What the word means
Tebori is commonly translated as “hand carving”. In tattooing, it refers to a Japanese method in which the artist works with a hand-held tool fitted with needles.
How it is practised
The artist guides the tool in repeated manual movements to introduce ink into the skin. Tools can be made from bamboo or metal. In some practices, machine-made outlines are combined with colouring or shading by hand.
A technique with a tradition
The word refers to more than a visual style. Traditional Japanese tattooing has its own training, working methods and artistic context. A geometric motif or a tattoo made by hand does not, by itself, establish that tradition.
Further reading
The technical description above draws on explanations by practising Tebori artist Horisumi and his studio.
Horisumi: Tebori ↗Authentink: the hand-held technique ↗