Neo Traditional

Neo Traditional tattoo is a movement that has evolved from traditional. Its hard to put down exactly what is different between the two but the main points are -

• Cleaner, more exact lines
• More figurative
• more realistic
• Gothic and dark influences

Traditional American

 

Traditional is the oldest form of modern American and European tattoo, originating from folk art to sailor tattoos to criminal gangs and bikers to a respected art form now. What I love most about traditional is because of its folk art routes anything can be done, you can draw a frog pulling out a gun and it will fit in perfectly.

Folk art

Folk art was a massive influence on tattoo culture in america and europe. Probably because the same things shown in folk art imagery was the same thing people wanted to get tattooed; visions of home, religion, love, stories and milestones in peoples lives.

Classic Tattoo Designs

 End of the Trail was a painting appropriated to tattooing. It signifies never giving up, coming to the end of a long hard part of life, or having just been through hard times.












 The ship most associated with sailors for obvious reasons, meanings can change from person to person but is mainly about being 'homeward bound'.

 Rock of ages is a design appropriated from a painting and is a religious symbol, holding onto God.

Pharaoh's Horses was from a painting, the symbolism, who found it, who designed it as a tattoo and why it caught on is unknown.

 Again, pinups were mostly associated with sailors to remind them of their woman back home, presumably especially when they were on shore leave.

 The diamond tattoo is a symbol of strength in oneself, ie a diamond cannot be smashed, dented or cut and is the hardest material on earth

The swallow tattoo was probably taken from a scientific illustration like this for the purpose of sailors.

 The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a design taken from catholic religious art, for the wearer to gain protection from God and show his religious beliefs.

Sailor Tattoo symbolism

With all the superstition of going to new lands and maritime legends sailors were bound to find comfort in tattoos, here are some of the protective tattoos they used most.

Milestones:
• Sparrow → every 5000 nautical miles traveled

• Anchor → in the navy, sailors would get an anchor after successfully crossing (and returning from) the Atlantic Ocean. The other representation was that anchors, being the object that secures the ship was an icon of stable, unfaltering faith. A reason why you would sometimes see ‘MOM’ or ‘DAD’ across it in a banner – the reasons for staying grounded.

• Dragon → signified that the sailor had served in a China station or sailed to a China port.

• Golden Dragon → crossing the International Date Line (an imaginary line on the surface of the earth following approx. the 180th meridian.)

• Fully rigged ship → for having sailed around Cape Horn.


Luck:
• HOLD FAST → a reminder to hold on to the lines fast when the ship is aloft in bad weather, so sailors would not be thrown off.

• Pig & Rooster → (on the feet or behind the ankles) traditionally believed to symbolize survival from a shipwreck. As both animals were often kept in wooden crates on board, when a ship capsizes, these crates would float with the current and most likely get washed up to shore. Another explanation (pig tattooed on the left knee and a rooster on the right foot) was that "“Pig on the knee, safety at sea. A cock on the right, never lose a fight."

• Twin propellers → (on each buttcheek) to prevent from drowning, as they were meant to ‘propel’ you ashore.

• Swallow → (due to their migration pattern) to always be able to find your way home, home in this sense could mean home with your family or called home to God in death – birds were believed to carry souls of the departed to heaven.

• Nautical star → represents the North Star; traditionally used for navigations out at sea. It served as a guide and a way back home.

Mementos:
• Dagger through a Swallow → to signify a lost comrade

Class:
• Crossed anchors → (between thumb & index finger) a mark of being a boatswain mate, sailors could have it done on the left hand: sailed all the Oceans, or right hand: sailed the Seven Seas.

• Harpoon → member of the Fishing Fleet.

• Rope → (around the wrist) a mark of being a Deckhand, current or previously.

• Guns or cross cannons → member of the Military Naval Service.

• Anchor → signified a Merchant Marine.

Girl:
• Pin-up girls →  Girls tattooed on these men were often a reminder of the ladies waiting for their safe return back home.

• Mermaids → mermaids were thought to be like harpies, luring sailors to their death with their beauty, its also a metaphor for the sea to stay on the lookout for dangers.

• Hula girls → usually inked on a sailor who'd been to Hawaii.

Tattoo Parlours Manchester

There are loads of tattooists in Manchester, only a few though stick exclusively to the traditional style. I visited them and asked about techniques used in drawing flash and painting, how they get influence for a design, where they look for it, what makes a tattoo traditional and for anymore information on the history of tattooing. I learnt the basics of tattoo design, using watercolours and a lecture on the biggest change in tattoo since its origin; hygiene.

 Manchester Ink is located in the Northern Quarter and accomodates all different styles of tattoo.

Blue Blood Tattoo is in Wythenshawe and specializes in traditional tattoo.

The History of Tattoo - Museums

 Amsterdam Tattoo Museum
The Amsterdam Tattoo Museum houses a huge amount of tattoo artifacts on show. I havent been but would find it a great help to see the machines and inks artists used years ago. This would obviously effect the way they tattooed and would subsequently start the new style. For instance a quality of traditional is the bold thick outlines of a tattoo, this was because of the primitive machines and needles used.

 Tattoo Museum Southport
Not exactly a fully fledged tattoo museum, but this studio does have a lot of tattoo memorabilia and antiques. Old machines, inks, certficates, flash, pictures and designs are all on show for everyone to enjoy. I love looking at the history here, its a unique history you only get with tattoo. I learnt that it hasgone in and out of fashion so many times since its birth, through acceptance and disgust constantly changing.