HISTORY
Tattooing has been practiced across the globe since at least Neolithic times, as evidenced by mummified preserved skin, ancient art, and the archaeological record. Both ancient art and archaeological finds of possible tattoo tools suggest tattooing was practiced by the Upper Paleolithic period in Europe. However, direct evidence for tattooing on mummified human skin extends only to the 4th millennium BC. The oldest discovery of tattooed human skin to date is found on the body of Ötzi the Iceman, dating to between 3370 and 3100 BC.[2] Other tattooed mummies have been recovered from at least 49 archaeological sites including locations in Greenland, Alaska, Siberia, Mongolia, western China, Egypt, Sudan, the Philippines, and the Andes.[3] These include Amunet, Priestess of the Goddess Hathor from ancient Egypt (c. 2134–1991 BC), multiple mummies from Siberia including the Pazyryk culture of Russia, and from several cultures throughout pre-Columbian South America
FAMOUS SHOPS
1. Fortune Tattoo
City: Portland, OR (US)
Setting up shop in a city with one of the highest rates of tattoo parlors per capita in the United States (around 12 per 100,000 people) can’t be easy, but Ms. Mikki was up for the challenge. She opened Fortune Tattoo on April 1st, 2010, and it’s already one of the most well-known and respected shops in the city. As is Ms. Mikki, who’s been featured in Tätowier Magazine, Skin & Ink, and Northwest Tattoo.
2. Tin Tin Tatouages
City: Paris (France)
Tin Tin has been tattooing for nearly three decades and opened his shop in Monmartre in 1999. His work has been featured in magazines like GQ and Elle, in advertisements for Givenchy perfume, and on celebrities like Marc Jacobs and Philippe Starck.
3. Boston Tattoo Company
City: Boston, MA (US)
The studio might be new (opened May 2010), but owner Jason Zube wasted no time developing a solid reputation. Boston Tattoo Company was the 2011 winner of the “Best of Boston” readers’ poll by The Boston Phoenix.
4. The Tattoo Temple
City: Hong Kong (China)
Joey Pang has a two year waiting list; unsurprising, considering she developed a brush-stroke technique of tattooing that resembles elements of traditional Chinese calligraphy. Tattoos out of this studio have been featured on CNN, CBS, and The Travel Channel.
5. Black and Blue Tattoo
City: San Francisco, CA (US)
Germany-born Idexa Stern opened Black and Blue in 1996, and the six-member staff speaks a combined seven languages. Idexa specializes in “black work, geometric patterns, scientific imagery, and organically inspired designs,” and was named 2009 and 2010 Best Tattoo Artist in the Bay Area in the San Francisco Bay Guardian‘s “Best of the Bay” Readers Poll. Her work is also featured in Black Tattoo Art and Tattoo World.
6. Toronto Ink
City: Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
“As Seen on MTV.” Mark Prata of Toronto Ink was the tattoo / art designer for the A&E TV series “Breakout Kings” and was the on-air tattoo artist on MTV Live in 2007.
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7. Caio Tattoo
City: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Caio started tattooing manually — as in a needle and no machines — over 40 years ago. He was in the business back when tattoos were for, in his words, “sailors, prostitutes, and bandits.” Caio’s shop in Arpoador is located on some prime real estate; right on the stretch between the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches.
8. Saved Tattoo
City: Brooklyn, NY (US)
Scott Campbell opened Saved Tattoo in 2005, which has since expanded to include eight other tattoo artists. Famous clientele includes Heath Ledger, Sting, Orlando Bloom, and Robert Downey Jr.
9. Kaze Gallery and Tattoo Studio
City: Denver, CO (US)
Kaze pulls double-duty as both a tattoo studio, where artists Sandi Calistro and William Thidemann specialize in custom designs, and a gallery, hosting art openings for both local and national artists every month.
10. Angel Art Tattoo Studio
City: Bangkok (Thailand)
Mr. Tung is one of the most well-known tattoo artists in Bangkok. His tattoos are free-hand, drawn right onto the skin rather than on paper, so each one is an original.
Tattoo Aftercare
1. Remove bandage in a CLEAN bathroom after 2-3 hours. Bandage may be left on overnight if it feels comfortable and secure. If the bandage is removed on the first night, the tattoo may stick to or stain bed sheets. Maintain clean bedding throughout the healing process (about 2 weeks).
2. After removing bandage, wash the tattoo immediately with warm water and soap. We recommend plain Dial soap out of a pump bottle. No soap with fragrance moisture beads or scrubs.
PROCESS FOR WASHING A FRESH TATTOO:
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Carefully remove bandage and tape
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Make a lather in your hand with soap and warm water
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Gently clean tattoo using a circular motion, until all ointment, blood, and lymphatic fluid are removed
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Rinse the tattoo and wash once again, gently, until the skin is clean
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a hair dryer on the ‘cool’ setting may be used; a clean paper towel may also be used to dab the tattoo dry
3. Only use CLEAN HANDS to wash your tattoo. NO washcloths, bath towels, bath sponges or loofahs on a fresh tattoo.
4. Once the tattoo is dry apply AQUAPHOR healing ointment, made by Eucerin. Apply a thin layer and rub it in, then dab excess off with a clean paper towel. Use the Aquaphor for the first 2-3 days then switch to a regular FRAGRANCE FREE lotion such as Lubriderm, or any other fragrance free brand.
5. Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin. This can be DABBED with a clean paper towel. Press the paper towel to the skin and remove. Do not wipe the tattoo or be rough with it. Do not panic when you see the colors of the tattoo on the paper towel, or on your hands as you clean it. This is simply excess ink being sloughed from the surface or the skin.
6. Once a day, in the shower, is usually enough cleaning for any new tattoo. Consult your artist if you plan to do any strenuous activity within the first ten day of having your tattoo. Lotion may be applied to the tattoo as it dries out; however if your skin is extremely sensitive, lotion may cause acne- like break outs. This can be taken care of by reducing the number of lotion applications per day.
7. Wear loose, preferably cotton clothing over the fresh tattoo. The tattoo need not be rebandaged except in certain, rare instances. A bra strap, tight waistband, sweaty gym shoe or itchy cotton sweater can potentially create healing problems. Consult your tattoo artist for advice on what clothing to wear/avoid. If you choose to re-bandage your tattoo after washing be sure that only sterile bandages are used.
8. After a few days, the tattoo will begin to form flaky scabs that will fall off on their own. DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH AT YOUR TATTOO. Keep it moisturized and the scabs will slough eventually. Once again, they will be the color of the tattoo. It normally takes 2-4 weeks for a tattoo to completely heal. I
Tattoos
How Tattoos Work
Tattoo application uses a mechanized needle to puncture the skin and inject ink into the dermis or second layer of skin just below the epidermis. Since the process involves damaging the skin, the body responds with white blood cells which attempt to absorb the foreign particles and dispose of them in the blood stream.