Living Canvas: Your Total Guide to Tattoos, Piercings, and Body Modification

Front Cover
Basic Books, Sep 1, 2009 - Health & Fitness - 336 pages

Tattoos. Given their permanence, why is it that we sometimes put more thought into what we’ll wear next Saturday night, or our next haircut? As a tattoo specialist and writer for About.com, Karen L. Hudson has talked to far too many people who regret their tattoos. 

After years of fielding questions and concerns about tattoo health, she realized the need for a book that would cover all the bases of body art—from planning and choosing an artist to how to take care of your new piercing or tattoo afterwards. Living Canvas is a resource for body art enthusiasts, whether you’re thinking about getting your first or fifth tattoo, planning for your next bod-mod, or regretting a negative experience. 

Transforming one’s body into a living canvas should not be taken lightly, and Hudson covers the topics that too many people overlook. Encouraging readers to make safe, smart body art choices, Living Canvas is informative, preventative, and educational.

 

Contents

what is a tattoo?
7
years of tattoo evolution
9
who gets tattoos and why?
14
fear and pain
18
permanence and commitment
23
religious social and employment conflicts
25
health issues and blood donation
29
body issues
33
tattoo FAQs
110
piercing guns versus piercing needles
114
fear and pain
121
the risks of body piercing
125
effects of alcohol and drugs
131
types of body jewelry
133
types of piercings
150
choosing your piercer
186

scratchers versus professionals
39
touring the studio
43
choosing and creating your design
50
choosing your artist
55
price and tipping
60
setting and keeping the appointment
64
food drink medication and drugs
66
what to bring with you
69
what to expect
71
taking a break
76
split sessions
77
aftercare and the healing process
79
lifetime maintenance
91
troubleshooting tattoo problems
95
tattoo removal and coverups
101
tattoo conventions
106
the piercing studio
189
what to bring with you
192
what to expect
194
healing and aftercare
200
how to enlarge your piercing
209
troubleshooting
213
piercing FAQs
222
the beauty of scarification
239
implants and extreme modifications
251
body painting and special effects
272
state laws
282
resources
291
photo credits
299
acknowledgments
317
Copyright

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About the author (2009)

Karen L. Hudson is the coauthor of Chick Ink: 40 Stories of Tattoos—and the Women Who Wear Them. She became fascinated with the world of body art at age twenty-three. In 1997, she began an apprenticeship where she learned not only about the art of tattooing, but also about sterilization and safety issues. Hudson quickly realized that too many people are uniformed before making the decision to permanently mark or alter their bodies, which informs much of her writing and advocacy today.

As the publisher of the popular website tattoo.about.com, Hudson serves the community with passion and understanding, always remembering what it was like to be completely new to the world of wearable art. She has been one the world's top body art safety and acceptance advocates since 1999. She lives with her husband and children in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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