tattooing tools The History

Tattoo – The Concept
Tattoo is used as a form of body modification to create a design, usually permanent, on various parts of body. They can be employed for a multitude of reasons, like tradition, identification, medicinal purposes, or for fashion. The color pigment, which is an indelible liquid, is inserted in the skin in such a way that it colors several layers of it and settles there permanently. The term ‘tattoo’ was derived from the Polynesian word ‘tatau.’ This art has been prevalent in various parts of the world, since antiquity.
The History
The evidence of tattooing in Japan traces back to the 5th Century B.C. However, Gishiwajinden, the Chinese historical account, describes face tattooing by the Japanese men in the 3rd Century B.C.! Around the 18th Century A.D., prostitutes used dot like tattoos. In 1720, tattooing of letters or circles on the forehead or on arms was legalized as a punishment for financial crimes and frauds. After the Horeki Era (1751-1764), first pictorial tattoos appeared in Japan. As the modernization of Japan began, tattoos were banned in the year 1872, citing them as a mark of barbarism. The ban was finally lifted in the year 1948.
Several mummies, which date back to 2000 to 5000 A.D., exhumed from Ancient Egypt and the Alps region between Italy & Austria, also carry tattoos. These were simple designs, like lines or dots in monochromatic ink, rather than elaborate patterns. Germany and other parts northern & central Europe also witnessed the use of tattoos among its natives, in the Pre-Christian era. These tribes used organic woad extracts and copper compounds as dying agents. The art of tattooing was prevalent in India since ancient times. Mostly the leaves of a plant known as ‘mehendi’ were used to create a ‘temporary’ pigment. The paste of the leaves was used to create elaborate designs on the skin. It was washed-off on drying, leaving behind red-orange patterns by etching through the layers of the skin. The evidence of the use of permanent dyes and iron needles process were also found.
Conclusion
These days, professional studios use motor-operated tattooing tools. The studios lay special emphasis on hygiene concerns. The patterns these studios use vary widely from religious themes to abstract art, names & initials to faces, and so on. Now a days, a large number of tattoo designs are copyrighted, which are later sold as flash (sample designs) directly to parlors, or online to the internet community.

Tattoos Western The Story

Western style tattoos are a popular form of body art. They have that old school tattoo look about them. They are usually a black outline with filled with color and little or no shading. The colors are predominantly red and green with occasional touches of blue, purple, yellow or brown.

Many of the western style tattoo designs come from nautical references because of the influence of the early sailor tattoo artists. Nautical stars, ships, and mermaids are common subjects for these types of tattoos.
Animals such as snakes and swallows are also common themes in western tattoos. Hearts, animation characters, flames, skulls, and roses are all also popular designs for western tattoos. Daggers and swords can also be found as elements in the simple, nostalgic style of western tattoos.
Many tattoos contain banners bearing the names of loved ones such as “Mom”, or the name of the girl back home. As the use of banners evolved they also bear special dates or phrases.
Tattoos came to the western world in the 1600s when sailors returned home from the South Pacific bearing ink from the places they had traveled. Islands in the South Pacific each have their own tattoo methods which include similarities as well. The designs and patterns have different meanings, but the method of using sharp pieces of bone or thorns to pierce the skin and inject the ink. Some of the sailors also learned this art, and by the 18th century, many English ports had at least one resident tattoo artist. The first patented electrical tattoo gun was created by a New York Tattoo artist named Samuel O’Reilly. So began the history and popularity of western tattoos.