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StoriesYou are in: Oxford > People > Stories > Set in Ink  Cristina gets her new tattoo Set in InkBy Cristina Parry “Tramp stamps”, “slag tags” – it seems there are all sorts of names for tattoos on women. We see this or that celebrity sporting a new tattoo, but body art is not just something used by the rich and famous. Did you know?The word tattoo is said to has two major derivations - from the polynesian word ‘ta’ which means striking something and the tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means ‘to mark something’. The history of tattoo began over 5000 years ago and is as diverse as the people who wear them. The first electronic tattoo machine was invented by an American tattoo artist named Samuel O’Reilly in 1890, which gave birth to the new era of tattooing in which people started to have different kind of tattoos on various parts of their body. The world's most tattooed person is Tom Leppard from the Isle of Skye, Scotland, who has 99.9 per cent of his body covered with a leopard-skin design. Winston Churchill's mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, had a snake tattooed on her wrist. Tattooing has been used as a way of smuggling secret messages across enemy lines in times of war. I speak from experience; I am over 40, a mother of three, and have just had my fourth tattoo. Why did I do it? I wasn’t a drunken teenager, there was no peer pressure, and I didn’t do it to rebel against the establishment. I just wanted to, simple as that. After the first one I was already planning my second... I do find it strangely addictive. I was 29 when I got my first tattoo and I have never regretted it. Now they are just a part of me, and they don’t make me feel less feminine. I am not alone either. It seems that more and more women “of a certain age” are taking the plunge. Tattoo artist Paul Humphries from Evolution in Kidlington says about 60 to 70 percent of his clients are women, and not just those in their 20’s. It can still be seen as a male domain though and if a woman chooses to display her tattoo by putting it in a less discreet place, it can still raise eyebrows. Paul says that women can still be met with hostility, “My wife is quite heavily tattooed and sometimes when she goes out with her friends who aren’t, there are comments about it and it’s not always good.” Most artists combine the tradition of tattooing with their personal style creating unique and phenomenal body art. With the addition of new inks, tattooing has certainly reached a new plateau. Whether you like tattoos or not, there is no getting away from the fact that the skill and ability of a good tattooist ranks up there with artists of other disciplines.  Cristina's new tattoo I went to see Paul to get a very small and simple black line tattoo done as a tribute to my children. It was my third one, and as he handed me the after care instructions I knew I would be back. Every tattoo I have means something to me and if I had one piece of advice it would be to be sure about what you want and where you want it: Fashions change but tattoos are for life! Most importantly do it for yourself and enjoy it! Help playing audio/video last updated: 13/05/2009 at 12:10 Have Your Say |
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