Tag Archives: japanese body suits

Over the next few weeks we’re going to pay tribute to Japanese-themed tattoos and the contributions of 10 Tattoo Artists widely considered to be some of the BEST IN THE WORLD. For an ever-increasing  number of tattoo collectors (and artists alike), Japanese-styled tattoos are appreciated as the most sophisticated and visually pleasing style of tattooing, today. Though known about since the late 1800s, the popularity of Japanese tattoos in the United States, Europe and around the globe has really only expanded exponentially since the 1960s, prior to this time very few people could understand the depth to these expressions of ink in skin- historically or mythologically. Tattooing is a visual art form, however, and Japanese tattoo work has always had an incomparable effect on even untrained eyes. Just imagine early westerners traveling to a strange land, months at sea, stepping off and seeing such decorated warriors! The history of Japanese tattooing and the mythological roots of its powerful yet elegant imagery are deep topics of study and the daunting pursuit of many modern professional artists and scholars, alike. The myths represented in these tattoos and Japan’s rich history of tattooing are subjects for future blog posts, but for our purposes, now, let us trace the various Japanese styles of tattooing, today, back to but a few primary influences- starting with (perhaps, surprisingly to some) the pioneering work of American master, Sailor Jerry Collins and his correspondence with Tattooers around the globe. There are reasons Norman Collins (aka Sailor Jerry) is so respected by the tattoo community, not the ... Read More »

Courtesy of Salior Jerry: Chris Trevino is an expert in traditional Japanese tattooing who earned the nickname “Horimana” after studying for five years under the legendary master Horiyoshi III. His elaborate, full-body representations of Asian symbology reminds us of the later works by Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins aka Horismoku. Trevino now runs Perfection Tattoo in Austin, TX which was founded by Bob Moreau in the late 70s… Read More »

By Ed Hardy: I first met Chris Trevino when he and his then-partner, Shawn Degan, came to San Francisco in about 1992 to talk with me about getting some work done. He had not been tattooing very long at that time but Chris’ enthusiasm and ideas were off the charts… [Video and pictures on expanded page] Read More »

Gods and Warriors… This is a fitting title for Chris Trevino’s first book. His tattoos often depict these precise themes. But more notably, the title is actually fitting for Chris himself. In many ways he embodies the eternal qualities of the warrior hero or the deified persona of an ancient culture’s history; in short, a modern knight in quest for the mythic grail. His accomplishments, perhaps in a slightly older culture and rendered symbolically in the romantic style, could very well be the foundation of myth. Read More »