Many people across the UK have tattoos, and a large proportion of those will me memorial inkings to remember loved ones. Luke Wintrip explained why body art can be like therapy…
A tattoo artist has opened up about how his work means far more to his clients than just inkings on their bodies – it’s therapy for them. Senior tattoo artist Luke Wintrip, 38, works at Inception Ink in Essex, and does a lot of memorial tattoos for clients, saying they can be “a permanent reminder of love, loss, and the resulting survival”.
“They give people something physical to connect to when they’ve lost someone important. Memorial tattoos allow people to process their emotions and put them into something that lasts,” he told the Mirror. “When you’ve gone through grief, having a tattoo that represents your loved one can bring some sense of closure or comfort. It’s not just a design on your skin, it’s a memory that you carry with you.”
Luke also said “when you’re sat with the right artist, you can talk through your emotions as you’re being tattooed,” saying tattooists are often thought of as “therapists, because clients open up in the chair” when they’re being inked.
There are so many tattoos you can get in memory of someone or something, too. He said common ones he sees are “paw prints for pets, baby footprints or handprints, fingerprints, dates, military medals, and portraits”.
Luke, who has been a tattooist for 15 years, said: “We do hundreds of memorial tattoos every year, and they can be in any style. Some are simple fine line pieces, some are highly detailed realism, and others are symbolic – like a flower, lyric, or an object that meant something to that person.
“Even something that might look humorous or is light-hearted can be therapy. As with anything, it’s about what brings comfort to the person wearing it.”
Luke admitted there was one tattoo he did to mark a man’s journey into fatherhood, saying the atmosphere was “emotional” as he inked the man.
“His dad came in for a tribute tattoo shortly after the birth. As you can imagine, the atmosphere in the studio that day was incredibly emotional. Everyone felt the weight of the moment, and there was such a strong sense of love behind that piece.
“Moments like that remind you that tattooing is about much more than ink. It’s about helping someone carry one of the most significant parts of their life on their skin,” he shared.
But Luke shared not every tribute is necessarily emotional, and tattoos can also be used to reflect the sense of humour of a deceased loved one.
Luke explained: “One of my favourites must be the alien tattoo I recently did for a client. It was in memory of his dad, but instead of being sombre, it reflected his dad’s humour. The design was of an alien holding up its middle finger.
“The client was laughing as we tattooed it, telling stories about his dad and the kind of character he was. You could see that it wasn’t just a tribute, it was a way for him to carry joy and funny memories with him.
“That’s why I loved it. Memorial tattoos don’t always have to be sad; they can be uplifting, too. There’s something very special when you are tattooing someone who feels so much love for who they have lost and can tell you funny personal stories. It’s a connection very few jobs have.”
Luke also has many tattoos himself, racking up a whopping 100 inkings. He also has a memorial tattoo amongst them for his “late dog Taffy”.
He said: “That tattoo means the world to me because pets become family, and it’s my way of keeping her with me. It’s small compared to some of my other work, but it’s meaningful.
“Having been through that myself, I understand first-hand why clients come in wanting memorial tattoos. It’s not about how big or flashy the tattoo is, it’s about the emotional weight it carries.”
If you’re thinking about getting a tribute tattoo but you’re feeling nervous, Luke has some advice for you.
He said: “If someone is nervous, the first thing I’d do is find out why. If it’s nerves because they’ve never had a tattoo before, I reassure them that it’s completely normal. We can take things slowly, explain every step, and make sure they feel comfortable throughout.
“If the nerves come from grief and from the weight of making something permanent when emotions are still raw, then I always encourage them to wait until they feel ready.
“The tattoo will always be there if they decide to go ahead, but it’s important they’re certain. The last thing anyone wants to do is to rush into something so personal. A tribute tattoo should bring comfort, not regret.”
