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A Word of Thanks.....
I look around sadly at the long pants, long sleeves, and covered frames that, just a few weeks ago, were so much more interesting to behold.
I am filled with sadness.
The past month has been a record-breaker for Tattoosday. When we first spun off from BillyBlog, we garnered 120 hits in the first three weeks of our infancy.
Last year, I was amazed by my progress, in September '08 we racked up 13,351 hits.
And this September, when I anticipated a drop off from a record August, Tattoosday soared into uncharted territory, on pace to top 38, 000 hits on the last day of the month. This may not seem like a big deal, but blogging is often lonely, and the number of hits is often the only measure of recognition we receive.
So, the summer ink is running dry, but despair not, I will continue to spot tattoos, although perhaps not at the dizzying rate of the past few months.
I have a backlog of posts and a head full of ideas to keep us entertained as the leaner months loom.
I thank you all for your continued readership and participation. I am very appreciative of your support!
Bill Cohen
Little Dead Riding Hood
Actually, she has since e-mailed me about her ninth, and I am waiting for a photo.
This tattoo represents an undead version of Little Red Riding Hood, which is Amy's favorite fairy tale.
She also likes zombies, so it seemed like a good match.
This tattoo was inked by T.J. Mcinnis at Mcinnis Tattoo Company in Providence, Rhode Island.
Thanks to Amy for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!
Japanese Tattoo
What we do know for a fact is that tattoo designs were seen and mentioned by Chinese travellers between 300 BC and 600 AD. This does not affirm the widespread popularity of tattoos as it was also during this time that tattoos were looked at in a very negative light, outlaws were being marked with them as a form of penalization so that they would always be recognizable in any society that they subsisted.
From 1600 " 1868 the popularity of tattoos in Japan was very much up and down. Although they were still being used to mark criminals they were also being used a lot more frequently for decorative purposes and it was at the end of this time that tattooing began to develop into the amazing art form that we are so familiar with today.
A sudden spike in the popularity of tattoos was caused by the release of a great Chinese novel called Suikoden. Within this book there were many images of men that were heavily tattooed with elaborate designs of dragons, mythical creatures, tigers and flowers as well as a lot of religious imagery.
The many tattoos that were inspired by Suikoden were performed with chisels and gouges and the ink that was used was called Nara Ink which became hugely famous because of the fact that it turned blue-green when put under the skin.
Tattoos were banned in Japan in the very late 1800s but once again became legal in 1945. Today the art of tattooing remains legal across the country however it is still frowned upon by some due to the inescapable connection with the criminal underworld.
Japanese Tattoo Designs For Women
The History
Of course tattooing has long been a tradition in Japan. However, it was not until recent years that tattoos in Japan and their designs really came into acceptance. Way back in the days of Samurai's tattoos were used to brand criminals. This branding of criminals continued down into the Yakuza (Japanese Gangs) choosing to tattoo themselves as a mark of the chosen lifestyle. In more recent years though the young in Japan are not getting tattoos even though they don't belong to Yakuza. Tattoos are kind of going through a rebirth of sorts in Japan and they are becoming more widely acceptable as they have here in the US.
Japanese Tattoo Designs For Women
Here are some of the top designs that work very well for the female body. Of course any design is open to get by any female. A person is free to choose any design they want and a lady could get a huge samurai on their back if they want. However, these themes below tend to be favored by women.
Cherry Blossom Tattoos
Cherry blossoms are a beautiful flower that blooms from the cherry tree typically in April. These beautiful flowers have long been a passion for the Japan in general. They are symbolic of how fragile and beautiful life can be. Often the Samurai would write poems about Cherry Blossoms and they thought of the blossoms as being brave and ready to die at any minute. That is how the Samurai lived their life all the time. So the cherry blossom is a symbol of beauty first and foremost but it also symbolize living life to its fullest each and every day.
Geisha The Oriental Pinup
Another popular and traditional theme in Japanese tattoos are Geisha. These women were not the prostitutes or hookers but rather women of culture and refinement that were seen to carry the traditions of the culture. They were often extremely beautiful and talented women they could sing, play traditional instruments, dance and entertain. There of course are tons of traditional woodcuts that feature the "floating world" where the Samurai and Geisha would meet. Many of these woodcuts and themes have been done in tattoo designs. If you are looking for a strong female image then you could always get a design of a samurai's wife who were traditionally trained in martial arts and expected to defend their home if needed.
Koi Fish
Koi fish have long been a symbol for perseverance and spiritual struggle throughout Japan and China. The myth is that the koi fish swim up stream to reach the heavily gate where they then become a flying dragon and fly off into the sky. These beautiful fish are seen to be fighters and individualists since they go against the flow of the stream and they fight their way to the top. This is a powerful symbol and a very beautiful tattoo design. With the golden and orange colors of the fish combined with the blue splashing water in the background it is a very beautiful combination.
Finding A Design
If you are considering getting a traditional or even modern interpretation of a Japanese tattoo design for women then you might want to consider one of the above. There are tons of other ways you could go with a design and these are just a few ideas to get your creative mind thinking.
Tips choosing a picture tattoo hand
photo 3D Spider Tattoo designed very perfect. The spider is one of the animals unique to the insect tattoo
Best Gallery Celebrity Tattoo Photos
Lady celebrities can get a little carried away with the tattoos these days. Here’s your chance to get a closer look at the tattoos of celebrities including; Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Christina Ricci, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox, Pink, Rihanna and Victoria Beckham.
Zack's Spectacular Foot Tattoos
Behold, Zack's feet:
These incredible foot tattoos were created by Beef Stu at Bleed Blue Tattoo in Lexington, Kentucky. Zack recently moved to New York from the Bluegrass state.
Zack told me that the idea for these tattoos came to him in a vision. His right foot tattoo is comprised of a DNA strand, the key to life.
And the left foot. with the skull, represents death.
The word "LIVE" is spelled out above the pieces, with "LI" on the right foot and "VE" on the left. The tattoos, together, Zack told me, serve as a "reminder not to get caught up in the shit" and to "make the most of what you can between life and death".
It took three or four sessions (the feet are not easily inked) for these tattoos.
Thanks to Zack for sharing his amazing foot tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!
Stephanie's חַי
She started with the Chai at the top of her left breast. At the time, Stephanie was dating a guy who was covered in tattoos., She was 35, uninked, and going through a mid-life crisis. The shop was in Brattleboro, Vermont, but it has been gone for years.
She liked the tattoo so much, she later added the Star of David and the leaves. The Jewish theme was a tribute to her cultural identity as a Jew.
It somehow seemed both suiting and slightly inappropriate to post these tattoos on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year on the Jewish calendar.
I am waiting to hear back from Stephanie for clarification on her string of elephant tattoos. But, in the mean time, I thank her for sharing this deeply personal tattoo with us here on Tattoosday.
Female Tattoos
Japanese Tattoo History
What we do know for a fact is that tattoo designs were seen and mentioned by Chinese travellers between 300 BC and 600 AD. This does not affirm the widespread popularity of tattoos as it was also during this time that tattoos were looked at in a very negative light, outlaws were being marked with them as a form of penalization so that they would always be recognizable in any society that they subsisted.
From 1600 " 1868 the popularity of tattoos in Japan was very much up and down. Although they were still being used to mark criminals they were also being used a lot more frequently for decorative purposes and it was at the end of this time that tattooing began to develop into the amazing art form that we are so familiar with today.
A sudden spike in the popularity of tattoos was caused by the release of a great Chinese novel called Suikoden. Within this book there were many images of men that were heavily tattooed with elaborate designs of dragons, mythical creatures, tigers and flowers as well as a lot of religious imagery.
The many tattoos that were inspired by Suikoden were performed with chisels and gouges and the ink that was used was called Nara Ink which became hugely famous because of the fact that it turned blue-green when put under the skin.
Tattoos were banned in Japan in the very late 1800s but once again became legal in 1945. Today the art of tattooing remains legal across the country however it is still frowned upon by some due to the inescapable connection with the criminal underworld.
Cogito Chuck Robbins (Literary Ink)
So I'm sticking with this title "Cogito Chuck Robbins" because I like the way it sounds. So there. It will all make sense eventually.
I met Chris outside of Penn Station one Friday afternoon, intrigued by his forearm tattoo:
"Cogito ergo sum" is a Latin phrase that means, in English, "I think, therefore, I am." It is attributed to the 17th Century French philosopher René Descartes.
This was the first of Chris' three tattoos. He is a philosophy and creative writing major at SUNY New Paltz. This phrase is the "missing link in a belief system," or, in his words, "what I always knew, but never knew".
The tattoo was done at a shop in East Meadow, New York.
Chris also has this dead bird near his right elbow:
Inked at Skin Deep Tattoo in Levittown, this is inspired by the art on the cover of Chuck Palahniuk's Lullaby.
Work from Skin Deep has appeared previously on Tattoosday here. Palahniuk also has quite a cult following, and his work is the most often represented in ink here on Tattoosday. Check out other Palahniuk tattoos here.
And Chris' third tattoo is based on the cover art from one of my favorite authors, Tom Robbins:
This echoes the front of the great book Still Life With Woodpecker, which has made many people a fan of the writer.
The piece, which was inked by Mike Vlad at Triple X Tattoo in Manhattan, is a subtle nod in appreciation of Robbins and his great book. Work from Triple X has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.
If you like these pieces, and are a fan of literary tattoos, you should certainly check out Contrariwise, a site dedicated solely to contributors' literary ink.
A hearty thanks to Chris for sharing his tattoos with us here on our site!