Classic Tattoo Stencils

A staggering volume of thousands of examples of the celluloid acetate stencil, an essential tool in the history of tattooing.




Mythical creatures, angels and devils, anchors and other nautical symbols, and
more abound in stencil form, the classic tracing method that has only increased
exponentially in popularity since the rough days of crude materials and
callused hands. Before Thermofax (TM) and numbing cream, tattooists had
to hone their tracing skills perfectly-and clients had to hope for the best.



Over
time, artists would ask sailors and dock workers to let them trace remarkable tattoos
they got at other ports, effectively inventing design replication. Today tattoo
artists use tattoo stencils to transfer designs onto wood, quilts, and even
cabinets.



A worthy companion to Flash
from the Bowery: Classic American Tattoos, 1900-1950, this volume continues
to ignite the curiosity of American history and tattoo buffs.