5 Unique Things to Know About Tattoos

Ok, let’s face it- tattoos are awesome. In every way, they exemplify art in its truest form. If we consider art as a physical expression of creative forces, then carrying it on your body is the finest literal interpretation of this definition.

We get tattoos for a plethora of reasons. Some find symbolic meaning in their designs and choose to wear them as an expression of who they are. Others are just in love with the artistry of it and wish to use the body as a canvas.

Tattooism is a culture unto itself and people who subscribe to it are devoted to its many forms and means. If you find yourself belonging to one of these categories or even simply skirting along the boundary in curiosity, then some of these facts about Tattoos might inspire and interest you.

1. Tattoos have roots in acupuncture

For those who don’t know, acupuncture is a medicinal practice that uses the insertion of needles into meridian points of the nervous system to combat physical and mental illnesses. Ok, great. So how does that pertain to tattoos? In the 1990’s a mummified female was found in the Peruvian deserts of Chiribaya Alta. The mummy was calculated to be over a thousand years old and had unique tattoos on her body which included circular, interjoining tattoos around her neck area. Maria Pabst, a medical research scientist, discovered a correlation to the placing of the tattoo with certain primary acupuncture points. The ink of the tattoo was also plant based. She deduced that both the constituents of the ink and the placement of the tattoo, were placed specifically to benefit the health of the individual or to cure an ailment. In fact, this mummy isn’t the only case where acupuncture tattooism can be regarded.

2. Women actually get more tattoos than men

Data indicates the 58% of females have some form of tattoos (whether just one or many), as opposed to only 41% of the male population that are tattooed. Women are two times more likely to have it removed than their male counterparts, however. Some psychologists assume this fact as symptomatic of female biological responses. A female may develop more intuitive or emotive factions of thinking than males because of their nurturing responses. When having a baby, a mother has to deal with the needs of the child more directly than the father- especially in its earlier development. Establishing an emotional bond serves as a means of trust and protection for the child who must adapt to its new environment. This emotional bonding is arguably encoded into females and may manifest before childbirth as an emotional attachment to ideas and symbolism- that can be seen with regards to tattoos. Females are more likely to have them removed when they are in a serious relationship or after having children.

3. Tatoo or Tattoo? Two t’s or one?

Two. The correct spelling is ‘tattoo’ and isn’t a difference in UK and US spelling, as most would assume. If you feel dumb, don’t worry. The authorship, being one of the guilty parties, had to go back and correct every misspelling. Whoops! I mean the word ‘tattoos’ kind of implies two t’s. Tat-TWO’s, gettit? Gottit? Good. In my defence, it is one of the most commonly misspelled words in English.

4. Imagine being 99.9% covered in tattoos

Well, a man named Gregory Paul Mclaren is. He holds a Guinness World Record for having the most tattoos in existence. He is, quite literally, covered in tattoos- inside and out. He has tattoos on the inside of his mouth, ears, and eyelids. This New Zealand native spent over 1000 hours getting all his tats and is nicknamed ‘lucky diamond-rich’ because, according to him, he is lucky by nature, rich in spirit and a diamond in the rough. Aside from being almost totally covered in tattoos, most of them are actually triple or even quadruple layered. And of course, if he is 99.9% covered- that must include certain private areas…That must have been a considerable amount of pain to endure!

5. The world’s highest-earning tattoo artist

His name is Scott Campbell and his going rate is a thousand dollars per hour. He began his career not initially as a tattoo artist, but rather as a biochemical student. He rebelled against the constraints of what he considered the mundane aspects of life and chose tattoo artistry instead.

He is well-acclaimed for his artistry and has tattooed many celebrities, the likes of Orlando Bloom, Robert Downey Junior and the fashion designer, Marc Jacobs. If you’re suddenly inspired to get a tattoo- check out some cool designs on The Style Up website.