Ireland/ Celtic Tattoo History

The Celts transmitted their culture orally, never writing down history or facts. This accounts for the extreme lack of knowledge about them prior to their contact with the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. They were generally well educated, particularly on topics such as religion, philosophy, geography and astronomy. The Romans often employed Celtic tutors for their sons, many of these tutors were Druid priests. Religion was a force in Celtic culture. The Druids were their priestly caste. The Celts were extremely superstitious. 

Celtic tattoos were a likely sight among Celtic warriors.

Much like the Picts, a Latin root word: Picti meaning "painted ones", who tattooed their warriors as a form of intimidation against their enemies, Celts likely adopted the same war tactic of the time.

Battle among the Celts was considered the very highest honor. The Celts engaged in battle bare-chested, or even naked - further reinforcing a stance of intimidation against their foes. Additionally, Celtic warriors would fashion their hair with bright dies from flower pastes, and typically manipulate the hair in tall spikes around the head think Celtic punk rock.

The Woad plant was used to perform the tattooing, as it is a hardy biennial plant native to northern Europe and the British Isles. Woad is the source of a blue dye chemical, indigotin, that is also produced by the much more potent indigo plant indigenous of the sub-tropics.

To perform Celtic tattoos, the leaves of the Woad plant are harvested and dried. The dried leaves are then boiled and strained, and boiled again creating a viscous end product. This Woad paste is then tapped into the skin with needle like implements - forcing the indigo stain under the skin layers, creating the indelible design. Illustrations of woad tattoos on Picts show the La Tene designs as the body modifications of choice.

Tattoos in Early England

Tattoos in Early England

During the 19th century, tattooing flourished in England like nowhere else in Europe. This was due to the tradition of tattooing in the British Navy, which began with the first voyage of Captain Cook in 1769. During the decades that followed, many British seamen returned home bearing souvenirs of their travels in the form of exotic tattoos. Sailors learned the art, and by the middle of the 18th century most British ports had at least one tattoo artist in residence.

Royal Tattoos

Tattooing gained royal sanction in 1862 when the Prince of Wales visited the Holy Land and had a Jerusalem Cross tattooed on his arm. In later life, as King Edward VII, he acquired a number of traditional tattoos. When his sons, the Duke of Clarence and the Duke of York (later King George V), visited Japan in 1882, Edward VII instructed their tutor to take them to the tattoo master Hori Chiyo, who tattooed designs on their arms. On their way home, the two Dukes visited Jerusalem and were tattooed by the same artist who had tattooed their father 20 years before.

Following the example of the Dukes, many wealthy Britons and naval officers acquired tattoos from Japanese masters. Read this article that appeared in the 1898 Harmsworth Monthly Pictorial Magazine entitled Tattooed Royalty. Queer Stories of a Queer Craze by R. J. Stephen, for more about this "fad". By 1890 the fad had spread to the US, and tattoos were seen on members of the highest social circles.

The first British professional was D.W. Purdy who established a shop in North London around 1870. In a booklet dated 1896, Purdy wrote:

"Before you commence to tattoo any individual you must be able to sketch well, as it is very difficult matter to sketch on a person's arm or on any other part of the body; you will have a good deal of rubbing out to do before you get the figure drawn correctly. Whatever part of the body you have to tattoo you must see that there are no large veins in the way, as they must be avoided… Before you commence drawing out your figure you must see that hairs are shaved off or you will have some difficulty in trying to sketch…"

The 1897 article by Gambier Bolton that appeared in The Strand magazine entitled Pictures in the Human Skin gives an overview of the tattoo scene of the late 1800's.

During the 19th century, tattooing was approved of and even encouraged in the British army. Field Marshall Earl Roberts, who himself was tattooed, directed that "every officer in the British Army should be tattooed with his regimental crest. Not only does this encourage esprit de corps but also assists in the identification of casualties.

One of the most prominent British tattoo artists of the late 19th century was Tom Riley. Riley had a natural talent for drawing that he developed into tattooing thousands of regimental crests and other military designs during the South African War and the Sudan Campaign. After leaving the army, Riley established himself as a tattoo artist in London.

His cousin, Samuel O'Reilly was a successful New York tattooist who invented and patented the first electric tattooing machine in 1890.

Riley's success was not only due to his sill but also his salesmanship. One of his original publicity stunts was the over-all tattooing of an Indian water buffalo at the Paris Hippodrome in 1904.

Riley's greatest rival was Sutherland Macdonald. Like Reilly, Macdonald learned tattooing while serving in the British army and later enjoyed the benefit of formal art school training. In 1890 he opened a London studio. He dressed formally and called himself a "tattooist" rather than a "tattooer". Macdonald enjoyed a privileged status with the Royal Navy and he advanced his career by courting journalists so that he became the subject of flattering magazines and newspaper articles. In 1897, Le Temps reported that he had elevated tattooing to an art form and in 1900 he was referred to in L'Illustration as "the Michelangelo of tattooing." MacDonald continued to tattoo until his death in 1937

George Burchett, is considered one of the greatest of the early British tattoo artists. He began his professional career in 1900, when Riley and Macdonald were at the height of their fame. As a child he was fascinated by tattoos and at age 13, he enlisted in the navy and learned the rudiments of tattoo art. After roaming the world for twelve years, he returned to England and at 28, he opened his first studio and began a career that earned him fame, a small fortune and the title, "King of Tattooists".

Burchett is the only early British tattoo artist who left a written record of his life and his work. After his death, his friend helped compile and edit his memoirs, diaries and other materials and in 1958 a book, Memoirs of a Tattooist was published.

Germany

Germany has a long history of body decoration. In 1988, a carved figure of a man was found in a cave at Hohlenstein-Stadel, in Germany, carbon dated at 32,000 years old. The body had markings with thin lines running across the upper arm. Friedrich Barbarossa ("red beard"), Roman king and emperor of Germany from 1152 to 1190, is often seen in illustrations with cross designs on the back of his hands. Kaiser Wilhelm, who was Emperor of Germany in 1908, was rumored to have an eagle tattooed on his chest. Of course the German ports on the North and Baltic Seas added the sailor heritage to German tattoo history.

Following are a few of the attractions that came from Germany or made their name there.There have been many German attractions in sideshows on both sides of the Atlantic. We should not forget that the first professional tattooist in the United States was Martin Hildebrandt, a German immigrant. Nora Hildebrandt, Martin's daughter, is credited as the first female attraction in the United States in the 1860s.

Don Manuelo, entered the sideshow world in the late 1800s with a body suit of designs that tell many stories. His back piece features a large military battle scene with an eagle and crossed flags below. On his chest he wears images of "Red Indians", sailors and women. One of Manuelo's designs was laced-up spats tattooed on his lower legs, which was a popular design with German attractions.

Annie Frank arrived on the tattoo scene in the 1920s. Her tattoos consisted of many patriotic designs like Miss Liberty, eagles, crossed flag and the required laced-up spats.

Miss Creola and Miss Alwanda , shown to the left, were one of the few double attractions in the history of the sideshow. Most of their tattoos are portraits of European kings and queens. I guess those "Red Indians" had a sense of humor. Note the spelling of America on Miss Alwanda's leg.Angelika Schwarz's history is unknown to the Archive. This stylistic poster shows her tattoos to be mainly of animals, butterflies and flowers.

La Bella Angora's poster has front and back views of her tattoos that feature a great chest eagle and multi-jeweled necklace (and the now common place 
tattooed spats).

Lyda Akado worked with the American Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1954. She is seen here in a front and back pose that was sold by Bernard Kobel (#708). This mid-way shot with Akado's non-canvas banner, shown below, is also from Kobel but is only listed in his Circusiana catalog (#244).

Nora Hildebrandt first appeared at Bunnell's Museum in New York City in 1882 with a tattoo for every day of the year. That's right! 365 tattoos done by her father Martin. Tattooed daughters and wives became a calling card for many tattooists of this era.Frank and Emma de Burgh were an American couple tattooed in the 1890s by Samual O' Reilly in New York City. The reason they are included in this review of German attractions is because most of the historical information that has survived is from their work in Germany. They are seen here in a German poster with other sideshow members.

Egyptian Tattoos

Life of Early Egyptians (2160-1994 BC) Middle Kingdom

Many traditional cultures also use tattoos on the flesh as a sort of passport to the world after death, although interestingly, with all the emphasis on the next world in ancient Egyptian culture, there is no indication that this was the case there.

Egypt is generally accepted as the cradle of tattoo art and by the Middle Kingdom tattoos seem to have been popular and culturally acceptable

2,000 BC to 3,000 BC

Several mummies have been recovered that date to as early as the XI Dynasty (2160-1994 BC) that exhibit tattoo art forms. One of the most famous of those early mummies is that of Amunet, a priestess of the goddess Hathor, who was found at Thebes. This female mummy displayed several lines and dots tattooed about her body. The tattoo patterns and markings were still clearly visible on her flesh.

Several other female mummies from this period show similar tattoos in addition to ornamental scarring (cicatrization) which is still popular today in some parts of Africa across the lower part of the abdomen. The series of dots and dashes held protective and fertility promoting significance. The lozenges are connected to the primal female power of the universe - motherhood.

The traditional reasons for tattooing include:
• to connect with the Divine.
• as a tribute or act of sacrifice to a deity.
• as a talisman, a permanent amulet that cannot be lost.
• to provide magical or medical protection.

Certainly, the connection between tattoos and the divine existed in ancient Egypt.

Beyond the geometric designs that were favoured, other designs discovered were found that were intrinsically connected to religion. Mummies dating from roughly 1300 BC are tattooed with pictographs symbolizing Neith, a prominent female deity with a militaristic bent. These are the only tattoos that at this point seem to have a link with male bearers.

The God Bes

The earliest known tattoo with a picture of something specific, rather than an abstract pattern, represents the god Bes. Bes is the lascivious god of revelry and he served as the patron god of dancing girls and musicians. Bes's image appears as a tattoo on the thighs of dancers and musicians in many Egyptian paintings, and Bes tattoos have been found on female Nubian mummies dating from about 400BC.

Africa

History of Tattoos in Africa Except for the 5000 year old man recently discovered in ice, the first evidence of tattoos leads back to the mummies in Egypt. The oldest tattoo was found on the mummy of Amunet, a priestess of the Goddess Hathor, during 2160-1994 BC. The mummy's simple tattoos were parallel lines on her arms, legs, and an elliptical pattern below her navel. Interestingly, no male mummies found in Egypt had their body adored with tattoos. Egyptologists, today, are of the opinion that these designs symbolized fertility and rejuvenation in women. However, male mummies that have been found in other parts of Africa, such as Libya, have tattoos of images relating to sun worship, on their body. In the tomb of Seti I, dating back to 1300 BC, tattoos symbolizing Neith, a Fierce Goddess, who led warriors into battle, were found on men. The first known tattoo of a person was discovered on Nubian female mummies, dating to 400 BC. The tattoo image portrayed the God of Sex and overseer of orgies, Bes. Another form of early body ornamentation was 'cicatrisation'. The word cicatrisation was derived from the French word, cicatrices, which mean 'scar'. This form of body ornamentation was common among the darker-skinned people of Africa, so that their original color of skin would not show. 

Tattooing In North Africa Even though Quran does not support the idea of engraving on the body, tattooing as an art form and cultural aspect has survived in the Islamic societies of North Africa. Strict Muslims from the society considered tattooing as unoly as it was considered to be a cause of injury to the body, making the body, a gift of the god, as imperfect in the eyes of Allah. Tattoo was also seen as an obstacle in letting the water penetrate through the skin, hamrrpering the ritual of purification in Islam. But there was a sect of Moroccan women that considered tattooing as a legitimate practice. There are also written documents from the early 20th century, stating that tattooing existed in the Arabic world at the time of Prophet Mohammed. Many traditional forms of tattooing exited in parts of North Africa like, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, etc. 

Tattooing In Sub Saharan Africa When Europeans were exploring Sub Saharan Africa, they discovered that the indigenous people of this region practiced a cultural practice of scarring the skin. The Sahel is the region in Africa that stretches from the country of Senegal to the Red sea. The largest tribal group inhabiting the Sahel region is called Fulani. It is also the most heavily tattooed tribes of the region. 

Present Era While contemporary tattoos involve puncturing the skin for inserting pigment, Cicatrisation involves cutting the skin more severely to create wounds, which results in a decorative pattern of scar tissue. This popular technique for scarring involves two steps - piercing the skin and then, rubbing the wound with ash. The latter step is primarily done to inflame the skin, which later heals to form a raised scar. The wounds are perodically re-opened, and inserted with a pebble or pearl, in order to enhance the raised effect. This process used to be carried out on young boys who were about to hit puberty. It was continued until they entered the adulthood. Each tribe had its own individualistic style. Other African body altering traditions involve extreme forms of body piercing. The basic purpose of the art is to exaggerate body forms by ornamentation. Lips are pierced and objects are implanted inside, causing the lip tissue to elongate and conform to the shape of the implantd object as the flesh heals. Coming back to tattooing, African tribes are still seen with tattoos on their body. Available in numerable designs and forms, tattoos are mainly impressed to portray the symbols, which are unique to their group. This helps them to recognize people of their group and also those that belong to other groups. - See more at: http://bodyart.iloveindia.com/tattoo-history/tattooing-in-africa.html#sthash.glVZn6Lx.dpuf

Middle East

The Middle East has a rich tradition of body art, both in the form of permanent ink tattoos and the temporary Mehndi markings also seen in southern Asia, that stretches across history. A variety of methodologies to create body art in this region have seen employment from the dawn of civilization and the dynastic Egyptian period to the modern day. Tattoo traditions in particular have endured in the collective culture of tribal societies even as the spread of Islam subdued the propensity toward tattooing in mainstream Middle Eastern society. By examining the trifecta of history, methodology, and anthropology, greater insights into the fascinating and unique elements of Middle Eastern body art may be gleaned - and that is the driving purpose of this exhibit.

Bedouin: A tribal culture typically associated with Arabia and its environs, where the majority of it resides, the Bedouin have held fast to their traditions of tattooing for a multitude of generations. The word itself stems from the plural form of badaw, which means "desert dweller" in Arabic. Bedouin body art favors the application of tattoos to the face, particularly amongst women, coupled with displays of jewelry and other material items that in some sense elevate the entire body as a canvas for artistic expression.

Muslim Diaspora: With the rise of Islam, specifically the Sunni branch of Islam, the practice of tattooing lost some popularity in the Middle East due to the belief that tattoos mar the flesh and therefore mar the creation of Allah, which can be considered a grevious sin. The Shiite branch appears more relaxed on the issue, although as expected opinions do vary between individuals. Those who strictly forbid tattoos base their opinion on a hadith recorded by Bukhari - ""It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed the one who does tattoos, and the one who has a tattoo done."

Russian Tattoos

Russia's tattoo history that i can find is connected purely to prison and the tattoos that inmates get while incarcerated have certain meanings.

Russian mafia tattoos started gaining popularity during the Soviet Union's heyday. Prisoners were put through a brutal Soviet prison system known as the "gulag"; there, they began to create their own power hierarchy based on time served and crimes committed, among others. They branded themselves with tattoos so others could see at a glance where they stood, and the various crimes they committed.

You had to earn the tattoos you bore—gangsters caught with tattoos symbolizing false status had them brutally removed with sandpaper, glass and other abrasives, or were even killed or raped. Here are a few classic Russian gang tattoos and their meanings:

THE CATHEDRAL: A cathedral (or monastery, church, castle or fortress) tattooed on the back, hand or chest tends to denote the amount of time the bearer has been in prison, with each steeple representing a year. It can also indicate the number of times the bearer has been incarcerated, if he's served time for multiple offenses.

THE COBWEB: A spider's web, usually found on the shoulders, says the bearer has or had a drug addiction. A spider on the shoulders denotes that the bearer has a high rank.

THE CAT: Cat tattoos serve as the mark of a thief. A single cat means the thief acted alone; multiple cats say the thief was part of a bigger gang.

THE DAGGER: A dagger through the neck means that the bearer killed someone while incarcerated. It also indicates that he is available to be hired for a "hit". If there are drops of blood tattooed on the blade, those indicate the number of murders the bearer committed.

KNUCKLE DOTS: The number of dots on the bearer's knuckles correlate to the number of years the bearer served in prison.

STARS: Stars tattooed on the knees mean the bearer will bow down to no man. On the shoulders, they can mean the bearer is one of discipline, high status and tradition, or they denote that the bearer has been promoted to captain of the mafia.

THE BULL: A bull tattooed on the chest or forearm means the bearer is a hitman, and has been hired by their mafia boss to kill.

THE PIRATE: A pirate tattoo means the bearer has committed armed robbery.

THE TIGER: A tiger tattoo is usually found on the neck, arms or back. It typically signifies that the bearer has killed a law enforcement officer, like a policeman or prison guard.

India Tattoo

Indians are very particular about culture and when many people are getting tattoo Faridabad, most people still think about the culture and tradition attached to body art.  Tattoo was used mostly as a form of celebration and receptions, weddings, and other such festive celebrations saw many body arts being created. 

Along with celebrations bringing out these decorative souls, tattoo Chandigarh and other Indian countries was something that women mostly did.  Mehandi was what this work of art on the female body was known as and it is also a tattoo form that is commonly used today known as Henna tattoo.  This form of body art was not only used in India but was used in many rituals in areas as far as Africa.  The Henna tattoo is not permanent like the ones done with the needles and ink and it is a form of body art that women loved because it faded after a period of time. 

The art of creating Mehandi was a very popular routine and all women participating in a wedding in the past would tattoo their body as a tradition. Along with the use of tattoos to celebrate certain occasions, there were some Indians who used tattoos as a part of their beliefs.  These Indians would apply the body art to ward off bad spirits and any other omens they may think might be around them.  This belief behind getting a tattoo Chandigarh is still being practiced today; even if it is not on such a wide scale as in the past. 

Tattoo Faridabad as with tattoos throughout India was also done to show affection and love.  Many people in the Indian society choose to get tattoos if they lost someone they loved.  These tattoos will be the person’s name or it may also be the name of a god that they adored.  The pratice of getting different fertility symbols tattooed on the body was also very popular and many Indian women would also tattoo a symbol to represent good health and long life. 

As you can see, the history of tattoo in India has transcended throughout the years and today many people are wearing tattoo in Chandigarh for fashion and as a part of their culture as well.  Tattoo is very famous throughout the world and is used as an expression of oneself. 

If you have been seeking a way to express yourself and be an individual, think about getting a tattoo in Chandigarh and see the difference it makes.

Tattoo Design

Basic foundations of tattooing is the tattoo design. Without the, what is there to tattoo?
A common mistake in the field is that a tattooist who can draw feels that their shop won't be respectable if they carry "storebought" flash or stock tattoo designs and insist on hand drawing every design on their shop walls. Don't fall into this category, because people have rally different tastes and a good stock of all types of designs from all types of artists will ensure something for everybody. is is good business sense to have a variety. If someone wants a custom design for themselves, no problem.

Personalized tattoos are great for sales and the customer walks away with a "one-of-a-kind". If you can't draw it, ask them to bring the design in themselves, or have a local artist do it for you. You can spend hours and hours on special designs for people who ordered them and might not ever return. So, if you're smart, get a deposit when someone wants you to draw up something special. Charge them for the time spent drawing it up. If they don't want to pay for that, tell them to find a design already made up and you'll be happy to put it on them.

Designs for tattoos are found everywhere. You should be able to copy just about anything and transfer it to the client. if you look around, good designs can be found from any sources; books, photos, cards, brochures, wall paper, posters, comics, advertisements, tv, magazines, etc. The size usually needs to be changed and often it will need to be modified for tattooing in some way. Not everything looks good on skin.

Chinese Tattoo History

Tattooing has been an art known in China for thousands of years. It is know as Ci Shen or Wen Shen which literally means "puncture the body". It has an uncommon practice in China. Tattooing has been seen as a defamation of the body in Chinese history, something undesirable.

One of the 4 classical novels of Chinese Literature, does reference tattooing. Water Margin tell stories of bandits of Mount Liang area of China during the early 12th century. The novel talks about the 108 companions of the historical bandit Song Jiang. Three of these characters are referenced as having tattoos covering their entire bodies which looking at the views of tattooing in china and bandits being bandits it fits the bill. 

The most famous tattoo in Chinese history comes from the legend of the Chinese general Yueh Fei. Yueh Fei served the South Song Dynasty. During battle with northern enemies the Field Marshall under whom Yueh Fei served betrayed the South Song and went over to the enemy. In protest Yueh Fei resigned and returned home. His mother grew angry with him, telling him that his duty was first and foremost to his country, despite all else. To remind him of this fact she tattooed four characters on his back with her sewing needle. These characters, jin zhong bao guo, are difficult to translate but mean something like “Serve his country with ultimate loyalty.”

At some points in Chinese history Chinese tattoos were also used to mark criminals. Criminals convicted of a severe crime would be ordered to have a tattoo printed on their face and exiled into a faraway land. Even should the criminal ever return the tattoo would mark them forever as a criminal? This form of punishment was known as Ci Pei

In modern China Chinese tattoos have grown somewhat of a stigma as being affiliated with organized crime and the criminal underworld.

Dulong Tattoos

Tattooing among women of the Dulong group, who live along the Dulong River, dates back to the Ming Dynasty some 350 years ago. During this time the Dulong were under attack from many of their neighbors, and the women would often be taken as slaves.The Dulong women began tattooing their faces in reaction. It was thought that the tattoos would make them uglier and less likely to be raped. This tradition has continued into modern times despite the fact that the Dulong are no longer under attack from neighboring tribes.At the age of 12 or 13 all Dulong girls are tattooed on their faces. This is a rite of passage among Dulong women and is seen as a sign of maturity

Dai Tattoos

The Dai people of China have an ancient tattooing tradition. Both men and women among the Dai are tattooed. Dai women are generally tattooed on the backs of their hands, their arms or have a small dot tattooed between their eyebrows. Among Dai men tattoos are seen as a sign of strength and virility. Generally tattoos will be made in such a way as to accentuate and draw attention to their muscles. Although there are no fixed traditional designs among the Dai people, most commonly the tattoos will be of a ferocious beast such as a dragon or a tiger. In ancient times Dai tattoos were given to young children of the ages of 5 or 6, however it grew to be more common to be given about the ages of 14 or 15, sort of a rite of passage into adulthood. Tattooing among the Dai is still practiced to this day.

Li Tattoos

Tattooing also has a long standing tradition among the Li people of Hainan Island. Most commonly tattooing among the Li people, like those of the Du Long, are practiced among the women. Men have been known to have three blue circular rings tattooed on their wrists for medicinal purposes, but other than that the tattooing is among women. Like both the Du Long and the Dai, the art of tattooing among the Li is seen as a rite of passage into maturity and adulthood. A Li girl is tattooed sometime during the ages of 13 or 14. The girl would first be tattooed on the nape of the neck, the throat and on the face. This process would take about four or five days.Over the next three years, the girl would then have her arms and legs tattooed. Her hands were not tattooed. Among the Li only married women could have their hands tattooed, it was not appropriate for single women to wear them.Li tattoos differed greatly among the different Li tribes, and could be easily used to differentiate between a woman of one tribe and another.

During the 1930's a German ethnologist Hans Stubel studied the Li people, and wrote extensively of their tattooing practices. It is mostly from his work that our understandings of their tattooing customs come from. During his day few still wore facial tattoos, tattooing was primarily of the arms and legs. Today hardly anyone in Hainan sports the traditional tattoos of the Li people save a few elderly women.

Sterilization

Proper sterilization is a serious concern in this age of many diseases and viruses. It should be a priority with yourself that under no circumstances do you ever use non-sterile equipment. All needles, tubes, bars, and inks should be sterilized.

To sterilize equipment before using, 1st put new needle boars and tubes in an ultrasonic cleaner. A chemical cleaner can be used in the ultrasonic cleaner. This helps get all the flux off of needles and works wonders in getting ink out of tubes. A tube can be scrubbed by hand for 5 minutes, but when they're put in an ultrasonic the ink will just boil right out of it.

Leave the equipment in the ultrasonic for about a half an hour. When they're removed, it's easy to brush off any remaining ink or other debris with a denture brush.

To clean a tube, brush it good, inside and out, rinsing it out under the faucet while scrubbing.

After tubes and needle bars have been scrubbed and rinsed well it's time to sterilize them because ultrasonics do not sterilize, they just vibrate hardened ink and crustrations off the parts. Dip them in Benz-all solution. Then carefully line them up in a dry heat sterilizer and turn it on for fifty minutes. At the end of this time, remove them and put in stainless steel containers full of Benz-all. This keep the needles from rusting and keeps tubes and needles sterile until ready for use. Sterilizer tubing and bags are also available from your supplier.

Tattoo Placement

Some areas of the body are easier to tattoo than others.

On a male, the easiest places are the forearm, upper arms and legs.
The most popular and easiest areas for the female are on the shoulder blades, breasts and hips. The fleshy portion of the upper breast, above the nipple, is the easiest spot for a woman to get a tattoo. Women seem to take a tattoo a lot easier than a man. This is due to the fact that they have a naturally higher threshold of pain and also an extra layer of fat in their skin than men do.

Some thought should go behind the actual placement of tattoos, such as the size and shape of the design as opposed to the size and shape of the skin area being tattooed. A large flying bird spanning left to right would look a little awkward on a skinny arm that hangs basically up and down. Try to use the lines of the tattoo to enhance the curves of the body part, this will be making more of an artistic statement than just slamming any tattoo in any position.

Small tattoos don't usually look that good on large areas and seem to get lost.
Large tattoos squeezed into small areas are confusing and usually the entire picture isn't visible from one angle.

Sometimes what looks best isn't necessarily what the customer wants. It isn't your job to argue with them, after all, they're always right, but it does help to make a few suggestions and to state how you view things. People will usually consider what you have to say.

The direction a tattoo faces also should be considered. Although the customer always has the final say, a general rule to follow is that a tattoo that is in profile, or partial view turned, should always face to the front of the person. That is, don't have them pointing backwards to the rear.

Skin

The skin isn't some board to be etched on but an actual working, organism to be dealt with carefully, so extra sensitivity is needed.

Everyone's skin is different. Some people's skin is quite flaky while others are naturally readily. Certain people have extremely sensitive skin and others just the opposite, totally impervious to abrasion, as it seems. Always be aware of the type of skin you are dealing with. For example, you shouldn't grab everyone the same way, some bruise more easily. Be open to individual needs. No matter what skin type a person has, it can all be somewhat equalized in texture by keeping it moist. Always keep the skin lubricated with vaseline or bacitracin ointment while working on it.

A good tattoo does not have to go extremely deep to stay permanent, but can survive quite satisfactorily in just the epidermis layers of the skin.

Stretching Skin

One of the major bonuses that you have working with skin is in its elasticity. It stretches a lot. In order to perform any kind of precise work and to get the ink in correctly, the skin must be taut. It's important that the skin be stretched tightly like a drum so the needles don't bounce, or get hung up in the skin. If the skin in'st very tight, your lines will go from too strong to too weak. If it is too strong, you have gone way too deep and a big fat line with "knots" in it may occur and scar tissue will usually result.

If the skin isn't stretched tight, it will be difficult to get the color to go in the skin. The needles will bounce off the skin instead of penetrating it. It may look like the ink is getting in all right, but it could be an illusion and be gettin in on only the very top layer of epidermis. Keep the area you have just finished clean so yo can see how solid the color is. 

If you are working on an arm or leg, Grasp the back of it and squeeze firmly.

If you are working on a back, chest, breast, or bottom or somewhere where you can't grab the back of it to stretch , you will have to stretch it with your free hand. You can do this by cradling the tattoo area between the "V" formed between the tumb and the forefinger. 

Japanese Tattooing.

Around 5,000 BC the earliest evidence of tattooing in Japan is found in the form of clay figurines that have faces painted or engraved to represent tattoo marks. While i don't consider then tattooing it is an interesting view of what tattooing is. Engraving into a surface. The Oldest figures of this kind have been recovered from tombs dated to 5,000 BC or older. 

297 AD 
The first written record of Japanese tattooing was discovered when a Chinese dynastic history was compiled. According to the text, Japanese "men young and old, all tattoo their faces and decorate their bodies with designs." Japanese tattooing is also mentioned in other Chinese histories, but almost always in a negative context. The Chinese considered tattooing to be a sign of barbarism and used it only as punishment.

7th Century 
By the time of early seventh century, the rulers of Japan had adopted much of the same culture, style and attitude of the Chinese, and as a result decorative tattooing fell into official disfavor.

720AD 
The first record of Japanese tattooing as punishment was mentioned in a history. that reads: "The Emperor summoned before him Hamako, Muraji of Azumi and commanded him saying: You have plotted to rebel and overthrow the state. This offence is punishable by death. I shall, however, confer great mercy on you by remitting the death penalty and sentence you to be tattooed."

720AD 
The first record of Japanese tattooing as punishment was mentioned in a history. that reads: "The Emperor summoned before him Hamako, Muraji of Azumi and commanded him saying: You have plotted to rebel and overthrow the state. This offence is punishable by death. I shall, however, confer great mercy on you by remitting the death penalty and sentence you to be tattooed."

17th Century
By the early seventeenth century, there was a generally accepted codification of tattoo marks used to identify criminals and outcasts in Japan. Outcasts were tattooed on the arms: a cross might be tattooed on the inner forearm, or a straight line on the outside of the forearm or on the upper arm.

Criminals were marked with a variety of symbols that designated the places where the crimes were committed. In one region, the pictograph for "dog" was tattooed on the criminal's forehead. Other marks included patterns which included bars, crosses, double lines, and circles on the face and arms. Tattooing was reserved for those who committed serious crimes, and individuals bearing tattoo marks were ostracized by their families and denied all participation in community life. For the Japanese, tattooing was a very severe and terrible form of punishment.

By the end of the seventeenth century, penal tattooing had been largely replaced by other forms of punishment. One is reason is that decorative tattooing became popular, and criminals covered their penal tattoos with larger decorative tattoos. This is also thought to be the historical origin of the association of tattooing and organized crime in Japan.

The earliest reports of decorative tattooing are found in fiction published toward the end of the seventeenth century.

18th Century 
Pictorial tattooing flourished during the eighteenth century in connection with the popular culture of Edo, as Tokyo was then called. Early in the 18th century, publishers needed illustrations for novels, theatres needed advertisements for their plays and the Japanese wood block print was developed to meet these needs. The development of the wood block print parallels, and had great influence on, the development of the art of tattooing. Because of the association between tattooing and criminal activity, tattooing was outlawed on the grounds that it was "deleterious to public morals."

Tattooing continued to flourish among firemen, laborers and others considered to be at the lower end of the social scale. Tattoos were favored by gangs called Yakuza, outlaws, penniless peasants, laborers and misfits who migrated to Edo in the hope of improving their lives.

The Yakuza felt that because tattooing was painful, it was a proof of courage; because it was permanent, it was evidence of lifelong loyalty to the group; and because it was illegal, it made them outlaws forever.

Around the middle of the 18th century, the popularity of tattooing was stimulated by a popular Chinese novel, Suikoden, with many of its novel's heroes extensively tattooed. The Japanese version of Suikoden was illustrated by a variety of artists, each of whom created prints with new interpretations of the tattoos described in the novel.

This novel and the new illustrations influenced all Japanese arts and culture.

19th Century By 1867, the last of the Tokugawa shoguns was deposed and an emperor was restored to power. The laws against tattooing were strictly enforced because the new rulers feared that Japanese customs would seem barbaric and ridiculous to Westerners. Ironically, under the new laws Japanese tattoo artists were allowed to tattoo foreigners but not Japanese. The best tattoo masters established studios in Yokohama and did a lot of business tattooing foreign sailors. Their skills were so great that they attracted a number of very distinguished clients including the Duke of York (Later King George V), the Czarevich of Russia (Later Czar Nicholas II), and other European dignitaries.

The Japanese tattoo masters also continued to tattoo Japanese clients illegally, but after the middle of the 19th century, their themes and techniques remained unchanged. Classical Japanese tattooing is limited to specific designs representing legendary heroes and religious motifs which were combined with certain symbolic animals and flowers and set off against a background of waves, clouds and lightning bolts.

The original designs used in Japanese tattooing were created by some of the best ukiyoe artists. The tattoo masters adapted and simplified these designs to make them suitable for tattooing, but didn't invent the designs on their own.

Traditional Japanese tattoo differs from Western tattoos in that is consists of a single major design that covers the back and extends onto the arms, legs and chest. The design requires a major commitment of time, money and emotional energy.

During most of the 19th century, an artist and a tattooist worked together. The artist drew the picture with a brush on the customer's skin, and the tattooist just copied it.

20th Century
In 1936, when fighting broke out in China, almost all the men were drafted into the army. People with tattoos were thought to be discipline problems, so they weren't drafted and the government passed a law against tattooing. After that the tattooists had to work in secret. After WWII, General MacArthur liberalized the Japanese laws, and tattooing became legal again. But the tattoo artists continued to work privately by appointment, and this tradition continues today.

Needles

Needles are soldered on bars called needle bars. There two types of needle bars, Liners and Shaders

Liner needle bars are round on the end where the needles are soldered
Shader needle bars are flat on the end where the needles are soldered

Liners:
The needles are grouped tightly together to do outlining with

Shaders:
The needles are grouped flat, next to each other, to do shading.

High quality needles are easier on the customer regarding pain and health and makes the tattoo cleaner and shaper.

A tattoo needle's lifespan is very short. Needles cannot be sharpened and when they are used up, solder them off.

Needle groups used for outlining come in 4 common sizes. Needle groups are the number of needles on the end of the liner bar. They are one needle groups, Three, Four, and then Five needle groups.

Needle groups most commonly used for shading are Four needles group and six needle groups.
A Four is used for smaller areas and the six for larger ones. The only exception is the big 14 needle round shader, used for large work.

Needle wear down over use. The needle ends begin to hook. Tattooing with a bad point results in:

The ink not going in properly
Excessive pain for the customer
Skin damage and Ripping
Leaving Scar tissue
Terrible tattoo

Customer Designs

Another part of this apprenticeship is working the the customers. Which is great experience.
We had a mother and daughter come into the shop with ideas for tattoos but no visual design. In the case we try out best to create a design that is in their head.

The 1st tattoo The girl wanted " You'll be with me always, Wherever I go" in the shape of a heart. Then Nana above that and the dates 12/23/54 and 7/31/15 below it. This is what i came up with.

She fell in love with the design and i didn't have to make any major changes. Although i didn't get to give the tattoo i was still there to witness the event and it only made my excitement explode to greater proportions. 

John Glore, the owner as well as tattoo artist was very impressed and he gave the tattoo.

This is the finished tattoo on her upper right shoulder in purple ink. 

The 2nd tattoo design requested by the mother. She wanted a wolf inside of a dream catcher as well as feathers that had her children's names written on the stems. Satana, Tyler, Maryann. 

the Only problem with her design is how small the lettering would have been if i had drawn the names inside of the feather stems. they quickly would of defused and became unreadable. I had to come up with my own solution, praying that she would be satisfied.

This was the finished designed with the names on the feathers rather then the stems and again I didn't have to make any chances. The customer fell in love with it and will be receiving the tattoo soon. I'll post a photo of the finished tattoo at that time. 

Introduction/ Tattoo Machine Build

A few months ago I, Jared Jennings, was offered an apprenticeship with Ozark Ink Emporium in Neosho, Mo. Tattooing is a art form that has be part of culture for hundreds and hundreds of years. This blog will document my findings of tattooing throughout the years from it's cultural values to how it's techniques and processes have changed over time. Not only that but it'll document the modern day techniques of tattoo.

I was required to build my own tattoo machine so i would understand the how it works as a tool to further improve the work of the artist.

I ordered a machine kit which when i received it, it came as you see above.

This is a diagram just to point out all the individual parts required to build a machine.

Like it says in the diagram the Main frame is the back bone of the machine and is the complete structure that holds all the pieces together. The basic idea behind the machine is simple. You have an electromagnet that attracts a piece of metal. The electromagnet is created from the coils once connected to a power source which causes the point screw to be the magnet. The Metal is attached to the needle. The needle moves in and out. This motion is caused because once the needle touches the front spring it shuts down the magnet causing the needle to fall and drive the ink particles into the skin. This cycle continues as long as there's a power source.

The space between the point screw and front spring is very important as well. Tattoo artists were known for have both a dime and nickel on them at all times. The reason is for is because of their individual thicknesses. The thickness of a dime was used for lining or the outline of the tattooing. Less space create a faster reaction causing the needle the move faster to create a bolder blacker line. While the thickness of the nickel was used for shading or filling in color. It slows down to needle to help create space between particles of ink in the skin for shadowing.

I'll Break down each part further.

Machine Frame:
Many frames look different, but they all have these basic features; The Jaws in which the needle tube is clamped in. The Base of the frame is where the coils are mounted. The Spring brace is in the rear and supports the rear binding post and armature bar. The side arm holds the front binding post.

Machine Coils:
Steel Core, come in eight or ten wrap( wraps of wire around core) cotton or enamel wrapped wire. These coils act as electro-magnets.

Armature Bar:
Provides steel mass for magnetic pull. Also is link to tattoo needle

Front Binding Post:
Holds contact screw and adjusts for alignment by use of nylon washers. contact screw can be locked in position by lock screw

Rear Binding Post:
Provides contact point for clip cord. Adjusts for alignment with washers

Capacitor: Usually 10, MFD, 25 volts standard. Can be fitted to any machine to minimize sparkin and arching

Bands:
Provide even pressure on needle bar

Tubes:
Encases needle and bar. Provides good gripping surface