Colorful and intricate, using limited motifs: Japanese Traditional

Colorful and intricate, using limited motifs based on old wood block prints, a Japanese Traditional Tattoo is a single design which covers a large area... there's no such thing as a small Japanese Traditional piece. The tattoo is carefully planned out to compliment the musculature of the wearer's body. Because the work is so big and complex, it can take years to complete. The Traditional IREZUMI (tattooing) method involves laying the ink by hand. The tattooist (all Japanese tattooist are called "Hori"-something) uses a stick with needles attached to the end of it to slowly punch the ink into the skin. Today, most Horishi use electric tattooing machines, although some will return to the hand-poke method form intricate work.