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If
you are thinking about getting a tattoo, or adding another one to the
half-dozen or so you already have, the options of what are available may
have multiplied since the last time you visited your tattoo parlor.
How about going 3-D?
The Swiss artist H.R. Giger, who died in
May, is known mostly for his creation of the nightmare-inducing
character in “Alien,” but he is also the godfather of three-dimensional
tattoos. His work spawned a style called biomechanical tattoos, which
have an allure that has recently extended beyond sci-fi fans.
“People
would get these tubes tattooed on their skin in the ’80s,” said Mark
Mahoney, the owner of the Shamrock Social Club in West Hollywood. “So
it’s funny that it’s just been starting up again.”
Clients are bringing in photos from “Bodies: The Exhibition,”
a museum show dedicated to showcasing the human body. “I just did a
cutaway of real muscular imagery on somebody’s shoulder,” Mr. Mahoney
said.
Other
versions include the illusion of ripped skin and more-approachable
styles, such as lifelike animals or objects that appear to be in motion.
“The
3-D effect makes it look more organic, like it belongs on my skin,”
said Corrine Skeen, 28, a dental hygienist from Baltimore. Last month
she chose a 3-D tattoo to memorialize an aunt who died of cancer. “I
wanted it to look like there’s a real butterfly sitting on my shoulder.”
Not
for the sensitive, 3-D ink requires a large amount of detail and
needlework, which can be fairly labor intensive. (Translation: more
pain.)
“That
stuff is so dense, and it has to have a kind of darkness to it,” Mr.
Mahoney said. “So that’s a committed, real tattoo person at that point.”
So far, social media has the largest volume of 3-D inspirations.
“Instagram
is a great way to view artists’ portfolios if I’m interested in a new
piece,” said Ms. Skeen, who has four tattoos. “So when I saw photos of
photorealistic and 3-D effect tattoos, I knew I wanted something like
this.”
Despite
hyper-realistic tattoos’ growing visibility on social media sites, Jon
Mesa, a traveling tattoo artist who has recently worked out of Bang Bang
Tattoos and Sacred Tattoo, warns that relying on some of these photos
as references can backfire.
“It’s still really cool, but may not have that same shock value that it has on an image in your phone,” Mr. Mesa said.
A couple of other choices are out there for those who want to decorate themselves.
WATERCOLOR-INSPIRED TATTOOS
An original watercolor-style tattoo by Joey Hamilton of “Ink Master
Tattooing
has long been regarded by many as an art form, but rarely do ink lovers
get to make as literal a parallel than with watercolor tattooing.
The
style is derived from a European free-form method of tattooing, Mr.
Mesa said. “They are not based on old-school sailor designs or Japanese
designs,” he said. “It’s more about expression, movement and color
choice rather than just the power of imagery.”
Joey Hamilton, the season-three winner of “Ink Master,”
on Spike TV, recently painted a watercolor butterfly on a client’s
ribs. “You are trying to make them look like there are little paint runs
or splotches of color,” he said. Elizabeth Vogt, 24, from Spokane,
Wash., recently chose a watercolor tattoo of a bird for her fourth and
largest tattoo. “This particular piece is from an artist that I’ve been
following for a while, and it fit the watercolor, aviary theme that I
seem to have going in the rest of my ink,” Ms. Vogt said.
In
contrast to 3-D tattoos, watercolor tattoos have very little detailing
to emulate the imprecise, flowing aesthetic of a painting. But a
drawback is their inability to age as well as traditional tattoos. “The
color is kind of applied as a wash, so less pigment means less
saturation on the skin,” Mr. Mesa said.
FLASH TATTOOS
Designed to look like bracelets, necklaces and beach bling, Flash Tattoos are this summer’s noncommittal style upgrade. Perhaps an answer to Tattly,
the geek-chic temporary tattoos popular among design and typography
devotees, Flash Tattoos are a hit among the surfer set and those with a
bohemian flair. With summer music festival season afoot, the
jewelry-inspired tattoos were already a crowd favorite at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
in April. Alessandra Ambrosio and Vanessa Hudgens were among countless
bloggers and festivalgoers seen showing off their adornments. Miranda
Burnet, 39, who created the brand, says she was not entirely aware of
the attention the festival would bring until her sales spiked right
before. Last
July, she introduced Flash Tattoos after becoming inspired while
sourcing ideas at her previous job. In Dubai, she noticed the big trend
was 24-karat temporary tattoos. Ms. Burnet, a Texas native, said she
wanted to create something similar without the hefty price tag.
The waterproof tattoos are sold on the company’s website, flashtat.com, but shops like Planet Blue and Nicole Miller
have also made them available on their sites. (Prices range from $20 to
$30 for four sheets per pack, and a tattoo usually lasts four to six
days.) Straddling tattoo and accessory, two of the nine Flash Tattoo
collections are design collaborations with Eileen Lofgren, the owner of
the jewelry company Child of Wild, and Rebekah Steen, the blogger behind Goldfish Kiss, a beach lifestyle blog.The
collections are exclusively designed in gold, silver and black, but Ms.
Burnet said that she hopes to introduce fluorescent colors later this
summer.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/03/fashion/3-d-watercolor-and-flash-tattoos.html?_r=0&module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Fashion%20%26%20Style&action=keypress®ion=FixedLeft&pgtype=article
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