A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.

Tattooing has been practiced worldwide. The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, traditionally wore facial tattoos. Today one can find Berbers of Tamazgha and Maori of New Zealand with facial tattoos. Tattooing was widespread among Polynesian peoples and among certain tribal groups in the Philippines, Borneo, Mentawai Islands, Africa, North America, South America, Mesoamerica, Europe, Japan, Cambodia, New Zealand and Micronesia. Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular in many parts of the world.

Tattoos have served as rites of passage, marks of status and rank, symbols of religious and spiritual devotion, decorations for bravery, sexual lures and marks of fertility, pledges of love, punishment, amulets and talismans, protection, and as the marks of outcasts, slaves and convicts. The symbolism and impact of tattoos varies in different places and cultures. Tattoos may show how a person feels about a relative or about an unrelated person.

Today, people choose to be tattooed for cosmetic, sentimental/memorial, religious, and magical reasons, and to symbolize their belonging to or identification with particular groups, including criminal gangs, but also a particular ethnic group or law-abiding subculture. Some Maori still choose to wear intricate moko on their faces. In Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, the yantra tattoo is used for protection against evil and to increase luck. In the Philippines certain tribal groups believe that tattoos have magical qualities, and also to their bearers. Most traditional tattooing in the Philippines is related to the bearers Accomplishments in life or rank in the tribe.

When looking for that perfect tattoo it is sometimes hard to believe that there are different types of tattoos and that the industry looks upon these different types in a professional manner that portrays the love of the art. As with any art form, the tattoo artist has many styles and techniques to choose from. When you walk into a tattoo shop and see how many different tattoos there are to choose from, remember that the tattoo artist has chosen each one with a style in mind to apply. Whether you are going for a Celtic or tribal tattoo or a tattoo of Popeye, the skill and loyalty to the craft will give you the best tattoo of your choice.

When you are getting a tattoo of a rose or a cartoon character the tattoo artist might want to use a simplified style. This means that the picture will represent what you want it to, but the detail in the picture will not match the living thing. These are usually the cheapest tattoos there are and the most popular among military personal. A good example is the Chesty Puller Bulldog of the Marine Corps. The dog is drawn simply with the words Simper Fi written underneath. With just a few simple colors this simplified tattoo has adorned the arms and legs of marines from around the world. Another design or form for the tattoo artist is the dedication or pledge form. These tattoos dedicate themselves to the wearer