Fantasy Tattoo Art

Zhang Xiaobai's paintings exist at a unique junction of fantasy art and tattoo culture. The figures she constructs are beautifully adorned with painted tattoos and are juxtaposed against detailed, colorful, background scenes. Tattoed female warriors prepare for battle, a pale centaur woman readies an arrow, a dark queen takes off a kabuki mask, and delicately adorned women repose on beds of bright orange leaves. The book is split into cohesive sections: classic, dark art, fantasy, and modern style paintings. Xiaobai is a famous manga illustrator and a member of the Beijing Assassin Tattoo Organization; one of her mangas recently won the Gold at the 2011 International Manga Competition in Japan. Fantasy Tattoo Art also includes an appendix of preliminary black and white sketches, which can be used as inspiration for illustrators or tattoo artists.