title: Tattoo as art, the drivers behind the fascination and the decision to become tattooed.
abstract: For many people, getting a tattoo is like purchasing art, and many professional and famous tattooists are artists who are acknowledged by colleagues and authorities. The history of tattooing goes back for thousands of years, and the reasons for getting tattooed are many. These permanent markings are always personal, they can be plain or elaborate, and they serve as amulets, healing and status symbols, declarations of love, signs of religion, adornments and even forms of punishment. Drivers behind the fascination of acquiring a tattoo may fall into four main groups, namely healing, affiliation, art and fashion.
authors.affiliation: Independent Tattoo Artists, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kierstein
authors.forename: Kari C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kjelskau
mesh_terms: D001154:Art; D001504:Beauty; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008602:Mental Healing; D009042:Motivation; D012933:Social Identification; D013653:Tattooing / Q000523:psychology*