When it comes to tattoos I favor two different styles: the Japanese Irezumi and the western old school Sailor Jerry type. At first glance one would think that these styles have nothing in common, and really they're as much alike as rock and classical music, but just as rock bands started to evolve into symphony territory in the 60's, Old School tattoos came under the influence of Irezumi. And it was thanks to one man - Sailor Jerry.Sailor Jerry (born Norman Keith Collins) was an American tattoo artist who can take a lot of the credit for introducing American style tattoos into Japan and for bringing "Oriental style" designs to tattoos in the West. He had served as a merchant marine during the Second World War and often tattooed at his ports of call, this is how he first came into contact with Japanese irezumi.
However, it was not until 1960 when he opened his last tattoo shop in Honolulu's Chinatown that his interest in Oriental tattooing really developed. He developed a trade relationship with Horihide (Kazuo Ôguri) whereby he would trade American needles and machines for designs and advice and also developed a close relationship with Horiyoshi II and Horisada. According to Margo de Mello, Sailor Jerry "never forgave the Japanese for attacking Pearl Harbor and for what he saw as their economic take over of Hawaii (Hardy 1982c.). In fact by his own admission, Collins wanted to "beat them at their own game": to create an American style that was based on what he called the "Jap style of tattoo", yet one that reflected imagery from the United States."
Collins was the first Western tattooist to use the idea of filling in backgrounds with waves and clouds to create whole body tattoos. He caught the interest of Don Ed Hardy who would later go on to form a close friendship with Horiyoshi III and to publish the first Western pictures of Japanese tattooing in "TattooTime" magazine in 1980. (Source: www.bmezine.com)
This site is devoted to Irezumi and Old School Tattoos. Hopefully it can inspire those of you wanting to get a tattoo. Both styles got a lot of soul. The Japanese style is just striking and I think it's fair to compare it to classical music. No matter what you think of it - if you see a great full body tattoo, it will make you eyes pop out. The amount of time, devotion and artistry put into a Irezumi is just amazing. Old School Tattoos on the other hand are charming and got a much more spontaneous blue collar, punky attitude. What also great about both styles, besides being cool and beautiful, is that they're timeless - not just a trend (but right now they're trendy, of course).
I will continually try to update the site with new tattoo pictures, flash art and woodblock prints. Japanese tattoos you will find under Irezumi. Old School Tattoos under Old School Tattoos, of course and flash art and woodblock prints I've put on the Art page.
Enjoy,
Ante Potter
