However, despite the fact some of a religious persuasion find tattoos distasteful or just plain wrong, tattoos of a religious nature continue to be very popular and it is very common to see tattoos with crosses, angels, and other religious symbols as an inherent part of the design.

Where does the Church stand on tattoos?

Most Christians have no problem with tattoos and Christian symbols, in particular the cross, are a very common icon in religious tattoos. The only types of tattoos that are considered unacceptable are openly blasphemous or sacrilegious images. The Roman Catholic Church is also very accepting of religious tattoos and according to the history books small religious tattoos incorporating the name of a saint or a monogram of Christ were considered a suitable way of praising the Church.

In some cultures, tattoos were done to prevent invaders forcing the native people to convert to a new religion—tattoos of Christian crosses were inked on the fingers, hands and other prominent areas of the body as a form of protection against forced conversions to Islam during the middle Ages.

In Islam, tattoos of any kind, religious or not, are strictly forbidden, although temporary tattoos done with henna are acceptable and indeed are very common. Tattoos are also forbidden in the Church of the Latter Day Saints and Mormon elders are against tattooing since they believe that the body is a temple, inside and out. Judaism also forbids tattooing of any kind since it associates tattooing with Pagan religions. The use of tattooing in Nazi concentration camps is also an unwelcome association with the art of tattoo for the Jewish community.

What popular Christian symbols are used in religious tattoos?

The symbol of the cross is one of the most enduring of all Christian icons seen in religious tattoos and it can be seen in two different designs: those depicting Christ in the cross and an empty cross incorporated into a different design.

The image of Christ on the cross has appeared in art for centuries and remains an ever-powerful reminder of how Jesus suffered to atone for our sins. Some tattoos feature the entire cross whereas others focus more on the upper body and face of Jesus himself.

An empty cross can often appear as a very stylized design, but sometimes the image can be much more powerful as a religious tattoo when drawn in an ultra realistic style. This tattoo can be drawn as a good luck symbol. It can also be incorporated with other religious symbols from the crucifixion and resurrection.

There are also many iconic images featuring Jesus and the Virgin Mary that regularly appear as religious tattoo designs. These are often the most powerful designs as they usually feature a great deal of artistic detail and are ideal for larger tattoos across the back or chest.

Passages from the Bible are very popular with those seeking a meaningful tattoo that says it with words rather than pictures. This can a be a good choice if there is a particular piece of text that has a special meaning to you, but if you prefer not to have a large amount of script tattooed on your body, you can always have the book, chapter and verse reference as a tattoo instead.

The Bible is an endless source of inspiration for millions of people all over the world, so it is hardly surprising that well known passages appear as religious tattoos. Many of the best-loved verses and Psalms allude to love, strength and faith in God, so if you want an inspirational quote, you could do a lot worse than pick one from the Bible.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

There are also many other Christian symbols that appear in religious tattoo designs and some of the symbolism is so subtle that you might not even realize the meaning is rooted in the Christian faith. For example, the humble dove is an emblem you might see in a tattoo. On the surface it is just a bird used to signify “peace”, but when you think deeper you soon realize that the dove appears in the Bible on a number of occasions: the dove found the first dry land after the Great Floods and the Holy Spirit came to Earth as a dove when Jesus was baptized.

Ravens and lambs also have religious significance in the Christian faith, so if you want a tattoo with special Christian meaning, you could choose a design incorporating lambs, ravens, or even fish—an early symbol for the Christian faith was a simplistic fish design, which is now referred to as an XP tattoo.

What symbols from the Buddhist faith can be used in religious tattoos?

Many religious tattoos also use symbolism from the Buddhist faith, but apart from tattoos featuring Buddha himself (despite the fact Buddha did not want his image to be worshipped by his followers), what other symbols might you see in a religious tattoo with its origins in Buddhism?

The dragon is an ancient symbol of Buddhist protection and regularly features in tattoo designs from all over the world. Dragon tattoos have all kinds of special meanings apart from Buddhist and also feature heavily in Chinese style tattoos. The lion is another powerful Buddhist emblem and can signify princely qualities when incorporated into religious tattoos inspired by the Buddhist faith.

Other images you might see in Buddhist inspired religious tattoos include Buddha’s footprints signifying the path to enlightenment and Buddha’s presence in the world, the Buddha tree—a place where Buddha found spiritual enlightenment, the Dharma Wheel—the eight fold path of the correct view of Buddhism, and the Pink Lotus—a symbol for the highest level of purity in the Buddhist religion.

Religious tattoos featuring Buddhist designs can be extremely beautiful if drawn by a talented tattoo artist, so if you want an image signifying peace, enlightenment, and spiritual purity, Buddhist symbols are an excellent choice to go for, whether you embrace the Buddhist religion completely or you simply wish to take something from the unique way that Buddhists see the world.

Can Hindu designs be used in religious tattoos?

Hinduism is a fascinating religion full of wonderfully exotic imagery and color symbols. Any person practicing Hinduism would be forbidden from having tattoos anywhere on their body, but this does not stop those interested in the ideas of Hinduism or anyone who enjoys the imagery seen in Hinduism from using Hindu symbols for the purposes of a tattoo design.

Hinduism features a great many different gods, all of whom have a different meaning and story. Each Hindu god can be inspirational for a wide range of different reasons, so if you are looking for a unique tattoo design with religious undertones, you might try looking at the different Hindu gods to see which one is appropriate. Alternatively, it may be that you enjoy Eastern symbolism and imagery and feel that you have a spiritual connection with Hinduism.

Hinduism is very much about our connection with the universe, so if you want to feel at one with the world, but sometimes need a reminder of who you are and where you came from, a religious tattoos that take advantage of Hindu imagery and symbolism are the perfect choice.

The most important symbol in Hinduism is Om and it is “Om” you will hear when Hindus meditate and chant their spiritual mantras. Om is a word that is divided into three separate sounds, each of which has a different meaning: the three worlds of heaven, earth, and atmosphere, the three main Hindu gods, and the three sacred Vedic scriptures. When put together, Om is a sacred sound that Hindus believe is responsible for holding the entire world together.

Pratik is another key symbol from the Hindu religion, but due to the nature of its swastika design, it now has some unfortunate connotations with Nazism, and is therefore not a popular choice for religious tattoos. The lotus flower, also seen in Buddhism, means beauty and detachment, and when linked to Krishna, it represents divine beauty. Yantra is the symbol of cosmic development in Hinduism.

As well as the main symbols you are likely to see in Hinduism, there are many Hindu gods to choose from if you are searching for some spiritual inspiration for a religious themed tattoo.

The goddess, Krishna, is a popular choice as she represents love and divine joy. Saraswati is a goddess representing creativity and knowledge, so for intellectual and artistic types, she would be the perfect choice for a religious tattoo. Alternatively, you might prefer to use Indra, warrior god of thunder and lightning or Ram, who is the personification of all good things in men. But which ever gods you take your religious tattoos inspiration from, there is no doubt that Hinduism is full of amazing imagery and great spirituality, which is perfect for those people seeking a tattoo design a little out of the ordinary.

Angel designs in religious tattoos

Although angel tattoos are not necessarily religious tattoos, there is a strong religious theme running through the imagery of angels. Angels are a popular theme for tattoos and whatever your religious beliefs, the symbolism of an angel is a recurrent one, although it tends to be associated with Christianity rather than the Eastern religions. Angels can range from the Archangel Gabriel to the small and delicate angels used to signify remembrance and love, perhaps for someone special who passed through your life and has now moved on to better places.

In Christianity, the image of an angel is traditionally seen as a fearsome warrior with a sworn in one hand and a cross in the other. Angels come down from heaven on a crusade to fight for justice and destroy all evil: the image of St Michael slaying Satan is a particularly powerful one, although angels can also mean “messenger”: the angel Gabriel was there to tell Mary she was expecting the baby Jesus. However, many people choose to use an image of a warrior angel and this can be particularly powerful when inked across a large area such as the back or chest. If you like the idea of having an angelic protector somewhere on your body, a divine body guard to watch over you, a tattoo of an angel is a great way to find protection from evil and badness in the world.

Angel wings can be used to signify protection and strength, and many people choose a tattoo featuring angel wings as a memorial tattoo for a loved one who has passed away. Angel wings can be drawn entwined with a heart as a way of showing that someone you love is still close by and in your heart. And since the image of an angel is very much a symbol of everlasting love, an angel tattoo is the perfect choice for anyone who is keen to demonstrate their love and affection for someone special in their life.

An angel halo can also be incorporated into a religious themed tattoo and the image of a halo can be used to signify the strength of an angel. When combined with angelic wings, you have both strength and protection, and many people use this type of imagery in conjunction with names or small segments of text. Naturally, angels are also the perfect way to for honor your children in a tattoo. Angel tattoos can be inked around your children’s names to signify your love and protection forever.

Having a tattoo inked somewhere on your body is a type of body modification, and whilst not as invasive as having a face lift or boob job, you are still making a cosmetic change to your body in a permanent way—once you have had a tattoo done, you are stuck with it for life unless you wish to go through the pain and expense of having laser treatment to remove the tattoo.

But although for some people the art of tattoo is considered to be on a par with piercings and is seen as a form of body mutilation, most of us are comfortable with tattooing, and these days, even respectable members of the community are quite likely to have a small and discreet tattoo.

So with the art of tattoo very much a socially acceptable form of body modification, it is hard for those who wish to push the envelope to come up with new and off-the-wall ways of changing their body to impress (and sometimes shock) others. They might try new and outrageous tattoo designs, but ultimately this is not going to be exciting enough. The next step is to try something a little different and take the art of tattoo to the next level—from 2D tattoo designs to 3D tattoo designs.

How are 3D tattoo designs created?

Rather like optical illusion paintings and artwork, it is possible to give the illusion of three dimensional properties to a line and shade drawing, but it does require a great deal of skill on the part of the artist, and tattoo artwork is no different in that respect. As such, any regular 2D tattoo drawn skillfully enough by an experienced tattoo artist can be given 3D qualities, although this is very much dependent on the tattoo design used.

But the 3D tattoos gaining popularity amongst those seeking to take tattooing to the next level are much more than a skillfully drawn design giving the viewer an illusion of three dimensions. Real 3D tattoos are actually created in three dimensions and the tattoo design is raised above the normal level of the skin.

How is this done?

To create a 3D tattoo, the tattoo artists inks a design on the skin, preferably one that will be greatly enhanced in three dimensions, and injects a very small amount of sugar solution (hyaluronic acid) beneath the skin where the tattoo has been drawn. The sugar injection can be applied in specific areas to subtly enhance certain parts of the tattoo. This creates a uniquely contoured 3D tattoo design whereby parts of the tattoo are raised approximately two millimeters above the normal level of skin.

What is hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar complex molecule. It is found in the connective tissues within the body, including skin and cartilage, and its primary purpose is to absorb and bind water molecules. This sponge effect gives your face and body tissues an attractive plump appearance, and it is one of the reasons why hyaluronic acid is commonly used as dermal filler for cosmetic enhancement procedures.

Over time, hyaluronic acid levels become naturally depleted, which is why many people choose to have hyaluronic acid dermal filler procedures carried out. The hyaluronic acid is injected into the dermis, the innermost layer of skin, in the areas of the face or body where deep folds of flesh or wrinkles have begun to develop. This procedure increases the levels of hyaluronic acid and creates volume and a more youthful appearance.

What is the procedure for injecting hyaluronic acid into the dermis?

Because hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the body, you will not need to be allergy tested, but the treatment area must be cleaned with an alcohol based cleanser prior to the injections. The process is not painless, so a topical anesthetic cream or local anesthetic can be used to numb the area and reduce discomfort.

Is this procedure the same for 3D tattoo injections?

Injecting hyaluronic acid for the purpose of creating a three dimensional effect in a tattoo design is no different to having hyaluronic acid injected into your skin as a cosmetic dermal filler treatment. The end result is the same—some parts of your skin are plumped up—although the results of a dermal filler procedure are supposed to be a lot subtler.

Are there any after effects from injecting hyaluronic acid under the skin?

You might experience some stinging from the actual hyaluronic acid injections. It is also possible that you will notice bruising in the local area, plus scabs at the site of the actual injections. However, scabs and local bruising will normally disappear after a few days and you will be left with a new 3D tattoo.

Is the 3D effect gained by injecting hyaluronic acid under a tattoo permanent?

Over time, the body will eventually metabolizes the hyaluronic acid and the raised effect will slowly disappear, leaving you with a regular tattoo on your body. You can expect the 3D effect gained from injecting hyaluronic acid under the skin to last between six and twelve months, although this will vary between individuals.

Which parts of the body are suitable for 3D tattoo designs?

Normal tattoos can be inked on any part of the body. Anywhere you have skin is suitable for a tattoo design, although you might draw the line at having a tattoo design inked on your genitals because of the excruciating pain you would almost certainly have to endure during the procedure. The same applies to 3D tattoos—you can have a 3D tattoo inked on any part of your body. From your chest or arm, to your face or inner thigh—there are no boundaries you cannot cross with a 3D tattoo.

What types of tattoo designs can be enhanced with the 3D effect?

Is it easy to find a tattoo artist who will do a 3D tattoo?

3D tattoos are not very common, which means you will struggle to find a tattoo artist willing to attempt a three-dimensional tattoo design. There are a few tattoo artists who specialize in 3D tattoos, but due to the nature of the process, most tattoo artists steer well clear of this type of tattoo work.

Does a 3D tattoo look cool?

Like most things, whether you consider a 3D tattoo to be attractive is probably a matter of personal taste and judgment. If you take a look on the Internet, you will probably come across lots of photos of extremely cool looking 3D tattoos, but although they might look great on somebody else, you have to ask yourself whether it is worth going to such extreme levels in order to enjoy a unique and “different” piece of tattoo artwork on your body.

Are 3D tattoos safe?

Although hyaluronic acid is a natural substance and is used in a wide range of medical applications, it is questionable as to whether the use of hyaluronic acid for the creation of 3D tattoos is a good idea. The effects of hyaluronic acid might not be permanent, but if the tattoo artist who injects the hyaluronic acid does not follow strict hygiene protocols, there is a danger that the injection will introduce an infection to your body and you could end up with all kinds of complications as the result of your 3D tattoo.

Are there other ways to end up with a 3D tattoo?

You do not need to inject hyaluronic acid under your skin to gain a three-dimensional tattoo—there are other ways to achieve the same 3D tattoo effect. Some people end up with a 3D tattoo purely by accident. A 3D effect in a tattoo is sometimes seen when an inexperienced tattoo artist who has no real idea what he is doing uses too much ink when drawing the tattoo. The excessive amount of ink used puffs up beneath the skin, creating a raised effect similar to that seen with 3D tattoos.

Some unfortunate souls sometimes have a bad reaction to the ink used in their tattoo, and also end up with a puffed up skin effect at the site of their tattoo. However, in both cases, the raised and bumpy skin effect is not particularly cool in any way; it just looks a bit silly.

What are sub dermal implants and can they be used to create 3D tattoos?

Another way of creating a 3D tattoo is to take the process of injecting hyaluronic acid under the skin one step further and use sub dermal implants instead. Sub dermal implants are used for cosmetic and non-cosmetic purposes, and an example of a non-cosmetic sub dermal implant would be a contraceptive device placed under the skin on a woman’s upper arm.

When sub dermal implants are used for cosmetic purposes, beads and similar objects are surgically placed under the skin to create a three-dimensional effect in the desired area. Sub dermal implants are considered to be a rather extreme form of body modification and proponents of the procedure use it to create all kinds of weird and wonderful effects on the human body. For example, men can have beads or rods surgically implanted under the skin of their penis to enhance sexual stimulation for both partners.

Sub dermal implants are a fairly recent innovation, but because it is able to create a very similar raised effect to the use of hyaluronic acid as a dermal filler, sub dermal implants have also been used for the purpose of making 3D tattoos. But unlike the use of hyaluronic acid to raise a tattoo a couple of millimeters up from the surface of the body, sub dermal fillers can be used to achieve a far greater three dimensional effect.

There is no limit to the size of the sub dermal implant and as long as the incision can be stitched back up to avoid infection setting in, in theory it would be possible to create all kinds of 3D tattoos at various points on the body. However, unless the procedure is carried out by a licensed medical professional and performed in a sterile environment, you are at risk of all kinds of infections and other nasty complications.

Can I create a 3D tattoo by injecting myself with hyaluronic acid?

No doubt there will some crazy individuals who decide that injecting hyaluronic acid under their skin is a cool and totally awesome idea. However, unless you are a trained medical professional who is skilled in the art of injecting substances into the right level of the epidermis, who also has access to sterile needles and a safe hyaluronic acid solution, self injecting hyaluronic acid in order to create a funky 3D tattoo is extremely stupid. At best you will end up with a lumpy tattoo you will have to live with for up to a year, but at worst you could end up with a major infection such as hepatitis.

Thanks to developments in health and safety procedures, having a new tattoo inked on your body is perfectly safe these days, but as soon as you take this one step further and modify a regular tattoo design into a three dimensional one, it becomes a whole new ball game. A 3D tattoo might not be permanent when it has been created using hyaluronic acid, but you can still end up with visible scars if the procedure is not done correctly.

And do not even think about injecting any other kinds of sugar solution into your body or you might end up in hospital with blood poisoning or an infection that causes all kinds of long-term health problems. So though a 3D tattoo looks cool and “different” to some, the raised skin effects of 3D tattoos are not worth the risks involved unless you are 100% sure that your tattoo artist is skilled enough to perform the procedure safely.

What is a vintage tattoo?

In general terms, vintage tattoos refer to tattoos of a certain style and subject matter that date back to the early part of the twentieth century. Tattoo designs considered to be popular during the war years are always referred to as vintage tattoos, but really any older style of tattoo could be classed as a vintage tattoo.

What is the style of old school or traditional vintage tattoos?

Old school or vintage tattoos refer to the traditional type of tattoo design that became very popular in the early part of the twentieth century. Designs varied, but popular icons included seafaring motifs such as anchors and boats, pin-up girls from the era, flowers, and love hearts with banners featuring names or mottos. The outlines were bold, blue-black ink, and the design was usually filled in with bold primary colored inks such as red or green. Unlike modern tattoo designs, vintage tattoos did not feature shading or lots of artistic embellishment.

Who were the famous tattoo artists of the day?

Although tattooing was not as popular back then as it is today, there were still a large number of tattoo artists operating on the fringes of modern society, many of whom became famous in their own right. The most well known of these tattoo artists was Norman Keith Collins, better known as “Sailor Jerry”, and he was born in Reno, Nevada, in 1911.

The legacy of Sailor Jerry

Sailor Jerry was a sailor in the US Navy, where he was heavily influenced by the art and imagery he saw on his travels to Southeast Asia. Collins was originally taught the art of tattooing from a tattoo artist in Alaska and in the early days he perfected his techniques on itinerant drifters, but over the years he had plenty of opportunities for trying new designs on his naval peers before settling in Hawaii.

Collins became a legendary figure in the tattoo world and by the time he opened his last shop in Honolulu, his designs were being so widely copied by other tattoo artists, he had some business cards printed with the logo describing himself as the “original Sailor Jerry”.

What were popular Sailor Jerry vintage tattoos?

Collins was fond of a number of different designs and motifs and his tattoo designs usually featured bottles of booze, nautical images, birds of prey, snakes, swallows, knives and other weapons, dice, and the “Aloha monkey. He was known for the great attention to detail in his work, and his designs combined the jaunty roguishness of the American sailor with the technical expertise of Far Eastern designs of Japanese tattoo masters, with whom he maintained close professional relationships throughout his career as a tattoo artist.

Apart from his ever-popular repertoire of tattoo designs, Sailor Jerry also brought many other changes to the art of tattooing. He developed the use of color in tattoos by making his own safe pigments, and he was also one of the earliest tattoo artists to introduce hospital level sterilization procedures into his tattoo shops by advocating a policy of only using single use needles on his customers.

Long after his death, the unique brand of Sailor Jerry remains alive and kicking. Collins bequeathed his artistic design legacy to two protégés before his death in 1973: Mike Malone and Ed Hardy, both of whom went on to become successful tattoo artists in their own right. The two men started a Sailor Jerry limited company in 1999 and today fans can purchase lots of Sailor Jerry merchandise, from spiced Navy rum to ash trays and sneakers.

What is a tattoo flash?

In the early days of tattooing, a customer would walk into a tattoo parlor and choose a generic design they liked from series of hand drawn pictures. These early vintage tattoo designs were known as a tattoo flash and were printed or drawn on paper or cardboard. The designs were either pinned up on the wall, or placed in binders for customers to browse through.

Old school tattoo artists would have drawn their own designs as an illustration of their artistic talent. They might also have traded designs with other tattoo artists. Popular tattoo designs were largely generic and based on the conventions of the age, but as tattooing became more popular, specialist designers called “flash artists” began to replace the hand drawn tattoo designs dating from the early part of the twentieth century and customers were more likely to see printed designs that were mass produced.

Although modern tattoo parlors still have tattoo flash designs covering their walls, this is more for inspirational purposes than as a potential catalogue of designs. Most modern tattoo artists offer custom tattoo work based on their clients individual requirements and anyone wishing to have a tattoo would normally go along with their own design or ideas.

Popular vintage tattoo designs

If you look around, you can still see many fine examples of traditional old school vintage tattoos, although these are most likely to be found on the limbs of the older generation. There are many popular old school tattoo motifs. Such designs usually feature symbols from the navy and armed forces, including anchors and regimental banners, mermaids and glamorous pin-up girls from the golden age of cinema. Other popular tattoo motifs include flowers, in particular roses, fishes, birds of prey, cherries, hearts, and symbols related to the Harley Davidson brand.

Pin-up girls were a popular choice of design for vintage tattoos. Bettie Page was one such example of an American icon and national sex symbol who regularly made an appearance in the form of a tattoo. Bettie was the archetypal “girl next door”, but with a naughty glimmer in her eye suggestive of her underlying sexuality.

Heart motifs were another popular old school tattoo, particularly during the war years when American servicemen would have a heart tattoo to remind them of loved ones left behind. A variation on this popular design was a banner containing the name of a loved on wrapped around heart.

Naval symbols were universally popular, and since sailors were regular clients in their local tattoo shop, tattoos featuring anchors, ships, mermaids, and anything else to do with the navy and a sea faring life were extremely common.

Birds of prey, for example eagles, were popular motifs in vintage tattoos. The Golden Eagle is am image resonant with power and beauty, and can therefore be used to great effect for larger tattoos.

Swallows were also commonly chosen as a tattoo by sailors or anyone with a connection to the sea. The symbol of a swallow can broadly be interpreted as standing for good luck, but sailors believed the swallow image to be a symbol of protection for them at sea and should the worst happen and their ship sank, the swallow would guide their immortal soul to heaven.

Many vintage tattoos were influenced by tattoo art designs from the Far East, including Chinese and Japanese culture. Dragons have long been a popular symbol in tattoo art and were often used in vintage tattoo designs. The image of a dragon is considered to be an image of great power and in China the dragon represents the four elements: air, water, fire, and earth. Koi Carp, another design originating from the East, was used to represent wisdom, loyalty, longevity, and knowledge, but it could also mean perseverance in the face of enormous adversity.

As well as these common motifs, vintage tattoos featuring universal symbols of America, the star spangled banner and Statue of Liberty often cropped up in tattoo flash designs. Patriotic tattoo designs were very popular during the war years, but even today, many Americans still choose to have patriotic symbols inked on their body.

Before tattooing became such a popular way of decorating one’s body, vintage tattoos were predominantly a line drawing in monochrome. Many old school tattoos were rather crudely drawn and the result of a drunken night out down at the docks as opposed to a carefully thought out work of art drawn by a talented tattoo artist. Indeed, many sailors and soldiers would routinely go out, get drunk, and wake up with a large tattoo saying “Mother” on their arm.

But whilst tattooing was not socially acceptable in mainstream society more than a couple of decades ago, there were still a few people who made a career out of having tattoos drawn on every available part of their body.

Side-show tattoos

In the early days of tattoos, before tattooing became a socially acceptable art form, vintage tattoos were combined with side show performances and members of the public were invited to come and see infamous tattooed ladies and gentlemen

Betty Broadbent was one such entertainer. Born in 1909, by the age of 18 the young Betty had already started her lifelong career as her alter ego: the tattooed Venus. At the time, drawings of pin-ups and celebrities were popular vintage tattoos of the era and Betty ended up with many tattoos of famous celebrities of the day, including Queen Victoria and Charles Lindbergh. By the time she had completed her tattooing journey of self discovery, Betty Broadbent had more than three hundred and fifty tattoos inked on her body and with the exception of her face, she was inked just about everywhere.

Are vintage tattoo designs still popular today?

Vintage tattoos are not as popular these days, but the old motifs seen from days gone by can still be used as inspiration for more modern designs of tattoo artwork. Some tattoo artists like to use the motifs from older style vintage tattoos as a mark of respect for the past. Others enjoy the nostalgia of a vintage tattoo and use the imagery as a starting point for a more modern design.

Can vintage tattoos be used as inspiration for a more modern design?

If you are stuck for inspiration, it can sometimes help to look at the tattoo designs from the past and see if something strikes a chord with you. One popular type of design from the early twentieth century was a pin-up girl. Today, the same idea can still be used to great effect, and as long as the tattoo of an attractive lady is tastefully drawn, the end result can look great.

Cartoon pin-up girls are also a nice interpretation of an old fashioned theme. Instead of a vintage style pin-up girl, you could have a sexy Jessica Rabbit tattooed instead. The idea pays homage to the vintage tattoos of yesteryear while adding a more modern tongue in cheek feel to the design.

Hearts and banners are another vintage tattoo design that has a place in the modern world. A small and discreet heart tattoo with a banner and name can be a romantic pledge of love to a wife, girlfriend, or child. It is not always wise to have a name tattooed on your body due to the possibility that the person will one day be out of your life, but a simple heart tattoo with an arrow through it is a classic tattoo that will always stand the test of time.

Nautical symbols can also be used to great effect in a modern tattoo. You might not choose to have an enormous anchor tattooed across your bicep as this is much too reminiscent of Popeye the Sailor Man, but a small compass or nautical star can be an attractive tattoo that is suitable for discreet areas of the body.

But whatever your subject matter, a simple black line drawing with one or two colors will be reminiscent of the vintage tattoos of days gone by. Simple yet effective, vintage tattoos still have their place in the world of modern tattoo art.

But by the end of the 1980s, tattooing was on the rise and the art of tattooing had become much more socially acceptable in wider society, although it had yet to become completely commonplace amongst ordinary people from all walks of life as there are was still a slight stigma attached to the sight of a tattoo on visible parts of the body, particularly for women.

Prior to the 1990s, tattoos on women were considered to be unladylike and women who sported visible tattoos were stereotyped as “tramps”, or worse. In previous decades, it was mostly men who had tattoos and there were very few women who would have dared to visit a tattoo parlor and ask for a tattoo. But times were changing and as the 1980s turned into the 1990s, the art of tattooing had slowly inveigled its way into the thread of middle class existence and even young professionals could be seen with the occasional tattoo on show.

Tattooing and the Grunge and Indie scene

The 1990s saw the rise of Grunge music and the explosion of the Indie scene. Pearl Jam, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana were rocking the charts and rebellious teenagers everywhere were doing their best to shock the older generation by adopting numerous piercings and tattoos.

The big hair and Dynasty influenced glamour of the 1980s had been overtaken by the casual grunge look made popular by rock bands such as Nirvana. Youngsters stopped teasing their hair into bouffant styles held rigid by six cans of hairspray and began adopting the uncombed just-fallen-out-of-bed look instead. And in keeping with the baggy jeans and Doc Marten boots grunge style, tattooing became a popular fashion statement for the younger generation.

The rise in popularity of tattooing amongst women

With the advent of the Grunge and Indie fashion scene, many young women began to covet a sexy tattoo in the much the same way as they were secretly hoping Kurt Cobain and Rob Lowe might fall madly in love with them. And since the chances of Kurt or Rob stopping by and declaring their undying love were pretty slim, it was much easier to flout accepted social conventions and have a small and discreet tattoo inked somewhere on their body instead.

Tattooing has always been seen as a method of expressing one’s individuality, and in the 1990s, this was no different. Young women were keen to express their teenage angst in the new and rebellious fashion, and in much the same way as previous generations had worshipped the subversive music of Rock and Roll bands such as the Rolling Stones, young women in their droves were having tattoos inked on their flesh.

Young women and housewives with tattoos

Tattoos were no longer considered to be a male form of self expression and by the mid 90s, women all over America were embracing the art of tattoo, and for the most part, discreet and tasteful tattoos were no longer only seen on biker chicks or strippers from Vegas.

Women from all demographics were visiting the local tattoo parlor, largely thanks to a rise in female tattoo artists as well as the increase in social respectability of tattoo artwork—in 1997, an art exhibition in New York showcased the work of female tattoo artists, which served to illustrate the rise of women in what was previously considered to be a male dominated industry.

A survey by one newspaper in 1997 reported that of the clientele who patronized the tattoo studios in middle class suburbs, the tattooists were far more likely to have a soccer mom as their client than the traditional biker type. Indeed, by the end of the 1990s, almost half of all tattoos in the United States were being done on mature women, many of whom came from respectable backgrounds and who had a professional career. Most respectable women chose to have a tattoo somewhere that was easy to cover up when necessary, but one tattoo in particular soon gained notoriety and a certain connotation on those who had one: the infamous “tramp stamp”.

A tramp stamp is a tattoo across the lower back on a woman. This location for a tattoo is one that became extremely popular in the mid 1990s as it was easy to conceal, but also easy to reveal when the right clothing was worn. Unfortunately, while a lower back tattoo can look very attractive, they have become suggestive of promiscuity in the wearer, although there are a large numbers of celebrities who have lower back tattoos these days.

Celebrity tattoos in the 1990s

At the beginning of the 1990s, having a tattoo was still seen as a rather rebellious act and most women who were brave enough to have one chose to have it somewhere discreet. But before long, tattooing had hit the mainstream fashion scene and people in the public eye were soon sporting visible tattoos for the whole world to see.

A flick through the pages of a glossy magazine on today’s shelves would reveal that there are far more celebrities with large and visible tattoos than not. Consequently, you might be forgiven for thinking that this has always been the case. But up until relatively recently, celebrities were no different to the rest of modern society: they preferred not to risk damaging their image (and therefore their career) with visible tattoos on their body, so whilst a discreet tattoo somewhere the cameras did not get to see might have been acceptable, a large tattoo was most definitely not.

Until the late 1980s, celebrity tattoos were relatively rare. Tattooing had yet to enter mainstream popular culture in a big way, but towards the end of the 80s, more and more well known faces in the media spotlight were seen sporting tattoos on various parts of their bodies. Celebrities such as Cher and Madonna gave the art of tattoo a veneer of respectability and glamour, and as a result, millions of young and impressionable teenagers decided that perhaps they might want a sexy tattoo, too.

As the 1980s matured into the 1990s, celebrities and tattoos were pretty much the norm and before long it was considered to be extremely cool for anyone in the public eye to be seen sporting ink on their body. Prior to the 90s and 90s, tattooing was largely confined to hugely influential rock stars such as the Rolling Stones, but by the mid 90s, even super models were being photographed with visible tattoos. And by the end of the decade, it would be increasingly difficult to find a figure in the public eye free of visible ink on their flesh with world famous movie stars like Angelina Jolie making a point of showing off large and very ornate tattoos.

But it was not just rock stars, actors and actresses who were embracing the ancient art of tattoo: professional athletes were another big group of celebrities with a fondness for having copious numbers of tattoos on their muscular physiques.

In the early days, you would only see tattoos on professional wrestlers or boxers, but by the end of the 1990s, tattoos were becoming increasingly commonplace in every sport on the planet, from soccer to hockey and basketball, and when a survey was conducted on NBA teams in 1997, more than 35% of all players had tattoos.

Today there are a large number of high profile sporting legends with numerous tattoos. David Beckham is one such star and he is well known for his many elaborate tattoos that cover large swathes of skin. But there are many more, and thanks to their love of self expression, professional athletes have done a great deal in raising the awareness of tattoos as an art form.

What about ordinary people in the 1990s?

As tattooing became more socially acceptable during the 1990s, it was not only movie stars, rock singers, supermodels, celebrities and sporting legends that frequented tattoo parlors: tattoo studios were beginning to see an increasing number of middle class professionals in their queues of clientele.

And with the rise in middle class demand for tattoos, tattoo parlors were no longer to be found at the seedy end of town, catering for drunken sailors and local gang members. Instead there was a rise in the numbers of more up-market tattoo studios catering for executives and other professionals and in 1997, a story in the New York Times reported that tattooing was “coming of age” and no longer the domain of drunken initiation rites and fringe fashion statements. Instead the art of tattoo had evolved into an art form all of its own and even Madison Avenue Executives could be seen sporting tribal tattoo bracelets on their ankles.

Tattooing and AIDs

The increasingly availability of high street tattoo studios was in part due to the increase in safety and sterility of tattooing equipment. For a large part of the 1980s, many of the younger generation had stayed away from tattoo parlous because of the widely held belief that needles could lead to the spread of AIDs. However, towards the end of the 80s, tattoo studios were making a point of advertising the safety of the procedure and by the 90s, the AIDs stigma attached to tattoo needles had diminished and it was estimated that around 25% of young adults had at least one tattoo somewhere on their body.

What types of tattoos became popular in the 1990s?

Lower back tattoos, otherwise known as “tramp stamps” became very popular amongst women towards the back end of the 1990s, but another type of tattoo that hit the heights of popularity during this decade was the armband tattoo. Tattoos around the arm were a popular choice for men and women. Not only could they be covered up by sleeves if necessary, but they could also make a bold impact if the wearer chose to show off their tattoo. Men usually went for biceps tattoos, but women were much more likely to have a tattoo on their wrist.

Tribal tattoos were very popular in the 1990s, but other common themes for tattoos in this period were flowers, butterflies and cartoon characters. Butterflies and other feminine icons were very popular with the female market and it was very common to see young women with tattoos of roses and/or butterflies on their shoulder or ankle. Cartoon characters were also popular with both sexes and if you look around you will soon see that there are still plenty of Bart Simpson tattoos in evidence amongst those who came of age in the 1990s.

Temporary tattoos in the 1990s

As well as real ink tattoos, temporary tattoos were a popular fad in the 1990s and many followers of women’s fashion took advantage of a temporary tattoo instead of a permanent ink one. Not only was it safe, a temporary tattoo was a fun way to indulge in some bodily self expression, and instead of having to live with a permanent reminder of your drunken night out, you could relax, safe in the knowledge that your tattoo would not still be around to haunt you in your dotage.

Tattoo as art in the 1990s

As the art of tattoo became part of mainstream popular culture, tattoo art was also becoming a successful part of the fine art world with popular exhibitions devoted to tattoo designs reaching audiences nationwide, and even established artists who did not work in the tattooing world were using tattoo designs as inspiration for their own work. Today, displays of tattoo artwork, both contemporary and historical, have become a popular display in art galleries all over the world.

Centuries ago, tattoos were primarily used as a way of identification: high-ranking members of the tribe wore inked symbols to mark their status. Today tattoos are strictly a fashion accessory and over the years different tattoo designs have dropped in and out of popularity, depending on the fashions of the time, but as tattooing inks and equipment have improved, designs have become more complex.

What were the tattooing styles from the 1980s?

If you take the time to examine how tattoo designs have changed over the decades, it is possible to spot a link between tattoo art and the fashion of the time. In the 1950s and 60s, tattoos were primarily seen on men. Bikers and gang members wore tattoos to mark their allegiance to their brotherhood, and prison convicts had tattoos inked for much the same reason.

The 1980s was a decade of big hair, big shoulder pads, and power dressing. Dallas and Dynasty were on the TV and power ballads were storming the charts. Madonna was Like a Virgin, Bon Jovi rocked, Dirty Dancing had everyone crying at the cinema, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were the coolest thing since, well, Scooby Doo!

What tattooing styles developed in the 1980s?

The 1980s was such an iconic era that people who came of age in the 1980s can usually remember every single thing about their favorite decade. Of course, TV programs and music was not the only memorable thing about 1980s: tattoos were just as striking.

Tattoo designs in the 80s became more exciting and slowly evolved from the monochromatic designs popular in the previous decades. Instead of just one or two colors, tattoo artists had a whole rainbow of different colors at their disposal, and so tattoo designs because brighter, more colorful, and a lot more creative. Clients no longer had to choose from few standard designs—instead they could take in their own designs and look forward to a more unique and creative tattoo as a result.

Fresh ideas and new technology lead to exciting designs and radical tattoo imagery. Out went the pin-up girls and anchors and in came tattoos featuring images from popular culture and finely drawn works of art. Health codes were implemented in tattoo parlors and safety became paramount, which meant that tattooing was no longer seen as a risky pursuit and the average man on the street was happy to have his first inking done.

Indeed, prior to the arrival of an international convention of tattoo artists, the Governor of California issued an official proclamation declaring, “At a time when these artists from around the world meet in California to share, teach and celebrate their skills, it seems appropriate to remind Californians that the tattoo is indeed one of the most ancient arts.” Or in other words, the art of tattooing was just fine in the eyes of the State of California and the Governor considered it “fine art” as opposed to a subversive art form.

The art of tattooing was even the subject of articles in the mainstream media and in 1986, an article on tattooing appeared in the Wall Street Journal in which the journalist described how the tattoo as an art form had evolved from “mediocrity” that was widely considered to be a “sleazy perversion”, into something that was now “just another form of self expression”. Or in other words, everyone and their uncle had, or was considering having, a tattoo.

Whereas tattooing was once seen as socially unacceptable for any but the lower classes, tattoo art began to slowly infiltrate through the middle classes and by the second half of the 1980s, tattoos were being viewed as edgy, exotic, and above all perfectly acceptable on people of any gender and background.

By the end of the 1980s, tattoo art had well and truly become a part of mainstream culture and, as Esquire noted in 1989, even serious artists were trying their hand at tattoo art, with designs appearing in coffee table publications and museums: “Fine art tattoos…appeal to an affluent, well-educated clientele…” And instead of selecting a design from the wall, the client goes to the tattoo parlor with an image, and working together with the tattoo artist, a work of tattoo art is created in the same way “as an art patron would commission a work of art.”

Tattooing and celebrity in the 1980s

Tattooing and celebrity culture has been linked since the early 1960s when Lyle Tuttle gave Janis Joplin her immortal heart tattoo, but by the 1980s, many more main stream celebrities were embracing the art of self expression by having a tattoo inked on their body. Cher was one of the big names in the 1980s to have a tattoo—she had flowers drawn on her cheeks. Rock bands were also frequently seen flaunting their many tattoos in the 1980s and heavy metal bands in particular were keen promoters of the art of tattoo.

What tattooing styles were popular in the 1980s?

The 1980s was the decade when old school tattoos evolved into new school tattoos and there is a distinct difference between old-fashioned tattoo designs and more modern tattoo designs predominately seen from the 1980s onwards. In the good old days of tattoo art, people tended to choose a tattoo from an existing design. These old school tattoos were typically simple words such as “Mom” surrounded by a flower or banner; pin-up girls with large breasts; anchors; hearts; ships, etc.

However, as the 1980s dawned and tattooing became more of a socially acceptable art form, tattoos were no longer only for sailors, soldiers, convicts and bikers—people from all walks of life were heading out to their local tattoo parlor for a tattoo. As the decade progressed, although tattoos and body art were still associated with a certain lifestyle, they were far more common than the previous decade and women were increasingly choosing to have tattoo artwork drawn on their body.

The new school style of tattoo art took over from the more traditional designs seen previously, and instead of simple designs featuring ships, pin-up models, and roses, customers were able to have more complicated tattoo designs that combined multiple tattoo styles in the same work of art.

Tattoo artists began to experiment with ink techniques and designs evolved into ever more complicated pieces. Traditional colors such as red, green, blue, and black were superseded by a rainbow of different hues as inks and tattoo technology became ever more sophisticated and tattoo artists grew more skillful

What are biomechanical tattoos?

The 1980s was the decade where biomechanical tattoos first became popular, although biomechanical tattoos have continued to evolve long after the decade came to an end. Biomechanical tattoos are designs based on the artistic concept of merging flesh with machine. This type of tattoo is often a highly detailed three-dimensional design that features realistic imagery of what might lie beneath the skin should the flesh be peeled back.

The best way to describe a biomechanical tattoo would be to imagine a part man, part machine hybrid. If the flesh and blood part of the being were partially stripped away, you would see metal components and wires instead of bones and tendons. In a sense, biomechanical tattoos are science fiction meets art—which is exactly where the inspiration for this type of tattoo comes from.

Early examples of 1980s surrealist bio-mech tattoos were black and dark line and shade drawings that were heavily focused on the creation of a realistic interpretation of flesh meets machine. Many early biomechanical pieces of tattoo artwork were heavily influenced by the graphic art of H.R Geiger, a highly influential creature designer whose work is perhaps seen to the greatest effect in the infamous 1980s sci-fi movie, Alien.

Biomechanical tattoos are also linked to the French “trompe l’oeil style of artwork, from the French word meaning “trick of the eye”. Such works utilize detailed imagery that is so realistic it is almost three-dimensional, which of course is perfect for rendering exquisitely drawn biomechanical tattoos.

Since the early days of biomechanical tattoos in the 1980s, the style has evolved and changed to suit modern tastes and fashions. Although early tattoo pieces were often inked in monochrome blacks and shades of grey, more modern biomechanical tattoos are lighter in theme and are much more likely to feature bright colors and “fun” elements.

For example, a modern biomechanical tattoo derived from designs seen in the 80s would not feature robotic mechanisms beneath a tear inked across the skin; instead, a tattoo artist might draw an open zipper from which pretty colorful butterflies are tattooed fluttering out on a trail of brightly colored ink.

There is of course much more inspiration to be drawn from the biomechanical tattoos of the 1980s. Perhaps the customer wishes to show a strange mythical creature lurking beneath their skin, or even allow viewers a sneak peek of a shoal of fish swimming up their arm. The possibilities are endless and limited only by the collective imagination of the customer and the tattoo artist.

What other tattoo styles found popularity in the 1980s?

Dark, bold geometric tribal tattoo designs became popular in the United States in the 1980s. Tribal designs of tattoo have long been an important symbol of body art across different cultures from the dawn of early civilizations. This style of tattoo is typically based on geometric patterns, lines and curves, and although simple designs of tribal tattoo can be extremely effective, the more elaborate tribal designs are often extremely beautiful.

Since the 1980s, tribal tattoos have increased in popularity greatly and today, tribal designs of tattoo and one of the most popular. They can be inked on just about any part of the body. Tribal bracelet designs are typically seen on upper biceps and wrists, but larger geometric, bold tribal designs look great on large expanses of flesh such as the back or chest. Tribal designs can even be used to cover up unwanted older tattoos.

I want a 1980s themed tattoo – what should I go for?

For anyone who fancies a 1980s themed tattoo, the world of mass media is a great place to start looking for inspiration as there are so many iconic images from the 80s that you will be spoilt for choice. Any adult who came of age in the 80s can probably recall a million and one TV shows or characters they loved. Perhaps you were a huge fan of Ghostbusters or ET—or maybe you can think of nothing more exciting than having a tattoo of a young Madonna on your shoulder?

However, if you want a more tasteful 1980s inspired tattoo, it is probably a good idea to skip over the whole Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle revival theme and choose a tattoo you can actually live with. Tribal designs are still fresh and modern, despite gaining immense popularity in the 1980s, so you could do a whole lot worse than have a stylish tribal tattoo design inked somewhere on your physique.

1980s inspired biomechanical tattoo designs are also another great choice for those who still look back to the 80s with a sense of fondness. You might not want a dark and macabre inking of an alien cyborg limb on your arm, but something a bit lighter in tone would certainly be an acceptable alternative.

But above all, 80s themed tattoos are often very much about “fun”. Think light, bright, and colorful and you really cannot go too far wrong when coming up with a 1980s inspired tattoo design for a part of your body.

I have a 1980s tattoo I hate – what can I do?

And if you succumbed to the lure of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tattoo, you have three choices: live with it, have it covered up with something more tasteful, or spend a lot of money having it removed with laser treatment.

Unlike other forms of art, a tattoo is permanent. If you make a mistake in a drawing or painting you can erase it and start again, but if you make a mess of a tattoo, the customer will be very unhappy and your reputation as a tattoo artist will be irrevocably damaged.

There are also other issues that you need to consider before becoming a tattoo artist. Health and safety is a big concern for tattoo artists due to the nature of the procedure and a failure to adhere to strict rules of hygiene could potentially lead to transmission of deadly diseases such as hepatitis or HIV.

What skills do you need to become a tattoo artist?

The very best tattooists are artists first and foremost. You do not necessarily need to have extensive artistic training prior to becoming a tattoo artist, but you do need to have a talent for drawing and a good understanding of form, colour, and shading. All these skills can be taught, but the best tattoo artists will already possess a great deal of natural talent as well as an “eye” for a good design.

Most customers will only have a basic idea of the type of tattoo they want. They might bring a rough sketch along for the tattoo artist to develop, or they might only have a description of what it is they are looking for. This means that the responsibility for tattooing a great design will inevitably fall on the shoulders of the tattoo artist, and it is therefore essential that they are able to use their talent and creativity to produce a beautiful design from the bare bones of an idea.

A truly talented tattoo artist will be able to work from the bare minimum of input from the customer and still be able to create a design that the customer loves. Like any artist, tattooing requires the ability to create excellent images, so if you are interested in tattooing as a potential career choice, it is a good idea to spend lots of time observing other tattoo artists in action as well as having tattoos drawn on your own body.

If you are confident that you have lots of innate artistic talent, spend some time building a portfolio of artwork designs and practise your drawing skills. It is important that you have a love for art and design as tattooing is a lifelong vocation rather than a 9-5 job, and if you do not love your work, your tattoos will probably reflect your indifference and lack of artistic commitment.

Once you have built a good design portfolio, it is probably a good idea to ask other people to check out your work in order to obtain some unbiased opinions. Your family and close friends might tell you that your work is fantastic, but always ask for a second opinion from a respected tattoo artist before making a decision to learn tattooing as an art form.

What is the best way to take the first steps into tattooing as a potential career?

If you already have extensive tattoos covering your body, you probably have a good idea of how the tattooing process works, but if you are new to tattooing, it makes sense to go along to your local tattoo shop and check out a few designs so you can gain a better understand of what tattooing is all about.

But even when you have had tattoos inked on your own body in the past, you might not necessarily have taken much notice of how the actual procedure works, so it can help to observe somebody else having a tattoo design done. If you are lucky enough to know a friendly tattoo artist, ask them if you can observe their tattooing and take note of how they work.

Every tattoo artist is a unique individual, but there are certain protocols to be followed and it will help to see how they take a basic design and use it to create a beautiful work of tattooing art. Even simple things such as which order the different colours should be applied need to be learnt, so observe and make notes to help you when the time comes to start drawing your own tattoos.

If tattooing really appeals to you as a career choice, working in a tattoo shop is an excellent way of learning the ropes before actually working on a real tattoo design. You can spend time learning how the equipment works as well as the many safety and legal protocols that govern safe tattooing. A job in a tattoo shop will also give you the opportunity to learn the different methods of creating an eye catching tattoo design, plus you can observe how other tattoo artists work.

A tattooing apprenticeship or internship is a good way of learning the necessary skills to become a confident tattoo artist. If you are able to persuade an established and well respected tattoo artist to take you on in the role of trainee, you will be in the best position possible to learn the ropes and embark on a career as a tattoo artist.

Most trainees will not be asked to tattoo straight away. Instead they will be taught the basic skills and expected to learn by observing experienced tattoo artists in action. Typical trainee tattooing apprentices will be expected to do all the mundane tasks such as cleaning the premises and sterilising the equipment, but this will be time well spent as it represents a great opportunity to see how tattooing works on a commercial level.

Over time, assuming you have proven that you have the necessary skills and dedication, you will be given more responsibility and eventually you will be allowed to draw some simple tattoos. But although the best way to learn tattooing is to actually have the opportunity to draw tattoos, you can still build your knowledge of artistic design by researching new tattoo designs and techniques for shading and colour. Read magazines and books and practise your drawing as often as you can.

What is the basic tattooing process?

Before any tattoo artist begins drawing a tattoo on their customer, the chosen area of the body must be cleaned and shaved (even fine hairs can create problems during the tattooing process). A special cleansing solution will be applied to the skin to remove all natural oils and any bacteria that might be present so as to reduce the risk of any post tattooing infection.

Tattoo designs can be transferred on to the skin using a special stencil and in many shops this is done using a thermal fax machine that copies the design directly on to the chosen area of skin. Alternatively, the tattoo artist can work directly on to the skin without a design outline to guide them.

Sterile needles are placed in the tattoo machine and the inks are poured into cups. Antiseptic ointment applied to the area will reduce the pain of the tattooing process and allow the tattooing needle to glide across the skin more smoothly.

During the first stage of the tattooing process, the tattoo artist will draw the outline of the design. Once the outline has been completed, the area will be cleaned and the shading work can begin. Shading adds colour and depth to the chosen design and can turn a simple design into a work of extraordinary beauty.

One of the skills required by a tattoo artist is an understanding of how deep the tattoo needle should penetrate. If the needle penetrates too deep, the subject will experience far more pain than necessary, but if the needle does not go deep enough, the lines will be too faint. It is also important to use the correct amount of ink: too much and the tattoo will be lumpy and unattractive, but not enough and the design will be indistinct.

Once the tattooing session is over, either because the chosen design has been completed or because the design is very large and complex and is being done in several stages to reduce the level of discomfort to the customer, the tattooed area will be sprayed with antiseptic to help prevent infection. Any residual blood will be wiped away and a plastic cover will be placed over the tattoo for a short while until the skin has healed over.

Learning how to become a dedicated tattoo artist is not easy, but tattooing is a very rewarding career and seeing your designs on the street will more than make up for the blood, sweat, and probably tears, that will go into your long and arduous journey learning the art of tattooing.

Often portrayed as magical beasts, dragons have appeared in stories, myths and legends for millennia. Some storybook dragons are fearsome beasts, breathing fire and malevolence, whereas others are shy creatures, representing hope and good fortune. Not surprisingly, it was only a short leap from the pages of a book to the tattoo parlour and before long, as tattoos grew in popularity, dragon tattoos soon became a very special and symbolic art form.

Why are dragon tattoos so popular?

The main reason why a dragon tattoo remains such an enduring design is largely because of its versatility. The nature of a dragon is such that it can be drawn in a multitude of different ways. The shape is so fluid that a dragon tattoo design will flatter most parts of the body, and when drawn well, the dragon will animate when the body moves.

Over the last few years, dragon tattoos have evolved and taken on a more modern appeal thanks to the artistic skills of some of the leading tattoo artists working today. Traditional dragon designs have been taken to the next level and large numbers of people now sport a far more stylised version of a dragon on various parts of the body. For many, the dragon tattoo has become the tattoo of choice thanks to its beauty and versatility, and these days, it outranks even tribal tattoos in terms of general popularity amongst tattoo enthusiasts.

A dragon can be tattooed on many different parts of the body, from a small dragon on the lower leg, its tail snaking around the ankle, to a large dragon stretched across the lower back. The design possibilities are endless and the only limit is your imagination and the skill of the tattoo artist.

What is the meaning of dragon tattoos?

For women, a dragon tattoo often represents the notion of power just beneath the surface of the skin. Dragons are traditionally creatures possessed with great magical powers, and a woman who chooses to have a dragon tattoo is often a confident and assertive female, in touch with her feminine powers and inner grace.

For men, a dragon tattoo also represents power. Dragons are powerful creatures, yet often blessed with great wisdom, and a man who chooses a dragon tattoo design is tapping into his inner strength and bravery.

Where do dragon tattoos originate from?

The image of a dragon can be traced back in time to many different cultures, but there are often crucial differences between dragon designs from different parts of the world. For example, Asian dragon designs are very different from those found in European myths and legends, which can be important if you are seeking a particular style of dragon for your tattoo.

Chinese dragons are widely considered to be the iconic image of a dragon and in Chinese culture dragons are imbued with the power to control rainfall. Chinese dragons appear in all parts of the Chinese culture, and for many, a Chinese dragon is a beautiful and symbolically powerful choice for a tattoo. The Chinese dragon always has five claws on its foot, whereas a Japanese dragon only has four claws

In European culture, dragons often have a far more fearsome reputation and regularly appear as the villains of the piece. In the legend of St George, the dragon was a fierce fire breathing predator to which sacrifices were made in an attempt to appease its murderous tendencies. In the legend of Beowulf, the dragon was called Grendel, and it was portrayed as a misshapen and evil creature that was eventually slain by the hero, Beowulf. In Greek culture, dragons also featured as terrifying monsters to be slain by the hero on his quest to rescue the damsel in distress.

Naturally, the interest in dragons from popular culture soon extended into tattoo art and as tattoos became more widely accepted, it was not long before tattoo enthusiasts began to explore the use of dragon imagery in the art of the tattoo.

Chinese dragon tattoos have long been a popular design for men and the Chinese dragon often forms the centrepiece of large, incredibly complex tattoos covering vast swathes of flesh, typically the chest or the back. But thanks to the versatility of the dragon design, women are also beginning to recognise the incredible beauty of a dragoon tattoo and are choosing dragon tattoos over and above more traditional feminine designs such as butterflies and angels.

What should I consider before I have a dragon tattoo?

Ideally, you will want a tattoo that is original, so instead of opting for a standard design from the local tattoo shop, do some research to try and find a design that is both unique and suitable for your body. If you spend some time looking, you are sure to find a great design that your tattoo artist can work with and add his or her own artistic flourishes. Done well, dragon tattoos are always striking, so take your time and choose the right design.

Once you have found a great dragon tattoo design, it is a good idea to give careful thought as to where exactly you plan on having your tattoo. Dragon tattoos can greatly enhance the curvature of certain areas of the body, so in order to make the most of the design you need to think about how your finished design will look. For large designs, the back is probably the best area, but for smaller designs, you can try wrapping your dragon around an arm or leg.

Tattoos and body art have never been so popular. Millions of people between the ages of 18 and 80, from all walks of life, are coming around to the idea that tattoos large and small are a fun way to express your unique individuality, and long gone are the days when a tattoo meant allegiance to a biker gang or a naval career at sea. But what about a tattoo for men—are men still more likely than women to succumb to the lure of body art?

Once upon a time, it was mostly men who wore tattoos as a badge of style. In the early part of the century, tattoos were a mark of allegiance to a career in the military such as the navy or army, or they indicated membership of a gang, either in prison or outside it. But things have changed and tattoos take all kinds of different forms these days, from simple tattoos featuring a few inspirational words, to complex tribal inks covering half of the body.

Is there a tattoo for men to be avoided?

Although tattoos continue to remain very popular, there are always some styles of tattoos you should avoid if you are a man. Whilst it is possible to take the view that a tattoo does not need to be a permanent feature, tattoo removal is difficult, painful, and expensive, and therefore best avoided where possible, so always assume the tattoo you choose will be with you forever.

When it comes to tattoos you should avoid, many men make the classic mistake of having their girlfriend or wife’s name tattooed on a part of their body. It might seem oh so romantic at the time, but what happens if you and your love split up in a cloud of bitter recriminations?

My ex made that mistake. To the best of my knowledge, he still has my name tattooed on his butt, so I can only imagine how thrilled his new wife must be to see my name every single day. So the moral of the story is…do not go there! If you must have a name of a loved one inked on your body, at least choose your kids or dog’s name.

Another tattoo for men best avoided is anything cute, and by cute, I mean cartoon characters and mythical creatures. Tattoos of Snoopy, Goofy, or even a unicorn might look semi okay on a girl, but it just looks wrong on a strapping twenty stone bloke, so unless you want other men to view you with suspicion, stay away from the cute tattoo.

Chinese symbols are another tattoo for men that you should give careful thought to before popping down the local tattoo shop with your drawing. Whilst David Beckham manages to pull it off with aplomb, this type of tattoo has the potential to go very wrong. Any tattoo featuring a word or phrase in a different language might not say what you think it says: you may think your sexy new tattoo says something profound when in fact it says “chicken chow mein with egg fried rice”.

So how can you choose a great tattoo for men you can enjoy living with for the rest of your life?

Before choosing a design for a new tattoo, and this applies to both men and women, give it careful thought. Never rush into having a new tattoo inked on your body without being 100% sure you are happy with the design, and do not be pushed into having a design you suspect will not be right for you—you are the one who has to live with the finished result, not your best mate, girlfriend, or even the tattooist.

Where is the best place for a tattoo for men?

Just like women, different men have different ideas about the best place to have a tattoo inked on their body, the only difference being that men have more room on their chest for larger tattoos.

The back is a popular area of the body for a tattoo for men as it is generally large and suitable for wider and more complex tattoos. Men are also more likely to cover the more visible areas of their body with large tattoos, as there is less of a social stigma attached in a tattoo for men. Whereas women with large numbers of visible tattoos on their arms and legs are derided as ‘sluts’, men with such tattoos are perceived in a totally different light and much more likely to be treated with guarded respect.

Whilst men have more freedom to have tattoos anywhere they like, there are some areas of the body best avoided. For obvious reasons, the face is a no-no for a tattoo unless you fancy being unemployed for the rest of your natural life. For the same reason, hands and lower fore arms are not the best location for a large and highly visible tattoo as most employers frown upon it, so unless you work in a tattoo shop, think twice!

For men, the chest and the back are great places for a large and complex tattoo. Both areas offer a vast canvas of suitable skin that you can use to highlight a well-drawn tattoo, and the bigger the better. Tattoos on the shoulder and upper arm also look very effective, particularly if the muscles are well defined and strongly delineated. Legs are another possibility, although you may have to shave them if you are a hairy individual and the pain factor is significantly higher.

A tattoo for men on the buttocks can go either way on the love-hate scale. On women, tattoos inked on the lower back or buttock area are very sexy, but the effect is not quite the same on a man unless he has the physique of Adonis. After all, there is nothing more unappealing than a large builder’s bottom with a tacky tattoo peeking out above some saggy ill-fitting jeans. Most women would feel quite nauseous at the sight; or at least I would!

What is the meaning of tribal tattoos?

Early tribal tattoo designs were an intrinsic part of the pagan
culture prevalent in tribes on every continent. In a world where evil
spirits were thought to roam freely, tribal tattoos were imbued with
great superstitious powers and used as a protection mechanism.

Tribal designs were also used to denote the rank of the person within
the tribe. In ancient times, social standing was considered very
important, and unlike in modern society where the trappings of wealth
are more obvious, ancient peoples did not have access to mansions and
sports cars, so they used tribal tattoos as a way of showing off their
various achievements in their hunter/gatherer society.

In ancient tribal societies, the more powerful you were, the more
tattoos your body was covered with. Different tattoo designs were also
used to differentiate between the most important members of the tribe:
leaders would always have the most distinctive tribal tattoo designs,
but the medicine men and witch doctors also had their own unique
designs.

But as Christianity spread across the globe, pagan rituals and
superstitious beliefs were slowly extinguished, leading to a decline
in the art of tribal tattoos. Although tribal tattoo markings are
still seen in some parts of the world, the proliferation in modern
tattoo art is more about decoration than a visible display of social
standing within society.

Modern tribal tattoo designs use various elements from traditional
tribal designs and intertwine them with other geometric lines and
curves to create new tattoos. Unlike popular pictorial designs, tribal
tattoo designs are always very striking with their monochrome style.

Can original tribal tattoo designs still be used today?

Anyone with a burning desire to have a traditional tribal design inked
on their body could easily do some research and find a traditional
tribal design to use, but it is important to remember that many tribal
designs are full of important meanings to the particular tribe they
originate from. If a tribal tattoo design signifies membership or
affiliation to a specific tribe, it could be considered an insult to
the modern descendents of that tribe for a non-tribe member to have
the tattoo design drawn on their body. So before you pick a tribal
design, do your research carefully and make sure nobody is likely to
be offended if you copy it wholesale for your own tribal tattoo art.

However, there are plenty of beautiful and unique tribal tattoo
designs available to choose from if you are keen to have a tribal
tattoo drawn on your body. Many tribal designs have been extensively
reworked and are only loosely based on original traditional tribal
designs.

Can tribal tattoos be incorporated with existing tattoos?

Some of the very best tattoo designs successfully incorporate a
traditional tribal design with a modern one. Striking tribal patterns
can often be used to frame existing tattoos, but the success of this
will always depend on the style of the original tattoo. Such a
technique tends to work better when reworking a modern style of tattoo
with a tribal design, but you should always be careful to strike the
right balance between both drawings and not let one overpower the
other.

Tribal designs can also be used to “cover up” a tattoo you no longer
like. Many tribal tattoo styles are very striking, and when drawn on
top of a faded and nondescript tattoo, they can successfully
obliterate the original tattoo.

Where is the best place to have a tribal design?

Monochromatic tribal designs based on lines, curves and geometric
patterns can look great on all areas of the body, but bracelet style
tribal tattoos look especially effective on the upper arm or around
the wrist or ankle. The size of the tattoo design you choose will
always be down to personal preference, but tribal designs also look
very effective when drawn across large areas of the back. Complex
patterns and striking designs are an intrinsic part of the tribal
style of tattoo and the more elaborate the tattoo, the more beautiful
it will be.

But there are also plenty of smaller tribal tattoo designs you can
choose if you prefer a more discrete tattoo as opposed to a large and
very visible tattoo. Tribal sun tattoos are a very popular design
featuring the ancient symbol of the sun. Drawn large or small, this
style of tribal tattoo can be inked in a multitude of locations on the
body from the shoulder to the small of the back, and it will always
look gorgeous.

Tribal cross designs are a popular choice for those seeking a striking
tattoo design. Cross designs can be drawn large across the back or
small on an upper arm or the nape of the neck. Tribal cross designs
are usually very decorative and can easily be drawn as part of a much
larger and more complex design. A typical example of a tribal cross
designs would be a Celtic tribal cross tattoo. Celtic tribal cross
tattoos are based on pagan Celtic druid symbols. Representing the tree
of life and the sun, these tattoos are also referred to as a sun cross
and often feature knots and spirals as part of the design. They are
popular with men and women, but for a more feminine touch, leaves and
flowers can be woven into the design.

Another type of popular tribal tattoo is the tribal dragon design.
Often seen in Eastern cultures, tribal dragon tattoos have a large
number of symbolic meanings from “protector” to “creator”. Many people
choose a tribal dragon design as a feature tattoo for their back and
the ubiquitous Chinese dragon tattoo is always a popular choice for
those looking for a complex and striking design guaranteed to stand
out from the crowd.

It has been estimated that around a quarter of the US population aged between 18 and 50 have a tattoo, and of those people, at least one fifth of women have a lower back tattoo.

Why do women love having a lower back tattoo?

Many people believe that having the right tattoo is very sexy, and tattoos inked on the lower back even more so. A tattoo drawn on the lower back is easy to cover up during a normal working day when you have to be respectable, but at night, when the lights go down and you are ready to be naughty, you can pull on a low slung pair of hipsters and show your sexy lower back tattoo off.

Some lower back tattoo designs inked on the lower back are exceptionally sexy. Delicate drawings snaking down and dipping below the waist automatically draw the eye to the bottom, which is a major source of attraction for men. Any woman with a shapely bottom will enjoy even more attention when she has a sexy lower back tattoo to emphasise her rear.

Although it could be argued that the whole body makes an excellent canvas, there are some areas that lend themselves better to tattoos than others, the back being one of those areas. The back is such a large expanse of skin that a tattoo can be large or small and still look impressive, but conversely, no matter how large your tattoo is, you will be able to cover it up if necessary.

But whilst the back is a popular location for a tattoo, the lower back in particular is perfect for wide designs that spread across the back from side to side or small designs drawn right in the centre of the back. The back is one area of the body that does not alter too much if we put some weight on or succumb to the natural aging process and therefore it makes a perfect location for a well chosen tattoo.

What types of designs look beautiful on the lower back?

Wide designs look great when drawn across the lower back. Snakes curving down from the lower back on to the hip are popular, but other designs favoured by women include angels, butterflies, and the ever popular tribal designs. However, the best lower back tattoo designs are those that take advantage of the feminine form and emphasise the curve of the lower back.

Are there any disadvantages to having a tattoo drawn in the lower back area?

Having a tattoo is never pain free, but some areas of the body are more painful than others for having a tattoo. Any area close to a bone will be painful, and the lower back has very little body fat to cushion you from the tattoo needle, so as a rule, the lower back will not be an easy area one to have tattooed.

Although many people feel that a lower back tattoo is a sexy adornment to a woman’s body designed to enhance attractiveness, there are some who feel quite the opposite and for a few, a lower back tattoo is considered to be a symbol of promiscuity and referred to as a “tramp stamp”.

Any women with a “tramp stamp” should expect a certain level of attention, particularly if she has a very noticeable lower back tattoo she shows off in public by wearing revealing clothing. Other even more derogatory terms for a lower back tattoo include a “gramp stamp” for older ladies with a lower back tattoo, a “arschgeweih”, which means ass antlers in German, “bitch tat” and “slut tat”.

However, despite those who routinely deride women with a lower back tattoo, increasing numbers of celebrities have taken the decision to have a tattoo in the lower back region. Tennis star, Anna Kournikova, has a tribal tattoo on her lower back; Cheryl Cole has a “tramp stamp”; Eva Longoria has a tasteful small cross inked on her lower back; and porn star, Jenna Jameson, has a “heart breaker” tattoo inked across her lower back.

Before you go ahead and have a complicated lower back tattoo, give it a great deal of thought. Although it is possible to have a tattoo removed through laser treatment, a tattoo should always be considered a permanent enhancement to your body and it should never be a decision that you take lightly.

As with any tattoo, you will need to wear loose clothing to make the tattooist’s job easier. After you have had the tattoo done, you will also need to wear loose clothing to avoid rubbing the area until it has healed.

If you choose to have a large and complicated design drawn on your lower back, it is worth remembering that not only will it be expensive, you are not going to be able to see it unless you catch sight of your lower back tattoo in the mirror. However, you are likely to have plenty of admirers to remind you of how beautiful and sensual your lower back tattoo is.

There are lots of great lower back tattoos out there, but you still need to choose your lower back design carefully. Due to the popularity of lower back tattoos in recent times, it is hard to find an original design these days, but this should not put you off from having a lower back design. Do some research and check out designs on the internet for inspiration before you visit the tattoo shop. And if you cannot find a design you like, wait a while until inspiration strikes!