People always wondered if this piercing had anything to do with the real Prince Albert who was the husband of Queen Victoria of England. Surprisingly, Yes. This famous piercing was named after Prince Albert because he was reputed to have this piercing done way back in 1825 when he got married to the Queen.
The Australian Govt. is planning to ban all forms of sexual body piercing for teenagers.
So you finally made the decision to get a tattoo. You are probably excited about the idea and can’t wait to go in to get inked for the first time. All your friends are inked and now you have the courage to just do it. But before you do, hold on for a minute.
Let’s presume that you have already carefully researched your artist. You know that he or she is talented and can do a great job. You have also scouted out the place and feel comfortable knowing the establishment is clean, safe, and follows all the guidelines.
The biggest decision you now have to make is with your design. Even if it is your first tattoo and you feel that you are just experimenting, extra precaution should be made. A tattoo design will live with you forever and this undertaking can not be taken lightly.
There are literally hundreds of thousands of tattoo designs to choose from and the overwhelming feeling to just pick something can easily take hold if you let it. Don’t get caught up in the excitement. Think of your tattoo as a major purchase, a very expensive purchase. When you spend thousands of dollars on an item, you generally take more time to think about the decision. Although tattoos are fairly inexpensive depending upon the design, think of it as purchasing a home or a car. Make your tattoo design something of extreme value and not just a pretty or cool design on your body to show off like a piece of jewelry.
Use the internet to get some ideas of your design, but realize that you do not have to choose those designs. The designs online are not completely original because everyone else is on the internet downloading them as well.
Stay true and unique to yourself when choosing your design. One of the reasons for getting a tattoo is for originality. You do not want a tattoo that a million other people have. Your personality is unique and unlike any other person and your tattoo design should reflect that as well.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself to avoid making tattoo mistakes:
Why am I getting a tattoo?
Did I take enough time researching my design?
Why did I choose the design?
Is my design common and does originality matter to me?
What does the design mean to me?
What does the tattoo design represent in my life?
Will it still have the same meaning to me five years from now?
Is the placement of my tattoo perfect for the design?
After you have given a tremendous amount of thought about your tattoo design and feel you are mentally and physically ready, that is when you can head for the tattoo shop. Remember that you do not have to choose a design on the internet or your tattoo artist wall. These are great places to start, but they do not have to be your final destination.
When you have gone through the process of evaluating a design tailor made for you, ask your artist to design it for you. It is well worth the effort because the tattoo of your dream is an item of value that will be placed on the most important person in the world…you.
Let your tattoo speak for itself. Give it a voice and let your tattoo speak. A single tattoo can tell a whole life story. Make yours memorable and not common.
Good luck in your tattoo design and choose it from your soul! Dani Calloway
http://www.content.onlypunjab.com/Article/Avoid-Mistakes-When-Picking-A-Tattoo/4200320092003353724
My wife and I were out for dinner the other night and our waitress was an attractive looking young woman who I judged to be in her early twenties. She was very personable and knowledgeable, but she was wearing a short blouse that revealed her midriff and showed a tattoo just above her rear end, and, on her front, there appeared to be something drawn from her belly down to her public area (sorry I couldn’t verify this for you). I’m sure she thought this was all rather attractive and I must admit it caught my eye, but frankly I was disappointed that a charming young woman found it necessary to defile her body in order to get someone’s attention.
I’ve never understood the need to paint the human body with tattoos, Some say its nothing more than an example of self-expression. Actually, I think its more of a cry for attention than anything else. Some people try to hide their tattoos, but more and more people today proudly display their body art, regardless of the symbolism or what is printed on them. To me, its kind of like sitting next to a kid at a traffic light with his music blaring. I don’t know who he is trying to impress other than himself. It most certainly isn’t me.
When I was growing up, I only knew of two men who had tattoos on their arms, my uncle and my barber. Both got their tattoos while serving in the military, but spent several years thereafter trying to have them removed as they found them to be an embarrassment among their friends as they grew older. I’ve also met a couple of people who survived the concentration camps of World War II and now bear identification numbers tattooed on their arms. In other words, tattoos are not something my generation or those that preceded me hold in high regard. But today’s younger generation doesn’t think this way and whimsically have their bodies painted at the drop of a hat. Recently, a group of underage girls from the local high school were caught trying to get tattooed at a local parlor (down here in Florida, minors cannot be tattooed without a parent’s or guardian’s permission).
Years ago, tattoo artists struggled to make ends meet. But with the recent wave of tattoo popularity, they have been elevated to near celebrity status. Heck, there has even been a reality show featuring tattoo artists on A&E. I find interviewing people painted with a lot of tattoos and body pierced like a porcupine to be rather amusing. They certainly do not command any credibility with me, but the kids sure seem to love them.
I guess I have always equated tattoos to a person’s intelligence level. The more tattoos they have, the lower the IQ they appear to have. I don’t know where I get this image from; maybe it was from watching a few prison documentaries where the inmates are interviewed, all of which are covered in tattoos. Somehow I don’t find such people rather credible, nor are they anyone I want to be associated with, which is probably why I’ll never get a tattoo. But then again, I guess I’m showing my age.
http://www.content.onlypunjab.com/Article/TATTOOS/4200320092003389530
Tattooing is a booming industry and growing every single day. Now there are even TV shows dedicated to the art that are catching fire. When you look around, tattoos are everywhere! Now you see them on people you know, see them in advertisements, and even on famous celebrities. So what makes a great tattoo? Of course it is great design, but there is one very big component that is critical to a really stunning and beautiful tattoo.
What is this component to a great tattoo?
It is simple
Tattoo Shading.
Tattoo shading is the part of the tattoo where a two dimensional tattoo becomes a three dimensional tattoo. It is the part of the tattoo where flat lines take shape and holds a certain degree of depth to make the tattoo “pop” out. There is even a whole style of tattoo shading now that focuses only on black and grey tattoosno color, just black and white.
If a tattoo artist does not learn the technical yet critical aspect of tattoo shading, then a tattoo just falls flat. It is as simple as that. This one aspect of tattooing can be learned but it takes some real practice and some technical skill. Mastering tattoo shading and becoming known for doing great black and grey tattoos can really boost a tattoo artists reputation in the tattoo industry. Those who have mastered tattoo shading at an expert level are very well revered and respected.
Now there are great information resources online to help aspiring tattoo artists. Of course, the best way to really learn the skills is through an apprenticeship, but gaining the basic knowledge is first and foremost of importance. Learning all you can about tattoo shading and other steps in the tattoo process are key and luckily information is gaining in popularity. An example of a great source or brand for tattoo information is “The Ultimate Tattoo Guide” series. These guides help budding tattoo artists get the basic tattoo knowledge needed to start tattooing including aspects like tattoo shading, etc.
So if you want to break into doing great tattoos that will get make people turn their heads, it is CRITICAL to master the art of tattoo shading. Without it, a tattoo is just not a real tattooa piece of real art.
http://www.content.onlypunjab.com/Article/Tattoo-Shading—The-Key-Secret-To-Great-Tattoos-/4200320092003356708
It is very terrible in this day all the young ladies out there want and getting tattoos. They have no clue as to whether or not they will want it when they get older.
Teens that get tattoos have no idea over time they fade. Mostly people wrinkle when they age. Let’s face it the body at nineteen and twenty will not look that well at forty. Ok let’s say little Sue got her tattoo at age nineteen and the years have not been good to her. She is wrinkly and she now wants the tattoos removed. After removal she will have scars not to mention an empty pocket book from the cost.
Teens should really consider the consequences of a tattoo. Yes they are nice, yes its so cute having a butter fly on your backside, but remember in today’s day and age the elements are hard also on the body and no telling what the tattoo may look like in years to come.
A simple alternative is a painted on tattoo. In this, yes they do wash off, but there is no pain related and best of all if you get tired of looking a butterfly you can change it easily. Many times we jump the gun, and it’s the “in” thing to do, by getting a tattoo. Heck all your friends have one, why not you? Well be smart, save yourself from high cost of removal down the road and tattoo that turns ugly as you age.
Take time to really think about your life long decision. In getting a tattoo, it will be with you for the rest of your life. Are you sure about the pain? The cost? Many employers today will only hire you if you hide your tattoos. Many have to wear jewelry to cover up on the wrist. In some case the gals will have to wear dark stocking to cover ones on their legs. If you are unsure, then get a test tattoo, paint on one to see what you think and how others react. In this you will know for sure.
http://www.content.onlypunjab.com/Article/A-Tattoo-or-a-Scar/4200320092003355866
Thinking of reconsidering yet you still can’t fight the urge to be “cool like everyone else”? Well, you are fortunate to have an option that will help set your mind when it comes to tattooing. Why not try henna tattoo.
Don’t be confused. While most of us know that henna is simply henna tattoo, it would be good to note that the actual process is called Mehndi.
Mehndi is a tradition as ancient as time. We may see variations of this practice among other cultures yet there is no other culture that has created significant influence in this form of practice than that of the Indians.
In the past centuries, Mehndi has been used in ritualistic and ceremonial activities that typically cover religious practices. However, with the revival of tattoo industry, the art of Mehndi has seen its second glory days.
So what now is Mehndi?
In a sense, Mehndi is an art that aims to create temporary markings on a person’s skin, whatever the purpose is appropriate for the practice. The primary constituent of this art is the use of henna powder (from which the term henna tattoo was derived from). This powder is gathered from the plant species named as Lawsonia inermis that is typically found in dry and hot regions such as the Middle East and India.
The leaves are ideally used for henna tattooing (in the form of a prepared paste that is used in henna designs) while the lower parts of the plants are used in other purposes like hair treatment, skin conditioners and heat rash relief.
The henna powder is in itself greenish in color. Yet once it is applied on human skin, the red-orange shade becomes more prominent. Although we can find strange colors in the market these days. (Note: henna powders that come in black cause the strongest allergic reactions known. Second to it are the artificially produced colors.) Henna powder is still best used in its purest form.
Henna tattoos come in familiar traditional designs. These by large are used in wedding ceremonies as an adornment for the hands and feet of the brides-to-be. In typical cases, the henna tattoos design are intricate and very artistic in nature.
The process of this ritual lasts for hours and require the individual to remain still so as to produce the best effects.
Henna tattoos are known to hold well in feet and hands. This may be attributed to the fact that these areas are in general, dry. Thus the color holds faster and better. Nonetheless, henna tattoos can be applied anywhere in the body (including the skin of the face!).
Now, question often arises why there are henna tattoos that last longer in the skin while many may wash off in a span of few weeks. Well, the answer lies solely in the natural property of your skin to hold as much color. There are skin types that are not as absorbent as others.
These days, due to the popularity of body art and tattooing, henna tattoos are becoming the main choice among undecided customers. Many who contemplates on inking or not inking their skin normally find comfort in henna tattoos since they get to see the features of the tattoos first before they have it done permanently. Some find contentment with the temporary designs though.
You see, whatever your interests might be, you still are in advantage of experiencing a beautiful art culture.
http://www.todaytattoos.com/Tattooing/55.html
What You Should Know About Tattoo Machine
The decision of getting a tattoo is an important endeavor to consider. It is intended to live for a long time on your skin. Therefore, you must not jump on the thought of getting a tattoo if you have not taken things into serious consideration. You do not surely want to deal with its mess in the near future. So, before finally deciding on going to the tattoo artist, be very concrete with your decision.
The Basics of Tattoo Making
Tattoos come in different designs and styles. Artists can include their own creations too as part of their manuals. If you are one person who desires to get a unique tattoo on your skin, better seek for the opinion of the artist. He’s the one who’s going to do the deed therefore he knows what will look good on your skin. It pays off to avail of the service of an expert tattoo artist as compared to the experimental work of an amateur.
So how are tattoos inscribed onto the human skin? Wherever you intend to place your tattoo, there is one sure way of getting it imprinted onto your skin. That is through the use of the tattoo machine. Tattoo artists make use of ink. The ink is injected onto the human skin through the use of an electrically maneuvered tattoo machine. The tattoo machine closely resembles the appearance and the sound created by the dental drill which is commonly found in dental clinics.
The tattoo machine employs a firm needle that is able to move up and down so that it punctures the skin from 50 up to 3,000 times in every minute that passes. As the process goes on, the needle gets to penetrate onto the skin by a millimeter and therefore dumps drops of insoluble ink right there on the skin.
The History of the Tattoo Machine
The tattoo machine was first thought of in the later part of the 1800s. Its inventor was Samuel O’Reilly. Samuel O’Reilly patterned the design of his tattoo machine from the autographic printer, which is one engraving machine created by Thomas Edison. The autographic printer was basically geared towards the engraving of some hard surfaces.
O’Reilly employed little innovations and modifications with the engraving machine of Edison. He did so by replacing the tube system and then by changing the rotary-driven electromagnetic swinging unit so that the machine will be able to drive the needle towards movement.
The Vital Components of the Modern-Day Tattoo Machines
As the tattoo machines evolved, several factors came forth as virtual parts of these. They are the sterilized needle, electric motor, tube system, and the foot pedal.
The Need to Sterilize the Tattoo Kits
The tattoo machine is known to produce a puncture wound as it goes on with its natural flow of ink injection onto the skin. Because the needle gets close contact with the skin, there comes the great possibility of causing infection or contamination of diseases. Tattoo artists must focus more on the sterilization of the materials as well as following the single-use scheme. The disposable materials should therefore be kept away. The artist must ensure that his hands are completely sanitized before getting into work. These measures must carefully be followed to secure both their safety as well as their clients’.
The use of the tattoo machines badly hurt. The pain is similar to the sting of a bee, a pinch, or a burning sensation. If you think you can handle the ordeal brought about by the tattoo, then so be it. Just be sure that you won’t regret it.
http://www.todaytattoos.com/Tattooing/64.html
The Celts never wrote their history, except only when the Greek and Roman civilizations penetrated their culture and introduced a formal form of writing. Yet in the remainder of their golden age, art and literature that they nourished were transferred orally from one generation to the next.
They were fierce warriors, great artists, uphold extreme faith with gods and very superstitious. Each of these contributed largely to their awesome art forms and all these attributes can be seen in their arts depicted in modern Celtic tattoos.
One of the more popular design choices in the tattoo industry focuses more on Celtic designs. This trend may be attributed mainly to the universality of their concepts that even now, modern artists can modify designs that were patterned initially from Celtic art.
Their concepts are unquestionably perfect and suited for self-expression that anyone can take a pattern and wear it without negating personal artistic expression. (That reason alone would help us presume why Celtic tattoos are extremely popular. After all, the idea with tattoos is to be able to express something that would maintain itself even after the real meaning of the design has gone.)
Ancient forms of Celtic arts are typically characterized with interlacing symbols, elaborate patterns, perfect knotwork, zoomorphics, spirals, and colorful outlines that most consider abstract. Most of which illustrate a complete cycle, especially the Celtic knots.
Many other tribal groups modified traditional Celtic art forms into their own. One classic example are the Viking raiders who embraced the art form and produced more chaotic effects that characterized their main culture. Another is the adaptation of neighboring lands of interwoven knotwork patterns in the manuscript that went down into the medieval and succeeding eras.
While Celtic culture has considerably declined during the passing of years, many traditions were still in existence these days. Though the majority of us may not realize this fully, some of our conventional art forms were influenced by Celtic traditions. Some are subtly done while others have openly expressed Celtic arts. Say for example the Celtic tattoos that are popular these days.
The knotworks as we have noted earlier, express something deep. And these must be seen that way. This is one reason why while many other traditional art forms have vanished, we still enjoy the beauty that may only be had from Celtic illustrations.
Knotworks expresses the close association and repeated intertwining between the physical, natural and the spiritual world. The never-ending pattern (since knotwork shows no beginning and no end) portrays the tangling of the permanence and termination of existence, faith, love and life. Celtic designs modified for tattoos also convey underlying emotions that may not be simply addressed with stereotypical patterns that we normally see.
Celtic tattoos try not to copy nature perfectly (after all perfection is no longer characterized with nature). They don’t duplicate the natural world and they are not representational. Somewhat, they lean more on the abstract art forms that many people admire.
We may say that an artistic heart shape (that is normally seen in tattoos) communicates passion but a crooked Celtic designs in the form of animal or a cross may mean more than just that. They can address indirect expressions, often bordering within mysteries and religious symbolism.
With all these said it would now be easier for us to comprehend why, with all choices of tattoo designs that we can gain from other cultures, we remain to be passionate with Celtic art forms.
http://www.todaytattoos.com/Tattooing/50.html
As many of you might have presumed by now, tattoo is actually a practice that have endured both time and criticism.
We don’t know exactly how many years or centuries the world has wakened into tattooed body parts. But the earliest that we can note by now (for which other resources may contend otherwise) is the remains of the mummified iceman dated as far back as 3300 BC. For the Egyptians however, along with the Nubian mummies, the records of tattooing have only been known for only around 2000 years. For other records, classical authors shed information on the existence of the practice among the earliest Britons, Gauls, Thracians and Germans.
The discovery by the Europeans led to the wide acceptation of the practice in the western world. Yet, since tattoos were closely associated with criminals, pirates and the likes, it was not as welcomed among other societies. And presumably, this is the point of view that went with the passing of the years.
Obviously enough, people, societies and cultures connote different meanings with the practice of tattooing. Although it is normally viewed as an instrument of self-expression through body decorations. For some groups, tattoos act as marks to signify the social position of an individual. For some, it signifies as a passage of rite especially in entering manhood (or womanhood).
While modern tattooing methods feature the use of a machine to create skin injections of ink, more primitive methods include literal scaring of the skin to produce bruises where pigments are implanted. With more advanced methods among tribes that employ the practice, metals are used to scrape the surface of the skin and sooth is the typical marker.
Fortunately, we need not experience extreme pain with such techniques. Nowadays, tattoos are made by punching ink into the dermis layer of the skin by means of a needle. Now, what we see is the ink that remained.
While the epidermis seems to hold most of the ink, the reverse is true. The dermis, where skin cells are more stable does not renew (or exfoliate). This is why once the skin is stained with ink, the tattoo will remain drawn into it for life.
One may notice that the main principle propelling the process is patterned after the sewing machine. The tattooing machine itself is composed of a needle that drives ink into the dermis. This solid, sterilized needle moves at an average rate of 50 to 30,000 per minute depending on the control of the powered foot switch. The needle is regularly dipped into the ink for continuous supply and will then be punched into the skin.
Much of the concern while undergoing the tattooing process is focused on the safety of the person. This is mainly because the skin is susceptible to infections when wounded. And that exactly how the whole process goes. Besides, all paraphernalia used hold great possibilities for contamination. This is why it is important that 1) all disposable items are discarded once used and 2), all items undergo sterilization after each session.
Tattooing starts with outlining of the pattern. Understandably, this is the process where the tattoo artist shows his mettle. Clear lines must have proper depth, otherwise the skin may not absorb the ink properly and blurring of the image may occur.
Afterwhich, the artist will continue on with the shading of the design. Color will then be added as part of the finishing touch.
http://www.todaytattoos.com/Tattooing/59.html