Customizing the Body: The Art and Culture of Tattooing

by Clinton R. Sanders, D. Angus Vail

This text covers the history and anthropology of body modification practices. It covers the tattooist's occupational experience, the process and social consequences of becoming a tattooed person, and the prospects of 'serious' tattooing becoming an accepted art form.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Rhylan Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Customizing The Body is an extremely informative and educational book. It covers the ethnography, social, and personal aspects that surrounds tattooing. My favorite was the introduction chapter because it gave me insight into the western- society history of the art. It was really interesting to be able to understand what it was like it be a tattooed person in those times and also see how the social consequences could affect a person with tattoos. Sanders puts his studies into his book so that he could support his ideas which is awesome because you can see where he comes from and how he thinks. He gives the reader valuable information about being and wanting to be a tattooed person which helps them decide if they want to experience it. The author included people's’ stories and quotes which I really liked so that I could see more than just one perspective on the whole process and different parts of the process. I feel like I learned so much from this book because it gave hard fact and also different opinions. If you are thinking about getting a tattoo I think this book would be very beneficial for you or even if you just want to learn about the history and the other perspectives of it that you don't think about all the time.
I think it is really interesting how the author talks about how controversial the topic of tattooing is because you never really think about how other people/cultures see the art. He goes over how in different parts of the country think differently just like any other topic. I like how he relates it to other issues in the society. I also like how he doesn't put much of his own opinion into the book, just facts.
This book also can really help people decide if they want a tattoo or not, because he explains all the aspects of both the tattooee and tattoo artist. That is really helpful if that is something you are looking for in a book.
If you are looking for the culture then this is a great book. I had a choice for one of my high school classes and I chose this one because it sounded really interesting to me and I'm glad I did because I learned a lot about the ethnography and all the little details of tattooing.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no hesitation in saying that this book has introduced me to a new lens and general perspective on the sub-culture of Tattooing. But I can't help but find every chapter dissatisfying only because it would pick a new topic to talk about and make it apparent that this book had chosen multiple points of time and spread an overview on a generalized version rather than making a few things clearer. I couldn't find myself emotionally infatuated with this novel just because I simply can't relate to a lot of it. As an artist it was easy to understand enough to see that with time, we changed our view on the sub-culture and how tattoos were introduced--Or rather, exposed to the public eye. Having that alienated perspective that I had 3 years ago has simply left me entirely in awe at this novel. It's eye opening to understand the symbolism and culture behind this piece. Although I found it hard to read for a long period of time (Due to the consistency and my disinterest in non-fiction). I respect the message it portrays and would recommend this to teens or young adults who are considering getting a tattoo in the future.

[Lisa M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great. It was one of the only non-fiction books I could finish in one week! I liked it because I was a sociology student in college. This book is the result of a sociological study that employed surveys and ethnography. It was the first time I read a sociological text since college and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sanders wrote this in the late 1980s, and recently updated it with an introduction and conclusion. Sanders’ dark humor/use of the word plebian had me at this introduction (seriously, I would hang out with this guy.) I found him to be very open and accountable. Those are key traits in a researcher, especially one who is studying something that is so stigmatized. I think he was aware of his shortcomings in relation to the text and represented them well in this updated introduction. The age of this work is reflected in the book, however. It has been about twenty years since it was published so the evolution in tattooing from craft trade to fine art that Sanders discussed has progressed. This, of course, makes parts of the book feel aged. This just means that the book is no longer as useful for a contemporary reference, but provides a great history of recent tattooing. I really enjoyed the information in the book. I smiled when I found myself reflected in some of the observances of those who choose to get tattooed. I felt like I learned a lot about the tattoo world, which is often [kept] mysterious from casual participants. I also really enjoyed Sanders observations on stigma and the sociology of art. The only real downfall was that the book got repetitive, but that comes with any sociological text. This book was an easy, informative, and most importantly, enjoyable read.