I find the styles of 'outsider art' really interesting ... posters, tattos, comics and cartoons have their own stylistic forms and language ... there are obviously individual artists styles within them but the genre has a certain 'look' (you rarely see a cartoon that's strictly representational, Boris was instantly recognisable as Boris but not because it was a good likeness) ... the one that's changing most is tattoo art .... probably because the current mass of clients have a very different demographic from the traditional 'ink-wearer' ... in the last decade we've seen the rise of the highly detailed and conventional portrait/picture style ... very skilled (my nephew's lad is a real craftsman at the style) ... but personally it leaves me cold ... you may as well put your arm* under a laser-printer. Fortunately there still does seem to be a market for the more traditional tattoo style .... and maybe it will shift back when the legions of Kylies and Tarquins tire of having a photographic image of Robbie Williams or Justin Beiber on their bums.
K
* other body parts are available
