Meet 12-Year-Old Maya Lu: The World’s Youngest Tattoo Artist From Germany
By Sidra Lackey
Maya Lu, a tween from Tengen, South Germany did her first tattoo at age two! Truly, recently profiled the young tattoo artist in a segment called: My Extraordinary Family who is known as the “Youngest tattoo artist in the world.”
Maya first started tattooing her parent’s feet and used a tattoo gun when she was only a toddler. She currently works at her family’s tattoo studio Psyland 25. She is a “proficient artist with advanced level skills, techniques, and designs,” Republic World reported when Maya was just a 9-year-old girl.
Maya’s nonbinary parent, Lily Lu says Maya grew up spending time at the family studio creating her abilities and polishing them over the years. Lily Lu also says, “Maya has been mostly been devoid of parental supervision and is a product of inspiration that she channeled in the art space at the studio.” They added to Republic World that Maya developed her own style, however, most of what she learned was taught by her father Lily Lu. "I tried to push her to be creative and to be productive as you have a lot of benefit from it. Growing up, she was painting and when she turned two she asked if she could also tattoo, so I said yeah, why not!" he tells Truly. He said initially, “Maya needed help in the first few years but was eventually able to make tattoos entirely on her own. Maya first started to paint motifs and later advanced to stenciling the tattoo motifs.” Maya “acquired her parent's tricks and techniques to create her own original designs, and perhaps picked a few skills from the friends at the tattoo studio,” Republic World says.
Despite the caring and creative environment they created for Maya, Lily Lu shares with Truly, there were people who thought he was an irresponsible parent for allowing Maya to tattoo at such a young age. Lily Lu insists: "I'm a professional irresponsible person! But it has no harm because Maya is surrounded by professional tattoo artists who have eyes on her, especially in the early years." Lily Lu is a proud father who believes their daughter is very talented: "I know no one who started that early with tattooing, has that skillset and has that many possibilities. I'm very curious what her future will bring, it's very interesting and exciting but I just want her to be happy." At the same time, Lily Lu told Republic World they don’t want Maya to “feel pressured by her artistic skills and would not want the child to consider tattooing as her only career choice.”
Tattoo collectors, would you get tattooed by an underage tattoo artist? Tattoo artists, what are your thoughts on underage tattoo artists? Do you believe one should be of a certain age to practice tattooing professionally, despite the talent of the artist?
To follow Maya Lu’s blooming tattoo career, check out her IG: @maya_lu_psyland_25
Click to follow Maya Lu’s YouTube channel.