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DJ Bourque
Mrs. Tyree
English III, AP per. 5
28, March 2014
Tattooing: A Painful Art
Imagine works of art of the same caliber as Van Gogh, Da Vinci, and Picasso. Now
imagine them on someones arm would you consider that piece an illegitimate form of art? In the
past, tattoos were considered an illegitimate form of art, but since the beginning of the 1970s
tattoos have taken grasp of the world and become a legitimate form of art. Although tattoos were
considered illegitimate for a time, the history of tattooing solidifies the claim that tattooing is a
legitimate art form. Adding even more to the legitimacy of tattooing are the reputable institutions
that support tattooing as an art form, as well as societys growing acceptance and appreciation
for tattoos. Therefore tattoos are a legitimate art form, despite minor health risks, with social
sponsorship, and an interesting and controversial history.
Tattooing is an increasingly growing art; however, tattooing has been around for
thousands of years. Tattoos origins are masked due to the practice being used in many cultures
throughout time however, tattoos may well have existed since 12,000 B.C.(Tattoos). One of
the earliest accounts of tattooing goes back to biblical times, Ye shall not make any cuttings in
your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord. (Leviticus
19:28). This quote from Leviticus, written in c.a. 1400 B.C., uses the term tattoo which means
the art of tattooing was already well established. In 1991 scientists discovered The oldest
established tattoo was found on a mummy known as Oetzi, an Iceman dated to be at least 5300
years of age, making him about 1,886 years older than the writings of Leviticus (Ancient Art
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Revisited). This evidences that tattooing is by no means a new idea or trend since tattooing is
easily a 5000 year old art form.
Other early examples of tattoos can be found in Egypt Dating back to 2100 BC,
discovered mummies have been found to be covered in assorted tattoos (Ancient Art Revisited).
In Egyptian times tattooing was used on all people, women included, from all walks of life as a
means of identification of class. Tattoos have existed throughout history and have always been
an art form. An example of tattoos in history is in Japan around 300 AD and has been
demonstrated to be for decorative purposes only because earlier forms of Japanese tattooing
were done on clay figures for spiritual purposes like warding off evil spirits.
However, one of the most famous societies that tattoos does so as part of a social ranking
system as well as a rite of passage. The Polynesian tattoo is about 2000 years old, and the most
common tribe that practices the Polynesian style of tattooing is the Samoans. The Samoans were
one of the first tribes discovered by the Western world to be practicing tattoos. The Samoans
were discovered approximately during the 19
th
century by missionaries and their tattoos were
copied by sailors later on creating the iconic Sailor Jerry tattoo (History of Tattoo). The
Polynesian tattoo has been studied and Samoans methods would most likely be similar to that of
most early cultures. The Samoan tattoo machine was made from materials that would be
commonly found around their area [The] Samoan tattoo artists made this tool from sharpened
boar's teeth fastened together with a portion of the turtle shell and to a wooden handle.(History
of Tattoo).However unlike some early civilizations views on tattooing the Samoans viewed
tattooing as a rite of passage and in high esteem. In Samoan culture getting tattooed was
mandatory and to shy away from tattooing was to risk being labeled a pala'ai or coward and
reviled by the clan. Those who could not endure the pain and abandoned their tattooing were left
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incomplete, wearing their mark of shame throughout their life.(History of Tattoo) Also,
similar to ancient Egypt, women would get tattoos for decorative purposes which would
normally be smaller designs.
Tattooing in the western world was discovered first by the British by Captain James Cook
in the 18
th
century. Sailors then copied the tattooed people using liberal doses of whiskey as
anesthetic, hence the tradition of the drunken sailor covered with tattoos.(Wageman) Which
started the stereotype in the west, making the tattoo community unpopular until the 1960s-
1970s. This stereotype made public opinion of tattoos bad in England until the nineteenth
century when tattooing became popular among royal families of the late 1800s ("Tattoo.")
raising public opinion.
However in America public opinion was low until the late 20
th
century. The first step
towards higher public opinion was The first electric tattoo devicepatented in the United
States in 1891("Tattoo.") allowing more people to get tattooed, thus public opinion of tattoos
were raised. There are many reasons for tattoos overall low opinion, one fact being that in some
countries tattoos were used as a means for identifying criminals. In America however, tattoos
were only associated with motorcycle and street gangs, criminals, and military
personnel.("Tattoo.") This characterization would remain until 1960s-1970s, when many
cultural icons started to be seen with tattoos. Tattoos first step toward breaking the mainstream,
made in the early 70s, was made at the Museum of American Folk Art. The museum had an
exhibit on tattoos, soon after many contemporary artists of that time period began to adopt
tattooing as an art and used their techniques to sophisticate tattoos. Since the 70s tattooing in
America has been growing at an increased rate due to many athletes and performing artists
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getting tattoos as well as new styles and tools for tattooing emerging. Today about 14% of
Americans have at least one tattoo, meaning 44,380,000 people have at least one tattoo.
While tattooing is deeply rooted in being a tradition passed down from generations with
strict guidelines, tattooing has made many expansions. Contemporary tattooing applies modern
technology to the age old art of tattooing. This modern technology including the electric tattoo
machine which works similarly to a sewing machine with a vertical reciprocating motion to
apply tattoo ink under the surface layer of skin. Modern technology with application to tattooing
includes many medical products that can soothe the area being tattooed without removing the
fresh ink. While modern technology plays a vital role in contemporary tattooing, technology
would be nothing without the skilled artists who use them. Many techniques that are used today
are similar to those of traditional artists because of tattooing being very similar to painting. These
FIGURE 1
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techniques exist in part due to the inks used today which allow for more color saturation in the
skin and more vibrant colors in the finished tattoo.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines legitimate as real, accepted, or official.
Therefore, tattooing can be classified as legitimate because tattooing is a real art that is accepted
by many prestigious institutions. The history of tattooing adds to the legitimacy of tattooing due
to tattooings cultural ties to society as well as tattooings decorative purposes. Tattooing has not
always been considered a legitimate art due to tattoos edgy designs and application. Tattooing
by some still is not considered a legitimate art mainly due to the pain of getting a tattoo and the
health risks. Adding to tattoos legitimacy is the fact that [t]attooing is a recognized art form in
the Smithsonian Institute in Washington." [26] In fact, in 1986, the National Museum of
American Art, a part of the Smithsonian, added pieces of tattoo design work to its permanent art
collection(Levins), showing that one of the most prestigious museums recognizes tattooings
place in the art world and in history. The trend of having tattoos in art museums has been
growing quickly since the late 1990s. Many of the museums look like Fig. 1 with examples of
tattoo style art as well as pictures of tattoos inside and outside the museum. Many of these
museums are also working tattoo studios and can be considered the standard for all tattoo
studios. These museums are becoming more frequent as tattooing in modern society becomes
older.
Museums are not the only art facilities to embrace tattooing, many art centers hold
festivals for tattoos. These festivals introduce tattoos to those who are unfamiliar with tattoos and
inform them of the practices and risks of getting a tattoo. Many art journals also accept tattoos
legitimacy July, 1997, issue of Art in America, for instance, featured an article on the work of
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Chicago artist Tony Fitzpatrick, whose etchings and drawings are based, in part, on tattoo art.
Fitzpatrick is himself the founder of the World Tattoo Gallery in Chicago which showcases
similar artists.(Levins). Fitzpatrick believes in tattoos legitimacy to the point of endorsing
tattoos with his name which as an artist can also mean his livelihood. Tattooing is also
recognized by educational magazines as a legitimate career choice because of the growing
number of tattoo studios and the need for more artists to fill those shops. Tattooing is not only
considered legitimate by the art community, [t]attooing is recognized by government agencies
as both an art form and a profession (Levins) this means that most people consider tattooing an
art. The Oxford dictionary defines art as the expression or application of human creative skill
and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be
appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. therefore, tattoos are art because they
meet all the criteria necessary to be considered art. Many artists will testify to the fact that tattoos
are art, like the artist Donald Bourque who said in an interview, Tattoo art, like most art, is
composed of ultimately two components the first being aesthetics and the second being
purpose/meaning. making tattoos truly the definition of art. One main reason for all the support
tattoos get as an art form is because there is no art form that connects more with people than
tattoo art. The person is the canvas. If [everyone] think[s]of [tattoos] like that, [tattoos are] a
truly unique art form. Very few niches in art can claim to be as intimate and up close and
personal as this type. [Anyone] can actually have [there] own piece of art created, which [they]
carry round with [themselves] everywhere and forever. (Anonymous) Tattoos can be considered
a legitimate art form due to the fact that tattoos meet the criteria to be considered legitimate.
Tattoos are legitimate because tattoos support from the art community, the government and
society as a whole, as well as an art, due to tattoos being and expression of human creative skill.
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While most groups are decided on the issue of legitimate or illegitimate for tattoos
theologians seem to be divided. This divide is due to in part the verse of Leviticus You shall not
make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the
LORD.(New American Standard Bible, Lev. 19:28) However, this verse was written because of
the ancient Canaanite practice for mourning the dead which was forbidden to the Israelites.
While still some theologians say that this verse must be obeyed and that our bodies are temples
for the lord. Therefore, the human body cannot be destroyed or desecrated in any way. In
response other theologians argue that while all Gods orders are to be obeyed the situation is a
case of ceremonial law versus moral law, ceremonial law being simply the laws of the old
testament and moral law being the law of Jesus through the fulfilment of the old testament. This
applies to the law against tattoos in Leviticus making the law not binding to Christians because
of what is later stated in Leviticus, and fulfilled by Jesus Christ, stating For when there is a
change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well (11-12). Those same
theologians usually say that while they do not approve of tattoos because of taste, they do not
think they are necessarily immoral or intrinsically evil. These theologians that argue that
[p]erhaps getting a tattoo isnt a question of good or bad or ifbut why? Why do people
want them in the first place?(Filby). Therefore, the purpose of the tattoo should be the
glorification of God. However, while both these arguments are based in the truth, the church
does not directly prohibit tattoos.
Tattooing is the process of applying dyes to the skin through needles pricking the skin,
this process while safe today has some drawback and dangers. In the past, people who would get
tattoos would always be at a strong risk of getting an infection. While that risk is certainly
present today, modern medicine has made the risk easier to avoid. Another reason diseases
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caused by tattoos are easier to avoid is because many tattoo artists take their art seriously.
However, some people have been getting infections due to unsanitary tattoo conditions. These
unsanitary conditions are usually created by people who buy a tattoo machine on eBay and start
tattooing at their home. These tattoo guns are usually prone to transmit blood borne or
dermatologic pathogens due to the tattoo machine being unsterile. As stated by T.J. Schwartz,
boiling water is not good enough [referring to tattoo needles] for sterilization ("Video: Body
Art), meaning at home tattooing is dangerous no matter how many precautions are taken. There
is a wide variety of diseases that can be transmitted from an unsanitary tattoo needles including
leprosy [Ghorpade, 2002], ringworm [Brancaccio, Berstein, Fisher, & Shalita, 1981], hepatitis
[Nishioka & Gyorkos, 2001], and warts [Ragland, Hubbell, Stewart, & Nesbitt, 1994])
(Carlson, Valeria P., Everett J. Lehman, and Myrna Armstrong) as well as HIV.
Another danger in tattooing is that some people are allergic to tattoo inks. While most
allergic reactions to tattoo inks arent serious and only result in a rash, the long term effects are
unknown. The rash created from an allergic reaction to tattoo ink produces bump[s] that
resembles a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. Because the rash is hard to
distinguish from skin cancer, the bump could lead to potentially unnecessary and expensive skin
cancer treatment ("Tattoos Can Pose). However, allergic reactions can be avoided by ask[ing]
for a patch test with the colors desired before returning for a tattoo. This test will help determine
if a particular body will react to some of the pigments ("Tattoo.") which can save people from
being in pain and, depending on the long term effects, save their life. However, there is possible
for tattoo ink to get contaminated in 2011 contaminated tattoo ink caused a reported 22
infection.(Emery) While almost all infections are easily prevented contaminated tattoo ink
cannot be prevented until strict laws are placed on companies that make tattoo ink to further
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regulate their sanitation guidelines. Another risk that has emerged is the trend of covering up
moles with tattoos which is extremely dangerous because the mole that was covered up by a
tattoo could have been cancerous, meaning that any covered up cancerous mole would be
undetectable by doctors until the cancer has grown to visibly noticeable levels. These health risks
are all easily prevented by going to a qualified sanitary tattoo studio with passionate artists.
Therefore, tattooing is a legitimate art form due to the support is has from the art
community, government, and society. Tattooing is legitimate based on the grounds that
44,380,000 people have at least one tattoo, meaning tattoos are accepted. Tattooing is an art due
to tattooings use of human creative skill. Tattooing is also a legitimate art form because of
tattoos rich history of being an aesthetic as well as spiritual tool of ancient people. While
tattooing is commonly thought of being prohibited by the Catholic Church, many theologians
have proved that tattooing is not with scripture. However tattooing is an art with health risks
ranging from minor to major. These health risks are becoming easier to avoid due to the passion
and dedication of tattoo artists who take their trade seriously in order to put out quality art.









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Works Cited
Ancient Art Revisited. History of Tattoos. 4 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
Anonymous. Tattoo Art Or Not. Blur Group. 24 January 2011. Web. 1 Feb. 2014.
Carlson, Valeria P., Everett J. Lehman, and Myrna Armstrong. "Tattooing regulations in U.S.
States, 2011." Journal of Environmental Health 75.3 (2012): 30+. Student Resources in
Context. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.
Emery, Gene. "Tattoo infections linked to manufacturers' ink." Reuters Health e-Line. 23 Aug.
2012. Student Resources in Context. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
Filby, Julie. Tattoos: Not just for bikers anymore Catholic News Agency. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
History of Tattoo. Skin Stories. 23 May 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
"Is David Dimbleby's scorpion the death knell for the tattoo? The Question Time host's tattoo is
proof that body art has shed its edgy, rebellious connotations, writes David Nicholls; The
Question Time host's tattoo is proof that body art has shed its edgy, rebellious
connotations, writes David Nicholls." Telegraph Online. 12 Nov. 2013. Student
Resources in Context. Web. 8 Jan. 2014.
Levins, Hoag. The Changing Cultural Status of the Tattoo Arts In America As Documented in
Mainstream U.S. Reference Works, Newspapers and Magazines. Tattoo Arts in
America. Web. 27 January 2014.
New American Standard Bible. Anaheim, California: Foundation Publications, 1995.
"Tattoo." World of Health. Gale, 2007. Student Resources in Context. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
"Tattoos Can Pose Health Hazards, Doctor Warns; Industrial inks, poor skin placement may lead
to variety of problems." Consumer Health News [English] 1 Mar. 2013. Student
Resources in Context. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
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"Tattoo shop opens at Lynnhaven Mall in Va. Beach." Virginian-Pilot [Norfolk, VA] 17 Nov.
2013. Student Resources in Context. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
"Video: Body Art: Self Expression or Self Destruction?" Local Broadcast Video Content 2 Nov.
2011. Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
Wageman, Virginia. "The New Tattoo." Art Journal 54.1 (1995): 106+. Student Resources in
Context. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
Excellent content and organization. Need to work on grammar and in-text citation format.
Content: 40/40; Organization: 30/30; Grammar: 14/20; MLA: 7/10 Grade: 91