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1000 Tattoos
Wearable An exploration of tattoos past and present For many, tattoos are a way of life. From lovers' names to elaborate dragons, anything and everything has been inscribed on the skin in the name of passion. Whether you’re thinking of getting a tattoo or just want to see to what lengths others have gone in decorating their bodies, this is the book to check out. This special 25th anniversary edition of Tattoos explores the history of the art worldwide via designs and photos—from 19th century engravings to tribal body art, from circus ladies of the 20s to classic biker designs—giving a fascinating insight into the art form that has become a cultural instition the world over. Text in English, French, and German
576 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 19, 2008
I bought this book for reference while trying my hand at designing tattoos. It's a pretty decent book, plus it's formidable enough to kill any spider that you happen to encounter.
October 12, 2020
If you're interested in tons of photos of people's tattoos through the ages, this book is for you. There are, well, probably a thousand, ha, ha different tattoos. You can see the development of the art, how it changed throughout the years and also the forms of tattoo art from different countries.
I wish there was a little more information on the photos, especially the photos of tattooed women from the thirties, forties and fifties, when it was unheard of for a woman to get a tattoo. Who were these women that bucked the contemporary culture? Were they women from questionable, " not respectable" backgrounds, or bored housewives that liked having a naughty secret?
I have always found tattoos interesting, even though I don't have any, but I think after a while, they all start to look the same. Still, I like asking people how they came by their tattoos, because there's always an interesting backstory involved.
I wish there was a little more information on the photos, especially the photos of tattooed women from the thirties, forties and fifties, when it was unheard of for a woman to get a tattoo. Who were these women that bucked the contemporary culture? Were they women from questionable, " not respectable" backgrounds, or bored housewives that liked having a naughty secret?
I have always found tattoos interesting, even though I don't have any, but I think after a while, they all start to look the same. Still, I like asking people how they came by their tattoos, because there's always an interesting backstory involved.
July 29, 2014
This book has a really good introduction on the history of tattooing, I found this really interesting, some good bits of info.
What I learnt from this book was:
Between the 1950's and 1970's western tattoo were awful, they were barely scribbles, it does seem that the same guys were doing the tattoos and whilst they may have been good doing the tattoo they were not artists.
At the same time in Asia the tattooists were amazing, their tools were primitive but the detail and size of the tattoos was brilliant.
Once the 1970's were out of the way a new breed of artists seem to have appeared in the western world of tattooing and these were proper artists, the tattoos were beautiful and a lot of time was spent doing them.
My favourite tattoo in the book was one from this last group, it is quite a simple one, it is a Chinese symbol and it is made to look like it was done with a large brush, you can see the brush strokes nice and clearly.
Right off to the tattoo parlour for me.
What I learnt from this book was:
Between the 1950's and 1970's western tattoo were awful, they were barely scribbles, it does seem that the same guys were doing the tattoos and whilst they may have been good doing the tattoo they were not artists.
At the same time in Asia the tattooists were amazing, their tools were primitive but the detail and size of the tattoos was brilliant.
Once the 1970's were out of the way a new breed of artists seem to have appeared in the western world of tattooing and these were proper artists, the tattoos were beautiful and a lot of time was spent doing them.
My favourite tattoo in the book was one from this last group, it is quite a simple one, it is a Chinese symbol and it is made to look like it was done with a large brush, you can see the brush strokes nice and clearly.
Right off to the tattoo parlour for me.
February 5, 2020
Fantastische foto’s in dit boek vooral de oudere, zwart wit foto’s = artistiek & tijdloos!
Zeker een aanrader voor wie een tattoo lover is!
Zeker een aanrader voor wie een tattoo lover is!
July 9, 2011
I read this entire book in one day!!!! In the beginning was the words and then followed the pictures. 1000 Tattoos tells you the history of tattooing and then offers lots of photographs. I didn't realize how many tattooed circus ladies there were in the early 1900's. I was amazed at all the tattoos and then I was shocked!!!
READER BEWARE! This book is rated R for explicit nudity. VIEWER DIGRESSION IS ADVISED:before you open this book (or even look at the back cover), be aware that you will see naked tattooed people. You will see tattoos on every part of the body imaginable - this includes, but is not limited to: breasts, penises, vaginas, buttocks and butt holes. One man tattooed his penis to look like the devil - red with a black tip. My library copy had several pages torn out so I don't know what else I missed.
So, I was reading this tonight on my lunch break and my manager came in and we were discussing the subject matter of my book. He told me he knew someone who got their penis tattooed on a dare and then he said:
"They ended up taking the whole thing"
I said "They took his penis?"
Well it turned out he got gangrene and had to have his penis cut off - all because of a dare. How stupid!!!!
well, since I'm telling you stories here is one more which happened back when George H. W. Bush (that is George Bush Sr.) was the president. Barbara Bush (that is George's wife) decided to get a little tattoo. She just got her initials tattooed on her butt cheeks B.B. - One B on each cheek. Well, soon there after, George and Barbara are taking a shower together and Barbara drops the soap, she bends down to pick it up. George sees the tattoo and asks "Who's Bob?"
READER BEWARE! This book is rated R for explicit nudity. VIEWER DIGRESSION IS ADVISED:before you open this book (or even look at the back cover), be aware that you will see naked tattooed people. You will see tattoos on every part of the body imaginable - this includes, but is not limited to: breasts, penises, vaginas, buttocks and butt holes. One man tattooed his penis to look like the devil - red with a black tip. My library copy had several pages torn out so I don't know what else I missed.
So, I was reading this tonight on my lunch break and my manager came in and we were discussing the subject matter of my book. He told me he knew someone who got their penis tattooed on a dare and then he said:
"They ended up taking the whole thing"
I said "They took his penis?"
Well it turned out he got gangrene and had to have his penis cut off - all because of a dare. How stupid!!!!
well, since I'm telling you stories here is one more which happened back when George H. W. Bush (that is George Bush Sr.) was the president. Barbara Bush (that is George's wife) decided to get a little tattoo. She just got her initials tattooed on her butt cheeks B.B. - One B on each cheek. Well, soon there after, George and Barbara are taking a shower together and Barbara drops the soap, she bends down to pick it up. George sees the tattoo and asks "Who's Bob?"
August 2, 2009
I love the pictures in this book.
Mostly the older ones, the new-ish tattoos are just okay...there may be a couple of cool ones, but it just isn't as varied and interesting and the older pictures.
My favorite is a guy named M. Kickham O'Farrel, Esquire who looks to be in his late 60s and is wearing a monocle. He has pretty sweet tattoos(I like the overall pattern that they make), and two pierced nipples and the middle of his neck is pierced as well.
Mostly the older ones, the new-ish tattoos are just okay...there may be a couple of cool ones, but it just isn't as varied and interesting and the older pictures.
My favorite is a guy named M. Kickham O'Farrel, Esquire who looks to be in his late 60s and is wearing a monocle. He has pretty sweet tattoos(I like the overall pattern that they make), and two pierced nipples and the middle of his neck is pierced as well.
January 9, 2016
Questo libro non è scritto in italiano, eppure la sua lettura risulta semplice. Testo e foto si avvicendano indispensabili tra loro, creando una galleria storica del tatuaggio, estremamente pittoresca.
May 8, 2025
shiv rating: 3 stars
pages basically don’t count bc besides a forward this is basically a picture book! but it really made me appreciate tattooing as an art form!! I really appreciate books that make me appreciate a certain aspect of life more that I may have overlooked before :))
“As an art form, the tattoo is as ephemeral as life itself. It disappears along with the person who bears it. Cave paintings, sculptures, and architectural works all have a longer life span and transmit the culture of civilisations that have disappeared.” Yet tattoos remain a beautiful and meaningful mode of art.
fav tattoos include pages 69, 131, 146, 170, 490, 494, and 546.
pages basically don’t count bc besides a forward this is basically a picture book! but it really made me appreciate tattooing as an art form!! I really appreciate books that make me appreciate a certain aspect of life more that I may have overlooked before :))
“As an art form, the tattoo is as ephemeral as life itself. It disappears along with the person who bears it. Cave paintings, sculptures, and architectural works all have a longer life span and transmit the culture of civilisations that have disappeared.” Yet tattoos remain a beautiful and meaningful mode of art.
fav tattoos include pages 69, 131, 146, 170, 490, 494, and 546.
December 26, 2018
How odd to see reviews of an art book criticizing its rarity of text. While editor Riemschneider’s introduction and its two translations offer an interesting overview of some of the psychological and sociological drives behind tattooing, he does amass quite a collection of images of tattoos. Hard to imagine ANYONE could offer a comprehensive collection that covers the true variety of ink art, but this one takes a serious stab at it.
But just a quick note to pander Riemschneider’s final move of dedicating this book to himself. Bad form.
But just a quick note to pander Riemschneider’s final move of dedicating this book to himself. Bad form.
November 16, 2023
Beyond EBN 2023
This was very interesting. First there was the History of the Tattoo as an art form. There are images of native people and the designs they put on their bodies. Some have religious meaning to them, some for warriors, and others tell a history of their people. They had the written history section in the book 2 more times... once in German and then in French. I loved that. The artwork was beautiful, even the (shudders) spider on the guys bald head.
This was very interesting. First there was the History of the Tattoo as an art form. There are images of native people and the designs they put on their bodies. Some have religious meaning to them, some for warriors, and others tell a history of their people. They had the written history section in the book 2 more times... once in German and then in French. I loved that. The artwork was beautiful, even the (shudders) spider on the guys bald head.
January 7, 2025
An okay visual exploration of the history of tattoos. I enjoyed the essay at the beginning of the book, but was terribly disappointed by the lack of context throughout the book itself.
The editing feels lazy. The book is largely a collection of tattoo images from a single archive that are thrown at the reader with little to no context.
The editing feels lazy. The book is largely a collection of tattoo images from a single archive that are thrown at the reader with little to no context.
June 7, 2017
Fun to leaf through.
Read
June 4, 20192014/12/7
September 26, 2019
What a great history of the tattoo.
Read
January 30, 2021Read this while mulling over (eventual) placement of a tattoo, and came to one conclusion: moderation can be a very good thing.
May 9, 2023
Great photos, intro was a little long and dry. Wish they had examples that went with the test of intro
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down
April 24, 2024
È una bella raccolta di immagini, per quanto la sezione contemporanea sia piuttosto datata e i tatuaggi scelti non siano di grandissima qualità.
September 30, 2025
Il y a de très belles photographies. Le est texte un peu superficiel et didactique mais sympa, on y apprend quand même quelques trucs intéressants.
September 14, 2008
Great visual reference of tattoos from Maori and Samoan designs, 1950's flash, to work of today. There are some beautiful examples of full body tattoos and examples of the completely ridiculous things people tattoo on themselves. This is a great little reference book for any tattoo addict to have in their collection.
July 30, 2009
Amazing documentation of ethnographic and early 20th century tattooing. I didn't think much of the contemporary tattoo section of the book - it didn't seem as broad and all encompassing as it could have been. Then again, I borrowed my copy from the library and a lot of pages were ripped out of that section, perhaps for personal research purposes. I wonder what I missed.
October 26, 2010
Not a book to read, but a book to peruse here and there. Like how it was broken down into sections - tribal tattoos, traditional, contemporary, cultural, etc.. Fantastic photos - even one of a nude man standing next to a wall covered with tattoo designs, yet you couldn't even tell he was nude because his tattooed body totally blended in with the wall.
May 25, 2011
This book has a lot of illustrations - it shows several tattoos from each decade, starting with ethnographic tattoos and their introduction to "colonists"and continuing to the present. It's no more informative than any other tattoo book out there, but the photos are good (if not better) quality than I've seen in other books.
May 29, 2017
This book more shows the different kinds of tattoos throughout the years and in different cultures. It is a really interesting book for those interested in tattoos. It's a good resource for those looking to hone some skills in the "old school" genre of tattoos.
September 14, 2007
just a thousand pictures of tattooes from ancient times until today's tattoo.
October 15, 2007
beautiful work, scary work, hilarious work, a great collection for afficianatos
January 7, 2008
It's what I look at when I'm craving ink...which is pretty much all the time.
February 13, 2009
I must admit I mostly looked at this book as opposed to reading it. Documentation of great old tattoos, like before my momma was born.
March 22, 2012
Great "book" with, I guess 1000 images of tattoos.
January 10, 2013
Not what I expected, was more of older style tattoos than new ideas. A good book if you are looking for more historical type, or a specific style such as "tough guy" tattoos.
June 12, 2014
Wish there had been more writing but the artwork was great
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews