The Art of Tattooing
Tattooing is a traditional art form spread over many cultures and societies. A tattoo is the marking of the skin with punctures into which pigment is rubbed. The word originates from the Tahitian tattau meaning to mark. Kings and commoners, sailors and prisoners, tribesmen and sweethearts all have shared one thing: the art of the tattoo. Evidence from ancient Egypt, Greenland, Siberia, and New Zealand shows how truly global the tattooer's art is and how old. In fact, tattooing had existed for thousands of years before England's Captain Cook encountered it in the South Pacific in 1769. Merchant and naval seamen soon spread the art to Europe and America. But while its meaning has varied from people to people and from place to place, tattooing has most often served as a sign of social status, as a mark of one's passage through life, or simply as a way to beautify the body (Underwood). Once regarded in the West as frightening and repulsive, the tattoo has enjoyed great popular!ity in our own culture in recent years. Everywhere we look today such as the movies, advertisements, and television are signs that people of all walks of life appreciate and practice the art of the tattoo. Tattooing is the oldest form of self-expressive a
Times have changed. Fifty-year old Thomas Lockhart is much younger than the Iceman, and his tattoos are much more "au courant." His arms are covered from wrist to shoulder with dueling phoenixes, dragons and monkey gods and his back is a riot of demons battling Japanese tenjus, half-man, half-bird creatures. "It's like war paint for me," says Mr. Lockhart. Although the meaning and purpose of getting these tattoos may differ from the Ice Man, there is still meaning to Mr. Lockhart and it is certainly a form of differentiation. An owner of a tattoo parlor states that around the parlor it used to only be bikers, sailors, military guys, and pirates. He goes on to say that 60% of his clientele are professional women over 25% being lawyers, doctors, and nurses (Sheremata). "Tattoo collectors" are people who build collections of contemporary art or Rembrandt etchings, the heavily tattooed call the art covering their bodies "collections (Vail)." The art of tattooing has definitely outlived painting in caves among other various forms of art, and the popularity of this art is booming. In fact, tattooing has emerged as the country's sixth-fastest growing retail business last year believe it or not. As one can see the process of this self-expressive art has not differed except for technology entering into the picture, however, the purpose of tattoos has changed over time. Nonetheless, in our search for personal enlightenment and individuality, the once ritual practice of tattooing will continue to be an avenue for "claiming oneself." Tattooing was initially done for ritual, esthetic, medicinal, magic, or religious purposes. Tattooing was also an exte
Some common words found in the essay are:
Sutherland Cher, Roman Empire, Europe America, Sheremata Tattoo, Lockhart Iceman, , Sheremata Egyptians, Townsend Tattooing, Italian Alps, Townsend History, self-expressive art, art tattooing, art tattoo, heavily tattooed,
Approximate Word count = 1121
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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