www.motorcyclemojo.com
Story and photos by Scott MacQuarrie

Even the word itself seems to have power. Love them or hate them, have one or never considered one, most people have an opinion. Even the source of the word has controversy. It's either from the Polynesian word "tatao", which means "To Tap" or the Tahitian word "tatu", meaning, "To mark something". Despite strong opinions, no one knows for sure. Despite that, let's try to remove some of the mystery about tattoos.

Tattoos appear to be as old as mankind itself, with references to the marking of people stretching from the ancient Egyptians to modern times and through every culture. Like music, tattooing seems to be an inherently human trait. Sometimes accepted, sometimes antisocial, tattoos have followed us through the centuries. As we move into the 21st century, this most ancient of art forms is becoming accepted in mainstream society again.

A tattoo is, basically, the forcing of ink underneath the upper skin layers in artistic patterns, which requires puncturing the skin with some kind of needle like device. The punctures do not fully penetrate the skin, but force the ink into a middle skin layer, called the dermal layer, where it remains permanently. The ink particles are small enough that the body's immune system does not remove them, yet large enough that the body cannot dissolve and absorb them. As well, the ink is also deep enough that it's not removed with the continuous growth of new skin. It is a quirk of human physiology that we actually have a place in our skin, where ink can be inserted in such a way that it remains in the body, yet is still visible.

Ink was originally ash mixed with oil or water, or sometimes a similar ink as used for writing or drawing. Modern tattoo inks are now specifically designed for their role by using an optimum particle size to resist breaking down from the ravages of time or sunlight. Earlier inks would show signs of wear within several years, while modern inks endure for decades.

Different tools are used for tattooing, with traditional forms being hand-operated and using either a needle or chisel to penetrate the skin. Some areas in Asia use a small hammer and a rake-like device, where the rake has small needles of bamboo or steel and is tapped with the hammer. In Japan, the traditional form uses a bamboo stick, with several small needles in the end. One hand against the skin guides the stick while it is pushed into the skin. These are very slow procedures and require incredible skill to create meaningful designs.

In 1876, Thomas Edison (yes, the Thomas Edison) patented a tattooing device for engraving hard surfaces. In 1891, Samuel O'Reilly modified this design to include a tube assembly for delivering the ink and the modern tattoo gun was born. It uses a small electric motor to move needles about a millimetre in and out of the tube assembly, at 500 to 3000 times per second, with a small foot pedal controlling the speed. This design has been used, almost unchanged, since its invention and can be seen in use in any modern tattoo parlour. Its simplicity, durability, and ease of maintenance have removed the need for any "new and improved" versions. The speed and accuracy of the modern tattoo gun, in trained hands, allows the creation of complex works of art in significantly less time than any other method available.

In the past, tattooing was an illicit activity practiced in obscurity, with the tattooists and clients often shunned. Unfortunately, this also meant limited hygiene considerations and increased risk of infection. Modern health considerations, and diseases such as AIDS, have caused modern practitioners to be as cautious as any medical staff. A tattooist now uses gloves, and often a mask, with small disposable plastic ink containers. The removable parts of the tattoo gun are sanitized in an autoclave, just like any medical facility. Needles are new every time and most areas require a health inspection before being allowed to operate.

Although there are small, pre-drawn tattoos, called 'flash available; many customers are turning to tattoo artists for custom work. Kathy Body of Life Itself Tattoos (www.lifeitself.ca) in Barrie, Ontario, is an award winning tattoo artist who does custom tattoo work for customers from all over North America. An accomplished artist, with a fine arts background, she became involved with tattoos by accident, but she hasn't looked back since.

Body says that she no longer has either a typical customer or a typical tattoo, with customers arriving from all walks life and many different cultures. Some have very detailed ideas for their tattoo while others arrive with only the reason they want one. The only clients she doesn't like are 'fashion statements', who simply want a tattoo to show off without caring about its meaning. Her desire to work on tattoos with meaning has led her to do only custom work now. She has flash and artwork on her walls simply to provide ideas to clients and as examples of her work.

With custom work, there is significant effort before the tattoo gun comes near the client. The relationship between the artist and the client is not passive, with significant discussion required before an idea can be put down on paper, and then skin. Most artists have large scrapbooks of their previous work, which should be reviewed to get an understanding of their ability and for ideas. Body recommends seeking personal recommendations for a tattoo artist, as well as walking from any shop that makes them feel uncomfortable.

One of the important decisions is location. Just about every part of the body can be tattooed, so the choices are wide. Most tattoo artists will not do work on the hands, face, neck, or private parts, but everywhere else is available. As Body says, "Those kinds of body parts are interesting enough as it is".

Many clients decide on a location that can be concealed by clothing, which allows one to show or hide a tattoo as desired. Although tattoos are more accepted, they are often inappropriate for most office environments. Location can also affect the design and size of the tattoo, since skin moves and the surface is not flat.

There is also a pain element involved in selecting the location, as the body has different sensitivity in different areas. Some areas will feel no worse than scratching the skin, while others may have significant intensity.

The conversation between the artist and the client to determine design, location, and size is more important than the tattooing itself. It requires experience and an artistic eye to guide a client through the process, which is another reason for care in the selection of an artist.

Once the discussions are complete, the artist will draw the design on paper. After the approval of the rough design, which can take quite some time, the artist will create an ink version on paper. This looks like a stencilled outline, and is used for exactly that purpose. Custom work is billed at an agreed upon hourly rate for the tattooing time itself and will not proceed until the design is approved. A good tattooist should be able to provide a reasonably accurate estimate, of both time and cost, before beginning the actual tattoo.

The first stage of actual tattooing is drawing the outline. This is usually black ink only and should be done in one sitting. For a large tattoo, the entire sitting may be several hours, but more than four hours is not recommended. Some people have endured a six-hour sitting, but it's rarely described as enjoyable. After the outline, both detail and colour is added until the tattoo is complete. A large or complex tattoo can take up to 20 to 30 hours, so there is a serious commitment involved.

After a sitting, a tattoo should be covered with antibiotic cream and a bandage. Antibiotic first-aid cream is used for several days, followed by moisturizing cream for about a week, which is the length of the healing process. Besides avoiding sun and excessive water, the primary concern during the healing is infection from the many thousand little holes that have been poked in the skin. Proper aftercare and advice will prevent any issues here, with most shops providing a pamphlet of information for clients. Most tattooists will insist on at least a two-week gap between sessions.

Once you have a tattoo, and the healing process is complete, the skin will have sealed itself in the same manner as before the tattoo. Tattooed skin is the same as untattooed skin, except that different colours are usually more sensitive to sunlight, which can damage the ink and age the tattoo. Trust me about SPF 45 sunscreen.

Although there are some tattoo removal processes, they are painful, expensive, and slow. You should consider a tattoo a permanent decision and treat it with the consideration it deserves.

There are as many reasons for getting a tattoo as there are tattoos, as the tattoo appears to be wired into the human psyche. If you don't have a tattoo, you should respect the deeply personal nature of them. If you have one or are considering one, take the time to select the artist and design carefully, as tattoos are more than skin deep and each one has a story to tell. Make sure yours says everything you need it to say.