Customer Reviews

The Tattoo Encyclopedia : A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The illustrations are little more than commercially-available clip art. The descriptions and explanations are so brief as to be meaningless, and the historical information is ubiquitously available on myriad Internet sites. If you have never seen a tattoo before in your life, this will be a fascinating read. But for the rest of us who have even the slightest prior knowledge of tattoos or generic iconography, buying this book will be an utter waste of money. May I suggest instead that you vist a tattoo shop and discuss designs with an artist.

This is a fantastic resource for anybody who's thinking about getting a tattoo. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you shouldn't get a tattoo without reading this book. You can look up tattoo symbols by name, by type, or just thumb through the whole thing looking at all the fantastic illustrations. I bought the book when I decided the time had come to take the tattoo plunge, but realized I had no idea what design I would want or would look good. This book helped me choose a design I would never have thought of by myself. Even if you're not considering a tattoo yourself, the entries make for fascinating reading. Every tattoo shop should have one of these! I'm waiting for the sequel on jewelry!

Yet another mediocre book on the art of tattooing. If you're looking for in-depth coverage of tattooing, its origins, processes, etc...you're out of luck. If you're looking for good pictures of interesting artwork...you're out of luck.

However, if you're the typical college kid interested in skimming the surface of this art and searching for inspiration other than the ubiquitous butterfly on your lower back or "tribal" design (being that most tribal designs are not, in fact, truly tribal) around your bicep, this book may indeed help you out a little.

I posit a great tattoo book has not yet been written, but at least this author gives modest blurbs (we'll not discuss the butchering of the English language) regarding some of the images rather than throwing yet another book chock-full of uninspired flash with nary a word to read.

The Mark of Cain

The pub, the bar, the old watering hole: it's where all the animals gather at the end of the day, but that also includes the predators. I met a gal with the nickname of "Lou". Lou challenged me to arm wrestle and beat me two out of three, and me being a weightlifter and wrestler in high school. But in all fairness, I was distracted by the tattoos of bleeding skulls and naked women rippling down her biceps.

Tattooing is becoming much more commonplace and mainstream in today's society. It used to be that very few women got tattoos. Those that did were the exception and usually a touch eccentric and rebellious, not to mention being able to hold their liquor. All that changed in the late 80's when tattooing became much more socially acceptable, largely due to the many celebrities who publically sported tattoos. In the fall of 2006, a study was completed by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, which found that 24% of Americans who were between the ages of 18 and 50 had a tattoo. This is almost one in four people in the United States, including women.

Throughout human history, we have deliberately and permanently marked our skin. Tattoos have served as rites of passage, marks of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations of bravery, punishment, talismans of protection, to identify oneself with a particular group or gang, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves and convicts. Today, most people choose to be tattooed for cosmetic and sentimental reasons. No matter the reason - tattoos are forms of expression that carry meaning.

Perhaps you are thinking of getting a tattoo like my drinking buddy "Lou", and you don't know where to start. I recommend checking out The Tattoo Encyclopedia: A Guide To Choosing Your Tattoo by Terisa Green with illustrations by Greg James. This illustrated reference book has entries on the origins and meanings of nearly one thousand tattoo symbols that can serve as your guide for choosing a personally significant tattoo.

For people contemplating a tattoo, the choices can be overwhelming. Do you get a tiger, a dragon, or is a 13 ½* better suited for your current situation? Maybe a butterfly, flower, or cartoon character is more your style. Tattoos can be rich in symbolism or whimsical fashion statements. The Tattoo Encyclopedia presents concise descriptions of symbols both common and unusual, and provides information on their historic, religious, and cultural significance.

Most people and most cultures do associate tattoos with some deeper meaning. They can be an outward sign of inner transformation, an appeal to the forces of fortune, or a declaration of love, loyalty, or sometimes even hatred. They are reminders of events both grim and uplifting -- a glimpse into our past and the events and experiences that have shaped us. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of the Phoenix, the mythological bird that rises from the ashes. I know I can beat "Lou", and I'm going to challenge her to a rematch. Right after I pay for the next round...

This book puts a lot of information together in one place and is something that anybody who wants a tattoo would want to have. Lots of images and tons of different symbols make this a real reference book. You can find classic tattoo symbols like the Crawling Panther but it also has stuff like Om and lots of variations on a theme (different kinds of crosses, animals, etc.). It gets you thinking about all the different tattoos that there are to choose from. I also just enjoyed reading the various facts from all over the world. I bought this book together with "Ink" and they make a nice pair.

If you're looking for a book filled with color pictures and image ideas for your next tattoo, then you may want to consider looking elsewhere. However, if you want to get more of a historical background on the various images and symbols used in tattoo art throughout the ages then you won't be disappointed. The "Tattoo Encyclopedia" is an interesting catalog of all the world images, symbols and designs used in tattoo art throughout the centuries. While most of the entries are just a few sentences long, it gives facinating trivia on a wide variety of images from Chinese Dragons to the Illuminati to the Claddagh to the Triskelion. It would have been nice to have pictures accompanying all the entries but I guess that would be asking a bit too much. Useful strictly as a reference book and not as a book on design, the "Tattoo Encyclopedia" is a good buy for those curious about the origins and meanings of tattoo symbols.

This book gives interesting history on just about any popular tattoo you see around these days. It is very interesting to know that certain popular tattoo art dates back to when it does, and holds a special meaning in certain cultures. You might want to pick up this book if you are interested in finding out some important details about a tattoo you get before you get it, but it may require extra research as the descriptions in the book are very brief.

I first saw this book at a tattoo shop. I started looking up all my tattoos and found that I was actually right about most of them! I bought one and haven't been able to put it down. If you're looking for some big bang for your buck, you can not go wrong here! Since I had already seen a copy, I knew exactly what I was getting. There's about one drawing for every 3 or 4 entries. The entries are short but enough to let you know if you should be getting that tat or not.

The images on the cover of the book are more interesting that those inside. While the dictionary definitions of many symbols are interesting, there are few images to go along with them, and those that are included are mostly crudely hand drawn. Personally, I was looking for precise images to work off and found little help here. If you are looking for verbage to accompany a design, this is pretty good. If you are looking for a design with verbage, save your money for another.

I've been tattooing for over 20 years...not a novice at this business of tattoos! Found this book at our library and rushed to buy my own for the shop. This book is fascinating and informative. Nice, concise and fun!! I highly recommend shop owners get a copy to have around when those know-it-all's come in with their off the wall 'new' ideas.

Bought it used but even at full price it's great!!

One reviewer complained it didn't give info on how-to....hey, get an apprenticeship folks and DO IT RIGHT. A doctor doesn't learn brain surgery by buying a scapel and practicing on his friends, huh?? This business can kill you if you're uneducated.
(and nice job, Greg, the illustrations are fun!!)