Archive for best tattoo designs
Overview of Tribal Tattoos
Posted by: | CommentsTribal tattoos have been used for as long as people have needed to identify themselves and they are the “in” thing at the moment. This trend began in the nineties and has only increased as time has passed. The tribal tattoo has had many purposes in human history but they originated mainly to identify a clan or group. Some groups would use the tattoos to identify distant relatives from far away tribes or to find each other after they passed away and were wandering the heavens looking for their tribe members. The tribal tattoo was also used to depict important events that occurred in a tribe or clan, almost like keeping a recorded history of events. (Syrkiewicz, 2008) Naturally a tribal tattoo has a different use today but in the end the modern tribal tattoo is still a form of identification.
Today in many instances the person getting a tribal tattoo wants the tattoo to illustrate something about them, almost like a tattoo of self identification. They are a way for a person to make a statement about themselves for other people to see and interpret. However, the tribal tattoo today is used not to group people into the same tribe but to express personality and individuality. (Hemingson, 1999-2009)
Oftentimes gangs, clubs, and military members will use a tattoo to identify themselves to others. This type of usage for a tattoo is similar to the use of tattoos five thousand years ago when the tribal tattoo art form is believed to have originated. (Syrkiewicz, 2008) Members of different gangs or military groups can identify each other by using a specific tattoo. They often form a bond around a particular symbol almost like a brotherhood. For gang members, the tattoo is used to define their members and lets them know who is friendly or not. All cultures have used tattoos as some form of identification and the trend is back in fashion today.
A tattoo magazine titled Tattoo Times, founded in 1982 by Don Ed Hardy and Leo Zulueta, started a new fascination with the tribal tattoo. (Tebi, 2004-2008) They called their first article “New Tribalism” and it featured tribal designs from the South Pacific, tattoos that had lost favor many years before. (Tebi, 2004-2008) Tattoo artistry itself had been going through problems with negative feelings from society at the time so an article illustrating these wonderful tribal designs helped alleviate some of the negative feelings people had about these tattoos. It actually had the effect of re-popularizing the ancient art form.
The tribal designs seen most commonly today are similar to designs used by the Polynesians for thousands of years. They often have a geometric silhouette pattern that may be considered too easy to do by many tattoo artists. Since these are not considered challenging, some artists do not like to do them. (Tebi, 2004-2008)
Celtic tribal patterns are also popular today. They were distributed by sailors hundreds of years ago as they traveled from Europe. Actually, sailors can be thanked for causing the original popularity of tattoo artistry in the modern western world. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word, ‘ta-taw’, which was thought to be the sound a person would hear when the tattooing instruments were used. When the sailors returned to Europe with tattoos that illustrated their adventures, people were fascinated and many wanted to have their own. (Tebi, 2004-2008)
The type and location of a tribal tattoo is a limitless as the unique personality of the person who wants it. Some examples are tribal armband, Celtic tattoo, tribal wolf tattoo, tribal shoulder tattoo, tribal scorpion, butterfly dragon, dog, bird, bull, tiger and many, many more. There are also tribal sleeve tattoos, lower back tribal tattoos, and tribal star tattoos. (Hemingson, 1999-2009) As with all artistic mediums and cultural developments, the art form of tribal tattoos is continually changing. But, the art form is always going to reflect the depth and potential of the person who wants the tattoo as well as the artist’s interpretation of the tribal design.
Works Cited
Hemingson, V. (1999-2009). Tribal tattoo design. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from The Vanishing Tattoo: http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tribal_tattoos.htm
Syrkiewicz, J. (2008, October 8). History and Social Impact of Tatoos. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from Suite101.com: http://cultural-anthropology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_history_and_social_impact_of_tattoos
Tebi, D. B. (2004-2008). TatooJoy.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from History of Tribal Tattoos: http://tattoojoy.com/tattoo_articles/the_meaning_of_tribal_tattoos.htm
A History of Tattoos
Posted by: | CommentsA lot of people don’t know it, but tattoos have been around for many years. In fact, they have been found dating back to more than four thousand years ago. This article is going to discuss the history of tattoo, and how those tattoos go on to evolve into kanji tattoos and other kinds eventually..
Earliest Known Tattoos
For many years, people thought that the first tattoos were the ones that were discovered on women mummies that were dated back to c. 2000 B.C. But back in 1991, tattoos were found on the Iceman that was discovered on the border of Austria and Italy. He has been carbon dated to be aged at approximately 5.200. This age is given by a research fellow, Joann Fletcher, who works in the archeology in Britain. She works at the University of York.
Purpose of Tattoos
Joann Fletcher states she thinks that the tattoos that have been discovered on the Egyptian women were supposed to keep the woman safe during their pregnancy and labor. Where the tattoos were placed, on the woman’s abdomen, on her breasts, and on the woman’s thigh tops, seem to say that the tattoo custom was only for women.
Tattooers
Even though Joann Fletcher says that there isn’t a written account of who performed the tattooing, she believes that the tattooing was done by older women on the younger women.
Tattooing Instruments
An archaeologist by the name of W. M. F. Petrie found a wooden handle that had a sharp point, dating back to 3000 B.C. at Abydos’ site. It is believed that this instrument could have been used for the purpose of tattooing. Additionally, he discovered a group of instruments made of bronze on another site. These dated back to 1450 B. C. and these items were considered to be put together in order to create a more uniform group of dots on a person’s body.
Tattoo Patterns
The patterns on the mummies usually had some dotted patterns that created diamonds and lines, even though some of them had images that were more natural.
Tattoo Colors
The colors that were used in the earlier tattoos were usually darker colors or black pigments.
It’s pretty amazing how much the tattoo has changed in the thousands of years since it first appeared on the body. From those dark dots that were used to create lines and diamonds the tattoo has become colorful and gone into many shapes. Instead of helping to protect women during pregnancy and childbirth, they have gone on to make a statement for the person who is getting the tattoo. Whether someone gets a regular tattoo or one of the kanji tattoos, they are making a statement.
When someone gets a tattoo, they don’t often think about the long history that tattoos have and the different kinds of tattoos, kanji tattoos for instance. They don’t realize that they are more than pictures that are put on the body to signify something. They are something that has been around for a long time and there is no sign of them going away anytime soon.
So if you choose to get a tattoo, whether it’s to show your girlfriend your affection, to show how tough you are, or for another reason, remember that you are a part of a long and proud tradition. What kind of tattoo is right for you? Is it kanji tattoos, or something else? Only you know!
What Are Temporary Tattoos?
Posted by: | CommentsTattoos have been popular forms of body art for quite a while in most Western countries. They are worn as a symbol of rebellion, of belonging or for many other reasons. Tattoos are typically permanent images that are done by depositing ink in the dermis layer of the skin. These tattoos can be removed, but usually only through a surgical procedure. If you want to get the experience of a tattoo but you are squeamish about the process or don’t know if you are ready for a permanent one, there are temporary tattoos that you can try out. They are usually applied with an instrument like a ballpoint pen, and therefore can be removed with soap and water. It has been reported that these tattoos can be removed with hair spray also.
Temporary tattoos can be painted on by hand or applied to the skin with a stencil. A stencil is a sheet of paper that contains a tattoo predesigned with a layer of glue on the top of it. You peel away the top protective transparent coating from the stencil and press it onto the skin. It’s as simple as that. Another way to get a more detailed and professional looking temporary tattoo is to apply a stencil to the area of your body you want to put it on. Have someone fill in the inside of the stencil with an airbrush. This will make it hard for anyone to tell that it is not a real tattoo. These temporary tattoos will last sometimes for up to a week. You can usually remove them with alcohol because the paints used in the airbrush equipment are alcohol based.
Some temporary tattoos are done with a henna paste. Tattoos of this nature are typically brownish and red in color. Henna contains a dye that colors the skin temporarily. These temporary tattoos are usually predesigned. They will eventually wear off. They may last for days or even as long as a month. As the skin sheds they will fade and eventually completely disappear. Temporary tattoos are preferred by many people as an occasional body ornament or just for fun. Many people in advertising use them because they are short lived. Many actors use temporary tattoos as well for the very same reasons.
As kids, you may have used temporary tattoos that came in a box of cereal or in a bubble gum wrapper. The whole idea behind tattoos is the same whether they are permanent or temporary; they are intended as body art. If you are thinking of getting a permanent tattoo, you may want to first experiment by applying a temporary tattoo to see if you really like the idea. If you find that you are disappointed when the temporary wears off then you know you’re likely to be okay with the real thing.
