdot Studio. Based in Austin, Blackdot plans to expand its Studios into major U.S. cities and abroad. Additionally, the company will offer Tradable Tattoos, which are limited edition tattoos from top artists that can be applied, traded or gifted between parties as one-of-a-kind, minted digital collectibles.
KEY QUOTES:
“Blackdot’s unique high-precision platform and scalable, culturally relevant approach mark a watershed moment in tattoo. The company is opening up new categories of art in tattoo, from fine art and generative art to photographs and memorabilia, and it’s expanding the reach of who can own a premium tattoo. Traditional tattooing will always be mainstream, but there’s a heavy appetite for this innovative approach to complement the classic system and to benefit tattoo artists and other artists everywhere. Blackdot offers imaginative new options for self-expression and an experience that minimizes pain and maximizes safety, hygiene, accuracy and choice.”
— Matthew Stephens, founder of DeviantArt, the world’s largest online art gallery and community
“Our team of highly qualified researchers and engineers has been able to create groundbreaking technology for both tattoo-seekers and artists alike. Artists are always amazed at the fidelity and accuracy with which the Blackdot device can reproduce their works on skin. Our grayscale dots are ~250μm in diameter (.25mm) and we’re able to tattoo them with surgical precision, a combination enabling us to execute extremely detailed designs that cannot be tattooed by hand.”
— Dr. Yan Azdoud, CTO of Blackdot
“The emergence of Blackdot is a breakthrough innovation in the tattoo field. This is a very positive development that will carry artists to different vantage points. Tattoo artists and many other artists in the world whose creative output is aligned with tattoos—painters, illustrators or people who work in different and new fields of art—will have a chance to experience this medium. Blackdot allows me to easily transfer all these designs to people who like them, without crossing to a different continent. In this sense, it brings us together.”
— Turkish tattoo artist Omer Tunca
“As a longtime supporter of the Smashing Pumpkins, working closely with John Craig to make his Mellon Collie collection available to millions of fans is a huge personal win for me. I now have the Star Nymph from the album’s cover tattooed on my forearm. When I look into her perfectly executed eyes, I feel a profound connection to the music that has helped shape who I am today. It’s incredibly exciting how Blackdot is redefining what’s possible in tattoo as well as making the act of tattooing itself more approachable.”
— Joel Pennington, Founder and CEO of Blackdot
“By reimagining the tattoo process, inventing new technology and deeply respecting artists, Blackdot has created new opportunities in tattoo that will positively impact traditional tattoo artists, as well open up the industry to visual artists, generative artists, photographers, curators, public figures, and compatible brands. We’re thrilled to be at the forefront of this journey with Blackdot that will create new revenue possibilities for artists while enabling new forms of self-expression for tattoo-seekers.”
— Ken Hood, Managing Partner at FusionX Ventures
