This is a painting of one of 9-Dragons Shi-Jin’s dragons. Okay let me explain if you’ve never read “Water Margin”, a classical Chinese Folktale from around the 16th century. In the story there is a character named Shi-Jin, also known as “Nine-Dragons Shi-Jin” because of the 9 dragons tattooed all over his body. I wanted to do 9 paintings of dragons in dedication of Shi-Jin and what those dragons within his body suit of tattoos would look like.

Taken from the traditional imagery of the Hanya Mask, I originally set out to create a Tibetan style skull, although this is the result. Paired with leaves.

I decided it was time for a new tattoo. My choice was the snake. Snakes in the west are usually deemed as evil and cunning. But in the East the snake represents rebirth and the cycle of life because of it’s shedding skin. The lotus was chosen because of it’s background in Buddhism, it’s representation of all elements.

Borrowing from Hinduism, in Buddhist symbolism the lotus again represents purity of the body, speech, and mind as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. It is also to be noted that most Buddhist, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese, amongst other Asian deities are often are depicted as seated on a lotus flower. According to legend, Gautama Buddha was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed.

New painting I’ve done in acrylics on canvas. It’s been a while since I’ve painted and even longer since I used Acrylics. I started a painting underneath what you see now and just forced myself to do something, it wasn’t looking good at all. I went to bed woke up early the next morning, over my morning tea I looked at the canvas and had my inspiration and started painting.

Now for those who are not familiar with Ukiyo-e (Pictures of the floating world) art work – the work from this era is the most popular for Traditional Japanese tattoo artists. These include popular motifs that are often echoed throughout the genre, popular tattoo designs such as Koi fish, Cherry Blossoms, Dragons, and maple leaves.

Kuniyoshi’s print of Nine-Dragons Shi-Jin

from the story Outlaws of the Marsh

I’ve spoken about the historical, cultural, and traditional significant of tattoos in my essay about tattoos because it is so deeply rooted in belief there are many rules of tattoo motifs. In Thailand, Buddhist monks tattoo prayers and images called Sak-Yant. The spirituality and belief behind these tattoos are so powerful that when animals are tattooed on people they are believed to have that animal’s spirit within them. Once tattooed with a Sak-Yant yantra, people believe that they cannot be harmed and gain protection through them – although for these yantras to work, the wearer must follow Buddhist code such as not speaking ill of your mother or father, no alcohol/drugs, and the list goes on with rules that probably would seem silly to us, but have cultural significance there (Such as not walking under houses – which in those areas are often on stilts, and having such immense power of the Yants it is deemed dangerous for the house).

A Sak-yant tattoo in Khmer Script.

Now the lifestyle rules to wear a Sak-Yant tattoo is nothing compared to the rules of a Traditional Japanese Tattoo. I was recently asked by Justin D…

“I know there are certain rules about certain plants not being able to be paired with certain animals. Can a chrysanthemum be paired with a dragon? This is a personal tattoo question. Looking to continue a 3/4 sleeve with and existing dragon to a full sleeve, and thought the chrysanthemum would be badass. My tattoo artist says he hasn’t seen any chrysanthemum paired with dragons but is not certain.”

In response to Justin D – Well the rule isn’t a hard-line rule. It’s not so much that the flowers are paired with certain animals and others not. It’s that the flowers represent the seasons.

Cherry Blossoms + Peonies = Spring/Summer
Chrysanthemums + Maple leaves = Fall/Winter

So think of the flowers representing the seasons. Koi fish only swim upstream during the fall, so you can pair them with Chrysanthemums + maple leaves (Koi fish spawn during the Fall, so Koi fish with Maple leaves are also common motifs). So rules like this applies – You have to think what animals do not come out or do certain tasks they perform at that time of the year that is coordinated by the flower you choose.

The myth behind Koi fish is that when they swim upstream and make it to the top they transform into Dragons. So since the dragon is not a real animal (As far as I’m aware of) it’s hard to link it’s behavior to seasons (We don’t know if Dragons come out in the winter or summer) but we can link Dragons to Koi fish, since the Koi transforms into the Dragon. So knowing that Koi fish swim upstream during the Fall and often paired with Maple leaves the Dragon is usually paired with the spring/summer flowers. Although because there are no rules saying dragons are not out during winters – Thus being able to be paired with Maples or Chrysanthemums.

Picture of Dragon paired with maple leaves

signifying the fall.

Other traditional Japanese rules in tattooing is the clouds and waves rule. Often Traditional Japanese tattooing means a full body suit – with central images linked by backgrounds of waves and clouds. The rule is that above the waist clouds should be used, this signifies the sky – while below the waist waves should be used, signifying the ocean. This rule is often overlooked, and quite easily. Imagine wanting a Koi fish on your arm (Above the waist) although most often they are done with waves behind them – this motif would be incorrect (It isn’t unusual to see Kois with cloud backgrounds).

Full body tattoo by Horiyoshi III

Above the waist w/ cloud background

Another rule I came across is tattooing deities and Buddhas. These important icons often are on shrines that are high up, this is because these icons are “above” us. It is disrespectful to tattoo a Buddha below the waist, they must always be tattooed above the waist.

These images may look beautiful and pretty, behind them is a complexity of knowledge, rules, superstitions, and motifs that need to be followed.

The Kabuki Actor – This piece was done in homage to the Ukiyo-e work depicting Kabuki actors. Ukiyo-e means “pictures of the floating world” which is an art period in Japan. Famous for woodblock prints that were produced, because it was mass produced by printing – Ukiyo-e art was available for the masses. Kabuki is Japanese theater, and much like today’s obsession with actors and actresses in today’s gossip magazines – this art form immortalizes popular actors and the characters they play. This piece was done using traditional calligraphy brushes and Chinese water colors.