Three things for American soldiers in the harbor: picking up girls, getting drunk and tattoos
Contemporary tattoos can be traced back to the 15th century in the West. European pilgrims marked the places they were going to and their hometowns and spouses on their bodies. If they died on the trip, they could help identify their identity. From the 16th to the 17th century, western sailors brought New Zealand's colorful tattoo culture to Europe. The first voyager who brought the tattoo back to Europe in 1691 was known as the "Tattoo Prince", who had 338 tattoo designs on his body.
Tattoo slave captured by William Dampier on Miangas Island in 1691
Tattoo art historian Matt Lodder said: "Tattoos are not lost or stolen, nor do they put any burden on the traveler. So it is not surprising that tattoos are inextricably related to sailors."
Although the US Navy did not agree with everyone getting tattoos at the time, tattoos were the "identity ID" of many Western soldiers and sailors. How many enemies he defeated, how many tattoos he would have, and the body could be discerned if he was sacrificed on the battlefield.
Spread by the British Navy, it is popular worldwide. Since British sailors often regarded tattoos as a souvenir and brought them to Great Britain, tattoos had gradually become a naval tradition, and its popularity in the UK is better than any other European country.
In the late 19th century, 90% of the people who served in the British Navy had "anchor" tattoos, especially with the popularity of retro "romantic" tattoos, and the sailboat portraits were still influential. Tattoos can help people identify the identity of a drowning sailor. However, the meaning of these tattoos depends on the age and even the particular vessel.
In the Second World War, it was called the golden age of tattoos. American soldiers were the group who got the most tattoos. At the time, more than half of the sailors and one-third of the soldiers got tattoos
As for the reason, first, because the war casualty rate was very high at the time, the metal nameplates hanging on their necks were easily lost, so his arm and body were tattooed to allow his comrades and family to identify his body. In addition, the wartime spirit was highly nervous, psychologically depressed, tattooing on the body, painting on weapons and planes had become a way of venting for American soldiers.
In the past, the sailor draped Christ on his back to escape the whips of the ship. They will also paint a variety of beautiful patterns on the limbs to record the style of the journey. They hope that this can be like the role of a soldier's badge.
American tattoos are famous for their ruggedness, simple lines, and modern personality, which are mostly related to national liberalism. Because the United States is a country with a variety of ethnic groups, the multi-cultural collision makes the style of tattoos exchanged and imitated by the tattoos of various countries. It has developed a set of fixed symbols, representing courage, patriotism, and fear. Sacrifice, miss my loved ones, etc.
Body art is especially suited to the ever-changing and dangerous sea life, where sailors travel around the world and want to bring back souvenirs from where they arrived,"
On the boat, they didn't have much room to pile up fancy souvenirs, so in the end, they might only be able to use tattoos as a commemoration of travel.
The sailors returned to their hometown with new tattoos, which gradually became a tradition for the crew to sail. By the end of the 18th century, naval records showed that at least one-third of British soldiers and one-fifth of American sailors had tattoos, while other records showed that tattoos were also highly regarded in the navies of countries such as France and Germany.
Tattoos as a travel record are just one of the reasons why sailors love it. In addition, unpredictable life and an adventurous lifestyle are very important reasons.
Many crew members are very superstitious. They use tattoos to alleviate this anxiety, express their beliefs, and even have people put Christ on their backs. They think that this tattoo can reduce the punishment to the lightest when facing difficulties. ”
The various designs of tattoos matched every danger that sailors may encounter onboard. Sailors will put patterns like pigs and chickens on their feet, convinced that this will prevent them from drowning. They would also get ‘Hold Fast’ tattoo on their knuckles, convinced that it can keep their hands strong when maneuvering the ship. They also got hinge tattoos on their elbows, in order to prevent rheumatism and arthritis. ”
There are many meaningful tattoos, such as some sailors on the feet of the cross to try to resist the shark, the voyager on the swallows to pray for safe navigation, the nautical star for precise navigation and so on. Today's classic tattoo designs, such as pierced hearts, swallows, anchors, the sun and the moon, mermaids, naked women, serious religious images of graves and crosses, have been handed down from that time.
In addition to prostitutes, "Norman Keith Collins A.K.A Sailor Jerry" is a must for soldiers and sailors.
He was the most representative tattoo artist at the time. As a naval veteran, he created a unique style with his own experience combined with American and Japanese tattoo patterns. This man can be said to be the father of modern old-school tattoos. So the American traditional tattoo has another name because of him, Sailor Jerry. The current American vintage tattooed Old School is from him, in fact, it is a tattoo pattern popular among sailors and soldiers decades ago.
Formerly known as Norman Collins, Sailor Jerry was born in Nevada in 1911. At the age of 14, in 1925, he traveled around the country by train and windmill, and in the process, he met many young people with adventure dreams. Start learning how to draw and use a single-needle to make a black and white tattoo.
In the late 1920s, Collins came to Chicago, which became a turning point in his life. He first became a friend of the famous tattoo artist Tatts Thomas, learned how to use electric tattoo machines, and then joined the US Navy. During his career, Collins traveled to East Asian countries and came into contact with Japanese tattoo culture. Thus, the development of a tattoo style combining East and West cultures has made the revolution of modern tattoos.
It is said that Collins at this time in order to make his tattoo skills more sophisticated, tried to give drunken tattoos to slums, and even practiced on dead bodies, during which time he gradually established a personal tattoo style.
When Collins retired from the Navy in 1942, he opened his first tattoo studio in Chinatown in Honolulu, Hawaii. The early Honolulu was still a backward port city, but with the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor, everything changed. During the Second World War, more than 12 million young people joined the army. Honolulu was the permanent port of the US military. It began to be crowded with young people.
The street is full of bars and tattoo shops, and there were only three things in their daily lives: picking up girls, getting drunk and the tattoo. In the war years, they used these behaviors to cover up their inner emptiness and uneasiness.
Sailor Jerry's thick line style, deeply combined with the survival attitude of American soldiers, taking advantage of Japanese tattoo skills to depict Southeast Asian impressions and Hawaiian style. Sailor Jerry was able to condense this emotion into a tattoo of "Man’s Ruin."
In the 1930s, he carried forward the tattoo style of such thick lines, black outlines, red, blue, yellow and black primary colors. In fact, he did. He is very concerned about the description of the details, like those Chinese women who wore a cheongsam but also painted the Danfeng eye different from other blond naked women.
He also took the lead in using purple tattoo inks to make his own multi-color tattoo style more beautiful, and his tattoo pattern attracted a lot of plagiarism from some tattooists at that time. Since then, the name "Sailor Jerry" has been widely circulated.
In 1973, Sailor Jerry died of a heart attack. He had several students in his life, including Kazuo Oguri, Zeke Owen, Mike Malone, and the most familiar Don Ed Hardy.
Sailor Jerry Ltd., founded in 1999 by Mike Malone and Don Ed Hardy, uses Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins' tattoo designs as a design element to produce clothing, shoes, and hats, as well as various types of accessories. By combining Sailor Jerry's tattoo designs with different products, his artistic spirit can remain alive.
Jerry's sailor-themed tattoo element is still popular in tattoos today. I chose the most representative patterns in a dozen Jerry works for you. The meaning of these patterns must be known.
In addition to indicating that a sailor has sailed more than 5,000 miles, the swallow is also related to the return journey. This "return" symbol is rooted in two concepts. Firstly, the swallow is the famous migration mode of the swallow, always returning to San Juan-Capistrano. Second, people believe that if a sailor dies at sea, birds will carry his soul back to heaven.
At sea, the anchor is the safest item in the life of a seafarer, making it a perfect symbol of stability. That's why you often see the names of their loved ones with "mothers" or a sailor (usually under the anchor). For many years, the symbolism is still the same. It reminds that no matter how far you go, your loved one will always be waiting for you to come back.
Sharks have always been a fierce animal. Unlike Jerry's leopards, snakes and other animals, his shark seems to express the need to withstand and overcome stress. In this way, they become symbols of courage and will.
Jerry deeply admired the dragon of the Japanese tattoo master. His dragon is essentially Asian in style and incorporates exotic European elements.
In the ancient world, death is often a symbol of warriors, mercenaries, and adventurers, representing that they would rather die.
After World War II, Jerry continued to stay in his beloved Hawaiian Islands during his remaining life. He loves its beauty and exoticism. From the legendary hula girl to more beautiful works, his Hawaiian tattoo reflects his feelings about the island, a paradise on earth.
The military is not only a job, but it is also an epic chapter of life. A partner can save your life, and a decision can determine your destiny. Use tattoos to commemorate fallen comrades, or a specific organization, flight crew, or ship...declare a specific creed, such as the Marine Corps "forever loyalty."
The snake represents avoid evil and misfortune, and even avoid potential quarrels and struggles. Jerry's favorite snake tattoo is the king cobra.
Black panthers are often used as totems of strength and vitality. Jerry's Panthers are particularly fierce, representing bravery and masculinity.
13 was originally an unfortunate number. Jerry's "Lucky 13" theme is probably the most famous set of tattoo designs, changing it to be a bad luck symbol. The collection shows Jerry's iconic design and sense of humor.
The eagle is a symbol of the United States. It symbolizes honor, heroism, and wisdom. As a patriot, Jerry is keenly aware of the shortcomings of his country, and the eagle is a symbol of his idealized United States. A country with a firm belief will not retreat for anyone. Jerry's eagle is fierce and iconic, often portrayed in association with the national flag.
Pin-ups represent the ideals and extremes of femininity, from girls to women who are extremely tempted. The woman on the sailor's arm would be the only female image he has seen in a few months. The poster girl created by Sailor Jerry has a fascinating curve and a bold and refined style for creativity.
For sailors, the ship is both practical and metaphorical. This is where you go to work, and where you are both meaningful and adventurous. Jerry loves the boat and represents the call of adventure, determined to "go and back."
A sailor who trudges long distances at sea may even have the possibility of never going home. I often want a heart to stay close to my loved ones. The heart usually has the name of "mother" or lover. The heart is still one of the most popular tattoos for sailors and civilians.
Representing the Polaris (historically used by sailors for navigation), Polaris is believed to maintain the sailor's heading. Therefore, they are also considered to help guide the sailors back home.
The superstition behind it is related to the wooden cages that keep cocks and pigs on board. When the ship crashes, the light wooden frame becomes a personal flotation device that can save lives. A sailor who wants good luck will put a cock on top of his right foot and a pig on the top left.
This tattoo shows the seafarer's experience at sea. Once a sailor crosses the equator, he has the right to have a turtle on his body. The longer you spend at sea, the more tattoos they can show off.
Sailor Jerry These symbolic graphic works combining Eastern and Western cultures have become a graphic symbolic dictionary recognized by the United States and the world in the future, bringing revolutionary changes to tattoo art.
Reprinted from this blog: https://wormholetattoosupply.com/blogs/news
