Archive for Popular Tattoo Designs
The Most Expensive Tattoo
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Tattoos have thus far been an expression of self or spirituality; some use them merely to identify with a particular group or simply to enhance their aesthetics. Now for the first time (in all of history perhaps) someone has found a different use for it – a way of showing off their wealth!
South African luxury jeweler Shimansky is now famous for having used 612 Shimansky Ideal Cut .5 carat diamonds to create a tattoo on a model! The tattoo is valued at 7.2 million in South African currency (Rands) which is equivalent to around 924, 000 in US dollars officially making it the world’s most expensive tattoo! (And I was worried about spending $400 on one…)
The tattoo is worn by Minki van der Westhuizen a famous South African Model and brand ambassador for Shimansky. Minki spent 8 hours having the diamonds attached to her skin. Technically speaking, it’s not a tattoo (as there was no ink involved in the procedure) but hey, if the lady with the diamonds calls it a tattoo, then a tattoo it is! Sources have it that a water based bonding agent was used to attach the diamonds to Minki’s skin.
I can’t imagine why they would go through all that trouble for just a temporary tattoo! Well, in case you’re interested in getting one of those you might want to know that the jeweler has considered making similar ones available at their various South African and international locations.
Popular Tattoo Artist: Chuck Eldridge
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Popular tattoo artist Chuck Eldridge speaks of his dreams and inspirations that lead to his enormous feat in the tattoo world, in an interview with TFI. As with many artists of today, Chuck also had childhood dreams of one day being a tattoo artist.
He says: “childhood dreams are always a little bit more candy-coated. There was a program in our elementary school to keep us off the street, they would hold big parties and one of the booths they set up there was a tattoo booth. One of the high school students would come over with magic markers and draw up designs and paste them on the wall and then he would do “tattoos” – I used to get my arms just completely covered with these and I would get so many that the guy doing the drawings would say “I’m not doing any more on you because your mom is going to kick my ass.” — I think [the dream] measures up. I always saw myself with loads of tattoos on my arm so that came true.”
He goes on to talk about some of his early influences in the industry: “I went into the Navy and that threw me into San Diego for boot camp for ten or eleven weeks and there I did not know any names. This was in ’65. There were no names going around in my brain where I said ‘Oh my God I got to get a tattoo by him.’ In San Diego in ’65 that was the height of the Vietnam War so there were tons of tattooists. Basically I just started going in [shops] looking at designs on the wall and then getting in line to get tattooed.
The shops there would be lined up. All the way in the shop and sometimes out on the sidewalk in front of the shop. And in the shop were five tattooists tattooing as fast as they could. Only when you got into the business you started hearing some names and then you actually started looking for people and searching them out. The first one that I really traveled to get tattooed by was Cliff Raven; buy that was actually after the Navy.”
Chuck personally prefers the more traditional tattoos like that of Sailor Jerry – the early American and European designs but is famous for inking great designs of all genres.
White Ink Tattoos
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Traditionally, the process of tattooing begins after a stencil is applied to the part on you body where you want the design. The first part of this long process frequently begins with black ink. Many artists use black ink to give the outline of the tattoo which can be colored or shaded later. This black outline not only offers artists a guideline but also gives the tattoo itself more definition; a sharper look to the image.
For the longest time, tattoo artists were not willing to do a design without the black outline as a guide but as with everything in today’s world, that too is changing. White ink tattoos don’t follow the traditional process of stencil and black ink. The whole piece is done in white ink leaving a pale design that is very different from a traditional tattoo.
These tattoos are subtle yet distinct in their style. These tattoos are perfect for those that want tattoos but cant have the traditional apparent ones for whatever reason. Lindsay Lohan is known for her white ink tattoo on the inside of her wrist that says ‘breathe’.
These tattoos are more of a personal statement that you don’t want anyone else to be able to read. It is like a private mantra, an affirmation, a symbol that reminds you of something dear to you – and is not really meant for the outside world. These tattoos are not totally invisible though. The ink used here is not the same white ink used in mixing colors for a colored tattoo. It is a thicker, higher quality ink that is made to stand out on its own.
There are a few things though that you need to keep in mind if you’re planning to get one of these tattoos. These tattoos are best when done freehand. If you decide to use a stencil for better guidance you need to be careful that the color from the stencil does not mix with the white ink. This may make the tattoo a little dull.
Another glitch is that white is not as easily absorbed by the skin as black or colored ink. This means several additional passes in the area to make sure the ink fully sinks in. Darker skin tones usually don’t absorb enough of the white to make it bright. These tattoos often become dull when frequently exposed to the sun.
What is worse is the skin’s reaction to the ink. A reaction to the white ink is much more common than the skin’s reaction to the black ink. There have been cases where the area began to swell, itch and even ooze. Most tattoo artists recommend simple designs for white ink tattoos as they are less likely to have complications.
Wrist Tattoo Designs
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The wrist is a very popular body part for tattoos especially among women. It acts like a permanent bracelet of sorts. The best part about this particular body part is that it is a great spot if you particularly want to make a statement or simply just show off your tattoos. Since most of us use our hands a lot when we speak, our wrists will be easily noticed. Whether you want to tell people that you are actually a rebel at heart or a genuinely sweet person, the wrist can help you make an understated yet powerful statement.
You need to keep in mind that the wrist is not the biggest of body parts, so whatever design you choose make sure it is simple, clean and uncomplicated. It is going to be permanent and in your face all the time so it better be something you really like and want. The flip side to getting a tattoo on the wrist however, is that it is very visible! Take your time to think about its implications and see if you are ready for it, before you make the plunge. For example, if your work place is not very tattoo friendly – and trust me no long sleeved shirt is going to be able to conceal it one hundred percent – are you brave enough to face whatever ramifications might entail your decision?
Again, some of the best designs for wrists are those that are simple due to the space restriction! Most women’s wrists are slender and thin – not ideal for elaborate designs. Some of the most popular designs are those of stars, flames and flowers. Some neat ideas for the wrist are that of bracelets. Any interlocking pattern will do the trick – like barbed wire, Celtic knots or even a rosary. Writing in a different language like Chinese or Japanese is also a cool option. Lindsay Lohan has the word ‘breathe’ tattooed on her wrist and Gillian Anderson has the words ‘every day’ written in Sanskrit on hers.
Now here’s the deciding factor (at least for me) – how much does it hurt when compared to other body parts? Since there is not enough flesh (especially on the inner wrist) to cushion the impact of the needles, wrist tattoos can be very painful! If your design involves a lot of shading like in tribal tattoos or involves complicated Celtic knots you can be assured that it is going to hurt an extra bit more than usual. Also, the wrist normally takes longer to heal and these tattoos are prone to fade faster than those on other body parts due to its exposure to the sun.
Popular Tattoo Artist: Kat Von D
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Katherine von Drachenberg, popularly known as Kat Von D is a famous tattoo artist and TV personality. She was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico on the 8th of March, 1982. She is of a mixed descent – with a German father and Italian / Spanish mother and moved to California at the early age of 4.
What most people wont guess about her is that she is a classically trained pianist and enjoys the work of elite musicians such as Ludwig van Beethoven. Kat Von D’s first experience with television was when she appeared in Miami Ink (a reality TV show). She initially appeared as a substitute for Darren Brass who had hurt his arm and could not tattoo. After her falling out with some of the cast members of the show she was asked to leave the show which turned out to be a good thing for her. She subsequently got her own reality show on TV – LA Ink – featuring her work and tattoo shop – High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California.
Subsequently she went to gain the Guinness World Record for the most number of tattoos given by a one single person in twenty four hours. She gave 400 tattoos in 24 hours to create that record. Today the record stands with Hollis Cantrell with 801 tattoos in 24 hours.
At such a young age Kat Von D has even come out successful in the publishing world. Her first book – High Voltage Tattoo – was released in 2009 with a foreword by the famous Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe. Her book was No. 6 on the New York Best Times Best Seller list. The book is a compilation of her artwork and tattoos – tracing her career as a tattoo artist and shedding light on her influences and inspirations. The book is “not an autobiography, you know, ’cause I’m too young to do that. But this is just kind of like a picture-driven outline of my career as an artist. So, you see everything from my drawings when I was six to tattoos that have never before been seen” said Kat Von D about the book.
She later (in 2008) created a whole line of make-up products for Sephora that now also includes fragrances. She is also the founder of MusInk Tattoo Convention and Music Festival. She went on to publish another book – The Tattoo Chronicles – that reached no. 3 on the New York Times Best Seller List in 2010.
Gangster Tattoos
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Since the ancient Roman Empire tattoos have been related to criminal deviancy. Although such a taboo against tattoos does not exist today, many gangs use tattoos as a means of identifying with a particular group. Many gang members use tattoos for several reasons not the least among which is a sign of having spent time in prison. Gang members sometimes have several tattoos, each symbolizing or representing something unique in their lives.
The famous (or is it infamous?) tear drop tattoo usually tattooed on the cheek below either eye represents prison time. However, some say it actually stands for the number of people they have killed. Some gangsters have their name tattooed real big and bold (so they are visible from any distance?) in an effort to intimidate rival gang members.
Some gangsters are known to take pride in identifying themselves outside the premise of conventional society. They use tattoos (more often than not) to express their beliefs and life philosophy which is a complete rejection of conventional moral and religious beliefs – popularly known as the nihilistic philosophy. They commonly have the name of a person tattooed on the back of their neck or a gang motto etched on the chest. These tattoos are usually done in black and grey and often showcase bullets, firearms, numbers and secret letters in old English or the gothic script.
One of the biggest gangs in California is that of The Sureños (which means Southerners in Spanish). They were one of the very first to use colors to set themselves apart from other gangs. They started using blue bandanas (the color of the railroad handkerchiefs provided in the California prisons) as their identity. Numbers are also sometimes incorporated in their tattoos – they use the Tres Puntos (meaning three dots) and X3 (the number 13.)
The other major gang of California is the The Norteños. Yes, you guessed it – it means the Northerners. They are also popularly known as Nuestra Familia meaning ‘Our Family’. As you may have also guessed the Northerners and the Southerners traditionally have been rivals with Bakersfield (in California) being their geographical dividing line. The Northerners are more notoriously known for their involvement in the drug trafficking trade and armed conflict with rival gangs.