Greatest American Tattooist of All Time - Essay Example

Sailor Jerry Norman Keith Collins, also known as Sailor Jerry, was recognized for being ‘the greatest American tattooist of all time’. He was one of the most prominent figures in tattooing, so much so that the entire history of tattooing has been divided into two parts-before Sailor Jerry (BSJ) and after Sailor Jerry (ASJ). The styles of tattooing used by Sailor Jerry became widely popular among all kinds of people. Sailor Jerry revolutionized the tattooing industry by creating new inventions such as machines and tattoo color pigments, making tattooing safer, and developing Japanese designs. Other than modernizing the tattooing industry, Sailor Jerry had a colorful and diverse life and career, which he balanced along with his love for tattooing (Levy 46,47,48). Sailor Jerry had developed an interest in tattooing and started practicing it ever since he was a teenager. The technique of tattooing used by him at that time was the hand-pricking method. Later on, he was taught how to use a tattoo machine by a Chicago tattooist named Tatts Thomas. Under Thomas’s training, Sailor Jerry would usually rehearse tattooing with a machine on drunken people who were brought to him. He kicked off his official career years later in Hawaii, where he opened his first tattoo parlor. Other than tattooing, Sailor Jerry also pursued the occupation of a dockworker in Hawaii, therefore adding some diversity to his life (Demelo 74). Having enlisted in the navy during World War II, Sailor Jerry also served as a merchant marine and so traveled to many places. He often tattooed people, especially sailors, at his ports of call. Having been to the Far East, and being exposed to tattoos on other sailors, he developed an interest in Asian imagery. This interest made him incorporate many Asian designs, such as dragons, into his art of tattooing. Besides this, Sailor Jerry was very protective of tattooing, and had a strong concern in developing it as an art form. Moreover, he believed that majority of the American tattooists were ‘greedy, talentless copycats’. As a result, he looked up and kept in touch with tattooists like Paul Rogers and Brooklyn Joe Lieber, who shared his opinion in improving the art of tattooing. Simultaneously, he spoke out against those who he saw as tainting the field through their sly business practices and lack of talent (Demelo 74). Sailor Jerry, on the other hand, seemed to have an excess of talent. A typical Sailor Jerry tattoo was distinguished from other tattoos by its bold and steadfast lines, along with an amazing attention to detail. For instance, the riggings contained by his clipper ship tattoos were nautically accurate. However, it was only after he opened his last tattoo shop Chinatown, Honolulu that his fascination with the “Oriental style” of tattooing really flourished. During this time, he started a trade relationship with two tattooists (one was from Japan, while the other from Hong Kong), wherein he would trade American tattoo machines and needles for their advice and designs. From them, he learnt a lot about the ways Japanese used colors, shaded, and made use of the entire body as a canvas (Demelo 74; Sailorjerry.com). However, even though he incorporated some of the Japanese style of tattooing, the style Sailor Jerry used was completely unique. His art of tattooing consisted of the Japanese finger waves, wind bars, and full body tattoos which reflected the history and pop culture of America; the Spirit of ’76, the Alamo, General Custer at Little Big Horn, Rock of Ages, big busted mermaids, and many similar designs motivated by North American thinking. These designs were also different from the traditional American style (of unrelated and separate tattoos spread out on the body) because they were larger, fused, and custom made. The incorporation of Japanese styles in Sailor Jerry’s tattoos was sometimes criticized by patriotic Americans. However, Sailor Jerry’s success at improving the tattooing industry made up for that (Demelo 74). When Sailor Jerry had just begun tattooing, only three or four colors were available in the American tattooing industry. Thus, he made it a point to search for more pigments that could add more color and life to his tattoos, and were safe to use as well. Whenever he created a new pigment, Sailor Jerry would first test it on his own skin to make sure that it was safe to use on others. His discoveries of various pigments made it possible for the American tattooing industry to have a much wider range of colors available. Besides creating new color pigments for tattooing, Sailor Jerry also contributed to the tattooing industry by making tattooing less painful; he discovered new sources of power for tattoo machines, and innovated machines and techniques to arrange the tattooing needles in a way that they caused less pain to clients (Levy 47). Furthermore, Sailor Jerry made tattooing safer as well. He started the trend of using ‘single-service products’. These consisted of needles and inks that would be used only once (on one customer) and then discarded. This improved the hygiene related to tattooing. In addition to this, Sailor Jerry was also one of the first to use an autoclave (a machine used to sterilize his tattooing equipment). Sailor Jerry’s developments of earlier tattooing techniques helped avoid the spread of infectious diseases (Levy 47). Sailor Jerry has contributed a lot to the modern tattooing industry today. He began his career as a teenager, and shifted from using the hand-pricking method to using a machine in tattooing. He was inspired by Asian designs a lot during his travels to the Far East as a merchant marine. Moreover, he gained a different insight into the art of tattooing through his correspondence with Japanese tattooists. As a result, his designs are different from the previous traditional American designs, as they are incorporated with Japanese styles and Asian imagery, along with representing American history and pop-culture. Besides this, Sailor Jerry has played a huge role in innovating tattooing machines and discovering new pigments, and therefore making tattooing less painful and making available a variety of colors to choose from. He has even made tattooing safer by sterilizing tattooing equipment. Works Cited Demelo, Margo. Encyclopedia of Body Adornment. ABC-CLIO. 2007. Print. Levy, Janey. Tattoos in Modern Society. New York: Rosen Pub, 2009. Print. Sailorjerry.com. 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