Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Where to place your tattoo



Tattoo locations that are easily concealable:
1. Chest/Back The chest is a good location for a tattoo that can be concealed during work and revealed during leisure. During the summer weeks you can wear a v-neck or button up to reveal at least part of the tattoo, but it can still be hidden during working hours. The chest is also a good location for a multitude of different designs. There are plenty of good quotes/sayings, floral designs. chinese/japanese characters and designs, and other tattoos that would look good on the chest.
The back is also a good place to get a concealable tattoo. Because the back is very broad and relatively flat, it's also a good place for larger pieces of artwork. However, as with the chest, nearly any type of tattoo design can work. From a single word stretching down the spine to a multipiece work that covers the entire span of the back, anything can be done.
2. Legs/Feet. Although not a many designs are typically used on the lower body as the upper body, the legs and feet are another good choice for a concealable tattoo (unless your job happens to require shorts?). Given the length and slenderness of the legs, it makes them a better candidate for a long, stretching design. The feet are a good spot for smaller designs like a dolphin, flower, or butterfly (typically seen more on women).
Other places for a tattoo:
3. Arms. The arms are a good place for a tattoo also, but even a tattoo on the upper arm can accidentally be revealed when wearing short sleeves. However, as with the legs, the form of the arms opens the opportunity for long, stretching tattoos that can even stretch around. Another popular form of tattoo is the tattoo sleeve on the forearm. This can be done with either a single design or by mixing several designs together in a collage effect.
When deciding where to get a tattoo, it is important to keep in mind how visible you want it to be. Also, if you are undecided between two different locations there is a tip to help you. Draw it on yourself. Take a non-toxic marker (that you aren't allergic to either) and try drawing it on yourself. That way you will get a feel for how it looks without making a permanent commitment to it. Even if you regret it later down the road there are ways to remove a tattoo.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Tribal Tattoos

Tribal tattoos account for nearly a third of all new tattoos inked globally, which has grown ten folds over the last few years. There is no doubting they look fantastic, but do most people really know the meaning behind them? This article delves into the history behind tribal tattoos, to give you a better understanding of why they came about.

In ancient times, tribal tattoo art was popular as it is today. First and foremost, as the name "tribal" suggests, people were inked to identify clans, tribes and families. Not only did this enable them to easily identify one another, or recognize distant relatives, but it was generally believed that the tattoos would allow people to find their tribe and join it again in the afterlife.
In addition to the above, men and women also used to "wear" a marriage tattoo in certain tribes. This would essentially serve as the modern day wedding ring and again, would allow a person to find their spouse in the afterlife. Although with the high rate of divorce we currently see, maybe one lifetime is more than enough!!! In modern times, this form of tribal tattoo is still prevalent, and you will often see spouses with matching tattooed armbands, rings or initials, showing a permanent marking of their love and fidelity.

Another reason for tribal tattooing was for young adults approaching maturity. By having a tattoo, they would then be socially accepted as an adult. However, a woman who couldn't bear the pain of a tattoo would be unfit for the impending pain of childbirth - making her unacceptable for marriage. Quite harsh we think, but different strokes for different folks! A young man who couldn't withhold the pain of a tattoo would be seen as unfit for battle or hunting and would therefore be seen as an outcast and not a valuble as others. Too right!

So if you are thinking of getting a tribal tattoo, these are some of the reasons why we have such stunning designs in the modern day. Honed over hundreds of years, we advise you to find out the meaning of any design you may want. It could turn into a great bar story too, or even one for the grand kids!

The internet would be a great place to start you research, and even tattoo parlors these days, would surely know what most of the meanings are before they put them to skin.