tattoo
Enable an AI agent to recognise a tattoo as a particular embodied mark, assess its documented condition and interpretive context, and determine which recording, display or alteration actions are appropriate.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise a tattoo as a particular embodied mark, assess its documented condition and interpretive context, and determine which recording, display or alteration actions are appropriate.
A tattoo is a lasting mark made by placing insoluble pigment particles into the dermis (or, in specialised practice, cornea or gastrointestinal mucosa) so colour remains after the overlying epithelium turns over.
It can be Match observations or images to a tattoo instance while recording uncertainty and avoiding identification of a bearer without an authorised purpose.; Document the tattoo's placement, composition and extent using appropriately permitted descriptions or images.; Compare dated observations to identify apparent changes that require confirmation or professional assessment.; Trace design references, application events, materials and later alterations through available evidence.; Record bearer and artist interpretations while distinguishing them from third-party symbol readings.; Check permissions and record prerequisites before documentation, public display, touch-up, cover-up or removal planning..
Distinguishing features
Establish whether the referent is an actual mark on a bearer or merely artwork, a stencil, a photograph or a proposed tattoo.
Check whether the mark is reported to involve pigment introduced into skin; distinguish this from surface paint, transfers and stains without treating appearance alone as proof.
Distinguish a tattoo from a scar, birthmark or other skin feature using reported origin and available evidence; allow mixed or uncertain cases.
Treat the same design applied to two bearers as two tattoo instances, and photographs of one tattoo as representations of that instance.
Determine whether adjacent or overlapping marks constitute one tattoo, a later revision or separate tattoos using their application history and the bearer's account.
Scope
+ The identity and boundaries of an individual tattoo, including additions, overlapping work and cover-ups
+ Its placement, extent and orientation on a particular bearer's body
+ Its visible composition, text, colour and relationship to reference artwork
+ Known pigment and application history, with uncertainty and evidence recorded
+ Its observed condition, changes over time and history of alteration
+ Attributed meanings and permissions governing documentation, display and proposed changes
- Tattoo artwork, flash sheets and stencil designs considered independently of an applied tattoo
- The application appointment, practitioner workflow and studio operations
- The bearer's general identity, medical record and clinical diagnosis or treatment
- Ink products, equipment and their manufacture or regulatory assessment
- Photographs, scans and other media assets as independently managed objects
- Cultural traditions, intellectual property disputes and legal rules beyond their documented relationship to this tattoo
Characteristics
- Tattoo identity boundary
- single work | composite work | overlapping works | boundary unresolved Determines what observations and changes belong to this tattoo rather than nearby work.
- Bearer association
- Reference to a bearer, with identity access restrictions and association certainty Distinguishes an embodied instance from other applications of the same design.
- Anatomical placement
- Body region, laterality, anatomical landmarks and orientation Locates the tattoo consistently across descriptions and images.
- Surface extent
- Length and width in mm; area in cm² where measured; posture, method and uncertainty Supports comparison of coverage and change without confusing body curvature or image scale with actual dimensions.
- Visible composition
- Observed motifs, lettering, linework, shading and colour descriptions; unknown where obscured Supports recognition while separating visible content from interpretation.
- Attributed function
- Decorative | commemorative | cosmetic | identifying | therapeutic or procedural | other | unknown; multiple values allowed Records why the mark exists according to identified sources without inferring purpose from its appearance.
- Application provenance
- Links to application events, practitioners and supporting records, with approximate dates allowed Connects the current tattoo to its creation and later interventions.
- Pigment traceability
- Unrecorded | reported | supported by product records | partially conflicting Shows what is actually known about applied materials without deriving composition from visible colour.
- Observed condition
- Dated observations of visibility, fading, line definition, surface appearance and reported symptoms; assessment source required Supports comparison and referral decisions while keeping observations separate from clinical conclusions.
- Alteration status
- No recorded alteration | touched up | extended | reworked | covered | partly removed | no longer visibly discernible | uncertain Prevents the current appearance from erasing the tattoo's documented history.
- Meaning attribution
- Interpretation linked to bearer, artist or other source, with date and confidence Separates personal intention from external readings and disputed associations.
- Action permission
- Action-specific permission linked to authorising party, purpose, audience, date and any withdrawal Prevents permission to record a tattoo from being treated as permission to publish it or alter the bearer's body.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.tattoo-act
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 7 bundles · 13 layers · 20 findings · 32 questions.
Embodied identity Establishes which applied mark is being modelled and how its identity persists through changes.
A tattoo design can have many applications, and one application can undergo substantial reworking without an obvious identity boundary.
Mark and bearer
Connects the tattoo instance to its bodily bearer and distinguishes it from representations.
Instance identification
Record evidence that the referent is a particular applied tattoo, including uncertainty about its bearer or nature.
- Is this an applied tattoo, a proposed design, a representation or a mark whose origin is unresolved? definition
- What evidence associates this mark with this bearer, and how may that association be recorded? provenance
Work boundaries
Separates constituent motifs, neighbouring tattoos and successive versions.
Continuity through reworking
Record the adopted boundary of the tattoo and the reasoning used when additions or cover-ups complicate continuity.
- Which motifs and adjacent marks belong to this tattoo according to its bearer and application history? boundary
- Does a cover-up or extension count here as a revision, a new tattoo or overlapping works, and whose account supports that decision? boundary
Bodily placement and composition Describes where the tattoo sits and what is visibly present.
Recognition depends on both the design and its orientation on a curved, moving body.
Anatomical footprint
Locates and measures the tattoo relative to bodily landmarks.
Placement and extent
Record body region, side, orientation and measured coverage with observation conditions.
- Which anatomical landmarks and laterality locate the tattoo, including any wraparound coverage? definition
- What dimensions were measured, using which method and body posture, and with what uncertainty? measurement
Visible design
Describes motifs and lettering separately from their inferred significance.
Composition and legibility
Record observable elements and their arrangement, identifying obscured, ambiguous or unreadable content.
- What motifs, colours, linework and text are visibly present, and which readings remain uncertain? definition
- Which differences from a reference design reflect the applied tattoo, and which might result from lighting, posture or image processing? boundary
Application and material history Connects the tattoo to its documented creation and modification events.
Current appearance cannot reliably establish who applied the tattoo, how it was made or which pigments were used.
Application lineage
Records sessions and contributors without absorbing the full procedure model.
Sessions and contributors
Link initial application and later work to dates, practitioners and evidence where available.
- Which sessions created, extended, touched up or covered this tattoo, and how certain are their dates? provenance
- Who designed and who applied each part, and what records support those attributions? provenance
Pigments and method
Captures the limits of available material and application information.
Material evidence
Record reported methods and pigment identifiers with their source and coverage across sessions.
- Which pigment products, batches and application methods are documented for which parts or sessions? provenance
- Which material details are unknown, conflicting or merely inferred from colour or appearance? boundary
Condition and transformation Tracks dated observations and the outcomes of changes to the tattoo.
An agent needs to distinguish visible change, bearer-reported experience and professional assessment before proposing further action.
Observed condition
Separates appearance and reported symptoms from explanations of their cause.
Dated condition observation
Record what was observed or reported, when, by whom and under which conditions.
- What changes in colour, line definition, surface appearance or reported sensation have been documented, and when? measurement
- What remains unassessed, and is a qualified assessment needed before a proposed intervention? action
Alteration outcomes
Preserves the relationship between interventions and subsequent appearance.
Revision and residual mark
Record intended changes, documented interventions and visible outcomes without equating concealment with removal.
- Which touch-ups, reworkings, cover-ups or removal procedures are documented, and what change was intended? provenance
- What remains visible afterward, and how comparable are the before-and-after observations? measurement
Meaning and design lineage Records intended significance, competing readings and relationships to source designs.
A tattoo's visible symbols do not establish its bearer's beliefs, affiliations or intended meaning.
Attributed significance
Keeps interpretations attached to the people or records that express them.
Intention and interpretation
Record personal meanings and external interpretations without collapsing them into one asserted meaning.
- What purpose or meaning does the bearer attribute to this tattoo, and has that account changed? provenance
- Which other interpretations are documented, by whom, and where do they conflict with or exceed the bearer's account? boundary
Reference relationships
Connects the applied composition to artwork, inscriptions or traditions where evidence supports a link.
Design source and adaptation
Record documented source relationships and adaptations while preserving uncertain attribution.
- Which artwork, flash design, inscription or tradition is identified as a source, and by what evidence? provenance
- Which elements were copied, adapted or newly composed, and which relationships remain disputed? boundary
Consent and permitted actions Records action-specific authority for representing or proposing changes to the tattoo.
A tattoo is both an expressive work and part of a person's body, so permissions must be tied to the particular action.
Documentation and display
Captures constraints on recording, sharing and linking tattoo representations to a bearer.
Representation permissions
Record permitted uses, audiences and identity links for descriptions and images.
- What permission is recorded to photograph, describe, store or publish this tattoo, for which purposes and audiences? action
- May a representation be linked to the bearer's identity, and what restrictions or withdrawals apply? action
Bodily change decisions
Separates expressed preferences, planning permission and authorisation for a specific intervention.
Alteration intent and authority
Record the bearer's desired outcome and outstanding prerequisites for proposed alteration.
- What outcome does the bearer want from a touch-up, cover-up or removal, and which existing elements should be retained? action
- What consent, practitioner assessment and other applicable prerequisites remain unresolved for this specific proposal? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Decorative studio tattoo (elective body art)
- Cosmetic tattoo / permanent makeup (including microblading and lip blush)
- Medical or reconstructive tattoo (nipple-areola reconstruction, scar camouflage, radiotherapy field marks)
- Cultural or customary tattoo (e.g. Polynesian tatau, Māori tā moko, Japanese irezumi as social practice)
- Amateur, DIY, or prison tattoo
- Traumatic or accidental tattoo (embedded dirt, asphalt, gunpowder, amalgam)
- Cover-up tattoo (new work placed to obscure prior work)
- Special-tissue tattoo (corneal tattooing; endoscopic tattooing of GI lesions)
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wikidata - Q43010 - Item for tattoo as body marking / practice.
- MeSH - D013642 - Heading Tattooing (procedure and marks).
- SNOMED CT - 385427008 - Tattooing (procedure); confirm in the current international edition before reuse.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/2081 amending REACH Annex XVII for substances in tattoo inks and permanent make-up - European Commission / ECHA
- EN 17169:2020 Tattooing - Safe and hygienic practice - CEN
- Council of Europe Resolution ResAP(2008)1 on safety of tattoos and permanent make-up (predecessor guidance that shaped later EU ink rules) - Council of Europe
- US FDA cosmetics framework: tattoo inks marketed as cosmetics; no colour additives are approved for intradermal injection - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, as applied to body-art studios with occupational exposure - U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 - UK Parliament
- US tattooing itself is licensed mainly by state and local health departments (age, premises, bloodborne-pathogen training), not by a single federal practice statute - state/local health authorities
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Elective decorative work in licensed studios, from small flash pieces to multi-session large-scale work.
- Permanent makeup on brows, eyelids, and lips in cosmetic or paramedical clinics.
- Nipple-areola tattooing after mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
- Small India-ink or carbon marks used by radiation oncology to reproduce treatment fields.
- Endoscopic submucosal tattooing to relocate a GI polyp or tumour at later surgery.
- Corneal tattooing to disguise leukoma or reduce glare in selected ophthalmic cases.
- Customary marking of rank, lineage, or adulthood in Polynesian and some Indigenous practices.
- Forensic and disaster-victim identification when tattoos survive better than clothing or documents.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Intended pigment depth (dermis) - about 1-2 - mm
- Epidermal surface healing - 2-4 - weeks
- Time to relative pigment settle before assessing a finished piece - 2-3 - months
- Adult prevalence in several high-income survey populations (e.g. United States) - roughly 20-35 - % of adults
- Q-switched or picosecond laser sessions commonly needed for multi-colour removal - about 5-15 - sessions
- Professional machine stroke rate (order of magnitude) - 50-150 - Hz
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Bacterial infection of the wound (local cellulitis, abscess; uncommon systemic sepsis).
- Bloodborne-virus transmission (HBV, HCV, historically HIV) when needles, ink pots, or barriers are reused or contaminated.
- Allergic or photoallergic dermatitis, especially to red and some yellow azo pigments, sometimes years after placement.
- Foreign-body granuloma, lichenoid reaction, and keloid or hypertrophic scar.
- Ink blow-out or migration, including pigment in regional lymph nodes.
- Laser removal failure, scarring, hypopigmentation, or paradoxical darkening of iron-oxide and some cosmetic pigments.
- MRI artefact or rare reports of burning/swelling at tattooed sites from conductive or ferromagnetic pigment.
- Heavy-metal or PAH contamination of poorly controlled inks.
- Koebnerisation of psoriasis, vitiligo, or sarcoidosis in a tattooed field.
- Concealment or mimicry of melanoma and other pigmented lesions, delaying diagnosis.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- European Union: composition of tattoo and PMU inks is restricted under REACH 2020/2081; the United States regulates inks as cosmetics and does not approve them for injection, with practice rules mostly state-level.
- Aotearoa New Zealand: tā moko is a Māori identity practice, distinguished in community use from kirituhi (tattoo work for non-Māori).
- Samoa and wider Polynesia: peʻa and malu are gendered customary suites with named motifs and placement, not interchangeable with studio flash.
- Japan: decorative tattooing has a long association with organised crime in public perception; many onsen and gyms still exclude visible tattoos.
- South Korea has treated tattooing as a medical act reserved to physicians, with a long-running professional and legal dispute over non-physician artists.
- Many Islamic legal opinions treat decorative tattooing as prohibited; henna staining is the usual substitute for celebration marking.
- Minimum age, parental-consent rules, and studio licensing differ by US state, Australian state/territory, and EU member state even where ink chemistry is harmonised.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Henna / mehndi (and jagua) - Stains the stratum corneum without a needle tract and fades in days to a few weeks; a true tattoo deposits insoluble pigment in the dermis and does not wash off with epidermal turnover.
- Adhesive or printed temporary tattoo - A surface film or transfer on intact skin; wipe or soap removes it, and there is no puncture or dermal pigment.
- Scarification - Controlled cutting or abrasion intended to heal as a scar pattern, without (or not primarily with) implanted pigment.
- Branding - Thermal or chemical injury whose mark is a scar, not a field of implanted colour particles.
- Body piercing - A patent tract held by jewellery; the lasting object is the ornament and the fistula, not a pigment deposit.
- Melanocytic naevus or melanoma - Pigment is cellular (melanin in melanocytes/nests), not exogenous particles along needle tracks; history of tattooing, dermoscopy, and if needed biopsy separate them - tattoos can also hide a melanoma.
- Traumatic dirt or amalgam tattoo vs intended tattoo - Irregular pigment after injury, dental amalgam, or explosion, without a designed motif or studio session record.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of tattoo this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- Tattoos & Permanent Makeup: Fact Sheet - U.S. Food and Drug Administration - US classification of tattoo inks as cosmetics, lack of FDA-approved inks for injection, infection and hypersensitivity hazards, and MRI-related pigment issues.
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/2081 amending Annex XVII to REACH as regards substances in tattoo inks and permanent make-up - European Commission / EUR-Lex - Binding EU restrictions on substances in tattoo and permanent-makeup inks, including selected pigments, metals, and impurities.
- EN 17169:2020 Tattooing - Safe and hygienic practice - CEN (European Committee for Standardization) - European consensus on studio hygiene, consent, aftercare, and operator practice for tattooing.
- Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 - UK Parliament - Statutory age restriction on tattooing of persons under 18 in Great Britain.
What the second pass must settle
- Does registry entry vr.tr.tattoo include cosmetic pigmentation, medical marking and traumatic pigment deposits, or do any belong to neighbouring registered things?
- Does the INF / INF.MED placement intend an embodied tattoo, its informational content, or both, and how should those aspects relate to body and artwork models?
- What identity rule should govern extensive reworking, cover-ups and multi-session compositions when bearer and practitioner accounts differ?
- Which observation vocabulary and evidence thresholds support useful condition tracking without implying a clinical diagnosis?
- Which existing Vercy models should supply bearer identity, application events, media permissions and design rights, and does an existing world model already cover this concept?