Culture & Ink: Tattoos of the Yakuza
Here in the West, it?s implied that tattoos are meant to be seen – and most are. They?re images, works of art, by their very nature visual. We photograph them, share them on social media, and scroll through galleries of flash/hundreds of pics, but what about the unseen? Those ones that
The Intriguing Stories Behind Russian Prison Tattoos
There’s something about a tattoo with meaning: the metaphorical compass that reminds you to follow your own path or the anchor representing your desire to be steady on your course, despite the waves. Criminal offenders in Russian prisons have meanings to their tattoos, too, but they’re far less inspirational. And they’re
12 Tattoo Etiquette Tips That Will Make Your Artist Happy To See You Again And Again
You’ve done a ton of research, looked at portfolio after portfolio, and have finally found the perfect tattoo artist for your body art. And as your consult approaches, you’re wondering what to expect – and what’s expected of you. After all, it would be a shame to accidentally offend and irritate
The Collector’s Guide to Popular Tattoo Styles
Even before Samuel O’Reilly, a New York-based tattoo artist, discovered Thomas Edison’s failed electric pen in 1891 and used its design to create and patent the first known tattoo gun, Americans have had a love affair with body art. But what began as a social taboo has evolved into a number
Your Guide to Getting a Custom Tattoo
You have an idea for your new tattoo – spent countless hours on the internet looking for inspiration and components you’d like to pull together. What you’re looking for is a custom piece, but how does that process work? How does your idea transform from a description into an amazing piece
Tattoo Style: The Trouble with Realism
Tattooing has been around for thousands of years. Throughout its existence particular canons emerged that are still equally important and applicable till this day. While new styles had developed and the process of tattooing had been elevated to the level of art form, the same basic canons and rules should not