HORIMASA

This is a collection of illustrations, sketches and photos from Japanese tattoo master, Horimasa. A tebori artist by trade (the traditional Japanese method of tattooing by hand) Horimasa breathes new life into fundamental Japanese tattoo motifs in this compilation. That he's studied the masters of traditional ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) is evident in his work and his approach to traditional Japanese iconography is bold and confident. His lines are incredibly clean and color use is brilliant. This book includes a wide variety of Japanese traditional tattoo imagery. It features a variety of samurai, Gods and Goddesses, oni, goblins, tigers, Hannya, dragons, geisha, koi, foo dogs, animals and insects....it has a little bit of everything. It includes full color, full pages illustrations, complete single line drawings, preliminary sketches and sketches devoted to particularly tricky details, like hands, feet, eyes and claws. It also includes a 50 full page, full color photo section of Horimasa's tattoo work, shot by world renowned photographer Geoff Johnson. This book is nice a big, printed on thick, high quality paper and comes in a cardboard slipcase for protection. It is an amazing resource for anyone interested in traditional Japanese tattooing and imagery.