Sailor with Tattoos – Screen Print

by Daniel Mackie November 28, 2012

sailor with tattoos screen print This is a three colour screen print This is an Edition of 36 printed on japanese Atsukuchi paper, which is only 57gsm. Light but very strong. Print size 485mm x 320mm.

As you may have noticed if you read this blog I am a fan of tattoos, they have been a big influence in shaping my style. The home of the tattoo is on the sailor and the sailors tattoo is the swallow. Historical, swallows were symbols of a sailors experience, if a sailor were to have a tattoo of one swallow if would indicate he had traveled 5000 nautical miles, two swallows, 10000 nautical miles, which in the early days of sailing was no mean feat! So the swallow tattoos denoted a very experienced and valuable sailor.
Swallows later came to mean other things as well, if you drowned your swallows would raise your soul to heaven. They have also become symbols of hope.
One of the most recognisable names in Tattooing is sailor jerry, who amongst other things was a sailor and a tattooist and you can read about him here.

Buy cards and prints at Daniels shop, The DM Collection.

Daniel Mackie

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