Tattoos have a rich history dating back thousands of years. The first tattoos were seen on ancient Egyptians and have been seen on numerous female mummies. Studies have shown that the first tattoos were actually created by women, for women!
Historically, residents of the South Pacific used tattoos as a way to mark their skills. Tattoos were also used as a way to ward away evil spirits and disease. Tattoos were seen on fingers and on the wrist, as well as featured prominently on the face and neck. Tattoos have also been used to designate membership in a society as well.
Along the way, Japan also incorporated the use of tattoos as well. The Japanese people used tattoos for religious and ceremonial rites. Tattoos were very popular during these days, although infections received from the tattoos were quite common. Tattoos were seen in the western regions as well, although they certainly weren’t well accepted at first.
Beginning in the late 1960s, tattoos really began to become popular again. What we are seeing today is a tattoo renaissance which has taken its inspiration from places such as the South Pacific, French Polynesia, Thailand and Japan and raised the practice in the Western hemisphere to much greater artistic heights.
No longer are people content with walking into a studio and choosing some stock 'flash' design off the wall, with little regard to its placement of their bodies. Gone are the days of reckless abandon in choosing a tattoo. People want their body art - and it really is art - to symbolize something personal to them.
Modern tattoo artists no longer see the human body as a blank sheet of paper that they can draw on and never see again. Tattoo artists are not willing today to place dull lifeless designs in a seemingly haphazard way, but they tend to treat the body as a three-dimensional canvas onto which each tattoo is placed, to live in balance with the body and existing tattoos.
There are millions of stock flash designs out there for tattoos – including different color combinations that have helped to make tattoos the phenomenon they are today. Tattoo artists today commonly use the stock flash as a base from which to add their own artist's spin.
Today tattoos are more common than ever, particularly small tattoos. Men and women alike have tattoos, some small tattoos, some large tattoos encompassing their entire body. There are many positive things about tattoos, but there can also be some negative things as well. You must be realistic about your expectations, and take into consideration that this piece of art will be with you forever.
Most people who decide to get tattoos today choose them for their symbolic meaning, as well as the beauty. Although there are still a few people who get tattoos strictly based on their appearance, some of those people tend to regret their choice of tattoo later on in their life.
Other tattoos can be quite beautiful, and capture a lot of positive attention.
Small Tattoos have become completely socially acceptable, and nearly everyone has one. For help in choosing exactly the right tattoo for you, read more information at Small Tattoos
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