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The history of tattooing is as long as civilization in general. Throughout different eras and time periods there have been numerous styles of tattooing that represent the people and legends of every region. Over time, these styles evolved, mixed, and birthed new styles. Each is loved for its own attributes that make them unique. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular styles of tattoos. American Traditional (Old School) One of the most iconic styles of tattooing is American Traditional. While this style has persisted for more than a century, it first started gaining prevalence in the 1930s. Many of America’s most historic tattoo artists like Sailor Jerry worked solely in this style. American Traditional tattoos incorporate simple designs, heavy outlines, and bold colors. These elements make these tattoos last quite long without fading. Heavy use of red, yellow, brown and green are the norm. As for the style and popular imagery, many of these tattoos make use of romanticized images in American folklore. Popular designs from this style include majestic sailor ships, pin-up girls, daggers, roses, wild animals, and poker imagery. Victoria Coren Mitchell, an European poker champion, once wrote that it is odd that poker players are quite so superstitious as they are. Undoubtedly, these traditional poker tattoos are an extension of their quaint-sounding superstitions. However, other people may enjoy them for their iconic nature, or the beauty of these classic Americana symbols. Tribal The origins of modern tribal tattoos go back to ancient cultures like the Māori, Mayans, Aztecs, Samoans and even Celts and Norsemen. This style of tattooing pays homage to these civilizations with some of the most bold and striking artwork you can find today. While we’ve come a long way with tattoo technology and modern instruments, you can find this style still being applied today with ancient methods of hammering the ink into the skin with bone or nails. The styles that are used in this artwork are beautiful and somewhat mesmerizing. They incorporate patterns far more often than imagery. This includes repetitive lines, geometric shapes, patterns that resemble vines and thorns, interlocking knots, and lots of heavy solid black coloring. Realism Realism as a tattoo style is carried over from realism in traditional art, which was a move towards making art look photorealistic as opposed to stylized or abstract. For this tattoo style, portraits are the most common pieces. While black and white tend to work better to achieve the desired piece, talented artists can make wonderful use of color in portraits as well. Sometimes animals, buildings, or iconic photos are the inspiration, though there are many people that opt to get tattoos of celebrities, musicians, and family members. New School New School tattooing is a style that was built on top of the motifs and techniques of American traditional. As clients started to request unique designs that were different from the classic flash designs that adorned the studio walls, new methods of 3D effects, shading and depth emerged. New School artwork tends to lean towards more of a striking, bold, cartoonish style. Vibrant colors, exaggerated proportions, wild detailing and a whacky flavor are the norm. Animals and famous characters are often chosen for imagery. Geometric Next is a style for those that love science and mathematics. As the name would imply, these tattoos utilize geometry to create beautiful interlocking designs. Most often this means black and white with lines, fractals, crosses, and shapes interlocking together. Sometimes, an outline of a recognizable object, animal, or symbol is used with a geometric design making up the inside. Other times, classic tribal designs are mixed with geometric patterns. Some of the most captivating designs come from mixing realism and geometric styles together, such as an animal transforming into a geometric design in areas. While these pieces look incredibly complicated to achieve, the end result can be quite astounding. Japanese Japanese tattoos are some of the most gorgeous and instantly recognizable designs in the world. Many people are familiar with the legendary samurai, dragons, koi fish, lotus pedals, and demon masks that make up a large portion of this style. Japanese tattoos are interwoven with the history of the country and the fabric of society as they were often seen on the bodies of outcasts and criminals. To this day, many businesses across Japan still do not allow tattooed patrons to enter based on old traditions.

Getting a tattoo is a big decision in your life; after all, you have to live with your decision for the rest of your life. That’s why you should not rush the process of getting one until you are absolutely sure what you want. The days of the misconception of tattooed people are a thing of the past, and now you can get a tattoo without it affecting your life or how people see you. However, this doesn’t mean that you should jump into the process without thinking about the consequences. In this article, we will go through the things you should consider before getting a tattoo. 1. The Design It is really important that you don’t rush the process of picking a tattoo design. Usually, it ends up horribly wrong, and you will regret your decision after a few years, or want a cover-up. The key to selecting the right design is research. There are lots of ideas online, and you should search until you are absolutely sure what you want. The best way is to go with meaningful tattoo design like symbols or names of loved ones, personal mantras, or anything else that has a meaning for you. Maybe you want a horse tattoo because you won a lot of money while betting on the Breeders Cup on TwinSpires? Sure thing, but be aware that you might regret that later. Remember, your tattoo design might look cool now, but you might be ashamed of having it in the future. When it comes to your tattoo design, you should also consult with a tattoo artist. Tattoo artists are great for picking up a general idea and transforming it into a unique tattoo that means something to you. Also, they will tell you about the position of your tattoo and is it good to survive for many years. 2. Tattoo Placement Since we touched a bit about tattoo placement, it is time to dig a bit deeper into this subject. The design of the tattoo collates with specific body parts. Also, the size of the design will have a serious effect on the longevity of the tattoo. If you get something too small, the chances for getting the tattoo smudged after a few years are high. Remember, your skin will not stay the same forever. If you want your tattoo to be private, you should pick a spot that is normally covered in clothes. Another thing to consider is that different parts of your body produce different levels of pain. Generally, parts covered in muscle or fat will hurt less than tattooing an area where there are lots of bones. 3. Reason for getting a tattoo There are many possible reasons why you would want to get inked. Some people do it just because they appreciate it as a form of art; others have more in-depth meanings behind their tattoos. Either way, you have to question yourself, why do you want one. You don’t have to have overly sentimental or profound reason to get a tattoo. Just make sure that whenever reason you come up with, you stand by it. 4. Timing is crucial You can get a tattoo anytime you like, but there are optimal times for this procedure. The best time for getting a tattoo is during fall or winter when you have more clothes protecting the tattoo during the healing process. Also, the sun is the sworn enemy of a freshly inked tattoo. Too much sunlight will harm your fresh tattoo by possibly causing irritations and early fading as well. 5. Skin Allergies There are many skin allergies that can occur upon tattooing. No matter how minor it is, you need to consult a doctor and talk about whether getting a tattoo would be a good idea. You never know you, your skin will react to being drilled with multiple needles and having chemicals inserted into it. The point is you need to take extra precautions before getting a tattoo. Final Words Getting a tattoo is a big decision in your life, and you have to think about the process before jumping in concussions. Also, pay attention to the requirements of the healing process that the tattoo artist will tell you. These things can affect how your tattoo looks forever. We live in times where people are getting tattoos every week, but be careful not to be carried away from the process. It is a fun process that needs a safe approach with lots of research.

Many of the world’s top sports stars have eye-catching tattoos. In fact, in some sports it is becoming increasingly rare to see tattoo-free athletes these days. Yet, have you ever stopped to wonder whether this type of body art helps them or holds them back? There are a few key factors to take into account when assessing this matter. Added Confidence Whether you are in the NFL, the NBA or some other league, the need to be supremely confident rises as you get to the top of any sport. In fact, an unshakeable belief in their own ability is one of the key factors that set the big stars apart from others. Does having the right tattoo instil more confidence in them? Some studies have certainly shown that people with tattoos feel more self-confident than those without them. It might seem like an insignificant matter, but every little bit of confidence helps at the top level of the sporting world. If you take a look at the top NFL players or the latest odds of the NBA (click here to see) you will witness a lot of tattooed players at the top level. Having tattoos might not be what has got them there, but it hasn’t held them back either. The Intimidation Factor Trying to strike fear into opponents is another key concern in many sports. The likes of boxers and MMA fighters want to feel stronger and more aggressive when facing their opponents. Having a tattoo is a part of this, just like putting on a tough stare or flexing your muscles. The right kind of tattoo might inspire the person who has it but terrify another. They can also help us to appear bigger and more muscular than we really are, in some cases. If you can put some doubt into the heart of your rival then you have gained a small advantage that could make all the difference at a crucial moment. The Physical Benefits of Tattoos The previous points are difficult to prove, as they largely come from the feelings that flit through the heads of athletes as they play. However, scientists have also worked hard to find solid evidence of the physical benefits offered by tattoos. The American Journal of Human Biology published the results of a study that pointed out some interesting effects of tattoos. They found that body ink can enhance the immune system, lower stress levels and possibly even made us less susceptible to feeling pain, all of which are extremely useful for sports stars. Problems Sweating? There have been very few negative issues discovered relating to tattoos and sports stars. However, researchers at the Alma College, Michigan have looked into the matter of whether tattoos make it more difficult for athletes to stay cool while competing. Their study suggests that it can be more difficult for the body to release the sweat droplets needed to stay cool while we work out. They looked at 10 tattooed people and found that the sweat rate dropped from 0.35mg per centimeter on clear skin to 0.18mg/cm/min on tattooed areas. What Does All of This Mean? It is easy to see why so many sports stars like to get tattoos. There are several benefits to doing this, some of which are obvious while others aren’t so clear at first sight. The only drawback appears to be the fact that tattoos may stop up from sweating as freely. It isn’t clear how big a difference this makes to an athlete’s performance, if any. So it is seen as something that is beneficial overall. Taking all of the above factors into account, it is likely that athletes carry on getting more and more tattoos, to give them the increased confidence and added intimidation that can make a big difference.