Japanese Tattoos

1) Kanji

Of the three types of Japanese tattoo symbols, Kanji is the most popular because it is so expressive and artistic. Each different Kanji symbol (of which there are reported to be more than 40,000) represents a specific idea or meaning. So by combining a number of different Kanji symbols in your tattoo design it's possible to create a stylish and unique tattoo that expresses an unlimited number of ideas and messages.


2) Hiragana

Unlike Kanji symbols, which represent various ideas or meanings, Hiragana is a style of writing that's used in everyday Japanese life. You'll find it used in media such as newspapers and magazines, so it's much more amenable to literal translation than Kanji.

In terms of design, the hiragana characters are more rounded than Kanji symbols, which is worth bearing in mind depending upon your artistic tastes. Hiragana writing is also known as cursive, so don't get confused if you hear someone speaking about a cursive tattoo.

3) Katakana

The system of Katakana is similar to Hiragana. Together they're known as Kana and were originally based on the Kanji symbols which existed more than one thousand years ago. Since than they've developed into their present form and both Hiragana and Katakana each have their own set of 46 symbols with which to form their words.

The system of Katakana symbols is used almost exclusively to represent words that are non Japanese in origin. These symbols are similar to the system of hiragana with the main difference being that words in Katakana have sharper edges and are much more angular in appearance.

And that concludes the three types of Japanese tattoo symbols that are available. However, there's no rule that says you have to choose one style and stick to it. You could have your tattoo designed so that it includes more than one of these styles. For example, you could have a sentence written using Hiragana that includes various Kanji symbols to enrich it with greater meaning.

But whatever option you select, it's important to take one additional safety precaution before you go anywhere near a tattoo studio with your design. As you can see from this brief explanation of different character types, the system of Japanese writing is extremely complicated and subtle.

Cappy Christmas!

Joe Capobianco isn't just one of the most well-known pinup tattoo artists, but my personal favourite. So for Christmas, I thought I'd show a few of his early works, to get that festive spirit into you! Happy Christmas!

Stin City

These wonderful ladies were done by Stina Nyman. Wow!

Scorpio Zodiak Tattoo

Scorpio Zodiak Tribal Tattoo Simbol

Virgo Tribal Tattoos

Virgo Tribal Tattoos

Everything's Coming Up Roses

And finally for today, a thing of pure beauty from Valerie Vargas.

The Dark Ages

The picture quality isn't up to snuff, but I'm too big a fan of Derek Noble's Old School work to not post these...

Nurse-At-Sea

Nice mer-nurse from Chad Stone.

How Tattoos Work

One might ask themselves how in the world does a tattoo stay on your skin forever? I mean, I'm pretty sure that most people are aware that we as human shed are skin all the time. So one might wonder how does the ink from our tattoos never fall off as well. Well in this post I will explain the whole process of how and why tattoos stay on our skin forever.


First you should know that a tattoo needle punctures you skin up to 50 to 3,00 times a minute when getting a tattoo. The tattoo needle punctures the cells of the dermis which is the second layer of the skin. Our skin consists of three layers: the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissues. The epidermis, is the outer layer of skin that acts as a protective barrier and contains no blood vessels. Below the epidermis, is a thicker layer called dermis and that is where tattoos go.

Tattoo Design For Today

A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin

to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are

a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most

commonly used for identification or branding.

Tattooing has been practiced worldwide. The Ainu, the indigenous people of

Japan, traditionally wore facial tattoos. Today one can find Berbers of

Tamazgha and Maori of New Zealand with facial tattoos. Tattooing was

widespread among Polynesian peoples and among certain tribal groups in the

Philippines, Borneo, Mentawai Islands, Africa, North America, South America,

Mesoamerica, Europe, Japan, Cambodia, New Zealand and Micronesia. Despite

some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular in many

parts of the world.

Various Ways of Removing Tattoos

Thousands of individuals each year undergo tattoo removal procedures after eventually regret having them. After the initial excitement and thrill, a large number of people realize that they have committed a blunder and want the tattoo removed. Tattoo removal has now become a million dollar business. There are various ways to get rid of tattoo. Some of the tattoo removal techniques are:

Dermabrasion

The area to be treated is frozen and then the skin where the tattoo is located is rubbed or scratched with a rotary abrasive brush or diamond fraise. It removes the top few layers of skin and finally tattoo is removed as the sanding goes deeper into the skin. The procedure is very painful and often turns out to be ineffective as it causes the skin to bleed and may leave a scar. There is always the risk of infection.

Salabrasion

Salabrasion is a centuries-old technique. Anesthetic is used to numb the area to be treated. Then salt-water solution is applied onto the tattoo. The area is then abraded with a tool similar to what is used in the dermabrasion procedure. The method is effective only in the case of superficial tattoos and requires multiple treatments. This technique is successful only in fading the tattoo and not completely removing it.

Excision

Anesthetic is injected, and the tattoo is cut out of the skin using a scalpel. Thereafter the surrounding skin is sewn back together. The procedure is ideal for smaller tattoos only. Though large tattoos can also be removed but then skin grafts are often required for large tattoo removal. People who undergo this procedure are extremely prone to infection and scarring.

Cover-Ups

In this method, old tattoo is replaced by a new tattoo. Some people prefer covering-up of their tattoo rather than removing tattoos completely as covering-up tattoo is comparatively less painful, inexpensive and doesn’t take several months to treat. Some skilled tattoo artists even specialize in cover-ups and provide excellent results. However you have limited options in cover-ups. The biggest disadvantage of this method is that cover-up tattoos can be done only once.

Tattoo Removal Creams

A tattoo removal cream is the most inexpensive way to remove a tattoo yourself. Market is flooded with several creams such as TatBGone and Tattoo-off that claim to be effective in fading tattoos. There are claims that these creams may fade a tattoo after a continuous use of several months but their success at removing a tattoo altogether is highly unlikely.

Saline Tattooing

In this procedure, tattoo artists fade a tattoo by tattooing lidocaine and saline solution over unwanted tattoo. This is beneficial for older tattoos. This process can just lighten the existing tattoo but can’t remove it altogether. This procedure is relatively harmless and cheaper. Though finding a tattoo artist to perform this task is difficult.

Laser Tattoo Removal

Laser tattoo removal is considered as the best method among all to get rid of unwanted tattoos. Although it is costly and requires multiple sessions, but at the end of the day it ensures that the process is relatively painless and bloodless. In this procedure, targeted tattoo is exposed to the intense pulses of light delivered by laser. This laser energy results in destruction of the ink pigment while ensuring minimum damage to the surrounding skin

Red Devil

A classic Elvgren interpretation, by Jani.

Vamp Collector

Paul Acker's realistic vampires are a touch good, no? Wonderful use of colour, although I suppose I'm straining to call them pin-ups, perhaps.

Beady Ess Em

Such a fantastic tattoo, by Galen McHatton, although its fair to say a touch unconventional too.

Celebrity Tattoos

The beautiful Transformers star is a avid tattoo lover and has several of her own. A lot of people may not understand her tattoos and I've read a lot of people think they are tacky. But people don't get tattoos for other people they get them for themselves and I'm sure every tattoo that Megan has, has a special meaning to her.

Megan tattoos include:

A portrait of Marilyn Monroe on her right forearm, star and crescent moon on her right leg, symbol for strength on the back of her neck, a Shakespeare quote on her back, some tribal symbols, and a "Brian" on her stomach, as well as a poem she wrote that's on her ribcage.

Megan does have some regrets about one of her tattoos.

"She regrets the "tribal" tat. She said, "The guy was smoking weed while he tattooed me and he didn't do it correctly. Now it's nothing and I'm gonna get it removed. I was told he was a really amazing tattoo artist but he wasn't on his game that night. He was distracted."

This is what Megan had to say about getting tattoos in general.

"Every time I get a tattoo, it's a little f-you to anyone who tells me not to. It's weird to be part of Hollywood, which tries to control every aspect of people, from what they say to the color of their hair. And I like the way getting a tattoo feels. If I'm depressed, it's nice to get one and deal with the pain. I have one all the way down to my ribs. It hurt, but it felt good-like twisting a loose tooth. I'm not kidding when I say that if I ever lose a role because of my tattoos, I'll quit Hollywood and go to work at Costco."

Gypo!

New Dawnii pin-up!

Talk To People

One of my favorite things to do is to talk to people who already have tattoos and learn about their experience. I also like to hear any funny stories they might have to share as well as some piece of information that I may not have known. Just yesterday I was talking to one of my sister's friends that has a tattoo on her toe and I actually learned something. She told me that it took her a long time to actually find a tattoo parlor that would actually tattoo her toe. The reason being is the when you have a tattoo on your foot/toe it tends to fade super super quickand some tattoo artists feel that it is a waste to tattoo an area that will fade very quickly. I will say that her tat is extremely faded and that it doesn't even look real. It looks like she took an ink pen and colored a daisy on her big toe.

So my whole point of this post is to simple talk to people who have tats and of course talk to tattoo artists. You never know what you will learn from the conversation that you can take with you and can share with another person. Although I'm pretty sure if you get a tattoo on your foot and or toe in black ink it won't fade as fast, but I could be wrong. I know two people who have tattoos on their feet both are in color and they both are pretty faded.

Tattoo Designs

Sleeve tattoo designs are extraordinary popular tattoos. People conceive these designs absolute fashionable and charming. These are very expressive too. There are other people who ascertain them bizarre. Irrespective of feelings, almost every tattoo fan love sleeve tattoo designs.


Behind the arising fame of tattoo design including Sleeve tattoo designs is the big influences of the media, celebrities, and bikers. You are able to find multiple colors and styles of Sleeve tattoo designs everywhere. Because of this popularity, flourishing number of people across the world are acquiring tattoos. Several people are taking it as a profession too. A few of these artists are very popular since they're the masters of sleeve tattoo designs.

Touch Of Japanese Style

Oriental-influenced designs are very popular in the USA, allowing you to add a touch of style and elegance to your décor. Japanese, Korean and Chinese patterns can be used in many ways, while authentic oriental products are easy to find.

Designs inspired from the Orient are becoming very popular in the United States nowadays. The rich artistic tradition from the Far East is inspiring our manufacturers of quality consumer goods to incorporate oriental influence in their design. Expertly weaved oriental rugs are also gaining pride of place in many American homes where the intricacy of their patterns adorns floors and even walls, for a touch of Eastern authenticity.

The Chinese alphabet has inspired some of the most popular oriental patterns. This writing system is also called Kanji. It differs from our western alphabet is that each symbol represents a word or a concept rather than a letter. Known as ideograms, these symbols allow the Chinese speakers of various dialects to use a writing system that is understandable by all. The Kanji symbols are used in both Japan and China. They are intricate and graceful, which explains why they would be so widely used in eastern-inspired designs. Their influence is particularly true of with regards to tattoos. As most American tattoo artists are not, however, fluent Chinese or Japanese speakers, one should always exercise caution before getting a Kanji tattoo. You should always ensure that the chosen design actually means what the shop catalog describes it as.

Tattoos And Their Healing Stages

A fresh tattoo is more or less an open wound so it requires the right aftercare so that it can heal properly. Each stage of the healing process means that the tattoo will need a different sort of caring method. Tattoos should be kept clean at all costs and should be exposed to the least amount of germs possible. Healing stages tend to be unique to various individuals so this is something you will have to consider as well.

Lots of factors tend to play their respective roles in the manner which your tattoo will heal. Some of these factors include the type of skin that you have, where the tattoo is located on your anatomy and the tattoo artist as well as the methods involved in creating and engraving the tattoo.

When your tattoo has been completed, the tattoo artist will usually place a bandage over the tattoo and tell you not to remove it for a few hours in order to limit the external exposure that your fresh tattoo gets.

Getting a fresh tattoo is somewhat like having some form of minor surgery so if your tattoo bleeds a little bit in the initial 24-hour period after you get it, consider it normal. A bandage should usually assist in absorbing any bleeding which results from your tattoo immediately after the procedure. You should also be rather careful when your bandage is being removed and you should not allow a huge amount of blood dry on your bandage.

Special Ranch

On the farm with some new Jime Litwalk pinups.

The Number One Tattoo Gallery

Chopper Tattoo is a must see for anyone planning on getting a tattoo.

I spent months thinking about what tattoo I wanted to get, and had I known about Chopper Tattoo, that time could have been much shorter. They have unique award winning tattoos, and information about popular artists.

Choosing a tattoo is a very important decision, because a tattoo is forever. Chopper Tattoo is a great tool to use to find a tattoo that really means something to you.

Chinese tattoo

The Symbols of Wild Boar Tattoos

The meaning of wild tattoos and wild boar tattoos may differ according to place and time. In the island of Borneo, wild boar tattoos are considered as the symbol of achievement. Traditionally, the family of young boy awards him with a badge of wild boar tattoo, when he successfully hunts a wild boar. It's an age old ritual in the island of Borneo. On the other hand, Indians use tattoos for religious purposes. So, the meaning differs along with place and time.

The popularity of Japanese styled tattoos is also growing very rapidly. Most of the Japanese wild tattoos including wild boar tattoos are originally taken from artwork.

Tattoos are permanent. In most of cases, people get tattoos for a life time. Therefore, you need to understand the exact meaning of your chosen wild tattoos. It's always better to select wild boar tattoos wisely rather than regretting later. You are reading this article that means you want to understand the exact meaning behind wild boar tattoos. Most of the wild boar tattoos are related to old European cultures. Since wild boars are very powerful, in ancient Europe hunters used to group in order to kill wild boars.

Styles of Tattoos

There are many different styles of tattoos:

Tattoos have managed to pull itself up from its suspect and seedy past with a bad reputation to become an art form that is the subject of human exhibition and self-expression today. Today tattoos have become an art form with new and better tattoo artists coming up with a huge number of styles of tattoos.

When you visit a tattoo parlor or look at an online tattoo gallery, you find that there is a wide range of tattoo styles available and a massive range of styles to choose from. The usual criteria used for choosing tattoos is usually its size, the love for someone, depicting a certain culture or sect or as a status symbol.

Bettie Page RIP

It's a sad day in Pin-up Land, as the queen of them all, Bettie Page, passed away today. Lets celebrate her by reminding ourselves of the times she's already been in the blog, and have one more for the road, by Marc Vienneau.



EDIT: Needled have a great tribute, with a link to Inked's gallery of Bettie tattoos.

Eve Sleeve!

Tempting Stuff! Done by Alison Manners

chinese tattoo

The art of tattooing in China actually dates back much farther then its in the West. Until very late in the 20th century and mainly in the early 21st century, tattooing becomes fashion in the West. The art of tattooing has a long history in Asian including China, Japan, and even Thailand. What are ironic about these are Chinese tattoos were mostly used in many of the Asian cultures to mark criminals and other social deviants. However in Asia since tattooing was done in criminals and social deviants most designs were very large and often full body pieces especially in Japan. These often are very expensive designs and time consuming and also led many western tattoo enthusiasts to opt for Chinese tattoos.

There are a wide variety of beautiful Chinese tattoo designs throughout Asian cultures. The most common Chinese tattoos are often the representative of important values, such as a simple word that represents themes like love, strength, and power. For those who wish to embellish their tattoo with smaller themes designs they can easily accompany Chinese Japanese writing a script. Men will get Tiger, lion, or dragon to accompany the Chinese tattoo design. On the other hand, women will tend to opt for more delicate designs such as the cherry blossom, yin yang symbol, or a koi fish design. Another common tattoo among western tattoo enthusiasts is to seek a translation of something important in the Chinese. It is very common to get the names of their children translated into Chinese and the tech to them on their shoulders arms or back.