On the other hand, a beautiful part of this art form is that it is basically permanent. To my mind, a tattoo loses a lot of its value of it's only temporary.
The 'story' point reminded me of my response to people who say "Yeah, but what will your tatts look like when you're 80? They'll look terrible": "What, you mean at the end of my time, after I've enjoyed them all my life?"
Which is a good point. Current tattoos are also limited in life span. Even before a person dies, the tattoo will start to blur. So really these guys are just lowering the life span of a tattoo to something within a persons life. Which is already a thing since you can get tattoos removed by laser.
So all they have done, should they succeed is make things more convenient.
If it is temporary how is it any different than a hair cut?
I live in Sydney and I've also noticed other sub-genres: - Middle class women with tattoos of silouettes of a flock of birds in flight. - Women who dress in 30s fashion with tattoos of swallows usually around their collar bones. I have not spotted any in the last few years. - Asian girls of the Lotita sub-culture with tattoos of antique cutlery.
It would be strange if the value of tattoos is in large part due to many people walking around with tats they don't want.
I'm sure the designs will change, as will the motivations for getting them. Beyond that, this technology would be difficult to differentiate from a traditional tattoo whereas henna and temporary tattoos are visibly different.
Not sure that it will change an often spur of the moment, possibly rebellious or first love, decision. When asked the question do you want it in permanent ink I still think the answer will be mostly yes.
PS... how convenient, they own the ink and the way to remove it. SV... sigh