Art of body painting is not standing still and is evolving along with technological progress, which leads to such new directions, such as tattoos in the style of cyberpunk. This dark style reflects the essence of life today: the cultural decline and poverty along with the global computerization. Its slogan is: "High tech, low living standards.
Who came up with the cyberpunk tattoo?
The term appeared thanks to science fiction writers. It was first used by Bruce Bethke in his short story of the same name, written in the 20th century. Gradually, the technique migrated from literature to cinema, and from there to illustration. Very quickly there were those who wished to depict unusual drawings on their bodies. Cyberpunk tattoos depict machinery sprouting through skin and sinews. Performed in 3D or realistic style, so that the picture looked three-dimensional and natural. Often cyberpunk is confused with similar styles as steampunk, organics and biomechanics. Works by Anil Gupta and Paul Angel are most often found in the top sketches.
The origin of the cyberpunk style
Cyberpunk, as a dystopian subgenre of science fiction, appeared in the 1980s of the 20th century. The genre originated in literature, but quickly enough blended into other art forms, including the visual arts.
Its characteristic features are the conflict of developed technology and the socio-biological aspect of humanity, that is, feelings, emotions, the need for individuality and security.
The world of cyberpunk extolled humanity as a more advanced model of society compared to the present time, but devalued the individual as a person.
The word itself is composed of the roots "cyber" and "punk" - the first root suggests that the events depicted take place in the high-tech world of the future, while the second suggests that its hero is marginalized.
How not to get portak: mistakes in tattoos
The main mistake when applying any tattoo can be called haste. Many people are so eager to get a drawing on the body as soon as possible, that they forget about working through the sketch and checking the master. When working on such a complex project as a cyberpunk tattoo, sketches play the most important role.
The second mistake is to add a large number of mechanical parts of different purposes. It is worth choosing a single detail or device that will be used in the sketch. This can be an engine, a computer board, a chip, a shield, etc.
Do not combine more than 3 colors (not counting shades) in one drawing. The best colors for these tattoos are red, blue, black and white.
Distinctive features
Tattoo in the style of cyberpunk is easy to distinguish from other directions of natal painting. They are characterized by the following features:
- - The intertwining of human flesh with mechanical elements;
- - Patterns of microchips and chips;
- - mystical or cosmic themes;
- - three-dimensional image effect;
- - the predominance of clear geometric shapes;
- - ideas of urbanism;
- - combination of artificial and living details (for example, gears peeking out from under the skin);
- - Images of characters from computer games or sci-fi movies.
Cyberpunk tattoos are similar in stylistics to steampunk, organic and bio-mechanics. Outstanding masters of this genre are Anil Gupta and Paul Angel. The photo of their work is taken as the basis of many novice tattoo artists.
What part of the body to choose for a cyberpunk tattoo?
The choice of location for a tattoo is an individual matter. Deciding where to place the tattoo, it is worth relying on the subject image, its size and personal wishes.
Most often, cyberpunk tattoos are applied to the arms and legs. Thanks to the natural relief of the biceps, the picture looks even more voluminous and interesting. Especially popular is the cyberpunk arm tattoo. Also for the cyberpunk tattoo will suit the calves and thighs.
Next in the ranking are the back, chest and legs. On the extremities it is good to depict intertwining cables and wires. Geometry is an integral part of cyber mechanics.
Cyberpunk style tattoos are in high demand among men, but sometimes girls also resort to it. They more often impose a cyberpunk style tattoo on the ribs.
Masters recommend doing tattoos large to detail every detail. This allows you to make the drawing as realistic as possible. Cyberpunk tattoos are suitable for people with a strong inner world, interested in technology.
What style of tattoo do you prefer?
Features of the cyberpunk style tattoo
Fine art, including tattoo art, takes from cyberpunk its external attributes, without touching the moral and ethical conflict.
The main reason is that the people who apply such tattoos are adepts of the new world. For them, huge urban agglomerations of the slum type, the modification of the human body with technological elements, chipping and the coexistence on an equal footing of the real and virtual worlds are not a frightening future, but a new romance.
Therefore, cyberpunk tattoos are characterized by such themes:
- Visualization of aspects of virtual reality;
- cyborgs;
- Multistory dilapidated buildings in the style of the post-apocalypse;
- bioimplants;
- genetic engineering;
- examples of new technology;
- heroes and landscapes of popular computer games.
In terms of choice of colors, cyberpunk in tattoos is closest to film noir. The main part of the image is done in two colors (black and white, black and green), and the most important detail of the image is accented with a bright color. The main colors are blue, green, black, red. Their dark, even "dirty" shades are used.
The difference between male and female tattoos
Tattoo in the style of cyberpunk sketches for both men and women look identical. The only difference may be the size of the finished drawing on the body. Bright options are more popular among girls. Men also give preference to black and white tattoos. Differences and the place of the tattoo: girls choose the back and ribs, and men - the arms and legs. In men's sketches there are warriors and crows.
History of the style
The term "cyberpunk" first appeared in 1983, when the American Bruce Bethke published a novel of the same name with the main character wearing a Mohawk. This style is a combination of cybernetics and punk. By the way, the latter word translated into Russian means garbage and dirt. Later, editor Gardner Dozois began to use the term "cyberpunk" in his reviews, and the concept became widespread. At a time when there were no tablets and no Internet, and the computer world seemed fantastic and inaccessible, this notion had a frightening and intimidating meaning. The cyberpunk trend was characterized by despair, decadence, depression, fear of the future and inability to change the present. The heroes of numerous novels of science fiction writers did not seek to influence the outcome of events, but simply drifted with the flow, losing all hope of salvation.
Who is suitable for a cyberpunk tattoo
Cyberpunk is more often found on men's bodies, but there are also bright girls who are not afraid to decorate their bodies unusually. Wear patterns can be both black and white or colored.
Pay attention! Causing a cyberpunk tattoo requires time and patience. Large drawings are not created in one session.
Drawings with cogs, cutting through the skin, will look good on a man with an athletic build. Muscles will add volume to the drawing, which will make it more realistic. To do such a tattoo is worth to those who often wear open clothes.
History
The style originated in the United States in the late seventies of the last century. The author of the term is the writer Bruce Bethke. In one word he combined two - cybernetics (cybernetics ) and trash (punk). The writer used the resulting "symbiosis" as the title for a story published in 1983. The genre was formed thanks to the work of dozens of sci-fi writers. Besides Bruce Bethke, these are also the dystopians William Gibson, Pat Cadigan, Bruce Sterling, Jack Womack, Mick Farren, Michael Swanwick, and others. Russian authors who have made literary contributions include Alexander Tyurin and Viktor Pelevin.
Of great importance for the development of cyberpunk and the spread of tattoos in this style was the cinema. It is believed that artist Hans Rudy Giger, who worked on the movie "Alien", had a significant influence. The genre was popularized by the films "The Creature" and "Predator". Huge interest in cyberpunk provoked the release of "Terminator". The prototype for the appearance of tattoos in this area just served as images of characters from futuristic films of the seventies-eighties and ethnic ornamental subjects with "techno"-stylization.
Great tattoo in the style of cyberpunk you make in our tattoo parlor!
Symbolism and Characteristics
Both in literature and in the body tattoos of this style there is an amalgamation of the artificial and natural, the inanimate and the animate. In books, the action may unfold in a space with blurred boundaries between real reality and virtual reality. They often describe the connection of the brain to the computer. The connection between man and machine is also reflected in tattoos. A striking and common example is the sketching of joints with mechanical details in them. A large number of tattoos are performed in the same stylistics as related trends - biomechanics, organics, steampunk. The body art seems to allow us to look under the skin, revealing the truth about the wearer as a mechanism. The images are printed as if they peek out of cuts and tears in the muscles.
However, the subjects of cyberpunk tattoos are not limited to "technological stuffing." Other characteristic elements are the patterns of microchips, characters from computer games, sci-fi series. The ideas of urbanism and even mystical or cosmic motifs are actively used. Cyberpunk tattoo may be a simple set of geometric shapes. Also transferred to the body works of the founder of the genre Hans Rudy Giger or sketches stylized them.
Tattoos in the cyberpunk style are characterized by three-dimensionality. To achieve this effect, masters use a combination of different colors. Often the basic gamma of the picture remains black and white, however careful inclusions, for example, red or green allow you to achieve a more realistic image.
