Tribal American Flag Tattoo

So you have decided to get a tribal American flag tattoo. That's the easy part. Now you have to decide what design you want. In this situation, "easier said than done" is a huge understatement. You are about to permanently put art on your body...not something to be taken lightly.

You need to spend some time searching for the perfect tattoo. It needs to be one that reflects your style, your soul. One that you can live with for the rest of your life. And one that you will be proud to show off. A quick decision can easily turn into lifelong regret.

The History Of The Tattoo In North America

Early Jesuit settlers document widespread tattooing among the Native American Indian. Among many of the tribes unique tattoo designs were used to mark outstanding warriors and a sign of arrival to manhood.

The Ontario Iroquoians used elaborate designs to identify those very high in social status and in many North-West American Tribes the women were tattooed on their chins as a sign of marriage or commitment.

The first permanent tattoo shop was established in New York City in 1846 by Martin Hildebrandt who began his craft by traveling to both side of the civil war tattooing the names of soldiers and sailors sweethearts as it was seen as a sign of good luck. Hildebrandt spent the next 20 years training artist in his craft. The 2nd shop opened in the United States also provided probably the most significant invention on the tattoo industry.

Samuel O'Reilly was the founder of this shop and in 1891 invented the first electric tattooing machine. Prior to his invention the needles were dipped in ink and the artist would manually puncture the skin only two or three times a second. The electric machine allowed an artist to draw directly on the customer skin.

The 1900's were an emerging time for tattoos in the United States. Prior to this period it was mostly an unknown art and moved into an age where advertising became more prominent.

Today the Tattoo art form continues stronger than ever gaining more social acceptance on a broader scale. Once looked at as something reserved from criminals, low life's and biker gangs. Tattoos can been found in every economic and social scale in the United States. Prominent celebrities proudly display their artwork on network television broadcasts. Musicians from every genre can be seen blazing tattoo designs from a single small tattoo to more elaborate and extensive full body art.

The History Of The Tattoo In North America

Tips on Native American Tattoo Design

There is nothing hotter than an awesome tattoo on a fantastic body! Tattoos which are well placed and appeal to the eye tend to garner a lot of attention to themselves as well the people wearing them. Thus, tattoos really are the new in! However, even though tattoos do act as definite fashion statements, there's more to them than just that!

Tattoos are an ancient art inherited from ancient civilizations, where the symbolism behind the tattoo and its wearer was always more appreciated than its beauty. Tattoos were also used to show the rank of a person in his tribe. Individual markings in different tribes thus led to the use of tattoos as identification marks. Sometimes, if greater power or wisdom was wanted, tattoos were said to do the trick!

Unlike the hygienic tattoo parlors of today, Native American tattooing was done out in the open, using fish and sharp turtle bones, or even slivers of rock as needles to etch the tattoo into the skin. Unlike today's trend, Native American tattoos were dyed with natural dyes from plants or soot. With no anesthetic and each stroke of the flesh-cutting tools leading to huge bouts of pain, Native American tattoos took on a deeper meaning, that of pain endurance. The bigger the tattoo, the more the pain, and thus, the greater the respect earned in the tribe.