Customizing the Body (PDF file) - Print My Tattoo

201 Methodological Appendix
realize that carrying custom work done by him was, within the
tattoo community, equivalent to owning a Picasso in the larger
fine art world. Over the next few years we planned and worked on
completely filling the available space on my right arm. I was interested
in continuing the theme of mythological creatures while
combining major elements of both the Japanese style and contemporary
western tattooing. A large griffen modeled after a German
block print was inscribed on my shoulder with its tail snaking
down my upper arm. The image was integrated with my other
pieces by using "fill work" consisting of flames and dark spiraling
whirlwind designs which are conventional in Japanese tattooing
(see Hardy, 1987a). The artist also covered the flaming eye piece
on my forearm with a spider chrysanthemum and placed a small
cherry blossom over the Horus eye on my ear. I had become dissatisfied
with the technical quality of the original tattoos and
both of these floral designs were important elements in classical
Japanese tattOOing-the chrysanthemum symbolizes determination
and the cherry blossom represents the briefness of life
(Richie and Buruma, 1980: 40-41). Later, as the artist began to
focus on creating photo-realistic images of plants, animals, insects,
and other objects found in nature, I had a dragon fly and
lotus placed in the inner surface of my forearm. Water designs
were used to fill in and integrate these elements with the rest of
the work.
Given the duration, intensity, and permanence of this research
voyage, I would be a very odd person indeed if I did not feel an
emotional attachment to tattooing and many members of the tattoo
community. Although I have taken some pains to polish my
presentation and pull back from what could be seen as overt displays
of bias, this book contains an account grounded on passionate-albeit
consistently disciplined-personal experience (cf.,
Manning, 1982). I also admit to a certain degree of discomfort
with the inevitable distortion that results when the complex flow
of real-people-doing-real-things is subjected to the simplifying
constraints of sociological analysis. Even the fairly fleXible conventions
of ethnography tend to wash much of the emotion, play,
ambigUity, and all of the other characteristics which make everyday
life so wonderfully confusing and engaging out of the phe-