Many people may express surprise when they learn about the ongoing popularity of Disney cartoon tattoos. Learn why the animated character tattoo craze is still alive and flourishing across the globe, especially in America.
About Cartoon Tattoos
The implementation and evolution of the electric tattoo machine spawned the first cartoon tattoos in history. During the 1920s and 1930s, Mickey Mouse tattoos were a common appearance on the skin of military men and remained one of the most popular designs for several decades. As cartoon technology progressed and more characters entered the Disney franchise, Dumbo and Donald Duck experienced a surge of popularity as well. The latter half of the 20th century saw more and more women placing themselves under the tattoo machine, which helped popularize Disney cartoon tattoos featuring Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Tinkerbell and Cinderella.
The surge of animated Disney movies released in the 1990s brought a more contemporary selection of cartoon characters for tattoo lovers to choose. The Little Mermaid, The Goofy Movie, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin became the inspiration for scores of tattoos based on adored animated characters. Of all the tattoo designs available for public consumption, cartoon characters are among the most desired even in modern times.
Who Gets Cartoon Tats
Even the most jaded and worldly soul can appreciate the joy of cartoons. Everyone from big, strong men to delicate and girlish women may choose a cartoon character to grace their skin. In fact, some seafaring men from the first half of the 20th century sported stylized versions of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck rendered in the old-school style of early American tattoos. Anyone who loves cartoons and collects tattoos will love a cartoon design.
Placement and Style
When it comes to choosing a location for cartoon tattoos, it helps to consider the color of the tattoo as well as the level of visibility you desire. Most men get cartoons on their chests, upper backs, thighs and biceps while ladies often choose wrist designs, ankle tattoos and tummy art. Take the size and color palette of the tattoo design into account when you're choosing a location.
The flexibility of cartoon designs allows for a lot of variation in style. Many people opt for exact copies of the characters they adore, while some prefer to take the basic appearance and mix it with separate themes. This Mickey Mouse as a terminator tattoo is a good example of the mixed theme methodology. Cartoon characters are amazingly adaptable so feel free to change it up any way you like.
Copyright Infringement
Animated Disney characters are copyrighted works, which means it's technically illegal for an artist to place them on their customers. However, many tattooists do the tattoo, if they aren't worried about getting into trouble. Most of the time, the proper authorities lack the manpower needed to enforce the copyright laws associated with tattoo designs. Search your own soul to decide if the legalities matter to you.
Examples of Disney Cartoon Tattoos
- Tattoo Joy: Browse two pages of Disney tattoos such as Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse and Thumper from the film, Bambi
- Graphics Hunt: Here you'll find five pages of Disney and other cartoon tattoos
- Mondesi's House: Look at this tattoo of a classically happy-faced Donald Duck
- Tattoos by Design: Ladies love a Tinkerbell tattoo like the one shown here
- Disney Tattoo: True Disney fans often choose a compilation tattoo with several of their favorite characters like this back tattoo
- Cartoon Brew: An Alice in Wonderland fan sports an intricate homage to the film
Your Choice
If you're interested in Disney cartoon tattoos, it's important to weigh your options and make your choices carefully. The huge popularity of cartoon characters may mean the design you like already appears on someone else's body. If that's not an issue for you, go ahead and embrace your inner child with your favorite Disney cartoon.
