TATTOO IN JAPAN

TATTOO IN JAPAN

There are various ways to express the word "tattoo" in Japanese kanji. In Japanese, "irezumi" is the word for "tattoo", and you can express it in 7 or more different words written in kanji characters. In addition, there are various purposes for tattooing, as a decoration, as a punishment, as a belief, as a symbol of status, as a custom and as identifying oneself to prove one's occupation. There is nothing surprising about the diversity of tattooing in its both purpose and expression. Continuing since about the 3rd century, tattooing in Japan is a tradition that has been developed over a long period of the history. Moreover, there are a variety of the pattern of motifs for tattooing; carps, tigers, mythical animals such as dragons and phoenixes, flowers such as Japanese cherry and chrysanthemum, and the Buddhist motifs like Amitabha Tathagata, bodhisattva and Siddham script (bonji). From the traditional motif to the pop illustrations, anything seems to go in these modern days.

Amazed by the beauty of the Japanese "tattoo", one of publishers in Germany has released the large, thick and heavy book, "TATTOO IN JAPAN", showcasing the traditional and modern tattoo in 4 different areas of Tokyo, Chubu, Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. Creating this book have them driven to promote Japanese custom tattooing on the level of fine art and also to introduce the highly diverse styles of tattooing in Japan today to the world.

© Geoff Johnson

One of the tebori (tattooing by hand) masters, Horitoku explains in the book that as far as he knows, there might be only 3 of the tebori tattooist in Tokyo. The number of "masters", who can follow their experienced craftsmanship in the future, have been decreasing not only in the fields of traditional arts and crafts, but also in the tattoo world. "TATTOO IN ART" starts its page with photographs of the Horitoku's studio work and his tattoo "works". You will recognize his powerfulness as a tattoo artisan in his eyes when tattooing. At the same time, from his sedate and warm looking, you will find a mixture of his pride as a tattooist and his love to his tattoo works. Inserting colors under the skin little by little for a dark-color-outlined dragon is likely to breathe life into the lying dragon.

© Martin Hladik

Each people's skin is a canvas for showcasing the vividly highlighted pattern of tattoos. In those patterns, shooting in close-up, you are able to see artisan-like exquisite details towards their "representation" of the tattoo works. Turning over pages, it seems each vibrantly tattooed portrait shows both inside and outside of his/her "pattern" of life.

© Geoff Johnson

It has taken for few years to report and compile for a book, "TATTOO IN JAPAN" including bold colored photographs from Tokyo's traditional tattoo by the tebori master to Osaka's more pop and fashion-oriented tattoos which are intended to be "shown" to the others, and tattoo patterns from the head to the toes, and furthermore to the entire body. You will fully enjoy more than 200 tattoos, reflecting the modern tattoo culture in Japan.

How to Make Tattoo Ink Lighter

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Decide if tattoo fading.removal is for you. When individuals get tattoos, they realize that they are permanent, but they don’t always think about how that permanency will come to affect them later in life. Meeting new people, getting a new job—new steps in your life can change your outlook and can change your mind about decisions you made when you were younger. If you find yourself with a visible tattoo that could potentially affect an important experience in your life, your only option may be to lighten your tattoo or remove it all together. There are several methods currently available to individuals that can help them to fade a visible or unwanted tattoo.

2. Step 2

   Consider tattoo removal creams. Creams like Wrecking Balm and Tattoo-OFF are over the counter creams that when used correctly, can help to break apart and fade permanent tattoo ink. The active ingredient found in tattoo removal creams is trichloroacetic acid (TCA). TCA is a compound acid that is commonly used as a skin peeling agent. It has also been medically proven to fade tattoo ink. The TCA works to peel the skin layers that cover the tattoo, as new skin layers form the tattoo ink slowly fades. Tattoo creams only contain a percentage of this active ingredient. Therefore, users will not experience peeling skin, but an eventual fading in the tattoo. While this procedure is very effective, the cream needs to be applied as directed for several months in order to see significant results. If you are simply looking to lighten your tattoo ink then tattoo removal creams containing TCA will help to do just that. If you are looking to remove your tattoo completely, combining the application of TCA with laser tattoo removal treatments will help to achieve more affective tattoo removal.

3. Step 3

   Try Dermasal, another over the counter tattoo fading agent that provides users a more natural option for fading tattoos. Dermasal is a three step process that is quick and easy to use; just 10 minutes a week is all you need. The Dermasal process involves the application of soothing agent that prepares the skin for a topical solution, the application of the topical solution that effectively breaks apart the tattoo ink so that it can be naturally removed from the body, and the application of a protectant gel is then applied to soothe and protect the skin. Dermasal is a completely safe and an all natural way to remove unwanted tattoos with no pain and minimal cost. This product only utilizes natural ingredients so it is perfectly safe to use on any part of the body.

4. Step 4

   Consider permanent laser removal. One of the newest methods for making tattoo’s lighter is laser tattoo removal. Laser tattoo removal provides revolutionary tattoo removal results without causing permanent damage to the skin. During treatment, the laser light penetrates the outer layers of skin and is attracted to the tattoo pigment below. The laser energy transforms into heat and the heat effectively fragments the tattoo ink. The fragmented ink is then absorbed into the body and naturally expelled. A series of treatments are needed (anywhere from 6 to 12 treatments spaced out every 6 to 8 weeks) in order to see successful tattoo removal results, but patients will see gradual fading throughout the entire process. Laser treatments are very successful for darker tattoo ink colors, but additional treatments may be necessary for lighter inks. For those individuals who want successful tattoo fading without permanent scarring, laser is definitely the way to go.There are other more invasive methods for complete tattoo removal, but for those who are looking to make their tattoo ink lighter, any of the above methods will get the job done. Thorough research will help to determine which of these methods is right for you.

Lou's Tattoos

The Story of Lou's Tattoos

Love at first SocioSite

Expoiting reputation Some people like to drive in cars with crazy colours and decorations. Fans of the SocioSite have given their vehicles a special treatment.

Your car doesn't have to be big. As long as you can paint the url of the SocioSite on your car.

"We don't like it when the reputation of the SocioSite is misused by entrepreneurs for commercial purposes", says the chief editor of the SocioSite. "They just use the strong reputation of the SocioSite to sell their cars. These sharks should pay me money because they exploit my work for their profit. But we love it when people use their phantasies and resentments to improve this popular information system on social matters."

---

Your car doesn't even have to be a real car. You can use your imagination and create a virtual car with avatars in front and back seat.

And if you don't know how to do it, just try to play with PhotoShop.

---

A famous anthropologist recently discovered a very ancient, but highly developed civilization of the fifth century before Christ. The technological culture of this civilization was very advanced: bricks, mortar, and even windows of glass.

The people of this ancient civilization, which was located between the Tigris and the Eufrat, seem to have a communication system that highly resembles modern English. And nobody seems to know why.

Archeologists say these wall inscriptions indicate that these early civilians used a well-known window to the social needs and anxieties of the people. Some specialists persist that the famous drawing of Running with a Heart might be a self-portrait of the founder of the SocioSite. We are sceptical about this claim. It's a habit: we are non-believers.

Source

Arnugarah led Fharmani [1253]
Archaeological tracks and traits of the SocioSite - Fiction or Fact.

---

The SocioSite has a lot to offer to people who are really interested in fundamental and practical questions about beliefsystems and science, spiritual inspirations and moral principles. As scientists we don't believe anything at face or emotion value. We simply cannot afford the luxury of hiding our ignorance behind a strong religious dogma. We cannot permit us the escape of a weak believe in a mysterious something.

The SocioSite also has fans which abide by the law of the Lord —Jaweh, Allah, Krisnamurti, Osama bin laden etcetera— and praise this site as a almost holy source of inspiration. We are pleased to hear when people use the SocioSite for their own purposes and create circumstances where they can interact, communicate and (re)built a strong community.

The image of Jesus has been (mis)used for commercial and political purposes. With this picture a SocioSite fan has expressed his chilliast feelings. It's funny, although it might be on the border of blasphemy.

---

The SocioSite has a reputation on the exploration of the ultimate (Death) and intimate (Love) peculiarities of the internet. This picture represents the male adult phantasies on a decent image of an innocent baby between the legs of his mother.

It is a very beautiful and clever child. So young and curious enough to search for the Holy Grail. Keep on searching and fumbling. Your destiny might be hiding just behind any leg.

Later on you will learn to investigate more intrigrate problems. "How long should a woman's legs be"? The most trivial answer could be: "Just long enough to reach the ground!"

---

The Dutch Royal Airlines, better known as KLM, used to be a Dutch company> It became a crucial part of the Dutch 'national identity'. The airline industry has been especially characterized by centralization and globalization. The KLM has been taken over by Air France. That's why most of the Dutch are a little bit sad about the KLM. They say: "I feel that I've lost something". In the end the Dutch might only build their national identity on their identification with one of the most retarded institutions: the heritable kingdom.

There seems to be only one contender that is powerful enough to withstand such a serious loss of national identity. Some analysts suggest that SocioSite has invested all its resources in a friendly takeover over KLM and Air France. Plane spotters have sent their first pictures of this remarkable development in the air traffic industry. One of the most prominent editors of the New York Times wrote an alarming article: "Will the Dutch go SocioSite?" In the Netherlands nobody dares to put this question in public. Why?

Confronted with massive evidence the chief editor of the SocioSite tried to cover his tracks: "These pictures have been manipulated". But then he added: "Of course, we are talking with KLM, we are interested in the flying business. Our target is to bridge the gap between the speed of light at which we can transfer our information to other people, and the speed at which we can move ourselves as physical-biological beings".

In the virtual realm of Berners-Lee we proceed at the speed of mouse clicks, in the physical world of Newton we can move our bodies with the speed of airplanes. Bridging that gap seems to be the strategic object of the SocioSite project.

---

Railways used to be a fast way of transportation. Trains are a very efficient way to transport people and things. Trains are getting faster. At middle range they are closing the gap with airplanes.

SocioSite tries to contribute to the acceleration the communication between social scientists and strives for the revival of the academic community.

Virtual socialization takes time. Social norms and regulations only emerge when enough people spent enough time in regular interactions. Community emerges when people frequently interact and develop a mutual interests in the continuation of this interaction.

A SocioSite fan created this image of a fast train with the sign of our internet addres. It is supposed to be "a metaphor of a concentrated amount of human resources at high speed". Metaphors are major weapons in the conquest of a beloved partner. That's the lesson of Pablo Neruda in Il Postino (The Postman) created by Massimo Troisi. Mario, the postman, asks Neruda how to become a poet —who can charm a beautiful woman by metaphors. Neruda advises his pupil to take a walk along the island's shoreline and see what image come to mind. The postman occasionally makes some startling insightful observations. Such as "the whole world is a metaphor for something". Mario does not seem to realize how provoking his comments are.

---

A cow in the sky. She's looking suspiciously Dutch and is floating in the blue air as a big balloon.

It is a picture I got from a dear friend who lives in eastern Europe. She just broke up with her boyfriend. She is a well educated and civilized women —and a very attractive and therefore wanted species. Her creative phantasies are balanced with her personal and professional aspirations. Until she spotted an unexpected event. "Still mourning about my lost love I could onle stare into the sky. I could feel that I was a part of a vast universe. All alone, but connected with ever human, and even animal beings. I wass'nt crying, but I had to brush some tears away. Suddenly I saw it: a cow in front of a bright blue sky. There it was — in all her splendor and strength. The only dissonant were those letters. Then I realized that cows don't fly onless there's a magic (wealthy) sponsor behind them."

---

Frustated curiosity Ruud van Nistelrooy is a famous Dutch soccer player. At Euro 2004 he finally got the chance to show his true colours in a major tournament. The Manchester United striker will lead the Dutch attack.

"I am very excited and I am looking forward to this," he told UEFA's website. "For me it is a fantastic feeling to be now preparing myself and the team for this first big tournament."

Conflicting rumours are going round about the new personal sponsor of Van Nistelrooy. Although the world's largest mobile operator Vodafone is sponsoring Manchester United with 52 million euro, Van Nistelrooy seems to prefer a smaller sponsor from the Netherlands.

His manager refused to give a comment on any statement. The spokesmen of the SocioSite told us: "We are a fully transparant organization. Everything we are, we are online, in the open cyber air. We don't have anything more to say than we do online."

Is there any connection or contract between SocioSite and Van Nistelrooy? "We don't talk in public about potential employees we try to recrute. We simply have to respect their privacy. So please be patient, I cannot satisfy your curiosity in this respect."

---

In Western cultures all problems seems to be reducable to the couch of the shrink. All human aspirations and frustrations fuse in the situational metaphor of the psychiatric treatment. It is an imaginative place where people freely articulate their deep feelings, sentiments and fears. It is a save place for uncomfortable truths or insights.

The metaphor of the psychiatric couch is extremely flexible — it can be used to articulate almost any human, political or moral problem in a highly dramatized, caricatural expression. A patient is lying on the chouch, and a psychiatrist is sitting in a chair. In this case the person on the couch is a very attractive, sensual woman. It could also be a very ugly old man. The character of the patient varies a lot, but the role of the therapist is generally performed by a rather dull and sterile male figure.

Although we are familiar with this scene, we expect something exceptional. This surprising message evokes a commic effect that is enclosed in the caption. The picture can be endlessly reproduced and the caption can be varied at will. Anybody can write his own text below this picture.

---

In june 1967 the Beatles released their revolutionary album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. One of the great songs on this album was "With a Little Help from My Friends". In this song Lennon/McCartney are begging for a little help from their friends, and —of course— for someone to love. One of the pertinent questions asked is: "Would you believe in a love at first sight". An old Beatle fan has borrowed this line to say something nice about the SocioSite.

---

This picture exemplifies that some fans demonstrate their love for the SocioSite in a extreme manner. We cherish all our fans and we like their enthusiasm and creativity. But we don't like it when people mutilate their own body to express their affection for the SocioSite. Butts were not created to serve as a bill board.

---

SocioSite was one of the first portals for social scientists. It had tens of million visitors, and most of them were regular visitors. Many of them have contributed to the further development of the information system, SocioSite evolves from what is was from birth, via what it is today, to what it might be tomorrow. SocioSite is a living organism. Therefore it could also dy. A digital pavement stone is what might be a remaining sign of the existence of the SocioSite.

Love at first SocioSite

Expoiting reputation Some people like to drive in cars with crazy colours and decorations. Fans of the SocioSite have given their vehicles a special treatment.

Your car doesn't have to be big. As long as you can paint the url of the SocioSite on your car.

"We don't like it when the reputation of the SocioSite is misused by entrepreneurs for commercial purposes", says the chief editor of the SocioSite. "They just use the strong reputation of the SocioSite to sell their cars. These sharks should pay me money because they exploit my work for their profit. But we love it when people use their phantasies and resentments to improve this popular information system on social matters."

---

Your car doesn't even have to be a real car. You can use your imagination and create a virtual car with avatars in front and back seat.

And if you don't know how to do it, just try to play with PhotoShop.

---

A famous anthropologist recently discovered a very ancient, but highly developed civilization of the fifth century before Christ. The technological culture of this civilization was very advanced: bricks, mortar, and even windows of glass.

The people of this ancient civilization, which was located between the Tigris and the Eufrat, seem to have a communication system that highly resembles modern English. And nobody seems to know why.

Archeologists say these wall inscriptions indicate that these early civilians used a well-known window to the social needs and anxieties of the people. Some specialists persist that the famous drawing of Running with a Heart might be a self-portrait of the founder of the SocioSite. We are sceptical about this claim. It's a habit: we are non-believers.

Source

Arnugarah led Fharmani [1253]
Archaeological tracks and traits of the SocioSite - Fiction or Fact.

---

The SocioSite has a lot to offer to people who are really interested in fundamental and practical questions about beliefsystems and science, spiritual inspirations and moral principles. As scientists we don't believe anything at face or emotion value. We simply cannot afford the luxury of hiding our ignorance behind a strong religious dogma. We cannot permit us the escape of a weak believe in a mysterious something.

The SocioSite also has fans which abide by the law of the Lord —Jaweh, Allah, Krisnamurti, Osama bin laden etcetera— and praise this site as a almost holy source of inspiration. We are pleased to hear when people use the SocioSite for their own purposes and create circumstances where they can interact, communicate and (re)built a strong community.

The image of Jesus has been (mis)used for commercial and political purposes. With this picture a SocioSite fan has expressed his chilliast feelings. It's funny, although it might be on the border of blasphemy.

---

The SocioSite has a reputation on the exploration of the ultimate (Death) and intimate (Love) peculiarities of the internet. This picture represents the male adult phantasies on a decent image of an innocent baby between the legs of his mother.

It is a very beautiful and clever child. So young and curious enough to search for the Holy Grail. Keep on searching and fumbling. Your destiny might be hiding just behind any leg.

Later on you will learn to investigate more intrigrate problems. "How long should a woman's legs be"? The most trivial answer could be: "Just long enough to reach the ground!"

---

The Dutch Royal Airlines, better known as KLM, used to be a Dutch company> It became a crucial part of the Dutch 'national identity'. The airline industry has been especially characterized by centralization and globalization. The KLM has been taken over by Air France. That's why most of the Dutch are a little bit sad about the KLM. They say: "I feel that I've lost something". In the end the Dutch might only build their national identity on their identification with one of the most retarded institutions: the heritable kingdom.

There seems to be only one contender that is powerful enough to withstand such a serious loss of national identity. Some analysts suggest that SocioSite has invested all its resources in a friendly takeover over KLM and Air France. Plane spotters have sent their first pictures of this remarkable development in the air traffic industry. One of the most prominent editors of the New York Times wrote an alarming article: "Will the Dutch go SocioSite?" In the Netherlands nobody dares to put this question in public. Why?

Confronted with massive evidence the chief editor of the SocioSite tried to cover his tracks: "These pictures have been manipulated". But then he added: "Of course, we are talking with KLM, we are interested in the flying business. Our target is to bridge the gap between the speed of light at which we can transfer our information to other people, and the speed at which we can move ourselves as physical-biological beings".

In the virtual realm of Berners-Lee we proceed at the speed of mouse clicks, in the physical world of Newton we can move our bodies with the speed of airplanes. Bridging that gap seems to be the strategic object of the SocioSite project.

---

Railways used to be a fast way of transportation. Trains are a very efficient way to transport people and things. Trains are getting faster. At middle range they are closing the gap with airplanes.

SocioSite tries to contribute to the acceleration the communication between social scientists and strives for the revival of the academic community.

Virtual socialization takes time. Social norms and regulations only emerge when enough people spent enough time in regular interactions. Community emerges when people frequently interact and develop a mutual interests in the continuation of this interaction.

A SocioSite fan created this image of a fast train with the sign of our internet addres. It is supposed to be "a metaphor of a concentrated amount of human resources at high speed". Metaphors are major weapons in the conquest of a beloved partner. That's the lesson of Pablo Neruda in Il Postino (The Postman) created by Massimo Troisi. Mario, the postman, asks Neruda how to become a poet —who can charm a beautiful woman by metaphors. Neruda advises his pupil to take a walk along the island's shoreline and see what image come to mind. The postman occasionally makes some startling insightful observations. Such as "the whole world is a metaphor for something". Mario does not seem to realize how provoking his comments are.

---

A cow in the sky. She's looking suspiciously Dutch and is floating in the blue air as a big balloon.

It is a picture I got from a dear friend who lives in eastern Europe. She just broke up with her boyfriend. She is a well educated and civilized women —and a very attractive and therefore wanted species. Her creative phantasies are balanced with her personal and professional aspirations. Until she spotted an unexpected event. "Still mourning about my lost love I could onle stare into the sky. I could feel that I was a part of a vast universe. All alone, but connected with ever human, and even animal beings. I wass'nt crying, but I had to brush some tears away. Suddenly I saw it: a cow in front of a bright blue sky. There it was — in all her splendor and strength. The only dissonant were those letters. Then I realized that cows don't fly onless there's a magic (wealthy) sponsor behind them."

---

Frustated curiosity Ruud van Nistelrooy is a famous Dutch soccer player. At Euro 2004 he finally got the chance to show his true colours in a major tournament. The Manchester United striker will lead the Dutch attack.

"I am very excited and I am looking forward to this," he told UEFA's website. "For me it is a fantastic feeling to be now preparing myself and the team for this first big tournament."

Conflicting rumours are going round about the new personal sponsor of Van Nistelrooy. Although the world's largest mobile operator Vodafone is sponsoring Manchester United with 52 million euro, Van Nistelrooy seems to prefer a smaller sponsor from the Netherlands.

His manager refused to give a comment on any statement. The spokesmen of the SocioSite told us: "We are a fully transparant organization. Everything we are, we are online, in the open cyber air. We don't have anything more to say than we do online."

Is there any connection or contract between SocioSite and Van Nistelrooy? "We don't talk in public about potential employees we try to recrute. We simply have to respect their privacy. So please be patient, I cannot satisfy your curiosity in this respect."

---

In Western cultures all problems seems to be reducable to the couch of the shrink. All human aspirations and frustrations fuse in the situational metaphor of the psychiatric treatment. It is an imaginative place where people freely articulate their deep feelings, sentiments and fears. It is a save place for uncomfortable truths or insights.

The metaphor of the psychiatric couch is extremely flexible — it can be used to articulate almost any human, political or moral problem in a highly dramatized, caricatural expression. A patient is lying on the chouch, and a psychiatrist is sitting in a chair. In this case the person on the couch is a very attractive, sensual woman. It could also be a very ugly old man. The character of the patient varies a lot, but the role of the therapist is generally performed by a rather dull and sterile male figure.

Although we are familiar with this scene, we expect something exceptional. This surprising message evokes a commic effect that is enclosed in the caption. The picture can be endlessly reproduced and the caption can be varied at will. Anybody can write his own text below this picture.

---

In june 1967 the Beatles released their revolutionary album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. One of the great songs on this album was "With a Little Help from My Friends". In this song Lennon/McCartney are begging for a little help from their friends, and —of course— for someone to love. One of the pertinent questions asked is: "Would you believe in a love at first sight". An old Beatle fan has borrowed this line to say something nice about the SocioSite.

---

This picture exemplifies that some fans demonstrate their love for the SocioSite in a extreme manner. We cherish all our fans and we like their enthusiasm and creativity. But we don't like it when people mutilate their own body to express their affection for the SocioSite. Butts were not created to serve as a bill board.

---

SocioSite was one of the first portals for social scientists. It had tens of million visitors, and most of them were regular visitors. Many of them have contributed to the further development of the information system, SocioSite evolves from what is was from birth, via what it is today, to what it might be tomorrow. SocioSite is a living organism. Therefore it could also dy. A digital pavement stone is what might be a remaining sign of the existence of the SocioSite.

Krista M Baker

Insane Sephiroth Back Tattoo

Here’s a Final Fantasy fan who was so obsessed with Sephiroth that he got a very large tattoo on his back. Insane. (via Kotaku)

How To Find The Perfect Tattoo Design

Finding the Perfect Tattoo Design

By the Editors of TattooFinder.com

Now that you’re ready to get inked, the first step is finding your perfect tattoo design (or designs). You likely have at least a vague idea of something you think would be great and now you can make it a tattoo-friendly reality! However, finding that perfect tattoo design is a complex process with many considerations and it may take some time to find something that will also result in a great tattoo. So don’t rush it! Many people even make it a point to mull over an idea for months or even years before actually making the leap to permanency. And if you’re still looking for inspiration, it’s sometimes a good idea to trim the fat right from the beginning and think about what you won’t have tattooed. Eliminating possibilities is often a good first step. Is there a chance you would want a skull tattoo? Nope. Great, you’re now one step closer to finding your perfect tattoo design.

There are many ways to search out design reference for your new ink. The Internet has become an easy resource of information and you can find a lot of images that appeal to you — often a myriad of photographs, drawings and animated images that all somehow relate to the tattoo vision you have in your mind. Magazines, books and all other types of media can contribute even further. But, unfortunately, not everything you’re going to find online or at the newsstand can translate into a fantastic tattoo. The amount of detail, the line work and shading involved and the size of the image will have to determine how “tattoo-friendly” your design reference actually is. Often, the images you find will need to be re-worked by a knowledgeable flash artist or tattooist to make them work well when translated to your skin.

To avoid the disappointment of realizing that your “perfect” design isn’t actually a realistic tattoo possibility, bypass mass media searching and go for the most direct method: consulting tattoo-friendly collections of flash art. These designs were created specifically to be tattooed and will work within the possibilities and limitations of a tattoo needle. Other types of art and images that you find as design reference may contribute to your tattoo vision, but you should be aware of their limitations in advance.

Melissa browses TattooFinder.com for the perfect tattoo design.

Ten Steps to the Perfect Tattoo Design

• Know your tattoo design resources … and their limitations.

You may find design inspiration in many places, but you won’t always find tattoo-friendly artwork. Magazines, books, Internet searches and all other forms of media are full of images, but you should ultimately rely on artwork that is intended to be tattooed and is created by flash artists and tattooists who understand the limitations of a tattoo machine. TattooFinder.com has a database of more than 32,000 tattoo-friendly designs, which all come with the stencil your tattooist will need to apply them to your skin. Limit your resources to those most reliable for a design-to-tattoo translation, and make sure that you’re only seriously considering artwork that you know is tattoo-friendly.

• Be realistic about your tattoo design vision.

Skin is a living canvas, so there is a natural limit to what will work and what will not work as a tattoo. Be realistic about the size and complexity of your tattoo design with respect to the size of the tattoo you ultimately want. Commonly, people want to put more complexity and detail in their tattoo design than will conceivably work for the small size they want it tattooed on their body.





• Make sure your tattoo design reflects your desire for ink.

People get tattoos for many different reasons — be it identity expression, rite of passage, shock, memorializing, or simply because they like the idea of having one. Think about your reasons for getting tattooed while you work through the process of choosing a design and you’ll find something that really expresses your original desire to get one. If you want to create a “bad girl” look, chances are a cute butterfly tattoo won’t get the response you're looking for.



Check out more daggers, roses, and
Check out more of Edward Lee's tattoo designs!
• Determine what your tattoo means to you now, later and forever.

Think about the meaning your tattoo will have and how it will apply to you in the future. While some people want their tattoo to always represent them, others will get tattooed to commemorate a period or event in their lives (like a mile marker). Just like points on a lifeline, tattoos can tell a story of your personal growth and development. Using this perspective, a tattoo never really becomes “irrelevant.” So what’s important to you? And how important do you think it will be long into the future? Some things that might inspire your tattoo include hobbies and interests, stories or folklore you identify with, your religious or spiritual beliefs, special achievements and your cultural (or sub-cultural) identity.

• Identify your style.

Identify different styles of artwork you’re naturally drawn to. Many designs can be represented in various ways and you might be more attracted to a traditional and vintage look, modern or urban styles, photo realistic forms, buoyant cartoon designs, delicate and feminine-looking work or “simulation” (designs that simulate watercolor, airbrush and oils). There are probably as many styles as there are tattooists and flash artists to create them, so find those that feel right to you.

• Keep in mind the importance of a tattoo-friendly design stencil.

If possible, select a design that is “stencil ready.” Tattoo design stencils are blueprints of your tattoo that don’t include color or shading, but give subtle direction to the tattooist in how to create the design on your skin. The process is similar to how engineers use the “language” of a blueprint to make sure the intended measurements, guidelines and details of the project are translated into a finished masterpiece. Providing your artist with good design references and stencils increases the likelihood that your tattoo is an accurate representation of your original design. All of the tattoo artwork you’ll find on TattooFinder.com includes a tattoo-ready stencil with your purchase.

• Be aware of multiple interpretations of your design choice.

Most people select a tattoo design based on what the design symbolizes to them. You might decide to commemorate your summer in Spain with a fantastic tattoo design of a black bull, but you might get a lot of people misinterpreting your tattoo and wondering if your zodiac sign is Taurus. It’s important to understand the various symbolic interpretations your design may take on and what others might think after seeing your tattoo. Inform yourself before you commit to a permanent tattoo and do some research on your ideas.

• Location, location, location!

Where you decide to put your tattoo will determine how visible it is to everyone else. How easily do you want to be able to show off or hide your artwork? The location will also affect your tattoo design options and what can feasibly fit there. A complicated and highly detailed design simply can’t be squeezed onto your ankle and is probably better suited for a larger space. Some designs simply work better aesthetically on different places of the body. Will your design enhance the curves of your body or draw attention to (or away from) certain body parts?

Don’t hesitate to pull out a non-permanent marker and try a few things out! TattooFinder.com also gives you the ability to access our image manipulation tools after you’ve found your perfect tattoo design, allowing you to create and print out unlimited versions for you to “try on.” Try a few options and think about the limitations of your canvas.

• Consider your tattoo future . . .

After you get your first tattoo, beware . . . you may very well want to get more. If you’re prone to “ink addiction” and think this tattoo may lead to another, think about how the tattoo design you’re considering now will fit into your larger “tattoo future” in terms of style, theme, balance of color and size.

• Take responsibility. Take time.

You’re going to have this tattoo forever, so take all the time you need to find something you love. While the final choice is ultimately your responsibility (and your prerogative), it may not hurt to get opinions from trusted people in your life. Then again, you should also be prepared to ignore the opinions of others.

And beware — if you don’t have a general idea of the tattoo you want, you may be more susceptible to pressure from your friends and from your tattooist. Don’t get talked into anything. Long-time tattooist Guy Aitchison explained this to us succinctly when he said, “You’re the owner of your skin. Don’t get sucked into anything you don’t want.”