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The World Atlas of Tattoo

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"A grand tour of the world's great tattoos"—Atlas Obscura

"This book—part global art historical tome, part coffee-table book of visual wonders—is a valuable corrective to many silly things that we assume about tattooing."— The New Republic

A lavishly illustrated global exploration of the vast array of styles and most significant practitioners of tattoo from ancient times to today

Tattoo art and practice has seen radical changes in the 21st century, as its popularity has exploded. An expanding number of tattoo artists have been mining the past for lost traditions and innovating with new technology. An enormous diversity of styles, genres, and techniques has emerged, ranging from geometric blackwork to vibrant, painterly styles, and from hand-tattooed works to machine-produced designs.
 
With over 700 stunning color illustrations, this volume considers historical and contemporary tattoo practices in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Each section, dedicated to a specific geographic region, features fascinating text by tattoo experts that explores the history and traditions native to that area as well as current styles and trends. The World Atlas of Tattoo also tracks the movement of styles from their indigenous settings to diasporic communities, where they have often been transformed into creative, multicultural, hybrid designs. The work of 100 notable artists from around the globe is showcased in this definitive reference on a widespread and intriguing art practice.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2015

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212 people want to read

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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Emma.
1,010 reviews1,214 followers
October 30, 2015
This book is absolutely beautiful.

The pictures are vibrant and encompass such an incredibly diverse range of art from around the world. Anyone who is interested in finding out more about tattoo styles, history, or contemporary artists- this is what you need. From the newbie searching for ideas for their first tattoo, to seasoned inkers, this book has something that will appeal to all.
45 reviews5 followers
February 21, 2021
Really interesting book full of beautiful tattoos. I learned a lot about the history of tattooing worldwide. This book included so many different styles of tattoo art from all around the world, including some nearly extinct indigenous tattooing.
Profile Image for Estefanía Pinell.
27 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2019
Great quality images, diversity in countries and styles, and I specially love that the book includes a small background of the artists’ life. It is so interesting to know the thoughts behind the art!
1 review
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September 9, 2021
Hello
Just wanting to know if this book is the same as the paperback or completely different content???
39 reviews
April 17, 2022
Amazing book, full of interesting facts and incredible photos.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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