Some tattoo history:

Tattoo comes from the Tahitian word "tatu" which means "to mark something". It is claimed that tattooing has existed since 12,000 years BC and has many different purposes from culture to culture. Around the globe tattoos have been used to signify membership to a certain group or society. Biker gangs like Hells Angels tattoo their group symbol on each member to show that they are a part of that group. Also it is believed in many cultures that the wearer of a particular image calls the spirit of that image. The strength and aggression of a lion would belong to the person who has it tattooed. This tradition is shown in today society by the popularity of tattoos of lions, tigers, snakes, bears and birds of prey (A brief history of Tattoos).

Tattoos were popular amongst soldiers and sailors and was thought that soldiers and sailors got tattoos to try and distinguish themselves amongst the hundreds of other soldiers and sailors; a way to escape and become an individual. Many people got into tattoos for this same reason; to try and be different from everyone else; a way of making yourself stand out from the crowd (Raul Bustamante 2014). Tattoo legend Don Ed Hardy was quoted saying “A tattoo is an affirmation: that this body is yours to have and to enjoy while you're here. Nobody else can control what you do with it.” (Take me down to tattoo city - Ed Hardy 2011).

One of the most prolific tattoo artists and the artist who has inspired me most in this project is Norman Collins better known as ‘Sailor Jerry’. In the 1920s when Collins was of age, tattooing was an emerging American counterculture. Tattoos were a mark of not following the mainstream; choosing the live outside of the box.

After Collins left home he eventually ended up in Chicago and started working with tattoo legend, Tatts Thomas. Tatts taught Collins everything. To practice Collins used to pay homeless people in wine to let him tattoo them. He then joined the navy and when he left he settled in Honolulu, Hawaii. This was a popular destination for Soldiers and Sailors. They would visit Honolulu's Hotel Street which was packed with bars, brothels and tattoo parlors and this is where Sailor Jerry built his legacy (Norman Collins 2016). Jerry was one of many legendary tattooists who continually pushed the trade and tried to better the quality of tattoos and Jerry actually invented purple tattooing ink.

Photo of Sailor Jerry:

References:

A brief history of Tattoos . [Online] Available from: http://www.powerverbs.com/tattooyou/history.htm [Accessed 6 December 2016].

In-text citations:

(A brief history of Tattoos)  

Devlin, M. (2013) 10 fascinating facts about Tattoos. [Online] Available from: http://listverse.com/2013/07/23/10-fascinating-facts-about-tattoos/ [Accessed 6 December 2016].

In-text citations:

(Devlin 2013)

Dickens, D. (2016) Community post: Short visual history of tattoo tools. [Online] Available from: https://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/short-visual-history-of-tattoo-tools?utm_term=.xwRgjv9bm#.qlWOAl57G [Accessed 6 December 2016].

In-text citations:

(Dickens 2016)  

Raul Bustamante (2014) Hori Smoku sailor Jerry: The life of Norman K. Collins. [Online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CS9Fuw7ENg [Accessed 6 December 2016].

In-text citations:

(Raul Bustamante 2014)  

Norman Collins (2016) . [Online] Available from: http://sailorjerry.com/en-gb/norman-collins/ [Accessed 6 December 2016].

In-text citations:

(Norman Collins 2016)  

Thinkhouse (2013) Skin deep - A youth culture tattoo documentary. [Online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw7WMKx6WE4 [Accessed 7 December 2016].

In-text citations: (Thinkhouse 2013)

Take me down to tattoo city - Ed Hardy (2011) . [Online] Available from: https://www.bigtattooplanet.com/features/artist-interview/take-me-down-to-tattoo-city-ed-hardy [Accessed 7 December 2016].

In-text citations: (Take me down to tattoo city - Ed Hardy 2011)