You might have wondered what Sailor Jerry tattoos are? In recent years these tattoo designs have really made a huge come back and there is a big retro tattoo scene building. At the top of this old school tattoo designs is Sailor Jerry's work. Unfortunately he is no longer alive today to enjoy the success of his labor however his designs live on with us.

Who Was Sailor Jerry

So you might be wondering who the heck is this Sailor Jerry bloke was he a real sailor or was this just some joke or trick? Well, he was born as Norman Collins and had a pretty normal growing up. He self admits that at about 19 years of age though he was distancing himself from normalcy. He joined in the Navy to travel the world. Thus he was a sailor for a good deal of time. While he was in the Navy he did a lot of travel through South East Asia and many other far-fung places in the world. It was during this time that he got his first exposure to the world of tattoos became an instant fan.

After leaving the Navy he opened a tattoo shop in the Chinatown district of Honolulu. At the time this was a pretty rough and tough place to be as most of the inhabitants there were either Sailors or people working for the business the sailors brought. So from the edgy streets of Honolulu's Chinatown district he got his start in tattooing.

Why Are His Designs Popular

Sailor Jerry's shop rose to popularity almost immediately. The men of this time period were typically Navy men on a short break from their difficult life on the ship. Thus meant they were rabid drinkers and frequently paid for their women. They were not looking at the fine line work and shading of a tattoo. Instead they wanted something that would get attention and something they could show off for their buddies. He had a knack for creating beautiful yet edgy designs that really spoke to sailors.

The Father Of Old School

Today most people consider Sailor Jerry as the father and originator of the old school tattoo. Of course at the time Sailor Jerry did not know he was "old school" this came much after the fact and is more a modern term. In the last 10 to 15 years the development of the art of tattooing and the tools used has lead to an explosion of new techniques and designs. These new designs are bright, and very colorful which has lead them to be called "New School Tattoos".