Interested by the americana iconographies associated with the American traditional tattoo style, and how deeply they contrast their own Japanese influences, I decided to research an artist who is a renowned name today on the world of tattooing and specifically the American traditional style. Dan Santoro.
American traditional has deep associations with military symbolisms, bald, eagles or American flags, but Santoro’s work goes even further back in the tradition and emphasizes Japanese motifs, very much how the sailors would do so when they were learning from the Japanese masters on their travels. He also loves fishing, and often so depicts this in a lot of his tattoo work. I found this interesting because in my eyes fishing is equally as American as a gun and a uniform. Yet a lot less violent. There are no sex icons in his work either.
Stylistically the work is beautiful. Tricolor pallet es, usually the primaries, and think black outlines, flat coloring for the most part except for some gradient occurring with the black. There is consistency in his work yet great variety and versatility. It is clear to me that this is a person who is deep enough in. His career to hav e a distinctive voice through his work. I love it.
On studying this I think of symbology and iconography, and how the traditional American style resembles for example, Mexican Huichol yarn paintings, or gothic stained glass windows. I think also, of the masks from the Dancing devils of the Chorpus Christi, and how the style would be perfect for depicting them on skin. I realized while preparing this presentation that there is a reason why the conventions of American traditional work and perdure the test of time—and that this is the same reason why all of these classic styles of art remain similar to each other in all but their subject matter. It seems to name that when any group of people are attempting to portray a symbol, they all resort to the same devices, which I have found are all the most effective in communicating an idea visually.