Introduction to "Tattoos by Design"

A tattoo, by definition, is a mark or pigment punctured into the skin to form a design, but everybody tends to develop his or her interpretation of a tattoo. To many, tattoos are a form of body art. However, not everybody shares this opinion. The importance of a tattoo has changed over time. It went from a cherished form of expression to a shameful taboo, so tattooing is not something most people would find admirable. The practice of tattooing has existed for centuries, dating back to the ancient Egyptians around 4,000 years ago. Since then, tattoos have been a part of many different cultures around the world including the Nubians, Thracians, Greeks, Romans, and all the way up to Polynesian culture. As a result, all these cultures used tattooing as a form of self-expression and used to convey ideas and traditions. However, as the years progressed, tattoos became misinterpreted. Today, many people view them as a bad thing. So, in the modern era, people believe that tattoos represent criminals, symbolizes prostitution and is perceived as dangerous when in reality, having tattoos does not change a person. People with tattoos can still be professional, hard-working, passionate and some of the most inspiring beings. Someone would judge somebody else over his or her colorful forearm tattoo and label them is incorrect. So why does the stigma involving a tattoo exist? The people of today, including parents, need to understand that what they believe about tattoos are nothing but untrue misperceptions.