Five Must-Knows When Getting a Kanji Tattoo

Q: What do famous celebrities like Pink, Britney Spears and the Spice Girls� Mel C all have in common?

A: They all have Japanese tattoos!

Japanese tattoos are cool. Of course, if you have money to burn like any of these ladies, you can afford to hire a professional translator to pick out the perfect character combination. But if personal translation is out of your league how can you avoid becoming a kanji fashion victim and get stuck with a tattoo you will really regret?

1. Know the difference ? hiragana, katakana and kanji

Before you talk to your tattoo artist, make sure you know what you are talking about. You say you want a Japanese tattoo, but what do you know about Japanese characters? You need a quick stint in 2-minute Japanese boot camp.

First off, let�s be clear that there is no Japanese �alphabet�. There are three sets of Japanese characters ? hiragana, katakana and kanji ? and each group has its own history, function and style. Get your head around these facts and you will already know more than 99% of the people walking around with Japanese tattoos right now:

Hiragana ?

These simple, rounded characters represent sounds, but have no independent meaning. They were developed by women in the Heian period and are still considered feminine by Japanese people.

Katakana ?

Developed by Buddhist monks around the same time as hiragana, these are simple, angular characters that also represent sounds and have no meaning of their own. You saw them cascading down the screen in Matrix (although they were backwards!)

Kanji ?

Originally from China, these characters are like pictures, representing a meaning and also several different sounds depending on the situation.

Just reading this has probably given you an idea of which style you might like for your tattoo ? but don�t stop just yet! Now you know what kinds of Japanese characters there are, let�s move on to�

2. Writing styles

Come a bit closer. Lean forward towards the screen. That�s right. Now, look at the words in front of you. Take a good, close look at the shapes of these letters. OK? Now tell me honestly: Would you want a tattoo in Times New Roman? How about Tahoma? What�s that? You don�t want a tattoo by Canon or Epson? Sure you don�t. And in the same way, you don�t want to have your Japanese tattoo looking like a printout either!

So, now we move on to writing styles. Just like there are three kinds of Japanese characters, there are also three ways they can be written. Don�t worry. This is easy! I know, you are thinking that you can�t even read Japanese, so how on earth will you be able to recognize these different styles? Well, try this:

Kaisho ?

Block letters. You learned to write your ABCs like this, and Japanese kids learn to write their characters in just the same way: Like a Volvo ? boxy but good.

Gyousho ?

Cursive letters. You moved up to middle school and learned you could write faster by letting the parts of some letters flow into the next. Yes, you guessed it - the Japanese do the same thing, and they call it gyousho.

Sousho ?

Super-cursive letters. Ever seen a prescription from a doctor? Then you know what sousho is like in Japanese: Sure, the writer or some other trained person can (probably) read it, but no one else has a clue what it says!

Are you getting the picture? If you want to look like a computer printout, then be my guest and go for the kaisho style. That�s your choice. But I think you probably want to use either gyousho or sousho for your tattoo. My personal preference would be gyousho: It�s stylish, but it won�t leave even native speakers baffled.

3. Real or fake?

Remember I mentioned Mel C at the beginning? Well guess what kanji she got tattooed on her arm? That�s right ? �Girl Power�: Great in English, but show this kanji combincation to most Japanese people and you�ll get a blank look at best. Want a worse example? Try �big daddy�. Now, you know what it means in English, but put it into kanji and you end up with �large father�! It just doesn�t work.

I�m sure you remember that kanji are the only characters that have meaning as well as sound. And their beauty means that they are what most people want for their tattoos. But watch out: As well as being popular, they can also be the most dangerous!

Let�s see if we can find a pattern here: Look carefully at the examples above. What are they communicating - concrete concepts or abstract ideas? Can you see the difficulty the translators had? The kanji for �dragon�, �samurai�, �love� or any other concrete ideas are pretty easy to discover. But go for anything with an idiomatic meaning and whoever is trying to help you translate it is going to get a major headache!

Just an idea, but how about this suggestion: Rather than trying to force a round English peg into a square Japanese hole, why not find a real Japanese phrase that you like and get that instead? Bushidou (the Way of the Warrior) and Ninjutsu (The Art of Stealth) are two good examples of real Japanese terms that would make great tattoos.

4. Your name in Japanese

As I�m sure you remember from 2-minute Japanese boot camp, katakana are the characters usually used to write foreign words and names. So, if you want to get a tattoo of your name, technically these would be the characters you would choose. But I am guessing that, like most people, you want your name written in kanji.

Do a quick search on Google and you can find a number of sites that specialize in translating names into kanji. Basically there are two different methods that these sites use, so let�s look at them here.

Translating the meaning ? This method involves finding out the original meaning of the English name, and then researching the kanji equivalent.

For example, my name has its origins in Greek and means �crowned one�. The one who is crowned is the king, so I could translate my name into the kanji for king and call myself ohsama. (Perhaps a little pretentious ? and disturbingly similar to Mr. Bin Laden�s first name!)

Translating the sound ? This is a lot more difficult! Flick through a dictionary and you will find a bunch of kanji that can be combined to sound like your name. But sound isn�t everything: Remember that kanji have meaning as well. In fact, it is even more complex than this! Be sure to check each of the following factors with anyone who translates your name like using this method:

Sound ? Does it sound like your name or not? I have seen my name �translated� on certain websites to sound like Stefan. Shame my name (Stephen) is actually said the same as Steven!

On-yomi and kun-yomi ? Yes, more technical words! But don�t panic ? they are easy to understand: Basically, kanji have two kinds of reading. One kind, on-yomi, is their original Chinese sound. The other, kun-yomi, is their Japanese-only sound. What to watch is that (like oil and water) on-yomi and kun-yomi don�t mix. Use either all on-yomi reading or all kun-yomi readings to make the sound of your name.

Meaning ? Do the kanji have a good meaning together? Now, it can be very difficult to find kanji that sound right and have a good meaning, so you may need to compromise a little on one of these.

Masculine or feminine ? I guess this is more like a sub-category of meaning, but it is something you need to check out to avoid embarrassment. For example, while �Asian Beauty� may be a great combination for a woman, I get the feeling most men would not be too happy about having that permanently written into their skin!

5. If in doubt, check!

First, use your new-found knowledge of Japanese to ask a few difficult questions to your tattoo artist or kanji �specialist�. If you get the feeling they don�t know what they are talking about, you probably want to look elsewhere.

Next, before you get anything permanent done, use an online dictionary (like the one at http://kanjidict.stc.cx/dict) to check whether the Japanese really means what you want it to. You may not be able to input Japanese yourself, but you can copy and paste characters from an email or web page and see what they mean.

Finally, if you are lucky enough to know any, ask a Japanese person what they think. Their confused expression may tell you that you have come up with another �big daddy�!

Follow this advice and you will avoid the most dangerous pitfalls of Japanese tattoos and get a kanji tattoo you can be proud of.

Author: Stephen Munday

Tattoo Placement

The Artwork Of Arm Tattoos

Around the world there are many cultures that have different views on what is right or wrong. There are things that the western world does that seem strange or funny to others. And while right or wrong is determined by each people group, there are similar even if different ways to mark milestones in ones life. Tattoos are used in some cultures to mark manhood or even womanhood. Most people have seen National Geographic's shows dealing with pacific islanders or rain forest cultures and the way that tattoos play a part in the society. Some of the techniques have been copied by American tattoo artist and some of the artwork is being put onto arm tattoos.

Arm tattoos are popular because the person can hide the tattoo with a shirt. They have the best of both worlds because they have a tattoo but during work it is hidden. Some people will say that if a person has a tattoo they should be proud of it and show it off. The basic premise is true but there are many jobs or careers that would frown on a tattoo. Imagine going to work on wall street in a suit with tattoos all over the neck. It makes it hard to even get some jobs.

Types of Arm Tattoos

People with arm tattoos usually get one that is either a badge of sorts like an eagle or shield, or a wrap around tattoo that takes advantage of the roundness for different artwork. An arm tattoo can be expensive especially if it is detailed. One type of arm tattoo that is popular with many young people is a tribal tattoo. Usually done in black ink it wraps around the arm above the elbow. Another popular arm tattoo is the barb wire tattoo. It's similar to the tribal work but is a single or sometimes double strand of wire wrapping the arm.

One thing that is sure to happen is that many of the younger generations will grow older and the tattoos will not be wanted or some of the hot tattoos won't be so hot later in life. Each generation wants to stand out and proclaim that they are different from everyone else. They look around and finally notice that they aren't so different because all of their peers are the same. It is a fact that many people won't want their tattoos for life because there is another industry that makes a lot of money removing tattoos. It is expensive to have removed and it hurts more removing the tattoo than it did putting it on. Think hard before deciding on an arm tattoo.

Back Tattoos Are Barely Visible

Tattoo placement is one of the first decisions you make when you decide to take the plunge and get inked. First, you probably decide which symbol or design you would like. After that, however, most people consider where their tattoo will go. A common place to have a tattoo is the back.

Back tattoos are becoming more and more popular because of their versatility. Depending on the size and where on the back the tattoo is placed, you can choose to either show off your new tattoo or keep it hidden during a work day. Back tattoos are a popular form of self expression, and they can meet just about any criteria.

Lower Back Tattoos

Lower back tattoos are becoming extremely common, especially among young women and teenage girls. In fact, lower back tattoos are worn almost exclusively by females. Why have lower back tattoos become so popular? They are seen as a way to emphasize the attractiveness and sexuality of the female form, which is why many young women are drawn to them. However, it is for this reason that they are extremely controversial as well; many opponents consider lower back tattoos to be sleazy and promiscuous.

These tattoos are also popular because the lower back provides enough space for a relatively large design, especially if the design is horizontal. Also, the skin on the lower back is not very likely to become distorted due to fluctuations in weight, so the shape of the tattoo will be less likely to warp and fade.

There are some medical concerns associated with getting a lower back tattoo. It has been questioned in recent years whether or not it is safe to administer an epidural to a pregnant woman who has a lower back tattoo. However, there is no scientific or medical evidence to support this concern, and so doctors continue to provide epidural to women with these tattoos.

Backpieces

Another popular type of back tattoo is a backpiece, which is more commonly worn among men. Backpieces are back tattoos that cover your entire back. They are extremely time consuming; one might take two weeks of daily two hour sessions to complete, depending on the intricacy of your design. Also, these tattoos tend to be expensive. One backpiece tattoo can cost thousands of dollars.

Back To Self Expression

Author: Joe Freeman

Tattoo

Met sterren als Angeline Jolie sportieve tattoo zowat overal, kun je de schuld van de jonge kinderen vandaag de dag, als ze dat willen een tatoeage of twee krijgen? Tatoeages in feite geen nieuw concept. Het is een oude vorm van body art. Bijna elke cultuur in de wereld heeft aangetoond sporen van het tatoeëren. In feite is de oudst bekende tattoo is vijfduizend driehonderd jaar oud!

Geschiedenis van Tattoos

Yup, ik heb het over de tatoeages die werden ontdekt op Oetzi, de Iceman, die werd gevonden in de jaren 1991. De tatoeage die hij sport bestaat in wezen uit criss-cross, verticale en horizontale lijnen. Er is natuurlijk, wat speculatie over de reden waarom de tatoeages zijn er in de eerste plaats. Ongeacht de reden, het feit blijft dat Oetzi een tattoo had!

In feite, niet alleen Oetzi, zijn sporen van de rijke geschiedenis van het tatoeëren zijn gevonden in verschillende andere culturen. Russische mummies, ongeveer 2400 jaar oud, gevonden in Siberië, Egyptische mummies, Japanse figuren en zelfs onze eigen Rode Indiase cultuur - noem maar op en ze zijn tatoeëren elkaar al jaren!

Tattoos vertegenwoordigen een verscheidenheid van dingen - sociale status, religie, gebed bezweringen. In veel gevallen zijn ze er gewoon voor decoratieve doeleinden. Mannen en vrouwen over de hele wereld sport prachtige tatoeages van elke mogelijke kleur en vorm. En u kunt deelnemen hun nummer ook.

Hoe een goede Tattoo Artist Spot

Maar haast je niet in iets. Voordat je een tatoeage, is het zeer belangrijk dat u uw besluit zorgvuldig overwegen, want zodra je een tattoo, kun je niet gemakkelijk van af. Plus het is echt duur te verwijderen. Vraag eens rond om uit te vinden waar mensen om hun tatoeages gedaan en overwegen reviews. Tour een paar tattooshops voordat u uw beslissing.

Het eerste dat je zou moeten opvallen over de tattoo salon is of het schoon is of niet. Kijk of de tatoeëerder is gesteriliseerd naalden en tools met behulp van - in feite is het beste als je een bezoek aan een tattoo artiest die gebruik maakt van wegwerpnaalden. Zorg ervoor dat u er rekening mee te houden met de algemene netheid van de plaats.

Ook een paar vragen. Het is een goed idee om zo comfortabel met het personeel te krijgen op de tattoo salon als je kan. Lees ook de ontwerpen in hun catalogus en op het internet. Om te zien of ze iets goeds, dan kunt u het eigenlijke ontwerp te vergelijken met de tatoeage op een persoon. Dan kunt u beslissen of u wilt werken met een bepaalde tattoo artiest of niet.

Het krijgen van een tattoo is een groot ding. Het markeert meestal de komst van de leeftijd van een individu - mensen weten gewoon wie ze zijn. Of het wordt gedaan wanneer mensen zich te identificeren met een groep of een bepaalde cultuur. Andere mensen krijgen een tatoeage alleen omdat ze als het idee om kunstwerken gedaan op hun huid - je kunt een opvallende tattoo, compleet met levendige kleuren of een kleine een op een prive-regio voor die speciale persoon te krijgen. Wat de reden voor het krijgen van een tattoo mag zijn, gewoon voorzichtig zijn voordat je de sprong wagen!

Author: Erwin Cohen

Tips on Opening Your Own Tattoo Studio Once You'Ve Learned How to Tattoo

Published At: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=782202&ca=Business

Copy and paste the code below to embed this article in your website.


<a class="embedly-card" href="http://www.isnare.com/?aid=782202&ca=Business">Tips on Opening Your Own Tattoo Studio Once You'Ve Learned How to Tattoo</a>
<script>!function(a){var b="embedly-platform",c="script";if(!a.getElementById(b)){
var d=a.createElement(c);d.id=b,d.src=("https:"===document.location.protocol?"https":"http")+"://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js";
var e=document.getElementsByTagName(c)[0];e.parentNode.insertBefore(d,e)}}(document);</script>

Author: Sean Goudeloc

Semi-Permanent Tattoos

Semi/demi-permanent tattoos are cool and come in various vibrant colors and designs. Here are different types of temporary tattoos with pictures. So, what are the pros and cons of the semi-permanent tattoos? There are no cons, only pros. You won't have to go through the pain of the needle and soreness which one suffers for days, after getting a permanent tattoo.

You can get rid of these tattoos easily, and get a new one on the same place. The choice of designs and colors in demi-permanent tattoos are same as that of the permanent ones, so practically you can get any design you want.

Your parents won't yell, if you get a semi-permanent tattoo! You can get your partners name tattooed, and don't have to worry about removing the tattoo, if your partner changes!

Now that you know about the pros of these tattoos, here various types of such tattoos with pics.

Click on the pictures below, to view them large.

Picture Gallery

☇Henna Tattoo

☇Stick-Ons

☇Airbrush Tattoo

☇Mehndi

☇Pen Tattoo
☇Tattoo Nylon Sleeve

TypesMany people are looking for demi-permanent tattoos which last for a period of 6 months or 3-5 years. Well there is a lot of discrepancy over those kinds of tattoos, which we will discuss later. But, now here are some old and safe methods used to make these tattoos.

Henna Tattoos: Using henna pen tattoos is a fast, safe and natural way of tattooing. You can buy this semi-permanent tattoo pen online, or in beauty stores. You can draw sharp and fine lines using this ink pen in black color. This type of tattoo will last around 2-4 weeks.

Stick-ons: Do I need to even describe about these kinds of tattoos? Everybody has tried these when they were kids. They look gross when they are fading away, but look cool when freshly glued on the skin. Look for good quality stick-on tattoos, and enjoy the body art for 3-7 days.

Apart from the stick-ons, you can also buy a 'special paper'. A single sheet of this paper costs $5. Just use the paper in your printer and print a design which you like on it. Then use some water and a cloth to transfer the design on your body. If you want to test if a particular design will look good on you, then you can try this method.

TATs: TATs or temporary airbrush tattoos, are applied to the skin surface without causing any damage to the skin. A stencil is placed on the skin, and the tattoo ink is applied using an airbrush. It resembles a permanent tattoo, and can be removed using an oil or alcohol-based product. It doesn't last too long and washing/bathing the skin will result in faster removal of the tattoo. But, you can increase its life by applying baby powder to a freshly done TAT.

Mehndi: Some of you must be thinking, that henna and mehndi are one and the same. But, henna is the substance used to make the ink. The tattoos done using ink pen are black henna tattoos, while mehndi is one of the oldest form of body art. In India and many Arabian countries, women make a green paste of mehndi, put it in a plastic cone and draw designs over their hands which will give a red dye effect on the skin. These last for 4 days to 1 week. You can find these mehndi cones online, if you wish to try mehndi designs.

Ballpoint Pen Tattoos: These can be done using any normal ballpoint pen, and can closely look like the permanent tattoos when neatly done. But, they fade quickly and can be removed easily using soap and water. You can ask a friend (who's good at drawing) to draw a colorful design on your body with pens.

If your skin is sensitive, then do an allergy check before trying any of the above semi-permanent tattooing methods. Apply a little line or patch of ink on your skin, and let it sit for an hour and then check for any allergic reaction.

Tattoo Sleeve: These sleeves look cool and are made of nylon. They are transparent and stretchable. You can wear them for a cool tattooed-sleeve look. Just like tattoo sleeves, you get tattoo shirts too. Make sure you choose the appropriate size of the sleeve or shirt, so that it fits you properly. You can buy tattoo sleeves online, they cost anywhere between $3 to $25.

ControversyThe so-called semi-permanent tattoos, which last for many months or for a few years, involve insertion of the pigments under the skin. The ink inserted in the skin can't be completely removed, and so such tattoos can't be called temporary tattoos. However, some specially formulated ink can be much easier to remove, and they last for a period of 3-6 months. Many tattoos known as temporary tattoos, are applied using a tattoo gun which causes discomfort. Practitioners say that these tattoos will fade after a few years, but there is a lot of discrepancy over this. Due to such mixed opinions, these tattoos can't be completely termed as semi-permanent.

Author: Pragya T

Old school tattoo designs: the lowdown

NOSTALGIA

Traditional tattoos possess a sense of nostalgia. Maybe the tattooed person had special comics or movies growing up which included a character with a particular tattoo; maybe the wearer would like to link themselves with a specific group or historical age.

FULL OF COLOR

Many of the more traditional designs are bright, fun and full of color. Because of this, lots of people select them because they are good fun.

SENSE OF HUMOR

At the moment, loads of people who make the decision to be tattooed with old school tattoos do so with a sense of irony. However, this does not have to be the case. Having a traditional design tattooed onto your lower back is an excellent method of combining then and now – the marking may be traditional, but the placing is not.

LOVE

Love is an ever-popular symbol in tattoos, whether of the heart or someone’s name or of a rose. A horseshoe tattoo signifies good luck and fortune.

EAGLES

Birds of flight are also becoming more popular. They can be positioned in the middle of your lower back facing forwards if you’d prefer a symmetrical tattoo design, or placed off-centre to include a beautiful plunge; it’s your choice. An eagle symbolizes strength and bravery, and a blue swallow demonstrates a return to home and life.

MELANCHOLY

There are also heaps of melancholic designs you might like to think about. The most morbid of all would be the skull. It symbolizes death. Perhaps you could include a few flowers to make it more personalized? In addition, the Grim Reaper is becoming popular, but there is nothing stopping you from incorporating other images. Further, there are the usual sword and barbed-wire designs. Paradoxically, a tattoo design which include barbed wire could be very suitable for your lower back given the curves of the wire.

SEA

Sea-themed designs have always been popular. They include tattoos of, e.g., anchors, stars and mermaids. Anchors are a cool inclusion due to their curvaceous shape. In addition, it is possible to have names (maybe yours to avoid the need for removal surgery if a relationship breaks down) included in the design. Stars are excellent too, because they can be shaped to trace the femininity of the base of your back. A mermaid is a great way of accentuating your femininity, and employing the long hair of the mermaid to curve your lower back.

TAKE YOUR TIME TO FIND THE PERFECT ONE FOR YOU

There are heaps of old school tattoo designs out there, so take some time to research and decide which ones you are drawn to, then maybe think about whether you want to change it to mould it into the ideal tattoo for yourself. They have lasted the test of time, so take advantage of that!

Author: Lower Back Tattoo Designs

Tattooing and Art

A tattoo is a marking made by making punctures in the skin and inserting indelible ink into it. Although the practice of tattooing the body is very old, the English word ‘tattoo’ was first introduced by the explorer Captain James Cook in his report about a voyage around the world from 1768 to 1771.

Without a doubt we can say that although tattooing relates to art, in that both involve the creation of images, not everyone is able to draw beautiful images, even on paper, never mind skin. However despite the connection there are, of course, reasons why tattooing is different from other art movements. The main one is the medium: human skin. One key result of this is that the result cannot be sold, unlike painting or sculpture. It remains attached to the skin of the person who wanted the tattoo. Yet nowadays a tattoo artist can take their work very seriously and earn a lot for their work, for example Mario Barth charged $150k for five hours' work tattooing the famous American drummer and founding member of glam metal band Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee.

Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice since at least Neolithic times, and it is still very popular around the world. Although society has changed in many ways, the most common goal that people hope to achieve with a tattoo has not; just as before, people want to stand out in a crowd, or perhaps join the group of people who already partly define themselves through their tattoos.

In 1769 James Cook showed the Old World a Polynesian fully covered with tattoos, and that brought tattooing into fashion. However this success boom was short-lived, and it became a privilege mostly only for sailors.
Only in the 20th century did it find its popularity again, due to the powerful boom of Jazz music and Rock-n-Roll.

Now tattooing is being turned into an art, and artists are training in traditional fine art disciplines and simply using tattoos for their medium. Advances in electric needle machines and pigments provide them with new possibilities and techniques, so that tattoos have become full of colors and delicate details. In any tattoo salon you will see the list of styles of tattoos that can be made, and it is very much like the list of art movements; there will be realism, black & white, old and new school and others.

The biggest difference between tattoo and traditional art is the intimate artist/client relationship in tattooing. This can be an advantage to the experience if the client has thought a lot about the step and about what he wants to see on his skin for the rest of his life, though doesn’t play a role if the tattoo is a rash decision or the result of blindly imitating a fashion. But if you are one of the first group, and your tattooist is a real contemporary artist, than you will get "a moveable feast," a feast for the eyes that is always with you.