Feature on tattooing

This History of the tattoo

Tattoos are everywhere. They are not just a symbol of rebellious statutory and deviant gangs and crimes but now are now seen as an expression of artistic ways. Over the last few years we have seen a renaissance in the art of tattooing. For many people tattoos are the love of art, they get tattoos based on the things they like or have seen around. Sometimes they are symbols of dreams, fantasies or religion. Tattoos should be meaningful as they are personal and are used to decorate the body.

Body modification has been around for a long time, and their presence has flourished and declined throughout time depending on the time of period. Tattoos are almost as old as mankind and can be dated back as far as 38,000 BC. Tattoos were first founded in places like Egypt, India, Rome, Japan and China. People used to fall into pigment-carrying and sharp instruments such as charcoaled branches. The word tattoo originated from the Tahitian word ‘tatu’ which means to mark something. It also comes from the Polynesian word ‘ta’ which means to strike something. The principle of tattooing varies from culture to culture depending on the time line.

A tattooist who has been in the artistic business for 24 years owns a tattoo parlour ‘Steel City Tattooing’ on London Road.

Richard Howard had his first tattoo when he was 14 years old and since then became fascinated with the arty theme/field. This is when he decided to open up his own tattoo parlour.

The most challenging tattoos to do are on faces as it is unique and represents the individual. He said: “Some people have the tear drops tattooed on their face this signifies that they have served time in prison, because they have killed a person.”

The tattooist has also tattooed Sheffield’s British actor Sean Bean who had ‘Sheffield United’ written on his wrist. As Celtics and Tribals were once a popular design, stars are now considered to be in style.

When caring for your tattoo you have to be careful of any infections. Hardly many people have any infections, “if they do then it’s down to personal hygiene”.

Nowadays 9 out of 10 women are more likely to have tattoos, this may be because women want to be seen as more “courageous and daring by getting tattoos on their necks and hands”, stated Howard. In looking at the aspects of women and tattooing it first began to develop as a critique of politics of the body. Women were getting tattooed due to social struggle. Women’s external appearance has been dictated by femininity and the need to look beautiful and thin, and by allowing women to make a mark on the outer body gives them control of themselves and to rebel against the idea of being feminine and being more like the dominant male.

By Poonam Vadher