Up until a few years ago the only people in society with tattoos were people who were involved with evil cults, the army, or crime. Often people who were involved with cults had the symbol of their organization tattooed on their body to symbolize their involvement. Many criminals who had served a serious sentence also had tattoos. They tattooed such things as clocks, bars, or tear drops on their bodies to show that they had either served time or lost a friend while they were in prison. Members of the army often tattooed the names of their loved ones on their body to act as a reminder of the things they left behind. This act of tattooing was often crudely done with such things as guitar strings and pen ink. Often these procedures led to disease and infection.

With the advances of technology in this day and age the act of tattooing has become an art. Today tattoo artist usually take an apprenticeship course in a college and become certified by the board of health to perform the act of tattooing. Tattoo artists also use such precautions as latex gloves, dry heat sterilizers or autoclaves, new needles, an

Personally I feel that tattoos express a persons feeling towards something. Some people still consider the art of tattooing to be taboo and a sign of involvement with crime, I feel that these people should be more open minded towards the subject. People are still afraid of tattoos because of the safety concern. While this is something that should be a priority when selecting an artist don't let it keep you back. I was conscious of the safety aspect of tattoos also until I done some research and found a respectable artist which I was satisfied to do the tattoo that I had picked out for myself. I'd encourage anyone who is interested in getting a tattoo to do research and find out what's right for them. But don't forget to keep safety in mind.

Black and Gray work :This is just what it sounds like. The tattoo is done with only tones of black and gray. This style originated in the prison systems of America, due to the prisoner's difficulty in obtaining coloured ink.

Fine line :This type uses delicate outlines, often highly detailed. Black and gray work is almost always done in this style, as are many colour pieces. The success of the finished tattoo depends a great deal on the artist's use of negative space, and his or her refraining from adding yet more detail. An overly detailed fine line tattoo, or one that was not carefully planned out, may dissolve into mush after a few years.

Custom: This is usually a tattoo that either you design yourself or that someone else designs for you

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Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)