Art with a lasting effect

Jane Aman

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Jane Aman, Arts Editor
January 20, 2010
Filed under Arts

It’s an art form set on an unusual canvas. The canvas may have different hues, textures and is ever-changing. That canvas is skin.Body art, or more commonly, tattoos, is a form of expression that has become increasingly commonplace in the U.S. in recent decades.

The art of tattooing has been around for thousands of years.The oldest evidence of tattooing was found on the Iceman in 1991, whose body was estimated to be approximately 5,200 years old according to smithsonian.com.

Though the art had already spread over time throughout Europe, when the art of tattooing came to the U.S., it was typically the mark of sailors. Over time, the use of tattoos as a symbol for underground society and gangs, combined with the threat of diseases such as hepatitis gave the art a bad name.It wasn’t until the late 1960s that tattoos were reintroduced to popular culture in the United States. Since then, the popularity and acceptance of body art has risen steadily.

Today, large tattoos, such as sleeves, are often associated with musicians and “punk” culture. In Virginia, it is illegal for to tattoo artists to give a tattoo to anyone under the age of 18 without the presence or consent of a parent or guardian or the supervision of a licensed nurse or medical doctor.

Motivations for getting tattoos vary from person to person. Some may get a tattoo to express their religion, others to commemorate an important event and still others get their tattoos simply because they like the way that they look.

“I got it because a group of my friends all joined an African centered group in college. There was adversity to one of the members joining the group, so thepeople who brought us in called us ‘aya’,” English teacher Noelle Davis said. The African Adinkra symbol called “aya” means perseverance, adversity and independence.

Junior Jordan Cowles got his tattoo, a passage from the Christian Bible (Mark 8:34), for a different set of reasons, “It’s one of my favorite verses and it’s a big verse that describes my faith,” Cowles said. Cowles’ tattoo reads, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Senior Evan McMurrin got his tattoo to commemorate an important influence in his life. “The flag is for Strangeland Records, a local music store that closed last year. It had a lot of underground music that influenced my life today,” McMurrin said.

When deciding whether to get a tattoo or what to get as a tattoo, you must remember that it is permanent. It must be something that the prospective tattooed person believes will ring true or be attractive to them for the rest of their life.

“It’s something that needs to be well thought through. I know many people who got something they regret getting. It needs to be something personal, not something you pick off a wall or the Internet,” Biology teacher Steven Fenchel said.

While all tattoo studios have designs to choose from, many people bring in the art that they would like put on their body. “I had my friend, Jordan, design my tattoo. It’s of three stars. The black one is my brother, the white one is my sister and the one in the middle is me.” Junior Doreen Bond said.

Bond received her tattoo from an artist at Comes a Time Tattoo on Old Lee Hwy in Fairfax. “I thought it was going to hurt a lot worse than it did. I just felt the pressure on my back. It hurt more after it was finished,” Bond said.

Getting a tattoo is a simple procedure. The time that it takes varies upon how complex or large the tattoo is. Bond’s tattoo, approximately three inches in length, took about 20 minutes. A sleeve tattoo, which covers ones arm to the wrist, may take several sessions of a few hours each.

Modern tattoo studios use an electric tattoo machine, which is composed of several needles. These needles are attached to a bar which moves rapidly to continually inject ink into a person’s skin. While the procedure incites at least some pain for most people, they pain is temporary and bearable.

Arguably, the after care for the tattoo is generally the most important part. According to tattooaftercare.org, the health of a new tattoo can be compromised by poor hygiene, sun burns, bacteria, and allergic reactions.

Therefore, it is imperative that you take care of yourself, regularly clean the tattoo and stay out of the sun. Also, it is important to understand that after getting a tattoo, the tattoo will have to peel and scab before it is completely healed. This process often takes several weeks before the tattoo is bright.

Tattooing, however one looks at it, is always an art. Tattoo artists use the same artistic foundations as those who use pencils and paint. They have the same talent, just a different medium.

However, the difference that is most important to remember is that the art is almost always personal to the canvas, not the artist.