Japanese Water Tattoos and How to Find the Right One
Japanese Water Tattoosarticle by Robert Hillman
Choosing the right Japanese water tattoo can be a slightly daunting experience, because there are so many to choose from. It is important for you to do your research and look in the right places.There are quite a few sites on the Internet that have some very average designs and there are some that offer you quite a large selection.What you must do is spend a little time on some research and, as with getting any tattoo,do not rush into it because you are going to have it for a long time.
It is also worth considering what type of ink your tattooist is going to use,there are quite a few new types of ink on the market that actually have fluorescent colors, so if you want something original and that will be a 'masterpiece' then take some time to look into the vibrant new colors and check with your tattoo artist to see if they use them.
One of the best things to do is to download some of the free tattoo material that is available on several websites and start getting a general picture of the type of Japanese water tattoo that you want and also of those sites that sell them. Personally,I prefer the sites that let you download samples so that you can print out full size tattoos at home and get a much better idea of how it is going to look. You could even cut your tattoo out and stick it on your arm or wherever you want it to go, to give you an idea of how it is going to look.
I wish I knew what this was, I really do. It looks like a totem pole of demons? With some kind of weird scarred-out blob in the middle. Is it a tribal-mutant batman logo? AND DO YOU SEE THE SCRATCHED UP FETUS ON HIS ELBOW? I mean really, how could you miss that? I don't even know what the stuff on his forearm is. If anyone can help decipher this, please let me know! I was staring at this guy for ages trying to figure it out.
I wish I knew what was on his back, too. You can see a bit of it poking out. I bet it's incredible.
I went to the Maryland Deathfest this past weekend and OH BOY did I see so many amazing metal tattoos! One million distorted zombies! Ten thousand blurry black and white messes of somethingorother! A good handful of band logos! I have a LOT to share with you guys, but let me start with this gem (perhaps the best of the bunch):
THAT GIRL IS TRUE. EVIL. I love the fancy flourishes added to each word, it really rubs in the brutality of her tattoo.
There are so many things in the East that have captured the imagination and admiration of the West. Japanese tattoo designs for instance, have been gaining massive popularity due to their sheer beauty and the tradition and culture that goes with them.
Tattoo was already part of Japanese culture in the early centuries. This had been hugely inspired by the characters of Chinese novels that wore bold drawings of mythical creatures on their chests that symbolized bravery and courage. The common people of Japan were then motivated to put the same creation on their body.
Japanese tattoo designs are mostly written symbols that express different meaning. The designs are illustrated in an artistic and expressive manner. Each symbol is heavy with meaning and it is possible to depict a story in your body by combining these symbols and at the same time display an impressive art work on your flesh.
There are three common forms of Japanese tattoo. Kanji is the most popular because its complicated form carries different ideas behind each symbol. Hiragana, unlike Kanji, is much easier to decipher since these are writings that are commonly used in Japan today. Katakana, the third form, is sourced from non-Japanese words.
Your Japanese tattoo designs don't have to be limited to just one form. If you want to keep an artistic approach then you can combine the three and create your own design. It will be much more dramatic and unique. However, it should be noted that Japanese characters are not like usual drawings that can be altered and embellished and still reflect the same kind of meaning.
They all have definite form and if you want to achieve a realistic design it is best to go to a professional Japanese tattoo shop to make sure that you are getting inked with the desired characters accurately.
But are kanji tattoos really that popular? Some tattoo artists state that one out of every 20 people looking for a tattoo asks for a kanji style tattoo with Asian lettering. It has also created another problem namely people getting kanji tattoos which can mean something completely different than what they think it does.
There are many urban legends of disgruntled tattoo artists tattooing words like 'loose' and 'whore' onto a persons body because they feel that the person getting the tattoo does not really appreciate tattoos as an art form but is just slavishly following fashion.
It is always a good idea to keep in mind before you decide upon a tattoo that kanji is based on a different form of language and is unlike english in its construction. Be sure to spend time researching the authenticity of each symbols’ meaning. It could be rather embarrassing to learn later on after you have been tattooed that the Kanji tattoo you thought meant one thing turned out to be something completely different.
If you don’t speak Japanese it is very hard to find characters that say what you want and are not something that will turn heads with native japanese speakers for all the wrong reasons. Trusting a non native speaking tattoo artist is recommended either as the tattoo artist may be as much in the dark as you are. It is highly recommended that you do your reasearch before rushing off to get a kanji tattoo character done.
Japanese Kanji Tattoos are fast becoming the most popular tattoo design. Japanese Kanji characters are so incredibly artistic and have such mystique that it seems as though they were created ideally for the purpose of tattoos. When you think about the best qualities of a tattoo many words come to mind such as symbolic, mysterious, and meaning.
The beauty of Japanese Kanji tattoos is that each Kanji symbol is an ideographic character, which means is represents an entire object/meaning/symbol. Japanese Kanji symbols have such elaborate definition; each stroke of the symbol must be done in the correct direction and order. Japanese Kanji Tattoos can easily represent nearly any meaning you want. Words such as love, peace, freedom, strength, unity are very popular Japanese Kanji tattoos, as well as loved one's names.
It is a good idea to research yourJapanese Kanji Tattoobefore visiting your tattoo artist. There are several reasons for this - firstly, Kanji is a different form of language to English, and if you were to choose a Kanji sentence, the order of the words will be in different order to English. Secondly, many tattoo parlors have Japanese Kanji tattoo designs which have been altered by westerners and you will not know until it is too late. Finally, some Japanese Kanji characters have several meanings, and you may think your symbol means one thing, where in fact it means something completely different. Luckily there are websites out there that can help you get the perfect translation.
Hot Koi Fish Tattoos, Design, and Ideas! A Revitilization of a Traditional Japanese Design
Koi Fish Tattoosarticle by Chris Ryerson
Koi fish tattoosare quickly growing in popularity. In fact many traditional Japanese tattoo designs are coming to life with new vivid tattoo ink colors. This is a rapidly growing movement very similar to the west coast tattoo style. The west coast tattoo style started with the idea of taking older classic tattoo themes like anchors, hearts and etc and adding a ton of bright, and beautiful inks to them. A few years back the west coast tattoo style was about the hottest thing in tattoos.
However many people are not satisfied to stick with what everyone else has already done and most people that get tattoos want them to be unique and different. Therefore tattoo artists are always on the look out for new designs, new ideas and new ways to take their art to the next level. This constant pushing of the envelope develops many hot new trends in tattoo design.
Koi fish are very popular among women but many man are getting them also now. In Japanese mythology Koi are typically thought to swim up stream against the current. They are therefore often associated with perseverance in adversity and can make a great tattoo with a very deep meaning. Yet a delicate and beautiful design.
Men tend to get koi fish tattoos on their back, shoulders, calf or upper thigh most typically. In fact large koi tattoos that take up the entire back are a style that many men are starting to get. They can also make a great full sleeve design with the water and koi twisting around the arm or leg.
Women tend to get koi tattoos on arms, thighs, and even on the side of their stomachs. Koi can make a beautiful tattoo with lots of bright color and large splashes of blue water that can become a very flowing and artistic tattoo.
Typically koi fish tattoos feature a large blue, splashing water background with the fish jumping out of the water and playfully splashing in it. Traditional designs often include either Japanese maple leaves or lotus flowers in combination with the design.
Japanese Tattoo Lettering - History, Basics, and Style
Tattoo Letteringarticle by Romeo Rodriguez
In Japan, tattooing and tattoo letteringbegan primarily as an expression of spirituality. From approximately 300 BC to 300 AD, a Japanese tattoo always conveyed a certain religious meaning for its bearer, and also served as a decorative status symbol.
During this period, tattooing was meticulously practiced and highly regarded. For the tattoo artists, tattooing was not just an occupation, but a way of life. For instance, aspiring apprentices had to train under masters for many years before becoming credible and acknowledged tattoo artists, which are called "horis" in Japan. Only a horis was allowed to create full body suit tattoos.
All that changed when the government began to etch tattoos on criminals as a means of punishment. During the Meiji era, the Japanese government outlawed tattooing and forced artists to practice underground. It was legalized again in 1945, but until now, Japanese tattoos have never completely shaken off the negative association with common felons and the Yakuza, Japan's longstanding infamous mafia. Consequently, people sporting tattoos are known to be banned in many public baths and massage parlors by apprehensive business owners. Despite all this, Japanese tattoos continue to gain popularity domestically and worldwide because of the outstanding artistry of the designs and the deep mystical symbolism inherent to them.
Japanese tattoos are formed using words, images, and numbers, or different combinations of each. There are three kinds of scripts in Japanese:
Kanji - originated from traditional Chinese characters. Intricate and beautiful, these characters are used to convey concepts.
Hiragana - developed during the Heian period by women. It represents sounds, and looks feminine.
Katakana - series of characters developed by Buddhist monks. The style is sharp and masculine, and represents sounds.
Kanji, hiragana, and katakana are combined and used for lettering and can be written vertically and horizontally. Katakana is generally used for foreign names, places, and words that are of foreign origin. For Japanese tattoo lettering, people often use Kanji.
In the same manner as there are different lettering styles in English writing, there are also different writing styles to create Japanese characters. They are:
Kaisho, is the Japanese equivalent of block style.
Gyousho, is the equivalent of cursive style.
Sousho, is an extreme form of cursive, perhaps the equivalent of fancy Old English lettering.
Called "irezumi" and "horimono", Japanese tattoos are stunning but are rather complicated to create because there is no actual alphabet for the Japanese language. Written communication is a group of symbols representing sounds or general concepts. That's why it is so important to find yourself a tattoo artist who has extensive knowledge and expertise with the Japanese language, and its attached symbolism. Before getting a Japanese tattoo, it is best to follow these guidelines:
Know the difference between kanji, hiragana, and katakana.
Familiarize yourself with the writing styles and choose the one that appeals to you the most.
Choose a word that would translate logically into Japanese. Some phrases may be coherent in English (e.g. "Big Daddy) but may be ridiculous when converted to Japanese (e.g. Large Father).
Always remember to check before having any inking done.
Japanese Tattoo Lettering - History, Basics, and Style
Tattoo Letteringarticle by Romeo Rodriguez
In Japan, tattooing and tattoo letteringbegan primarily as an expression of spirituality. From approximately 300 BC to 300 AD, a Japanese tattoo always conveyed a certain religious meaning for its bearer, and also served as a decorative status symbol.
During this period, tattooing was meticulously practiced and highly regarded. For the tattoo artists, tattooing was not just an occupation, but a way of life. For instance, aspiring apprentices had to train under masters for many years before becoming credible and acknowledged tattoo artists, which are called "horis" in Japan. Only a horis was allowed to create full body suit tattoos.
All that changed when the government began to etch tattoos on criminals as a means of punishment. During the Meiji era, the Japanese government outlawed tattooing and forced artists to practice underground. It was legalized again in 1945, but until now, Japanese tattoos have never completely shaken off the negative association with common felons and the Yakuza, Japan's longstanding infamous mafia. Consequently, people sporting tattoos are known to be banned in many public baths and massage parlors by apprehensive business owners. Despite all this, Japanese tattoos continue to gain popularity domestically and worldwide because of the outstanding artistry of the designs and the deep mystical symbolism inherent to them.
Japanese tattoos are formed using words, images, and numbers, or different combinations of each. There are three kinds of scripts in Japanese:
Kanji - originated from traditional Chinese characters. Intricate and beautiful, these characters are used to convey concepts.
Hiragana - developed during the Heian period by women. It represents sounds, and looks feminine.
Katakana - series of characters developed by Buddhist monks. The style is sharp and masculine, and represents sounds.
Kanji, hiragana, and katakana are combined and used for lettering and can be written vertically and horizontally. Katakana is generally used for foreign names, places, and words that are of foreign origin. For Japanese tattoo lettering, people often use Kanji.
In the same manner as there are different lettering styles in English writing, there are also different writing styles to create Japanese characters. They are:
Kaisho, is the Japanese equivalent of block style.
Gyousho, is the equivalent of cursive style.
Sousho, is an extreme form of cursive, perhaps the equivalent of fancy Old English lettering.
Called "irezumi" and "horimono", Japanese tattoos are stunning but are rather complicated to create because there is no actual alphabet for the Japanese language. Written communication is a group of symbols representing sounds or general concepts. That's why it is so important to find yourself a tattoo artist who has extensive knowledge and expertise with the Japanese language, and its attached symbolism. Before getting a Japanese tattoo, it is best to follow these guidelines:
Know the difference between kanji, hiragana, and katakana.
Familiarize yourself with the writing styles and choose the one that appeals to you the most.
Choose a word that would translate logically into Japanese. Some phrases may be coherent in English (e.g. "Big Daddy) but may be ridiculous when converted to Japanese (e.g. Large Father).
Always remember to check before having any inking done.
Dragon tattoos come in two popular forms: the Chinese or Japanese dragon of the east with its long, snake-like body and the European dragon of the west with its powerful wings and long neck. The European dragon usually symbolizes power and fear, a depiction of evil where as the Chinese dragon usually symbolizes unity and conformity, a depiction of good.
You can find many different designs of dragon tattoos in different forms and colours. Some of these dragon designs have additional background scenery where they are depicted flying in the clouds, swimming in the ocean, crawling on top of mountains or ravaging small villages. But the most common depiction of a dragon is being done as tribal dragon tattoos due to both its simplicity (the majority colour being in either black or gray with the additional colour to highlight the dragon) and its complexity.
Most often, the eastern dragons are the ones being used as a basis for the designs for the tribal dragon tattoos. Chinese and Japanese designs are the ones most common to be created into tattoos. Both have similar features: long, snake-like body, wingless and have horns. The only difference between these two dragons is their claws. Japanese dragons have only three claws where as the Chinese dragons have five. Their long, wingless bodies are less complicated to draw and since tribal tattoos are mostly being done in one colour (two at the most), the outcome of these dragon are more elegant looking and sophisticated.
Though, some in today's society, eastern dragons that are being created into tribal dragon tattoos is being depicted as a symbol of fear and power; a contrast to the real symbolism of the eastern dragons.
Some people today would ask for a tribal dragon tattoo when they want to look tough or powerful. They would look for the best dragon design and ask to have it done. But there are still those who see the eastern dragon as a symbol of wisdom and would ask for a dragon as a sign of respect. And still, others would just like a tribal dragon tattoo because the artistry is very well made and it looks good in the body.
The most common place to find a tribal dragon would be on the whole arm length or at the back.
There are still some parts of the world where dragon tattoos are still used as a symbol in society. Whether they are being used as a status symbol in an organization or a clan, they are a mark of respect and power to the people who still value them.
This is another tattoo in my favorite category ever: friends convincing other friends to get ridiculous nonsensical tattoos. Hilarious and awesome. And awful.
This was the first tattoo for this poor/rad soul. Description from the friend whose idea and drawing it was is below.
"i dont really remember what led up to the idea of swift getting a 20 second drawing i did of 'a dog going through a divorce' as a tattoo, but it was certainly assisted by it being 3am and a fair amount of alcohol on his part.. he woke up that next day and said "you know what? fuck it. lets do it." so less than an hour later i was paying someone $60 to permanently put it on swifts arm. dudes got sad depressed moppy divorced hair, hes unshaven and mopey, and hes got a little suitcase and dufflebag. he just needs to crash on your couch for a week or two. you know what happens when you call a tattoo shop and tell them you "want to get a cartoon dog getting a divorce", they dont believe youre serious. like 3 places didnt believe us."
I got a spur-of-the-moment zombie tattoo last week from Alex at Three Kings in Brooklyn. If you've seen my millions of bad zombie tattoo posts, you know that a good, gory zombie is hard to come by. And I got one!!!!
Because it was a TOTAL impulse tattoo (I just dropped by the shop to hang out and watch my friend Myles tattoo my friend Josh for a couple minutes and ended up getting tattooed myself!) I didn't know where the image was from. It was just something AWESOME that Alex had drawn up (he had a bunch of drawings for their Friday the 13th Zombie day that were too involved for the $40 zombie deal they had going). Turns out it is from this obscure comic that not one, but TWO of my friends knew about!
In other new tattoo news, I also got my other crow filled in. They're by Myles, also at Three Kings.
I'm so stoked on them! They look great.
I'll post some legitimately bad tattoos soon, I promise. I just wanted to share these awesome ones because I am so excited about them.
This tattoo design is a distortion of a Chinese character, which means "quiet". A Chinese character or Han character is a logogram used in writing Chinese, Japanese, sometimes Korean, and formerly Vietnamese. It is now very common to use Chinese characters in tattoos on the back and on the leg.Chinese characters tattoo designChinese characters tattoo designThis tattoo is one of the designs of
