Archive for tattoo designs
Zombie Boy is the Sexy Rick Genest
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If you saw Lady Gaga’s video “Born This Way” you couldn’t miss the amazing body and tattoo of Rick Genest, better known as “Zombie Boy” in the video world. It is kinda funny that someone could be so well known for his tattoos that it is hard to even imagine him without the facial tattoos that have made him so famous.
There have always been tattoo boys throughout history, often they got work in a circus or place like a circus to show off their tattoos. In many ways, it is almost a tradition to have someone in every era that is considered “the tattoo boy” of 
his time. I guess we could say that Rick is The Tattooed Man for our time. And instead of a circus, it’s the world of music video that has become the platform to show that off. But then, there are some that say that rock videos are like a circus, so it may just be the perfect place for the 21st Century Tattooed Man.
Personally, I could sit all day and check out the gorgeous tats that this man has covering every inch of his lovely body. I 
mean, when you do for a living what this guy does, you have to be in great shape. Because when the tattoos are out in all their glory there is nowhere to hide the body. You know they would not look as good if he wasn’t in such obviously great shape.
And for those who always kinda wondered what the guy looks like without the tattoos on his face, German style magazine Schon has done us the favor of using makeup to show us. I always thought he probably had to have great bones to pull off this amazing look, but who knew?
So enjoy my friends – because Zombie Boy or Rick Genest is still hot!
Are Home Tattoos Dangerous?
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We have all seen them around – the ugly homemade tattoos that some people sport that look like they belong in a prison more than on any mainstream person. They can be badly drawn, like the one a firefighter recently had done by a friend of his sister to commemorate the firefighters lost on 9/11.
“She told me she’d been doing tattoos for four years,” said the firefighter. The tattoo was a mess. The person who did it had the date wrong (9-01-11) and misspelled the word “never” so that it said “ever forget” instead of “never forget”. I read this and thought how upset I would be if that was my tattoo.
And although this man did do the right thing and went to a pro shop to get the tattoo fixed, you know it was never going to be right. Something he had decided to do as a testimonial to fallen friends is now something he will probably never want to show to anyone. And that is wrong.
But above and beyond the fact that this person made mistakes that would never be tolerated at a truly professional tattoo parlor, there are several other reasons why getting a home grown tattoo is not a great idea.
- Health Concerns- A professional tattoo parlor has a license that requires them to have sterilizing equipment on the premises and that it works. You are not guaranteed any of that with a “backyard tattoo parlor”, as they are often called in the tattoo business. This means that you are exposing yourself to the possibility of being infected with hepatitis or worse yet AIDS. Both of these blood-borne infections are a real danger to anyone considering getting a tattoo in a non-licensed location.
- Quality – Just how good is this person who is doing your tattoo? How many tattoos have they done before? If you are going to trust someone to ink something as permanent as a tattoo on a part of your body, make sure you know something about their work before getting a tattoo from them. In a professional shop they have books that show their work and are proud to show off the tattoos they have created for their customers. Be picky- after all this is your tattoo.
- Support local tattoo parlors – When it comes right down to it, most of the folks who run the licensed professional parlors are people who make their living doing this. This is not a hobby or part-time thing for them. When you go to a backyard parlor to get that illegal tattoo you are hurting people who have probably put everything they have into their business. They are taking the time and spending the cash to make sure that you have a clean place to get that tattoo, that it is well designed and done right. We need to support these businesses or they won’t be around for very long.
So the next time you are considering getting a tattoo, take a look at the local tattoo parlors in your area. Talk to the folks who run them, get to know what their story is and why they are doing tattoos as a profession. Check out their samples books, talk about the tattoo you have been dreaming about an sketching until your friends are sick of seeing it. These are the people you want to have doing your tattoo.
So when you friend or family member says they know someone who has “done a few tattoos” and would do it for cheap, just say thanks, no thanks. If you really want to support an artist who is putting themselves out there for their artform, check out the local tattoo parlor and talk to them about your next tattoo. You will be glad you did.
History of Tattooing Among Criminals
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A part of our history has long since associated tattoos with criminals – starting with the grand Roman Empire. There are evident links of certain tattoo symbols or designs to criminal rituals however most today are mere designs and don’t hold the meaning they did in the past.
Early in our modern history, people who were exiled from Great Britain to the Australian Penal Colonies (a settlement where prisoners were transported to separate them from the general population) were sometimes tattooed with symbols intended to disgrace the prisoner; for example, D which stood for deserter (for abandonment of a military post). These prisoners often added to the tattoo in an effort to conceal the original design or to express rebellious or sardonic messages.
In Japanese history, full body tattoos were traditionally worn by members of the Yakuza (traditional organized crime syndicates; they called themselves “chivalrous organizations”). Their elaborate design and size of the tattoos showed who the wearer associated with. Around 600 AD these tattoos began to have negative connotations. Instead of being used for ritualistic purposes they were used to mark criminals, and this practice came to be mirrored by the Romans.
In North America today, there are many tattoo symbols that have come to mean something. For instance, the tattoo of three dots within a triangle (usually tattooed on the skin between the forefinger and the thumb) means ‘my crazy life’. Another famous tattoo among the Hispanics is the Pachuco cross which means ‘I need nothing’. This is similar in meaning to those worn by Vietnamese teens.
We all know what the famous gang related tear drop tattoo means (the wearer has killed someone); it could also mean that the wearer had a friend who was killed in prison. The tattoo of the ace of spades (with the A tattooed inside the spade) is associated with the Asian Boyz gang of California and so forth.
What do Rihanna’s tattoos mean?
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Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known as (the celebrated pop artist) Rihanna, was born in Saint Michael, Barbados. Most people simply assume she’s American because that is where she shot to stardom in 2005 with her debut album Music of the Sun. Rihanna moved to America (the US) at the age of 16 to pursue her career as a singer / song writer. She is best known for her hit numbers such as: There’s a Thug in My Life, Now I Know, Willing to Wait and Pon de Replay.
Music, as we all know, is her passion; her other obsession is tattoos. She has even confessed that she is addicted to the body art. When asked she said: “I like hanging out in tattoo shops. I am so intrigued by tattoos. It’s an entire culture, and I study it. Sometimes I go with friends, or just by myself. I get bum-rushed, but I don’t care. I don’t take security.” Rihanna loves the art so much that she keeps adding new ones every now and then. So you see it’ll be inaccurate if I said she has 13 tattoos.
Like most people who are into tattoos, Rihanna’s tattoos also hold special meaning and messages for her. Perhaps the first of them is the one on her ankle – two symbols of music notes; and obviously enough they represent her love for music that started at a very early age.
Behind her right ear she has the astrological symbol for the sun sign Pisces. That too is fairly clear – she was born on the 20th of February that makes it her astrological sign by birth.
She has a prayer (of sorts) inscribed on her hip, in Sanskrit (an Indo-Aryan language.) the first few words mean forgiveness, truth, suppression and calmness. Need we explain what she’s praying for?!
Rihanna’s other foreign language tattoo is the one on her ribcage. The phrase Freedom is God is inscribed in Arabic. Some of her other tattoos are: the expression “Shhh…” on her right index finger (no puzzle there!), the word love on her left middle finger and the date April 11th 1986 in Roman numerals on her shoulder (apparently her best friend / assistant’s birthday – I’ll die of shock if my boos did that for me! Now that she knows what it can do, she just might do it…)
Temporary Tattoos
Posted by: | CommentsTattoos have been an important part of human culture all throughout history. The purposes of tattoos have changed over the years, as has society in general. In modern culture, there are many mixed feelings about tattoos and their meanings. Some societies still use tattoos as tribal identification or for other tribal matters, but for the most part, it is more of luxury than a necessity. We do not have to use a tattoo to display what tribe we are from or to scare others during battle – as they were used in times past. We can use them to display our feelings about things or to let others know what is important to us as an individual. Temporary tattoos are the solution for many people who do not want to have a permanent design on their body or do not want to feel the pain of a needle. There are many types of temporary tattoos available today such as Decalcomania, Mehndi, Sun Stencils, and Airbrush tattoos.
Tattoos are usually permanent decorative images applied to the skin. In the case of the temporary tattoo, the image lasts for a short time only. Many temporary tattoos are for fun, like the type that kids get to put their favorite cartoon character on their arm for a little while. Adults have begun using these temporary tattoos and they are becoming more intricate as the market moves more toward adults. Decalcomania is a favorite way of making a temporary tattoo where a decal is applied to the skin. With these types of tattoos, screen printing is used to create a tattoo image on paper coated with a transfer film. When wet, this film will move off of the backing paper and onto the skin. After drying, the screen printed image will stay on the skin for several days. (Schueller, 1999) The beauty of temporary tattoos is exactly that, they are temporary. There will be no regretting the image as a person grows older or their habits and tastes change.
All types of temporary tattoos need to be made from ink because they are applied directly to the skin and may stay on the skin for quite a while. It is best if the dyes have FDA approval, but most are not approved – the same for permanent ink. There are other chemicals added to the dyes such as drying agents and extenders that need to be approved before using them. (Henley, 2009)
Another type of temporary tattoo is Mehndi. It is thought that the practice originated in India and Pakistan, although there is some debate about the origins of this ancient practice. It is often considered a type of body painting. The ink used in this process is a copper based ink made from the leaves of the henna plant. The Mehndi designs are usually scroll-like decorations, but as the practice becomes more popular around the world, the designs are beginning to change. The inks used in Mehndi tattoos can last for several weeks. (Jain, 2002)
Another emerging trend is Sun Stencils. The tattoo in this case is the pigmentation of your own skin. The use of stencils stickers lets UV radiation reach part of the skin but not all parts during tanning. This produces an image that can take the form of many different images as well as allow you to make simple letters and numbers. There is also swim wear available that lets you create a tattoo as you hang out at the beach with simple images of hearts and circles. (Hardy, 2009)
Airbrush tattoos are becoming a popular type of temporary tattoo and airbrush tattoo stencils come pre-packaged in many different varieties. These stencils are reusable and can also be individualized. There are many colors of airbrush ink available and a lot of companies use FDA approved materials. (Kirk, 2009) These air brush tattoos are becoming popular at festivals and carnivals like face painting has always been.
Tattoos are very popular in today’s society, especially for people under 35. (Kirk, 2009) Temporary tattoos are becoming more and more popular because permanent tattoos can be expensive and painful. Temporary tattoos offer people a way to express their personality and let the world know about their interests without having to worry about the fact that it will never come off. It looks like temporary tattoos are going to be a permanent part of the tattoo world with their quick application, lack of pain, and affordability.
Works Cited
Hardy, T. (2009). Suntan.com. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Suntan Art: http://www.suntan.com/?art
Henley, N. (2009). Chest Of Books. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Decolomania process: http://chestofbooks.com/reference/Henley-s-20th-Century-Formulas-Recipes-Processes-Vol2/Decalcomania-Processes.html
Jain, R. (2002). Mehndi World.com. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Mehendi History: http://www.mehendiworld.com/mehendi-history.htm
Kirk, K. (2009). TAT. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from temporary airbrush tattoos: http://www.tatstore.com/p/intro
Schueller, R. (1999). Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved February 6th, 2010, from Temporary Tatoos: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2896800100.html
How Tattoos Change Over Time
Posted by: | CommentsTattoos are a way of decorating the body to reflect a message or an image over time. Most tattoos are permanent. They involve a needle being used to deposit ink in the dermas layer of the skin, therefore, they are permanent. Some colors will tend to fade more than others. Yellow and red tattoos tend to fade more than black or blue tattoos. Immediately after you get a tattoo, you need to take care of it, preventing infection or any other problems from developing until the tattoo is completely healed in order to prevent tattoo fading. This may take up to three weeks. Put some moisturizing lotion on it while it is healing. With proper care during the healing process, more of the ink and therefore the color and definition of the tattoo is retained.
Obviously, tattoo fading will be an issue, because the skin changes constantly over a person’s life. The skin ages and stretches and even peels sometimes so there will be changes in the tattoo as well. One of the most important things to do in order to prevent tattoo fading is to avoid excessive exposure to the sun. Wear clothing that will cover the tattoo when you are in the sun or use sun screen to help protect it. Basic skin maintenance is all that is needed to prevent excessive tattoo fading. Keeping skin clean and well hydrated will help the tattoo stay vivid for many years, as long as it was done properly and taken care of properly in the beginning.
If you have a tattoo that has been exposed to the sun or for some other reason is fading, you can get tattoo touch-ups to help redefine the image. Be sure that you go to an artist that is specially trained in doing tattoo touch-ups. However, the original tattoo may not look so bad if you find yourself in worse shape after the tattoo touch-ups, if the artist makes it even worse! If the original tattoo was not done correctly and the ink was deposited in the epidermis instead of the dermis, you are going to have a fading tattoo just from the normal process of the skin sloughing off over time. If you find out that this is happening with your original tattoo, you can have a touch-up done where the artist simply follows the original design but makes sure the ink is inserted into the dermis. Word to the wise: go to someone who specializes in doing tattoo touch-ups. If the original artist gave you a problem tattoo it’s probably not a good idea to go back to him/her again.
To recap: if over the years you are experiencing a fading tattoo you can consider having tattoo touch-ups to redefine the original one. Simply go to a tattoo artist with experience performing tattoo touch-ups. You may find that you can rejuvenate the original tattoo to look as good as new.
But don’t forget: after the tattoo touch-up process is completed be sure to follow the same aftercare procedures you did originally!