Minimalistic, flowery, realistic, watercolor or dot work…There are countless types and styles in the world of tattoos. Each of them has their own characteristics and something that makes them unique and recognisable.
Also, there are tattoos that have something futuristic in them even if the style they belong to was born in the 70s. They are BIOMECHANICAL TATTOOS.
Biomechanical tattoos are a particular genre of tattoos which have their roots in the biomechanical art. This particular kind of art was born in the late 70s when the famous director (at the time new in film scenes) Ridley Scott, decided to work with the Swiss designer H.R. Giger. Together, they realised the creepy creatures for the horror movie “Alien”. At the time, the movie was a success and still nowadays is one of the milestones of the horror genre. Giger’s style was unique and really original because the creatures he drew were made of human flesh but they also had robotic characteristics or robotic details in them. Biomechanical art was born this way: from the combination between “organic design” and “mechanical design”. Through the years, and especially in the 90s, tattoo artist Aaron Cain started to transpose this kind of art in the tattoo context and so biomechanical tattoos came to life. This particular kind of tattoos is characterised by the presence of robotic elements. It has something to do with mechanisms or gears.
Originally, this kind of tattoos were just grey and black but over time the techniques have been refined and improved, so that nowadays this genre of tattoo is a real artwork. Biomechanical tattoos are hyper-realistic – this is precisely what makes their beauty: some of them are realised using 3D techniques in order to make the final result feel more real – such as the scratched or wounded skin that shows something metallic or some gears underneath. The bones of the arm, for instance, can be replaced by wheels or muscles and tendons are bound to one another with steel and bolts.
Among the favourite subjects of the tattoo artists who realise this kind of tattoos, are robotic women: beautiful alien faces that appear from under the skin.
Biomechanical tattoos are real works of art, for this reason, it is recommended to do them in large areas of the body so that the tattoo artists can express themselves the best way. That’s why biomechanical tattoos are often over the shoulders, the chest, the back, the arms or the hips.
Most of the time, biomechanical tattoos are dark and rich in shades, so they are often used to cover old or ruined tattoos.
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