Monday, July 26, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Japanese Tattoo Lettering
Japanese tattoos and tattoo lettering are steeped in tradition, symbolism and mysticism. From their roots as religious symbols to their usage as signs of the Yakuza, to their current day popularity in the West, Japanese tattoos are unique to both the wearer and the artist. Find out about the different types of Japanese tattoos and tattoo lettering, before you decide to get one yourself.
Polynesian tattoo designs
Polynesian tattoo designs are far more than a mere piece of decorative body art. Tribal art tattoo designs, as often as they're replicated in flash designs, were once seen as a link between man and the gods in Polynesian culture. As legend has it, the Gods taught men the art of tattooing. By being marked through a trial of pain and blood, as the elders claimed, initiates could develop a closer relationship with the spiritual world.
Take the Maori and Samoan tribes for example, Polynesian tattoo designs were a Tapu, or sacred art form. Thus the revered tattoo artists in these societies, were held in the same esteemed regard as the higher echelon virtuosos of today. Yet the community where I lived, saw all tattooing, including tribal art tattoos, as an indication of a degenerate, or at best 'an eccentric' - and eccentric is, in many ways, another word for contemptible. "Yeah, thanks for the positive support Dad!"
Paying Reverence To Islanders' Heritage
The islanders' history suggests that the Polynesian conflation of soul with body, and the belief that one could gain special advantages in the afterlife, through tribal tattoo designs, was far from limited to their culture. ("Special advantages in the afterlife? Well ink me up then!"). Similar beliefs can be found in ancient European and Asian cultures, which were responsible for the prevalence of tribal art designs among the natives of North Africa and Papua, New Guinea.
The extreme proficiency of Polynesian design creation, has become renowned amid the great and meaningful art forms the world over. After all, when people are willing to spend their entire lives in the presence of such articulated art, and be judged by everyone that sees it, is truly a mark of admiration for such a specialized technique. They are such striking, intriguing and alluring forms of expression, I knew I had to have one, or two, or three...I was worried about running out of skin space!
Polynesian tattoo designs, as one of the last surviving sacred forms of body art, were the natural locus for my studies. Indeed, the word 'tattoo' emerged from their language, (originating from the Tahitian term - 'Tatu', meaning - "to mark"). Furthermore, in the absence of any written language, those cultures created a form of articulation, dialogue and communication from their tribal tattoo designs. Various parts of the body which displayed the jet-black patterns, symbolized certain facets of their lives, experiences and beliefs respectively.
Immersed In Both The Culture And The Art-Form
Having lived for two years in the Marquesas islands, witnessing the art from descendants of tribal masters, I've found that Polynesian tattoo designs, for the original islanders, both provided a sense of belonging (through the sharing of an experience), and a sense of individuality. The designs, and their positioning on the body, were generally decided by one's family history, societal ranking, succession of maturity and personal achievements.
I learned first-hand how the Polynesians used symbols, intricate patterns, plus swirling and linear motifs, to typify storytelling among other representations, when composing tribal tattoo designs. Watching the rituals carried out with such primitive, yet effective tools such as bird-bones for needles and burnt gum from indigenous trees as ink. At times, they even used burnt vegetable caterpillars to form a black soot-like pigment to tap into the body using a mallet.
The definitions and history of what they symbolize, dates back generations, more so than any other tattoo art designs that I can immediately recall. Other societies across the oceans, have shown a great deal of respect and reverence to those island cultures, who took this form of expression far beyond what we as westerners could typically ever imagine. Plus the fact, they really do stand out from other tribal tattoo art, due to their incredibly unique and distinct appearance. Just like eating peanuts or potato chips...it's extremely difficult to just have one!
There's a certain gem of a resource, where not only you'll have full access to those eye-catching Polynesian Tattoo Designs, plus boatloads of valuable free treats, but also a myriad of other tribal art tattoos as well.
Take the Maori and Samoan tribes for example, Polynesian tattoo designs were a Tapu, or sacred art form. Thus the revered tattoo artists in these societies, were held in the same esteemed regard as the higher echelon virtuosos of today. Yet the community where I lived, saw all tattooing, including tribal art tattoos, as an indication of a degenerate, or at best 'an eccentric' - and eccentric is, in many ways, another word for contemptible. "Yeah, thanks for the positive support Dad!"
Paying Reverence To Islanders' Heritage
The islanders' history suggests that the Polynesian conflation of soul with body, and the belief that one could gain special advantages in the afterlife, through tribal tattoo designs, was far from limited to their culture. ("Special advantages in the afterlife? Well ink me up then!"). Similar beliefs can be found in ancient European and Asian cultures, which were responsible for the prevalence of tribal art designs among the natives of North Africa and Papua, New Guinea.
The extreme proficiency of Polynesian design creation, has become renowned amid the great and meaningful art forms the world over. After all, when people are willing to spend their entire lives in the presence of such articulated art, and be judged by everyone that sees it, is truly a mark of admiration for such a specialized technique. They are such striking, intriguing and alluring forms of expression, I knew I had to have one, or two, or three...I was worried about running out of skin space!
Polynesian tattoo designs, as one of the last surviving sacred forms of body art, were the natural locus for my studies. Indeed, the word 'tattoo' emerged from their language, (originating from the Tahitian term - 'Tatu', meaning - "to mark"). Furthermore, in the absence of any written language, those cultures created a form of articulation, dialogue and communication from their tribal tattoo designs. Various parts of the body which displayed the jet-black patterns, symbolized certain facets of their lives, experiences and beliefs respectively.
Immersed In Both The Culture And The Art-Form
Having lived for two years in the Marquesas islands, witnessing the art from descendants of tribal masters, I've found that Polynesian tattoo designs, for the original islanders, both provided a sense of belonging (through the sharing of an experience), and a sense of individuality. The designs, and their positioning on the body, were generally decided by one's family history, societal ranking, succession of maturity and personal achievements.
I learned first-hand how the Polynesians used symbols, intricate patterns, plus swirling and linear motifs, to typify storytelling among other representations, when composing tribal tattoo designs. Watching the rituals carried out with such primitive, yet effective tools such as bird-bones for needles and burnt gum from indigenous trees as ink. At times, they even used burnt vegetable caterpillars to form a black soot-like pigment to tap into the body using a mallet.
The definitions and history of what they symbolize, dates back generations, more so than any other tattoo art designs that I can immediately recall. Other societies across the oceans, have shown a great deal of respect and reverence to those island cultures, who took this form of expression far beyond what we as westerners could typically ever imagine. Plus the fact, they really do stand out from other tribal tattoo art, due to their incredibly unique and distinct appearance. Just like eating peanuts or potato chips...it's extremely difficult to just have one!
There's a certain gem of a resource, where not only you'll have full access to those eye-catching Polynesian Tattoo Designs, plus boatloads of valuable free treats, but also a myriad of other tribal art tattoos as well.
Girls back tattoos designs
back tattoos are a popular tattoo placement for Girl , specifically the lower back tattoos. Here are some girls back tattoo ideas and tips that would work well for that area.
Stomach Tattoos
A tattoo is a design created by inserting dark, endurable ink into the outer layer of the skin, also known as the dermis. This ink changes the pigment, that is the color of skin, to the one you want. Tattooing is essentially a body art form which is used to decorate the body with a variety of designs. Its believed that tattooing originated in Japan where the indigenous Ainu people used to paint their faces as part of their tradition. From there it spread to neighboring countries and was practiced worldwide.Stomach Tattoos
In ancient times, tribal communities used to paint their body or get a tattoo to distinguish themselves from other clans, but today, people express their attitude through tattoos, and the kind of tattoos they wear defines their personality. Earlier, people used to wear tattoos on their hands or back, but as the popularity of tattoos increased, different places to get tattoos done on the body emerged. Stomach tattoos, as the name suggests, are tattoos that are done on the stomach, and due to the large canvas available on the stomach area, this has become a favorite and popular place to get a tattoo done. Another reason for the popularity of these tattoos was that stomach tattoos could be displayed when wanted, and hidden when wanted. Lower stomach tattoos could be easily hidden under clothes during college or work hours and could be shown off in parties by wearing short tops, low waist skirts or jeans.
Wrist Tattoo Designs
Wrist tattoos have taken the tattoo world by storm. Both men and women tattoo aficionados have taken to wrist tattoo designs. They are normally small in size, as they are made on the smaller side and are inexpensive to get done. It is also easy to adapt a wide variety of designs to make wrist tattoos. Some choose to get wrist tattoos for symbolic meanings. Before we read about wrist tattoo designs, we will read about wrist tattoo ideas.Wrist Tattoo Ideas
There are a number of ideas which can make your wrist tattoo stand out from the rest. Tattoos made on the inner wrist are very popular, as they are not always visible. There are people who are of the opinion that inner wrist tattoos are more interesting as compared to other wrist tattoos. On the other hand, tattoos on the top of the wrist are more visible and this tattoo design can extend onto the arm or over the hand. The size of the tattoo can either be small or large. Wristband or bracelet tattoos on wrist is the third variety of wrist tattoo. This tattoo encircles the entire wrist or follows the curves of the top and side of the wrist. Wristband tattoos are similar to armband tattoo designs.
Symbols and Meanings for Tattoos
Tattoos are an integral part of mainstream culture today, and there are a large number of symbols and meanings for tattoos that mean different things for different people. Though the history of tattoos can be traced back to various tribes across the world, especially of the Polynesian culture, in today's times the Internet and the celebrity preference for tattoos has made them hugely popular means of self expression.Tattoos have special significance for the wearer, and you will easily see a whole host of tattoo designs around you that may not mean anything to you. Just like fashion emanates from the personal preferences of an individual, symbols and meanings for tattoos are interpreted in many different ways. These can be used to denote a person's point of view or his standing on a particular topic, and it can even illustrate the philosophical beliefs of a person. Getting a tattoo just for the sake of looking good is a mistake many people often make though, and this should be avoided. When you get a tattoo you should ensure that it carries some significance in your life, and that it clearly indicates what you really believe in.
The choice of various symbols and meanings for tattoos is truly mind boggling. Assuming that you have decided that you want to permanently ink yourself, you must go about choosing the right design for yourself in a systematic and organized manner. You can choose from texts, black and white drawings, large sequences of tribal lines, or huge colorful pictures.
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