March 20th, 2015: Japan's Tattoos

[xoxoxoBruce]

Many cultures tattoo humans, Otie the Iceman had them, I think some of the Bog Bodies do also. But nobody got into like the Asians.
I don't think any group can beat the Japanese for complexity and beauty. Seems every culture has yay and nay groups, beating the drum
to promote or suppress tattoos... on other people.

Here are some at Faith Is torment.


These photographs were taken by Masato Sudo, who has made a career documenting Japan's heritage like tattoos, greenhouses and Kabuki.
I noticed this blurb..

Combining large format photography with the cutting edge archival fresco pigment printing process, Sudo generates not only stunning, but also long lasting studies of the inked form. Originating in Japan, this new printing technology draws upon ancient innovation to create photographic images that are heat, light and moisture resistant. Just as traditional fresco technique preserves Michelangelo’s pigments in Sistine Chapel, the archival fresco pigment printing process captures Sudo’s photographs within a soft layer of plaster, guarding his photographs for centuries to come.

Guess fold-spindle-mutilate is out of the question. I looked at Ronin Gallery where his work is sold, and did some searching, but couldn't find a detailed description of the process. I did find out the process uses pigments instead of ink, and the printing is done on PH balanced Kaolin clay, but that's about it.
Someone with better skills may be able to root that out.