NYARTMAN's Tattoo Glossary

Alphabet City - is a neighborhood located in the East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names. It is bordered by Houston Street to the south and 23rd Street to the north where Avenue C ends. The historic boundaries of the Lower East Side, which transformed into the modern-day Lower East Side and Alphabet City, place the northern border at 14th Street. Some famous landmarks include Tompkins Square Park, Alt Coffee at 139 Avenue A and NYARTMAN's favorite bar Mona's at 224 Avenue B.

American Underground Art - art forms that are created by American artists that would be considered Low art such as comic book art, graffiti art, tattoo art, outsider art etc. Underground art is not considered High or Fine art that is often associated with classic or academic art. In today's art world these distinctions have become more ambiguous as more underground artists in the U.S. acquire Fine arts backgrounds and degrees from recognized art institutions. Underground art is often times the driving force behind new developments in the art world as a whole.

Ink Cap - is a small, individual, clean, often plastic container used to hold tattooing ink.

Licensed Tattoo Artist - a respectable tattoo artist who is operating legally after receiving proper training and assessment by the Department of Health in infectious diseases and sterile operating practices.

Sterile - free from living germs or microorganisms.

Tattooing - the art form of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments.