Kentucky Crafts Encyclopedia

TATTOOING

Arguably the products of this craft process are unusual in that they are not transferable from one owner to another, but the creative work by the "artists" who produce tattoos is undeniable.

The practice of tattooing is found all over the world, and has existed since Neolithic times. However: "Since the 1970s, tattoos have become a mainstream part of global and Western fashion, common among both sexes, to all economic classes, and to age groups from the later teen years to middle age." (Wikipedia, History of Tattooing)

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Tattooing is the art and craft of making tattoos, which are a form of intentional body modification—usually decorative, but also used for identification—involving the insertion of pigment into the skin. Modern tattooing as practiced in Kentucky almost always requires the use of a tattoo machine and may involve special procedures and accessories to reduce the risk to human health.

In Kentucky, persons formally practicing tattooing, including microblading and cosmetic tattooing or body/ear piercing must be registered through their local health department. Many such practitioners operate places of business called "tattoo parlors," which are most typically sited in cities and towns—especially Louisville, Lexington, Richmond, and Bowling Green. Estimates suggest that there are between 30 and 100 tattoo parlors in Kentucky, and most parlors or shops feature multiple tattoo artists.

Age of Reason Tattoo (Warren Co.: Bowling Green)
Black Rose Tattoo (Fayette Co.: Lexington)
Green River Tattoo Company (Taylor Co.: Campbellsville)

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