How to research your tattoo design
"Every tattoo is an attempt by the wearer to express themselves, for themselves or to
display to others. The content, colour, placement, size, shape and style of a tattoo are
all variables which can be manipulated to help that attempt at self-expression. All these
variables interact -- change one, you may have to change another or more. Often the tattoo
that gets regretted is the result of a hastily-made choice with the tattoo lasting longer
than the whim of a moment. Shouting its message when the pop star / lover / political ideal
has fallen from favour."What should I get?
Think about why you want your tattoo, what feelings you want it to convey, whether you
want an obvious statement or a subtle sign that expresses your personality. If you are
still uncertain about getting a tattoo, ask yourself: Will my tattoo affect my relationships
at home and at work? How will it look with the clothes that I wear? Do I want the design to
consider the contours of my body? Does the design enhance certain features or detract from
others, or both? Do my lifestyle activities limit my choice of placement? If I move like this,
will it distort and look odd? What will my tattoo look like from a distance or at first glance?
According to some experts, the best designs use the contours of the body to add to the simulation
of design.Listen to the advice of your tattoo artist. Intelligent, educated and artistically aware artists network with others around the world, sharing and creating new ideas and learning the latest techniques and safety standards.
Information Sources
Internet : Surf the 'Net at Google http://www.google.com. Search the word "tattoo" to find hundreds of studios
that feature online portfolios. One of the best sources for reference is in Google Images. Make sure that
you right click on the actual image, not the thumbnail, and save on your desktopMagazines and books : There are hundreds available that feature different styles and artists. Also check general design books.
Libraries : Check anthropology, archeology, religion sections, among others.
Tattoo conventions : Check out dozens of artists from around the world. Your local newspapers or tattoo magazines usually advertise conventions. Be bold! Fit a convention into your next vacation and get a tattoo by an artist that you really admire.
Tattoo Styles
There are many different styles of tattooing. The Old School, led by electric tattoo machine
inventor, Samuel O'Reilly, relied on symbols, icons and aphorisms that celebrated patriotism and
home-spun virtues. Improved technology and growing interest in tattooing by young artists in the
50s and 60s injected new ideas, incorporating a wide range of artistic influences and genres to
create a New School of Tattooing that continues to evolve unique signature styles in the 90s and
into the new millenium.- Traditional: Bold, black outlines, strong black shading,bright primary colours. Classic "flash" designs made popular by Old School Tattoo pioneers such as Sailor Jerry Collins, Bert Grimm, and others who continue to inspire modern young artists to expand, refine and re-define this genre. Jonathan Shaw reminds us we owe a huge debt to these Elders who laid the foundations of our modern tattoo revival.
- Oriental (a.k.a. Japanese) Made popular among modern enthusiasts by Don Ed Hardy. Utilizes the whole body as a canvas. Incorporates swirling black and gray patterns and bold primary colours with large motifs from Asian mythology (carps, dragons, flowers). Traditionally tattooed by hand method. See work by Horiyoshi III.
- Black and Grey Art only uses tones of black and gray.See tattoo art of . Also used in biomechanical style.
- Biomechanical Inspired by the art of H.R. Giger, creator of Alien. See art by Andrea (NYC).
- Fineline Highly detailed work that utilizes delicate single-needle outlines. See work by Jack Rudy & Brian Everett.
- Realistic Photographic quality work - usually portraiture.May use black and gray i nfluences or colour. Pioneered in the 70s by Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrette. See also art of Paul Booth.
- Tribal Bold black, silouhette-style abstract designsinspired by, but not limited to the art of indigenous groups around the world, particularly Polynesia, Micronesia and Indonesia. Pioneered by Cliff Raven in the 60s and popularized by Leo Zulueta in the 80s. See also signature styles of Vyvyn Lazonga, Trev Marshall and Alex Binnie.
- Native American Inspired primarily by designs of North and Southwest Native Americans and groups in Mexico. Utilizes bold, black abstract lines and, in the case of Haida designs, primary colours (usually red) to create graphical images of mythical creatures. Some artists consider this genre a sub category of Tribal. Native artist Cynthia Witkin utilizes influences from Southwestern Native design in her work.
- Celtic Inspired by Christian and pre-Christian art the Celts. See workof John Sargeson.
- Energy Wave Incorporates a variety of genres - tribal, ornamental, black and gray and into a unique signature style for the body-image conscious patrons of the 90s. Utilizes sharp, clean, black, curvilinear lines and complex, repeating patterns in gray shading and dots to create a bold and dynamic style that incorporates both positive and negative space to enhance the natural contours of the body. Developed by Toronto artist Daemon Rowanchilde.
- Decorative (a.k.a. Ornamental) Showcased by Manchester artist Louis Molloy. Incorporates bold black outlines and bright primary colours of the Traditional genre with medieval, baroque, art nouveau influences found in the textiles and jewelry designs of famous designers like Versace, to ornament the body.
Flash vs Custom Art
Flash consists of pre-priced stock designs displayed on the walls of tattoo shops. Most tattooists consider Flash the 'bread and butter' of the industry because the easily reproduced designs tend to cost proportionately less. Although its popularity waned in the 60s, Flash is enjoying a revival among modern enthusiasts as new artists utilize a variety of influences to create bold, new iconographies. Attitudes toward Flash vary among artists and enthusiasts. Photographer and author, Chris Wroblewski considers Flash, "the pattern-sheet and rubber-stamp school of tattooing" which supplies tattooists with simple, easily transferable, mass-produced designs "from which a client could choose an image as if he were choosing wallpaper." Marcus Podlichuk advises that "...to choose an off the peg design on the spur of the moment is tantamount to dermographical suicide. Offered the restriction of having to wear the same outfit, or drive the same car 'forever', would you choose the first one to catch your eye?"On the other hand, Jonathan Shaw - a prominent defender of the Old School - laments: "In these fast and furious times of psycho punk and bio-mechanical, primalized, tribalized gobbeldegook in tattooing, it's hard to turn a page in one of these magazines without coming across work that is so sophisticated, 'cool', and original that you just want to puke. Whatever happened to those simple tributes to 'mom' lovingly emblazoned in a flowingbanner encircling a heart? Or bold sailing ships tattooed on the arms of honest-to-God mariners? Or nekkid ladies in champagne glasses with cards and dice for luck? Where'd all that good stuff go, huh? Whatever happened to real tattooing?" You decide.
Custom art may involve a design that the client brings into the studio or a collaboration between artist and client to create an original, one-of-a-kind piece of art. Custom work usually requires a consultation wherein design, placement, price and other concerns are discussed. Expect to pay a deposit when you book the actual tattoo appointment. An intricate design may take hours to research and create before the needle ever touches the skin. You can save money by doing a lot of the research yourself (i.e. bring in photocopies of images, designs, symbols, etc. that you want incorporated into your tattoo). Don't haggle with the price - if you have a budget, say so. Mama Lani of rec.arts.bodyart says, "expect to pay for the best results unless you believe that you do not deserve the best."
Things to Consider about the Studio
You should know the difference between Sterilization and DisinfectionSterilization The killing of all micro-organisms including spores. The sterilization area should be located away from the tattooing area to prevent cross contamination. The preferred method is the autoclave or the chemclave,both of which employ the latent heat of steam, either water or chemical. All needles and tubes should be sterilized. The sterilization zone should be split into a "clean zone" and a "contaminated zone". The "clean zone" should contain nothing but sterilized, disinfected or disposable instruments, materials and the autoclave. The "contaminated zone" should have a deep wash basin for cleaning the instruments and the ultrasonic cleaner.
Disinfection The killing of some micro-organisms, including some pathogens. This is reserved for surface contamination only; countertops, chairs, etc.Alcohol is not recommended for disinfection as it is ineffective againstviruses. The tattoo zone should be thoroughly disinfected in the morning, between clients and again in the evening.
Cross Contamination Control
According to APTA, the practice of effective crosscontamination control is essential for the safety
of clients and artists. While it may place considerable financial burden on the studio, the risks of
transmittable diseases such as Hepatitis and AIDS warrant extra measures against cross contamination.
These measures include:
- arranging the studio so that work areas remain separate from waiting customers, particularly the tattooing and sterilization zones as discussed.
- each tattoo studio must contain a functioning hand sink and soap dispenser in the tattooing area for the exclusive use of the tattoo artist.
- providing adequate light and ventilation.
- maintaining the tattooing area in a sanitary condition free from hazards. All walls, floors and work surfaces should have a non-absorbent surface that can be easily cleaned and disinfected. There should be no carpeting in the tattooing area. Chairs should also be of an impervious non-cloth material that can be easily disinfected.
- all instruments (scissors, forceps, tubes, needles) should be packaged in autoclave bags and properly sterilized.
- used needles should be placed in proper –sharps” containers for proper disposal.
- wherever possible use disposable equipment, such as needles, ink caps, razors, tongue depressors, lint free paper towels.
- hands should be washed with an antimicrobial soap and dried before donning gloves. Latex gloves should be worn at all times, and changed upon any cross contamination.
- barrier controls must be used on surfaces that may be touched during the tattoo process, such as: power packs, clip cords, machine heads, spray bottles, water taps, lights, etc. These should be sheathed with disposable impervious coverings that are changed with each client.
- no smoking, drinking alcohol or drug use permitted.
Fergus, Ontario
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