Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok

1. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok

2. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok With the explosion in the number people wearing tattoos in recent years, there has been a corresponding and growing fascination in the specialist niche of gothic tattoos – a key element in the Goth subculture. What is the Goth Subculture? While hearkening back to an era as long ago as the Middle Ages, the Goth subculture has its modern day origins in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This is when the Goth rock scene got underway in England with post-punk rock groups such as “Siouxsie and the Banshees”, “Joy Division” and “Bauhaus.” Over the past thirty years, the Goth movement has survived the test of time, and it is now firmly established in many countries across the world, including the USA. The Goths find their inspiration from a number of sources, including music, art, films, and in particular, 18th – 19th century gothic literature. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 2

3. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok Gothic literature is typically about demons, vampires, ghosts, and monsters and the settings tend to be crumbling, eerie castles, ancient churchyards, and dark mountainous roads. This literature genre has become the basis for gothic horror movies. Goths’ have developed their own styles of music, art, and fashion. They love things that are dark and mysterious, but that doesn’t mean they worship the devil or are obsessed with death, nor indeed do they belong to some kind of evil sinister cult. In fact, Goths’ love is for things that are ancient, classical and beautiful. Many Goths are artistic, highly creative, peaceful, and open minded. They have a sense of humor, are romantic and are not heavily into drugs. Everyone knows that the Goths’ favorite color is black, which is reflected in their clothing, their makeup – such as black lipstick and fingernails – their dyed black hair and body piercings. But you will also find purple, red, and a little white in their art, and they love wearing silver jewelry in piercings and elsewhere on their bodies. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 3

4. Gothic Tattoos One of the most distinguishing features of present day Goths are their tattoos, but just to be clear, you do not have to be a Goth to ink your body with a gothic tattoo – or two. Many gothic tattoos are extremely artistic and beautiful and can be worn by anyone. What are typical gothic tattoos? In very general terms, gothic tattoos can be divided into two main categories; Gothic fantasy art, and the occult. Examples of the former are mythological creatures that supposedly lived in the medieval era, such as dragons. An example of the latter would be the most widely inked gothic tattoo of all – the five-pointed star known as the pentacle. As so many Goths are artistic and creative, you will find some of the most intricate and aesthetically beautiful and original tattoo designs in this sub-culture. There are no specific standards for gothic tattoos, so the gothic tattoo artist is free to create something original, which will often include ancient English lettering in varying weird and wonderful styles. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 4

5. Gothic Tattoos As well as the pentacle, ancient pagan religions such as wicker and the occult have spawned a vast array of designs such as, The Tarot, Black Cats, The Athame, (a double-edged blade used in Wiccan ceremonies) , the Grim Reaper, Skulls, symbols related to the elements, (earth, air, fire and water) – Viking runes and other ancient symbols from pre-Christian beliefs. Another influence on gothic art is horror movies. This is where much of the post-Christian imagery comes from, such as crosses, rosary beads, angels and roses, church cemeteries, skeletons and coffins, along with Dracula, and other vampires, both male and female – not forgetting the haunted houses. Medieval times and ancient legends have given the Goths images of mythical animals such as dragons, unicorns, werewolves, Pegasus, vermin, fairies and demons; and also huge gothic warriors, Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 5

6. Gothic Tattoos Other popular gothic tattoos include: • Winged creatures – bats with sinister dark wings, angels with feather wings, gargoyles, butterflies, moths, ravens, and owls. • Vampire bite marks – bite marks on the wrist or neck, or bites on the figure of a woman or child. • Evil little girls. • Pale, noble ladies. • Half dead plants and flowers – vines of half dead flowers and ivy, trees with bare branches and withered lilies from the cemetery. • Lace and jewelry – gothic necklaces and lace designs can be tattooed over a woman’s “plunging neckline” and maybe a gothic bracelet tattoo on her (or his) wrist. • 3D – A gothic tattoo can be made to appear three dimensional by the clever use of “Tattoo shading”. This method is often adopted for gothic flowers such as orchids, chrysanthemums, peonies, lotus and flowering vines. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 6

7. Do Gothic tattoos have any meanings? Gothic tattoos do not imply evil or signify any morbid fascination with the occult or death. Most Goths actually believe in peace and happiness. Generally speaking, they do not hold any specific meaning for the wearer and are chosen for their visually appealing quality and the imaginative imagery they portray. They are chosen to suit the mood, emotions, and creativity of the wearer. For example, the original meaning of a design such as a skull, which might be taken to represent death – will have a totally different meaning to the modern day Goth. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 7

8. Where to put a gothic tattoo? Many Goths will adorn their entire bodies with gothic tattoos as an integral part of their overall Goth sub-culture. Their clothes, their jewelry, their makeup as well as their tattoos are all part of their overall appearance, in which the tattoos usually reflect the dark, nocturnal, monochrome scenes on their bodies. The size and location of gothic tattoo(s) on your body will depend very much on how you wish to appear to those around you. A tattoo such as a 3D gothic devil, or huge gothic warrior, could cover your whole back, a Gothic vampire girl might cover a female thigh, or a gray ink Gothic skull butterfly and rose tattoo could cover a man’s thigh. Something much smaller, such as a miniature gothic house and skull, would fit neatly onto a wrist. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 8

9. Where to put a gothic tattoo? If you are a Goth, then you will already understand this and will probably have a good idea on what it is you need in the way of Gothic tattoos and where on your body to wish to place them. Or you may wish to work with a tattoo artist to create something special and unique for you alone. At ALL DAY Tattoo in Bangkok, our artists are skilled in the creation of gothic tats and will be only too happy to sit down with you and help to sketch out your gothic designs and suggest suitable body placement. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 9

10. You do not have to be a Goth to have a gothic tattoo. Anyone can wear one – and why not? These tattoos are amongst the most artistic and beautiful that you will find anywhere. You can just choose a single piece of gothic art, or you can become a “total Goth” and have your whole body dedicated to this art form – the choice is yours. But before you go ahead, we strongly recommend that you talk to others who have had gothic tattoos and ask them about their experiences. Also ensure you go to the right studio, where the artists know about gothic tattoos and can spend the time to discuss and design something that you will be happy to wear for the rest of your life. In fact, you couldn’t do much better than come to ALL DAY Tattoo in Bangkok where we have the relevant expertise and will talk through the whole process and help you decide what is right for you. Gothic Tattoos in Bangkok 10