Tattoo art, its reception, as well as its cultural significance has changed much over the last four or so decades. It has evolved from being a sign of anti-socialism or immorality, to a trendy fashion statement and method of self-expression. The social prejudice of the past has also waned, and tattooing is no longer frowned upon by the majority.
Tattoo Art Is An Expression
The establishments who cater to tattoo enthusiasts have now greatly evolved from the once low and unhygienic places they once were to these modern facilities resembling clinics. The new tools that have been made for the purpose of tattooing has opened up a wider field of choices in degrees of detail and accuracy of design. The wider variety of inks and shades available also add to the near limitless possibilities that tattoo art offers.
When in the past tattoo art was shabbily done, tattoo shops nowadays have a set of standards that set them apart from the tattoo designs of the past. Where tattoos were simply random marks that were ascribed a certain meaning or simply done for no particular reason, now people tend to approach tattoo art as they would gallery paintings. They now seek to create an over-all aesthetic appeal to tattoos.
In fact, many people who pursue careers in art often take up tattooing. Tattoo art is simply another medium that artists use, and instead of paint on canvas, they now use ink on skin. Tattoo art has also contributed largely to the growing revival in the interest of ancient artwork. Oftentimes this interest is cross-cultural, and the tattoo-art of different cultures are often incorporated in mainstream body art today.
Tattoo Art Is An Identity
A good example of the growing interest in multi-cultural designs can be seen in the growing popularity of Celtic, Mayan, Azetec, and Incan-inspired body art. Tattoo art is not only limited to bold and iconic designs, but includes intricate and complicated designs such as Egyptian, Hindu, and Oriental artwork as well as free-form and abstract designs. A growing interest in tribal body art has also made tattoos designs inspired by the Maori, Haida, and Native Americans highly sought after.
Another side of the cross-cultural interest is in the people who engage in tattoo art themselves. Subjects and artists alike come from various walks of life. They encompass every race, belief, and gender. This wholeness serves to connect many different people, and provides a sense of belonging to some. Still, for some others, it provides a sense of uniqueness to one’s identity.
Tattoo Art Is A Masterpiece
Tattoo art is set apart from casual tattoos for the amount of detail and over-all artistic appeal that it gives off. Body art is literally an attempt at using your own skin as the canvas to create a masterpiece. Most often, themes that have a certain degree of wholeness are chosen for body art. The appearance of wholeness creates more of a striking impact.
Usually, large areas of the body are used to create a single tattoo art. The larger area needed allows for the incorporation of more detail. Since the intention of tattoo art is to create engaging masterpieces, attention to proportion, detail, and aesthetic appeal are often stressed.
Tattoo art is diverse which makes it alluring to so many people. The designs that make up a typical tattoo art often carry multiple symbolic meanings which often calls for a close study of the symbols or images involved. It is not only the personality that is sometimes reflected in tattoo art, but the sub-conscious ideas of a person as well.
Tattoo Art Is For Everybody
Tattoo art caters to a lot of different people, but a recent study has shown that women are more likely to get tattoos than men. Although it is commonly thought that tattoos are a masculine thing, more and more women take part in it. The popularity of tattoo art is not also limited to social deviants, as stereotypes would often suggest. A great number of highly successful professionals enjoy the art form and take part in it.
The general stereotypes that was once attributed to tattooed people are no longer generally applied. Although some people still have prejudices against tattooed people, it is simply due to the negative comparisons generated by a biased and outdated way of thinking. The majority of tattooed people are not really part of gangs, not really convicts or criminals, and they are not really going to become such things. They are simply artistic people who relish in expressing themselves freely.
Tattooing is both a fast spreading art-form as well as a growing business that caters to millions of people from all walks of life. Tattoo art has risen from its days of scorn, to once again be accepted in mainstream society as valuable symbols of identity and freedom of expression.Zealand Tattoo make new designs and revise old ones to constantly provide varied and engaging choices for tattoo art enthusiasts.