by Steven McCarthy

The tattoo design has certainly come a long way since the first human marked his or her body for a ritual. Many of the early markings were to distinguish between clans or tribes but have since evolved into a pop cultural phenomenon. Soccer mom’s sporting tattoos on their ankles and teenagers eagerly marking their body to show their transcendence from childhood into adulthood.

Henna tattooing is the perfect substitution and is nothing like the “lick and stick” tattoo art found in vending machines. Most associations with henna tattoo’s are from those found on Indian brides. The soon to be married girl would be brought into a room where her family and friends would begin designing her temporary tattoo.

The body would be decorated with a series of lines and symbols telling a story. Anyone not aware of the subtle meaning would simple find the designs beautiful. The significance of tattooing the bride is such that as long as she is still wearing the dye, she is still honeymooning and is not expected to perform chores.

Tattoo’s signifying power or lack of is not the sole property of China or Japan. In Russia a tattoo design can be a calling card of that person’s life choices. If the person is a murderer, his or her tattoos will show this to the world and everyone will know. If a person is an informant or has lied about a deed, he or she may be forcefully tattooed to show their mistakes to the world.

For many the art tattoo represents a wilder side to their personality. Perhaps a bit of rebellion against the expected norms of a more staid and traditional society that looks upon a tattoo with wariness as the stigma associated with the art tattoo is not as widely spread to the more conservative. There are other individuals who use the tattoo as a means of remembrance for fallen family and friends or as a spiritual guide for their lives.

The tattoo design in Russia’s history was not just limited to the criminal element. Sometimes the only way to rebel in an oppressive government was to design a derogatory tattoo of the local political tyrants. This was the only alternative to express your opinion in parts of the world where freedom of speech and press was not allowed.

A great suggestion when looking for a good place to get your tattoos and piercing’s is to do a online search to check if there have been any lawsuits filed against the artist. When shop owners start getting careless customers are at risk and lawsuits begin. There was a lawsuit brought against a shop owner recently where the customer was infected with a flesh eating bacterium by the use of unsanitary equipment.

A henna tattoo can be incredibly beautiful if applied properly. Much like the mainstream tattooing, a henna artist must pay attention to each stroke to ensure its proper place. The upside is that it will wear off. The downside is that it will wear off as well no matter how much the person loves the tattoo design. With proper care the henna artwork can last for weeks and can always be reapplied.

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