“…Scars of self-harm, tattooing and body piercing are often associated with diagnosis of personality disorders or substance misuse.”

You can’t judge a book by its cover. Or can you? The practice of cosmetic alteration of the body, as ancient a human practice though it may be, has gone through peaks and troughs of popularity in the modern world. A trend of the wealthy and highborn can turn to the mark of a criminal quicker than you’d think.

The practice of tattooing was re-introduced to Europe (tattooing had been done there for millennia before but the art had been lost) by British sailors sent to explore the South Pacific islands for the Crown. The images scratched onto the flesh of the natives there inspired the seamen to mark themselves, sparking something of am early tattoo craze in the West. By the mid to late 1800s, the ink lifestyle was linked to adventure, exploration and bravery.

Lady Randolph Churchill was marked with a snake around her wrist, and King Frederick the 9th of Denmark was quite heavily tattooed even by today’s standards. The practice spread to the States where it first took root again with sailors. The advent of the electric tattooing gun led to tattoo shops opening all over the eastern and western seaboards of America.

Automation and proliferation brought the cost of tattoos down considerably, which worked both for and against the art. While it was easier for those interested in the medium to find a tattoo artist, the stigma of tattooing being a practice of the seedy was starting to take hold. In circuses and freak shows all over the nation heavily inked people were being put on display for paying customers. Those voyeurs who had been sufficiently impressed could then spend 3 dollars and take home a tattoo of their own courtesy of the circus’ resident scratch artist.

After the Second World War the reputation of the tattooist and the tattooed went down considerably. Legal efforts on behalf of politicians had relegated tattooing strictly to designated, often seamy areas of port cities due to fears (sometimes justifiably held) of the spread of disease. To be tattooed now had a decided stink of marginality in an era of conformity. The art would stay a pass time of sailors, criminals and prostitutes for 2 decades almost exclusively.

Piercing as a human practice is likely as old as tattooing, though it never enjoyed as much social acceptance. For thousands of years, native peoples all over the world pierced various areas of their bodies for purposes of adornment and rites of passage. In Europe, it was a practice again mainly of sailors, rings put through the ears to signify a passing of the equator or to sharpen eyesight for high-seas watches. For women, piercing of the ears for jewelry had been practiced for centuries.

It was not until the 1960s when the ideas of Fakir Mustafar, born Roland Loomis, began to ignite interest in extreme body art and piercing again, first in the U.S. and then worldwide. Fascinated by the Muslim and Hindu holy men (called “Fakirs” from which he took his name) who would pierce their bodies with hooks and sharpened steel to no ill effect, Fakir began to formulate the notion of the “New Primitive.” It was Fakir Mustafar’s argument that life in the West had become intolerably sheltered and that our protection from pain, from trial, was robbing us from valuable self-knowledge. Adopting the trial piercing of various tribes from all over the world Mustafar planted the seed for interest in body modifications the effects of which are still being felt in the movement today.

“…For example, the desire to be tattooed, pierced, to dress in shocking clothing, at its basis it has obviously unpleasant emotions…”

The 1960s represented a paradigm shift time for many things, no less tattooing and piercing. The civil rights movement, anti-war protests and women’s liberation movement all collaborated in closing the door on post World War Two style conservative values. On the West Coast of America, the flower children found a fascination and unlikely partnership briefly with the outlaw motorcycle clubs that had formed and grew there after the 1940s. The rebel imagery of the bikers was adopted by the avante garde of the youth movement, actors like Peter Fonda and singers like Janis Joplin who in turn opened the doors for middle class kids everywhere to get their own marks.

The resurgence of interest brought much needed new blood to the art, people from the field of fine arts put down their texts and picked up tattoo guns, women all over the world for the first time began to view a career as a tattoo artist as viable, a development which lead to styles of design more flattering to women instead of clumsy sailor flash. The spirit of rebellion so pervasive of the time breathed new life into rebel arts.

As 1960s idealism gave way to 1970s crass selfishness, the tone of tattooing and piercing turned darker but by no means suffered a setback. Instead of flowers and eagles, rebellious youth now returned to body art’s rowdy past for inspiration; skulls, knives and dice. The punk rock movement took Fakir Mustafars rejection of bourgeois conformity to the next level, piercing eyebrows, lips and noses not with native bones but with cold stainless steel safety pins. The art of the margins was again being used, at once as a flag of rejection and so the rejected might feel safe in each others company. The 1970s made the tattoo and piercing culture we see today more than possible but inevitable.

Today, when tattooing and piercing are at their height, the question still must be asked: why?

Pornography and sites like the Suicide Girls have taken the inherently sensual art of tattooing and made it intensely sexy. Hollywood movie stars, by necessity of profession, people who stick to the norms of society, walk Rodeo Drive with pierced nipples and expensive ink. In the psychological field still tattooing and piercing both are firmly believed to be the products of “inner turmoil and distress” a sort of external sign of inner damnation.

With so many people either inked or pierced, are we a society then of the emotionally wounded? Or is this another wave of fashion which will pass and leave tattooing and piercing to the people on the margins of society to whom they always belonged?

Sources
Quote 1: British Psychiatric Journal 1998, Kelwyn Williams
Quote 2: Psychology of Mode, part of article entitled Psychology, dreams, reflexes
Works referenced:
Written on the body: the tattoo in European and American history
Marks of civilization: artistic transformations of the human body

A noob (newbie or tenderfoot) is sure to get lost in this ocean of communication confusion. If you happen to be one, don’t fret. This feature is for you. A collection of the most commonly used tattoo and piercing slang terms is laid out below. Read up and soak in the slang. We all have to start somewhere, don’t we?

Ultimate Guide to Tattoo and Piercing Slang

Airbrushing - This term refers to the rebound ink that sprays all over your pants. Funny how they can come up with terms for such mundane issues.

B-back - This refers to a customer who chickens-out during a tattoo session. The most commonly used excuse is: “I gotta run to the ATM, I’ll be back.” But he never returns.

Been needled - This is another way to say: “been tattooed.”

Cadaver - This term refers to a customer who refuses to talk to the tattoo artist during the entire process of getting inked. It is likely that the customer is a noob or just too scared about the whole process to find the energy to speak.

Closers - This refers to those annoying customers who know fully well that you close at 10pm, and take your last customer at 9pm, but they walk in at 9:45pm anyway, expecting you to accommodate their 2-hour tattoo request.

Dealers - These are customers who haggle down the tattoo price like they are attending a body art auction. They intend to pay less than what regular customers normally pay.

Engraved - This is another term for “tattooed.”

Geeking - This refers to acting stupid, or ignorant, or out of place, without regard to how you appear to others. Tattoo artists tend to use this term to refer to their clients who do not know how to follow instructions, especially in matters related to taking care of their tattoos.

Getting inked - Is another way of saying, “getting tattooed.”

Goo - This pertains to the cool, healing ointment tattoo artists apply to a new tattoo.

Grinding - A term similar to “creating,” as in what “grinding out some tribal tattoos” suggests.

Gun - This is a general slang term for a tattoo machine. In some cases, this term may have a negative connotation in association with hackers or scratchers.

Hacker - Beware of the hacker. No, he doesn’t hack into computer systems; this term refers to an unskilled tattoo artist who tends to cause the client more pain and swelling than necessary. Also called a scratcher.

Human Larva - This pertains to little children running around a tattoo shop. Poor kids.

Ink - This is synonymous with the word tattoo. As a verb, “to ink” can also mean “to get a tattoo.”

Inked - Refers to a person with many tattoos. It also pertains to the act of getting tattooed.

Irons - Another term for tattoo machines with a positive connotation. Irons are tattoo

machines used only by tattoo artists.

Kickin’ it into third - A phrase used by tattoo artists that describes the way they pick up the speed on the fill, because they know you can handle it.

Know you’re getting a tattoo - A phrase used by tattoo artists to refer to the act of tattooing the underside of the arm. Ouch, that’s going to hurt.

Meat - A local tattoo enthusiast who always has a fresh tattoo healing always has meat. This type of collector frequents the tattoo shop, getting a tat or two in short intervals.

Michaelangelo - Tattoo artists coined this ironic term out of frustration towards certain clients who think they know better. They are the ones who ask for “victory red” or “purple passion” and tell the artist where and how to shade. Think: back seat driver.

Pounding skin - Refers to “tattooing someone.” To a virgin, this term can sound more brutal than necessary.

Pussyball - Pertains to the “tennis ball” given to the customer who won’t stop whining.

Scratcher - Similar to hacker.

Show your ink - Another way of saying “show your tattoo.”

Showcase - Refers to a collector who has a ton of tattoos inked by the same tattoo artist.

Sleeve - A tattoo, or series of tattoos, that cover the arm is referred to as a sleeve. It may not really fully cover the arm; a sleeve can cover half or three-quarters of the arm.

Slinging ink - Similar to pounding skin.

Squicked - Refers to being grossed out or disgusted. This describes the way you feel when you look at a new piercing while imagining the amount of pain the person must have gone through in the process. A Prince Albert might give you this kind of reaction.

Tat or tatt - An abbreviation term used to refer to tattoo.

Tattoo flash - Refers to tattoo designs or samples usually displayed on a tattoo studio’s wall.

Tattoo shark - Pertains to someone who has a habit of stealing other people’s tattoo ideas.

Tattoo worthy - This term describes a band (yeah, music group) that is not only talented, but whose talent and iconic reputation will last forever (just as tattoos last forever).

Tenderfoot - Body art newbies.

The Look - This describes the tell-all smile when the customer first sees his new tattoo.

Works - The needles and tubes used for the art of tattooing.

Wrastler - This is a person who, after fainting in the tattoo chair, still decides to finish what he started.

Yo-Man - A potential tattoo customer who walks in the shop saying, “Yo man, I got $20. What can I get?”

Tips to Improve Your Tattoo Lingo

As languages evolve, we can expect more and more terms will enhance, or at least elongate, the dictionary of tattoo slang. In order for you to keep up with the talk trends, here are things that you can do to stay abreast with shop talk.

If the situation allows, hang out at a tattoo shop and listen to conversations between tattoo clients and artists. Unfamiliar words and phrases are sure to pop out. Take note of them and have someone explain their meanings. If possible, you can be bold enough to ask someone directly about it.

Another way of expanding your tattoo vocabulary is to attend tattoo conventions and ink-related gatherings. Joining an assembly of tattoo enthusiasts, coming from different parts of the country (or even the world), is a tremendous opportunity for learning tattoo slang. Geographical differences might induce differences in meaning or connotations of certain tattoo slang terms. Not only will you learn a new set of tattoo slang terms, but you also get the rare chance to understand different perspectives of the inked dialect.

Read tattoo articles from tattoo magazines. Tattoo articles are written by experts in the field, so they are bound to contain technical terms only a true-blue tattoo addict might understand.

Read books about tattoos and tattooing. You can also include tattoo guidebooks in your reading list. Not only will these books help you better understand the details of the industry, they will also ensure you soak in your fill of tattoo slang terms.

The Internet offers an endless database of tattoo and body art information. Search around to find interesting tattoo and piercing websites that provide the latest in what’s hot and what’s not in the body art industry. RankMyTattoos.com is a good place to start.

These very practical tips will help erase your Noob status in no time.

What did we miss? Leave your favorite tattoo and piercing slang terms - you’re your best definitions - in the comment area below!

Inspire your slang memory by browsing through new RMT user tattoo photos here. The main article photo is from RMT user Koi - check out Koi’s profile here.

But back to that early association of tattoos to gangs and criminals, it somehow follows that tattooing is quite a normal routine done inside prison cells. There, in the absence of appropriate materials and sterilizing tools, a prison tattoo machine (tattoo gun) has been created. The homemade version of the real deal accomplishes the same goal, minus the assurance that the procedure is safe and clean. But who worries those little sanitary concerns in prison anyway?

In prison or from the comfort of your own home, if you want to make an impromptu tattoo machine, you need these materials:

• 1 bic pen
• electrical tape
• guitar string or stiff wire
• tooth brush
• battery-operated motor
• pencil eraser

The bic pen is the tube that will house the needle, which is the guitar string or the stiff wire, whichever is available. You need to cut at least 5 inches off the guitar string to make the needle. A battery-operated motor (the small one) can come from a vehicle toy or a walkman.

The procedure

1. Remove the ink tube of the bic pen and get the ball out.
2. Insert the needle into the pen. Voila! Your needle is ready.
3. Prepare the toothbrush by removing the bristles. You can cut the head off in order to hasten the process. Heat it up in the middle using a lighter to bend the toothbrush to a 90-degree angle.
4. Attach the pen to the toothbrush with an electric tape.
5. Attach a pencil eraser to the center of the motor shaft.
6. Stick the bent end of the guitar string into the eraser.
7. Now to make the thing work, you need a power source. This requires some know-how on electricity. For example, you can connect batteries to a switch that powers the motor to get that thing running.

You could then use a cheap deodorant and an ink pen for your tattoo. Go try it yourself. Or better yet, try it on a banana for testing, like this guy.

If you’re going to design your own tattoo gun, go for one of these gun tattoo designs.

So what does it take to get the word out about your artwork?

Alive and booming in the 21st century, thousands of tattoo artists across the world are making their mark in their clients’ skin, and technology has pulled through to the aid of their work.

With the help of Myspace.com, Rankmytattoos.com, inkednation.com, inkedmag.com, and bmezine.com, artists are getting the word out on their work in more ways than one. Many artists even have their own personal websites set up to sell flash and other works of art as well.

But throughout this technological wave, most artists still believe that good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth is the best way to promote themselves.

Julie Becker, an artist out of Los Angeles, Calif. says when she relocated to New York for a period of time MySpace was a key factor in her clientele.

“I’ve been using MySpace for about two years now,” she says. “When I moved to New York I basically got all my clients through MySpace,” she says.

Although she has done a lot of networking through the web, some print work and a cover of a tattoo magazine as well, word of mouth comes out as her best form of advertising.

“I don’t want to separate myself completely but I’m a bit underground,” she says. “I have a good rapport to clients and they have a good loyalty to me. They’ll promote for me.”

Michael Norris, an artist out of San Marcos, Texas, believes the best way to promote tattoo art is to “just be good at it.”

“If it’s good, it’ll be recognized,” he says.

Although he has been working on a website to promote his artwork for awhile, his clients promote him more than anyone else, and also bring their friends to him as well.

Norris eventually would like to see his work displayed in publications all throughout the world, and works at it by sending examples of his art out to various magazines.

“It’s all changing and still changing,” he says. “We’re going to be a heavily tattooed culture and there’s no turning back. Hopefully the public will educate themselves and only choose quality stuff. I’d like to see higher standards with more emphasis on the spiritual aspect and less of the hip/cool aspect.

Casper Geist in Tampa, Florida doesn’t believe in the traditional methods of promotion such as magazines and newspapers, but prefers to use the Internet as his primary source of networking. Going to conventions and passing out business cards, guest spots, networking through his website and just basically talking to people is what he feels works best.

“Sending your pictures into magazines is not a good idea,” he says. “If you’re good or halfway decent it’s like putting a gem into a pile of shit. They just want to fill pages so what happens is your work shows up in the magazine two years later when it’s not even comparable to the work you’re doing now.”

As far as his own work is concerned he feels it depends on who is being asked.
“The people I tattoo think it’s the best,” he says. “If you ask an artist they’ll say there’s a lot to be improved. I agree with the artist because I’m constantly changing every day.”

Christy Booker has been working as a tattoo artist out of Seattle, WA for over seven years, and has worked extensively to promote her work through various websites, conventions and advertisements.

“I have my own website, I’m on MySpace, Ink Nation, tattooartist.org,” she says. “I go to conventions, and try to make it to Inkslingers Ball every year. I always bring cards when I go to concerts.”

But overall she believes word of mouth is her best bet, especially since you will usually find her with someone she has already tattooed.

“Most of the time people talk about the expression that I get on images of people that I do,” she says. “Things like the life in the eyes, the direction to photo realism, that usually impresses people, and that’s promotion in itself,” she says.