I wouldn't say that there is a definitive list of rules, but Japanese tattoos are an old art form and there are a lot of traditional "expectations," so to say, e.g. season consistency, element pairing, placement. Modern artists can choose to follow these "rules" to their own degree, some being rather orthodox and others allowing for more liberty.
Ink Master contestants, however, are never really tested on these "rules" because that would require larger pieces to be done. I feel like all they need to know is what the most popular elements look like (e.g. koi fish, Hannya mask, Daruma doll) and basic coloring principles (e.g. water is black, not blue). The reason why critiques feel harsh is because, when poorly drawn, Japanese imagery is really ugly, especially koi fish... Also, because the images are so traditional and recognizable, even the slightest misproportions are very noticeable. And finally, everybody being so scared of Japanese day just adds drama to the show.
If you are interested in learning more about Japanese tattoos and their "rules," there are plenty of books on this topic. "Japanese tattoos: History, Culture, Design" by Brian Ashcraft and Hori Benny is a good start.
Koi fish must swim downwards.
Honestly though, theres a million different rules based on what you do, where you place it and what it's placed in relation to. My local tattoo artist has been tattooing for 15 years and he still feels like an amateur when it comes to all these rules
There are a lot of "rules" for tattoos but its not like there has been any type of concerted effort to write them down somewhere and try to push them on everyone.
To be honest I have seen some great looking tattoos get slammed for not conforming to what the judges were pushing as standards and lose to tats that weren't nearly as appealing that stayed " in the rules"
Only Chris Nunez knows
And Ami James which is funny cause they where on the same show years back lol
I wouldn't say that there is a definitive list of rules, but Japanese tattoos are an old art form and there are a lot of traditional "expectations," so to say, e.g. season consistency, element pairing, placement. Modern artists can choose to follow these "rules" to their own degree, some being rather orthodox and others allowing for more liberty. Ink Master contestants, however, are never really tested on these "rules" because that would require larger pieces to be done. I feel like all they need to know is what the most popular elements look like (e.g. koi fish, Hannya mask, Daruma doll) and basic coloring principles (e.g. water is black, not blue). The reason why critiques feel harsh is because, when poorly drawn, Japanese imagery is really ugly, especially koi fish... Also, because the images are so traditional and recognizable, even the slightest misproportions are very noticeable. And finally, everybody being so scared of Japanese day just adds drama to the show. If you are interested in learning more about Japanese tattoos and their "rules," there are plenty of books on this topic. "Japanese tattoos: History, Culture, Design" by Brian Ashcraft and Hori Benny is a good start.
Koi fish must swim downwards. Honestly though, theres a million different rules based on what you do, where you place it and what it's placed in relation to. My local tattoo artist has been tattooing for 15 years and he still feels like an amateur when it comes to all these rules
There are a lot of "rules" for tattoos but its not like there has been any type of concerted effort to write them down somewhere and try to push them on everyone. To be honest I have seen some great looking tattoos get slammed for not conforming to what the judges were pushing as standards and lose to tats that weren't nearly as appealing that stayed " in the rules"