Chest Piece Tattoos

The Chest and Tattoos

The chest is a part of anatomy that many animals have, and it is generally designated as the area between the neck and the abdomen. Shaped by the ribcage, and filled with a number of organs, such as the lungs, heart and liver, it's safe to say the chest is a rather important part of the body.

The fact that the chest is covered much of the time makes it an ideal spot for larger tattoos, or for tattoos that need to be inconspicuous. Even if you choose to get large chest piece tattoos, these tats will usually be safe for work as you will be covering them with a shirt. In the case of the Japanese full body tattoos known as horimono, the chest area of the tat may have a gap in the middle, where the breast bone is located. This is so that a shirt may be partially unbuttoned without displaying any of the wearer's ink.

Chest Tattoo History

Historically, chest tattoos have been a mark of importance for many different cultures and even jobs. The Maori tribe creates intricate swirled designs known as moko that adorn the faces of their tribesmen. These designs can also be seen trailing down the necks and shoulders of the Maori, and also adorning their chests.

Asian cultures have also been known to create elaborate chest piece tattoos. Aside from the Japanese horimono, Thai tattoo artists are known to ink long and intricate Buddhist prayers on the chests of those who need spiritual, or even physical, guidance. Other religious tattoos can also sometimes be found on the chest, such as Hindu tattoos, although these are less common.

One of the most popular chest tattoos in Western culture has to be the historic sailors' tattoos that were inked directly on the chest. Ranging from symbols that signified time at sea and affiliations (such as swallows and nautical stars) to full detailed sailing ships, sailors were known for their chest tattoos. Those who chose to get larger pieces back then, as today, were faced with tattooing over the breast bone. This is one of the most painful areas to get tattooed, due to the lack of fat and other tissue - it is basically skin on bone. Then, as now, this tattoo shows your dedication to the art.

Chest Piece Tattoos Today

On Men

Most of the chest piece tattoos seen today are completed on men, due to the fact that men are more likely to be able to go shirtless and show them off! What you choose to get for your chest piece can be as daring or as old-school as you like. Sailing ships are still seen from time to time, but more Asian influenced styles, such as dragons and samurai, are becoming increasingly popular. Another choice for a chest tat can be lettering, whether it's Old English style or another font that you enjoy. Choosing to get something important tattooed on your chest, such as a name or phrase, can be a good way to show off your beliefs.

Chest Tats for Women

Women can also be seen with chest tattoos, although they are usually not as large as the chest tats that men display. The breasts make the canvas on a woman less than ideal for larger images, so many women choose to have an assortment of smaller images inked on their chests, or even to get their tattoos up higher on the chest, near the breast bone.

Chest Tattoo Ideas

Need some further ideas for your next chest tat? Here are some sites to get you started:

• Kaotic Enzymes shows off a unique cupcake chest piece
• TattooNOW has some good chest piece flash available for download (fee).
• Tattooartists.org also shows off some unique chest tats.