Japanese Tribal Body Tattoo

Japanese Tribal Body Tattoo

Japanese Tribal Body Tattoo

How to Use Tattoo Sketches As Part of Choosing Your Tattoo

The art of tattooing has evolved significantly over the years. While the basic concept is the same, the technology and techniques used to create effective skin tattoos have definitely evolved. One thing remains the same however - tattoo sketches play an integral part in what the finished product will look like.

Tattoo sketches basically create the starting point for both the client and the tattoo artist to help them determine which direction to go with the tattoo. While a lot of people go into a shop, pick a sketch from a catalogue and run with it, others are more interested in creating a piece that is unique to them and that they will enjoy looking at many years down the road.

The main factor behind a tattoo sketch would obviously be the design itself. Are you more into cultural designs, modern designs or a combination of both? Once you are able to identify what appeals to you most, you can have your starting point for your tattoo. Remember that your tattoo is supposed to be an expression of you so take all the time you need to go through sketches and come up with one that would represent you.

Tattoo sketches also take into consideration the area of the body that the tattoo will be placed and the size that is required by the client. Tattoo artists will automatically be able to tell you once they look at a particular sketch whether or not it is suitable for a particular area of your body. They will also be able to tell you if that particular sketch is too big or too small for an area.

Now a lot of tattoo artists can create masterpieces without even using tattoo sketches. This is especially the case with traditional cultural tattoos from Polynesian regions. Traditionally, Polynesian tattoos were used because they were symbolic of strength, endurance and other character traits as opposed to being used for the beauty of the design itself. In some cases today, you will be able to go to a tattoo artist and tell them you want a design that signifies a particular trait, and they can easily give you a Polynesian design. In such a case, you would not necessarily use a sketch.

It is always recommended however that people start the tattooing process with tattoo sketches. In fact, there are a lot of people who after seeing the sketch and spending time working it out with the artist decide that a tattoo is really not what they want. But at least once you have gone through the process of creating a sketch, you will definitely end up with a finished product that you will be pleased with and that will give you pride to wear on your body for many years to come.

The Dragon Tattoo

The most well known and most popular mythical creature depicted in tattoos is the Japanese dragon. It is more popular than any of the other mythical creatures, such as the phoenix, mermaid or gryphon. This may be due to its shape because the long and flexible dragon that descends from Japanese tattoo traditions practically fits on every part of the body - covering full backs, winding himself around arms or coiling up on the chest of the carrier.

The Japanese dragon is usually depicted as a wingless, heavily scaled snake-like creature with small, clawed legs and a camel shaped head with horns. It is associated with sea, clouds or the heavens. It has whiskers and a beard, and it is deaf. In the West we think of dragons as terrifying beasts, but in Japan the dragon symbolises wealth, good fortune, good luck, kindness, power and freedom.

The good luck stems from the fact that the Japanese dragon is a "water symbol", living either in the clouds, climbing down during thunderstorms, or in rivers and lakes. Water is an element of enormous importance for the cultivation of rice in both China and Japan so, because of its ability to bring down the rain, it was revered. Thus dragons are highly respected and admired in both China and Japan. In the Western Culture however, because of the association with the snake, the dragon symbolises evil and they were routinely hunted down, fought and killed.

It is important to keep the dragon happy because, after all, it could easily cause a seaquake or thunderstorm if annoyed. One of the most famous and most tattooed dragon legends, apart from the display of the Buddhist gods of wind and thunder (Fu-jin and Rai-jin) who are riding the dragons, is the Tamatori Hime. According to legend, Japanese dragons are believed to take up the shape of humans and are even considered capable of mating with humans. The age-old enemy of the dragon is the phoenix and sometimes a bird-man creature called Karura.

At birth to around five hundred years (or so) of the dragon's life, they are a "water snake". They are not dragons in the sense that we think them to be. From five hundred (or so) to around one thousand (or so) they become Chiao, or scaled creatures. They are said to begin as a fish, and, at a considerably old age, turn into a scaled dragon.

After the Chiao stage, from about one thousand years to one thousand five hundred years old, the dragon grows rapidly. This is when the dragon becomes a Lung dragon. This takes place over the five hundred year period. Unlike some dragons, they are hornless and symbolize the scholar. These dragons can gain horns, but only after about five hundred years.

When the dragon is between the ages of one thousand five hundred and two thousand, he or she will become a Horned Dragon. They will gain horns and thus look much wiser in the process. After the dragon is two thousand years old, they become a Ying-Lung. They are winged dragons that are also scale-less. They gain wings only after they have been around for about one thousand years, and they never have scales.

The Japanese dragon (referred to as Ryugu in Japanese mythology) has three toes whereas the Korean has four and the Chinese five. It is said in Chinese Mythology that all dragons originated from China and the ones that left lost their toes, but the Japanese Culture believes that all dragons came from Japan and when they left Japan they gained toes. The farther the dragons went, the more toes they gained (or lost). The Koreans believe that all eastern dragons originated from Korea so that when the dragons leave Korea and go towards China they gain toes and when they go towards Japan they lose toes.

Another difference is that Japanese dragons tend to be much more slender and fly less frequently than their Chinese counterparts which suggests they either lose or gain weight depending on where they originate from. In Japanese society (as in Chinese society) dragons are depicted in paintings on temple walls and carvings. Most of the temples with dragon carvings usually belong to the Zen Buddhism religion. The Japanese dragon had originally come into existence as a guardian creature that was in charge of guarding all the four cosmic regions. Traditionally the dragon is identified with the season of spring throughout Asia.

The Dragon King is really four dragons, and these dragons keep watch over the four main seas. They are believed to live underwater in the Ryuku islands area in Okinawa. Japanese dragons are of various types: there are the Tatsu dragons that are a representation of spirituality and imperial power and tend to live in lakes or springs. The Sui-Riu dragons are held responsible for bringing rains into the islands of Japan. The Han-Riu dragon is the tallest of the dragons measuring up to almost 40 feet in length and can reach the heavens. The Ri-Riu dragon is most popular for its unusual eye-sight which is believed to be the best. The Ka-Riu dragon which is the smallest possesses a frightening red color. The Fuku Riu is the dragon which brings luck to people. The Hai-riyo dragon is actually a dragon which possesses a bird-like shape and is the most evolved of all the dragons.

japan girl tattoo

Japanese tattoo designs have been experiencing a real revival in recent years and with the beautiful designs it is easy to see why. The Japanese have been doing tattoos for thousands of years and they have developed an some of the most beautiful designs and tattoo themes ever. If you are thinking about getting a Japanese tattoo design for women then here are some ideas and guidance that will help you in making your decision.

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.

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2 Koi immortal tatto in singapore

Hello all....

Its been awhile since I have updated anything in here... Been busy with life ( Even though it sucks most of the time ) and new projects. Well, anyway, did this piece a day ago. Enjoy !

Japanese Demon

The hannya mask is the vengeful and jealous woman turned demon. Pointed horns, metallic eyes and teeth, and the expression all exhibit the full wrath, anger and resentment of her nature. The origins of hannya masks may have come from early snake masks but most likely the image was taken from painted hand scrolls of stories and legends of the Muromachi period. In fact one of the oldest hannya masks is dated 1558. Of course the most prominent feature is the horns. Even to this day a hand gesture of two index fingers sticking up from a man's forehead is an indication that his wife is mad at him or jealous.

There are many variations of hannya masks. The coloring of the face also signifies the degree of passion in the demon's anger. For example, a more reddish color indicates strong resentment and anger and is used in such plays as Dodoji and Kurozuka, whereas a paler color would be more appropriate for Aoi-no-ue. Dodoji is the story of unrequited love between a woman and a priest of Dodoji (temple). She turns into a demonic serpent who wraps her body around the temple bell consuming it and the priest in the process.

For more information on Japanese Mask and their history check out http://www.yoshinoantiques.com/masks.html