IF you’ve searched for tattoo inspirations on Pinterest, you’ve probably seen sets of similar designs all laid out on one page. And perhaps you’ve even gotten a tattoo from one of these collections. These are what tattoo artists call “flash designs.”

According to Joseph Butlay, a 25-year-old tattoo artist at Guhitinta, these are pre-drawn tattoos that artists use as references or as sources of inspiration for clients as well as other tattoo artists. 

These tattoos are designed by the artists themselves, and each flash set varies based on the artist’s perspective and creative approach.

At Guhitinta – and in many other tattoo shops – flash designs help to symbolize the love of an artist for their profession, allowing them to present their original ideas to others and have them placed on other people’s bodies.

27-year-old Chelsi Amour of Miss Pokes Tattoo explained that in the past, tattoo artists were constantly on the move. This was why they created these flash designs: so they could have a set of designs ready to be repeated quickly and efficiently. Now, though, flash designs have evolved into an opportunity to show off an artist’s style.

Aside from expressing one’s art style, flash designs are also a great way to talk about different campaigns and advocacies. Butlay said these allow artists to communicate their beliefs to others, and to increase awareness on social issues.

Nowadays, some flash designs can be repeatable, while others can not. Some can be altered or customized to a customer’s liking. Often, they are fully rendered, complete with shading or color, to help the client better visualize how it would look on their skin.

Why, though, should one choose to get a flash design instead of one you can look up on Pinterest or Google? What exactly makes them so special?

Baby’s first flash design

Andrea Katerin Cao, 26, from Idle Hands PH does handpoke tattoos. Her style leans toward realism, wherein stippling or dotwork is often incorporated into her pieces. In her designs, she likes to add contrasts and soft shadows.

She made her first flash set back in March of 2022, and said this first set mirrored how unhappy she was given her full-time job working in the public sector in the past.

“I felt stuck in a rut – I was once again having an existential crisis where I questioned everything: who I was, what I was doing, [and] I think I was able to show that in my first flash design,” she recounted.

At present, Cao likes to make flash designs that feature things that interest her: insects, animals, plants, skulls, and patterns are just some of the things she likes to make designs of. 

Her inspiration comes from nature and from the world around her, her creative juices being brought forth by memories, emotion, and nostalgia found in mundane, everyday objects, textures, and patterns. She also likes to take inspiration from the design suggestions of her Instagram followers.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old tattoo artist Aimeren Chazz Entena started with neo-tribal designs, which look different from their style now which consists of pastel anime and morute illustrations that take inspiration from the cybersigilism, aggrogoth, and neotribal genres.

They made their first flash set back in May as a collaboration with their friend and have been making their own flash sheets ever since then. Entena is heavily inspired by retro animes like Chobits and Paradise Kiss, as well as religious and antique aesthetics. 

They even talk about how plenty of the designs that they make are a way of healing their inner child, as well as dealing with their religious trauma. They love to make art through their past, turning them into beautiful things instead of being filled with hurt any time they look back on these memories. 

23-year-old Kim Gonzales’s first flash set featured kitchen ingredients that hold a special meaning in their heart. While they’re still finding their style, they write that they lean toward detailed, thin-line tattoos as their forte.

“I get inspiration from items that are personal or that I find very interesting,” they said.

“Right now, I’m exploring designs based on how I feel and experimenting with a design style I envisioned my future tattoos to be.”

The story behind each artist’s first flash design is always different, varying based on their interests and personal experience. The same goes, of course, for the inspiration that they use to make their designs.

Flashes vs other designs 

Gonzales charges P500 for a 1×1 inch tattoo, with the price varying depending on the size of the piece. Gonzales often charges less for repeatable designs because many people can get them, and more for non-repeatable ones because they’re more expensive, have a recommended size, and have more details.

“Simpler and smaller designs are repeatable. On special occasions like for campaigns or fundraising, I make detailed designs repeatable as well,” they said. 

The minimum rate for a 1×1 inch flash piece from Cao costs around P1,500 to P2,000. This is subject to change depending on the design, size, placement, and colors to be used for the tattoo. 

For her flash designs, she charges lower than custom designs since they’re pre-made and ready to be tattooed. Customs. on the other hand, take more time to make, so they have an additional custom fee tacked onto them. 

The designs that are repeatable for them are the same: simpler, smaller designs, or ones made for a cause. She notes, though, that regardless of repetition, the tattoo and experience would always be unique to the customer.

Entena charges P2, 000 up to P7,000 for their original pieces. For these prices, the sizes range from three to five inches minimum. They said that when it comes to their flash sheets, they prefer to make their designs non-repeatable because they like to give their clients unique designs. 

“Nothing will ever be the same despite how similar one can be from another, just as how unique one person can be from one another,” they said. As with other artists, their flash sheets are cheaper compared to their commissioned designs. 

There are others though, like Butlay, who charge more for flash designs compared to their standard tattoo prices; he explained that this is so clients understand that when they get a flash design, they’re paying for both the tattoo service and buying the right to utilize a particular design from the artist. When it comes to prices, it’s all relative depending on the artist.

But aside from the lowered price and the repeatability or non-repeatability of a design, what else makes a flash design different from all the others? 

For Cao, each flash she makes is extremely personal to her, which is what makes these designs special. It makes it easier for her to connect with the person getting the tattoo from her designs, and because she’s the one that drew these designs, she feels more confident in doing them compared to designs that may have been taken online or from other artists.

Similarly, Amour said that her sharing of her designs with others makes her feel very vulnerable to those that see them because she feels like she’s giving someone a piece of her thoughts, hoping that they feel the same way or even understand wherever she’s coming from. 

Even now, after she’s had numerous clients ask to get her work tattooed on their bodies, it still feels surreal to see someone form a connection with a design she’s made.

Butlay explained that his flash designs are his original works that draw from creative experiences he’s had in the past. They’re unique because they contain the artistic signature of the tattooist, as seen in their distinctive look and feel. 

“Flash designs are unique in the sense that it brings out the identity of the artist, showing their theme preferences and personal style,” said Gonzales.

 For them, it’s flash designs – the exclusivity that they hold – that help separate artists from one another. 

Why you should try flash designs

“I always get a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling when people are interested in getting a tattoo from me, be it flash or custom, [because] it shows that they like what I do and they want me to tattoo it for them,” shared Cao.

“It’s an instant connection between me and the client, no matter how random the design may seem. They give me that initial trust, which is one important aspect of the tattoo process,” she added. 

Butlay said that whenever people choose his flash designs, he feels a sense of pride and validation surge through him, knowing that his work will permanently be a part of someone’s life. 

He agreed with the fact that flash tattoos help to create a bond with clients since they take a bit of the artist with them everywhere they go. Watching their creations come to life on a human body is an extremely gratifying, inspirational experience for artists like him.

“It reaffirms our love for the medium, and motivates us to produce important, noteworthy, and emotionally engaging designs,” he explained. 

He also said flash designs are more than just visually pleasing artwork. With artists, their intentions go far beyond the actual design.

“We value establishing a welcoming and secure environment for people to express themselves through art. We are also committed to creating a community where everyone is appreciated and feels included,” he said. 

If you’re still on the fence about getting a design from a flash set, remember just how happy you’re making your artist whenever you pick their works to put on your skin, and just how deep the meaning behind each one goes, no matter how simple the design may be.