Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart,news.answers,rec.answers Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!sdd.hp.com!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!ames!news.Hawaii.Edu!uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu!teshima From: teshima@uhunix3.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Lani Teshima-Miller) Subject: rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 4/4: Miscellaneous Info Message-ID: Followup-To: rec.arts.bodyart Summary: This posting contains the Frequently Asked Questions file about tattoos and other non-piercing bodyart. Anyone who wishes to read/post to the rec.arts.bodyart newsgroup should read this first. Sender: news@news.Hawaii.Edu Organization: University of Hawaii Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1993 18:56:26 GMT Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Lines: 844 Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu rec.arts.bodyart:10794 news.answers:15941 rec.answers:3385 Archive-name: tattoo-faq/part4 Last-modified: November 22, 1993 Posting-frequency: Monthly This is Part 4 of the 'other' half of the rec.arts.bodyart FAQ file that is posted on a monthly basis (in the latter half of the month) and includes information about everything but piercing that might concern bodyart. If you are a regular reader of r.a.b. and do not want to read this monthly posting, you may want to set a KILL command in your file for all four tattoo FAQ postings. The rec.arts.bodyart tattoo FAQ is broken up into four parts: Part 1/4: Introduction, and getting a tattoo Part 2/4: Artist list Part 3/4: How to care for a new tattoo Part 4/4: Miscellaneous information This section includes the following information: 1. Are there glow-in-the-dark tattoos? 2. Where can I get a Japanese "irezumi" tattoo? 3. When did tattooing start? 4. How does a modern tattoo gun work? 5. How long do I have to wait before I can donate blood? 6. Are there references about tattoos I could look up? 6.1. Tattoos in movies and videos 6.2. Newspaper articles about tattoos/bodyart 6.3. Magazine and journal articles about tattoos/bodyart 6.4. Books about tattoos/bodyart 6.5. Tattoo organizations 7. Non-tattoo bodyart 7.1. What is branding and how is it done? 7.2. What is scarring? 7.3. What are cuttings? 1. Are there glow in the dark tattoos? Quite simply, yes. --You generally get a quick test to see if you react to it... If you are not allergic, it is not a problem. --It does not always become invisible. Freddy (Corbin)tells the story of a woman who got a 6-inch spurting penis with the words "love it" on her forearm. The pigment never became invisible (oops.) --It sometimes does not take well. It comes out fairly regularly. Because of all of this, it is recommended that you use it to highlight an existing tattoo, but you should not do it as the only pigment. You can get it at Lyle Tuttle's studio, Tattoo City, and the Blue Buddha. If you go to the BB, ask for Bill. 2. Where can I get Japanese "irezumi" tattoos? ---------- [Note: There is an issue of _International Tattoo Art_ (November 1993) primarily devoted to irezumi, with some very good info (albeit some errors in the romanized spelling of Japanese words--argh. Hey Jonathan Shaw--I'm bilingual--why don't you hire ME for your next translation job? --Lani).] Japanese "irezumi" tattoos are often associated with laborers (primarily fire fighters and carpenters) and yakuza members, who stereotypically also lack the tips of one or two digits on their hands (to signify a failed order and to show loyalty--see the movie, _Black Rain_ with Michael Douglas for an example). An excellent book to to see examples of traditional Japanese bodysuits is _The Japanese tattoo_ by Sandi Fellman (New York : Abbeville Press, 1986. 112 p.). For those interested in getting work of this magnitude done however, the general answer is "ya can't gets one." This is not only because of the time or costs involved- -there is a sense of the spiritual and of propriety with the artists, who do not advertise their services in the Yellow Pages. Your best bet as a "gaijin" (foreigner) is to find a Western artist who specializes in oriental artwork. As trends go, the young Japanese are now interested in tattoos of Elvis and Chevies, anyway--the grass is greener on the other side, I guess. 2. Kanji Characters One word of warning about getting Japanese or Chinese characters-- make sure that the artist who does this understands the importance of the shape and form of the letters. Unlike the roman alphabet, the essence of the Oriental characters is in the proper execution of form. The artist will have to know where the "brush strokes" of the calligraphy starts and ends (as stroke order also counts), as well as how angular some corners should be, etc. The worst thing would be to sport a Japanese kanji character that looks like some zygotes. How to tell if the characters are formed properly? It would help if you know how to read kanji or if you have Oriental friends--otherwise, go with a reputable artist who is known for it. 3. When did tattooing start? ---------- Paraphrased from the Globe and Mail (Toronto's National Newpaper): "A 4,000 year old man has been found in Italy near the Austrian border, (originally it was reported he was in Austria, but both countries now agree he is in Italy.) Carbon dating will take a few months, but artifacts found near him strongly suggest that he is over 4,000 years old....He is also tattooed...a small cross is behind one knee and above his kidneys there are a series of lines, about 15 cm long." Now I knew that the Egyptians tattooed each other, but that was only 3,000 years ago. I wonder how much further back this custom goes? From "Tattoo You" by Steve Wind (Off Duty Hawaii Magazine, October '92): "The first Western references to tattoos didn't come until 1771, when Captain cook brought the word to Europe after Seeing the artform in Tahiti. Tattoos were associated with the lower class and criminal elements in Britain and America until the early 1900s when, drawn by a sense of freedom, decadence and sexual liberation, upper classes began wearing them as well." 4. How does a modern tattoo gun work? I'd like to thank Fred Jewell (fredj@ksr.com), who did this entire section, except the diagram [which took me some time], and the needle arrangements, which is by Jesster. The tattoo machine (gun, as a misnomer) is really a basic doorbell circuit (you know--you push a button and somewhere in the kitchen this little arm bangs the hell out of a bell thingie). For you techies out there it's a DC coil and spring point(s) machine. Both doorbell and tat machine were invented before household current was available. __ / \ \ / <--rabbit ear w/ a screw in it _/ /____ / /_/ \ | ( )---\ \ | --- ---\\ \ \/ /_____ \\ \ __ __ ( ) \ \\ \ / \ / \ <--mecha- ============================= nism ^ ------------ | | | <-contact armature (| |________________|---\___| points bar -> | | _/ \_||_/ \_ / <-This | | [XXXX]||[XXXX]__ __ \ whole coils (X)-> | | |XXXX|--|XXXX| \ / \ \ thing is | | |XXXX|--|XXXX| / \__/ | the base | | |XXXX|--|XXXX| / || / =========================== <-rubber =========================== bands ___| |___|__|__|__|__/ |___((_// / //\ |\- | // | ___________________| \// /___/ --- | |___| /XXXXX\ |XXXXX| |XXXXX| |XXXXX| <--sanitary tube |XXXXX| |XXXXX| |_____| \ / | | | | | | \_| <---needles It is essentially in 3 sections: The base, the mechanism, and the sanitary tube. The base really is the bulk of the metal; a rabbit ear with a screw in it, bent at 90 degrees to hold coils. In the front there's a round hole to hold the sanitary tube. Some people think the base looks like the handle of a gun. The base houses the mechanism, which consists of two coils of wire wrapped around an iron core. At the top of the mechanism is a set of silver contact "points" (like the end of a wire); one usually on a spring mechanism, the other either the end, or on the end of a screw. The spring connects to the base and a bar, which is connected to the needle arm (90 degrees offset). The needle arm is connected to the needles (which are soldered onto the bar), and moves up and down inside the sanitary tube. The coils connect to a DC power supply (between 6 - 12VDC), via a spring coiled U-cable. The U-cable is called a "clip cord," designed to move easily between machines but also stay in place and not fall out and spark all over the place. The springs hold the cable in/onto the machine. One side of the coils is connected to the power supply, the other end to the point on the screw on the bunny ear, which is insulated from the base. Through the points, the current flows via the coils and the base of the machine. This causes the coils to become electromagnetic. The electro-magnet pulls down the bar, which does two things: pulls down the needles, and opens the points. The points being open turn off the magnet. The spring assembly brings back the bar, which causes the needles to move up *AND* make contact with the points. This causes the whole cycle to happen again making the needles go up and down. Most machines have a large capacitor across the coils/points, which keeps the points from arcing and pitting, and wearing out so quickly. A capacitor is a device that holds energy kind of like a battery, but charges and discharges much faster (parts of a second rather than 3 or 4 hours). The capacitor charges while the points are open, so when they close, the difference in voltage across them is nill. The points are really an automatic switch controlled by the spring to turn the thing off and on quickly. In old cars where there were points there was a condenser (aka capacitor) for the same reason. The sanitary tube sucks up the ink in capillary fashion, and the needles load up as long as there's ink in the small portion of the tube.It's called "sanitary" because of the cutout at the bottom of the tube, which can be rinsed out. My understanding is that there are three layers of skin: Scaly layer, epidermis, and dermis. Tattoo machines are adjusted to penetrate into the dermis layer but NOT *through* it (below it is the fat layer of the body). When the needles go into the sanitary tube they have a layer of ink on and between them. The needles make little holes in the skin, and the ink is deposited into the holes. This is why the skin has to be stretched so blobs of ink don't stay. Otherwise, the skin will latch onto the needles, grab the ink from them and generally make a mess. Ink just put into the scaly layer would be replaced quickly and fade away. While ink into the epidermis will stay, my conjecture is thatthe dermis makes for more ink and perhaps a more vivid image. Machines are really of two types: Liners, and shaders. They areexactly the same, but are set up differently. The gap for a liner isaround the thickness of a dime, and a shader is the thickness of a nickel. Liner needles are usually arranged on the bar in a circular pattern. Shader needles are usually straight (like a comb), although Spaulding & Rogers sells a 15-needle round shader. The needles are small sewing machine needles, usually made of stainless steel. Liners are in 1, 3, 4, 5, & 7-needle combinations, set in a round configuration. Note: There can really be any number of them but these seem to be most common. Shader needles are in a straight row and usually are in groups of 4, 6, 7, 9 needles. The sanitary tubes are designed especially for the combination of needles, so there's a special tube for each different number of needles in a needle bar assembly The following needle diagrams are from Jesse "Jesster" Leigh Parent (jesster@WPI.EDU). o is a needle . is a cut down needle (shorter & no point) Liners: Single needle 3-needle 5-needle o o o o . . o o o o o Shaders: 4-needle 6-needle oooo oooooo 8-needle shaders are grouped so that 7 needles form a circle with 1 in the middle. There are also 14-needle shaders. 8-needle Magnums: o 5-needle 7-needle o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Shaders are mounted on flat needle bars while liners are mounted on round bars There are two other types of machines. Spaulding & Rogers revolution (don't know of an artist that uses this one), which is a DC motor that turns a cam that raises and lowers the needle bar assembly through a sanitary tube. The other is something that I have never seen (even in pictures) but they are used in prison and are made of tape recorder motors, and for the life of me I don't know how they work. 5. How long do I have to wait before I can donate blood? -------- The standard question they always ask at blood banks is whether you've had a piercing or tattoo within the last 12 months. A lot of discussion has been made over r.a.b. about some centers allowing for exceptions and whatnot, but it looks like the general concensus is that you have to wait 12 months. I assume this is to wait out any incidence of hepatitis or HIV. Jonathan Allan (news@rchland.ibm.com) says the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN won't take you if you have had: 1. Sex with another male since 1977 (male to male); 2. Sex with someone from the subtropic islands or sub-Saharan Africa since 1977; 3. Sex for money or drugs EVER; 4. Sex with someone who had sex w/ one of the above EVER; 5. ANY piercing or tattoo in the last 12 months. 6. Are there references about tattoos I could look up? 6.1. Tattoos in movies/videos: This is not a comprehensive list, and does not include videos that are produced for tattoo conventions; but rather, easily accessible movies and videos where tattoos are used in some significant form. This wonderful movie bibliography was compiled by Carl Shapiro (carl@lvsun.COM) unless otherwise noted: Tattoos play minor, but sometimes interesting, roles in these movies: "Blues Brothers". John Belushi, Dan Akroyd Contributor: Ray Hamel (hamel@primate.wisc.edu) The brothers have their names tatooed on their knuckles. "Cape Fear" (1991). Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte. A tattooed psychopath preys on a Southern lawyer and his family. ``Double Exposure'' (1987). Mark Hennessy, Scott King. 2 photographers turn sleuth after taking a picture of a tattooed blonde. "Lethal Weapon" Mel Gibson Contributor: A.D.C.Elly (A.D.C.Elly@bnr.co.uk) The cops recognise that one of the men they're after is a "Special Forces" man because a little boy saw his tattoo (which matches the one Riggs got when he was Special Forces). ``Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders'' (1989). George Peppard, Ursula Andress. Odd tattoos on corpses lead a detective to a Los Angeles nightclub. ``Night of the Hunter'' (1991). Richard Chamberlain, Diana Scarwid. A crook's family is prey to a preacher who has ``LOVE'' and ``HATE'' knuckle tattoos. ``Night of the Hunter'' (1955). Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters Original (and much better) version of above. Mitchum is fantastic; very scary. "Poison Ivy" has a scene about it Contributor: Abu (jdaley@scf.usc.edu) "Raising Arizona". Nicholas Cage. Contributor: Todd Liebenow (squonk@camelot.bradley.edu) Cage's character has a tatoo of a Woody Woodpecker head on his arm. At the end of the movie when he's fighting the lone biker of the apoclypse we find out that the biker has the same tatoo. However, we never find out what all this means. ``Sonny Boy'' * (1990). David Carradine, Paul L. Smith. A demented brute and his hairy tattooed wife lose control of their wild child, bred to kill. "Tales from the Crypt" Contributor: Abu (jdaley@scf.usc.edu) There's an episode with Tia Carrera about a guy whose tattoo gets...under his skin. ``Tattoo Chase'' (1989). F. Richards Ford, Michael Gregory. An heir has 60 days to find the treasure-map tattoo on one of his father's global girlfriends. ``The Jigsaw Murders'' (1989). Chad Everett, Michelle Johnson. A police detective and a doctor solve a gruesome mystery with a puzzle and tattoo as clues. ``The Phoenix'' (1992). Jamie Summers, E.Z. Rider. Tattoo master seeks perfect canvas. ``The Tattooed Stranger'' (1950). John Miles, Patricia White. A New York police detective tracks down a killer using a tattoo clue. They play major roles in these two movies: ``Charles Gatewood's Tattoo San Francisco" (1988). San Francisco, CA : Flash Video. 60 min. ``The Illustrated Man'' (1969). Rod Steiger, Claire Bloom. Wonderful adaptation of Ray Bradbury's novel about a man whose body tattoos depict actual events, all shown in flashback and flash- forward. ``Irezumi'' (Spirit of Tattoo) (1985). Masayo Utsonomiya, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Yuhsuke Takita, Masaki Kyomoto, Harue Kyo, Naomi Shiraishi, Taiji, Tonoyama. In this exquisitely beautiful Japanese film, a young woman consents to her lover's wish to have her tattooed, and fulfills the cycle of the tattoo master's life. "Signatures of the soul, tattooing" (1984). Peter Fonda. Producer Geoff Steven. New York, NY : Filmakers Library Peter Fonda explores the social history of tattooing, both primitive and modern, discussing its use as ornament, badge, and personal statement. Practitioners of the art from the Pacific islands, California, and Japan discuss the aesthetics of the art. "Tattoo" Maude Adams, Bruce Dern A tattoo artist obsessed with a professional model abducts her and tattoos her entire body. 6.2 Newspaper Articles (these citations obtained primarily from the Newspaper Abstracts CD-ROM database): "In Amsterdam, Celebrating an Art That Gets Under Your Skin" by Mikelbank, Peter. Washington Post Dec 8, 1991 Sec: F p: 1 col: 3 A visit to the world's only tattoo museum in Amsterdam, where an active tatto parlor is in operation, is discussed. "With Him, We Figured They Were Real" by Marx, Andy. Los Angeles Times, Nov 24, 1991 Sec: CAL p: 31 col: 2 Tattoo artist Roy Zuckerman explains how he helped create the fake tattoos seen on Robert De Niro in the film 'Cape Fear.' "No Longer Just a Biker Thing, Tattoos Trendy Among Women" by Monroe, Douglas. Atlanta Constitution, Nov 8, 1991 Sec: F p: 1 col: 2 Paul Nelson of Painless Paul Nelson's Ace Tattoo Studio in Scottdale GA says about 80% of his customers are women, who are increasingly willing to pay the price and the pain to have tattoos permanently drawn into their skin. "Laws Require a Business License, but Little Else" by Monroe, Douglas. Atlanta Constitution, Nov 8, 1991 Sec: F p: 3 col: 5 Georgia's limited laws on tattoo artists prohibit tattooing anyone younger than 16 or tattooing within an inch of the eye, except by doctors, but in some parts of the state, only a license is required to open a tattoo parlor. "Practicing an Underground Art" by Lawson, Sarah. Boston Globe, Nov 2, 1991 p: 9 col: 4 A profile is given of Mike, a tattoo artist who practices his art underground in Massachusetts, where it is illegal. "Rose Tattoo Would've Worked" by Bombeck, Erma. Los Angeles Times, Aug 29, 1991 Sec: E p: 8 col: 4 Erma Bombeck discusses the popularity of temporary tattoos. [I just HAD to stick this one in here! :) --Lani] "The Million-Dollar Tattoo" by Wallace, D F. New York Times Book Review, May 5, 1991 Sec: 7 p: 20 col: 2 D. F. Wallace reviews the novel 'Laura's Skin' by J. F. Federspiel. Favorable book review. "Under Your Skin" by Eng, Lily. Los Angeles Times, Apr 3, 1991 Sec: E p: 1 col: 5 The work of tattoo artist KARI BARBA of Anaheim CA is featured. "Point Isn't Lost on Tattooers-War Hurts" by Zamichow, Nora. Los Angeles Times, Jan 23, 1991 Sec: A p: 3 col: 1 The work of tattoo artists is featured. "Wearing Their Hearts Under Their Sleeves" by Hedges, Chris. New York Times , Aug 21, 1990 Sec: B p: 3 col: 1 Tattoo artists do a thriving business in some 100 parlors in New York City, all of which operate underground since tattooing was banned in 1961 because of a Hepatitis B outbreak. "A Token of Love That's Skin-Deep" by Farley, Christopher John. USA TODAY, Feb 13, 1990 Sec: D p: 1 col: 2 Bob Shaw, president of the Nat'l Tattoo Assn, says that Valentine's Day brings an increase of young lovers who want love tattoos. Many celebrities, including Roseanne Barr, Brigitte Nielsen and Winona Ryder, have the tattoos. "Where the Guy Has No Green Teeth" by Levey, Bob. Washington Post, Jan 29, 1990 Sec: D p: 7 col: 1 Bob Levey comments on the possible health hazards posed by getting a tattoo. "Tattoo Me, Tattoo You" by Swisher, Kara. Washington Post, Nov 16, 1989 Sec: C p: 5 col: 1 Tattoos are featured. Tattooing may be a phenomenon of only transient psychological significance. "To Tattoo or Not to Tattoo" by White, Diane. Boston Globe, Jul 26, 1989 p: 53 col: 1 Diane White comments on the tattoo trend. "For Those with Tattoo Regret, Here's Hope" by Altman, Lawrence K. New York Times, Apr 28, 1989 Sec: A p: 15 col: 1 A new laser treatment reportedly removes tattoos almost painlessly, without leaving a scar. 6.3 Magazine and journal articles: "Marks of Distinction." _Soldiers_. April 01 1993 v 48 n 4 p 41 Tattoo, anyone? "Contemporary western tattoos" by Kojima, Hisaka _Aidea = Idea_. March 01 1993 v 41 n 237 p 96 "Made in the Marquesas: Typee, Tattooing, and Melville's Critique of the Literary Marketplace" by Evelev, John. _The Arizona quarterly_. Wint 1992 v 48 n 4 p 19 "You may never meet Lydia the Tattooed Lady, so here's Mark Baudains, for whom almost no piece of skin is taboo to tattoo." _People weekly_. Dec 14 1992 v 38 n 24 p 74 "Tattoo Parlor" A photographic essay by Robyn Redman. _Salt_. Sep 01 1992 v 11 n 2 p 15 "Going To Extremes" by Fox, Marisa. _Option_. Sep 01, 1992 n 46 p 66 What is it about music that makes artists and fans walk on the wild side? Psychic TV's genesis P-orridge and others talk about body piercing, tattoos, and brands. Part one of a two-part series "Career-oriented Women with Tattoos" by Armstrong, Myrna L. _Image--the journal of nursing scholarship_. Wint 1991 v 23 n 4 p 215 "Memorial Decoration: Women, Tattooing, and the Meanings of Body Alteration" by Sanders, Clinton. _Michigan quarterly review_. Wint 1991 v 30 n 1 p 146 "Skin Pics." _The observer magazine : m._ Dec 08 1991 p 48 The vocabulary of the tattooist has come a long way since the days of love, hate, Mum or Dad engraved on the fingers. Matthew Gwyther meets some devotees. "Tattooing Behavior in Adolescence: A Comparison Study" by Farrow, James A., Schwartz, Richard H. , Vanderleeuw, Joop. _American journal of diseases of children_. Feb 01 1991 v 145 n 2 p 184 Delio, Michelle. "The Magical Mark: The Art of Tattoo." _Gnosis_, Spring 1993 n 27 p. 60. Did the first of all sacred arts use the human body as a canvas? "Trends: Tattoos go mainstream." _Newsweek_. Jan 07 1991 v 117 n 1 p 60 "Psychiatric Implications of Tattoos" by Raspa, Robert F., Cusack, John. _American family physician_. May 01 1990 v 41 n 5 p 1481 Tattoos may be acquired for a variety of reasons and may be markers for several psychiatric diagnoses. "Now Ear This; Noses are fine, and navels are cool, but for the likes of Axl Rose, Perry Farrell and Keith Richards, this is still the classic rock & roll pierce." _Rolling stone_. Aug 05 1993 n 662 p 59 "Nonmainstream body modification: genital piercing, burning, and cutting" by Myers, James. _Journal of contemporary ethnography_. Oct 01 1992 v 21 n 3 p 267 [James Myers is apparently an anthropologist on the US West Coast who has been doing significant research into body modification.] 6.4 Books (some of these books may no longer be in print--check your university library for a copy, or request an InterLibrary Loan): DeMichele, William. _The Illustrated Woman: Photographs by William DeMichele_. Pref. by Gorman, Shotsie. (Illus.). 128p. 09/1992. $65.00. (ISBN 0-9631708-0-5); Paper. $34.95. (ISBN 0-9631708-1-3). Proteus Press, Incorporated. Ebin, Victoria. The body decorated. [London ; New York] : Thames and Hudson, c1979. 93 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. Includes index. Bibliography: p. [94] LCCN#: GN418 .E24 Fellman, Sandi. _The Japanese tattoo_. Photographs and text by Sandi Fellman ; introduction by D.M. Thomas. New York : Abbeville Press, 1986. 112 p. : col. ill. ; 32 cm. LCCN#: GT2346.J3 F45 1986 _Heavily tattooed men and women_ Compiled and edited by Spider Webb ; introd. by Marcia Tucker. New York : McGraw-Hill, c1976. 100 p. : chiefly ill. ; 25 cm. McGraw-Hill paperbacks. Includes bibliographical references. LCCN#: GT2345 .H42 Heger, Franz, 1853-. _Ueber [i.e., uber] die Tatowirung bei den Sudsee- Insulanern_. [Wien, 1885] p.35-39. 27cm. Caption title. Photostat (positive) copy from Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien, Bd. 15, 1885. LCCN#: GN419.3 .H44 _Marks and meaning, anthropology of symbols_ Edited by O.P. Joshi. Jaipur : RBSA Publishers, c1992. viii, 190 p. : ill. ; 26 cm. LCCN #: GN419.3 .M27 1992 _Marks of civilization : artistic transformations of the human body_ Arnold Rubin, editor. Los Angeles, Calif. : Museum of Cultural History, University of California, Los Angeles, c1988. 279 p. : ill. ; 29 cm. Bibliography: p. 265-276. LCCN#: GT2343 .M37 1988 _Modern Primitives_. V. Vale and Andrea Juno, editors. Re/Search Publications, San Francisco, CA, c1989. [216] p. : ill. ; 28 cm. Index. #12 in the Re/Search series. If you are interested in bodyart as a whole beyond tattoos, this is the one book that you should have in your reference collection. The book is a collection of interviews and write-ups about a very wide spectrum, including the opener on Fakir Musafar (he is THE bodyart god, IMHO), sword swallowing, Polynesian tattoos, pierces, cuttings, etc. The section on body piercing complements Ardvark's FAQ, and has illustrations on exactly WHERE those darned genital pierces are supposed to go. Important note: This book is not for the faint-at-heart. Some of the information and text contained are very graphic--an assumption can be made that those wanting to read the book are already USED to small tattoos and nipple pierces. There is a graphic photo of a bifurcated penis, for example. You have been duly warned. If you (ahem) have trouble finding this book in your local bookstore , send an SASE to Re/Search Publications, 20 Romolo #B, San Francisco, CA 94133. Richter, Stefan, 1952-. _Tattoo_. London : Quartet, 1985. 158 p. : chiefly col. ill. ; 36 cm. Ill. on lining papers. "An art as old as humanity: a short history of tattooing in the Western world" / Stephan Oettermann: p. 11-17. Bibliography: p. 17. LCCN#: GN419.3 .R53 1985 Richie, Donald, 1924-. The Japanese tattoo / Donald Richie, text; Ian Buruma, photos. 1st ed. New York : Weatherhill, 1980. 115, [1] p. : ill. (some col.) ; 27 cm. Bibliography: p. 115-[116] LCCN#: GT2345 .R52 Robley, Horatio Gordon, 1840-. _Moko; or, Maori tattooing_. With 180 illustrations from drawings by the author and from photographs. [Auckland] : Southern Reprints, 1987. xxi, 216 p. ; ill. ; 27 cm. "Authorities consulted": p. [209]-212. LCCN#: GN667.N9 R7 1987 Sanders, Clinton. _Customizing the body : the art and culture of tattooing_. Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 1989. xi, 220 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. ; 22 cm. Includes index. Bibliography: p. [195]-211. LCCN#: GT2345 .S26 1989 Scutt, R. W. B. Art, sex and symbol; the mystery of tattooing [by] R. W. B. Scutt and Christopher Gotch. South Brunswick, A. S. Barnes [1974] 205 p. illus. 29 cm. $15.00 Bibliography: p. 199-200. LCCN#: GT2345 .S38 c. 2 Steward, Samuel M. _Bad boys and tough tattoos : a social history of the tattoo with gangs, sailors, and street-corner punks, 1950-1965_. New York : Haworth Press, c1990. 204 p. ; 23 cm. Haworth series in gay & lesbian studies ; v. no. 3. Includes bibliographical references. LCCN #: GT5960.T36 S747 1990 _Tattoo, torture, mutilation, and adornment : the denaturalization of the body in culture and text_ Frances E. Mascia-Lees and Patricia Sharpe, editors. Albany : State University of New York Press, c1992. vii, 172 p. ; 24 cm. SUNY series, the body in culture, history, and religion. Includes bibliographical references. LCCN#: GT495 .T38 1992 _Tattootime_. Honolulu, Hawaii : Tattootime Publications, v. : ill. ; 28 cm. Began in 1982. Each volume has also a distinctive title. VanStone, James W. An early archaeological example of tattooing from northwestern Alaska / James W. VanStone and Charles V. Lucier. [Chicago] : Field Museum of Natural History, 1974. 9 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. Fieldiana. Anthropology ; v. 66. no. 1 0071-4739. Publication - Field Museum of Natural History ; 1193. Caption title. Bibliography: p. 8-9. LCCN#: GN2 .F4 v.66 no.1 6.5 Tattoo organizations: Empire State Tattoo Club of America (ESTCA), PO Box 1374, Mt. Vernon, NY 10550, New-York 10550. PH: (914) 664-9894, Fax, (914) 668-5200. Founded: 1974, membership: 1000 International organization of tattoo artists and individuals with tattoos. Works to increase public awareness of tattoo art. Sponsors competitions and bestows awards. List of tattoo artists. Affiliated with Professional Tattoo Artists Guild. National Tattoo Association (NTA), 465 Business Park Ln., Allentown, PA 18103-9120, Pennsylvania 18103. (215) 433-7261 Fax, (215) 433-7294 Officer: Florence Makofske, Sec.-Treas. Founded: 1974, membership: 1000, budget: $46,000 AKA: National Tattoo Club of the World (changed 1984) Tattoo artists and enthusiasts. Promotes tattooing as a viable contemporary art form; seeks to upgrade standards and practices of tattooing. Offers advice on selecting a tattoo artist and studio. Holds seminars for tattoo artists to improve skills and learn better hygienic practices. Sponsors competitions and bestows awards; maintains charitable program for children; operates museum and biographical archives. Lists of members and tattoo studios. Publications: National Tattoo Association--Newsletter, bimonthly. Price included in membership dues. Circulation: 1000. Conventions: Annual (with exhibits). Professional Tattoo Artists Guild (PTAG), 27 Mt. Vernon Ave., PO Box 1374, Mt. Vernon, NY 10550. (914) 668-2300 Fax, (914) 668-5200. Officer: Joe Kaplan, Pres. Membership: 2000 Professional tattoo artists. Tattoo Club of America (TCA), c/o Spider Webb's Studio, Captains Cove Seaport, 1 Bastwick Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06605. PH: (203) 335-3992 Officer: Joe O'Sullivan, Sec. Founded: 1970, membership: 45,000, budget: $25,000 Tattoo artists and individuals worldwide who have been tattooed. Seeks to promote the art of tattooing and make it more acceptable to the public. Bestows annual Mr. and Miss Tattoo awards; sponsors speakers' bureau; maintains hall of fame. Maintains library and museum of antique tattoo designs and memorabilia. Publications: Newsletter, quarterly. Conventions: Annual conference and symposium (with exhibits) - always March, New York City. 7. Non-tattoo bodyart 7.1 What is branding and how is it done? ---------- Branding is the process where you take something white hot (usually some piece of metal in some particular shape) and press it into your flesh so that it makes a serious burn and (later) a permanent scar. Branding is dangerous (all burns are prone to infection), but so is driving a car. Most of the branding I've read about fall into one of two categories: --Rite of passage --Punishment. Most of the rites of passage involved branding someone with a design on entry into puberty. A lot of tribal people have puberty initiation that involve something like scarification/tattooing. Most of the branding in Western cultures was done as a means of marking criminals. The French would brand a fleur de lis into the shoulder of the offender, and the mark was supposed to make the wearer into one of essentially an "untouchable" class. However, they also did this to Protestants, after a while, and with so many French Huguenots wearing fleur de lis brands, it lost a lot of its former meaning. The English branded people with marks, in different locations, depending on what they were accused of. Cutpurses and pickpockets were accorded the punishment of an "S" brand on the cheek, indicating "slave" and sent into a lifetime of indentured servitude. This punishment came into the laws in the reign of Henry VIII, and was abolished in the 18th Century, when they started getting heavily into transporting folks to the colonies. Based on my experience with burning my fingerprints off on an antique stove, and the fact that the pain lasted for weeks, you might not want to get into that. (Well, if you're into constant pain and self- generated endorphins, I don't know.) In full-scale branding, the iron is heated hot enough, and applied long enough, that the resulting wound is a third-degree burn, which destroys the nerve endings and doesn't hurt as much as more minor burns. However, areas that have been third-degree burned *never* regain sensitivity. It will make a silver scarred area, in the shape of the third-degree burn, due to destruction of the entire dermis layer of the skin (through to the underlying tissue). The surrounding skin, with years, will eventually fill in areas that haven't been too badly damaged. A word of warning---second and third degree burns are notorious for getting majorly infected. Third degree is slightly better, due to cauterization. Where it gets you is if the scab cracks. [Just remember that your skin is your first line of defense against infection.] The following is a synopsis of modern branding from the article, "Strike up the Brand, a Scar is Born, New Fad leaves its Mark on the Valley" from the Phoenix New Times: The article is on Steve Haworth, of HTC Body Piercing in Phoenix, who was interviewed at a branding demonstration at "El Rancho de los Muertos". Haworth said human branding is very different from cattle branding (which would just leave a big blob-scar with no definition) because the human body has more curves and fewer flat planes. To fit the topography, he uses small irons of stainless steel 1/16 to 1/32 inch thick. Brands tend to spread 2-3 times the width of the iron. The length of steel is rarely more than an inch long. Heated with a propane torch until red hot, it's tested on a piece of cardboard (1,800F is the preferred temp.) and held on the skin no longer than a second or two--and apparently produces quite a stench. Haworth said the keys to successful branding are: --The brander's skill at judging correct temperature --How long the steel is held to the skin, --Proper pressure --Placement --People's skin types (which differ greatly). While a local doctor didn't recommend getting brands, he did say, "On a more optomistic note, they can be removed by laser," although even the laser leaves a scar (why not do the brand with a laser in the first place? Star Wars branding!) Some history: Among Fakir's more painful discoveries were that wood burners, soldering irons, red-hot coat hangers and paper clips were far more apt to produce unsightly blisters and/or uneven scars than the small stainless steel strips used today. BTW the most famous brands that people remember were of the forehead brands that the followers of Charles Manson wore during the Helter Skelter trials. 7.2 What is scarring? ---------- Scarring is the making of marks on the body through the use of making cuts. The most famous use of such techniques can be seen in Africa. Small cuts are made in the skin and ash is rubbed into the cuts to make a raised bump scar. This can look really great. The unfortunate thing is that people with white skin can't really get these types of scars because they are formed by a substance called keloid. Races with dark skin have keliod and races with light skin do not. Often, these scars and the process is part of a religious or social ritual. Scarring can also be the result of self-mutilation due to psychological problems, although that is too deep and serious a subject we won't delve into it here. 7.3 What are cuttings? Cuttings are made by a razor blade or other very sharp instrument onto the skin. These are usually made in shapes of particular objects, and sometimes rubbed in with ink so that the scar of the cutting shows up like in tattooed lined. The person most known for this procedure at this time is Raelyn Gallina, a "San Francisco Bay Area jewelry maker and piercer whose specialty is women." The phenomenon of cutting seems to have grown out of the SM gay (particularly lesbian) community. Raelyn prefers that clients bring the particularly illustration they want done--she does not make random patternless cuts. For more information on Raelyn's personal philosophy on cuttings, please read _Modern Primitives_. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- This ends the rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 4/4. -- Lani Teshima-Miller (teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu) "Sea Hare" o/ /_/_/ UH School of Library & Info Studies. "Whatever the cost of our o|<0_0>------* libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant \=^-| |_| | nation." -Walter Cronkite [R.a.b.bit says: "Think Ink!"] \_} \_}