Pencil, pen or a needle attached to a stick?

The art of tattooing, much like any art, has many different mediums and methods of creation. Tattoos may have been around for centuries; tattoo machinery obviously has not. Some styles may seem a bit barbaric and perhaps unnecessarily painful, but many of these types of tattooing are still practiced by tattoo artists around the world.

In Japan, some tattoo artists use a tattooing technique known as Tabori or Irezumi. Tabori is a form of hand tattooing that was developed in the 18^th century. The tools used are also made by hand and consist of a long metal needle, attached to a bamboo stick.

The tattoo artist uses a charcoal-based black mixture that is pushed into the skin with his handmade tattoo tool. Traditionally, the tattooing itself, as well as making the instruments, was a spiritual part in Japanese culture. Men and women would get intricate designs covering a large portion of their bodies.

These tattoos are thought to have represented societal status or perhaps held some spiritual meaning. Tabori enthusiasts claim that this method of tattooing is not as damaging to the skin as western tattooing is. The needle penetrates the skin in a similar way, but because of the way the needle opens the skin and inserts the ink, it is less intrusive than modern tattooing. This is still practiced in Japan and is recommended by those who have tried it.

Photo Credit: burningmax

Photo Credit: Asian Art Museum

The Maoris of New Zealand used a tattooing technique that was so painful it came a representation of the brave.

The Maori people would get spiral tattoos that covered most of their faces and most of their bodies. The tattooing procedure is said to have been incredibly painful and those with tattoos were celebrated as the brave and powerful members of the tribe.

The tattoo artists, predominantly males, would use a combination of chisels and other sharp objects to create the tattoo. The instruments used were traditionally made out of bone and greenstone. The tattoo artist would start the tattoo by cutting the skin in the shape of the intended design, and then the same sharp object used to cut the skin would be dipped in a mixture of coal and other natural substances that created an ink-like liquid.

The ink-coated object would then be inserted into the skin and, using a hammering method, the ink would be pushed into the open cut. The tattoo artists responsible for these tattoos were often seen as sacred by the Maori tribes. The form of tattooing is still practiced today but the method has evolved and is not as painful or intrusive as it originally was.

Photo Credit: Sarah

The ancient Thai people used a technique that is probably the most similar to modern tattooing methods. It’s still practiced today and consists of the tattoo artist using an instrument that is made from a long, hollow metal pole with a needle inside it. The tattoo artist uses one hand to steady the person being tattooed and the other hand to dip the instrument in the ink and then repeatedly poke the skin with it.

Tattooing in Thailand began as a Buddhist tradition in which the Buddhist monks are the heavily-tattooed tattoo artists. Every year in Thailand, many of these monks and other tattoo fanatics meet at a temple called the Wat Bang Phra temple. In Thailand, tattooing is more than an art, it is spiritual and each tattoo represents an aspect of the person’s beliefs. Many of these tattoo are done by the Buddhist monks, who are trained in this specialized method of tattooing.