The Tattoo Encyclopedia: A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo
What kind of idiot would I be if I didn't list my own book? Besides, it IS the most popular tattoo book at Amazon (have I said that enough now?) and it's the only one about what tattoos mean.
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Ink : The Not-Just-Skin-Deep Guide to Getting a Tattoo
The answers to ALL those questions that people keep asking me -- stuff about medical issues, removal, how to choose a design, an artist, and a shop. Everything from start to finish -- and then some.
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Tattoos From Paradise: Traditional Polynesian Patterns
From the birthplace of the "tribal" style of tattooing, this massive book is a stellar achievement -- rich in every way. It also passes the most severe test of "I wish I'd done it."
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1000 Tattoos
Leave it to Hanky Panky (owner of the now-closed Tattoo Museum of Amsterdam) to pull some bizarre photos from his collection. It used to be out of print, so don't wait.
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Tattoos
This is a smaller compendium from Hanky Panky and cheaper as well (see 1000 Tattoos at left). Although both are pretty much just tattoo images, their small format made them seem misfits in the Glossy Photo Book section.
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Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo
THE comprehensive and beautiful guide to one of the most aesthetically developed types of tattooing in the world: Japanese.
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Tattoos From the Floating World: Ukiyo-E Motifs in Japanese Tattoo
A fabulous compendium of Japanese imagery, rightfully tracing the flowering of Japanese tattooing to its roots in Ukiyo-e art.
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The Sketchbook: 80 Unique Designs by the World's Finest Tattoo Artists
Can't afford this one but I'm hoping to add it to my collection soon! Just shows you how popular and photogenic the Japanese style of tattoooing is right now.
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The Japanese Tattoo
Absolutely gorgeous! I adore this book. The photographs were done with an enormous camera that gave an ultra high resolution image on immense negatives. Classic Japanese tattoo imagery by the masters!
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Stewed, Screwed, and Tattooed
Probably the coolest thing about this book were the images from Chuck Eldridge's Tattoo Archive in Berkeley. Oddly, my copy was autographed when I received it (from Amazon I think but I'm not sure.) I see it has a new cover now.
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The Tattoo History Source Book
As an archaeologist and tattooed person, you know this is one of my favorites. And mind you, it's not a history book, it's source book -- full of original letters, explorers accounts, and historical images. Just wonderful.
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The Leu Family's Family Iron
You know that tattooists are achieving rock star status when they can get their own book. Although tattoos and tattooing abound, think family album with a fine design sense.
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The New Tattoo
Although other tattoo books have eclipsed the impact of this one, it was an early glossy look at the various styles of tattooing.
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The Total Tattoo Book
I read this cover to cover when I was thinking about getting a tattoo but the material is dated now and also incomplete.
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500 Tattoo Designs
Use the 'Search Inside" feature at Amazon to look at the images before you buy this.
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Stoney St. Claire: Life As a Tattoo Artist
The "Stoney Knows How" video is a blast, with Stoney telling a very young Ed Hardy about the early days of tattooing.
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Tattoo
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up! |
Celtic Tattoos
Although the author didn't care for his own 3,000 word book, I thought it was cute for what it was. |
Written On Skin: Irezumi: The Art Of Japanese Tattoo
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up! |
Skin Shows: The Tattoo Bible
I buy all the Wroblewski skin show books, not wanting to be without access to their wide variety of images.
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Skin Shows: The Art of Tattoo
I dig all the Wroblewski Skin Show books.
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Skin Shows II
I dig all the Wroblewski Skin Show books.
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Skin Shows III
I dig all the Wroblewski Skin Show books.
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Skin Shows IV
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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The Art of the New Zealand Tattoo
It's not particularly about Maori tattooing but more just New Zealand in general. Nice though!
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Tribal Tattoo Designs
What a charming little book - with a ton of drawings, though not much text. Another great book from the folks at Shambhala Press.
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Ta Moko: The Art of Maori Tattoo
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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Tribal Tattoos
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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Electric Tattooing by Women 1900-2003
I totally dig Cindy Ray on the cover and the images from the Tattoo Archive! Perhaps of more interest to people in the body art industry but collectors will pick it up too.
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Electric Tattooing by Men, 1900-2004
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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Tattooed Women
A classic and one of the first of its kind!
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Heavily Tattooed Men and Women
A great collection of the heavily tattooed -- some very famous photographs.
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Marked for Life: A Gallery of Tattoo Art
You know -- I don't know anything about this one.
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Sailor Jerry's Tattoo Stencils
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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Sailor Jerry's Tattoo Stencils II
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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Sailor Jerry Collins: American Tattoo Master
A great book and fabulous resource, sprinkled with letters, postcards, flash, and photos. Very nice.
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Flash from the Past: Classic American Tattoo Designs 1890-1965
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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Sailor Jerry Tattoo Flash, Vol. 1
Another favorite of mine, in a large format.
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Pierced Hearts and True Love: A Century of Drawings for Tattoos
Another great book by Ed Hardy, originally a companion to an exhibit.
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New York City Tattoo: The Oral History of an Urban Art
The old stories from the old masters!
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Tattooing From Japan To The West: Horitaka Interviews Contemporary Artists
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up! |
The Alchemy & The Agony: Sacred Art & Tattoos
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up! |
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The World of Tattoo: An Enclycopedic History of Tattooing
Don't have this one yet -- my checkbook and I can't keep up!
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