Humor~Random

Now it’s time for some fun. Some people do take tattoos to a whole different level. Some are for spiritual purposes and some are for pure entertainment. The tattoos are art but can be, for lack of a better term, tasteless. Here are some examples of humor in art and tattoos. Enjoy!

(Click on the images to get a closer look)
Both of these images are paintings done by Ron English. Below is an example of someone who took one of his paintings and turned it into a tattoo.

Not sure if being on their fat stomachs has anything to do with it, but both of these tattoos are funny...and not in a good way.

Skulls~Death~Horror

Although some may see gory or scary tattoos as a device used only for shock value and attention, these images are still art. Several horror and fantasy tattoo images are actually some of the most detailed and fantastical pieces of art I have ever seen. Here are some horror paintings done by Ken Meyer Jr.

 

Really beauty is in the eye of the beholder but you still can not deny the amount of time, dedication, and artistic ability it takes to create these pieces.

Here are a couple horror tattoos. They are quite realistic which may be a part of why they are so frightening in the first place.

Symbols and Words

Symbol tattoos are very common mostly because symbols usually have a specific meaning that is widespread that many people can relate to. The most common symbols I have seen in general are definitely astrological signs. I believe this is the case because everyone has a sign so everyone can relate their own symbol. If someone feels like it helps define who they are, they will consider it as a tattoo. As a side note, whenever there was “the zodiac sign scare,” many people freaked out because they thought they had the wrong symbol tattooed on them. I’ll mention this topic a little later. Other common symbols are Kanji or Chinese symbols. Asian characters are an art form in my opinion, and they come across as elegant and highly stylistic while portraying a word or phrase that may not translate well.
            Major problems with symbol tattoos may not be noticed right away, but anyone knowledgeable about what that symbol represents may tell you that you have the wrong tattoo. If symbols are not fully researched, the meanings may not be accurately represented and you might accidentally get the wrong tattoo! This may never be noticeable to the public but if someone recognizes the symbol as different than what you think it is, you may have a problem. 

           

This image above is an example of how symbols are represented in art.

If you can see, there is the swastika symbol on the palm of Ganesh.

"The swastika is a 5,000-year-old symbol that has been used for

 centuries by Hindus to denote good luck." (Timesonline)

As you can see above, symbol tattoos can have several meanings according

to the person's beliefs but this one in particular is using the

swastika as a symbol of hate.



            Word tattoos are much more straightforward (unless in a foreign language) in that they literally say what you want. Word tattoos are artistic in so many ways. First, the very words themselves can be poetic and beautiful (which is what art means to me.) Second, the words could be placed in a way so that they are complimentary features in an artful way or they could be forming an image or design. Third, the font that the word/s are in has a huge effect on the tattoo. It could be classic tattoo font or a highly stylized font. It really all depends on what the word or phrase means to each individual. I also wanted to share some examples of symbols and words in art as well as in tattoos.

This piece by Emory Douglas shows how words can easily be incorporated into artwork.

Words can be very powerful, especially in art.

This is a word tattoo which conveys the message as literally as possible.

Word tattoos are becoming more and more popular.

Floral~Beauty

I personally believe that floral imagery, especially in tattoos, is some of the most beautiful art there is, mostly because it is a way of representing how beautiful nature really is. Some people may get a flower design just because of it’s beauty and others may find a meaning behind a certain flower. On my shoulder, my tattoo consists of a bird surrounded by cherry blossoms. I didn’t find any symbolism in the flowers themselves. I mainly chose them because I found the design beautiful. However, in the f-hole tattoos I have on my back, I included cherry blossoms again (although they are a more stylized and common tattoo design as opposed to the realistic ones around the bird) because I discovered the symbolism behind them. Since cherry blossom trees only bloom for a short while, the flowers as a symbol represent the shortness and value of life and also the quick moments of beauty that we should always take the time to appreciate. I love the meaning behind the symbol mainly because it’s pretty much my philosophy on life and tattoos. I want to live knowing that I will only be here a short while and that I can make a difference in the world. Another tattoo that I will be getting soon is a group of four different types of flowers, each representing a different member of my family. I researched the birth month flowers (extensively) of my mom, dad, sister and self and drew a design. If people who didn’t know me saw the tattoo, they would probably just assume that it is just a floral design with no deeper meaning. Even though many people will no know it’s about my family, it is not a bad thing to assume they are just a bunch of flowers because they are beautiful even without meaning.

These two pieces both represent beauty through nature and flowers.

Both of these tattoos are flowers that accentuate the female body.

They both bring out the beauty in femininity.

Tattoos Portrayed in Society

Since tattoos are becoming more popular in today’s culture, it seems only fair that they start showing up in magazines, clothing lines, and in actual works of art. In general, fashion models must meet certain standards in order to be hired for jobs. That usually includes having perfect, blemish-free skin. In the April 2011 issue of Marie Claire, there is an entire set (about six pages) of one model with several visible tattoos. I’ve also begun to notice small but visible tattoos showing up more frequently in ads and TV commercials. Also, celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga have several visible tattoos that are always in the eye of the public. Evidently, tattoos are becoming a more accepted practice and it is more acceptable to popularize them through advertisements and pop culture.
~~For some more reading on tattoos in society and how they've evolved, go here: http://www.tattooartist.com/history.html ~~

The image above is of a model getting temporary tattoos for a Chanel show. While they are not real, the tattoos are still being glamorized for the runway.

Here's a photoshoot with a model and someone with full sleeves.

Megan Fox with an awesome word tattoo on her side. (Respect.)

Miley Cyrus with a dreamcatcher on her side. (Less respect, only because she can afford more tattoos than me and she just turned 18.)

(Not So) Permanent Art

Tattoo removal isn’t heavily factored in when choosing your tattoo. Laser removal is painful, expensive, and time-consuming (not to mention expensive.) Recently, however, there has been evidence of a new non-permanent tattoo ink. According to an online article, there is a company called Freedom-2 who created a tattoo ink that can be removed with only one laser treatment. Once the heat from the laser hits the inks, the tiny, harmless beads dissolve into the body and the tattoo fades away. It's all about the biology of the ink and the body. The scientists also say that the inks will fade on their own in a matter of months. "This could be a new type of jewelry." (Smithsonian.)

Read more:  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/tattoo_remove.html?c=y&page=1

          I think the idea of a non-permanent tattoo is contradictory. For hundreds of years, tattoos have only been seen as permanent and therefore became so important in many cultures. In today’s society, tattoos have evolved into a common practice and their permanence is still considered to be the deciding factor. If a non-permanent tattoo becomes mainstream, the importance and significance of a tattoo is lost. If there was a way to remove something easily, of course someone will not take the time to think about putting it there in the first place since it won’t be a big deal. The significance of making a commitment to a tattoo that you will knowingly have with you forever will fade once it is possible to make a tattoo disappear. Even if the tattoo is regrettable later in life, it is like a mark on a timeline of who you used to be and what your interests were. I do appreciate the idea that you can more freely decorate your body with this process but I hate that tattoos will eventually evolve into just another piece of jewelry and not an important life decision.

Kat Von D advertising her line of tattoo concealer products for Sephora.

Choosing Permanent Art

Choosing a tattoo can be a difficult decision for anyone just knowing that they will be with you forever. There are so many different ways that people choose what to get permanently marked on their skin. Some may think about a design for years and finally make it a reality. Others may decide twenty minutes before getting a tattoo based on a design they see on the wall. Some may choose a design and placement specifically to hide it later on for a job or other professional/formal environment. Others may decide on a tattoo for shock value or for public entertainment. My favorite way of choosing a design is to create your own image. Experiment with it; maybe draw it on with a pen. Whatever final product you are satisfied with, you know you are the only person to ever get that image and you will always have your own creation with you.
            Placement is also a huge factor in choosing a tattoo. You could even have a specific place already set but not the image. Some designs just fit with the placement such as a wrist/word tattoos or an ankle bracelet.

Short word tattoos fit well here.

The bracelet tattoo just wouldn't really work anywhere else.

 In my own experience, the design and placement went hand-in-hand. I have f-holes on my back which I got for two reasons. One, I play the cello and I am deeply inspired by music. Two, the way the f-holes on a woman’s figure represent f-holes on a stringed instrument is so beautiful to me. This idea was first seen in a photograph my Man Ray called Le Violon d’Ingres. This is a good example of how the placement of the tattoo can be part of the art.

Man Ray's photograph. F-holes are drawn on with ink.

How Are Tattoos Art? Part II

In the previous post, I mentioned how the possibilities are virtually endless. You have all the colors of the rainbow to choose from plus a few more, your image itself is unique based on details you add to it, and placements for your tattoo are certainly not limited unless you’re getting a specific body part tattooed or you have a size restraint. Just as tattoos are endless in their possibilities, so it art. There are several forms of art such as paintning, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, and even fabrics. You could even combine all of them together to make a piece of art your own. In the art world, a spectator may notice two styles right away; realistic/representative and abstract/non-representational art. Realism is just like it sounds: it represents reality. Abstract art is exactly the opposite because it does not represent anything in reality.

Abstract (by Jackson Pollock)

Realism (by James Neil Hollingsworth) 

 Tattoos can be the same way. You can see a majority of  tattoos as representational. Cartoon-type tattoos are still representing reality but in a different style. Abstract tattoos are less common but have a very interesting effect. Although tattooing may seem like a limited artform, it may can be pretty successful at representing art or images done in a painterly way or made to look textural. The image may seem non-objective but it is representing reality in that the brush strokes are real, etc.

These two images may look like they got into paint fights BUT they are actually tattoos!!

These are both by the same artist, Amanda Wachob, who does amazing abstract and realistic tattoo art.

            Another way tattoos are art on skin is that they have certain line qualities and shading involved. In many illustrations the outlining is purposefully noticeable and colors are flat (void of shading.) Several tattoos are done this way. Whenever shading becomes involved, the image completely changes. Instead of looking like a flat drawing, the artwork/tattoo becomes more three-dimensional and more representational. Some people prefer one style, others choose each tattoo differently and may have each type. Overall, it depends on each person’s preference.

The image on the left, Betty Boop, looks flat and just colored in with no shading to give it depth.

The image on the right has extreme shading and color changes to make it look very three-dimensional.

How Are Tattoos Art? Part I

Before I answer that question, I must first attempt to answer this one: What makes something art? In an article written by Lisa Mason, art can be comparable to beauty “in that it is distinguished by the eye of the beholder.” I find this to be completely true. It really all depends on each person’s perspective and how they interpret something. Tattoos are the same way; to one person, it mat be a permanent work of art. To someone else, it could just look like a waste of time, money, and nice skin. I interpret all tattoos (including text) to be art because it is a creation put into image form.
            Tattoo artists play a large role in tattoo designs obviously because they draw them onto your skin. The tattoo image could be the tattoo artist’s original work but it is more likely a flash design or composed of elements of a flash design.
            Flash is one of the best ways to demonstrate how artful tattoo images are. If you walk into any tattoo studio or browse through image searched online, literally thousands upon thousands of images can be found. Each individual image was created by an artist and then made available to the public. These images can range from very simple, small designs to large, intricate, and heavily detailed designs. Either way, they are creations and each individual can find different appreciations towards them.

An example of old school flash.

            The people that create these designs can be specifically flash artists or they can be anything from graphic designers to illustrators to completely untrained artists. Illustrations can generally be the best way to describe the type of art that tattoo imagery falls under, simply because they are generally hand drawn either on paper or on a computer.
            Access to tattoo designs is beoming easier that ever. Search the word “tattoo” onlince and you will get thousands of images. There are special websites such as http://www.tattoojohnny.com/ that are solely flash images that can be browsed and bought. Also, walk into any tattoo shop and there will be tons of flash on the wall like posters. Another fun way to search for ideas is to look through tattoos magazines such as Inked Magazine (http://www.inkedmag.com/)  and books that have images in them. There are so many unique designs that help you realize that the possibilities are endless (image-wise of course.)

Some Explanations

The point of this blog is to explore the whole world of tattoos from a different perspective. Some people may not view a tattoo as a piece of art and that is what I am going to try and show you how to do. Here is my thesis: Tattoos are becoming a prominent part of today’s culture and as they are appearing much more often, a type of appreciation can be developed for them, just like appreciation for the fine arts.

            Now what I mean by my blog title, “body is a canvas,” can be become a little complicated. Followers of God generally believe that humankind was created in God’s image and we should not alter that appearance in any way. There is a bible passage from Lev. 19:28 that reads, “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord,” which several religions believe should be followed. However, tattoos are widely popular within today’s communities including religious ones. My own belief is that tattoos are a way to decorate your body, just like the way an artist would decorate a blank canvas. Turning something from ordinary to extraordinary is a beautiful thing and I believe body art should be seen as beautiful.

This is where the other complicated part comes in: what can be classified as body modification? When I say you can decorate your body, I specifically mean with tattoos and piercings. That’s when you may bring up the point that a face lift or breast augmentation is also modifying your body so that should be considered beautiful as well, right? It really all depends. I don’t like to judge how others change their body but whatever they choose to do, whether it be a tattoo or a nose job, as long as he/she is happy and feels like a beautiful person, then that is all that matters. For this blog though, I will only be discussing tattoos.