Master Horitoshi I Will be in Secaucus, NJ Sept. 23 until Sept. 25

Tebori tattooing is such an ancient technique its history dates back to around the 18th century, and the various techniques used for creating these tattoos are complex and require years of apprenticeship. Because it’s a traditional art and not a sign of rebellion, the attitudes surrounding Tebori tattoos are more serious and personally reflective. They also tend to be “bodysuit” style, like the ones you see in the Japanese movies about the Yakuza mafia. Most people who get Tebori tattoos usually work with a tebori master, allowing them to have a piece of art permanently imprinted onto their body. And just in case you were wondering, the word ‘tebori’ loosely translates to “hand carving.”

Mario Barth’s Annual Tattoo Show in Secaucus, NJ, called Inked Out (sound familiar?), will be bringing the most sought after Tebori master in the world to this side of the globe the weekend of Sept. 23 until Sept. 25. All the way from Japan, his name is Master Horitoshi I, the head of the world famous Horitoshi Tattoo Family, and a close personal friend of Mario Barth. Horitoshi I is a master of the ancient Japanese tattoo technique, and he holds the secrets to many of the ancient techniques and mythologies of Japanese tattooing.

Horitoshi I began studying the craft when he was about 21-years-old in Tokyo and basically learned the art all by himself. It took him about 10 years before he could actually support himself as an artist and it took him even longer before he truly mastered the art. Today, Horitoshi’s son, Horitoshi II, runs and operates his own tattoo studio, while he has many deshi - or apprentices - under him learning the Tebori technique.

One thing that I did find interesting about Horitoshi I is that he claims that 80 percent of his customers quit prematurely because he said that it takes a certain amount of character to endure the pain of the Tebori tattoo and to see the work to completion. Can you endure the pain of Master Horitoshi I? If you think that you can, you can make your appointment now with him at inkedoutnj.com to be tattooed by him at this year’s Inked Out Tattoo Show presented by Mario Barth in Secaucus, NJ, the weekend of Sept. 23 till Sept. 25. Try to find Master Horitoshi I on YouTube before making any appointments.

Tattoo Picture Marathon - Full Back - Front - Sleeves - Leg Tattoos

This posting shows there's no limits to imagination and artistic skills when doing or getting a Tattoo.

High quality work and reputable artists are the reason why this pieces of work came to life. Remember to do research first before getting Inked.

It can be a portrait, cartoon or a traditional, the important thing is to stay accurate and find the right artist, te one that can make your wish a reality and maybe go beyond your expectations.

With so much competition is kind of hard to find a true artist. Tattoos have gone mainstream and wanna be tattooers (fakers) are on the hunt for the next victim which they can simply practice on while making the customer believe their tattooing experience is old enough to make anyone feel confortable.

It don't matter what the tattoo artist can tell you, the main thing to do is to see their work first, they can be good but that does not mean you have to like their signature style.

Reputable artists can be found almost anywhere especially the big cities. There is also well known artists (brand names) in the industry who have developed a style of their own that people can simply recognize one they see the work and know right away who did it.

One thing I have mentioned in the past is the importance of quality. Sometimes people want something huge to cost cheap, most of the time they end up getting tattooed by someone just because they were told their work is good but you can tell a lot when you look at your dissapointed face thru a reflection.

Enjoy the rest of the photos.

God, Saints and Deities

Religious tattoos can take many forms, including images of saints, religious symbols and figures, scenes of religious history and quotations from ancient texts. In many ways, the tattoos are a form of identity used in this case they are used to display and affirm their religious beliefs. Below is some information about the prospects for religious tattoos and how they allow people to give a certain image of themselves and their spirituality.

A common choice for those with Religion is a religious symbol of a strong sense for them to choose. Religion plays an important role in the lives of believers. For this reason, many of them choose a religious symbol or a figure for a tattoo. Some opt for pictures of people, like the Virgin Mary or Buddha, while others choose symbols like the cross, a Star of David or other image that they find persuasive. Other select pieces of text, such as verses from the basic text of their religion, as the Bible, the Koran, the sutras, or other religious text.

No matter how it is shown that religion is often used in the art of tattooing. Some people think it is very important to them and if they show their religiosity on their bodies. In a way, the body is a vehicle for religious ideologies.

Some may be from the perspective of religious tattoo evangelize through their tattoos, while others are present, the tattoos remain a tool of inspiration to focus on what is most important to them. It is not only a permanent marker to show commitment to their bodies, their faith, but it can be seen by others and show their beliefs as part of their identity.

This tattoo religious perspectives offer people a means by which they can foster a distinctive identity as a pious person. This is very important for believers, religion serves as a central element in what they are.

Religious tattoos show identity and show others that they believe in a particular religious system, whatever it be. Some people get tattooed by devotion, a saint or deity, often painful process of tattooing as a sacrifice in honor of the saint or deity can be used.

Some people tattoo themselves with religious imagery to get them, how they want to live their lives to remember. Whatever the reasons, the prospects for religious tattoo a popular phenomenon.

Even people without religion can take over her life for inspiration a religious figure, and the feeling that a tattoo is permanent features of his art and help them stay by the figure or symbol inspired.

Colorful Tattoos VS Black and Shadowing

A good Tattoo Artist should be able to mix an blend colors and also do shadowing work easily. It is fun to show colorful artwork like most of the tattoos we've seen as well as some black with shadowing. Here's some pics of Great Tattoos.

As you can see, Japanese Tattoo has become popular (exept back in the days in Japan) and a few of the reason is the ability to decorate the body with colorful designs by a well skilled artist. Some people prefer to have a Japanese tattoo done the traditional way while other opt for machines or both.

Regardless of the style you choose what you have to keep in mind is to give proper care to the new Ink so it won't fade or get infected, most important is to see a reputable artist, ask him questions and be open about what you really want on your body.

Japanese Tattoo

Japanese tattoo art has a lot of names – irezumi and horimono in the Japanese language. Irezumi is the word meant for the basic visible ink covering big parts of the body like the back. Japanese tattoo art has a extremely extensive tradition.

Since the influence of Confucianism and Buddhism over the Japanese culture, tattoo art has a damaging connotation for the majority of the Japanese population. In the eyes of an typical Japanese a ink is considered a mark of a yakuza – a member of the Japanese mafia – and a macho emblem of members of the lesser classes.

The Early History of Japanese Tattoo Art

Archaeologists believe that the initial settlers of Japan, the Ainu citizens, used facial tattoos. Chinese papers tell concerning the Wa inhabitants – the Chinese name meant for their Japanese neighbours – and the individuals lifestyle of diving into water for fish and shells and decorating the total skin with tattoos. These reports are in the region of 1700 years old.

For the top developed Chinese culture, tattooing was a barbaric undertaking. As soon as Buddhism was brought from China to Japan and with it the solid influence of the Chinese culture, tattooing got harmful connotations. Criminals were marked with tattoos to punish and identify them within society.

Tattoos in the Edo Period

In the Edo period – 1603-1868 – Japanese tattoo drawings became a part of ukiyo-e – the suspended world culture. Prostitutes – yujos – of the pleasure quarters used tattoos to improve the individuals prettiness for customers. Skin tattoos were furthermore used by labourers and firemen.

From 1720 on, the tattooing of criminals became an legitimate punishment and replaced taking away of the nose and the ears. The criminal received a ring ink around the arm in support of every offence or else a character ink on his temple. Tattooing criminals was continued until 1870, at what time it was abolished by the new Meiji government of the Japanese Emperor.

This visible punishment produced a further genre of outcasts which had no place taking part in society and nowhere to go. A lot of these outlaws were ronin – master less samurai warriors. They had no alternatives than organizing gangs. These men created the start of the yakuza – the controlled criminals inside Japan inside the twentieth century.

Japanese Tattoo Prints

In 1827 the ukiyo-e artist Kuniyoshi Utagawa published the original 6 emblems of the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden. The Suikoden were something like ancient Robin Hoods – honourable bandits. The story is based on a classic Chinese novel – Shui-Hi-Chuan, which dates from the 13th and 14th century. The novel was initially translated into Japanese in 1757 by Okajima Kanzanion.

By the turn of the 18th to the 19th century the story was available with illustrations by Katsushika Hokusai. The novel of the 108 honourable bandits was extremely accepted in the sphere of Japan and created a kind of Suikoden trend amongst Japanese towns inhabitants.

Kuniyoshi’s Suikoden ukiyo-e emblems bare the heroes in colourful, detailed body tattoos. Japanese ink prints and tattoo drawings in general subsequently became stylish. Tattoos were considered iki – cool – however were restricted to the poorer classes.

The richness and fantasy of the Japanese tattoo print emblems revealed by Kuniyoshi are used by a few ink artists up to this moment.

The Meiji Restoration until Postwar Japan

Within its strive to adopt Western civilizations, the Imperial Meiji government outlawed tattooing as something thought about a barbaric relict of the past. The funny thing was that the Japanese irezumi artists right away got brand new customers – the sailors from the foreign ships anchoring inside Japanese harbours. Hence Japanese ink designs was spread to the West.

In the course of the first half of the twentieth century, horimono remained a forbidden art form until 1948, as soon as the prevention was officially lifted. A few say that this step had become needed to sanction the demand by soldiers of the American occupation forces for horimono and irezumi.

Tattoo Art in Modern Japan

A number of younger individuals may well think about tattooing being cool, the majority of the Japanese population still considers it while something connected to the gangland of mafia gangsters and a rough low caste tradition at the finest.

Younger folks who consider tattoos as iki – a marginal amongst Japanese youth – tend to use partial tattoos inside Western style on the persons upper arms, someplace it is not directly visible.

Japanese Sleeves Tattoo

Japanese Sleeve Tattoos come in different forms and designs depending on ones personality and what he wants to be represented by. Because of the popularity of tattoos, people who want to get one now are more particular in the originality and uniqueness of their designs.

There are hundreds of possible tattoo designs to choose from. But since Japan has been in the tattoo business for a very long time, they have developed designs that people have shown more interest in, nowadays, than any other. Japanese sleeve tattoos is what they are called.

Examples these sleeve tattoos are koi fish tattoos, dragons, samurai and hannya masks. Koi fish designs are very popular because of it represent power and strength and they form an illusion of a swimming fish when tattooed on the arm.

Dragon designs are also very popular, next to koi fish designs, because of the masculinity it creates for men who have them. They are either red or black. This design is also a symbol of power and strength as this mythical creature can breathe out fire and is just ready to kill and take an enemy down when needed.

The samurai is a symbol of heroism and great courage. This is one of the reasons why it has become so popular among all sleeve tattoos.

Hannya masks were used before in some plays in Tokyo. But because of its beauty, it has become a piece of art itself. This is believed to have the power to ward of evil. With its beauty and reputation, hannya masks have become another popular tattoo designs, not only in Japan but all over the world.