Men's tattoos on an intimate place. Intimate tattoos. The meaning of intimate tattoos. Sketches and photos of tattoos in intimate places

What are intimate tattoos? These are drawings that are made in places hidden from prying eyes. Only a select few can see the beauty of the ornament. Such areas on the body include not only the pubis, but also the buttocks, tailbone, chest, and lower abdomen. The pictures here can be unexpected and original, defiantly sexy, or, on the contrary, very funny and bright.

Who has a secret under their clothes?

The art world is imprisoned modern world fashion. This can be seen in every canvas of artists and creations of tattoo artists. Every day people become liberated and relaxed, which immediately affects their actions. As a result of these sequences, the intimate mehndi craze is gaining popularity. Photos with ornaments are presented in numerous galleries and portfolios. Women who want to give a memorable gift to their lover resort to similar patterns. The subjects of images and stylistics are very diverse; in this matter, everything depends on personal preferences and goals.

Tattoos in hidden areas were popular long before our era. Inhabitants of Mesopotamia back in the fourth millennium BC. they painted the moon, sun, stars on the chest, decorated the lower abdomen with floral ornaments, and the pubis was hidden under the “king’s house.” In those distant times, patterns were a must-have accessory girls.

Today, the main goal of a henna tattoo placed on the pubis, buttocks, and chest is to attract the attention of your chosen one to your personality, interest him and add zest to sexual relations.

Another popular reason for this step:

• self-expression;
• self-affirmation;
• manifestation of hidden sides of character.

Choosing a place for an ornament is a responsible matter, because your lifestyle and passion for water sports can greatly affect the appearance of the temporary picture and distort it. To avoid regretting your decision, carefully consider all possible accommodation options.

Thanks to intimate henna designs, girls increase their sexual attractiveness; the presence of a pattern has an impact on psychological level, helps to become more free in relationships with men and changes behavior. If you are too shy and don’t see anything attractive in yourself for the opposite sex, then start a little secret in a sensitive area and see how much it will affect you.

Mehendi in the pubic area is especially popular among young people. By the way, many hollywood celebrities support this fashion trend and are not shy about experimenting with their bodies. If you decide to get an intimate tattoo, then choose a sketch from the photo and feel free to go to the artist’s salon. The artist will help you bring even the most complex ideas to life.

Popular options for henna patterns on intimate parts of the body

In mehendi, the themes of such ornaments are very diverse. The choice depends on the goal being pursued. An intimate tattoo with natural henna is not always worn erotic character. Typically, drawings in these places symbolize uniqueness, individuality, femininity and purity. Floral themes are especially relevant for such cases. She fills in the photo gallery of the masters. The pattern is selected in accordance with the horoscope:

• bindweed for calves;
• primrose for fish;
• violet for Aries;
• hop flowers for scorpions;
• oak leaves for crayfish;
• hawthorn for twins;
• snowdrop for Aquarius;
• chrysanthemums for Sagittarius;
• daisy for Taurus;
• holly for capricorns.

In any case, flowers are a symbol of celebration, beauty and tenderness. There is a popular belief in the tattoo world that images in the chest area are dangerous for women. But this is nothing more than a simple fiction. If there are no diseases or pathologies, then the original henna design is not capable of causing harm to health. By the way, this is the place most often liked to be decorated by girls with an ideal neckline shape, which is confirmed by numerous photos. The only thing you really need to pay attention to is the age of the client - if there are age-related changes, sagging, small skin folds, then you should not paint on such an imperfect canvas. The pattern may look sloppy and illegible.

If you want to make mehendi with erotic or symbolic meaning on the pubic area, then you can choose cats, butterflies or scorpions.

Since ancient times, graceful representatives of the cat family personify the unpredictability, sexuality, wisdom and self-sufficiency of their owner. Wild cats have always been associated with strength, courage and freedom. IN different time attitudes towards them changed from hatred and fear to respect and admiration. Some peoples believed that these animals are connected between two worlds. Therefore, at one time they were often burned at the stake along with their housewives suspected of witchcraft. In Egypt, the cat is one of the most revered animals. She is loved and revered. Often seen in photographs depicting ancient emperors and deities.

Scorpio is also an ambiguous figure, but nowadays it is more often interpreted as a sign of courage. If he is depicted in a duet with flowers, then this speaks of a woman’s strong love and loyalty to her lover, of the desire to live a long, happy married life.

The butterfly has long been considered the seal of prostitutes. Intimate insect designs with henna are now taking on a deeper meaning. artistic sense, which helped the masters return images and symbols original meanings, which their ancestors endowed them with in ancient times. As a result of these transformations, the butterfly tattoo has become a symbol of freedom, rebirth, refined taste and beauty. People endow this floating insect with the most excellent qualities, are associated with immortality and the human soul.

IN Last year There is a special trend - realism is developing in intimate mehndi henna. In the photo there are unusual images transferred from the portrait of a loved one, husband. Such ornaments The best way talk about your feelings, special treatment. This is not just a picture, it is a symbolic sign of loyalty and devotion. Such a drawing will definitely become exclusive and an unforgettable gift for a man.

When getting a tattoo in a delicate place, forget about prejudice and judgement; jewelry of this kind is not intended for strangers, so you can safely bring your desires and ideas to life.

City: Katowice (Poland).
Directions: Realism.
Work experience: 6-7 years.

Interview with Timofey Nikulshin: let's talk about the variety of women's intimate tattoos

Timofey, hello! Enlighten me, how did you become a tattoo artist?

Hello, everything happened due to chance: I walked past a beauty salon, which, by chance, had tattoo artists. And because I was not in a good mood at that time, and serious changes were taking place in my life at that time, I was simply destined to go there. There, under anesthetic drinks, they “dragged” on my shoulder a memorable skull with claws, which I had been bringing for 10 years, then I felt ashamed, it was damaged.
And then everything is simple. I have been drawing since childhood, and worked closely with human skin for 10 years, and these two factors came together. The first machine, the first induction needles individually, a power supply, paint from an unknown manufacturer, bought in a well-known tattoo parlor, the first clients who supplied their areas FREE OF CHARGE!

What difficulties did you encounter along the way?

What are the difficulties? Like all newbies - information. Or rather, its absence. I started my search, as usual, via the Internet, I looked at someone, heard, asked, read, etc. I didn’t learn from anyone, so I lost a lot of time collecting knowledge bit by bit. This was probably the main problem and difficulty.

Do you take on any projects or do you adhere to any special principles in your work?

All masters who work by invitation in Europe, and indeed abroad, have a division between projects into a commercial offer, when they pay well, but the order itself humiliates you more than elevates you, and, of course, the case when something pleasant is directly exciting the offer is also paid, and therefore I, and ALL my famous colleagues, when they work pleasantly, and when they just make money.

Among your works there are very interesting tattoos. Tell us how you and your client go through the process of creating or processing an idea for a future tattoo?

It all starts from questions like “for what?”, “what is this?” Then: “When can I come to you?” Well, then I plunge into searches, reflections, first projects on a given topic, the client evaluates it at the meeting, and forward and with a song! In general, there are many nuances.

Timofey, today in our interview we will talk about such a frank topic as women's intimate tattoos. In your experience, such tattoos are rare? Or is it not as rare as it might seem?

How can I say... rarely or not. There was a period when I only did intimate tattoos for a week in a row. Somehow, in waves, however, they didn’t order pubic painting in Europe; I did a lot in Kyiv.

What do you think are the reasons why girls decide to get tattoo on intimate places — in the “bikini zone”?

The reasons are related to the covering of a striped scar after a cesarean section, or a loved one’s visa in the form of initials, the covering of the former full name with the real one, or simply kitsch.

What type of female tattoos on intimate places are most common? All sorts of patterns or maybe predatory animals?

Patterns, flowers, little animals, inscriptions, signatures, eyes, butterflies, in general, everything that can fit in that area, or that project that, due to its size and plot, willy-nilly ends up in the panties.

If you look back into history, was there ever a fashion for women's candid tattoos on intimate places?

Of course, it was, and it’s too early to call it history, even 5-6 years ago I felt like a gynecologist, and if I also published a paper, the topic of which was popular at that time, then tomorrow I would have to sit again with a typewriter between a woman’s legs.

Among those tattoos for girls on intimate places that you have ever done, what sizes predominate? Often, small, neat tattoos?

Well, where can you go for a walk? The size ranged from small to very small, something like that, although I did it from the groin areas through the pubis to the deep bikini, but it was divided into several sessions for half an hour. It hurts a lot.

Have you ever created tattoo designs in the intimate area for female clients? Or do they usually come with ready-made sketches?

And this way and that, basically they called in advance and said what they wanted, and did not ask what I myself would like to draw there. If I work with a client for a long time, and then the conversation turns to an intimate tattoo, then I suggest it for the plot.

Have you ever gotten intimate tattoos on men?

Once, in the pubic area. The situation turned out to be somewhat comical; at the request of the customer, who had a tattoo in her intimate area, I did it on her young man on the pubic lips of this very young lady (lips of the face, sorry for the pun).
And that’s only because jealous notes began to creep in there; in general, it’s a long story. And in general, a lot intimate tattoos The rumors were accompanied by stories of a zealous nature.

Have you had any experience creating a tattoo based on a painting or simply the work of any artist?

Of course it was! Several works by Leonardo da Vinci, including even his self-portrait. Folk painting“Cossack Mamai”, “Archangel Michael” Luca Giordano. In general, there were a lot of episodic works from world classics.

Start

Back

The meaning of intimate tattoos

Women's intimate tattoos were popular long before our era. For example, in the fourth millennium BC. the inhabitants of Mesopotamia decorated their chests with the sun, moon and stars, floral ornaments were depicted on their stomachs, and the “king’s house” was depicted below. Such intimate tattoos were almost an integral decoration of the female body.

The topics of modern intimate tattoos are very diverse and depend on the goal that the woman wants to achieve. In artistic tattooing, intimate sketches are not always erotic in nature. Intimacy is rather determined by the location of the pattern: on the chest, lower abdomen, buttocks, pubis and below the lower back. For every representative of the fairer sex, such a tattoo carries a special meaning.

Intimate tattoos for girls usually symbolize individuality, originality, purity and femininity. The floral theme in such cases is most relevant. Often flowers are selected according to the horoscope sign. Violet is recommended for Aries, daisies for Taurus, hawthorn for Gemini, oak leaves for Cancer, holly for Leo, hazel branches for Virgo, bindweed for Libra, hop flowers for Scorpio, chrysanthemum for Sagittarius, holly for Capricorn, snowdrop for Aquarius, primrose for Pisces .

But intimate tattoos for women most often serve to spice up relationships, intrigue, and diversify sexual relationships.

Not every woman chooses erotic drawings. This topic is much more popular among men. But tattoos on intimate places are more often done by women.

The main theme for tattoos on the chest are flowers - a symbol of tenderness and beauty. There is an opinion that tattoos on the chest are dangerous. But in fact, in the absence of pathologies, such a tattoo does not threaten anything. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is age-related changes. It is not recommended to tattoo the nipples; they are usually framed with patterns of flowers or ornaments.

Intimate pubic tattoos are erotic or symbolic in nature. In addition to flowers, butterflies, cats, and scorpions are especially popular.

Until recently, the image of a butterfly was considered a distinctive sign of prostitutes. But now, when tattoo art takes on a more artistic meaning, many symbols and images have regained the original meanings that our ancestors gave them. The butterfly is a symbol of rebirth, freedom, beauty and sophistication. U different nations the butterfly was endowed with the most best qualities, was associated with the human soul, immortality.

Scorpio in Japan is considered a symbol of courage; in combination with a flower - fidelity, love, and a long married life.

Cats represent grace, sexuality, unpredictability, and self-sufficiency.

Wild cats symbolize courage, strength, freedom.

The mystery of this animal gives erotic meaning to cat drawings. In many cultures, cats were considered sacred animals and were endowed with magical powers.

With the development of realism in tattoo art, images of portraits and photographs are becoming popular. As intimate tattoos for girls, a photo of a lover is symbolic - a sign of fidelity and eternal love. Most often this is an original gift for a man. Although, for an intimate tattoo, the photo is not entirely suitable due to physiological characteristics.

By getting a tattoo on intimate places, you can forget about prejudices - after all, this kind of jewelry is absolutely not intended for prying eyes. Here you can realize all your imagination and desires.

Women's tattoos on intimate places have come to us through the centuries. In the 19th century, such a design was considered depraved, but our ancestors did not hesitate to decorate their bodies in this way. Today, painting intimate parts is not only a way of self-expression, but also an opportunity to change your way of thinking and lifestyle.

How to choose an intimate drawing?

Tattoos on intimate organs have undergone many changes these days. If previously it was popular in the décolleté area, on the buttocks or pubic area to draw only floral and plant motifs and fragments of various heavenly bodies, then today intimate tattoos are much more diverse. In addition, in the last century, a sexy tattoo was considered the height of bad manners, and today it is one of the options to emphasize your sexuality, liberation and individuality.

All girls who have decided to get an intimate tattoo, but have not decided on its content, should pay attention to the following points:

• Firstly, the drawing must fully correspond to the proportions of your body, perception of the world and lifestyle.
• Secondly, you should refrain from putting your loved one's name on your body, especially if there is no guarantee that your feelings will not subside after a year or two.
• Extremely ugly, and sometimes even vulgar on a delicate women's skin Brutal tattoos or portraits of favorite movie characters, political leaders, writers and poets look on a sophisticated body.
• If you already have a young man and a tattoo on an intimate place is done specifically for him, it would be useful to ask the guy’s opinion.
• And finally, you need to decide in advance where to place the drawing. First of all, ask the tattoo artist to draw a sketch with a pencil and see how the chosen image will look from the outside.

Be as responsible and meticulous as possible when choosing a tattoo on your intimate area, and remember that the chosen design will remain with you for the rest of your life.

Top 10 best tattoos

The ten most popular and erotic tattoos in intimate areas look like this:

It’s better not to get an intimate tattoo if...

Quite often in Lately You can hear the opinion that tattoos on the pubic part of a woman brought only disappointment and disappointed expectations. To prevent this from happening to you, you should not apply the drawing under the following conditions:

• You do not plan to constantly maintain a minimum level of vegetation in the intimate area.
• If it is difficult and painful to endure any painful sensations, because the tattooing procedure itself can be very unpleasant.
• A trip to warm countries is expected soon. The skin after tattooing will be red, inflamed and bleed for some time, which will not add sexuality to a woman. Experts recommend carrying out the procedure in winter or autumn.
• You are not maintaining a stable body weight. Remember that a tattoo that will look beautiful on a firm butt and toned chest can stretch out ugly if you gain a couple of extra pounds.

Part 4. BODY LANGUAGE

A real designer tattoo is always a work of art. Made with soul, with high quality and originality, it pleases both the owner and those around him with its beauty. By creating a picture on the skin, the master projects onto it the features of his worldview. Behind centuries-old history Each nation has developed its own school and traditions of tattooing. Each nation has contributed something unique to tattoo art, unique only to its culture. The differences here are not only in the motifs, ornaments, figures and symbols used, but also in the semantic load that one or another design carries. The same ornaments, images of flowers or animals among representatives of different nations and social groups can have different or even directly opposite meanings.

One can argue with the opinion of the Japanese writer Junichiro Tanizaki, who argued that “beauty accompanies strength, and ugliness accompanies weakness.” However, it is indisputable that “people have always gone to great lengths for the sake of beauty, not even stopping to cover their delicate skin with a leave-in solution. Bizarre dancing combinations of lines and colors dotted the bodies. Visitors to the gay quarters of Edo chose elaborately tattooed porters for their palanquins. Women were more willing to give favors to tattooed people. Among the lovers of such decorations there were also wealthy townspeople, and sometimes samurai. From time to time, shows were held in Ryogoku, where participants, showing off their naked, decorated bodies, proudly patted their tattoos, boasted about their new acquisitions and discussed the merits of the drawings.”

One of the stories by Junichiro Tanizaki describes the tattoo painting “Soul”, which, according to the author, can reflect someone’s essence. It depicts a Chinese princess, a favorite of the ancient Emperor Chu of the Shang Dynasty. As if exhausted under the weight of a golden crown, decorated with corals and lapis lazuli, the girl languidly leaned on the balustrade. The hem of the richly decorated dress spread out along the steps. With her right hand she raises a large goblet of wine to her lips, looking at the preparations for the execution in the palace garden. The victim's hands and feet are chained to a hollow copper pole, inside of which a fire will be built. The face of a man standing in front of the princess with his head bowed and eyes closed, expresses submission to his mistress.

In the paired “Soul” painting “Tlen,” the central image is of a woman leaning against a sakura trunk. She contemplates the countless corpses of men stretched out at her feet. A flock of birds hover nearby, singing songs of victory. The woman's eyes glow with pride and joy. What did the author want to depict: a battlefield or a blooming spring garden? Looking at this picture, everyone can feel how the innermost is revealed in the soul, which is usually hidden in its very depths.

From the depths of the soul one can extract, for example, religious feelings. These include images of religious symbols: Christian crosses, satanic signs. Ancient people gave tattoos magical meaning. Mysticism in tattoos was used to attract the attention of gods and spirits, to obtain magical power any sacred animal. In addition, people believed that a body sign could save life after death.

People have believed in the magical power of tattoos since ancient times. By painting an image of a totem or spirit, members of the tribe seemed to enlist its help in hunting, working and fighting enemies. A tattoo of a small bird near the eye served to improve vision. Children often had dots gouged out on their noses to protect them from injury. The eagle bestowed special powers, and a fish tattooed on the shoulder protected women from the unwanted attention of strangers. The owner of the tattoo bore full responsibility for it and had to prove by his actions that he was worthy of the patronage of the spirits he chose.

Some northern peoples Ritual tattoos, in addition to their direct purpose, played the role of a talisman. For example, among the Eskimos and Chukchi they protected the skin of exposed areas of the body from frostbite and irritation that could be caused by salty sea water. Tattoo amulets are designed to protect a person from evil forces, the evil eye, accidents, and the envy of enemies. There are several varieties of this type of tattoo, designed to prevent a variety of unpleasant situations, such as flogging, which was practiced in the 18th–19th centuries in the English navy. In addition, tattoos were common, saving children from the anger or punishment of their parents, the elderly from fatal diseases, and warriors from injury and even death.

Tattoos in the form of hieroglyphs, meaning: a) eyes; b) woman; c) jade

In Russia, amulets tattoos were widespread mainly among criminals. For example, prisoners often painted marks on their bodies that were supposed to protect them from trial, investigation and execution. It is worth noting that faith in such symbols was not very great. Currently, hieroglyphs, symbols, and images of animals are applied to the body as a talisman tattoo, which should bring a person good luck and protect him from troubles.

From the history

Previously, a ritual symbol adorned the body in a certain place, most often hidden from prying eyes. There was a belief that if applied incorrectly Magic force tattoos begin to work in the opposite direction: they provoke the wrath of the deity, attracting troubles and misfortunes to a person. Today, such drawings are practically never found; only their individual elements are used.

Modern believers, especially fanatics, mark themselves with images of religious symbols: crosses, crucifixes, faces of gods, biblical stories, scenes from the life of Buddha or images of his many incarnations, excerpts from the Koran are typical for Muslims in this regard. In the Middle Ages, religious tattoos were quite widespread among pilgrims. The fact is that the only way To prove his presence in the Holy Land was the presence on the body of a sign made by Coptic priests outside the walls of Jerusalem. Most pilgrims returned to their lands with a cross tattoo. Some were painted with images of George defeating the dragon, Our Lady and Child Jesus, St. Peter and a crowing rooster. Pilgrims visiting Mecca and Medina also applied religious tattoos on their bodies with excerpts from the Muslim holy book.

The clan tattoo originated as a sign of belonging to a certain public group- family, clan or tribe. By it, people could recognize their fellow tribesmen or relatives. In ancient times, such tattoos helped warriors during battles to distinguish their comrades from their enemies. Clan signs were made according to traditions that had been developed over centuries. Each element contained a deep meaning, so the initiate, seeing such a tattoo, could receive full information about a human. According to the ancient customs of the Ainu tribe, a woman was considered sinful if she did not have a correctly executed clan tattoo on her body.

Tattoo signs of medieval pilgrims

Similar tattoos distinguished Chinese gangsters and yakuza members Japanese mafia. Today's representatives of the underworld sometimes replace clan marks with terrifying tattoos that were so popular in ancient times. Representatives of some tribes usually painted the bared muzzles of wild animals or something similar on open parts of the body (face or arms) to scare away enemies and evil spirits. So, the inhabitants of Polynesia tattooed their faces, turning them into scary masks.

A type of clan tattoo are totem tattoos, which also indicate belonging to a particular tribe. It was believed that the animal, which is a totem, supports all members of the clan and endows people with special qualities. Totem tattoos included images of sacred animals. For example, in India it is a tiger, in Japan it is a dragon, in the Far North it is a deer. Currently, people choose totem tattoos individually, identifying themselves with some animal.

If among the northern peoples the deer is a totem sign, then in thieves’ symbolism this animal indicates the criminal’s tendency to escape

Tattoos social significance carried (and still carry) social information about the owner: they reported about his position in the tribe. Sometimes, with the help of a tattoo sign, the transition from one social status to another, the initiation of a young man into a mature man, or the migration from earthly life to afterworld. The people of the Diak tribe from the island of Borneo believed that in heaven everything acquires qualities opposite to those on earth, that is, light becomes dark, sweet becomes bitter, joyful becomes sad. That is why the prudent Diakians tattooed themselves in the darkest colors, so that after death the black painting would become light and shining. According to their beliefs, this light was quite enough for safe passage through the dark abyss that separated earth and paradise.

When the status changed for the worse, so-called punishment tattoos were used - a kind of retribution for crimes committed. For example, in the Japanese town of Chukuzen, guilty citizens were punished in this way. For the first crime committed by someone, a horizontal line was drawn on the forehead, for the second - an arched line, for the third - another line. These 3 features made up the hieroglyph “inu”, which means “dog”. IN Ancient China In Rome and Greece, slaves and prisoners were marked with tattoos to make them easier to find in case of escape. Currently, this type of tattoo is not used, although some of its elements are still relevant today.

The location and size of the image varied depending on the customs and imagination of the person himself. So, in Europe, sharpers were marked with a sign in the form of a hexagon, poachers were painted with horns, those exiled to galleys - the inscription “GAL”, those sentenced to lifelong correctional labor - “TFP”.

In Russia, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the letter “B” was burned on the forehead of those who were guilty. During the time of Catherine II, criminals were branded with one letter. For example, “B” meant “rebel”, “V” - “thief”. Convicts were marked with three letters: on the right cheek - “K”, on the forehead - “A”, on the left cheek - “T”. The result was the word “KAT”, that is, convict. After Russo-Japanese War Sailors who wanted to perpetuate their sadness for their drowned comrades began to make tattoos for themselves. They say that thousands of sailors returned to their homes with the image of the cruiser Varyag.

Among seafarers, especially those who often went to the southern seas, tattoos were very popular, eventually becoming a kind of business card sailors. Most often, they painted the names and portraits of their beloved girls or, if there were no lovers, the Virgin Mary, whose image was considered a talisman against all sorts of troubles. There was a belief among sailors that during a shipwreck, a shark would not dare to attack the owner of such a tattoo. The image of a snake was endowed with similar properties. A tattoo of a pig or rooster on the leg was intended to help castaways get to shore safely. In the maritime environment, including among pirates, there were drawings in the form of a rose - a symbol of love, crossed anchors, burning hearts and, of course, naked women. Often, individual symbols, most often an anchor, a cross and a heart, were combined into a single pattern. The personification of luck and happiness were images of a woman, an anchor, a lifebuoy and a dolphin. The image of a turtle indicated that the navigator had crossed the equator at least once. The cross tattoo acted as an identification mark, giving hope in the event of a shipwreck to be buried according to the Christian rite.

Today, almost all military personnel get tattoos, but most often not officers, but conscripts. As an example, the following statistics can be cited: in 1984–1985, for the sake of self-affirmation, 75–82% of total number military personnel. Representatives of the navy and conscript soldiers of construction battalions, whose tattoos usually indicate the place and duration of service, as well as the type of military service, especially tried to do this. Previously, such signs were made at will, although according to the unwritten army law, young soldiers, that is, those who had not served for six months, did not have the right to make them. Currently, in many armies of the world, the so-called identification tattoo (personal data, blood type) has become widespread. For military personnel serving in hot spots, such information often turns out to be vital.

The cross tattoo gave sailors hope in the event of a shipwreck to be buried according to Christian rites

The image of a dolphin among seafarers was the personification of good luck and happiness

Based on body art, it is easy to determine whether a person belongs to a particular field of activity, because professional tattoos are applied by people who are devoted to their work or have dedicated their lives to it. About 300 years ago, a drawing with a skull and crossbones could identify a pirate. Today's sailors, who are not persecuted by the authorities, choose less frightening and generally standard images, such as ships and anchors, although occasionally mermaids “swim” onto their bodies. Following the same logic, it is easy to understand that pilots love to decorate themselves with airplanes and their most spectacular parts. People associated with military service, patriotic tattoos are also typical, as an expression of sincere love for the Motherland. Usually they depict a flag, scenes dedicated to important events for the country, and patriotic inscriptions.

Tattoo American soldier

Mermaid is a rather rare design for sailor tattoos

Not all pirate tattoos included images of a skull and crossbones; apparently, this sign distinguished the most experienced, and therefore the most successful, corsairs

Sometimes a tattoo is made in memory of some pleasant event in life: a significant meeting, an exciting trip, an interesting incident. This could be the name of a beloved woman, mother, father, one child or all children at once. Such tattoos are accompanied by an image of a heart pierced by an arrow and some inscription. This type of tattoo is typical for the West. In Russia, nowadays, tattoos are almost never done as a keepsake, and this is not surprising, because our people look intently to the future, preferring to forget about the past.

Commercial tattoos in the 18th century were done for money. As already mentioned, they were used circus performers, traveling through cities. They showed off their tattoos at fairs and earned money that way. In the 20th century appeared new type commercial tattoo - brand name tattoo - application of logos of various companies to the body. The Harley Davidson brand is currently a particular favorite among supporters of such painting. Logos of Jack Daniel's, Durex, Nike, Mercedes and Ferrari are also often found. The manufacturing companies themselves have nothing to do with such advertising, but do not express a desire to pay for it or make any claims.

Occasionally, tattoos are applied to certain areas of the body in order to have a positive effect on the body. This was widespread on the eastern and southern coasts of the Pacific Ocean and in Tibet. In particular, the Tibetans believed that tattooing moving parts of the body helps to improve the health of the entire body and achieve internal harmony. Indians painted an image of the monkey god, Hanuman, on the site of the fracture, believing that this would help reduce pain. The Ainu tribe believed that health tattoos protected women and babies from various diseases. For the same reason, Maori girls had their lips and chin tattooed.

Love tattoos are still used today, endowing them with magical properties. Many people are sure that the names of lovers applied to the body are a kind of talismans that help maintain relationships. In Burma, love tattoos were performed bright red a dye mixed with a narcotic drug obtained from lizard skin and certain herbs.

The fashion for love tattoos has stood the test of centuries

Currently, decorative tattoos are the most popular and in demand. They do not carry significant information about the owner, do not indicate his feelings, but are simply beautiful, although often only from the point of view of the owner himself. Fantasy tattoos are close to decorative tattoos. Similar designs are applied to all parts of the body and come in a variety of types and shapes. In this case, the masters come up with the images themselves, but more often the characters and plots are borrowed from famous foreign artists working in fantasy style: Boris Valeggio, Darrell Sweet, Julia Bell, Kiruelo Cabral, Chris Achilleos.

Fantasy tattoos come in many different types and forms, such as these

And yet decorative, that is, simply beautiful, tattoos are more popular than all others

Interesting and useful

Every February, thousands of people flock to Wet Beng Phra Monastery, located 50 km west of Bangkok, to attend the tattoo festival. As part of this unique event, the most famous tattoo artists of the East, or rather local monks, work. On the skin of their many clients, who, by the way, come from all over the world, they depict texts of prayers and magical animals, which are believed to protect their wearer from misfortune.

In literature and advertising there is a lot various types tattoos. More often, the classification is based on the meaning of the design, less often it depends on the individual characteristics of its owner, and even less often, a tattoo is divided according to the parts of the body that it adorns. To be fair, it is worth noting that all efforts to bring at least some order into the art of body painting have so far been unsuccessful. Any division in this area is very arbitrary. There are types of drawings that combine several functions at once, and the images themselves are difficult to divide into female and male, old and youth. It’s hard not to agree that phrases such as “leg tattoo” or “back tattoo” sound ridiculous.

A typical example is the so-called erotic tattoos, which are made to make the body more sexually attractive, can decorate any part of the body and are essentially intimate. They are most often frivolous, not complex, and in the form of inscriptions they decorate a variety of parts of the body, even intimate areas. Men get a tattoo, trying to show their purely masculine qualities, and women, in order to declare their beauty and uniqueness, apply images of flowers, lizards, and various decorative patterns. A unique variant of such tattoos is a pair tattoo - the same or similar design decorating the bodies of lovers, often in the same place.

Couple tattoo - the same or very similar design decorating the bodies of lovers

When it comes to body painting, women are less conservative than men, so they are more willing to follow fashion trends. Recently, they are increasingly using tattoos to hide skin defects - small scars, moles or age spots. An experienced craftsman can easily make them invisible by turning them into an element of a design - the eye of a bird or animal, a flower petal or a deliberately ragged pattern.

There are certain fashion trends and in erotic tattoos, with the help of which ladies seek to attract the attention of a partner. Usually, various symbols, hieroglyphs, and initials of lovers are pricked on parts of the body that are hidden from prying eyes. Some brave people prefer exotic tattoos depicting dragons, snakes, and panthers. According to one of the tattoo artists, the latest fashion is images of animals located in such a way that they seem to appear from intimate places.

Typical female tattoo

Women's tattoos are characterized by small sentimental designs: flowers, butterflies, birds, charming animals. The design is applied to the thighs, buttocks, stomach (tattoos around the navel, which is also decorated with piercings, are especially fashionable) and the back (tattoos on the lower back are most popular), less often - on the chest. True, recently women have begun to get more tattoos on open parts of the body: shoulders, wrists, ankles. The most popular styles of women's tattoo fashion are Celtic (solid floral ornament in the form of a bracelet) and Japanese (multi-color designs depicting exotic flowers or animals).

Interesting and useful

It is believed that images on the body do not forgive betrayal: removed tattoos take revenge on the former owner. Recently, people are increasingly trying to get rid of body art. Many are pushed to do this not by a change in fashion trends, but by its secret meaning. However, women who are less susceptible to mysticism have other reasons. Any of them will think twice before drawing on themselves, say, scarlet rose. The female imagination, unlike the male one, is able to imagine herself - now so young and attractive - at 65 years old. It is easy to imagine what she will look like delicate flower on fairly withered skin - most likely just as withered. Of course, not every elderly lady is necessarily wrinkled and bony. But it is unlikely that even the one that will be able to maintain relatively fresh look, will decide to gracefully bare her shoulder in front of... Yes, she will not undress the way she did at 20, for fear of looking comical. On the other side, happy marriage dictates his own laws: an understanding husband or friend will accept his beloved exactly as she is, with her quirks in her youth and a rose on her wrinkled shoulder.

Tattooing is part of the ancient world, passed down to our contemporaries by inheritance, only slightly modified. As in the old days, people apply patterns on their bodies, rightly believing that this increases their status among their fellow tribesmen, that is, fellow citizens. Still in search of the desired image, each of them relies on their own feelings and knowledge.

One can only guess what exactly motivates those who get intimate tattoos. Apparently, their owners want to tell, if not the whole world, then at least a narrow circle of acquaintances, about their sexual character, perhaps to show the passion of their nature or, on the contrary, to reveal its romantic sides. In any case, an elegant picture in an “interesting” place - wonderful gift to your loved one, little secret, which connects lovers even more tightly, adding lyricism and piquancy to their relationship.

You can choose any design in this type of tattoo, but ladies prefer patterns or something resembling an autograph to specific images. Flowers are quite common, and less often - mischievous faces, insects, and funny little animals. Even here, men do not betray themselves, decorating intimate parts of the body with the muzzles and claws of wild animals, car parts, zippers (fastened or half-opened) and images of lacerated bloody wounds.

The lead singer of the pop group "Reflex" Zhenya Malakhova decorated with a tattoo a part of her body that is usually hidden from prying eyes - one of her buttocks. In vain they said that she followed the example of her friend, another lead singer of the same group, who had a hieroglyph tattoo for a long time. In an interview, Zhenya said that she managed to overcome her fear of a sharp needle and did not imitate anyone. After a rather unpleasant procedure for her, the young singer’s body acquired a personal sign: a stylized “J”, the capital letter of her name in Latin transcription. The tattoo artist developed a special lettering for the singer and ultimately ensured that the tattoo expressed Zhenya’s eccentric character.

A very unusual female intimate tattoo

According to statistics, only 5% of young tattoo lovers in Germany are willing to decorate their buttocks with a design, but almost all of them do not mind seeing one on the buttocks of their partner. According to Playboy magazine, among thousands of readers under 30, 77% of respondents consider tattoos sexy and would like to “paint” not only their butt, but also their shoulders (17%), back (12%), arms (6%), as well as breasts (3%). Tattoos on intimate parts of the body attract only a few: less than 1% of respondents were able to decide on this. Interestingly, among the older generation of Germans, the number of opponents of such decorations reaches 40%.

Quite a standard men's intimate tattoo

Over the centuries-old history, the art of tattooing has developed its own traditions, schools, trends and styles. The number of the latter is constantly changing: old ones disappear, new ones appear. This is due to the fact that the development of tattooing as an art is not so much a technical process as a cultural one. Unlike their predecessors, modern masters have greater creative potential and pay special attention to the artistic side of their work. Almost all of them visit museums, exhibitions, galleries, and are interested in film and theater news. The result of this is the emergence of qualitatively new ideas in body “painting”, which enrich the already existing, it should be noted, considerable base of this art.

As in painting, the technique of writing in tattooing is subject to rules enclosed within a framework. various styles.

old style characterized by clear, bold contours of the design with a predominance of monochrome filling. Some masters see in such writing something similar to comics. The theme is the most banal: dragons, flowers, scorpions, skulls. A new style It is distinguished by even bolder contours of the design, a mixture of colors, a variety of shades and a theme close to graffiti.

The biomechanical style is dominated by black, gray and brown colors. Shadows and penumbras, intertwining, superimposed on one another, patterns turning into each other make this painting shocking, however, for the uninitiated. The impression is enhanced by the plots - necro-psycho-surreal compositions.

The Celtic style can be immediately distinguished by the laconicism of the design and color scheme, where black dominates with a rare inclusion of red. The works of supporters of this style are distinguished by rigid graphics and a love of ornamental knots. Just like other ethnic patterns, Celtic ones are considered the most suitable for transferring to the body.

The biker style made a statement with images of motorcycles and everything related to motorcycle racing.

It makes no sense to list all the available tattoo styles, since in this area of ​​art, movements, schools and similar phenomena are very arbitrary and a clear classification in relation to them is not entirely appropriate. Tattooing rather refers to free creativity, which does not obey any dogmas, although it looks back at other ancient and modern cultures.

Tattoo of a resident of the Philippines: the ancient inhabitants of this country decorated dishes and other household items with similar patterns

Here, representatives of various schools are free to adopt what they personally like, borrowing the style of performance from their ancestors or from each other. This is how new trends arise, but in general, each master defines his own style.

Currently, only some tattoo styles are pure, for example ethnic, which is based on motifs, patterns, and ornaments of various tribes and nationalities. Ethnic tattoos reflect the culture of ancient peoples and are divided into Celtic, Native American and Indian, Polynesian, Philippine, New Zealand, Japanese, Chinese and many others.

It should be said that now the subject of body patterns has expanded noticeably due to the fact that not only the usual motifs for tattooing are used, but also any images related to the culture and history of a particular people. In particular, the ornaments with which ancient people decorated household items, weapons, clothing, jewelry, and horse harness are used. Sometimes masters combine motifs inherent in a particular people with modern elements, resulting in a very attractive stylized painting.

From the history

Ethnic tattoos in ancient times were made with specific purpose. In this regard, characteristics such as color and location of the pattern were of great importance. In some tribes, a lot could be learned from such signs. For example, among the Maori, complex tattoos were adorned on persons of noble birth. In general, the tattoos of this people were distinguished by both complexity and beauty. The patterns located symmetrically on the face intertwined, forming entire scenes, while the pattern was located strictly symmetrically on the body. American Indians painted similar images during wars with neighboring tribes. In times of peace, it was customary for some tribes in North America to draw a feather on their cheeks and a tree on their stomachs. Over time, the original meaning of many images has been lost. Tattoos began to be applied to different parts of the body, symbolism was replaced by banal decor, although it was precisely this circumstance that played a role main role in the development of tattooing as an art.

At the beginning of the 20th century, European and American tattoo artists began to widely use in their work the tribal patterns of the inhabitants of Oceania, where tattooing, as we know, has reached a high level of development. This is how the popular tribal style appeared today, with a technique borrowed from the Maori, reminiscent of wood carving.

The art of tattooing in Oceania is as ancient as its culture. In Polynesia ( New Zealand, Hawaii, the islands of Tonga, Samoa, Partnership, Marquesas) drawing was a real sacred act and therefore was trusted only to the priests. The artist was revered, his efforts were praised, and he was given generous gifts. For him, the whole community built a house-workshop, divided into tiny “offices”, where the shaman’s wards stayed for several weeks and even months until the work was completely completed. While the priest was tattooing, singing and prayers with approximately the following content were heard from the house: “... master of the highest beautiful drawings will give a wonderful tattoo only to those who pay well, but the poor and greedy will never see such beauty.” The weak or cowardly could not obtain beauty: the priest promised punishment after death to those who avoided tattoos for fear of pain.

Maori chief wearing a Moko mask

The abundance of body designs was considered a sign of noble origin. Only leaders and members of their clan had the right to cover their entire body with patterns. They said that one of the Maori leaders sold the tattooed heads of his subjects to Europeans and managed to get rich from it.

Among the Maohi, the indigenous population of Tahiti, the ritual of tattooing was one of the most important. Almost everyone was associated with him important events in the life of this people, from birth to death and even after it.

Male warriors applied new marks to their bodies after another victory over other tribes and, in general, on every occasion that was important to them. The only tattoos that were not done were on the face, palms and feet. By the number of such marks one could judge the bravery and courage of a warrior. The Maohs decorated themselves so lavishly that from their body paintings one could learn the entire biography of a particular member of the tribe.

Polynesian tattoo artists used a sharp chisel in their work, attaching plant thorns, fish and bird bones, shark teeth, sharpened fragments of shells or turtle shells to a stick.

The Polynesian tattoo technique is very interesting. Masters first mark the outline of the design on the skin. Then paint made from almonds and tree seeds is injected along the indicated lines. After applying the tattoo, the area of ​​skin is lubricated with oil, hemostatic agents and sprinkled with charcoal. To make healing happen faster, clients are prescribed a special diet.

Complex ornaments were made up of many lines - spiral, broken, parallel, diverging, ray-shaped. Spirals, waves, ribbons and even an antique meander are added to them. Most Polynesian patterns are characterized by symmetrical arrangement.

Previously, it was possible to determine a person’s position in the tribe by the ornament: the more luxurious the design, the higher the position of its owner. The Polynesians considered animals, most often turtles and dolphins, to be their ancestors, so a tradition arose of painting their images on the body as a clan totem.

From the history

Maori women endured pain for the sake of beauty, because without a design in the corners of their mouths, none of them could get married. Some peoples of Oceania have an abundance of patterns on female body testified to her endurance and fertility. In some places, the situation with women's tattoos reached extremes: on Nukuro Atoll, children born to non-tattooed women were killed at birth. IN in rare cases, like the Japanese Ainu aborigines, the Polynesians reflected their marital status and number of children in women's tattoos on their lips, cheeks and eyelids.

New Zealand traveler D. Cowan called his Maori ancestors “outstanding facial sculptors of all times and peoples.” When he said this, he meant famous mask moko - a continuous tattoo on the face, which was performed not with a needle, but with a small chisel that left incised wounds. Apart from the Maoris themselves, only the inhabitants of the Marquesas Islands knew this technique, similar to wood carving.

When making moko, the masters each time created a unique thing, although they used standard motifs:

Spiral patterns (pu-kauvae) on the chin;

Parallel lines grouped in a special way (repeches),

Rounded from chin to nostrils;

Two large enlarged spirals (pae-pae) on the cheek;

Spirals (rerepi and pongianga) on the nose;

Groups of curved lines (tivkhana), radiating from the nose, drawn above the eyebrows and further to the ears;

Drawing on the upper part of the forehead (puhoro);

Drawing on the upper part of the forehead (titi);

The more noble the Maori, the more beautiful, rich in patterns, and carefully executed his moko was. Anyone who did not bother to do it was automatically deprived of the right to occupy a leadership position in the tribe. The absence of any other tattoo reduced a man to the position of a slave (papa-tea, which means “empty” in the Maori language). Without a tattoo, a person could not become a warrior, and if he got into battle or, God forbid, accidentally died, then his body was thrown to be devoured by animals. With moko to the fallen warrior special honors were guaranteed, for example, after his death, his severed head was kept by his fellow tribesmen as a relic. Woe to those who went into battle and died unpainted: such corpses were left to be torn to pieces by wild animals. Moko tattoos were so personal that in ancient times they could be used as personal signatures or fingerprints. This was done at the beginning of the 20th century, when Maori, selling their lands to English missionaries, instead of signing on documents, carefully drew a copy of their moko mask.

Traditional men's moko

Modern women's tattoo in the spirit of moko

The Maoris resorted to the moko technique when tattooing the face, while for coloring everything else they used the usual method of pricking, known to all residents of Oceania. However, if their brothers from other islands covered their entire body with tattoos, then the Maoris had strictly defined parts of the body for tattooing. For men, the tattoo, in addition to the face, covered the body from the waist to the knees, as well as the chest, wrists, private parts and tongue, which helped determine the position in the hierarchy of the tribe. Women were not allowed to be in power, their position depended on the status of their father or husband, so they were only allowed to tattoo their faces. Married women could also wear a moko mask, which was still considered the prerogative of men; women were given it as an exception.

Largely thanks to moko this wild people, who did not disdain cannibalism, became known throughout the world. One day I accidentally found myself in New Zealand English artist asked an old Maori to serve as a model for a portrait. In its finished form, the painting was amazing in its resemblance to the original. However, the native did not like her. The old man took the canvas and back side depicted his real self, that is, the schematic pattern of his moko mask.

From the history

The tattoos of the Papuans of New Guinea were distinguished by their simplicity. They had enough simple ornaments made up of simple geometric shapes. Creating such drawings was also a simple matter: some kind of dye, most often ordinary soot, was rubbed into the incision or existing wounds. Papuans' body insignia were made mainly by women. sss

After Polynesian, the most significant direction in the art of tattooing is the Japanese style. Despite their external dissimilarity, these phenomena are very different in essence: a deliberately decorative, bright and at the same time elegant Japanese tattoo is a means of self-expression. In Japan, the art of body tattooing dates back thousands of years. Terracotta haniwa figurines with intricate designs found in 5th-century graves are by no means the earliest examples. The first thing that catches your eye when looking at Japanese tattoos is their size. The Japanese do not use separate drawings and inscriptions, believing that only a single image does not interfere with perception.

Secondly, we can note the unity of the image. It tightly covers the torso, leaving a small space unfilled in the center of the chest and abdomen. Covering the forearms, the pattern goes down to the elbows and ends at the hips. All this, as a rule, is not created at once: the master works sequentially, sometimes for several years, until the work is completely completed, that is, a composition in the form of a kimono or an open cloak appears on the body.

From the history

Irezumi is also mentioned in literary sources- the first handwritten monuments, including the Kojiki, a collection of Japanese myths compiled in the 8th century. Here, in particular, it is said that lovers pricked themselves with the names of their loved ones along with the hieroglyph inoti (“life”), which meant love to the grave. Followers of the Buddhist faith applied prayers to Buddha on their skin.

According to the most popular version, the Japanese borrowed the art of tattooing in the 5th century BC. e. among the Chinese, where it appeared 4 centuries earlier. A couple of centuries later, Chinese travelers noted in the chronicle of Sankuochi that in Japan, noble people were distinguished from the common people by patterns on their faces. According to another version, tattoos were invented by the Ainu - indigenous people Japanese Islands, subsequently pushed to the north. The Japanese themselves are inclined to the third version, based on the legend of King Jimmu, whose spectacular tattoos captivated the heart of the beautiful Senoyatataru and entered into folk epic. IN real life Japanese tattoo, like all the art of this country, has experienced ups and downs more than once. The apogee of its heyday came during the Edo era (1600–1868), and its decline during the Meiji restoration (1868–1911), when the Japanese authorities tried to introduce their fellow citizens to European culture using downright draconian methods. However, between these eras lies truly inspired period, which today's Japanese masters remember with pride.

The principles of pattern arrangement were formed in the Land of the Rising Sun back in mid-19th century, but still relevant:

Asymmetry;

Dense filling of the body surface;

Many small secondary motives introduced into large main ones;

Conditional character main images;

Clearly drawn decorative outline on the main images; in the old days, Japanese craftsmen traced the edges with special care, considering them, according to the rules of Ukiyo-e, the most important element compositions;

The depiction of the heroes is not frontal, but in three-quarters, according to the same principles of ukiyo-e;

Image Japanese girl, according to Ukiyo rules, not frontally, but three-quarters

The use of rich, contrasting colors that fill the entire surface of the tattoo;

The contrast of individual compositions in terms of movement (for example, a dynamic scene of samurai combat is adjacent to motionless figures of geishas);

Filling the “white spots” in the composition with a geometric pattern or inscriptions, for example excerpts from Buddhist texts;

Using peculiar artistic means, often coming from human nature.

For example, knowledge of anatomy, in particular, the order of the muscles, helps to make a body painting dynamic: by tensing and relaxing, the muscles impart movement to the drawing, and it looks expressive. In European tattooing, the tradition has taken root of focusing attention on the nipples and navel, creating playful compositions around them. The Japanese, on the other hand, treat these parts of the body with their inherent delicacy, emphasizing the nipples and navel with romantic motifs such as the eyes of a dragon or the center of a flower.

The subject matter of body art in Japan is amazingly rich. The craftsmen of this country use a huge number of motifs, plots and ornaments, including images of plants and animals, religious, fairy-tale and mythological scenes in the composition. Among the floral ornaments, the most common are images of sakura, peony, chrysanthemum, maple leaf. Drawings of animals close to Eastern man, such as the dragon and the tiger, are widespread. In coastal areas, themes related to the water element are popular. In such drawings, the image of waves is usually the background, at the same time emphasizing the relief of the body. WITH ancient times and to this day the Japanese proudly wear on their bodies figures of Buddhist deities, legendary and real heroes from among monks, samurai, courtesans and geishas, ​​kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers.

From the history

In the 6th–7th centuries, the Japanese tattoo acquired a negative meaning: it began to be used to brand criminals, as well as people from the untouchable caste, whose activities were considered criminal from a Buddhist point of view - executioners, gravediggers, butchers. The last thing to do was put a cross or a line on the forearm. The criminals had a tattoo on their forehead in the form of the hieroglyph “dog”, on right hand- double ring, on the left shoulder - a circle. Each locality had its own mark, so it was easy to find out exactly where a person committed a crime. In Japan, the holder of a shameful mark became an object of persecution, which was the most severe and humiliating punishment. Therefore, criminals tried to get rid of this sign as quickly as possible. The craftsmen applied new lines next to the mark, merging them into one new, more complex camouflage ornament. According to one version, it was this time that can be considered the beginning of the birth of the art of tattooing. Tattooists of that era had to show special skill in order for the shameful stigma to be lost against the background of the overall design.

The original meaning of many symbolic images has been lost, so now most of the drawings are applied purely decorative purpose. As for the plots and motives of irezumi, it should be said that almost from their very appearance, Japanese tattoos carried some kind of information, for the most part social plan.

Later, love and religious tattoos began to appear. The first ones were most often made as a sign of eternal love and devotion. Religious tattoos were worn by adherents of Buddhism. These were images of Buddha and saints of the Buddhist pantheon, most often the goddess of mercy Kannon. Often men created entire paintings on their bodies religious subjects: the legendary protector kings of Nio, the sacred guardians of Fudo Hell, whose image was supposed to ward off evil spirits. Standard Japanese tattoo themes can be divided into four main groups: flora, fauna, religious motifs and scenes borrowed from local folklore. The first group is dominated by images of flowers and trees beloved by the Japanese. Thus, chrysanthemum personifies perseverance and determination. Peony is considered a sign of wealth and high position on the hierarchical ladder. The sakura flower (“the petals fall even with a light breeze just as resignedly as a samurai gives his life for his master”) testifies to the transience of time and man’s vulnerability to its inevitable progress. The associations associated with the maple leaf among the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun are similar to those associated with the scarlet rose among Europeans.

The three most popular representatives of fauna in Japanese symbolism are the dragon (a symbol of power, the force that unites fire and water, that is, an animal that unites all opposites), the carp (a symbol of courage, bravery and stoicism), and the tiger as a symbol of courage.

Special attention deserve numerous marine and generally aquatic motifs, dictated by the fact that daily life Many Japanese people are closely connected with the sea. That is why in Japanese tattoos a wave motif often appears next to various water creatures, serving to enrich the background and emphasize the texture of the body. Leading religious themes there were figures of minor Buddhist gods, mythological and folk heroes.

A significant number of Japanese tattoo motifs are borrowed from the great neighboring nation, at least the Chinese themselves think so. However, in the field of tattooing, the power of their impact is much weaker than, for example, in painting or wood engraving. The difference in cultures and beliefs played a significant role in this. Unlike their great neighbors, the Japanese believed that a body design in the form of a plant or animal became the same patron of its owner as a real plant or animal.

From the history

In the Middle Ages, a ban was imposed on irezumi due to the division of the Japanese into classes. For each class - samurai, artisans, peasants - their own types of housing, clothing, hairstyles, and entertainment were strictly defined. Violation of the regulations was punishable by law, and since body designs were not within the established framework, they fell under an official ban. Nevertheless, the art of body decoration has not disappeared completely. By the end of the 17th century, tattoos were very popular among representatives of the lower strata of society - actors, firefighters, professional gamblers, merchants, day laborers, geishas, ​​yakuza. Among the latter, irezumi ornaments became a kind of identification mark, so for a long time, tattooed people were avoided. Because of the ban, people had to hide their body art. As a result, Japanese tattooing has gained new feature. The tattoo was applied in such a way that it was not visible from under the clothing characteristic of each class. Irezumi was applied to the entire body except open parts arms, legs and mid-chest.

Japanese tattooists, especially those who remain faithful to traditions, still do not provide pain relief to their clients, and also avoid electric machines: in their opinion, any mechanisms do not contribute to increasing the prestige of the tattooist, in addition, this results in the loss of flexibility of the fingers. During the procedure they use the good old bamboo sticks with needles attached to them. To apply a pattern, they require no more than 4 needles, while to fill the surface with color, a set of 30 needles tied into a bundle is required. This pairing is called “hari”. Experienced professionals give up to 120 injections per minute. The needles are driven into the skin using light blows with the heel of the palm and then additional pressing even deeper into the body. It is believed that simultaneous injection large number needles promote active penetration of pigment into the skin.

Almost all Japanese tattoos can be divided into two types - irezumi and gaman. The first, which arose in the 17th century, is designated by a term formed from two words: ire (“inject”) and zumi (“ink”). This type of body painting arose thanks to representatives of the criminal world, who in Japan, as elsewhere, were forcibly tattooed. After serving his sentence, a person with a mark was forced to hide it along with his past, most often under an additional drawing. Men's tattoos called “gaman” revealed truly masculine qualities in the person who wore them, that is, they testified to his courage, endurance and contempt for pain. Separate view tattoos can be considered the aforementioned women's kakushi-boro tattoos, performed by rubbing rice powder into the cuts.

High-class masters are reluctant to use the term “irezumi”, preferring to call their work more in an elegant word"horimono", that is, engraving. Japanese tattooists most often use black and red pigments, less often bronze, and only occasionally paint with green and yellow. To create extensive compositions, even the most best master spends several weeks, or even months. It is not customary to rush in such responsible work, because it is difficult for the client, and the tattoo artist experiences stress, not only physical, but also psychological.

Creating a Japanese tattoo is usually divided into 5 stages:

Suji, when a sketch of the composition is completely applied to the skin using black ink or a special dye;

Otsumi, when a special tool is used to highlight and secure the outline of a design;

Bokashi, when a bunch of needles pricks the general background of the image, which ensures filling with the desired color:

Tsuki-hari - basting, or shallow pricking of individual fragments of a design without contours or shades;

Hane-bari, which is the art of applying halftones. To achieve the best effect when tinting, you need to prick here in a special way, with a swing. The depth of immersion of the needles is strictly controlled, which makes this stage very difficult.

For tattooing, inks of plant and mineral origin are most often used. The palette consists of several primary colors, but experienced craftsmen are able to reproduce a large number of tones and halftones with their help. By the way, young tattoo artists freely use modern chemical dyes, which significantly reduces the time of tattooing. However, masters who follow traditions consider this unacceptable.

Even in Japan, few people master the hane-bari technique. Thus, in order to apply a certain halftone, very thin needles. They are injected under the skin under certain angle, with the required density of punctures, to a clearly defined depth: the deeper the needle goes, the richer the shade.

The session of applying drawings to the body lasts about 1 hour every day. In general, the price of such a pleasure as irezumi reaches up to 10 thousand dollars, which forces the masters to work only with reputable clients and always on recommendation. Almost all of them are not exchanged for small drawings - a little is not worth the trouble. Only a large-scale image can bring aesthetic pleasure to both the client and the artist himself. Even today, subjects are taken mainly from engravings famous painters ukiyo-e.

There have been cases when clients, after the first session, went to cheaper craftsmen, especially since it was easier to complete the work according to the existing intended drawing. There were also those who refused to continue working because of the pain of the procedure. In Japan, such people are contemptuously called half-baked.

Having completed the work, the master always leaves his autograph on the client’s thigh or armpit, according to custom, making an inscription of several hieroglyphs - hori (“carving”) and a personal name. And since names pass from generation to generation, it is customary to put a number after the name, which often coincides with the name of an ancestor - also a tattoo artist, for example Horitsune III.

However, some artists leave the tattoo unfinished, because, in their opinion, this is where true perfection lies, because everyone can imagine the ending as their imagination suggests.

From the history

New wave Irezumi's passion began in the second half of the 18th century. It was at this time that the novel “Suikoden,” translated from Chinese, about the adventures of warriors who united into a band of robbers and fought for justice, became very popular in Japan. Featured in the illustrations noble robbers were heavily tattooed. At the end of the same century fads famous actors and courtesans - great admirers of irezumi - could not help but influence other people. Thanks to the artists, the popularity of tattooing grew, and the government was forced to ease the ban. The outstanding actor Nakamura Utaemon IV could boast of one of the most beautiful tattoos. Following his example, the fashion for purely decorative tattoos gradually began to move into aristocratic circles. The beginning of the 19th century (Edo era) was marked by the emergence of the bourgeoisie. The favorite entertainment of representatives of this class was visiting entertainment districts and the Kabuki theater. By the end of the century, the ban was again tightened, since, according to the government, foreigners might be shocked by the sight of painted local residents and this would create a wrong impression of the country. However, quite unexpectedly, foreigners became interested in ancient art, and their ban concerned, on the contrary, Japanese masters had no end to clients - visiting sailors, travelers, businessmen. Touched by a passion for original Japanese art and high-ranking persons, among whom were the Duke of York (future English King George V) and Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov (future Russian Emperor Nicholas II), who returned home with a sample of creativity famous master Horite. In Japan, the names of the famous masters of the Edo era are still remembered today: Hori Iyuua, Karakusa-Gonta, Kon Konjiro, Nakamon, Kaneto, Yakkozei, Darumakin, Iku.

The Golden Age of Japanese tattooing is a literal concept, as it lasted for about a century. Despite the great popularity Japanese style all over the world, in our homeland it is ancient art gradually fell into decay. Even the final lifting of the ban after World War II did not completely restore irezumi. Many secrets of the ancient masters were lost and new technologies replaced them. Their use, however, did not allow multicolor tattoos to be reproduced in all their glory.

Women's tattoo irezumi

Nevertheless, no prohibitions or decline prevented Japanese body painting from reaching the level exquisite art. Irezumi has become a kind of sign of the beauty of the body and a subject for reflection. It has always been perceived as an art and a form of body decoration, and the owners of tattoos themselves were considered objects that can and should be admired. Nowadays, the traditional Japanese tattoo, distinguished by its colorfulness, volume, depth and color fastness, is still very popular. It is even considered a separate branch of tattoo art.

Body drawings helped a man demonstrate truly masculine qualities, and also testified to his endurance. Purely female kakushi-boro tattoos, made by rubbing rice powder into cuts on the body, had a similar meaning. Japanese women resorted to the services of hori (tattoo artists) to depict evidence of eternal affection for their lover on their delicate skin. They fell in love with the “negative” tattoo for its special properties: the design on the body, invisible to others, appeared only after drinking alcohol, swimming, or during intimacy.

Influence Western culture could not but affect the theme of Irezumi. However, it should be said that the prison theme, like any other theme that carries a charge of aggressiveness, did not take root among the Japanese even in the mafia environment. It is worth adding that the Japanese do not use hieroglyphs, as some people mistakenly believe Western masters, far from deep knowledge eastern philosophy in general and the Japanese worldview in particular.

Men's tattoo irezumi

Today, the lost traditions of Japanese tattooing are gradually returning, but in general, having a tattoo is assessed negatively. Body art can interfere professional career his owner, especially if he connects his future with medicine. The worldview of the average Japanese connects tattoos with the criminal world and, it must be said, this is not at all accidental. The ancient art owes much of its revival to the Yakuza - Japanese gangsters, alas, members of gangs similar to the Italian mafia. By getting tattoos, the Yakuza are separating themselves from their decent compatriots, while simultaneously strengthening their connection with the criminal world. Interestingly, in Japan the difference between a secular and a thieves' tattoo is very large. If art reigns in the first, then in the second there are banal to the point of vulgarity motives associated with criminal existence. Not unlike their European counterparts, the yakuza favor religious symbols and motifs derived from cards for the ancient game of hana-funa ("red-black"). Among the symbols associated with it, the most commonly used are cherry blossoms and maple leaves - designs in red and black, so beloved by gangsters all over the world.

From the history

During the Edo era, firefighters became interested in tattoos. They had to work naked, which their natural modesty disliked. The best way out of this situation was a solid tattoo - a kind of swimsuit, which over time acquired features characteristic of each fire brigade. Their example was followed by the Japanese, who, due to their occupation, had to expose their bodies. Thus, fishmongers decorated themselves with images of small fish, and ladies of easy virtue decorated themselves with crabs, which in Japan personified tenacity. By the same logic, sharpers, although they did not have to play naked, wore pictures with dice and cards on their bodies covered with clothes. With the help of a tattoo, geisha could be naked contrary to the law: the skin, covered with multi-colored patterns, imitated a dress, and in addition made the woman even more seductive. It is known that geisha did not sell themselves, but they were allowed to have a permanent partner. The patrons treated them with such respect that some had a desire to create real family, which was impossible to do. If there were any problems between a geisha and her patron tender feelings, they could immortalize them with joint tattoos - they drew moles on their hands so that, holding hands, they could be covered thumbs. The custom of pinning the names of lovers next to the hieroglyph inoti (fate) has still been preserved: the entire phrase meant approximately what the Russian phrase “eternal love” expresses.

Many European masters try to reproduce in their works the features of the Japanese style: intense, contrasting colors, artificially created asymmetry, thoughtful composition, symbolism of images. But only a few manage to reach the level of expressive, elegant, amazing in terms of philosophical essence artistic tattoo Land of the Rising Sun.

Many tattoo styles that were popular in the past still feed the imagination of artists today. Exact copies Ethnic signs and designs are now rare, because for today's masters they are too simple, and therefore uninteresting. The technique of stylization is used much more often: the masters of modern tattooing perfectly adapt the ideas of ancient peoples to the requirements of their time. In this regard, it is especially significant African art.

The Black Continent can rightfully be considered the cradle of body art. It was here, in the unbearable heat, among the sands, jungles, wild animals, that traditions were born and spread throughout the world decoration bodies. Even today, in this age high technology By the way, not a single African country has been spared, each tribe has and carefully keeps the secrets of “their” tattoo.

Quite a lot important role climatic conditions played a role in the development of this art, thanks to which people have the opportunity to demonstrate their bodies all year round. Only on this continent, back in ancient times, it was possible to observe all the methods of body decoration that exist today: painting, scarring, tattooing, piercing. The body was decorated for various purposes, including decorative ones. Body signs talked about social status a person, expressed his worldview, and also reflected the stages of life (the transition from childhood to adulthood, marriage). When applying tattoos, their location, color intensity, size and color played an important role. The latter were often special for each tribe or family.

Body marks were applied to both men and women. For example, in a number of African tribes, young spouses made cuts on their skin, which were then rubbed with resin. In many tribes it was customary to give women tattoos indicating their marital status(whether she is married or has children). Male body marks usually characterized their owner as a hunter or warrior.

From the history

In Africa, the location of the body sign was very important. Scars were applied to all parts of the body: chest, back, arms and legs. For example, in the Ubangi Banda clan it was customary to decorate the chest, back and arms with symmetrically located scars. The same location of the sign has a certain meaning among different tribes. For example, Yaounde women made scars on their thighs. But among the residents neighboring them, this was considered indecent. In some African tribes the scars were inflicted on small children. To do this, their cheeks were smeared with a mixture of herbs, ash and saltpeter and rubbed in. After the wounds healed, rough scars formed on the skin. The custom of scarring children and adolescents is very ancient. For example, in order for a young man to be able to join the circle of men, it was necessary to make a certain scar on the skin. The application procedure was very painful, but mandatory, since it was believed that after it it would be easier for a man to cope with life’s difficulties.

Among most African tribes to this day, the absence of a tattoo is a sign of inferiority. It is believed that a man without a pectoral sign will lose his luck, and a woman will not be able to start a family.

Due to the fact that tattooing (or scarring) occupied such an important place in the life of tribes, the process of applying body marks belonged to the category of complex rites, into the sacrament of which only a select few were initiated. The traditions of tattooing and scarring were strictly observed, the ritual was performed mainly by representatives of the older generation.

Unlike such pure styles as African or Japanese, Scythian (animal) is a conglomerate, including traditional decor typical of different nationalities. Judging by the name, it was distinguished by single or repeatedly repeated images of animals. There is currently not a single version about the origin of this type of tattoo, as well as about all the art of nomadic people. Researchers believe that the cult of valor that exists among some Siberian tribes played a significant role in its formation. It is no coincidence that the animal style, known throughout the world for gold jewelry, was used to decorate ritual utensils, clothing, weapons and horse equipment, in a word, everything that accompanied military affairs.

The Scythian style is distinguished by a wealth of forms, design techniques and motifs. It is characterized by emphasizing the features of the depicted, using limited space, additional details, inscribing some drawings into others (sometimes another, smaller animal was included in the image of a wolf’s thigh).

The characters in Scythian body painting were mainly animals, sometimes plants. The plant range is represented by stylized images of various buds, flowers, leaves, often inscribed in geometric shapes. The most common ornament is a comma-shaped figure.

Animal motifs are distinguished by their richness of shapes and complexity of patterns. The ornaments were composed of stylized images of various animals and birds with numerous branches: deer, elk, mountain sheep or argali, wolf, tiger, leopard, less often lion, eagle, griffin, goose. As a rule, they were all harmoniously combined with individual elements, for example, claws and tusks of a boar.

Relatively symbolic meaning There is no exact data on Scythian drawings, but by comparing the beliefs of this people with other religions and traditions, we can give brief description at least the most popular images:

Deer and elk are universal, auspicious symbols that are associated with sunrise, light, purity, renewal, and creation. Their branched horns resemble Sun rays, meaning longevity, and the periodic change of horns indicates rebirth. U nomadic peoples the deer is also associated with courage and passion;

The mountain ram (argali) represents masculinity, generating force, energy. The spiral of ram's horns is revered as a sign of thunder, and is sometimes associated with the Sun and Moon. However, among almost all ancient peoples the ram is a banal sacrificial animal;

The tiger evokes strength, aggression, ferocity, cruelty, while simultaneously signifying regal beauty, grandeur and swift movement;

Leo always and everywhere has a dual meaning, containing both good solar and evil lunar symbolism. Thus, he is seen as the personification of both good and evil. In some cultures, a pair of lions means doubly strong ruler. The lion griffin with the body of a lion and the clawed paws of an eagle personifies the union of two elements (earth and sky);

Elements of the tattoo of the Scythian leader: a - argali; b - lion griffin

The eagle is considered the king of birds, just as the lion is the king of beasts. Being a mediator between Heaven and Earth, he personifies light, while the serpent opposite him represents darkness. Together they make up a cosmic whole, a totality, a combination of spirit and matter. The eagle is known as a symbol of unlimited power and military might; it is no coincidence that it was so often included in state heraldry. In general, among the Scythians, predatory animals were traditionally depicted with too much big head, with a bared mouth and an inverted rear part of the body;

The goose, on the contrary, is a home symbol, meaning comfort, reliability, parental love, in folklore this animal appears as a talkative, maternally (or paternally) caring creature, albeit a little stupid. In the legends of some nationalities, the goose follows the sun during migrations, therefore it is a symbol of movement and breathing (“bird of sigh”).

The Scythian tattoo style is also characterized by the depiction of aquatic animals, which are distinguished by their schematic design (only the external main contours and fins were outlined), and fantastic ones. For example, the mythical vulture was traditionally depicted with a crest, crest, and deer antlers.

From the history

Scythian tattooists divided the bodies of the depicted animals into two parts. The back one, absolutely simple, was done schematically. The front one was richly decorated with intricate ornaments and represented the beast as mythological creature enormous size and the same strength.

Tribes related to the Scythians had similar tattoos, which were also used for ritual purposes and to indicate social status. In 1948, during archaeological excavations In the Pazyryk tract in Altai, a mound was discovered, presumably of the leader of the Sak tribe. Scientists attributed the time of burial to the 5th–6th centuries BC. e. The body of the deceased (arms, shoulders and legs) was covered with impaled animal designs - a classic example of the same animal style. One of the tattoos represented a griffin with long tail. The pattern began on the front of the body, passed under the left arm and ended above the left shoulder blade.

On the right arm and right leg there were also drawings with animals: a kulan or a donkey, a mountain sheep and other fantastic animals. The tattoo on his left arm was three separate designs: two leaping deer and a ram. On the right leg, on the outer side of the shin, a large fish was depicted, on the foot - a monster with fangs, horns and three bird heads.

Location of tattoos on the body of the Saka leader

In 1993, in the same Pazyryk, the mummified body of a young woman with a similar tattoo on her arm from shoulder to hand was discovered. Separate (probably symbolic) designs covered the phalanges of the fingers. A rich burial, an abundance of expensive things and even weapons made it possible to classify the deceased as a noble member of the tribe, which is why today she is known as the “Altai princess.” Her tattoos, like the Scythian ones, according to researchers, were made not with a needle, but with another, but also sharp, object. The Altai master used soot as a dye. Fantastic motifs of tattoos indicate their magical meaning and are associated with the cult of shamanism, which is preserved among the Altai and other Asian peoples to this day.

Tattoos Siberian peoples have very ancient history and common roots, which can be inferred from the repeated motifs in the drawings. Tattooing in Siberia was widespread until the 1930s and for several centuries remained almost unchanged in both form and essence. Mostly primitive drawings were found: straight lines, schematic images of humans and animals. The most common elements of the ornament were straight and arched lines, circles, spirals, ellipses, blades, tridents, and scrapers. The Y-shaped figure was very popular, especially among coastal peoples, since its shape resembled the tail of a whale - an animal that provided livelihoods to entire villages. For men, such a tattoo was located in the corners of the mouth, for women - on the arms or cheeks.

The Eskimos' method of tattooing was unique. Northern masters used tattoo needles like ordinary sewing needles, and worked in a similar technique. A bone needle with a soot-dyed thread was inserted under the skin and pulled under it. This method did not allow performing small or very complex drawings, however, it made it possible to quickly apply a tattoo to a large area of ​​the body.

The tattoos of Eskimo men were much simpler than those of women, and consisted mainly of simple elements. Drawings were applied to the cheeks, in the corners of the mouth, on the temples, and on the forehead. Women's tattoos were very diverse and complex. Parallel vertical lines were often drawn on the chin, forehead and bridge of the nose. A complex pattern of various elements was made on the cheeks.

Tattoos were also used to decorate the back surface of the hands, wrists, and the lower part of the forearm, while the designs on the hands could be either the same or slightly different.

Tattoos among the Khanty and Mansi, as well as some Tungus tribes, had their own characteristics. The meaning of their ornaments is still unknown, but there is an opinion that the process of tattooing among these peoples was mainly women's business, although representatives of both sexes had drawings. Men's tattoos probably indicated belonging to a clan or family; women’s ornaments depicted animals and birds.

Modern Slavic style, like Scythian, is in the stage of formation. However, the fact that people are interested in him is already good. There is an opinion that in its traditional form the Slavic tattoo is found only in some countries of the former Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, repeated attempts to check its presence in other Slavic regions invariably ended in success - the Slavic brothers clearly prefer ancient traditions when it comes to tattooing.

History of tattoos Slavic peoples dates back several thousand years and the first mentions of them can be found in the works of Roman historians of the 3rd century AD. e. Among the Proto-Slavic tribes, body “painting” has been known since the Neolithic era. At that time, special clay seals - pitanders - were used to apply drawings. Elements of a diamond-meander pattern were applied to the presses, and certain areas of the body were covered with these patterns. The Slavs attached magical meaning to tattoo designs - they played an important role in fertility cult rituals. Women's tattoos were considered amulets of the home, some of them were used as protection against diseases and evil spirits. Like everywhere else in ancient world, they could indicate that a person belongs to a certain clan or tribe.

Among Serbs and Poles, plant motifs of tattoos were most widespread; symbolic images of the sun were often found. Warriors applied floral designs to their hands. These tattoos were found in late XIX century by Austrian scientists Leopold Gluck and Ciro Truhelka.

From the history

It is believed that the eastern and Western Slavs There is a lot in common, both in the motifs of tattoos and in their locations. The custom of the Zaporozhye Cossacks to shave off the hair on their heads and cover their bodies with tattoos is rooted in the pagan past.

By the time of formation Kievan Rus tattoos of ancient Russians have lost their mystical meaning, remaining only signs of belonging to a clan or social group. IN further development tattoos went in two directions: on the one hand, these were the marks of criminals, on the other, the coat of arms of boyars, princes and other representatives of the nobility. Later, as the army developed and strengthened, army tattoos began to appear as a sign of belonging to a particular regiment or branch of the military.

At the end XIX century tattoos were found mainly among the Catholic population. Almost every adult girl or married woman there were images of garlands, twigs, ornamental crosses on the chest, shoulders, palms, right down to the fingertips, and less often on the forehead. Catholic men did not shy away from tattoos, but they underwent this procedure much less often, most willingly exposing their shoulders and forearms to the image of crosses. However, the cross is not the only motif; there were also tattoos in the shape of a heart, crown, anchor or initials, which testified to the secular origin of their wearer. Among the Catholic population of Serbia and Herzegovina at the end of the last century, tattoos were as common as the pectoral cross itself. And this custom was encouraged by Catholic priests who wanted to prevent parishioners from converting to Islam. After all, Bosnia was a province in those days Ottoman Empire, and most of the population adopted the religion and language of the Turks. Only the indelible cross on the body, prohibited in Islam as a symbol of Christianity, kept the Bosniak in the womb catholic church.

West Side Slavic population drew inspiration from Orthodox literature, more precisely from manuscripts framed with a peculiar ornamental border. This sophisticated graphics, apparently, marked the beginning of the Russian style in tattoo designs. Anchored on ancient Slavic core, it appeared a long time ago, although it entered tattoo art only a few decades ago, which is why artists are still arguing about what to call it: Russian or still Russian. However, no one will look here for special historical roots, but there is a chance to find supporters of a new direction, especially valuable for patriotically minded layers. Modern Russian style has nothing to do with thieves' tattoos, for a long time existing throughout the vast territory of our country. Those who chose him wear a peculiar painting on their bodies: a sort of mixture of motifs from Russian fairy tales, Palekh, Gzhel, Scythian animal grins, Altai ornaments, motifs of stylized book graphics Bilibin and the Vasnetsov brothers. Recently, subjects inspired by the paintings of the artist Vasiliev have appeared in the catalogs of Russian tattoo parlors.

For the newest direction The Russian-Russian style is characterized by a mixture of traditional patterns, such as cruciform and rhombic figures, dots and commas, spirals, reminiscent of the serpentine motifs of the Celtic style.

Celts lived almost throughout the entire territory Western Europe, especially densely populating the banks of the Rhine, Seine and Loire. This mysterious people left traces in the upper Danube and in the British Isles, where the Celts were called Britons. It is not surprising that their civilization, so attractive, but, unfortunately, too little studied, was influenced by the most different cultures, including Byzantine, Slavic and even Roman, despite the eternal enmity of the Celts with the Romans.

According to experts, the earliest Celtic art was characterized exclusively by plant motifs: twigs, leaves and flowers woven in a special way. Over time, schematic images of animals were added to them, and this union was so harmonious that it became an integral part of Celtic art. The most common pattern among the Celts was “braiding,” consisting of elements such as intricate weaves and knots.

Celtic legends that have survived to this day, supplemented by visual material, that is, household items, testify to the close relationship of Celtic tattoos with Slavic ones. However, it is worth comparing the ancient Celtic cosmogony with its plant basis, and even more so with animal motifs, as some discrepancy emerges. The reason is not even in alien details, but in their predominance in this or that symbolic image. Thus, the famous braiding was known to all the peoples of Europe and part of Asia, but in the culture of the Celts it appears completely unique.

The famous Celtic "braid"

The same can be said about animal motifs. Some researchers believe that the Celts began to draw animals, including on tattoos, from the time when they met the Scythians in military uniform, if that is what their primitive attire can be called and, of course, in war paint.

Perhaps it was then that the snake appeared in Celtic symbolism. In the earliest depictions, the Celtic snake appeared as a zigzag line. Later they began to draw it in the form of a lock of hair or even more clearly - as a winding stripe, uneven in width. The snake is important in the systems of the universe of the peoples of the world, and everywhere it is considered from the very different points vision. Their inherent ability to shed their skin made it possible to make this reptile a symbol of rebirth (renewal). Her body is shaped like male organ or the umbilical cord, which are in different cultures correlated with fertility and, therefore, with a large number of offspring. The snake's venom frightens and destroys, but it can also heal - the duality was quite consistent with the Celtic way of thinking. The shape and forward movement of the snake serve as a link between the source and the sea, sky and earth and, ultimately, connect the snake with the cult of water.

One of the most original and, judging by the complexity, later versions of the image of the Celtic snake

The image of a snake on a weapon inspires fear and gives it a special warlike meaning. Exclusively in positive quality, namely as a symbol of wisdom, the snake is found in heraldry, where, however, sometimes it also means the devil. Its connection with the dragon has been established: the legs and several heads of this legendary creature appeared as a late addition to the earlier simple image snakes. The most ancient (IV century BC) images of dragons, often in pairs, were located on sword belts and sheaths.

In turn, the dragon among the Celts is traditionally associated with war. Considered the patron saint of warriors, in legends he appeared as their protector, and sometimes, fighting human enemies, he himself became a hero. The tales of Merlin mentioned a red dragon (the symbol of King Arthur, who accompanied him in battles) - a fighter against universal evil. In a different, already negative meaning, about a thousand years ago, the Celtic dragon appeared in the legend of Llud, the king of Britain, who saved his people from two terrible monsters who screamed so that life on the islands froze: men lost strength and courage, pregnant women gave birth before children died, and sons and daughters lost their minds.

Unlike ancient tattoo painting, modern one allows pairing of such opposing symbols as dark and light dragons

From about the 4th century AD. e. the image of a dark dragon was a symbol of the armed detachments of the Welsh, and the light dragon was a talisman of the Angles and Saxons who surged from the east at that time. Ancient tradition is still alive, because the red dragon on a white and green background is part of the national symbolism of Wales, similar image appears on the Welsh flag. Representing strength and freedom, the dragon in different types and colors is present at Welsh holidays, is a favorite souvenir among tourists and a popular decoration on the bodies of local residents. By the way, it is not always used in tattoo designs. full image dragon, for some some part of it is enough, for example the tongue.

A specially shaped cross is the most recognizable element of modern Celtic style

Modern Celtic style is a mixture of ornamentation of ancient European (Germanic and Slavic) peoples, Scythian animal motifs and patterns borrowed from Indian tribes. Tattoos made in this style are still performed in the likeness of a ritual and often play the role of a talisman. For the most part they are executed in a realistic manner, that is, animals, flowers, objects and the world depicted as they look in nature.

From the history

Currently, the image of a dragon can be found in the folklore of the most various countries. In China and Japan, it is very similar to a snake: wingless, with 3–4 legs and one small head. In the Middle East it has short legs. In Europe, in the drawings of barbarians, the dragon is bipedal and, as everywhere else, with pointed ears. In Ancient Egypt, a dragon was a snake transformed into a monster, like the Celts, woven into a knot, with claws and a bird's head.

Tattooing was an integral part of life among ancient peoples. The American Indians were no exception, whose culture, unlike the Celtic one, came to us not only in the form of legends. Indian life can be imagined, and if there is a desire, repeated, of course, in separate elements, according to written sources And archaeological finds: reliefs on the walls of pyramids, sculpture, ceramics. A striking example Unusual Aztec and Mayan tattoos can serve. When in 1519 the troops of Hernan Cortes landed in Mexico, which then mostly belonged to the Aztecs, and saw local warriors, they were stunned by their appearance: unusual headdresses and clothes, decorated with jade plates and feathers, amazing hairstyles, terrible body ornaments and scars. At that time, Europeans were not yet familiar with tattooing, and they decided that it was somehow connected with the devil.

Subsequently, the Spaniards recorded in their reports that the savages not only worshiped their terrible gods, but also painted their images on their bodies, which did not wash off. Europeans were horrified by such “ amazing barbarism" and found such paintings disgusting.

However, among the local population, body tattooing was quite common and associated with religion: in honor of the gods, the Indians made sacrifices and got tattoos. The Mayans even had a tattoo deity named Akat, who was also considered the spirit of life and was responsible for the growth and development of plants. It was customary for brave warriors to get a new tattoo on their body after another victory. Therefore, the bravest, as well as the oldest and most experienced warriors had their bodies completely covered with intricate patterns.

Indian eagle: the conquistadors found such murals disgusting, but today they are a role model

According to historical sources, the Mayans did tattooing and scarring by scratching and cutting into pre-colored skin. A specially prepared clay-based composition was rubbed into the wounds. As a result, after healing, scars appeared on the skin, forming various geometric and symbolic patterns.

Scarring and tattooing are most widespread among the male population. Scars and tattoos served as a source of pride, an indicator of a man’s courage and valor. Before marriage, young men gave themselves small tattoos. Those without tattoos were ridiculed, as their absence was considered shameful.

Women also got tattoos. They applied it to the area from the neck to the waist, except for the chest (due to feeding). Their body patterns were particularly beautiful and graceful.

Tattoos were used not only for decorative and ritual purposes, but also as punishment. Those who broke the law had tattoos on their faces from forehead to chin in the form of stripes.

In addition to tattooing and scarring, the Mayans widely used body painting, piercing and even deformation individual parts bodies. For example, among the Mayans it was considered normal to have an irregularly shaped skull and squint. For this purpose, boards were tied to the head of newborns, and a little later, beads or ribbons were tied to the development of strabismus.

To give special beauty, residents pierced their earlobe and stretched it so that they could wear jewelry up to 3 cm in diameter. They also pierced the lower lip, nasal septum, wings of the nose, filed their teeth and encrusted them with jade, hematite, and obsidian. An example of perfection, according to ideas ancient people, can serve as the body of a halachvinik - the ruler of the city-state of Chichen Itza. The face of the “embodiment of divine powers” ​​on Earth is completely covered with tattoos, the earlobes are pierced and elongated, the nose is enlarged with the help of a special substance and is curved so that it resembles an eagle’s beak. The teeth are ground down to the shape of saw teeth and decorated with jade plates.

After Columbus discovered America, local tribes, along with tattooing, began to practice body painting. Permanent drawings were made mainly by women, which is probably explained by their position in society. Men applied temporary ornaments to their bodies on certain occasions and for different purposes.

Body painting among South American Indians, as well as among other peoples, carried information about social status, but sometimes indicated membership in one or another social group. Men made martial and ritual drawings mainly before or after a hunt, as well as during some rituals. In some tribes, boys were tattooed at the onset of puberty.

From the history

It is known that in one of the South American tribes, noble women received tattoos on their arms from shoulder to wrist, and only in rare cases on their faces. According to Indian customs, only older women could apply tattoos. First, they drew the main lines with charcoal, then made punctures with cactus spines or a sharp bone, into which they rubbed soot mixed with saliva, the juice of the genipapu fruit, or the ash of certain types of palm trees.

A study of the life of South American tribes showed that the Indians often applied ornaments to their bodies simply for decoration. Scientists came to this conclusion after drawing attention to the similarity of body patterns with patterns decorating pottery, mats, clothing and other household items. North American Indians tattooing is also familiar. In the tribes that lived in what is now Canada, body designs were worn mainly by Kamia and Tubatulabal women, and in southern Alaska everyone, including children, had tattoos.

Tattoo designs in the modern American style are very picturesque, sometimes expressive, but, as a rule, shallow in meaning

For Americans, until recently, the best was a replicated drawing, such as this funny dog, which was originally an army symbol

With the arrival of the “pale-faced” people, interest in tattooing among Indians began to decline and by the middle of the 20th century it had practically died out. The tradition of painting bodies has been preserved in some tribes, but there the drawings are simple and unpretentious, as if they have some connection with the modern American style, which, although not distinguished by the richness of forms and motifs, pleases with a bright palette: colorful, funny in plot, expressive, but shallow meaning hearts, ribbons with inscriptions, sailor's pipes, cartoon ships, swallows, flowers, daggers with cute snakes. They are performed on different parts bodies with a small number of shades, with a clear outline, but without shadows. In contrast modern approach When it comes to tattooing in the traditional American style, the main thing is the tattoo itself, and not its originality. According to experts, “all this replicated monotony can only be considered art within the framework of pop art, which, as we know, is very closely related to popular culture. There was and is nothing to do with self-expression; on the contrary, it is a complete rejection of individuality. Such tattoos were performed solely because similar ones were seen on someone, which means they were fashionable.”

This trend of painting in a deliberately primitive manner originated in the era of Elvis Presley (America in the 1950s) and still remains on the crest of fashion. Since there were no alternative tattoo styles in the USA at that time, it was recognized as traditional. In the early 80s of the last century, they changed, acquired a different meaning, becoming even more widespread in this form - now all over the world. It was during this period that tattoos became more diverse, and ornamental designs appeared. Many masters visited Japan in those years and borrowed the style now called American-Japanese.

The rise of tattoo art coincided with the emergence of the counterculture of the 1960s. Among hippies, rock musicians and punks, tattoos have become one of the forms of expression of protest against existing values ​​and norms of behavior. The plots were fully consistent with the spirit of the new youth culture, depicting skulls, crosses, rats. Following the idols of modern times, young people began to apply tattoos, and soon tattoos ceased to be considered something indecent. It was during this period that bold experiments in searching for images began, new styles, schools and directions were created. Study of ancient and national cultures and expanded the scope of the tattoo, enriched it with new symbolism, which, admittedly, is based on the old one.

Tribal style designs are distinguished by clarity, simplicity, and characteristic lines that are rounded and pointed at the ends.

A clear example of this is the most widespread tribal style today. Drawings within this direction are made in black, with clear patterns and characteristic pointed and rounded lines. Here you can find stylized images of Celtic and all other dragons, various animals woven into spectacular patterns. The appeal of tribal lies in its simplicity and connection with the past, because almost all the elements of this style appeared in ancient times, when it seemed that primitive patterns actually represented amulets and signs of healing. They were applied to the skin to protect against animal fangs and the penetration of evil spirits into the body. Today's tribal patterns are more and more often made just in addition to the drawing, in order to give the picture a complete, and therefore more expressive look. Sometimes patterns of this style are made in color. Very often, tribal patterns are combined with Celtic symbolism or realistic images.

The tribal pattern can be combined with realistic, fantasy and any other image

The main difference is no less popular style Black&grey (black and gray) - the presence of volume and halftones, allowing you to create both portraits and abstract images.

The relatively new cyber style, which along with its name was invented by science fiction artist Hans Ruedi Giger in the 1940s, combines living organisms and mechanisms. Tattoos made in this style are colorful and voluminous.

The heroes of the plots are cybernetic organisms, implanted mechanical implants, fantastic animals, aliens of various types and simply sets of geometric shapes.

Emerging under the influence of the technogenic 21st century, cyber style is a close fusion of natural and artificial, living and inanimate: human joints with mechanical connections and body parts stylized as mechanical devices, ornaments made from microcircuits, far from reality computer characters from science fiction series. It is believed that the widespread popularity of the cyber style was ensured by tattoo artists themselves, who are greedy for new products in body modification, and perhaps by cyberpunks suffering from chemical addiction. Prototype for strange paintings on human bodies Characters from the films “Beast” and “Alien” served as inspiration.

This also includes tattooing techniques that allow you to change a person’s appearance, for example, by creating an illusion mechanical arm or legs. Monochrome painted hands (in different colors!) can also be considered a cybernetic style. Unlike other trends in tattooing, here the idea of ​​the image, as well as the quality of its implementation, depends entirely on the artist. The client is simply not able to convey everything that he wants to have on himself, although anyone who decides to go cyber knows for sure: his body is a carrier of important information.

The main thing in the black and gray style is volume and halftones, which allow you to create both portraits and cyber images that are far from reality

Recently, the perception of the world, which has changed under the influence of cinema and TV, has led to a significant expansion of the subject of tattoos. New directions began to emerge - such as biomechanics - which arose on the still strong foundation of the cyber style. Fans of this type of art abandoned large-scale fantastic compositions, preferring individual mechanisms combined with biological material (Terminator limbs), images of mutants, aliens, or simply parts of the human skeleton (skull, hands, teeth).

An even more extreme acid style is characterized by the use of large quantity paints: bright lilac, orange, light green - in a word, immediately striking. Flashy colors are also inherent new school(new style), which, contrary to its name, has been known in the tattoo world for more than 20 years. Masters - fans of this style depict on the bodies of their clients everything that their imagination tells them, from the heroes Disney cartoons before abstract images Picasso.

It is a pity that the flow of new products turned out to be disastrous for real tattoos, that is, performed according to ancient traditions. Vibrant, beautifully executed, but lacking deep meaning, cyber-acid drawings obscured the very essence of this tattoo art, dispelling the mysterious atmosphere for the sake of which (and not at all for the sake of fashion or self-affirmation) it appeared in human society. In this regard, I would like to remind you that to decorate the body there are temporary tattoos, coloring and stickers: once you draw it, you walk around, if it’s erased, you forget it...

A tattoo is a personal symbol, understandable only to the person who wears it. A person who has marked himself with an “eternal” sign must understand why it appeared on his body and what to expect from it in the near future. later life. It is not at all necessary that the meaning of such a deeply personal tattoo is understood by everyone around. So, before decorating your body with a tattoo, you need, poetically speaking, to look into the soul of the design, find out its meaning in different traditions so as not to get into an unpleasant situation when meeting with knowledgeable people. Interesting information regarding many symbolic images is contained in the “Dictionary of Symbols” by H. E. Kerlot:

The star is a symbol of spirit. She is associated with light shining in the darkness. This sign has many meanings, but its main purpose is to support a person in the fight against the forces of evil. The most popular image is of a five-pointed star, which in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs meant ascent to the beginning;

The knife is associated with revenge, death and sacrifice. The short edge of the knife personifies the tattoo owner’s instinct of self-preservation, and the long edge speaks of the spiritual power of the tattooed person;

Chinese or Japanese characters on the body are deciphered in different ways, but for the most part they mean either fire or strength;

Celtic ornaments and symbols with a certain meaning are preferred by serious people. However, nowadays such images are rarely accompanied by any interpretations or explanations and serve only as a spectacular decoration.

According to Kerlot, images of animals are intended to help owners develop personal qualities, however, we must not forget that much depends on a person’s lifestyle and behavior. The “Dictionary of Symbols” contains comparisons of images of some animals with concepts inherent in human life:

The crane represents justice, a righteous and merciful soul, and is also an allegory of longevity;

The eagle is a symbol of pride, high spirit, heroic nobility, the personification of the elements of Air and Fire. He is considered the king of birds, just as the lion is the king of beasts, so in some cases, to emphasize this equality, the eagle is depicted with the head of a lion. As a rule, the warlike aspirations of the tattoo owner are associated with an eagle;

For most peoples, the owl symbolizes wisdom, but it can mean such far from positive concepts as darkness and death. A person who has this bird tattooed on his body is most likely not a sage, but a pessimist who thinks about near death or the end of the world; - wolf means valor. The image of this beast speaks of dexterity, courage and strength. A person with such a pattern on his body is probably a lone warrior. It should be noted that in Scandinavian mythology, unlike the Roman and Egyptian, the wolf is considered a personification evil beginning;

The leopard, as a symbol of courage, valor and ferocity, expresses the aggressiveness and power of the owner of the tattoo;

The horse is a symbolic image of the assistant of the deity, and in some mythological systems, the deity itself. The image of a horse on the body should help the owner of the tattoo to overcome difficulties in life.

As for a person who has any connection with horses, here it can contribute to their friendship;

The bear personifies strength, courage, endurance and at the same time cruelty. It often serves as a symbol of rage and laziness. In many mythological systems, this animal acts as a deity, the ancestor of traditions, a kind of totem, guardian spirit and healer;

In this drawing, the bear clearly symbolizes cruelty

Fish is associated with abundance, fertility, sexual energy, wisdom, but at the same time with greed, indifference, and stupidity. The image of a fish can serve as a symbol of faith, purity, baptism and communion. In particular, salmon symbolizes knowledge, inspiration and abundance, carp - strength, courage and perseverance in achieving a goal, dolphin (in symbolism also classified as a fish) - freedom, nobility, pleasure, love, shark - danger, evil, death. In Japanese mythology, the shark is a messenger of the deity, providing assistance to the people who worship it.

Just wondering

In African tattoos, a schematic image of a fish is considered to be the embodiment of the soul of the deceased. In India and China, such a drawing, on the contrary, symbolizes the beginning of a new life. In the culture of the Middle East, fish are revered as creatures that provide positive influence per person. It is not surprising that almost every tattoo lover gets them here.

Images of plants also carry hidden meaning:

The lotus is associated with purity, chastity, spirituality, fertility, incipient strength, health and the resulting longevity and immortality. This flower reflects the interaction of the masculine and feminine principles, and also symbolizes the creative principle;

Rose is a symbol of forgiveness. It is also necessary to consider each individual element of this flower. The leaves of a rose represent joy, the thorns represent sadness, and the flower represent glory. Shyness, passion, desire, earthly delight are associated with the red rose, it is also christian symbol motherhood and death. The white rose symbolizes purity, virginity, spirituality and silence. Red and white roses, depicted together, mean union, unity, the rose on the cross - the death of Christ. The image of a rose or its individual parts on the body can indicate both the high spirituality of a person and his carnal desires.

Shield, crosses, drops of tears and a rose without thorns - symbol forgiving love

Sometimes the client asks the artist to make a tattoo with the image of a flower or plant corresponding to his zodiac sign. In this case, the “Dictionary of Symbols” will also help, which says that it will be useful for Aries to have an image of a violet on the body, for Taurus - a daisy, for Gemini - a hawthorn, for Cancer - oak leaves, for Leo - a holly, for Virgo - a hazel branch, for Libra - a bindweed, for Scorpios - hop flowers, Sagittarius - chrysanthemums, Capricorns - holly, Aquarius - snowdrops, and Pisces - primroses.

Just wondering

The inhabitants of the Arabian deserts still attribute tattoos magical properties. It is believed that a pattern of dots applied around the navel on the 2-3rd day of menstruation promotes conception. The dots on a child’s, especially a boy’s, nose protect the child from injury. In Egypt, a tattoo in the form of a small bird near the eye has long been used to correct vision.

Lucky and unlucky numbers, horseshoes, black cats with glowing eyes, women on a ship or with empty buckets, old women in black, sidelong glances, gypsy skirts - the set of superstitions of a suspicious person is large and varied. For those who are subject to mysticism and do not want to get rid of misfortunes in real ways, we can recommend a tattoo “for good luck”. If you seriously approach the issue of all kinds of symbols, you should take into account a huge number of various factors. When comparing your destiny with the signs of the zodiac, you should remember their projection onto the human aura (from the Latin aura - “breath”). Each tattooed sign affects her more or less depending on what part of the body it is located on. If located in the “right” place, it will have a positive effect, but in other cases its effect is unpredictable.

For example, the sign of Aries protects the head and its coverings without the lower jaw, skull bones and face, without the areas of the nose, “third eye” and upper lip.

Taurus will be a favorable sign if it is placed on the neck in the form of a tattoo. The favorite parts of the body of this sign, in addition, are the throat, cervical vertebrae, palate, larynx and esophagus, where a tattoo should not be done.

Gemini is responsible for the area of ​​the shoulders, shoulder blades and collarbones, forearms, hands, upper ribs (to the level of the nipples), lungs, trachea, bronchi, larynx.

Cancer has a beneficial effect on the chest and part of the ribs below the nipples, mammary glands, sternum, filiform process, esophagus, stomach.

Sagittarius is compatible with the hips, thigh bones, lower pelvis, tailbone, sacrum, buttocks, perineal area.

Capricorn is considered the patron of the knees, the lower third of the thighs, and the upper third of the legs.

Leo can help good condition organs such as the spinal column and upper back, sides, muscles along the spine.

Virgo “loves” the abdominal cavity, belly, navel, lower part of the liver, spleen.

Libra reigns in the liver, lower back, upper body, bladder, and is generally responsible for the genitourinary system.

Scorpion the best way affects the area from the navel to the tailbone, lower body, genitals, rectum, perineum, nose, upper lip and third eye.

Aquarius protects the circulatory system, as well as the knees, calves, ankles and ankles. And finally, Pisces is responsible for the feet and soles of the feet. Following the example of the ancients, some of our contemporaries decide to get tattoos on bones and internal organs. This happens, but extremely rarely, because most of the world's population, fortunately, is reasonable, and it is unlikely that tattoo parlors experience an influx of clients who want to be ripped open like a stunned fish and have a picture tattooed where no one will see it except masters Not everyone will risk painting their face or any part of their head, although this type of extreme practice occurs quite often. All that remains is to get a tattoo where you can - the effect on the aura will be in any case, although not so strong.

Flowers, chains and other designs suitable for feet will be especially useful for Aquarius

From the history

In Western Europe, tattooing was not popular until the 20th century - it was prohibited by the church. Despite this, in certain circles of society body designs have nevertheless become traditional. For example, in the Middle Ages, butchers often made tattoos on their left hands in the form of two crossed axes and a bull’s head under them. It was customary for some artisans and guild workers to paint the signs of their guilds on their bodies. This custom continued until early XIX century in Italy, Germany and France. In addition to images of army paraphernalia and religious symbols, residents of Western European countries made body insignia in the form of landscapes, plants, buildings (especially churches), as well as quotes and sayings (for example, Lat. giuro di vendicarmi - “I swear to take revenge”). Tattoos were applied to various parts of the body, mainly on the chest and arms, but also on the back, stomach, thighs and even, barbarously, on the genitals.

There is an opinion that a tattoo depicting objects related to any game promotes good luck in it. It is impossible to refute this, nor, indeed, to agree - there are no statistics on this matter. Meanwhile, such tattoos do exist, and those with maps are even obligatory, of course, in specific circles. These tattoos most often feature three types of games: dice, cards and billiards. When it comes to dice, experienced craftsmen recommend choosing designs with a lucky, or winning, combination of numbers. It is best to place them on the hand or forearm of the hand - right or left, which is usually involved in throwing the dice. For gamblers, we can also recommend a combination of cards that can ensure a win. It should be depicted on the hand with which a person usually throws cards on the table. Billiard players usually draw on their hand, the one with which they hold the cue, a black ball with a lucky number. Template sketches are enlivened by auxiliary figures: jokers, flames, skulls. Athletes are moderately superstitious people, so their tattoo designs are simple and clear. For example, basketball players prick themselves with an image of a ball in a basket, hockey players - pucks in the goal or pucks with the word “goal”. Some add to the picture personal number, it is believed that this is the only way the image will bring good luck.

Interesting and useful

If we delve even deeper into the essence of the topic of superstition, we can recall alchemical and Kabbalistic signs that supposedly bring good luck in the game. When drawing the “needed” or simply liked image, you should keep in mind that, in addition to the obvious explanation of this or that drawing, there is another, deeper one, revealing its meaning on a spiritual level.