Biomechanical tattoos originated in the late 1980s to become a brand new body art style. Influenced by Cyberpunk writers like Bruce Sterling and William Gibson and artists like H.R. Giger of “Alien” fame, these designs give the illusion that your skin has peeled off to reveal both robotic and human body parts. They suit the tastes of SF lovers and fantasy nuts but require a high level of artistic skill. Be sure you find the right artist to do the job, an experienced and well-reputed individual in the business. Although styles can differ between artistic practitioners, some just cannot handle the difficult pieces but may not own up to this fact and have a go anyway. You will have to shop around for a range of portfolios before deciding on who will do the work for you. This is very important.

You will have to select a specific body part for your overall design. These tend to look their best when they slot into the existing characteristics of your body such as your muscle toning. The most popular sites are the legs and arms, especially muscular areas. Biomechanical tattoos on the rib cages are also very popular because they look so good with the natural ridging effect of the human ribs. Other good choices for relevant areas are along the spine, on the neck or around the wrist.

You should be prepared to collaborate on a custom design with your artist. Despite some aspects being similar to other pieces out there, the end product must be an original expression that matches your individual feelings and attitudes. Don’t be afraid to tackle head-on such questions as how much robot and how much organic material you want to appear in the final piece.

Color is a crucial aspect of this design, with most people using grey or black for the robotic bits with red shades denoting muscle, tissue or blood. Also used are certain types of blue to indicate a metallic effect, with white for highlights. Alternatively, some artists like to use bright, varied choices ranging right across the spectrum, this way guaranteeing maximum levels of realism.