Tattoo Ink Controversy - Risks & Dangers

There has been an outburst of controversy in the past few months. Where in the state of California, two major manufacturers of Tattoo ink have been accused of exposing people to dangerous levels of lead and other metals.

Major concerns of high levels of lead in tattoo pigment include:

*Increase in blood pressure

*Fertility problems

*Nerve disorders

*Muscle and joint pain

*Irritability

*Memory or concentration problems

Both Huck Spaulding Enterprises, and Superior Tattoo Equipment, must comply in the state of California, labeling their inks with hazard warnings (Prizm, and VooDoo Brand color series).

I have had personal experience with Prizm tattoo ink, and I have found that the pigment doesn't stay vibrant in the skin. The lighter colors such as white, golden yellow, and sky blue seem to stain gloves faster than penetrating the skin.

If you are looking for a well rounded, and trustworthy tattoo ink, I would highly suggest the following.

*Mom's Milennium inks.

*Starbright Ink.

*Intenz pigment tattoo ink.

I have found, that all of the above pigments tend to go in vibrant, and stay lush and colorful throughout the life of the tattoo. It reduces the need for touch-ups, and the frustration of clients. If you use inks that you can be proud of, your clients will be happier, and more likely to return.

One thing to remember however, is that conventional tattoo pigment should NOT in any circumstances be used for cosmetic tattoos. Cosmetic pigments are formulated for just that, cosmetic tattooing. They tend to be more diluted, and safer for things such as eyeliner, and lip-liner. However, some things can be considered cosmetic, many people in the past would shave their eyebrows, and have their selected artist tattoo stars, dots, and any number of designs to replace the hair in an expression of individualities. Things such as eyebrows, cheeks, and standard facial tattoos are fine. But, in most cases, leave cosmetic tattoos to cosmetic trained artists, and if you want a vibrant portrait, or the standard rose, cherry, or nautical star go to your tattoo artist.

From needles, ink and tattoo machines to body piercing jewelry and equipment, we can provide you with all the info as well as current industry news and new products. Beginning with tattoo supplies, it's important to research the types of equipment that are out there and the pros and cons to using each type. Tattoo guns, tattoo ink, tubes, tattoo starter set, machines, and power supplies are all key to starting a studio, shop, parlor or business. The guns and machines are usually hand crafted or homemade. As for the inks, it is crucial to carry a wide variety of colors so you as the artists can create rich and unique designs. More information: Tattoo aftercare.




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Finding Good Celtic Tattoo Art - The Meaning Behind The Design

Finding good celtic tattoo art can be a pain, but this information about the meaning behind the design and how to find quality artwork should help you out a ton.

Celtic Tattoo art is a mixture of some very different cultures. Some of the best Celtic tattoo art that you will ever see are over a thousand years old. That is how much this artwork has stood the test of time. It is a timeless piece that will never get old. While you will want to have your tattoo artist change a few things here and there when you select the perfect Celtic tattoo art, most of it should stay intact, changing only enough of it so that it is an original piece that you will not see on anybody else.

Celtic tattoo art actually stems from a form of public relations in ancient times. This happened when Ireland was conquered by the Romans at the time. It was when Christians decided to come into the country into droves. The Christians then began to try and convert the Celtic people. The Celts did not have a written language at that particular time, but they did have a very unique visual style, which showed off their amazing love for nature. The designs were very complex and included line with no ends. Christian priest actually used this Celtic tattoo art in various early Bible manuscripts.

Now, when you are selecting the perfect Celtic tattoo art, you do not and should not have to settle for random images that you see plastered all over the internet. Most of the artwork that you see is probably cheap imitations of great artwork. This happens a lot, especially when dealing with Celtic tattoo art.

You should always spend your time when choosing the right Celtic tattoo art for yourself. Don't settle for the first thing you see, because there is much better artwork out there. While there is a lot of good Celtic tattoo art out there, your best bet is to bring four or five of your favorite Celtic designs to your tattoo artist and speak with him/her about how to change them to make them original.

Finding the perfect Celtic tattoo art can be tricky, but this should help you find the perfect Celtic design for you.

Want to know where to find the largest, most original websites to browse Celtic Tattoo Art? Well, you're in luck. Keep Reading...

Adam Woodham is the author of this article and runs the blog Art Tattoo which features the 3 top websites with the absolute largest gallery of Celtic Tattoo Art you will ever see. Finding the perfect tattoo has never been easier.



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Angel Tattoos: an expression of masculinity of men and divinity of female

An angel, literally in any culture or age, represents good-hearted temporality. The word ‘Angel’ evolves from the Greek word for "messenger," and angels are most frequently described as intermediaries between the supernatural world and the world of mankind. Throughout biblical times it was generally believed that the angels are the carriers of messenger from ‘God’. Angels are thought to be the guardians of souls and are godly beings but have been often shown to be weak and prone to sin. Satan could be cited as one of the best known examples of a 'fallen angel.’ Guardian angels are believed to be intelligent spiritual creatures assigned to take care and protect every person on earth according to in Catholicism. It is also believed that each person has a guardian angel assigned to them to assist the person in attaining his eternal redemption. Some refer these guardian angels as guiding spirits who control or guide and particularly help in personal safety.

An angel tattoo is popular tattoos for females and usually takes on the appearance of the stereotypical cherubs sitting on a cloud or as an avenging angel but often they are exemplified as gentle guardians, guides, and personal protectors. Such tattoo emphasizes her search for purity within the soul, her divinity, patience and her presence as a gift to the world and implies that she regards self-confidence as a significant part of beauty and believes in protecting herself and others and will not compromise for anything but the best.

Angel tattoos are also symbolic to men and are believed that men who wear angels are extremely fond of women and a means of an expression of their masculinity and their love and respect for an angelic woman in their life. Men those who are madly in love prefer to have angel tattoos on their body. However, there are several men who wear these tattoos to simply exhibit them as a symbol of personal style.

Generally the most common place to get angel tattoos is on the upper arm or chest for men and on the shoulder or abdomen for females. It can even be seen on the inner wrist or even on the foot! Angel tattoo wings are another common impressive form of tattoo that can be tattooed full size on the back in black ink. Some people depict expired family or friends as guardian angels in their tattoos in order to immortalize them. This is completely a new concept to remember your dear ones. But the most common and reliable reason why people get angel tattoos is probably because angels symbolize protection.


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Which Tattoo design is for you?

There are numerous tattoo designs each depicting different meanings and are available in diverse shapes and colors. Therefore it is important to allow some space to your thoughts while going for tattooing since tattooing is a life long decision and beside that you want to become a proud possessor of a tattoo design that will snatched the attraction of the passers-by. There is no need to rush when making such a life long decision instead you do some research to make any changes or alterations to any tattoo design that you find interesting because as it has been already said that each tattoo design depicts different meanings and the design you will be wearing will display your expression and may have ill effect if not selected judiciously.

You need to do lot of research to every detail of the design of the tattoo including the color, picture, and meaning and to the part of your body where it has to be inked. Colors and pictures correspond with different vibrations of feeling and understanding of things and placing a tattoo is as personal as the tattoo itself. There are some people who figure out where they want it to be for their own viewing pleasure while others place tattoos in certain areas of their body as symbolic representations as well. Apart from these basic factors one more factor should also not be overlooked and that is the health of the individual who is interested in tattooing. Age and the type of skin are very important while tattooing. Skins allergic to ink should avoid or take precautions before going for this particular process. Next your budget is also very important consideration. Your career or profession may not support tattooing and probably you need to cover your tattoo while working.

It is recommended that you talk to your tattoo artist to get their expert view on tattoo placement since tattooing needs considerable thoughts and calculation. Among the various tattoo artwork designs, Abstraction tattoo that follow the expression of ancient tattooing for instance be ancestral, primitive or clan type symbols and are normally done in black or gray ink. Naturalistic tattoos are lifelike representations of animals, plants, and insects, anything in nature. Dedication tattoos are borne on service men and women, as well as those wishing to make a statement of dedication to an occasion or in honor of someone. Simplification tattoos ranges from action figures and cartoon characters to zodiac signs and flowers. Complex or combination tattoos as the name suggests present themselves as body suits of art work or colorful jumbled puzzle pieces.

Whatever type of impression you want to convey to the world it is important that you do some research before it is too late!


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Female Tattoos: add attraction to the overall appearance

Body Art or Tattoos as it is called by presently, is not a new concept but an age old concept which is thought to be continuing since 12,000 years ago. Initially long ago before body arts became a fashion statement it was performed for religious ceremonies and initiations rites. But today body art has become the pre-eminent way that people of all cultures like to define themselves both to the outside world and to themselves. Today much of body art consists of this wonderful mixture of styles, cultures, and influences and whatever else the person might think is cool.

There are numerous tattoo designs each depicting different stories and both male and female can go for it. But female body art is entirely different from male body art in its appearance and intentions. Female generally get tattoos mainly for two reasons. First strong reason is that they simply like to do anything to add complement to their appearance in some way and the second reason is that they have some likings towards body arts. Women would go for anything like body piercing or adding images to their skin that will add spark to their appearance even in the most elusive ways. Tattoo designs like flowers, butterflies, stars, or other symbols that is related to feminine character are accepted by women. They particularly emphasize on the fact that is beautiful and they would also like to have that beautiful piece of body art as permanent image anywhere on their body that will add extra attraction to the overall appearance.

The location of female body art is very significant and also selected very carefully. Women will choose a place to put a tattoo based on parts of the body they feel most confident in, comfortable and that which would give a very hot and sexy look. Location on the body for a particular tattoo should be emphasized because there are some tattoos that enhance the shape of the body. Such tattoos are gaining popularity because women like to have such tattoo on their body. Places like lower back, ankle, or any place that is can be concealed by clothing are selected commonly to be tattooed by the women. There are still others who like get tattoos on those very erotic parts of the body with an aim to look sexy and to draw attention to these parts.

It could be concluded that female tend to get those tattoos that enhance the shape of the body and that which add sex appeal to their body.


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Tribal Tattoos: Reflection of certain aspects of life

Several research and survey says that tribal tattoo is something that dates back through time and place and is connected to many of our heritages. Mummified remains reveal that tribal tattoos were not a new concept but an age old practice.

Many would like to know what tribal tattoos mean. The answer to this question will vary from region to region and from culture to culture. Tribal tattoos are certain designs that depict different stories made on the different parts of the body. Various objects were used to make holes in the flesh. The process was painful and to reduce the pain soot of some sort and berry juice was rubbed into the wounds. Some of the tribal designs were as simple as a few lines or circles in certain patterns while others were highly intricate pieces of work but whatever design it ought to be it was painful and sometime fatal as the methods used was not so highly safe and sophisticated as it is today. Tribal tattoos were generally performed to mark the wealth, rank, tribe affiliation, and direct family, their role in society, acts of strength, and deeds of bravery. Tattoos of many other tribes indicate various aspects of their lives, like they believed to prevent and cure sickness associated with the evil spirits or as decoration. Surprisingly unlike the modern days women were denied to the "privilege" of being tattooed with a tribal marking or identity earlier in some tribe and the strong reason behind is that any adornment that would equal the women of their tribe to men was not allowed but there were some tribes that allowed both sexes to be equally tattooed.

Tribal tattoos which was practice only in some cultures has now broken the boundary and extended its influence in every culture throughout the world and has become one of the fashion statements. Like many of our ancestors we also would like to adorn ourselves to separate, unify, or just because we like the way something looks on our bodies and it is inborn to desire to decorate our bodies be it with jewelry, clothing, or permanent artwork.

Tribal tattoos are instantly recognizable with their dramatic use of aggressive dark lines in jagged symmetrical shapes spread throughout the skin most often done in simple black and skin tones. They can also be infused with other colors to brighten the overall look. Unlike other tattoo styles that depict a specific object, tribal tattoos are not objective but rather related with the ‘feel’ than what it specifically looks like.


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Christian Cross Tattoos - Outward Signs Of Inner Faith

If you mentions that you might want to get a Christian cross tattoos to a devout audience, you may have someone protests that the book of Leviticus clearly states that “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.”

Yet there are some Biblical scholars who believe that this passage is actually referring to a practice belonging to pagans that time, in which they would carve images of their idols on their bodies at funerals, to make atonement for themselves and the dead.

Because you, or any Christian who decides to get a tattoo is not doing it to find favor with a pagan idol, the New Testament has no such restrictions. And Christian tattoos have indeed become an extremely popular way for many young Christian to both make a public statement about their faith, and display some of the most meaningful Christian icons.

Praying Hands, chalices, Jesus himself, the Sacred Heart, angels, Mary, the Apostles, and the Holy Spirit are all images which have been adapted into striking tattoos.

But the Christian tattoo which is far and away the most popular is the Christian Cross. The Cross has become the universal sign of the Christian faith, and tattoo artists have invented many striking designs to incorporate into their Christian cross tattoos.

While some of the more intricate Christian cross tattoos actually show a figure of Jesus, many of them have an empty cross, sometimes with a remarkably life-like wood grain.

The cross may be adorned with a crown of thorns, or a reference to a passage from Scripture. Sometimes the crosses will have a background of flames, and sometimes the beams of the cross will be made of nails or spikes.

Butterflies, as a symbol of the Resurrection of Jesus, and of the rebirth of sinners, are often incorporated into with Christian cross tattoos. If you’re patriotic, why not combine the Christian cross tattoo with the flags of your country? The cross against a background of the Stars and Stripes is popular in the Bible Belt of the US.

Some Christian cross tattoo designs have their roots in very early evangelization. A strategy the early Christians used in spreading their faith was to adapt its symbols to those of the cultures whose people they were trying to convert.

One legend has it that when St. Patrick came from Wales to Ireland and saw the Druidic stones inscribed with the circular designed which represented the Druid’s moon goddess; he simply bisected the circle with a Christian cross. In doing so, he laid the groundwork for one of the most beautiful of all the Christian cross tattoos, the Celtic cross.

Celtic Christian cross tattoos, because the ancient Celts believed that their souls were simply threads of a divine fabric to which they would return after death, has elaborate knots of “plaitwork,” symbolizing those threads.



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