Chicago tattoo - “latin notes” in the art of tattooing
Chicago tattoo - one of the most recognizable and sought-after trends in the art of tattooing, along with the tribal style. It is relatively young, taking its beginning at the end of the first half of the last century, but it has already rapidly gained worldwide popularity with tattoo fans.
A little about the history of style Chicano
“Chicano” is a word with Mexican roots. He has no exact translation. But there is an assumption that this is a distorted version of the word "Mexicano", denoting Latinos - refugees from South American countries and Mexico living in the United States, mainly in the southern states.
Initially, chicano-style tattoos were characteristic of Latin American gangster groups, which at that time spread throughout almost all of the southern states. Each gang had its own distinctive:
- Signs;
- Fonts;
- Slogans;
- Rules.
They were punctured by street gangsters on their bodies. The drawings differed rudeness and simplicity in execution. Also, tattoos were stuffed at the initiation of new members in the "family".
The images were superimposed on the body and in prisons in the United States. Latinos serving sentences in these prisons handed over their schemes and sketches of chicano to other prisoners. The pads were made exclusively in the black gamut, because apart from the ink and needles for the application step by step there was nothing else. So the Chicano technique gradually began to overcome the criminal threshold and go to the masses.
Features and importance of tattoos Chicano
Currently, the image of chicano does not associate its owner with crime or violations of the law. But the semantic message remains unchanged. It only evolved and adjusted to the framework and concepts of modern society.
The basic deep symbolism of such tattoos is the true faith, the futility of being, and the justice of the higher forces that will overtake everyone. Moreover, the legislation and the judicial system were not included in this concept. The basis of the drawings is still dominated by black color and its shades. But today you can find images with the addition of red, green and some other colors. But the brightness and color still will not. Only unobtrusive and accurate placement of accents is shown.
Often carried out an analogy of tattoos Chicano with a famous storyline called "Dance of Death." The picture showed the image of death, which pulls along different people. Therefore, the sketches of a Chicano tattoo contain notes of something mysterious, in part even sinister.
Tattoos in the style of chicano are usually made on such topics as:
- Religion;
- Women;
- Chicano inscriptions;
- National Latin American ornaments;
- Images of money;
- Attributes of the underworld.
The last two points do not have much popularity, as they are connected with crime. They are applied only by representatives of certain kinds of activity in the criminal environment.
Religion towards Chicano
Faith is one of the main values of that time. People who lived in poor Latin American ghettos deliberately committed crimes, but never forgot about religion and obeyed God. Gangsters applied various religious plots and images to their bodies, as well as excerpts from the bible. This trend has gradually migrated to the present. Often order such options:
- The face of Jesus Christ;
- Image of the Virgin Mary;
- Images of crosses;
- Quotes from bible writings.
Religious motifs made in the technique of chicano without the use of bright catchy colors, well suited to believers, but the main thing is that the tattoo was from the heart and for the soul, and not for ponts!
Figure of a woman in a Chicano tattoo
Woman is also a popular image with a special meaning. Usually, images with sexy naked girls were put on their bodies by Latin American prisoners who for a long time were not destined to feel the love and affection of women of the opposite sex.
Now, as before, the value of such tricks is straightforward:
- Beauty;
- Loving;
- The indicator of the traditional orientation of the owner "underwear painting".
Also, the image of a particular woman was applied, which indicated the loyalty of the young man to his chosen one.
Often the girls were drawn along with national Latin American patterns made under the image of the skull. This gave the beauty a tattoo, but at the same time made it mysterious and mysterious. The name of such drawings is Santa Muerte.
Literally translated as "Holy Death." It is these tattoos that immediately indicate the style of Chicano and for a long time bump into the memory.
Chicano inscriptions
Despite its simplicity, Chicano inscriptions are often found on the bodies of tattoo lovers. They are almost always performed in black and white. Usually they are placed on the arm or shoulder so that everyone can see.
Mostly in the form of inscriptions put:
- Mottos or oaths;
- Aphorisms or philosophical statements;
- Dates of certain life events (for example, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one).
Such tattoos are discreet and tasteful and rarely take up much space, of course, unless it is a census of the whole book. Therefore, they are well suited to those who are only going to decorate their body with the first image.
Men's tattoos Chicano
Given the story, this style is more suitable exclusively for men. After all, he appeared in an environment where the main qualities were aggression and the ability to stand up for himself. Therefore, this genre is mostly preferred by guys with clear life convictions. Images in this style are also popular with representatives of street subcultures, for example hip-hop.
Among male celebrities, chicano-style tattoo owners include rapper Eminem and Blink-182 punk drummer Travis Barker.
A special lover of the direction is actor Danny Trejo. On his body there are six volumetric tattoos. A woman in a sombrero took her place on her arm. There is also an image of Jesus and children's names. Also, the actor added an image of a peacock, symbolizing the sun, and a hummingbird - the personification of life.
Chicago tattoos for guys are often applied in the form of inscriptions expressing the inevitability of life or pictures, where tears or even blood flow from the eyes of a girl. Chicago sleeves with tattoo images of skulls are also in demand. Mexicans consider these images as talismans and amulets, as they believe that the skulls are the repositories of the souls of the ancestors. These tattoos basically scare the opposite sex. But there are individual representatives who are not alien to the mood of this style.
Women's Chicano Tattoo
This decoration is almost not peculiar to women, but there are ladies who provoke society with their shocking. They choose such brutal drawings, making it clear that their owner is a “bad” girl.
Typically, chicano tattoos for girls look like sketches that convey emotionality. Pads can point to:
- A reminder of the past;
- Lack of faith in the future.
A sketch in the form of a girl with a pistol in her hand indicates the owner’s readiness to defend herself. A bandage over the mouth shows that the lady is distinguished by her silence. Religious stories are also popular with Chicano lovers.
Should I choose the style of Chicano?
From the foregoing it is clear that this direction is almost purely masculine. Only a few female representatives will dare to put such an image on the body. But if you want to emphasize your independence and individuality, while provoking a society to an ambiguous reaction, then this style is for you.
Of course, it is better not to try to apply such tattoos on your own at home. Especially if you want high-quality portrait image. By making yourself a tattoo in the chicano technique, you can wrongly pin down certain elements and the result will be completely different from what you originally imagined. Therefore, rely on a qualified tattoo artist who will create an ornament step by step and will qualitatively transfer the selected sketch to your body.