Tattoos And Tattoo Designs

Our Gallery Of Tattoos

Browse through our large gallery of tattoos and designs to get some excellent ideas about what your next tat will look like.

Maybe it's your first tattoo, maybe it's your fifteenth, either way, it's an important decision, so take your time and check out some cool designs.

A Little Bit About Tattoos

Tattoos are a permanent coloration of the sensitive connective tissue layer of the skin. They are made by puncturing the skin and inserting permanent inks.

The word tattoo has two major historical origins.

The Tahitian word tatu means "to make a mark." The Dutch expression "Doe het tap toe" was the message for closing public houses, signalled by a constant rapping or drum beating.

This tapping sound was very similiar to the sound made by ancient tattooers as they applied tattoos, puncturing the skin by tapping a needle with a small hammer.

This ancient process of applying tattoos by hand is still used today in several cultures around the world, including Samoa, Japan and Thailand, where tattoos are done "the old fashioned way."

Archaeological and anthropological finds have proven that tattoos existed around 12,000 years B.C. Tattoos originated in Egypt during construction of the Great Pyramids. They were used primarily as an aid in communications.

This aspect of Egyptian culture was passed along as Egyptians traveled to Greece, Persia and Arabia. Tattoos became a part of China's culture around 2000 B.C.

The opinion or belief that tattoos mark dangerous individuals has been around in history for a long time, and with good reason. The Romans used tattoos to mark lawbreakers and felons in the days of the gladiators. The Japanese would place a mark on the forehead of criminals for each crime they committed.

The history of tattoos continues into Asia and into Japan where it progressed beyond a religious act into an art form of it's own. Meanwhile in Western Europe, uses for tattoos included family markings such as family crests and family names.

In 1066, the Norman invasion of Britain put an end to the Western culture history of tattoos until about the sixteenth century. In 1691, the interest in tattoos was rekindled when British explorer William Dampier returned to London with the Polynesian Prince Giolo, whose body was covered with what would be described today as tribal tattoos.

Again in the late 1700s, London's upperclass society was intrigued by tattoos when explorer Captain Cook returned from one of his voyages with another Polynesian male named Omai, whose body was covered with tattoos. Because tattoos were applied by hand through an expensive and painfully tedious, time consuming process, they were enjoyed for the most part only by the upperclass.

In 1891 an electric machine for tattoos was patented by Samuel O'Reilly. This enabled a means to provide tattoos at a reasonable price with widespread availability. Low cost mainstream tattoos no longer differentiated the upperclass from the working-class people and turned off the upperclass's appeal for tattoos for many years to come.

Tattoos became a fad in the United States in 1897 due to influence from France and England. Tattoos were mostly just a fad and novelty during the early 1900's with tattoo artists expanding and offering cosmetic tattoos or "permanent make up". Also during this time, a tattoo artist by the name of Lew "The Jew" Alberts is credited with inventing the tattoo design sheets popularly known today as "flash".

World War I created a demand for patriotic tattoos based on toughness, bravery and military images. During this time in history tattoos were also used as "travel marks", a representation of one's travels throughout the world. World War II again created a similar demand of tattoos.

After World War II and throughout the 1950's and 1960's, rebellion and delinquency was common among the young crowd. One of the ways they expressed this was through tattoos. Since then, tattoos have become more mainstream and legit among society as a whole, and also, once again, the history of tattoos repeats itself with the popularity of tattoos among the upperclass.

Today, more doctors, lawyers and businessmen have tattoos than ever before. More women have tattoos today than any other time in history. Tattoos have become extremely "in". The history of tattoos continues to repeat itself. Although tattoos were developed for non-aesthetic uses, they always have been and continue to be aesthetic traditions.

Throughout history, tattoos have played well defined roles. They have been used to indicate particular skills that a person possessed, whether they be a carpenter or a weaver. Tattoos were also used as status symbols, calling on spirits and powers, indicators of membership, and rites of passage at a particular stage in life.

Certain tattoos located on the hands or fingers were believed to ward off illnesses. They have been used to show devotion, between group members or one-on-one partners.

History has shown that tattoos were used as an extension of our personality or beliefs through body art, a visual representation, immortalizing a special place and time in our lives or simply a mark showing status in our community.

For centuries, tattoos have been a major commitment. That fact, along with a desire for spiritual and secular cultural rituals, has upheld the popularity and demand for tattoos in society today and thoughout history.

The history of tattoos will continue to be of significant interest and live on through generations well into the future.

Common Questions Regarding Tattoos

(For audio version click here: Tattoos Q and A)

In todays world, tattoos are widely common. In fact, a study done in 2006 by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology estimated that approximately one in four people between the ages of 18 and 50 have at least one tattoo, if not more.

Even with tattoos being so widespread, lots of people don't really understand much about them. Tattoos are often still deemed odd, questionable and even taboo.

The reason for these questions and answers is to convey to you information concerning tattoos, blow off some of the myths concerning them, and help you determine if it's a good idea to get one.

1) Will having a tattoo make me cool?

While many people will laugh at this question, some people do think about how a tattoo will affect them socially. While lots of people confronted with the question would immediately answer "no", the answer is indeed a bit more complicated than that.

A tattoo can unquestionably make you more popular in some groups, but it will have no more lasting power than a cool hat or a cool jacket. Tattoos are also, without a doubt, much harder to remove than a simple jacket. Keep that in mind if you're thinking of a tattoo as a "quick fix" for your social status.

2) Does getting a tattoo hurt?

The short answer is yes, it will hurt. The long answer is, as long answers always are, a bit more complicated. Tattoos are created by using needles to position ink underneath your skin, but not really into your muscle mass. So, the question of "how much does it hurt" is really more the question of how high your tolerance for pain is.

If you have no problems getting shots at the doctor's office, then a tattoo most likely won't hurt very much. If, however, you have a fairly low tolerance for pain, you may want to think twice before getting a tattoo.

3) Would it be a good idea to get a tattoo while drunk or high on painkillers to avoid the pain?

No, getting a tattoo while inebriated would be a very, very bad idea. Most drugs that lessen pain, such as alcohol or aspirin, also cause blood flow complications such as clotting issues. When you get a tattoo you are being cut, even if only a little.

Being tattooed while under the influence of any drug could cause problems that could lead to very serious loss of blood, or other medical issues. If you're going to get a tattoo, make sure you're sober and clean of any foreign substances.

4) Is getting a tattoo the same as scarification?

Not exactly. Tattooing is the process of positioning ink in the skin in such a way that it leaves a permanent picture. Scarification, however, is the process of creating scars on the human body in artistic ways. Scarification and tattooing are both regarded as body modification and both can be marvelously artistic, just in different ways.

Tattoos can be much more intricate, whereas in scarification, the body's inborn healing procedure can make a scar design appear only temporarily in strong detail. Both scarification and tattooing leave permanent artwork on your body, but they are not the same form of art.

5) Weren't tattoos used as slave marks?

Tattoos were utilized to mark slaves for their owners. Hundreds of years ago, a tattoo served to designate a slave almost like a brand designated what farm or farmer cattle or other animals belonged to.

Tattoos were also used in various Asian cultures to denote tribal distinctions. American Indians used them in similar ways. As our civilization evolved, the meaning of tattoos became less about identification as part of a tribe or property and more about individual expression.

6) How much will a tattoo cost?

There is no definite answer when it comes to tattoo costs. The cost totally depends on where you go and what you want to get done. There are variables such as what kind of ink you want done, how much ink is required in your design, and often even the time at which you're able to get your tattoo done that can sway the cost.

On average, a small tattoo will sell for about a hundred dollars, while larger and more intricate designs will cost more. You can, sometimes, get a concession by trying to schedule your tattoo during times when there is less demand.

7) Are tattoos permanent?

Tattoos are permanent, but they are prone to fading. The tattoo will alter shape should your skin change shape, such as in instances of obtaining or shedding weight. Tattoos that fade can be touched up to have their color enhanced, while tattoos that have stretched out are often considered a lost cause.

Should you find a way to move your body back to its original shape, such as by losing weight, tattoos can be touched up. Should that not be an option, you can always have another tattoo situated over it, although it will have to have a similar design.

8) I heard that you can get tattoos removed. In that case, there's nothing to worry about, right?

There are several methods to get a tattoo removed, but all of them are painful and high priced. Even the least hurtful of the procedures is compared to being snapped with a rubber band for over an hour.

Many procedures for removal need more than one treatment and all of them leave scars. While there is no doubt that getting the tattoo removed is better than keeping it, tattoos should be considered permanent.

9) All I need to do to get a good tattoo is to find a good tattoo artist, right?

Well, certainly, if you have no fear of life threatening diseases. Since tattooing involves poking a needle into your skin, you should always inspect a tattoo shop for purity. Check for germicidal soap, check to make sure they don't re-use needles and check to make sure the artist always wears latex gloves when he or she tattoos someone.

You should also check to see if the tattoo artist or their shop belongs to one of several national tattoo artist affiliations; these groups often have rather strict requirements and check up on their members quite often.

10) How should I care for my tattoo after I get it?

After-care is perhaps the most important portion of getting a tattoo. Make sure to leave the bandage on for 4 to 12 hours and do not poke or scratch at your tattoo. It's certainly tempting to scratch your skin where your tattoo is because it will be severely itchy, but doing so can pull away some of the ink.

When you take the bandage off, do not re-bandage. Instead, moisten your tattoo with a damp cloth and pat it dry with a dry one. Your tattoo artist will give you more detailed instructions upon finishing and you should follow the instructions carefully for your tattoo to last.

11) How can I convince my parents, friends, wife or husband to get a tattoo?

Convincing somebody about tattooing is along the same lines as convincing somebody to do anything else; for the most part, it's not a good idea. Instead, have a reasonable conversation with the person about getting a tattoo, present your point of view and ensure that the final decision is left up to them completely.

The best way to chat about tattooing is to be honest about your own feelings and allow them to be honest about theirs. You cannot force anyone to reach such a decision, regardless of how you feel about it personally.

Quotes Regarding Tattoos

"The only difference between a tattooed person and a person who isn't tattooed is that a tattooed person doesn't care if you're tattooed or not."

-Seen on the wall of a Tattoo Parlor

"In the 1960's people got tattoos to be out, now people get tattoos to be in."

-J.D. Crowe

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Gallery Of Tattoos And Tattoo Designs