|
||
|
|
||
INKEDblog takes you beneath the skin of today's tattoo culture. Our mission is to celebrate tattooing as a modern art form which incorporates art, fashion, style, and pop culture. While paying homage and respect to the past, we look to present a contemporary take on the present and future of skin art.
Friday Jul 29, 2005
Henna Tattoo Allergies
Henna tattoos always get more popular in the summer, but it's important to be aware that they aren't for everyone. Black henna often contains the chemical paraphenylenediamine (PPD). People who know they're allergic to PPD, or are allergic to hair dyes, should avoid getting henna tattoos as they'll suffer from an allergic reaction that can involve blistering as well as itching and burning sensations. If you suffer from more general plant allergies you won't necessarily be allergic to henna, but should be careful nonetheless.
| Friday Jul 29, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
Photo by Mark The Cobrasnake.
Friday Jul 29, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Dave Waugh
"Six years ago I moved to San Diego, California from Baltimore, Maryland. There couldn't have been two cities that were more different. Baltimore was raw, industrial, and gritty. On the opposite side of the spectrum, San Diego was sunny, happy, and cheery. I was a bit nostalgic for my Baltimore days in the beginning, so when I walked into various tattoo shops in SoCal, it always made me happy to see the tattoo flash of friend and Baltimore inhabitant, Dave Waugh.
I met Dave through the band, IronBoss, well before moving away from Maryland. He was one of those guys who just seemed to have his hands in everything - music, art, tattooing. At this point, I seem to encounter more flash from Dave than any other tattoo artist.
After I moved 3000 miles to establish a new career in California, I lost touch with Dave. Once I began interviewing tattooists for InkedBlog, I decided to use it as an opportunity to reconnect for a quick Q&A.
To learn more about Dave’s work, go here."
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: How'd you get into the tattooing field?
Dave: Luck. An injury. Being in the right place at the right time...I ran my future skin stretching hand into a table mounted ripsaw and chewed up the index finger somethin' good. Off work, future bleak, arm and hand in a sling...then a guy named Vinnie opened up a tattoo shop near my tiny town. I stopped in cuz I heard he would trade tattoos for artwork (flash) and the rest is ancient history! You are old and cranky when 1992 is ancient history, yet I can still use it to impress some people tho...
INKEDblog: So what makes a tattoo "good"?
Dave: When it makes the guy who paid for it happy. Uh, it does help if the tattooer can draw, has a real style to his artwork, and can apply it properly. And as much as we think it's about "us", it's really about "them". Damn the retail business!!! But we may be the only ones in the field who can get away with telling the customer to "fuck off" when we want! Hey, maybe this job will actually pay off in the end...?
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Dave: Best: I finally fooled everyone into thinking I'm cool. And it worked! No, no it didn't...but I do get to draw for a living and it certainly beats running stair nosings through a ripsaw with no protective hand guard. Worst: Continuing to fool everyone, but thank god there are new 18 year olds popping in everyday. They're easy to fool. Heh, I kid, but you know...have you ever tried to draw a straight line on a table while someone is shaking it? Sigh...I must love the challenge.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Dave: Well, I know I probably didn't do it, but I have done a few that I wish I had on myself, so that’s saying something...hmmm, let me think about this one.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Dave: Dunno if that even exists anymore. "New Skool" meaning the coined term for the style, not the actual shop itself, (hey...don't blame me for "twisted traditional", I, uh, overheard it at a bi-annual convention along time ago!) and "Old School" meaning the Sailor Jerry style? It has all melded together to form one big commercial property replete with fashion t-shirts and power drinks and shops on every corner, and dammit, I'm pissed I didn't market myself better when I coulda 10 years ago! Guess I should have concentrated a little more on other things and stopped partying like a tattoo star! But, damn...it was fun. Still is I guess, so no complaints. I need to get a quote from Joe W. tattooed on me to remind myself of that sometime.
Best job I ever have.
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
IGN's Best Tattoos of Lollapalooza
IGN has posted a gallery of tattoos seen last weekend at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Here are two of our favorites:
You can see the gallery here.
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
Houston Police Force Cover-up of Tattoos on Cops
An article in today's Houston Chronicle reports that beginning January first all police officers in Houston must cover up any visable tattoos while wearing a uniform. Things get even more ridiculous - bike cops are going to be forced to wear long pants if they have a tat on their lower leg. In Summer?
Police Chief Harold Hurtt is quoted in the Chronicle as saying that he wants to "ensure HPD officers present a professional image when interacting with the public."
You can read the full article here.
Photo about by Melissa Phillip from the Houston Chronicle
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
You can see more of Mark's photos here.
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
Best of The Bay 2005
The San Fancisco Bay Guardian has come out with their "Best of the Bay 2005" issue. This year their theme is tattooing. You can check out a terrific little gallery of San Francisco tattoos here.
Also... Congratulations to the women of Black and Blue Tattoo who were voted "Best Tattoo Shop" of San Francisco in the Reader's Poll.
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
Q: What is a Five-Year Tattoo? A: A Scam!
From our friend Jessica:
I spoke to a woman the other day who said her sister had a five-year tattoo. Wow, I thought, that’s sort of a good idea. But how would it work, would it fade slowly, or disappear right around five years?
The answer is somewhat disturbing. So called semi-permanent tattoos are the same as regular tattoos, though the artists claim to tattoo lightly so as to place the ink close to the top of the skin. Dermatologists agree, however, that this makes no significant difference. If the ink is under the skin, it will remain there. These tattoos will most likely fade more quickly than other tattoos, but generally unevenly, leaving scarring and a bad looking design.
Dr. Arthur Morris, a plastic surgeon, says, "A tattoo only lasts if it goes into the dermis [the layer of cells below the epidermis]. In other words, there is no possible middle ground." In the same article, Lal Hardy, a secretary for the A.P.T., is quoted as saying, "Professional tattoo studios won't go near these so-called temporary tattoos. It is hairdressers and market stalls who are doing them. The people doing it may even believe the tattoos are temporary, but those getting them are guinea pigs."
Even more distressing, many people chose designs that they think they won’t have forever- like a practice tattoo. They are left with scarring, and an inferior design.
If you want a tattoo that will not remain, the options are stick-on tattoos (those using rice paper are considered the best), or henna.
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
The Changing Face of Navy Tattoos
The newspaper for the Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia offers an inside look into Navy tattoo culture. While tattoos have become increasingly mainstream, they're also remaining popular with groups traditionally associated with them. What's interesting is that while sailor's keep getting tattooed, they're often choosing to go with more individual designs instead of the boats and American flags of the past. And as tattoo artist and retired chief petty officer Ken Knight points out, sailors are also getting just as many tribal designs and barbed wire circlets as everyone else in the country.
Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
Moles and Tattoos
Recently Shane, an INKEDblog reader, sent us an email with the following question:
"One question I was hoping you could find more info on or answer for me would be one about tats and moles. I want to get a piece to cover my back and shoulders, but I have a lot of both flat and raised moles, most are flat and small but some are as big as. um (lookin around), the screw in a typical light-switch plate, and while they do not protrude much, they are soft and different than regular skin. Sorry for the maybe gross details, but I really want to know what the typical call is on this."
After reading Shane's question, we sent it over to our expert in residence, Jessica Lund.
Here's her response:
"While it is possible to tattoo over moles and freckles, it is not advisable. Although moles are usually benign, there is always the possibility that a mole could serve as an indicator of cancer. This makes the preservation of a mole or freckle important. In order to note the changes in size and shape of your mole, it is important that it is not tattooed with pigment. Moles and freckles can, however, be tattooed around. Some people incorporate their birthmarks and moles into their piece. This can make for a highly specialized design."Better safe than sorry- leave your naturally pigmented marks as they are!
Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Cristina
"The painting Friedrichstrasse, by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, was the inspiration for the tattoo. The 1914 painting depicts a few German prostitutes and their potential clients; the figure on my leg is the central figure in the painting. I'm a huge fan of German Expressionism, and Kirchner's work in particular. His street scenes, of which Friedrichstrasse is one, are particularly evocative. Kirchner's work was eventually labeled "Entartete Kunst," or Degenerate Art by the Nazis. He was one of the most pioneering artists of the 20th century.
I was drawn to the aesthetics of Kirchner's work the first time I saw it. When planning my leg tattoo I tried to think of the loveliest images I could. Tattoos, to me, are mainly aesthetic. I want images that I like to look at on my skin. I considered matching Art Deco or Art Nouveau designs down my calves, and rejected them. Then I turned to my favourite artist. As soon as I saw this painting, I knew it was the one.
I love the defiant gaze of the woman. She's as close to a pin-up as I'll probably ever have on my skin. I love the dichotomy between the woman's fancy clothes and her profession. I'm happy to be honouring Kirchner, who had such a difficult and unhappy life. I love the brushstrokes of the original painting.
My artist, Cecelia at Braindrops, in San Francisco, is amazing. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else to tattoo this image on me. Even though my leg is only half-finished, you can see what an amazing job she's done.
The tattoo looks like a painting on my leg. You can see the brushstrokes. It's amazing. The only way I could possibly be happier with it is if she were complete."
Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
John Irving Takes You Into The Parlors
John Irving’s new novel, Until I Find You centers (mostly) around an actor attempting to locate his father and a sense of identity. The son of a tattoo artist, prostitute, and sexually abusive mother named Daughter Alice, much of the novel involves hero Jack Burns’ attempts to track down his tattoo-addicted father – a church organist with the goal of covering his skin in its entirety.
This 800 page novel is, to be honest, John Irving at his worst. Irving’s writing is tedious, and he seems to be recycling his same old scenes of childhood abandonment and wrestling to increasingly less effect.
The novel’s saving grace, however, is its warm, detailed, and realistic depiction of tattoo parlors. Irving’s obviously done his homework – as Jack’s mother takes him across Northern Europe at age 4 to look for his father, the reader gets a detailed and loving tour of tattoo culture, learning such things as that a heavily tattooed body is highly sensitive to the cold.
If you love tattoos, there are parts of this book that you’ll find interesting and entertaining. But if you love good books, you won’t be finding one here.
Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
Runic Tattoo Advice
If you’re planning on getting a runic tattoo, you might want to check this site out before you move forward. The author provides several examples of ancient Northern European designs that won’t put a curse on you or condemn you to a violent death. If magic’s your thing, be sure that it’s working for you rather than against you.
Tuesday Jul 26, 2005
Morton Salt Girl Tattoo
Photo by Mark The Cobrasnake
Tuesday Jul 26, 2005
Tattoo-Induced Skin Burn During MR Imaging
Tian alerted us to an interesting article which suggests that there's a chance that yo can receive a skin burn from a tattoo while getting an MR. The article says:
"A 23-year-old man sustained a second-degree skin burn in two skin tattoos while undergoing cervical spine MR imaging at 1.5-T using a phased array coil. The study consisted of a sagittal spoiled gradient-refocused acquisition in the steady state localizer (23 sec), sagittal T1-weighted spin-echo imaging (3 min 44 sec), sagittal T2-weighted fast spin-echo imaging with multiple (16) 180° radiofrequency (RF) pulses (3 min 16 sec), and axial multiplanar gradient-re-called sequences using gradient acquisition with a 20° flip angle (4 min 23 sec). At the end of the examination the patient complained of a burning sensation in his right deltoid area, which was raised and swollen. The patient was treated in the emergency department for a second-degree skin burn and returned 24 hr later, when multiple color photographs"
Yo can read the full article here.
Tuesday Jul 26, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
More of Mark's photos here.
Monday Jul 25, 2005
UV Black Light Tattoos
Thinking about getting a UV Black Light tattoo? If so, be sure to check out Frank's "Too Much Information" blog in which he describes the process of getting one done.
He writes:
"From the shot above, you can see that some of the (non-tattoo) ink from the stencil layout remains, but that will wash away in the next days, and you can see the red from the (irritated) skin, which would normally be hidden underneath any opaque ink, such as a black one. Since we didn’t know how well the ink would take, and since we didn’t want to scar the skin deeply, we decided to only do a light filling this time, and I’ll return for a second pass in a few weeks. This way, during daylight, once it is all healed up, there should be no traces of the tattoo, which will only be revealed with a black light source."
You can learn more about UV inks at Chamelion Body Art Supply's website here.
Monday Jul 25, 2005
Rev. Fish's Clive Barker Tat
Last week we asked if any of you have a tattoo of a celebrity autograph. Over the weekend we received the following email from Rev. Fish:
"Hey, my name is Fish. I am a tattoo artist in South Florida and I have not only a celebrity autograph tattooed on my arm but a drawing he did as well. I met Clive Barker in 1998 and he autographed my arm as well as drawing an original piece in an open space which I proceeded to have both of them inked."
Fish writes on the Clive Barker site:
"My portrait of Clive represents my creativity. Clive is a multi-talented individual who has thrived at all of his endeavors, and that is what I aspire to as well. I currently draw, paint, tattoo professionally, make music, DJ, and have recently started writing fiction.
The devil face (which I consider an interpretation of Lude) and Clive's autograph were drawn directly on my skin by Clive at the Galilee reading at the National Press Club in Washington DC. He loved my ink, insisted that it be on the site, and was more than happy to help add to it. So I lucked out and I now have a Clive Barker original that I can never lose, and I got for free at that LOL."
Friday Jul 22, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Friday Jul 22, 2005
Horiyoshi III - An Introduction
Horiyoshi III, the legendary Japanese tattoo artist, can claim many accomplishments. He’s published several books, and is widely recognized as one of the premier tattoo artists alive. In addition, his close relationship with Don Ed Hardy played a large role in both the popularization of Japanese-style tattooing in the U.S. and the modernization of tattoo techniques in Japan. There’s also his Tattoo Museum, which in addition to housing rare tattoo paraphernalia and numerous pictures, also includes preserved skin on display.
Yet one of the more fascinating, if minor, aspects of his life and the museum is the display of letters written to him by Charles Manson. Manson apparently became obsessed with Horiyoshi III in the mid-90s, writing him numerous letters with such as this: "Looking DEEP, LONG, now becomeing wonder in the mind Now is when as its always been writen in the SUN. Right ON. I been comeing HOLY WAR as Gods Marks say behold words. Nows the 1940s Hall of prisons in the USA. When behind the judges chambers the English words came that Japan was to be hung for crimes. Then Crime became the war behind the merrows of minds in forever."
The irony is that the tattoo artist doesn’t read English, and never understood the letters.
Friday Jul 22, 2005
Celebrity Autograph Tattoos
Fans have been begging their favorite celebrities to autograph body parts for years. But recently it’s become increasingly popular for fans such as this Paul Weller partisan, to make those autographs permanent by having them tattooed onto the skin. The practice spans across the celebrity spectrum, from fans of major stars like Angelina Jolie to rabid devotees of lesser lights such as Weller and Adam Ant.
If you have a tattoo of a celebrity autograph, drop us a note and a snap at getinked@inkedblog.com
Friday Jul 22, 2005
The World's Oldest Tattoo
Oetzi the Iceman is the proud owner of the world’s oldest tattoos. About 5300 years old, and discovered in 1991, he sports 57 of them, consisting of parallel and intersecting lines. There’s been enormous speculation as to the purpose of his tats: that they denote social status, that they served a ritual purpose, identified a tribal affiliation, or that he just plain liked the way they looked.
One of the most commonly accepted and compelling theories, however, is that their purpose was largely medicinal. Many of the tattoos are over arthritic joints, which suggests that the earliest tattoos were also a form of prehistoric acupuncture. Acupuncturists and archaeologists have noted that many of Oetzi’s tattoos correspond almost perfectly with acupuncture points still used today.
You can learn more about Oetzi's tattoos here.
Thursday Jul 21, 2005
Tattoos and Skin Tone
Jfish, an INKEDbloog reader, recently wrote in asking about the effect of colored tattoo inks on dark skin. We asked Zulu, famed artist from Zulu Tattoo whose clients include Janet Jackson, Dennis Rodman, Rosie O’Donnell, Lisa Bonet, David Duchovny, Danny Elfman and Queen Latifah.
Zulu responds:
“White will not show well on black skin at all. Certain colors such as white, yellow, and other light colors will not show well. Color in general does not look well on black skin, I have had cover ups on every color tattoo that I had. Color, over time, tends to look very muted on dark skin. I suggest to all my clients of color to consider black or "tribal" tattoos.
Here's the problem we are addressing...
Tattoos are not placed on the skin's surface; they are placed many layers under the skin. When a tattoo heals, the top layers of skin exfoliate, grow back, and the underlying layer remains. Thus... when you see a tattoo on someone you are not looking at the art on the surface of their skin, you are actually looking through the top layers that are covering the tattoo underneath.
White skin is rather transparent, when skin grows back over a healed tattoo it is like looking through a clear window of skin over the tattoo. On the other hand, when dark skin heals and those layers grow back over a tattoo, you now have a dark sheet of skin to look through on top of the tattoo.
The exact same ink will be present under the skin, but the darker skinned person is at a disadvantage when attempting to see color through the body's dark pigment.
A simple analogy...
View a painting wearing clear gasses = tattoo on white skin
View the same painting wearing sunglasses = tattoo on dark skin.”
Thank you Zulu!!
Thursday Jul 21, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
More of Mark's photos here.
Thursday Jul 21, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Kaotic Enzymes
"Kaotic Enzymes is the moniker of tattooist Jesse Smith, a Richmond, VA-based artist who travels often to showcase his talents. Jesse is a renaissance man with an urban eye. One stop to his website and you can see his Aerosol works, drawings, paintings, tattoos, and licensed merchandise. As his full line of merchandise includes flash, prints, stickers, and t-shirts, Jesse manages to walk the fine line between creative person and businessman.
For more info, go here."
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: How'd you get into the tattooing field?
Kaotic: I met a fella who was tattin out of the house and he taught me how to make a ghetto gun. I originally had only planned on doing one tattoo just for the experience. After that people started lining up at my front door (mostly cuz I was charging next to nothing). I used the ghetto gun for about a month until I could afford a real machine. I would tattoo on my time off just for fun and finally landed a job at a professional studio a year later.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
Kaotic: I tattooed a big dragon on the side of this dudes face once. I thought that was pretty crazy. He wanted to cover some tear drops that were under his eye.
INKEDblog: What makes a tattoo "good"?
Kaotic: Thought and patience.
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Kaotic: (Best Thing) It's pretty laid back and you're pretty much your own boss. (Worst Thing) It's hard to draw a line between your business life and personal life. I pretty much work all day everyday.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Kaotic: That's a hard one. There's tons of tattoos that I really dig. I've got a whole scrap book full of tattoos that I love. Most of them revolve around artists like Tim Biedron, Chucho, Gunnar, Kevin Starai, Travis Franklin, and Jime' Litwalk.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Kaotic: If I answer this question I'm bound to piss someone off so I plead the 5th.
Thursday Jul 21, 2005
Latest Tattoo Fad: Fruit
A recent New York Times article (password required) discusses the latest hot tattoo fad: fruit. Not people getting tattoos of fruit, mind you, but actually tattooing produce.
The idea is that by tattooing the fruit’s skin with a laser, store clerks will be able to scan the produce quickly, and customers won’t have to bother with peeling off bothersome stickers. It’s hoped that the increase in convenience will off-set the somewhat unsettling feeling that the fruit looks like it came out of a machine. There don’t appear to be plans, yet, for the introduction of tribal themes to your produce aisle, but with this new technology, will it be long before farms try to distinguish themselves with original fruit tattoos? One of the executives interviewed in the article is already raising the possibility of inscribing advertisements onto apples.
Wednesday Jul 20, 2005
INKED Premieres Tonight on A&E at 9pm EST/ 8C
Congratulations to our colleagues at A&E Network on tonight's premiere of INKED on A&E at 9pm EST/8C.
Tonight's back-to-back episodes start with "Change of Hart":
"It’s been several months since the grand opening of Hart & Huntington and the shop’s owners have had enough of each other. Hart wants to keep the shop open but Huntington isn’t playing nice. If Hart and Huntington can’t settle their differences, the shop will be shuttered."
Immediately following "Change of Hart" is the second episode, "Pull It Together, Dizzle"
"Dizzle, the shop helper and resident goofball, has made the decision to become a tattoo artist and the first step on that path is getting an apprenticeship. But apprenticing under Thomas and Clark won’t be easy. These guys earned their ink the hard way and they’re not about to just hand Dizzle the needle."
INKED follows the stories of an unconventional and intriguing band of tattoo-cutlure characters at the pioneering Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company, the first parlor to open inside a Vegas casino.
Each week, INKED goes behind-the-scenes and follows H&H's founder and freestyle motocross champ, Carey Hart, as he caters to high-profile clients, while also managing his staff of temperamental artists.
Every body has a story and INKED gives you a personal look into the tales behind the tats - from the touching the bizarre. From names of lovers and loved ones, to animals, insects, cobwebs, religious symbols, and Asian imagery, the designs inked by the shop's artists span the range of human imagination.
** INKED on A&E is a sponsor of INKEDblog.com
Wednesday Jul 20, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Regino
"Recently INKEDblog featured an amazing tattoo from artwork by the New York collective, Faile. I didn't know much about the artist, Regino, so I set out to see what he was all about. A few questions and answers later, I found out that it is possible to tattoo the 'taint' and that the tattoo industry is lucky to have a talented person like Regino in its ranks."
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: How'd you get into the tattooing field?
Regino: I've always been fascinated by tattoos that I saw on people around the town I spent my secondary school years in. These tattoos that I was fascinated and influence by were pretty crudely done home made and prison work but the mere act of rendering complex images with a needle in your skin really made an impression on me. I was really mystified by how needles could make such subtle gradations of tone under your skin. Ignorant and excited enough, I tried to do a few tattoos on willing friends who were nice enough to let me try it on them. I really did not know what I was doing with the exception of the few things I had heard and was told by a friend who was also at the beginning stage in his career. Around 95 while working a crap gas station attendant job, a fellow named Dan Adair heard through a friend that I was interested in learning and offered to train and hire me as an apprentice.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
Regino: A customer wanted a small snake tattoo in "No Man's Land", otherwise known as the "Taint" or the "Chode".
INKEDblog: So what makes a tattoo "good"?
Regino: What I like in a tattoo is clarity in parts and as a whole. There are certain subject matters that I enjoy doing more than others but that does not necessarily make a good tattoo in my opinion. Generally, I like tattoos that are well crafted meaning: clean line work, solid colors, smooth shading, and intentfully drawn and rendered. Graphic legibility is also something I strive for, you shouldn't have to explain to other people weather that grey blob on someone's arm is a water or smoke. On the other hand, I believe these are not necessarily rules to live by, One of the most amazing tattoos I've seen was Rubens back piece of a war scene hand poked on an old Russian prisoner. I was in awe when I saw this piece. I guess the combination of context, content, and technique is also something to consider...
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Regino: I think the best thing for me is the fact that I get to draw, design, and create everyday I'm working. This is what I did in my childhood and what I plan to do in years to come. The fact that I pay the rent with what i enjoy doing is also a big plus. The worst thing would be the politics and creative limitations within the business.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Regino: That's an impossible question to answer, I have too many favorites. You would have to specify the era and the genre.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Regino: Styles and fashions are bound to change just like any other art-form and soon enough whatever tattoo has the label "New School" will be labeled by years like "90's tattoo" or something to that effect. These are preferences that I have no authority on commenting on. I've worked the majority of my career in a street shop situation so you had to be versatile and know what the person that walks through those doors is looking for because for the most part they are not coming to you because of your name or your particular style so you have to be well versed in a variety of styles and executed it in a professional manner if you want to pay your rent. Versatility is not a bad thing, it teaches you approaches to problems you would not encounter if you worked in one distinct genre. But on a personal level , I try to wear imagery and subject matter which is not going out of vogue by next fall although I do enjoy seeing well done pop culture tattoos on other people.
Wednesday Jul 20, 2005
Military Tattoo Taboos
Sgt. Grit has an impressive collection of U.S. Marine Corps tattoos and the stories behind them. In recent years, all of the United States’ military branches have enacted more restrictive tattoo policies. All branches prohibit tattoos that are obscene, sexually explicit or advocate or symbolize sex, gender, racial, religious, ethnic or national origin discrimination.
There are some interesting quirks. For example, in the Navy, depictions of forked tongues are no longer allowed. Meanwhile, none of the branches can agree about what marks “excess” tattooing. In the Army, no tattoos should be visible when the soldier is in uniform. In the Air Force, only one quarter of an exposed body part can be tattooed. The Marines, meanwhile, permit tattooing anywhere except the head and neck.
Tuesday Jul 19, 2005
Big Red
From our friend Nick Walker in the UK: "Check this guy out. Andy the roofer who’s been working on the house next door to me. Mustah HURT that one. The artist’s name is Dave Ayres at the Skin Deep parlor in Bristol."
Cheers
Nick
Tuesday Jul 19, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
Tuesday Jul 19, 2005
Five Questions For. Dan Witz, Artist
INKED: When and why did you decide to get your first tattoo?
DAN: I was 17, with a close friend on a cross country find America/find ourselves coming of age odyssey. We got to San Francisco and wanted to celebrate our bond. Also, being suburban at heart, I wanted to be "bad", to epater the bourgeoise., which was a lot easier back then.
INKED: What does your tattoo mean to you?
DAN: It's my art collection.
INKED: What makes a tattoo sexy?
DAN: rebellion is sexy.
INKED: What tip to would you give to someone who's getting their first tat?
DAN: think of it as a note to self--a permanent note to self.
INKED: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
DAN: Of mine? My little lonesome boat. By Bill Beccio in Venice Beach, Ca. Generally though, I like the old time traditional Sailor Jerry type stuff. By now my collection has pretty much covered all the common motifs.
You can see Dan's art here.
Tuesday Jul 19, 2005
‘Crazy Diarrhea’
We definitely need to give some props to Darren Barefoot for giving us the heads up on this site, which is solely dedicated to debunking misused Asian character tattoos.
But we had to draw your attention to this particular tattoo faux pas; we literally fell off our chairs in laughter at this one. Poor little Naomi Chaney mistakenly tattooed the words “Crazy Diarrhea” just above her butt. Astonishingly, the craziest thing about this misnomer is not what the slogan says, but the fact that the owner admits she knew what she was doing, and actually got help from an Asian friend. Apparently the joke is on us -- and she’s actually paying homage to the bunch of ignoramuses out there who are unaware of what their tattoos mean. Yeah right! I’m sure it’s gotta be some kind of cover up, and you better believe she’s got some serious beef with her so-called friend.
Monday Jul 18, 2005
Sherri Wood's Tattoo Baby Doll Project
For many years Sherri Wood has been collecting cloth dolls at thrift shops and then sending them to some of the county's most prominant female tattoo artists who then draw original tattoos on the dolls bodies. Sherri then hand embroiders the art on the dolls.
Sherri explains in her artist's statement:
"The dolls, like their artists, are of different races, religious and sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds. Each collaborating artist is asked to consider her response to tattooing the doll along with my feedback and response to embroidering the doll. From there she is encouraged to name and then write a short statement or story about her doll.
I have been working on the project since 1998. The idea originated while I was in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts. While studying the history of embroidery, I was simultaneously fascinated by all of the incredible tattoos I was seeing in San Francisco. Like embroidery, tattoo seemed to carry on a similar tradition of deeply symbolic images that worked to form community and served to define and empower those within the community in various ways. I chose to recycle and transform used and discarded dolls as a direct vehicle for merging the two art forms.
The Tattoo Baby Doll Project serves to break down barriers and prejudices about women’s work and roles, tattoo subculture, craft and art. The project strikes a subtle balance between these varied traditions and the communities they represent, thus questioning the lines that define, separate and empower each tradition. It draws together two distinct and distant marginal groups. Yet the unusual juxtaposition between embroidery and tattoo makes sense because it exposes an underlying metaphor intrinsic to both marginal groups. It is through the recognition of shared metaphors that cultural hierarchies and personal prejudices begin to break down."
Statement by Sarah Peacock, tattoo artist:
"Lydia, oh Lydia, oh have you seen Lydia...?!" Marx Bros. Lydia's tattoos represent many strengths and great courage. She wears a combination of Western & Eastern art; the 3/4 "robe" reflects traditional Japanese tattoos of the irezumi, whilst the imagery belongs to American "old school." Both touch on remarkable beauty, but also give light to social taboo... the Japanese irezumi (literally those with the "insertion of ink") are still very underground. In America it is acceptable for a woman to have one or two delicately placed tattoos, but a fully covered woman is perceived on a much different level, someone to be glimpsed at, watched, commented on, but rarely approached, and often feared. To achieve a full bodysuit of this proportion takes great commitment and endurance for both the wearer and the artist. For this reason I have immortalized Lydia in the backpiece, nestled upon the sacred lotus, under the canopy of tattoo machines, glowing like the Madonna of Guadalupe. On her front, mermaids swim alongside coy carp, giving strength through the waters of the emotions. The bluebirds on her chest show the miles she has traveled on her journey to completeness. So take a good look at Lydia and reflect on her beauty. Next time you see here, go and talk to her.
You can learn more about the project here.
Monday Jul 18, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
More here.
Monday Jul 18, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews William Thidermann
"It was a roommate after college that first got William into tattooing. That roommate, Chris O'Donnell, has gone on to tattoo at NY Adorned and William has since gone on to Tattoo at Th'ink tattoo in Denver. It’s hard to say whether or not William would have been a tattoo artist if he didn’t meet Chris, although it’s safe to say that has made the most of it since focusing his attention on the field.
Before arriving in the tattoo industry, William was classically trained as a fine artist. This is evident in his tattoo work. His understanding of form, detail, and light has helped develop his unique style of tattooing.
To see more of Williams work, you can visit him here and here."
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: How'd you first get into the tattooing field?
William: Well, I got out of art school and I didn't know what to do. I know I wanted to pursue art in some way but I didn't want to starve for too long. Anyway I was in a hardcore band called Four Walls Falling and got to travel around and meet people, at the same time I lived with a tattooer named Chris O'donnell who got me my first job with him and Nate Drew. Everything just came together at the right time... I had a bit of exposure to the old tattoo world, when I was 17 I got to meet Crazy Ace, Bernie Luther, Dannie Fowler, and I was intrigued by that world so when I got a chance to get in I took it, although at that time it was a hard road.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
William: Hmmmm...too much to think about there, ok uh, I guess I don't do too much strange stuff, I tend to like to work on things that aren't based on a joke or fetishism, however I tattooed a half sleeve lesbians-in-a-graveyard-thing once.
INKEDblog: So, what makes a tattoo "good"?
William: First off ...if it makes the client happy, does it make them feel the way they want to feel. Secondly and more formally, it should be able to last, have solid fades, be smart compositionally, enhance the body and not detract from it. Tattooists should pay attention to the way it reads in any direction and make sure it is as technically as solid as possible.
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
William: The people, the people, Depending on who you get to deal with your life can be a joy or quite frustrating. I focus on the people who care and respect tattooing so that way I have the time to work on and work out the projects that I really care about on the people I really care about. If you take care of tattooing, tattooing will take care of you.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
William: There are way too many things I have been impressed by in the last 11 years, too many to mention... I will however say that when I lived in Richmond I saw a piece on Watson's back by Tim Hoyer that at the time was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen, it impressed me hugely and still does.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
William: Huh... as far as Traditional American tattooing goes there are probably not that many people doing it in a really old style, most people do sorta neo traditional... it kinda is traditional but it has all sorts of colors and stuff that the old guys never did, so I don't think it is actually very traditional. As far as the term new school, I don't exactly know what that is... if it that bendy-wacky stuff that is overly candy colored with triple highlights, I don't personally like it. I personally like all different styles of tattoos, it just needs to be readable and convey a strong visual impact as well as some structure and a solid application. I think a good tattoo has a timeless feel to it no matter what the style.
If you are interested in getting work or commissioning a painting, or whatever plus check out my convention page to see if I will be around your area.
Monday Jul 18, 2005
Evan's Muncha Tattoo
"Saw your entry about Alfonse Mucha, and thought I'd like to share my
Mucha tattoo with you guys. What an amazing artist, huh? Few from
that period (or ever for that matter) could capture the female form as well as Mucha could. Anyways, awesome website, keep it up. Peace..."
.. Evan Zimmerman
Monday Jul 18, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
More here.
Friday Jul 15, 2005
Why do we love Symmetry?
Why do we love Symmetry?
"There is something incredibly striking about symmetrical tattoos. Often these special tattoos are of the simplest design, but speak to a deeper desire in the human conciseness. That desire is balance.
Recent studies have shown that men and women who are considered the most attractive by their peers are often the ones with the most symmetrical faces and bodies, versus the ones who are considered the most beautiful who often more unusual and asymmetrical looking faces and bodies.
Biology in general tends to take place in a symmetrical manner. The majority living things can be bisected with even halves, and we are conditioned to consider this a form of beauty.
Nearly all ancient tattoos are symmetrical. African tattoos in particular enhance places on the body considered beautiful, the cheekbones for example, and the forehead.
Tattoos that are created for status in African, Japanese, Balinese and many other cultures are all symmetrical, versus historically asymmetrical tattoos for slaves, or prisoners.
People tend to put a great deal of mystical belief into the idea of two halves meeting. Much literature and art has been based on the idea that when separate halves meet, the result is a magical occurrence.
However, people currently going the opposite direction are giving a strong message as well. Asymmetrical tattoo supporters have created a new sort of aesthetic based on a design of anarchy, which has its merits and supporters as well"... Jessica Lund
Friday Jul 15, 2005
Out of This World Tattoos
Sci-Fi has long spawned a fascination that runs the cultural gamut – from counter culture to mainstream, from books to videos, and from cartoon characters to blockbuster super heroes. Tattoos22 features a superb gallery of supernatural tattoos. Most of the alien designs are the archetypal little green martians, but there are a few original deviations. Of course, the very nature of life from outer space is enigmatic, so some of the tats are difficult to decipher. However, they all seem to incite feelings of ‘outer-worldliness’, and many are laden with dark overtones. We particularly like the tattoo of a green lady that’s sitting cross legged, as though she were mid-meditation -- it’s very provocative, as though the owner is trying to make a statement about spirituality and alien life forms. We love tattoos that make you think.
Friday Jul 15, 2005
In Memory Of...
Griefwarehouse.org is an incredibly touching page dedicated entirely to immortalizing the memory of children that have tragically passed away. All of the stories are both compelling and compassionate. Interestingly, the tattoo parlor doubles as a therapy lounge for grief stricken parents. For some, getting a tattoo of a lost child can in some way help them to deal with their grief. The site also provides a link to a tattoo support group meeting, in which a bunch of parents get together at a particular tattoo parlor, and either touch-up old memorial tattoos or design new ones.
Thursday Jul 14, 2005
The Road Less Traveled
Robert Frost's The Road Less Traveled is one of our all time favorite poems. So we were psyched to see that someone had inked it on their arm, as it makes for a really incredible textual tattoo. We can all relate to the dilemma of coming to a fork in the road, and having to make a choice that will ultimately affect our direction in life. Originality, and thinking ‘outside society’s prescribed conformities’, is always more admirable than letting others dictate your thoughts.
Very cool tattoo.
Artist is Tattoos by Kane - Immortal Images Tattoos in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Photo above was nicked from About.com here.
Thursday Jul 14, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Garrett Ostrowski
"As tattooing has become more popular, you see people approaching the industry like it's a popularity contest rather than a craft. Some of the guys out there think that they need a PR agent just to manage all the "cool" that they radiate. But not Garrett Ostrowski. Garrett is one of those cats who sits back, tattoos his ass off, and makes a solid living off extraordinary talent without trying to live - and look - like a rock star. Although Garrett is one of the few tattoo artists that doesn’t have a website, I managed to track Garrett down for this Q&A.
To check out his work, or to get inked up by him, you can find him at:
Cliffs Custom Tattoo
1446 Middle Country Rd.
Centereach, N.Y. 11720
(631)-698-3833"
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: Garrett, how'd you first get into the tattooing field?
Garrett: When I was 14 a buddy and I went to a guy tattooing out of his house, as soon as I felt the sting that was it, I wanted to know everything about it. It was hard then, no one wanted to give up information. So, a lot of trial and error for a few years, a move to Florida and then to New York and I've been here ten years.
INKEDblog: So what's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
Garrett: Well, that’s a hard one. I live in New York. I guess I would have to say there was this one guy who came in and asked for a cross with a loop at the top (Egyptian Ankh) with the tribal symbol for "white pride" (Japanese Kanji) in the middle..........I think he was a little mixed up....
INKEDblog: So what makes a tattoo "good"?
Garrett: A vision, a patient client, also have patience, and alotta heart.
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Garrett: Best, the freedom..................Worst, the drama
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Garrett: Well, if you mean on my body, I would have to say the portrait of my father by an amazing artist from Germany named "Till". If he sees this call me damit! If it's one I've done, I would have to say the 3/4 sleeve I did on my fiancee (judith)...
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Garrett: I'm drawn to both so much, I love big, solid, bold, bright color, shades, shadows. They both involve everything I like..... Keeping art electrified...
Thursday Jul 14, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - attractivefilth
"The symbolism behind my rose tattoo lies in the old school traditional images used to depict finding your way. Swallows are used to depict finding your way back home, and the rose - with its symbologist connotations relating it to compasses and travel - also symbolise being guided along the right path.
The rose symbology features prominently in my artwork and stickers around West London. (Props to Kev Grey) I had recently done a number of canvases depicting traditional five petal rose tattoo symbology in them. This lead me to research old school style and eventually to getting the tattoo.
My tattoo was done in April by the most excellent Italian tattooist Amanda Toy who I was lucky enough to get an appointment with when she had a brief stay in London in the Spring.
She had tattooed my swallows back in February, and although I already had five small tattoos previously, until I got tattooed by Amanda - I didnt really realise what it was like to get a proper, large, meaningful tattoo. The rose was a cover up of an attrocious piece of rubbish I had done far too early when I was 19 and didn't really know as much about what I liked as I do now that I'm 26.
I cannot wait to sit under Amanda Toys needle again whenever I can! Shes a great person as well as a top tatooist."... attractivefilth
Wednesday Jul 13, 2005
Take the INKED Tattoo Personality Quiz
Be sure to check out this cute little INKED Tattoo Personality Quiz that was put together by our colleagues at ElectricArtists.
After answering ten quick, easy questions, the quiz determines your tattoo personality and you can then download the INK designs that “belong on you.” (The designs were created by our friends at www.Tattoodles.com)
INKED premieres on A&E next Wednesday, July 20th at 9pm/8c…
If you want to learn more – click through here.
*** INKED on A&E is a sponsor of INKEDblog.com ***
Wednesday Jul 13, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Juan Puente
I recently caught up with Juan Puente for a quick Q&A. Juan is a tattooist's tattooist. If you read or hear about the influences of most tattooists, Juan's name is sure to pop up more often than not. He has worked with many legendary tattooists - Hanky Panky, Eddie Deuche, Chris Garver, and Scott Silver, just to name a few. Not limited to tattooing, Juan’s talents are evident in his photography as well as his film work.
Juan is currently tattooing at Spotlight Tattoo. Visit www.JuanPuente.com for the full Juan experience.
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: How'd you get into the tattooing field?
Juan: I really don't know how I got into tattooing. When I was young I never really wanted one but I always liked them. When I got my first one, and realized that it was not such a big deal, and that I actually liked the whole process,( I don't mean the pain.) you could say that I became addicted, and that is where it all starts right?? I had done art by painting punk leathers and flyers in the 80's but tattooing is where my career as an artist really started.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
Juan: Man there have been a few odd requests but thinking about it as a whole I wonder what is really odd?? Tattooing is not natural, it is a modification, an after market accessory if you will. Subject matter, forget about it. It seems now it is almost boring trying to outdo one another but it definitely is amusing and that leads us to the next question kind of. Quality of tattoos, what makes a tattoo good...
INKEDblog: So what does make a tattoo "good"?
Juan: That is kind of an odd question. There are a lot of different styles today and everyone has their own taste. If the lines are clean, color is solid, has the right amount of shading, technically I guess that makes it a good tattoo. Right???? Magazines have helped and hindered the tattoo community. If these publications put good to great to excellent tattoos in their magazines, we would not have people coming in to the shops with these magazines under their arms saying that they want something like "this" or "that", and as an artist you know it is just shit, but try to explain that to someone who wants it when they want it. "Everyone gets that tattoo they deserve..." I forgot who said that but it is so true.
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Juan: The best thing about being a tattoo artist is being a tattoo artist. It definitely is not for everybody, in fact there are a bunch of people that are doing it that really have no business doing it, but the world goes round. There are artists, underachievers, overachievers, drug addicts, hustlers, straight businessmen, world travelers, nomads, outlaws, scumbags, we got it all in this business, but as a whole we are a family and we look out for one another and if you are not in, your just not in. Tattooing has taken me all over the world, taken care of me and my family, how much better can that be?? The worst thing about being a tattoo artist is seeing how people have to live such a structured existence while you are having a good time. Another thing is people can really suck sometimes. No one gives a fuck if you have been working late every day that week, if you are sick, if you are having personal problems, whatever, they want their tattoo right then and fuck you if you can't do it, but instead of just splitting or hanging up the phone they are going to bitch and moan to try to see if they will get their way. I have weeded out most of those customers but I still have a few.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Juan: As far as favorite tattoos go that one is the hardest one of them all. I just returned from Japan and saw the most amazing Japanese tattoos ever. Whether I am in San Francisco, New York or Los Angeles, I am blessed to be around the most amazing artists that each place has to offer. There are so many favorites that I can't even go into this without it being a twenty page article.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Juan: Old school, new school??? I just had a friend of mine bring it to perspective to me. I was just in NYC for a tattoo convention and there was an art show for tattooists from NYC and also tattooists who have only been tattooing for under 5 years. I have attended this art show for a couple of years now and have seen some amazing pieces, even purchased a few. So my friend calls me, he is in NYC as well for the convention as well, and then he brings up the art show, I tell him I am going later and what not. Then he starts barking to me about Old school and back in the day this and that, how these motherfuckers have no respect, how could they do this, blah blah blah. In the meanwhile he went from airbrusher to piercer, to tattoo artist. Nothing old school about that. I like celebrating tattooing in all forms. I don't care if you have been tattooing for a week, if you are doing great tattoos, fuck yeah, if you know you have a way to go and are humble and want to learn, fuck yeah. There are amazing "New School" artists as well as "Old School" artists, and then there are the shitty ones, what can you do. I like and appreciate both styles but if someone wanted a new school tattoo I will refer them who can just kill it, and that person will just be stoked with his or her new tattoo.
One last thing. This last August my friend Eric Masske died, and I credit him for a lot of what I am today in this business and for without him I may not be where I am today, and I just want to thank him for everything that he did for me.
Wednesday Jul 13, 2005
Maori Tattoos’ Mythological Roots
"New Zealand in History" has a wonderful article on the culture of New Zealand tattooing. The Maori history is ripe with mythology and symbolism -- with the act of tattooing strongly associated with ceremonies and rituals. The legend of the inception of Maori tattooing is particularly engaging. According to ancient mythology, tattooing commenced with a love affair between a young man by the name of Mataora (which means "Face of Vitality") and a young princess of the underworld by the name of Niwareka. Unfortunately, Mataora shamed himself by beating the princess. However, through various acts of redemption, he managed to regain her love. After the princess’s father (who lived in the underworld) forgave Mataora, he taught him the art of tattooing. When Mataora returned to the natural world, he passed on his newly learnt sacred art. Interestingly, all high-ranking Maori men were tattooed, and those who were not were seen as having no social status.
You can read the whole article here.
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
"The World's Dumbest Criminal"
This story is too good to pass up.... An article in today's MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, Mass details the saga of a guy named Justin Breakspear. Last week Breakspear was indicted by a grand jury in Middlesex for illegally owning a gun that he had vehemently denied owning.
How did they pin him with the crime?
He had an exact replica of the gun - including the serial numbers! - tattooed on his hip.
Norman Miller writes in today's paper:
"Justin Breakspear, 19, of 14 Temple St., is charged with two counts of the illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun, the illegal possession of a firearm, two counts of the illegal possession of ammunition, defacing a serial number on a firearm, three counts of the improper storage of a firearm, the illegal possession of marijuana, and three counts of the illegal possession of a firearm -- subsequent offenses.
Breakspear was arrested in May after Middlesex Sheriff's deputies went to his apartment to serve him warrants. Framingham Police said he ran and hid in the basement, where he was found and arrested.
The deputies, though, saw what appeared to be gun parts during the arrest, and informed the Framingham Police, who obtained a warrant.
In the basement, they found two sawed-off shotguns as well as a .380 caliber pistol.
Police said Breakspear originally denied the guns belonged to him. He said the basement was open to everyone in the building and could have belonged to anyone.
Later, police found a large tattoo of the handgun on his hip, down to the serial number, police said.
"I've never, never seen something like this," said Framingham Deputy Police Chief Craig Davis at the time of the arrest. "This is like the world's dumbest criminal."
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Travis Millard
"Me and Mel (Travis' girlfriend) just got back from Kansas the other day. Great trip. Scarring. The photo above is the evidence. That's my brother on the left and middle, me on the right. In terms of the signifance of the tattoos, it's not so much the van, as it is the placement, and the bond. Several months ago my brother Brett got one of my vans tatted over an embarrassing blemish he'd dealt with for many years. The blemish was the result of a homemade tattoo gun and too many drugs at a young age. And it was a brand from those days on display, as a reminder to him all the time. So our good friend Noah in KCMO rocked one of the vans as a cover up. And for Brett, it was a renewed sense of confidence. So this time around, Mel and I were in Kansas, and I went for it on the drawing hand. It's healing up pretty well now,... still a little itchy.."... Travis Millard
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Remembering Keith Alexander
On June 22nd, we featured an absolutely beautiful koi tattoo that was meticulously documented by Keith Alexander as he went through the process of getting inked. Sadly we learned from BoingBoing this morning that Keith was killed yesterday in a bike accident in New York City.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Keith's family and loved ones.
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Phil Holt
"Before I actually interviewed Phil Holt, I first asked some of my friends in the tattoo industry what their impressions were of Phil. I had heard his name, but didn’t know that much about him. Every single artist I spoke with had nothing but the highest regards for Phil. He is one of those rare people that elevate the craft, trade, ethics, and professionalism of tattooing without diluting the rich history that lies beneath its surface. Since my first introduction to Phil, my personal interactions with him have cemented his reputation in my mind.
Phil has been tattooing in towns ranging from Ohio to Chicago to California. His current shop is in Ybor City in Tampa, Florida. Tucked inside a converted cigar factory, quality work remains the mainstay inside Phil's shop, RedLetter/
Recently, Phil's good friend, Tommy Laskas, was stabbed along with his wife after trying to break up a fight between two bar patrons. Tommy subsequently died and Phil has begun collecting artwork for an benefit auction that will be held on July 17, 2005. The email that Phil sent out was one of the most selfless, caring letters I could ever imagine someone writing. This is merely one example of how this powerhouse of talent continues to give. (Those of you who would like to donate artwork to the charity auction can do so by contacting Phil directly at phil (at) redletter1 (dot) com.
To check the tattoo work of Phil has completed, you can visit Redletter here."
... Logan Hicks
INKEDblog: Phil, How'd you first get into the tattooing field?
Phil: I was young, fresh out of highschool scratching on skater kids and teenage junkies in their parents kitchen.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
Phil: Strange I can handle. Stupid is what kills me. Its the kids that want "white power" in Japanese. People getting names on themselves when the dont even want to but their significant other wants them to get it so they comply with the request. Its stupid. I think some people take tattoos in the same light as purchasing a teeshirt or a bumper stick from the local truck stop. It just a novelty to these people and its foolish.
INKEDblog: What makes a tattoo "good"?
Phil: Aside from technical aspects of tattooing accurately the drawing means a ton. If the drawing sucks the tattoo will suck. If the drawing rocks the tattoo could still suck if the technical side is failed. I've been trying to make everything flow really well from every angle, every side. Your body has shape and dynamics that shouldn't be ignored.
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Phil: Traveling is probably my favorite fringe benefit. Well maybe its the people involved. Okay its probably traveling to see the people involved. I have been so lucky to meet the people I have through tattooing. So many awesome people the worst thing is probably traveling. Well, maybe its the people involved. Okay its probably traveling and having to deal with all the people involved. Its the best of times and the worst of time in the same breath.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Phil: I like old school tattooing. It holds a great amount of importance and beauty. When done right. New School isn't a term I like. I dont particularly care for super wacky coming-at-you shit. i am more impressed with tattoos that will hold up through the years and still look good when someone ages. Tattoos that age with the individual. however I am most impressed with innovative tattooing. the guys that do stuff no one else does, guys that have their own style and formulas. I suppose this could be consider new school because it is a new idea with a fresh approach.
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Alfons Mucha Body Art
Among the photos we've been digging on Flickr recently is this terrific salute to the artwork of Alfons Mucha in Kristin's photo stream. If you are not familiar with Mucha, his work is synonomous with the Art Nouveau style. He was born in the town of Ivančice, Moravia which is now part of the Czech Republic.
Wikipedia says of Muncha:
"His singing abilities allowed him to continue his education through high-school in the Moravian capital of Brno, however drawing was first love since childhood. He worked at decorative painting jobs in Moravia, mostly painting theatrical scenery, then in 1879 moved to Vienna to work for a leading Viennese theatrical design company, while informally furthering his artistic education. When a fire destroyed his employer's business in 1881 he returned to Moravia, doing freelance decorative and portrait painting. Count Karl Khuen of Mikulov hired Mucha to decorate Hrušovany Emmahof Castle with murals, and was impressed enough that he agreed to sponsor Mucha's formal training at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts.
Mucha moved to Paris in 1887, and continued his studies at Académie Julian and Academie Colarossi while also producing magazine and advertising illustrations.
In 1894, he produced the artwork for a lithographed poster advertising Sarah Bernhardt at the Theatre de la Renaissance. Mucha's lush stylized poster art won him fame and numerous commissions.
Mucha produced a flurry of paintings, posters, advertisements, and book illustrations, as well as designs for jewellery, carpets, wallpaper, and theatre sets in what came to be known as the Art Nouveau style. Mucha's works frequently featured beautiful healthy young women in flowing vaguely Neoclassical looking robes, often surrounded by lush flowers which sometimes formed haloes behind the women's heads. His style was often imitated.
Mucha visited the USA from 1906 to 1910, then returned to the Czech lands and settled in Prague, where he decorated the Theater of Fine Arts and other landmarks of the city.
When Czechoslovakia won its independence after World War I, Mucha designed the new postage stamps, banknotes, and other government documents for the new nation.
He spent years working on what he considered his masterpiece, The Slav Epic, a series of huge paintings depicting the history of the Slavic peoples, unveiled in Prague in 1928.
He died in Prague July 14, 1939 and was interred there in the Vyšehrad cemetery.
By the time of his death, Mucha's style was considered outdated and old fashioned, but interest in his art revived first in the 1960s, and continues to experience periodic revivals of interest and influence on contemporary illustrators. Much of the interest in Mucha's work can be attributed to his son, author Jiří Mucha, who wrote extensively about his father and devoted much of his life to bringing attention to his father's art."
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Temporary Tats Debut in the OR
It’s no secret that tattoos add to our body’s aesthetic. However, wral.com details how temporary tats can actually save your life. Medical errors are every patient’s worst nightmare. 1.3 million injuries in the United States occur from medical malpractice. It seems unfathomable that surgeons need to be reminded which part of the body to operate on, but statistics have proven that this is an all too common mistake, and one that needs rectifying. So, if this means putting a tattoo bull’s-eye on our body before going under the knife, then sign us up.
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Shepard's Gallery of Obey The Giant Tattoos
If you're a fan of artist Shepard Fairey's Obey The Giant, then be sure to check out the gallery of OBEY tattoos on Shepard's website. Eighteen tats have been uploaded so far.
Monday Jul 11, 2005
The Color of the Rose Can Determine Its Sweetness
The rose had been a mainstay of Western tattooing since we can remember. However, do you know what it means? If you’re one of the many who’ve seen a hundred rose tattoos, but don’t its true symbolism, or didn’t know that various colors can mean different things, then you should read bellaonline.com’s article on the origin of the rose tattoo. The plant itself originated in ancient Persia where it was viewed as a masculine flower, however several thousand years of cultivation has produced many variations and the symbolism now relates more strongly to beauty and femininity. One of the most important things to consider when getting a rose tattoo is its color. We all know that red means true love, but did you know what the yellow or blue rose means?
Monday Jul 11, 2005
The Indelible Art of Story Telling
Recently the LAWeekly published an update on Shelley Jackson’s "mortal art" project, in which 2,095 people will each tattoo one word of a 2,095-word story somewhere on their body. The idea has a simple elegance: to take a short story and tattoo it, one word at a time. If you’re interested in this project we highly recommend reading this article. Although Jackson’s website is informative it fails to communicate the true essence, and the deeper philosophical nature of the experiment. Jackson’s literary and artistic sensibilities are certainly commendable, and it’s interesting to read her rationalizations behind the project. True to the nature of this human experiment, the story’s contents will continue to remain elusive well after the project’s completion. She says, “I wanted to think of the story as a living text, an embodied text. I wanted it to be a text that eventually died, that had a lifespan like a living organism, a text that eventually erased itself from the world”.
You can read the LA Weekly article here.
Friday Jul 08, 2005
Cramps Tat
Amongst the recent party photographs snapped by our Mark The Cobrasnake, is this terrific salute to the classic rock band, The Cramps.
Friday Jul 08, 2005
Piety and Permanent Pen
For some, religion and tattoos may seem slightly incongruous. However, religioustattoos.net illustrates that passion and piety are often the driving forces behind many a Judeo-Christian tattoo. For those who may feel that tattoos are sacrilegious, be sure to read the detailed section on how the bible not only fails to condemn indelible ink, but also actually promotes it. Religioustattoos.net has some beautiful photos -- covering the entire religious gamut, from Crosses to Angels to Jesus and his mother Mary.
The image above is the work of Dennis Dwyer. You can see more of his talents here.
Friday Jul 08, 2005
Some Like it Hot
Strikethebox is an incredibly impressive site solely dedicated to firefighter tattoos. It’s no surprise that the September 11th attacks spawned some serious needle point patriotism, with many fire fighters sporting patriotic tattoos to commemorate their colleague’s sacrifices. It was as though tattoo parlors were doubling as therapy suites, where firemen could undergo a little pain in the hopes of immortalizing the pride they felt for their fellow firefighters. But it seems that even four years after the attacks, firefighters are still getting inked as a show of respect. Strikethebox features a plethora of tattoo images– the most touching being those related to 9/11, such as the three firefighters raising the American flag amongst the rubble of the fallen World Trade Center.
Friday Jul 08, 2005
Tattoo Of The Week - Camille Rose Garcia
This week's pick for "Tattoo of the Week" comes from a snap we took recently at the Renegade Art Fair in Brooklyn. Being huge fans of the LA based artist Camille Rose Garcia, we thought this tat was terrific.
You can learn more about the art of Camille Rose Garcia here.
Friday Jul 08, 2005
Mike Essl and His Mr. T Tat
The Washington Post yesterday ran a terrific story about Greg Rivera and Mike Essl, arguably the formost collectors of Mr. T memorabilia in the world. What immediately caught our eye was the massive Mr. T tat that Mike Essl sports on his bicep. The article quotes Essl as explaining to the reporter:
"When I met Mr. T, I cried. It was at an autograph signing, with Mary Lou Retton, of all people, and I got my arm signed and my photograph taken with him. Then I just went outside and I cried."
Even as he recalls the moment, Essl verges on welling up.
"I wanted him to sign my arm because I wanted to tattoo his signature on my biceps. He was totally friendly -- he called me 'big buddy' -- but he had this guy who was there to make sure people moved along and before I knew it, the whole thing was over. So instead I got this."
Essl rolls up a sleeve. On his arm is a huge, brightly colored tattoo of Mr. T."
You can read the article here.
Thursday Jul 07, 2005
Tattoo Photos By Mark The Cobrasnake
Amongst the photos we've rececently received from our friend and INKEDblog contributor, Mark The Cobrasnake, was this terrific tattoo snapped in LA on July 3rd. It's quickly become one of our favorites
Thursday Jul 07, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Pooch
Tucked away down in Lake Worth, FL sits Mike "Pooch" Pucciarelli, a tattoo artist with a pool of talent as large as the Atlantic Ocean. In 1989, Pooch was introduced to tattooing by Big Jeff Watson; however at the time, his primary focus was musical pursuits. After 10 years in his band, Raped Ape, Pooch decided to revisit tattooing.
In 1996, Pooch opened up Altered State Tattoo and has been etching colorful masks, skulls, figures, and scenes onto skin ever since. His work is on a level with Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr, and Mitch O'Connell: one look at his work and it is clear that Pooch is a pure talent through and through. His pieces would look just as good framed on the wall as they do on someone's body. Pooch commands his mediums with an ease and comfort that most artists strive for their entire lives... Logan Hicks
To view Pooch's work, visit him at: http://www.alteredstate.net
INKEDblog: So how'd you first get into tattooing?
POOCH: I was in a metal band called Raped Ape and JC Dwyer our drummer (now with Propain) kept urging me on to do it, that way he could have an ink hook up! I was drawing a lot and doing airbrush paintings at the time, very motivated by HR Giger. JC had some tattoos from Jeff Watson, so I hooked up with him and he did my first tattoo, which was based off one of my drawings, kinda Pushead like skull, Giger, Pushead and Frazetta are my alltime favorite artists. Anyhow, Jeff asked to see more of my drawings and I guess he liked them because he offered me an apprenticeship.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
POOCH:I find many of them strange because most people do not understand the graphic language of drawing and what makes a good tattoo, but I understand that, and always give them an option so I can do a good tattoo for them, most of the problems I see are people wanting too much in a small space which does not work, but I am lucky to have a lot of clients that let me do what I want with their ideas. A good tattoo has to hold up over time and read well, to me tattooing is more like pen and ink with watercolor than it is like an oil painting, it requires outlines which help it hold up over time to sun and fading, which being in Florida is a big problem.
INKEDblog: So what makes a tattoo "good"?
POOCH: It depends on the artist and their ability I suppose, but most of all it must be clean, I wouldn't try to tattoo without outlines, some artists do it like they are painting, but I can't say how it will look in 20 years, I do see some black and grey tattoos done that way that work though, I've done a few like that, but still prefer a clean outline, Also flow with the body is important and placement and of course bigger is better! The use of black is very important as well, a good balance of black can make or break a tattoo, as well as negative space, thats just my opinion though and I see many talented artist who do realistic work that blows me away, it's just not my forte
INKEDblog: What is the best thing about being a tattoo artist?
POOCH: The honeys and the money dawg...uhhhh no... really though, for me it's doing the best tattoo I can and the satisfaction of a happy customer that's proud to wear it. Also doing something that I love helps, so its not really a job its my life.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
POOCH:My favorite tattoo of all time? My Mom heart by Dennis Pase
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
POOCH: My thought is there should be no VS. at all, if it's done well and clean that's all that matters, I appreciate all styles and try to learn from them
Thursday Jul 07, 2005
Focus on a Safe Community: Tattoos and Infection
Michael O’Conner recently wrote to inkedblog.com with an important comment directed towards the safety of our community. O’Conner works in the infection control/infection prevention area of the healthcare field, and has been monitoring various groups of artists and amateurs for the last four years.
Michael wrote:
---
“One of the subjects that raises its head … is the proper cleaning and disinfecting of instruments and surfaces as well as personal protection taken prior to and during the art of tattooing.
The potential problem is cross-contamination which is also known as a nosocomial infection derived environmentally from touch, a contaminated service or an instrument.
Anytime the skin is broken and pathways to the bloodstream are compromised, the potential of infections becomes quite possible. Regardless of the origin, such avoidable contamination can be prevented through proper education and preventative actions taken by the artist.
I suspect the reason this matter is such a volatile subject is that many so-called experts, are set in their ways, expressing strong opinions and cleaning/disinfecting techniques that they are comfortable using.
Though there is an educational program pertaining to this subject already established through the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, not all artists avail themselves of this important program.
Is there an opportunity for inkedblog.com to lift the veil of this taboo subject and establish a serious, ongoing and open dialogue monitored by people who are experts in the world of infection prevention and infection control specifically pertaining to the proper cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and instruments used during the art of tattooing?
Hopefully standards can be established throughout the community through such a forum.”
---
Thank you for your comment, Michael!
Inkedblog would encourage all tattoo artists to attend the Alliance of Professional Tattooists, and for all people for have or are considering receiving a tattoo, to become educated about blood-born pathogens.
All artists should wear gloves. This is an easy thing to monitor.
All clients should ask to see the autoclave at a potential studio. The autoclave is a pressure cooker used to sterilize medical instruments. The autoclave needs to be tested regularly for the presence of bacteria. You may always ask to see the results of recent tests. These tests should be no more than two months old.
Now for a stickier problem: The attitudes of the community. It is the job of everyone in a community to keep each other safe. In response to O’Conner’s comment that many artists in the field feel comfortable with their current safety practices and unwilling to further educate themselves, we need to change that as a group.
The best way to open this sort of dialogue is in an unthreatening supportive manner. Make sure you encourage people who continue their tattooing education, and help inform people who are not.
For your general information, there has never been a case of HIV transmission reported from tattooing, and the last case of Hepatitis was reported in 1950.
Inkedblog welcomes additional comments on this issue, and would like to provide a forum for this information.
Thursday Jul 07, 2005
Troubleshooting Tribal Tattoos
Amongst the articles on Native-languages.org is an incredibly comprehensive resource detailing all that you need to know before getting a Cherokee or Native American tattoo. The article is a terrific source to research before you choose a design. Knowledge is important in any culture, so do your homework. If you're planning on getting a Native American tattoo, Native-languages.com is an essential resource
Wednesday Jul 06, 2005
Tats Still Taboo in Tokyo
Regardless of the long standing, century old tradition of tattooing in Japan, the majority of Japanese people are strongly against tattoo art. Recently we discovered an excellent article on Geocities.com that discusses the current mentality of Japanese society towards tattooing. Tattoos hold a highly tabooed position in Japan. Due to this stigmatization, tattoos have strong effects on social standing and appearance. The Geocities article is an incredibly well researched piece, and you need to dedicate a block of time to read it thoroughly. But it’s totally worth it. The article outlines the importance of both religion and popular culture – people that are particularly pious believe that tattoos contaminate the body, destroying the symbol of good citizenship and filial youth. Although, the youth of Japan is gaining momentum in its fight to break the stigma against tattoos, it still remains an underground activity in most parts of Japan. You can read the article here.
Wednesday Jul 06, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Kim Addonizio, Author of "Dorothy Parker's Elbow"
INKEDblog: So first, how did you first become interested in tattoos?
Kim: I got my first tattoo when I was thirty-six. My boyfriend had several, including a lightning bolt on his chest, and I got a copy of that on my ass. It felt like getting married, only more permanent. Over the years I got a chameleon on my left shoulder, a primitive band beneath it, vines and blue roses on my back, and most recently--to celebrate my 50th birthday--a lotus on my right shoulder.
INKEDblog: Tell us a bit about your book "Dorothy Parker's Elbow"?
Kim:I was at a writer's conference with Cheryl Dumesnil, a poet friend, and we were talking about the stories behind our tattoos. Cheryl thought it would be a good idea to put together an anthology that might tell people's stories. As we worked on it, the book turned into an exploration of what tattooing means to people, on all levels. It really opened out into a book on the human experience, on permanence and change and beauty and identity, pain and memory and connection. We were blown away by all the varieties of experience that ended up in the book.
INKEDblog: What inspired you to write the book, and what kind of response have you had from the tattooing community?
Kim: I think tattooed people have enjoyed the book because it offers so many provocative ways of thinking about body art. It's great to look at pictures of tats, but it's fascinating to think about where they come from and why we get them, and what they mean.
INKEDblog: What's the strongest and strangest story in the book?
Kim:Truly, I think every piece in the book is standout. We didn't have to compromise in terms of what we picked; we were knocked out by all of it. A couple that leap to mind, though, are a non-fiction piece by a San Francisco investigator, Steve Vender, about a convict's tattoos; and a wild, funny story by Alejandro Murgia about a guy who picks up a hitchhiker. There are also a couple of essays by tattoo artists, and it's interesting to see things from the other side of the needle. As for strangest -- "Mando," the piece by Steve Vender, might qualify, though a Kafka story we reprinted, "In the Penal Colony," is way out there and stretches the definition of tattoo.
Wednesday Jul 06, 2005
Tans and Tats Don’t Mix
Sharptattoos.com features an extremely informative excerpt on getting inked in the summertime. Why is that as soon as the temperature increases, so does the desire to get tattooed? If you thought that summer was the perfect season to shed your clothes and don some permanent pen, then you’re not the only one. However, there are a few considerations that need to be taken into account before you choose the optimum time to go under the needle. If you’re planning any kind of vacation, remember that you’re not supposed to be swimming or sunning yourself for at least two weeks – sun block will destroy the color intensity of your tat, and getting it wet is another definite no no. It seems that tans and tattoos don’t mix – but if you just can’t bear to bare your pasty white butt when you’re hang’n out poolside this summer, then make sure to read about how to protect your tat from the sun’s damaging rays.
Tuesday Jul 05, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story.... David Grant
"The original design of my tattoo comes from Horiyoshi IIIs "100 Demons" book. I got the book after my Mother passed away, and it was a great permanent reminder of the struggle between the demons of the past and of suffering and the relief and love of a life of spiritual seeking. The monk in the tattoo is named Kobo-daishi. He is apeassing a plague represented by the demon."
David Grants tattoo graces the cover of his book, The Demon and the Monk.
Tuesday Jul 05, 2005
What Are Tattoo Inks Made of?
Every wonder what's in the inks that make up your tattoo? We did, so we asked INKEDblog contributor Jessica Lund to find out. Here's her report...
The truth about tattoo inks is that that we rarely know for certain what they contain. It's interesting to note that manufacturers of tattoo inks and pigments are not required by law to list their ingredients. That said, any artist who mixes his or her own inks from dry pigments will most likely know the ingredients of their own inks. (INKEDblog encourages all artists to share their recipes, and clients to ask for this information.)
Tattoo inks are not technically inks as you might think of them. They are pigments that are suspended in a carrier solution. The pigment is the part of the mixture that provides the color, and the carrier solution allows the pigments to be liquid, disinfected, and distributed evenly throughout the mixture.
It's a myth that pigments are generally vegetable dyes. Pigments primarily contain metal salts, though some are plastics and a very few of them are vegetable.
The Chemistry…
Ancient tattooing pigments came from using ground up minerals and carbon black. Many pigments today include these same pigments, plus modern industrial organic pigments, a few vegetable-based pigments, and some plastic-based pigments.
Allergic reactions are possible with many pigments. The plastic-based pigments provide the most intense color, although many people report reactions to them. There are also pigments that glow in the dark in response to ultraviolet light. These pigments are particularly risky - some may be safe - but others are radioactive or otherwise toxic.
Below is an incomplete table listing the colors of common pigments used in tattoo inks. Many inks mix one or more pigments, and other materials are sometimes used.
Black: is composed of Iron Oxide (Fe3O4), Iron Oxide (FeO), Carbon, or logwood.
Natural black pigment is made from magnetite crystals, powdered jet, wustite, bone black, and amorphous carbon from combustion (soot). Black pigment is commonly made into India ink.
Logwood is a heartwood extract from Haematoxylon campechisnum, found in Central America and the West Indies.
Brown: is composed of Ochre from iron (ferric) oxides mixed with clay. Raw ochre is yellowish. When dehydrated through heating, ochre changes to a reddish color.
Red: is composed of Cinnabar (HgS), Cadmium Red (CdSe), Iron Oxide (Fe2O3), or Napthol-AS pigment.
Iron oxide is also known as common rust. Cinnabar and cadmium pigments are highly toxic. Napthol reds are synthesized from Naptha. Fewer reactions have been reported with naphthol red than the other pigments, but all reds carry risks of allergic or other reactions.
Orange: is composed of disazodiarylide and/or disazopyrazolone, or cadmium seleno-sulfide.
The organics are formed from the condensation of two monoazo pigment molecules. They are large molecules with good thermal stability and colorfastness.
Flesh: is composed of Ochres (iron oxides mixed with clay)
Yellow: is composed of Cadmium Yellow (CdS, CdZnS), Ochres, Curcuma Yellow, Chrome Yellow (PbCrO4, often mixed with PbS), Disazodiarylide
Curcuma is derived from plants of the ginger family; aka turmeric or curcurmin. Reactions are commonly associated with yellow pigments, in part because more pigment is needed to achieve a bright color.
Green: is composed of Chromium Oxide (Cr2O3)), called Casalis Green or Anadomis Green, Malachite [Cu2 (CO3)(OH) 2], Ferrocyanides and Ferricyanides, Lead chromate, Monoazo pigment, or Cu/Al phthalocyanine
The greens often include mixtures, such as potassium ferrocyanide (yellow or red) and ferric ferrocyanide (Prussian Blue)
Blue: is composed of copper (II) carbonate (azurite), sodium aluminum silicate (lapis lazuli), calcium copper silicate (Egyptian Blue), other cobalt aluminum oxides and chromium oxides.
The safest blues and greens are copper salts, such as copper pthalocyanine. Copper pthalocyanine pigments have FDA approval for use in infant furniture and toys and contact lenses. The copper-based pigments are considerably safer or more stable than cobalt or ultramarine pigments.
Violet: contains Manganese Violet (manganese ammonium pyrophosphate), Various aluminum salts, Quinacridone, or Dioxazine/carbazole
Some of the purples, especially the bright magentas, are photoreactive and lose their color after prolonged exposure to light. Dioxazine and carbazole result in the most stable purple pigments.
White: is composed of Lead White (Lead Carbonate), Titanium dioxide (TiO2), Barium Sulfate (BaSO4), or Zinc Oxide
Some white pigments are derived from anatase or rutile. White pigment may be used alone or to dilute the intensity of other pigments. Titanium oxides are one of the least reactive white pigments.
Thank you to the following website: http://chemistry.about.com for the helpful information!
Tuesday Jul 05, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews... Jason Kundell
Jason Kundell first explored the potential of the tattoo world as a graffiti artist. After getting tattooed by the likes of Eddie Deutsche, Marcus Pacheco, and Elio Espana, he began painting graffiti with Paco Excel of New Skool Tattoo. He managed to convince Paco and Adrian Lee to give him an apprenticeship. Since then, Jason has climbed remarkably high in the tattooed ranks.
Today, Jason’s shop, Art Work Rebel, has become ground zero for the San Francisco Tattoo scene. Perched on Market Street, it houses the talents of Jason as well as Grime.
This world-class tattooist has been traversing the globe for most of 2005, practicing his craft at different shops and conventions. Stops in Rome, London, Madrid, and Milan have helped to showcase this first-rate talent.
It is clear Jason has reached his stride: he is quite comfortable in his heavily tattooed skin, living off of his talents, and enjoying life every second along the way... Logan Hicks
Check out Jason at: http://www.artworkrebels.com
INKEDblog: How'd you get into the tattooing field?
Jason: As soon as I turned 18 I started getting a lot of tattoos. I was lucky cause I had a friend from Venice who I knew from painting (graffiti) who gave me some really good people to start getting tattooed by: Elio Espana, Marcus Pacheco, Eddie Deutsche. So anyway right off the bat I saw how good tattoos can be. Especially then,(92-95 or maybe 1996) those guys were doing some great stuff. So I was instantly hooked. I always did art, mostly graff but I really wanted to do tattoos. About 2 years later me and Paco (Excel) started painting together and I eventually convinced him and Adrian (Lee) to give me an apprenticeship. The rest is history.
INKEDblog: What makes a tattoo "good"?
Jason: Lots of things can make a tattoo good. I guess just being done good makes a tattoo good, but it takes a little more than that to impress me. I guess good attention to detail really pays off. I don't mean cramming everything into a small space and making it detailed. I mean having a good design sense to make things look nice, making shapes work well together. It's also very important for me to have things remain somewhat simple but really interesting which is not always easy to not over due things. Also having good contrast weather it be in black and grey or color. Those are some things that are very important for me and things that I look for in my tattoos as well as others.
INKEDblog: What is the best and worst thing about being a tattoo artist?
Jason: Some of the best things are getting to create something new everyday for people. It's very flattering that people want you to draw things that are going to be on them and a part of them for the rest of their life. Of course there are people that don't give a shit if you tattoo them or some hack down the street. The other great thing is traveling, being able to tattoo all around the world is something incredible that I feel very fortunate about. Hell, almost everything about this job is great. For those tattooers out there who had shit jobs before (like me for sure) this has to seem like heaven. Of course not everyday is perfect but what is. Worst thing is people who don't give a shit about what your doing. They just want a fashion tattoo or something. When you finish they just look in the mirror like they just bought a new dress and it's just 1 of many to through in the closet and complain about. Also one of the worst things for me is tattooers who don't have any tattoos, or barely any.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Jason: It changes, so I can't really pin point any one in particular. Grime is really probably the most incredible well rounded tattooer I know. No matter what style you want he can rock it. There lots of tattooers I look up to for different reasons though. I can't type that long so I'll just give you a few names. Mike roper, Chris Coon, Chris Trevino, of course Chris Garver. Horiyoshi2 and 3, horitomo is incredible. Filip Leu and Mick. Luke Atkinson, Ed Hardy, Scott Harrison, I don't know there are too many to name. Some people I think are great for reasons other than how they can put on a decent tattoo and others just treated me really good in the beginning just because they are good people, and that says more to me than anything else. People like Marcus Pacheco, Elio Espana, Chris Conn, those people were great to me, even if it was just little mannerisms, they say a lot for people.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Jason: I don't really give a shit about old vs. newschool. What does that mean anyway. I've been traveling a lot this last year or 2 and I see so much regurgitated shit. What most people would call old school, you know a key a torch a coffin a hand, whatever, then all mixed up with a rose and shaded from the lines out and it's traditional. To me that's new school. Everyone is jumping on that and there is absolutely nothing impressive about it. There are plenty of people who do awesome traditional shit that doesn't look like that. Snodgrass, Rollo Banks, Craig Toth. There are lots of people who make traditional look good for what it was, simple design images. The same can be said for new school, whatever that means too. There are lots of people trying to do what Marcus Pacheco, Timothy Hoyer, Adrian Lee do. The same effect happens I think. Who knows, let everyone do what they want. You can tell who does their homework and who doesn't. Their are also people who I think are awesome tattooers who don't fit in either of those categories so what do you argue about then. People like Phil Holt and George Campise do awesome shit that I don't think is particularly old or new school? What do I know? I do the same as everyone else, I try and make a decent tattoo I just don't look at other tattooers tattoos for my reference.
Tuesday Jul 05, 2005
The Bad and the Bizzare
Badtattoos.com is one of our unspoken guilty pleasures. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that the tats on Badtattoos.com are actually real pictures of real tattoos. Some of these tats are just so so wrong that they make you cringe. For example, for the life of us we can't understand the impetus behind the ‘Clown with a Gun’ tattoo. However, we’re still holding out hope that the that the joke’s is on us and that some people out there see the true appreciation. Like when something is so dorky that it’s kind of cool. Well, we're not sure if any of these tats qualify, but they’re certainly good for a quick laugh. And what’s with the ‘Blueberry Man'? He looks like a character out of the Mr. Men series of children’s books – that, or a piece of homework your art teacher gave you a ‘D’ on. This site can provide hours of fun scrolling through the disastrous messes people have made of their skin. We just hope that you don’t get a nasty shock when you realize that your prized Elmer Fudd Tattoo is featured on the site.
Tuesday Jul 05, 2005
Bug’n Out
Bellaonline features another great article. This time on "bug tattoos". The always terrific Rae Schwarz gives you some insightful snapshots into the meaning behind various insect tattoos. The selection of creepy crawly tattoos is pretty diverse, and each insect can have a multitude of different meanings. They can be fierce symbols of protection, brightly colored cartoons, or personal images of healing. Butterflies are a popular insect for tattoo designs, due to the symbolism of metamorphosis and change. For women wanting a powerful image, the queen bee can be it. She is the lone female who runs an organized and industrious community. The Egyptians thought that honey bees were tears of the sun god Ra. The article also features a cool image of a praying mantis tattoo – the symbolism is pretty obvious on that one.
Tuesday Jul 05, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Simon Daoudi
"The story of my Star Wars tattoo goes back to when I was three years old. I have been in love with Star Wars for 24 years. When I was in film school I got the nickname Jedinetboy because of my love for Star Wars and also how I was on the net all the time looking up info on the Star Wars prequils. (I also used to have website called Jediland.com)
I am not one of those fans who dresses up to watch the films. But I
did go to Toys-R-us at 12:01am and I do know all the movies by heart.
I guess Star Wars is what made me fall in love with film, history, and politics. It also got me into design because when I was a
kid I was in love with the old movie posters from the original
trilogy. Now I work as a freelance designer. I got my Jedi logo because I am really into the Jedi philosophy.
The day before the 12:01am showing of Episode III, I went down to
Nathan's Tattoos and got myself the tattoo. Culleton (the artist) was done working on it around 7.00pm. I was then waiting in line for the 12:01am showing of Episode III later that night.
Star Wars has been there all this time and will still be there when I am an old man. It is one of the few things in my life that makes me happy. So say what you want, but I love it.
I've been joking with my girlfriend that we need to name our kids Luke and Leia."
You can see Simon's tattoo as it was being done by clicking here.
Friday Jul 01, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews Albert Jeffers
Being an old school punk rocker myself, my ears perked up upon hearing the story of Albert Jeffers’ first tattoo. The tattoo was the logo for the seminal band, Black Flag: four black bars slightly askew. With punk rock providing the soundtrack for most of my teen years, it was a story I had heard from different people over the years. While the tattoos always vary and the circumstances always vary, etching the name of a band or loved one on youthful skin as a teenage rite of passage is always entertaining. Although I managed to escape the teen marks of a sewing needle and India ink, I always feel a connection with those who know that time.
Albert shed his home-made tattoo equipment as he graduated into the consummate professional tattooist he is today. By this point, his interests extend far beyond punk rock. Albert’s quest to expand his talents reaches farther than just the ink he lays on people. His lust and passion for life seem to guide his outlook and path.
Known for his American and Japanese water themes, Albert has been 'dragging animals out of the sea and navigating bodies of water" since his pre-teen years. One look at his work and you can tell he speaks from decades of experience, not research.... Logan Hicks
For more information about Albert, please visit his website at: http://www.acidbaby.com
INKEDblog: How'd you first get into tattooing?
Albert: I grew up around fine art and music. My Mom was a Classical and Spanish guitarist in addition to her chosen profession (PhD psychoanalyst) as well as a prolific oil painter. Most members of my family have been into either painting or drawing at one time or another. I was working as a picture framer in New York City while part of the punk rock scene there in the 80’s. That’s when and where tattooing really began to blow up on the East Coast. I am primarily self-taught, but after 4 years of tattooing on my own, Lou Sciberras, Ken Cameron and the rest of the staff at Tattoos by Lou on South Beach in Miami, Florida turned me on to more professional techniques.
INKEDblog: What's the strangest request you've ever had for a tattoo?
Albert: Customers ask me this question all the time and I usually get the idea that they are looking for something titillating, like genital tattoos and I don’t really do much of that type of novelty tattooing. I work in a very personal medium; at my best I am trying to pull something out of a clients head and make an image of it. Some of it is very strange, but it all makes sense from client to client
INKEDblog: What makes a tattoo good?
Albert: First and foremost, good technique. Solid lines, bright colors with smooth transitions from color to color and solid bold black shading. Secondly a good drawing that is readable or at least aesthetically pleasing to an outside party (a viewer) and is placed well on the body. Third is what does the tattoo say about the wearer? Too many tattoos are continually put on generically without a thought to meaning or personality. Most people have a more customized car than a customized tattoo.
INKEDblog: What are the best and worst things about being a tattoo artist?
Albert: I like working closely with people. Its nice to do a large complex drawing and have a customer OK it with a statement like “You read my mind”. It’s also nice to do the little stuff and make people so happy with something simple. I think it is empowering to them and changes their self image in a good way. The worst thing is the lack of benefits and paying my own taxes.
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time?
Albert: I like a lot of Japanese work. My favorite story about my own tattoos is one I tell clients all the time. Usually when they talk about teenagers who hand poke their own tattoos. In 1983 My best friend, myself and our girlfriends all decided we were going to have me hand poke tattoos on all of us. I was 13 at the time. We did it in my living room with India ink and a sewing needle. I did this Black Flag symbol on myself, I believe even before Henry Rollins was in the band. It’s so funny punk rock made a full circle and is popular again. Anyway, one of my mentors suggested I cover it up with something he thought was more aesthetically pleasing in 1988, so I did. I regret it so much. That is now my favorite tattoo. That moment in time is very precious to me and I wish I still had the memento. It reminds me that tattoos have a deeper meaning than just an image. That sometimes, no matter how crude, maybe people should not give in to social pressure just because someone else does not understand their choice in imagery or the context of an image.
INKEDblog: What's your thoughts on Old School vs. New School styles?
Albert: I'm a traditionalist to a certain point. I think its great to put twists into the old stuff to keep it new, but I do believe it should come from an educated standpoint. Picasso did not start out with Cubism. He learned the traditional methods of classical painting first and that is what makes him and other modern artists so important; they could paint a subject true to life. It really bothers me when I see these children on the lifestyle section of the newspaper who do cubist paintings and the public calls them the next Picasso. They can’t be the next Picasso because they are not abandoning classical art for a new medium. They are just blindly jumping into a medium with a lack of substance.
Friday Jul 01, 2005
Permanent Portraits
What better way to express your adoration for someone than getting their face permanently emblazoned across your arm? Bmezine has an excellent gallery of portrait tattoos – some of which are as beautiful as they are bizarre. The series of ‘The Late Show’ tattoos are pretty funny. We’re curious to know why someone would get Paul Schaffer tattooed on themselves, but maybe we’re just not in on the joke. But we’re definitely laughing at the caricature of Dave Letterman -- how big are his eyes? There are some pretty ace interpretations of the Virgin Mary, although I think she’s definitely a little more sexed up than many staunch Catholics would like to see. The variety of this gallery is pretty surprising, it couldn’t get more antipodean – they’ve got everyone from Jesus to Scarface (although maybe some of you might think there’s a connection). There are loads of tattoos of kids faces, which we have to admit are pretty damn cute -- it’s the modern day version of carrying your kids picture in your wallet.
Friday Jul 01, 2005
That ONE Tattoo You Haven't Gotten Yet - RESPONSES
That ONE Tattoo You Haven't Gotten Yet
What's that "one tattoo" that you'd love to get but for one reason or another - guts, money, not having the perfect design - you just haven't gotten yet?
Here's some responses from INKEDblog readers:
From Kevin: "My "I'll get it sometime" are tiger stripes, all the way from my right hand, up to the right ear. My nickname from my friends is Tigger, as I am a little HyPeraCTivE sometimes, buncing around... and I love those big cats. When I saw the movie Dusk til Dawn, I fell in love with the idea to get striped. The causes that I don't have it yet are clear: fear (of pain) and the ever hanging possibility that I'll need my skin clean for a job... and wearing high necked, long sleeve shirts summertime is pain in the... Yes money is a problem too... It isn't cheap to get decent quality around here (I'm living in Budapest, Hungary, Europe). I'm not a "collector" I have only one done yet... and that was done ten years ago. Took me a month to get the artist to draw the right one, but I love it, and never tought about removing or overwriting it. So if I ever get another one it will be just as carefully selected.
From Samara: "I have a tattoo that I have neither the money nor the artistry nor the guts for. I would like to have either an octopus crawling/swimming up my left arm (tentacles stretched upward), or a giant squid battling a ship (preferably pirate) that would take up my entire left leg."
You you have a vision of that one "dream tattoo" that you haven't gotten yet, drop us a note at getinked@inkedblog.com
© Electric Artists Inc. All rights reserved.
