Tattoo Talk

With stars like Angeline Jolie sporting tattoos just about everywhere, can you blame the young kids today, if they want to get a tattoo or two? Tattoos in fact, are not a new concept. It is an ancient form of body art. Almost every culture in the world has shown traces of tattooing. In fact, the oldest known tattoo is five thousand three hundred years old!

History of Tattoos

Yup, I�m talking about the tattoos that were discovered on Oetzi, the Iceman who was found in the year 1991. The tattoo he sports consists basically of criss-cross, vertical and horizontal lines. There is of course, some speculation as to why the tattoos are there in the first place. No matter the reason, the fact remains that Oetzi had a tattoo!

In fact, not just Oetzi, traces of the rich history of tattooing have been found in various other cultures as well. Russian mummies, about 2400 years old, found in Siberia, Egyptian mummies, Japanese figures and even our very own Red Indian culture � you name it and they�ve been tattooing each other for years!

Tattoos represent a variety of things � social stature, religion, prayer incantations. In many cases, they�re just there for decorative purposes. Men and women all over the world sport beautiful tattoos of every possible color and shape. And you can join their number too.

How To Spot a Good Tattoo Artist

But don�t rush into anything. Before you get a tattoo, it is very important that you consider your decision carefully, because once you get a tattoo, you can�t get rid of it easily. Plus it is really expensive to remove it. Ask around to find out where people are getting their tattoos done and consider reviews. Tour a few tattoo parlors first before you make your decision.

First thing you should notice about the tattoo parlor is whether it is clean or not. See whether the tattoo artist is using sterilized needles and tools � in fact, it is best if you visit a tattoo artist who uses disposable needles. Be sure to take note of the general cleanliness of the place too.

Ask a few questions too. It is a good idea to get as comfortable with the staff at the tattoo parlor as you possibly can. Also check out the designs in their catalogue and on the internet as well. In order to see whether they are any good, you can compare the actual design with the tattoo on a person. Then you can decide whether you want to work with a particular tattoo artist or not.

Author: Reima O Petramaa