A Project Report on

THE ART OF TATTOOING

FOR
ALS Project, Term 2, English Core

BY
Adrija Mishra, Areen Anshuman Prusty,
Shradha Pujari

Class XII-D (2021-22)

D.A.V. PUBLIC SCHOOL, POKHARIPUT

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A project is a golden opportunity for learning and

self-development. We consider ourselves fortunate and
privileged to have such wonderful mentors guide us
through the journey for the completion of the project.

Our sincere thanks to Ms. Sujata Sahoo, Principal, D.A.V

Public School, Pokhariput, who despite being
extraordinarily busy took time to address us and guide
us.

Our heartfelt gratitude to our teacher, Ms. Sarada

Khuntia, for her patience and belief on us. Her
exemplary investment in the complete process, insightful
feedback and constant encouragement helped us
achieve our objectives.

Lastly, we would like to thank our respective families

whose support helped us complete the project within the
deadline.
 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

This is to certify that the Project Report titled The Art of

Tattooing, Term 2, English Core, is a bona fide work
carried out and successfully completed by Adrija
Mishra, Areen Anshuman Prusty and Shradha Pujari
of class XII-D of D.A.V. PUBLIC SCHOOL,
POKHARIPUT, for fulfilment of the ALS Project Work.

____________ _____________
Principal Teacher

DATE:

PLACE:
 OBJECTIVE

This study explored the Art of Tattooing, famous world

wide. It comprises the origin of one of the oldest
forms of art and how it eventually grew around the
globe. Our innovative minds always want to explore
something extraordinary, hence this art form has been
chosen as our topic of study.

The objectives of this study were to investigate:

1. What does the public think of tattoos?

2. How does this practice affect generations?

3. If people give proper cultural respect to this form

of art.

4. If it is just any other artistic expression which is

just considered unprofessional.
 INTRODUCTION

For thousands of years, humans have inscribed their

bodies with symbols — to signal identity and status, to
beautify, to express devotion, to protect and heal. We
call these adornments tattoos, from the word tatau,
meaning “to strike” in some Polynesian languages. At
several Palaeolithic sites throughout Europe,
archaeologists have uncovered bone needles and other
instruments that may have been used for tattooing tens
of thousands of years ago, according to Steve Gilbert in
The Tattoo History Source Book.
In more recent history, tattoos have come to signify
anything and everything. The ancient Greeks used them
to mark slaves and criminals, and the Romans extended
this practice to soldiers.
Fast forward to the current civilisation, tattoos are
adorned by a significantly large mass of people,
distinguished not by their creed, but by their taste in
body art and attachment to symbols.
This practice, however, has faced some religious
roadblocks.Given its widespread popularity, tattooing
seems to be ingrained in human nature. Nevertheless,
some tried to outlaw it in the past. According to early
Judaism and Christianity, tattoos defiled a body made
perfect by, and in the image of, their God.
 HISTORICAL ORIGINS

Tattooing is a rather unique, one of a kind form of

art that, according to some sources, can be traced
all the way back to the Neolithic period, which
makes inking at least 12,000 years old. It’s a
universal art form that independently existed in
virtually every single ancient civilization around the
globe. Evidently, humans everywhere have always
shared this desire to create a temporary mark
commemorating an important event and, of course,
be able to show it off. Tattooing is a painful ritual,
which in itself already makes the person
undergoing it a part of a club. For a long while,
tattoos of ancient peoples mainly represented
coming of age, their membership to a particular
group, their spiritual power or a regal status.
THE EGYPTIAN CIVILISATION

The art of tattooing was extensively practised in

ancient Egypt where it was seemingly only worn by
women. A new analysis of two mummies shows
the pair were sporting tattoos. The mummies
belong to a collection of six found in 1900. They
were named the Gebelein mummies after the
region in which they were found. Both individuals
date anywhere from 3351 B.C. to 3017 B.C.,
making them some of the earliest known bearers of
tattoos. The next known example of ancient
Egyptians getting tattoos doesn't appear for more
than a millennia later. The Egyptian tattoos are the
earliest known examples of figurative tattoos, or
tattoos that represent images.
Bodies contained tattoos that were inked into the
dermis, the thicker part of their skin, with an ink
made of some sort of soot. Copper instruments
found in nearby regions have been previously
suggested as tattooing tools. Previously,
archaeologists assumed that only women living
during ancient Egypt's predynastic period, from
4000 B.C. to 3100 B.C., had tattoos.
THE HARAPPAN CIVILISATION

Also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, the

Harappa Culture arose approximately at 6000 BC.
The two greatest cities, Mohenjo-Daro and
Harappa, emerged in 2600 BC, along the Indus
river valley. Pottery adorned with animal and
geometric motifs has been found in profusion at all
the major Indus sites. But the most interesting
objects unearthed are fossils of human beings with
motifs of animals and mythological figures. Women
of the Rabari and Bharwad communities, nomadic
tribes living in the Indian state of Gujarat, are
known for the elaborate tattoos they wear on their
faces, arms and legs. The tattoos represent
characteristics such as fertility or acquired skills.
New research indicates that these tattoos closely
resemble symbols used in the Indus Valley script,
with some even being identical, and might
therefore hold the key to deciphering this script.
Shahida Ansari, who conducted research among
the tribal groups near the former Indus Valley site
of Kanmer, states that it is possible that the
symbols got carried forward from the time of the
Indus Valley culture down the generations with the
same or different meanings.
 CURRENT SCENARIO

These days, the tattoo industry is extremely

well-represented with tattoo conventions
happening in almost every major city on earth.
There are photo books, magazines, websites,
YouTube channels, documentaries, articles and
installations covering or showcasing the culture. In
the last couple of years even face tattoos became
more or less acceptable ‘thanks’ to a plethora of
so-called mumble-rappers.

All of this exposure ramps up the competition,

artists are constantly looking for ways of doing
something new, which leads to an enormous influx
of specialised products entering the market.
People are making fortunes off tattoo machines,
ink, stencils and even bespoke chairs designed
specifically for tattooing. But it doesn’t stop there –
lately tattoos have become a tool for fixing
consequences of operations and past mistakes.
For the bigger part of its history tattoos were a
mark of society drop-outs, but this trend is
reversing now.

Tattoos are quickly becoming a way for a lot of

people to become a functioning part of society
again. Cultures that have historically frowned upon
tattoos are changing their perception at an
incredible rate. Just 10 years ago, tattoos in Russia
were exclusively associated with prison – even
people with artful ink on their bodies would often
be asked questions like ‘which prison were you
at?’, but the situation changed drastically as more
and more people started getting high-quality
pieces. During the 2016 games in Rio, numerous
athletes got tattoos commemorating the event and
teams even got matching designs.

A lot of new styles emerged in the last couple of

decades. Tattoos of our relatives and loved ones,
movie characters, musicians, our spirit animals or
favourite landmarks are basically photographs
embedded under our skin now. Tattoos can be
seen on a plethora of artists, musicians, actors and
even elected officials – Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau has been photographed sporting
one on his shoulder. While in most western
countries, tattoos aren’t associated with gangs and
criminals anymore, the situation is slightly different
in other places.
 PROSPECTIVE IDEAS

Technology is also making its way into the tattoo

industry. Glow-in-the-dark tattoos are a thing of the
past now, augmented reality compatible ink which
can come to life on your smartphone’s screen is
already here, but there’s a lot more to come. A
team of French design students redesigned a 3D
printer by replacing its resin extruder with a tattoo
needle and the result was rather fascinating – a
perfect circle tattooed on the team member’s arm
in a matter of seconds.

Here’s where the future gets really exciting. A team

of researchers at the University of Minnesota
created a 3D-printing technique which can ‘tattoo’
conductive silver flakes that contain ink onto skin.
The so-called electronic tattoo can be peeled off
when no longer needed. The team believes that
the technology can be used for new
groundbreaking treatment methods for injuries and
skin grafts, even going as far as envisioning a
soldier on a battlefield pulling out a 3D printer from
his backpack and printing a chemical sensor
directly on his skin.
Bringing an intimate and personal art form such as
tattoos into museums, galleries, and auctions gives
the practice a new, institutional legitimacy and a
special kind of accessibility. For a long time, tattoos
would only be experienced by the artist and those
close to the person who wore them. However
slowly or messily, the art world is beginning to
understand the special value tattoos have as
aesthetic objects. More than just beautiful designs,
they’re reminders of the unique stories that can be
told on human skin.
 SURVEY

We conducted a survey where we asked people

about their opinion and judgement about tattoos
and the culture it brings along with it. This survey is
aimed at what the general mentality is regarding
this artistic but misunderstood practice.
1.What’s your name?
2.What’s your age?
3.Do you have a tattoo?
4.Do you approve of this practice?
5.Do you think this practice has some sort of
influence on the current generation?
6.Would you approve if one of your family
members got one?
7.Would you ban this practice given the chance
and liberty?
8.Do you have any prior knowledge about the
origin of tattoos?
9.Would you consider getting one in the near or
distant future?
10. Personal conclusion on tattoos.
Some public conclusions
 CONCLUSION

Given its widespread popularity, tattooing seems to

be ingrained in human nature. Nevertheless, some
would try to outlaw it in the past. But, these days
tattoos are considered to be typically a means of
self-expression or a way to honour the memory of
loved ones. To some, they carry connotations of
rebellious youth. But even if we mark ourselves in
different ways, at different times and for different
reasons, we are still participating in a ritual that
captivated countless generations of our ancestors.

Tattoos have certainly outgrown its bad reputation.

We no longer live in a world where tattoos are only
seen on mob bosses, zealous religious
practitioners, and hardened criminals. Today’s
society has slowly accepted tattoos as a work of
art. That said, it comes as no surprise that
practically anyone from any walk of life has at least
one.

The data displayed above proves this point. More

than half of the people do not have tattoos.
Nowadays, around 52.5% of the people do not
approve of this practice. Our survey sample
consisted of people belonging to all age groups,
but teenagers seem to possess a much broader
mind when it comes to accepting this art form.
Some adults rather stick to their orthodox views,
but still give room for this art form to be practised.

Our generation today comes with many changes,

but tattoo’s in the workplace are the taboo work
policy that no one seems to be talking about.
Corporate jobs create policies to scare us into
thinking we must fit into a box to look a certain way
and hide any visual body modifications. The truth
is, the skills of a person cannot be judged on the
basis of whether or not he/she has got a tattoo.

This is why tattoos are so fascinating. A painful

ritual, a right of passage, a way of identification
and a commemoration of important life events that
is just as old as first civilizations. These days, the
world’s oldest art form is changing people’s lives
for the better and inspires new, potentially
groundbreaking technologies. Clearly, tattoos have
a tendency of sticking around, both on an
individual’s body and in humanity’s history.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the art of
tattooing is the fact that new styles never replace
traditional ones. A lot of artists make a point of
sticking to their roots, working with centuries-old
hand-poking devices and upholding the traditions.
The past, the present and the future coexist and
morph together within the tattoo industry, and that’s
what makes it so unique.
~.~
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. www.discovermagazine.com

2. www.nationalgeographic.com

3. www.karger.com

4. www.wikipedia.com

5. www.ancientbead.com

6. www.disputedpast.com

7. www.smithsonianmag.com