Maori Tattoo Photo #247

Maori body art, known as Ta Moko, is one of the oldest and most meaningful forms of permanent marking in the world. Unlike decorative ink chosen from a flash sheet, traditional Moko tells the story of a person's ancestry, social standing, and life achievements through a precise visual language of curves, spirals, and symmetry.

Achieving lifelike results in skin requires mastery of light, shadow, and color blending. Realistic tattoos often look three-dimensional, with subjects appearing to emerge from the skin surface.

Forearm tattoos benefit from a natural canvas that follows the arm's long shape. Designs can wrap around the arm or sit on the inner or outer surface, giving flexibility in how the tattoo is displayed.