As the life on the planet evolved, the tattoo has gained it’s progress as well. It has been mentioned in the early days of human civilization, but the real progress it gained in middle of 20th century. The first appeared tattoos weren’t as same as those we seen today. They had differences in shape, work techniques, etc. Some cultures had a tattoos for religious beliefs, some for protection and anger of gods, and some just for marking, but all were coming to same. People love to “gain passion under skin”.

Some people tattooed themselves by taking a knife scars and adding a different flower skin pigments on the skin. Other, the more precise technique, was to make hole-by-hole imprint on the skin, using a sharp edge of the stone. In that way they could make different kind on shapes, lines, spirals, circles, etc. This technique was used in ancient Europe. Also you could find this technique between American Indians who lived in higher north of American soil.

People in Indo-China used wooden needles or bones attached as a spike, and then cut the small skin points and tattooed different contours on the skin. Japanese method of tattoo was little more sophisticated as they were using needles attached to a pin point of a wooden stick and then applying color manually to the skin. For smaller details they have used not more than three needles, and many for coloring, the similar way as today’s tattoo masters.

Modern tattoo work techniques are based on use of tattoo machines, which were patented by Samuel O’Reilly back in 1891. Not all of tattoo artists use professionally set machines for their art. Some of them still use the improvised machines, which in good hands can provide a great tattoo. For example, you can use electric motor from your cassette player, sharp pen or even a steel wire to make a tattoo machine.

Why people decide to tattoo themselves? It’s a riddle for many of us. Barbarians and Samoans did it in medical purposes, for example they believed that tattoos can cure eye deceases, neck and back pain, etc. Inuit and North-American Indians also tattooed themselves for same reason. Maors painted their faces with lines and spirals to show theirs objectives and tribal status. Inuits used lines on their faces to mark stories about dieing, so that they don’t die… Similar traces were found in Mentawai tribe.
In modern days, people through tattoos are also telling stories from their personal or someone else’s life.

They put their personal markings under the skin, national symbols, personal names, mark difficult dates from their life, etc. Some of them tattoo them selves for no reason at all, because they are revolted, etc. We don’t like to tattoo that group of people.

I just love JAKUZA tattoos. Why? Well it’s because they have to earn tattoo, and their tattoos mark their social status, strength, etc. To be like them, folks, that’s not an easy job.

Does it hurts? It does. It’s just like you were going to your dentist. For those scary ones we use pain killers,  but we also strongly recommend you to feel that unique “tingling” because it’s not like you’ll come for a tattoo every day.

When you decide to tattoo yourself, you should pay attention  on these little details:

• Your tattoo artist must have sterilized conditions for him to work
• He needs to have an ultrasound tub
• His instruments must be sterile
• Etc.

Now something about tattooing.
We draw lines with three needles which are joined together to make one. For shadowing and coloring details we use more needles.

Modern age of tattoos defiantly belongs to motorcyclists as they are all covered top to bottom with tattoos.  Tattoo art is brought to perfection, so you can only imagine what tattoo artist can do these days.

The bottom line.
Love your tattoo, recommend your tattoo artist to your friends, and get your self one tattoo per year… That’s what I do anyway…

Photo 1: Motive from Murderers isle showing hunter-warrior from Murderers tribe, with his well earned tattoos.

Photo 1a: Warrior from New Zeeland, Carolinas isles, Borneo and Japanese samurai warrior from Japan. 

Photo 2: Maors, New Zeeland, motive from 1770.

Photo 3: Tattoo machines used by Maors. With this miniature machines, they were making fantastic work of art. Although people are still putting motives under their skin, the meaning of that motives is not the same as it was back then. 

Photo 4: I found these very old motives from Hank Schiffmachers book from studio in Bristol which was owned by tattoo artist Les Skuse, back in 1950.

Photo 5: Not only Englishmen’s had tattoo them selves, people were also doing it on far North of Europe. Mr. Ole Hansen which was Copenhagen based tattoo artist, for me, hade a better flashes then Mr. Skuse. These motives are dating from 1950. And if you want this man is doing ten years after, you will just have to buy yourself a book by this great tattoo lover and collector which is titled “TRUE LOVE.”

Photo 6: Bristol tattoo club members from Great Britain, who loved to have their body covered with tattoos back in 1950. Imagine them folks , they had their own club back in 1950. and here, in Bosnia & Herzegovina, today, tattoo art is still underestimated.

Photo 7: What we se on this left photo is some guy from Nederland and his tattoos are work of art by Mr. Albert Cornelison. Photo is dating from 1950. Now on the right side we have Phantom character and his body is totally covered with tattoos by Les Skuse. Photo is dating from 1960.

Photo 8: Back in 1960’s it wasn’t strange for women to be tattoo artist and to be tattooed  as well. We see Cindy Ray in her studio in Ivanhoe, Australia. On the left side you see tattoo legend, Les Skuse and how his working.

Photo 9: And of course we have Japanese, which are my favorite tattoo artists. This one is Horiyoshi Yokohama, and to have something like that on your skin… pure pleasure.