Tattoo

As old as human history and as new as this moment, tattoos have gone from being the domain of outlaw bikers and sailors to becoming cutting-edge body decoration. And Tattoo celebrates the medium for what it is - deeply personal and often provocative art. Myriad motifs appear on its pages, from malevolent totems and dark demons to light-hearted graphics, cartoon anime, flowing Japanese-style florals, and old-school flash, in palettes as subtle as black and grey to as in-your-face as vibrant Day-Glo. Showcasing striking, full-colour photographs of this skin art, Tattoo also features the honest words of a broad spectrum of individuals who have submitted their skin to a tattoo artist's needle. When the needle pierces the skin, the whims of the artist and the subject become permanently embedded on the skin. What inspired these indelible designs? Tattoo invites you to share the unique stories and striking visuals of some amazing ink. About the authors Tattoo collaborators Brousseau, Hajeski and Purcell share an appreciation of the visual poetry of the art of tattooing. Marcel Brousseau is a freelance writer and artist living in Santa Barbara, California.Nancy Hajeski is an award-winning writer of fiction and is also a human-interest newspaper columnist. Lisa Purcell is an editor and artist living in Manhattan.