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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.
Monday Oct 31, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Monday Oct 31, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoo Stories... "A Galexy Far, Far Away
A Galaxy Far, Far Away…
…from where Marilee’s back piece first began. You’d never know it just by looking, but for ten years this now vibrant tat lived as a dull sun with a simple scorpion caught in its center. Ever since the original ink hit her skin back in 1996, Marilee had wanted a cover-up. The old work was – to be blunt – a “crappy job.” But sense memory can delay even the best of intentions. Her first tat experience was so painful she waited nearly a decade before deciding to re-ink.
Then just this past summer while at home in San Francisco, Marilee felt empowered to return to the chair and conquer her fear of the needle. Impressively, she even walked into the studio alone. No tattoo wingman needed. This time ‘round she was determined to “own the experience.” It was time to get down to it:
To do away with the scorpion – a symbol Marilee felt she had long outgrown – her artist suggested the delicate galaxy scene at the center of the piece. With tremendous artistic trust, she immediately gave over to the idea. The red rays were then added to symbolize a decade’s worth of spiritual growth. And last but not least, the original colors were brightened exponentially so that Marilee, who is partially colorblind, could see and fully appreciate the beautiful variances in her revamped tattoo.
Looks like that wait was worth it.
Monday Oct 31, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Ed Menza
"I never had any strong urges to get a tattoo until I took a second look at a handmade zine that my friend gave me, it had an adorable drawing that she drew that I just found comforting and optomistic. I saw the drawing as a reminder that I had to be more involved with the lives of those around me in a positive way. So about a month before I left for art college I took in the zine to a tattoo parlor near my highschool and had the drawing tattooed on my right ankle where I could easily hide it but be reminded of it's meaning. Afterwards I realized people would probably find it ridiculous but the thought of that only made me happier. So today I am quite pleased with my first tattoo."
Do you have a tattoo with an interesting story behind it?. Send us a photo and a paragraph or two about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
Friday Oct 28, 2005
Halloween Tats
BMEZine's weblog has a terrific gallery of Halloween th emed tattoos. You can check it out here.
Thursday Oct 27, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Hobbes
"The first tattoo {fluidity} came from way back in college at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania; I lived most of my life in Pittsburgh, and while I was at CMU I would get very, very stoned. I'm imagining that MANY of your stories start out with some sort of drug induced inebriation, and then go into getting the desired tattoo on the high. Well, not this time. The only things that I was high on were caffeine and nicotine: the foods of the gods. Anyway, back to college, I used to write fluidity on my left fore arm when I was stoned. Being a stoner, I thought deeply, and still think deeply today {imagine that !}. I decided that fluidity was a universal term for things that are present in many of the world's religions and belief systems: There is a rhythm to the universe, and those who walk on time within this rhythmn are walking with "God's" grace, that is, in his good graces. So, fluidity is the universal term for walking within this universal rhythm.
The design for this tattoo came from many and many more times when I got stoned; each time that I wrote it, I came up with a new visual theme for it. When I had it put on my arm, I tried to use a compilation of all of the styles; it has bits and pieces of the old and some new features. Guess what I'm saying is that a LOT of thought and emotion has gone into this word and its design.
The second tattoo {Love} is easier to explain, sort of. It's my belief that love is the greatest power in the universe; it is "God's" gift to us to keep us going on: searching for love; spreading love; hoping for love... and it fills all of "God's" creations. This energy is present in Nirvana, in Buddha's heart... "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things... love never dies..." Corrinthians. The design's features are instrumental as much as the word is. The psychic eye in the center of the "O", the dark red colour, the knife-like point to the "V" {love hurts}, the caligraphy-like style of the letters connote the inner beauty and grace if it, and the broken pieces show that love can not be captured or used, and is infinite.
Wednesday Oct 26, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - K, G & M.
"We three Aussies got these tats done a few years ago in Melbourne before all heading off to different parts of the globe.
Kerryn loves Kurt Vonnegut and decided to get "And so it goes" ( a recurring line from Slaughterhouse Five) tattooed on her shoulder.
Finally on the other side of three decades worth of bad shit, Gil decided to get "And so it was" tattooed on her back representing the past that she has moved on from but that made her who she is.
And Meg, the eternal optimist decided to get "And so it will be" on her right arm as a symbol of the beautiful unknown.
We reunited this afternoon for a few brief hours before we were once again claimed by different time zones."
Do you have a tattoo with an interesting story behind it?. Send us a photo and a paragraph or two about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
Wednesday Oct 26, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Serra in Charles Town, WV
"This tattoo was designed by me, from a standard photo of a Bard Parker Scapel with blade. I had this tattoo done because I have had a total of nine surgeries, so the tattoo is a dedication to my doctor's successful efforts. There is a lumbar spinal surgerical scar right above the tat, and a thin red tattoo line extending from the bottom end of the scar to the scapel tattoo. My spine doctor liked it so much he took about 20 pictures of it for the classes he teaches. He said he had seen tattoos where patients had attempted to 'cover up' a scar, but never one where the scar had a scapel tatoo extending from it, thus emphasizing the scar itself.
The tattoo was done by Tommy of 'SlowPokes Tattoos' in Ranson, WV.
Wednesday Oct 26, 2005
INED Tonight on A&E
If you haven't yet checked out INKED on A&E, here's a preview of tonight's episodes:
First, at 9PM/8C, an all new episode - "Dizzle Redux"
"Dizzle, H & H's favorite apprentice, is finally stepping up to the plate, but his mentor, Thomas, is starting to fade."
and then...
At 9:30 PM/8:30C - an encore airing of "Old School vs. New School"
"It's a clash of tattoo styles when old school artist Clark butts heads with the new guy, Twig."
** INKED on A&E is a sponsor of INKEDblog.com
Monday Oct 24, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoo Stories - "The Private Stash"
Lest we think the inked among us come armed with the juiciest tat tales, it may turn out that the artists have us beat. Take for instance these two gems courtesy of tat artist Donnie S. and his private story collection. While working at Crimson Dragon Tattoo in Austin, TX from 1992 -2005, he ran in to some quirky customers. Or was that creepy customers. You be the judge:
"An attractive, professional-looking woman came into our shop, and after looking around a few minutes and engaging in intelligent and witty banter with me, she asked if I would tattoo a name 'KEITH' on her wrist. I drew the design, put the stencil on her wrist, and began to set up for the tattoo. While I'm setting up, I'm engaging in small talk -- 'Where're you from?" That kind of thing. 'So, how long have you and Keith been together,' I asked. And she says, 'Oh, we aren't together at all, he doesnt know me yet.' I stopped dead in my tracks...and she proceeded to tell me a story of obsession and fixation that was so intense and so deep (what she told me made 'Fatal Attraction' look like a fairy tale) it made my jaw drop and ended with me being so creeped out that I refused to do the tattoo. Somewhere out there, Keith should be thankful!!!
And this next guy should be plain embarrassed...
"A guy walks in and says 'You got any Marine Corps tattoos?' I show him the traditional bulldog, the anchor and the earth -- some old stuff out of a book -- [and] he says, 'I want [the word] SIMPLIFY, you know, the Marine thing.' 'Do you mean SEMPER FI (short for SEMPER FIDELIS -- Always Faithful -- the Marine credo),' I asked. He [insists] it's Simplify. I said to him, "Man, if you're really a Marine and you go back with SIMPLIFY tattooed on you, they're gonna laugh you out of the Corps. Go ask any other Marine what the slogan is, and if he says Simplify I'll give you SIMPLIFY.' The guy left. Never saw him again. If he was pulling my leg, he did a hell of a job.
these stories from Donny S.
Crimson Dragon Tattoo Austin TX 1992 -2005
Monday Oct 24, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Amy Tyson
"When I was 14 I fell in love with tattoos, so I knew as soon as I turned 18 that I would get one. Over the years I’d been trying to think of what I wanted and what my first tattoo would be. For a while I thought I’d get wings on my back, then I thought of getting the Chinese symbol for dream on the back of my neck, and at one point I wanted this really awesome tribal sun. But the more I thought about them the more I found out they weren’t me. So, I headed out in search of something that represented who I am.
By the time I had turned 16 I still didn’t know what I wanted, but then one day while in one of my classes it came to me. Something that represented who I am, what I believe in, and what I love. The goddess symbol: a symbol of my faith, but to me it’s more than that. I’m pagan and proud, and I have been for about 6 years now. You can think what you like about me, but it’s who I am, and everything I believe in. Now that I have it, I can’t stop thinking about how much I love it. Every morning when I wake up and see it I smile. I can’t wait to get my next one."
(The tattoo was done at Permanent Ink in Halifax, NS, Canada by Ashley Cameron)
Friday Oct 21, 2005
Surge in New Orleans Tattoos Post Katina
Kevin Krolicki of the news service Reuters reports yesterday that in New Orleans, there's been a huge surge in demand for tattoos in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Relief workers have been getting messages and images inked onto their bodies in response to the devistation from the killer storm. The article states:
"It's not like people are getting 'I Survived Katrina,'" manager and resident body piercing expert Erik Clemmer said. "But I think people are happy to be alive."Natalie, who asked that her last name not be used because she does not want her parents to know she is getting a tattoo, chose a line from the musical "Cabaret," to carry on her left hip: "In here, life is beautiful."
The line conjures the menacing forces swirling around Berlin in the 1930s, she says, adding that it seems apt for New Orleans, another city that has cultivated an image of sinfulness.
"I think it's perfect because outside the world is falling apart," she said.
Seated nearby U.S. Army Spec. Brian Wood, a member of the Illinois National Guard, was getting a lyric from a rock song framed by two pistols needled into his right forearm.
The line from band Killswitch Engage stuck with him as a kind of mantra during 18 months in Iraq and six weeks in New Orleans, especially during the early days of high water and looting, the 20-year-old said.
"This is the path I walk. I walk it with my own resolve," he said, quoting the song. "It means I know what I'm doing. And, I don't know, it just seemed like the time to get it."
Tattoo artist Juju Becker spent days after the late August storm working up designs like "Katrina" written on a Second World War era-bomb, just in case clients showed up asking for that kind of hurricane tattoo.
But, he said, most request a storm-related message that has personal resonance.
A New Orleans Police Officer in uniform, who asked that his name not be used because he was critical of the conduct of other police, came in with a design for himself and comrades in the First District, which now calls itself "Fort Apache."
A badge-like design, the tattoo reads: "Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Police, Fort Apache District."
"We were the only ones that stayed. The only ones that held," he said of his police station in the chaos that followed the storm. "They were shooting at us in the station. We were shooting back. I'm glad people are back now. It was like a zombie movie, man."
Photo Above: "Tattoo artist "JuJu" Becker works to design a tattoo for National Guardsman Brian Wood at the Crescent City Tattoo Parlor in the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana October 18, 2005. With the emotional impact of working during the weeks following Hurricane Katrina there has been a rush of National Guardsmen, relief workers and others impacted by the disaster to get tattoos commemorating their experiences in the U.S. Gulf Coast. REUTERS/LUCAS JACKSON"
Friday Oct 21, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoo Stories.... "Two Sisters"
Two Sisters…
…two entirely different reasons for getting tattooed. And they did it together. Um…yay?
I met Holly outside of Bar Nine here in NYC. One good thing about the bar ban on smoking – you get to bond with folks puffing away on the sidewalk. Liquid courage flowing, I walked right up to her and asked about the dolphin tat on the small of her back. Lucky for me she didn’t seem weirded out that I was looking in the first place. Bonus #2: She busted out laughing and came straight out with this. I paraphrase…
Holly and her older sister were living it up in the Caribbean with some mutual friends. Now, ever since Holly’s sis took a nasty spill from a horse she’d wanted to tattoo, well, a horse…on her back…which just so happens to be exactly where she was injured in the fall. And boom – here she was years later, on a sun-filled island vacation, determined to finally go through with it. (Personally, I can’t even guess as to why. Caribbean getaways and horseback riding fall well outside my life experience.) The catch was, she refused to get inked alone. Enter Holly. Apparently she was begged into it. Or was it rushed into it? Maybe pressured?
See, I asked if her sister was pleased with the horse tat. And the answer was, yes indeed. But as for Holly…let’s just say Holly seems less thrilled with the outcome. Probably because she picked her own tattoo rather randomly. I quote…
“I’m not a tattoo person. I just went along with it so my sister would shut-up about it and get hers. Do you have any tattoos you regret? I hate mine. Who gets a dolphin with the word ‘strength’ around it? That’s so retarded.”
Ah yes, sibling love. At least you can laugh about it, Holly.
Thursday Oct 20, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoos Stories - Andrea Firsthand
How many of us lie like rugs after getting tattooed? We macho up and deny feeling any pain at all. Either that, or we acknowledge that it hurt like all hell, and then we go around wearing that fact like a badge: “Yeah man, it was brutal, but I sat for three hours straight – no breaks – cuz I’m badass like that.” At least that’s what I think I said. Thankfully, Andrea here chronicled her tattoo process. Refreshingly, she’s nothing but honest about what it was like for her:
“After looking at art forever and looking for the right tattoo for over a year, I found a group of women in separate paintings done by the artist Dorian that I wanted to represent the three Greek Fates. Their names are: Klotho, Lakhesis and Atropos. Klotho spins the thread of life, Lakhesis determines the length of the thread and Atropos cuts the thread when the proper time has come for death… Thankfully we are starting out slow and doing the tattoo in parts. Right now I have one of the women on my lower back; an oriental inspired piece that I like very much, but is not my favorite. The other two will come later when I forget how painful this tattoo was.
The outline is the worst part. For a lot of it, the pain is manageable [and] in some parts it doesn’t hurt at all. But the long sweeping lines, the feeling of a bee sting to scraping flesh manifests quickly. I repeated over and over in my head, ‘This will end, this will end.’ As soon as Scott lifts the tattoo machine from my skin, the pain stops almost immediately.
That is the only thing that I think makes tattoos bearable; the pain stops when the needles are not in the skin….In the end, the repeated action of being tattooed adds up, and I started to feel heavy in the heart like I was going to have an anxiety attack. As the pain added up we had to stop a few times so I could relax…I never expected to have that reaction. Scott knew what that was like so [he] took it very slow and gentle with me. We spent about 2 ½ hours of needle time, and I think it was worth it….Now my tattoo is getting into the sunburned feeling itchy stage. Joy! I hope I’m a quick healer; I can’t wait to see what she looks like when she is fully healed.
Each day it is a surprise in how she gets more vibrant and detailed.”
So did Andrea eventually forget the pain and get more ink? Yep. That beautiful hummingbird tat is also hers. Everyone handles the tattoo process differently. Be honest with yourself and honest with your artist every step along the way. Just try not to twitch in the chair; erasing is strictly impossible.
Scott is Scott Strampel from Electric Needle Hut in Edwardsburg, MI . Visit them here
Wednesday Oct 19, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Wednesday Oct 19, 2005
INKEDBlog Profile: Sami Hajar
Sami Hajar
29
Editor/Photographer
NYC
INKEDblog: What was your first tattoo?
Sami: Chinese Character meaning dragon.
INKEDblog: What’s your favorite tattoo?
Sami: I have the name ‘Betty’ in script. It means a lot to me because Betty is my grandma’s name.
INKEDblog: What's the lamest tat you've ever seen?
Sami: I saw some kid with the Jeep logo once…
INKEDblog: Next tattoo?
Sami: I plan on finishing my arm one of these days.
Wednesday Oct 19, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story -INKEDblog Visitor - Paul M. Dello-Stritto
"It took 7 years of perpetual and internal battling to finally make the decision. 7 life changing years, from being an adolescent to becoming an adult, from being a student to becoming a professional; from being ego-centrical to becoming modest. And when all was said and done, it ended with 14 hours of needled, cathartic bliss.
The meaning in the most basic and understandable of ways: Merely a physical depiction of the loss of hope. Nothing more or nothing less for that matter."
Original Painting/Artist Description: http://www.francis-bacon.cx/triptychs/three_studies.html
Paul's Blog Address: www.dello-stritto.com
Do you have a tattoo with an interesting story behind it?. Send us a photo and a paragraph or two about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
Wednesday Oct 19, 2005
INKED Tonight on A&E
If you haven't yet checked out INKED on A&E, here's a preview of tonight's episodes:
First, at 9PM/8C, an all new episode - "Supersize My Hart"
"The Hart and Huntington artists spend a day at the Ronald McDonald House painting with the kids and their families for a charity auction to be held at the Palms. Dejah, an artist who has been with the shop since the day it opened, is leaving for good"
and then...
At 9:30 PM/8:30C - an encore airing of "Love on the Rocks"
"Monica, who has a relationship with co-owner Thomas, takes a messy turn. At the tattoo shop, Monica breaks down during a live Tony Hawk radio broadcast from H & H."
** INKED on A&E is a sponsor of INKEDblog.com
Tuesday Oct 18, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - INKEDblog Reader - Aimee
"I'm 32 years old. In May 2003, at the youthful age of 30, I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. After researching treatment protocols and seeing photographs of reconstructed breasts, I knew even before my bilateral mastectomy that I would be choosing to get a tattoo rather than reconstruction.
I think in metaphors. While going through the two years of cancer treatment many metaphors, images of various things that I could relate to my cancer experience, came to me. So, when it came time to start the tattoo, I already had in my mind's eye the various images I wanted to have in the piece. The outline of the piece is actually a large breast cancer ribbon that wraps around my back. The two front sections will cross over and continue down my chest/abdomen. Eventually the outside line will be shaded to give a three dimensional look and texture/shading will be added within the piece to give it an appearance of fabric.
We're about 10 hours in to the piece and we're about 1/3 of the way through it. The most important thing about this tattoo is that it is more about healing than covering up scars. It has a spiritual significance that goes beyond words. And the artist, Kody from Outer Limits in Costa Mesa, doesn't draw out the design before she inks. We just communicate with one another and we're both fairly open to the evolution of the piece. So I have literally taken each ink session in faith, and what I've learned from that is that I don't think I'd have it any other way.
While there's still a lot more ink that needs to go into this piece, and even some more detailing put into what is already there, I have found that this tattoo is already helping me to be less self conscious about not having breasts, and more willing to pull down my shirt and talk about what I've been through as a young woman with breast cancer.
I also wrote a poem about my experience with this tattoo. You can read it here.
or more information about breast cancer and tattooing as an option, check out: http://www.healingartt.com
Do you have a tattoo with an interesting story behind it?. Send us a photo and a paragraph or two about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
Tuesday Oct 18, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - INKEDblog Reader - Sam Dickson
"My tattoo is based on an Adrian George (Osiris Visions) poster from the late 60's done for the record album "Sellout" by The Who. I am quite a Who fan and this tattoo is kind of badge for me and my love of the Who's music."
The tattoo done by Dustin McAndrew in Erie, PA about 2 years ago.
Adrian George's Original Postwer
Do you have a tattoo with an interesting story behind it?. Send us a photo and a paragraph or two about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
Monday Oct 17, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Monday Oct 17, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - Nola Gurl
"I really love snakes and the spirit of the American Southwest so I wanted to capture that with this piece. The rattlesnake is based on crotalus viridus abyssus, or the Grand Canyon Rattlesnake. My dad died of cancer four years ago and the one thing that he wanted to do but couldn't was hike to the bottom of the Canyon before he died. I hiked to the bottom twice after he passed away so this piece serves as a tribute to that. The flowers are sacred datura, which grow throughout the canyon. On my inner arm is a canyon scene with baby snakes hatching out of eggs.
My work was done by Don Davis at Eye Candy Tattoo in New Orleans, LA.
Friday Oct 14, 2005
Every BODY Has A Story - What's Yours?
Over the last few months we've showcased some amazing tattoos and the stories behind them. In the coming weeks we'll be profiling stories and tattoos from INKEDblog readers like yourself. So if you have an interesting tattoo with an interesting story behind it, or a not so interesting tattoo but a great story behind it, send it along to us. Include a photo and a couple of paragraphs about the story behind the tat. We'll post them throughout the week. You can email them to getinked@inkedblog.com
Thursday Oct 13, 2005
Can You Date Me By My Tat?... Comments by Jessica Lund
Often lead by celebrities, tattoo styles have shifts and trends like any other high fashion item. Since tattoos last forever though, it will be interesting to see if we will be able to date people by their choices. Imagine your granddaughter looking at your tribal tat and saying, “geeze, grammaw, you musta got that in the 90’s! You are So old!”
This isn’t so different from the way that WW1 and WW2 tattoos date their wearers, but for our generation, it is style, rather than historical events that move our choice of style.
As tattoo trends come and go, the ink remains. One wonders if the custom tats that are so hip at the moment will look like dinosaurs in ten years when everyone starts getting their zip code tats inked on (oh, wait a sec, zip code tats are already popular). Some other trend then, something we haven’t even thought of yet.
To try to guess someone’s age, we won’t need to ask them when they graduated from high school, we just need to take a look at the Celtic armband- huh, he’s 42. He looked so much older…
... Jessica Lund
Thursday Oct 13, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More photos from Mark here.
Wednesday Oct 12, 2005
INKEDblog Interview - "Nick"
Nick
22
Fashion Designer
Toronto
INKEDblog: What's your favorite tattoo?
Nick: The green snowflake behind my ear. Atomic winter!”
INKEDblog: Why'd you get it?
Nick: My best friend used to include them in all of her paintings and I just wanted to have it on me.”
INKEDblog: What was your first tattoo?
Nick: Oh embarrass much! A star on the back of my neck. I was a raver and 16 years old. Need I say more?”
INKEDblog: How many tat's do you have?
Nick: 5 and a half-sleeve.
INKEDblog: What's the worst tattoo you've ever seen?
Nick: Oh man, I’ve seen a lot of bad tattoos – dolphins on ankles, crooked nautical stars, home poked things... but I really do hate tribal the most.
INKEDblog: What do your tat's signify to you?
Nick: Some of them have meaning, like childhood stuff, but most of them are really just things I think are rad.
INKEDblog: What's the meaning behind your latest piece (your half sleeve)?
Nick: I love the art nouveau style. There are a lot of significant meanings to the swan. Beautiful and dangerous; the swan dress; but mostly I like it because of ugly duckling syndrome.
INKEDblog: How long did it take you to think of the design?
Nick: I asked my tattoo artist (who happens to be my best friend) if she would draw out a swan half-sleeve for me. Two days later, I saw the drawing and fell in love.
INKEDblog: In 30 years when you look at all your ink, how do you think you'll feel?
Nick: I think I'll remember good times from when I was young.
INKEDblog: Anything that you'll regret?
Nick: I doubt it. They're just part of my skin.
INKEDblog: What are you getting next?
Nick: I’m either extending the half-sleeve or outlining the Holy Grail for my chest… I haven't really decided yet.
Wednesday Oct 12, 2005
INKED Tonight on A&E
If you haven't yet checked out INKED on A&E, here's a preview of tonight's episodes:
At 9:00PM/8:00C - "Trouble in Paradise"
"After nearly a year, the shop is still not operating like a well-oiled machine or making money for that matter and it's beginning to take a toll on the owners. To make matters worse, Carey and Thomas's personal relationship is also suffering. An old friend, though, comes back to town and suddenly everything changes."
and then...
At 9:30 PM/8:30 C - and encore presentation of "Get a Leg Up, Thomas"
Thomas is commissioned to "tattoo" a model's prosthetic leg, but every time he goes to put brush to limb, something comes up and the leg is put on the shelf. Over time that proves to be a bit of a problem, because the woman needs it back. But just when Thomas is finally about to get down to business, an unexpected event throws him for a loop and the fate of the leg is put into question.
** INKED on A&E is a sponsor of INKEDblog.com
Tuesday Oct 11, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoo Stories - "Boo!"
Halloween's upon us, and it's time to shake up the humdrum with a little death. To that end, I offer up Thomas's first tat: a gnarly looking skeleton. On first glance, I thought for sure my man was running with the Goths. Either that or there was some sort of death rock thing going on.
Turns out, in this case it's neither. After talking with Tom, it became increasingly clear that his ink wasn't so much about death as it was a celebration of life. Albeit a rather haunting one. Boo!
"One of my favorites subjects for personal pondering has always been death. Though it seems a majority of people find this topic morbid and depressing, I find the experience of life to be many times richer knowing that all good things come to an end. For my first tattoo I chose the creeping skeleton partially for its aesthetic value and partially for the symbolism, to me, of death always hovering over one’s shoulder. Though some would claim the man who is free from thoughts of his inevitable demise is consistently happier in his day to day living, I say that individual is, regrettably, also shamefully blind and less aware of life’s richness. Only in knowing that our existence will cease, and acknowledging that bitter truth frequently, will we be grateful for the life we have and gain perspective that the world does not strictly revolve around our personal problems, everyday whims and self-satisfying accomplishments. Though some have found this particular tattoo to be 'scary' or 'strange' in their view, I find it inherently beautiful both as a work of art and as a sobering reminder."
Tuesday Oct 11, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
You can see more photos from Mark here.
Tuesday Oct 11, 2005
What’s In, What’s Out: Latest Tattoo Trends
IN:
Half Sleeves: shoulder to elbow
Japanese Style: fish, water, fire. (Often fitting
over the body, rather than discrete images)
Lettering: Old English and others
Religious Tats: sacred hearts, saints
New York Style: bold outline and bright, bold colors
Fineline: highly detailed work that reproduces the effect of a drawing or painting on skin
Rockabilly: cars, babes, and rock n roll
Bio-mechanical: flesh combined with machines
Realistic: often portraits or photos, most often in black and white
Custom: work designed either by the wearer or in conjunction with the tattoo artist
Henna: for those who are not seeking a permanent tat
OUT:
Tribal designs: Overdone!
Arm bands: Overdone!
Homemade tattoos: Dangerous and ugly!
"Flash": Boring, impersonal and overdone!
NOTE: The main trend with tattoos is that people are taking more time to find their design, whatever style that may be. This often means that these tattoos are bolder than in the past, as the wearer has had the time to consider the tattoo, carefully. As for what’s out, the less popular tats are either ones of inferior design, or tats that have been seen too often.
Monday Oct 10, 2005
Tattoos in Fashion - Gesele Bundchen for Ipanema
For an upcoming ad campaign for her new sandal line Ipanema, Gisele Bundchen was covered head-to-toe fake tattoos. The print ads will appear in fashion magazines this winter. You can see more here. (Beware, the website has the most annoying music ever)
Monday Oct 10, 2005
An Interview with Tattoo Artist Laura Bennett
Ah, Napa Valley: wine, sun, polo-shirt-wearing yuppies, and tattoos! That’s right, there’s ink in wine country thanks to one amazing woman – the artist/owner of Flying Colors Tattoo, Laura Bennett. Lucky me got the chance to chat with her via e-mail about her passion for tats and her reasons for opening Napa’s first and only tattoo studio. And she even called me Dahling. I admit it, I’m crushing … Justin Pelegano
INKEDblog: Your love for ink started where?
Laura: In high school there seemed to be a lot of injuries that needed casts. Since I wasn't busy going to class or doing schoolwork I would draw on the broken arms and legs; elaborate murals in Sharpie pen that would always be cut off when the bone healed. "What? You let him cut through my Rick Wakeman keyboard?"
A kid at my school had a mustache (all the ID you needed in the 70s to get a tattoo) and he came to school with a lady on his forearm with a snake wrapping around like it was holding her on. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I'm sure I had seen some kind of WWII blob on somebody's dad, but it was like the first time I was ever aware of a tattoo. I decided then that I wanted to be a tattoo artist when I grew up. I'm still waiting to grow up, but on my next birthday I will have been tattooing for a living for
14 years.
INKEDblog: You apprenticed under Dirty Harry? Can you tell me a little about what that time in your life was like?
Laura: I married someone who thought tattoos were only for the drunks, sailors and cheap women. "No wife of mine is going to spend her time in a tattoo shop!" (He's right, no wife of his does.) I was working as a Sign Language interpreter at the local high school; unhappily married; feeling rebellious. I went to Berkeley with a friend one day and we got tattoos. I was 29. Before the first little thing was done (a Saturn you could cover with a quarter for my Saturn return) I was already planning and plotting how I was going to be tattooed without him flipping out. I asked C.W. Eldridge (Tattoo Archive, Berkeley) how to be a tattoo artist. He told me that I should draw tattoos, and then draw some more and take my work around and ask for an apprenticeship. Being a woman in 1990, married mom with two kids, everyone that talked to me said NO. "Go home and raise your kids, this isn't for women to do." For two years and one divorce I searched for someone to teach me. There were women in the industry, but nowhere close [to] enough for me to know about them. Chuck Eldridge gave me the best advice, and it's what I pass on to other youngsters that want in: Do NOT try to learn to tattoo by tattooing your friends in your garage. Get an apprenticeship--this can't be figured out by yourself without a lot of unsightly mistakes that will be covered up by the very people you want to hire you. Scratching will poison your name.
Harry said I was good, but he was tired of taking apprentices that weren’t really committed. I spent my rent money on a kit from Huck Spaulding and showed up with it and told him if he didn't teach me how to use it my kids and I would be on the street. He let me start the next day. I will always bless his name, he gave me my in to this business. I've had apprentices that don't acknowledge where they started, and I think that's the height of ingratitude.
INKEDblog: Can you take me through the evolution of your shop?
Laura: I was pregnant with my second husband and my third child and I just couldn't do the commute to Tattoos Unlimited any more. That husband helped me start Flying Colors when all I had was a couple of machines, a desk and some Scotch tape. I was at my first location for almost twelve years before I moved to this newer, nicer spot.
INKEDblog: Napa Valley's first and only tattoo parlor; you must get some...um....interesting clients, right? And at the same time your business must stand out. Is it hard at times?
Laura: Oh, I'm not a "parlor" Dahling...I'm a studio. This is Napa after all, and don't we all have our noses in the air? The city hadn't ever even dealt with an application from a tattoo artist before I came along, and I just sort of slipped under the radar. I think that ANY shop gets an interesting clientele, the people who get tattoos are interesting! When I used to go watch ex-husband number one get in trouble in child-support court I would play a game called "Have I tattooed more people on this side of the bar or that?"
Depending on the judge or the bailiff that day it could go either way. I was not the Tattoo Lady when I moved here, and I didn't realize how difficult it would be. I just smile at the tattoo haters, and know that at least one of their friends or loved ones wears my mark.
INKEDblog: Can you speak to the connection between your study of tarot and your tattooing?
Laura: Tarot and Sign Language are all about visual meaning. Tarot encompasses every facet of the human experience, both mundane and profound. All the flowers, colors, water...the list could go on and on, it all has meaning. The number of stars around your moon can mean something. I google flower meanings to add depth to a tattoo. I have tattooed on myself: Bluebells (humility), begonia (beware), and dogwood flowers (love undiminished by adversity). I always look for ways to slide in something significant, even if hidden.
INKEDblog: What's an ideal artistic connection for you, between you and the client I mean?
Laura: My best connections are with people who have a story to tell. Their tattoos embrace or proclaim something that is important to them, and they only have half an idea of how to do that. It's the tuning in and listening that enables me to do what I do. Other than logos or simple things like stars, I design every tattoo for the person who will wear it, and I don't re-use stencils unless it's a piece that a group of people want to do together.
Many of my closest friends started out as clients, and it's through talking and getting to know the person, sharing personal details of our lives and loves, that I get to know who they really are. I have a place in my tribe; I celebrate with them, mark their grief, claim their beauty. Often someone will say to me "I can't believe I told you all of that." or "We have so much in common!" [And] almost every sitting ends with a hug. I feel honored and connected to many of my people, or, I tattoo a butterfly with tribal right above their crack, or another piece of solid black tribal. (even those are designed for each individual.)
Tattooing is my favorite thing to do, it's what I'd do for fun after work if I had to get a JOB.
Visit Laura and the Flying Colors site at www.flyingcolorstattoo.com
Thursday Oct 06, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoo Stories - "Dog-Earred'
Ever watch the Discovery Channel? Me neither. But my sources tell me that body-marking animals is common practice for a slew of reasons. My sources also say...okay fine, I admit it, I watch the Discovery Channel. Like a pro. And no, I don't have sources. Anyway, like I was saying, animals get tattooed and branded all the time -- to track them in the wild, to display ownership, to group them, etc. But when tattoo artist DG Wilson inked his dog T-Rex, it was for a much more personal reason.
"In Spring 2004 I tattooed my dog's ear. T-Rex is very special to me. He taught me how to love and care for something...even myself. I believe he [helped] me make a transition so I was able to find my wife and love her and her daugther."
For DG, nothing says "thank you" like a little ink. Well, that and providing T-Rex with a loving home. And worry not PETA, T-Rex didn't even feel the needle -- he was tattooed while having surgery on a bum toe. Go to sleep unadorned, wake up with a cool tat: a dream come true in my book.
Thursday Oct 06, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews... Logan
INKEDblog: What's your favorite tattoo?
Logan: The one I don’t have yet, or my forearms. I got it as therapy, and to piss off the boyfriend I just broke up with. As part of getting back at him, I treated myself to two better tattoos than he couldn’t afford. It was great therapy.
INKEDblog: How many tatt's do you have?
Logan: 15, but some became parts of others so I guess more like 13.
INKEDblog: What's the worst tattoo you've ever seen?
Logan: On my best friend. He’s from Kentucky (that’s an important disclaimer). He has the classic panther on the upper arm, with the claws digging into his skin. It reminds me of those 80’s coffee tables with the black panther under the glass.”
INKEDblog: What do your tat's signify to you?
Logan: Originally, they meant nothing. Then people ask you all the time, so you either make up a story, or you start getting tattoos that mean something. Now they are all about the cycle of life.
INKEDblog: In 30 years when you look at all your ink, how do you think you'll feel?
Logan: In 30 years I won’t know I have tattoos.
INKEDblog: Are there any that you'll regret?
Logan: I hate people asking me what they mean at the most random places, like grocery stores. I did regret getting a Cristal Connars signature on my arm, but then I realized how awesome it was.
INKEDblog: What are you getting next?
Logan: Lots of removal… and a bigger back piece.
Wednesday Oct 05, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Wednesday Oct 05, 2005
Justin Pelegano's Tattoo Stories - "The Eyes Have It"
Flash art: Pick it off the wall. Put it where you want it. But chances are, if it’s flash, it ain’t unique. Someone else out there’s walking around with your ink. So I guess the question is: does that get to you? My first tat was flash. I knew that eventually I’d want to build on it. I was just waiting for the right time. Yeah, and that time came real fast right after someone showed me a picture of Joey Buttafucco sporting my design. We can’t have that, now can we? So I all but covered the thing up with fresh ink and a new concept. But talking to my cousin – who picked his shoulder tat off the flash wall – I got a different take on ready-made tattoos. And a pretty Zen one at that:
“I wanted another tattoo. My first one was a big arty piece that I’d sweated over customizing. It was gratifying to go through that and end up with exactly what I wanted…[but] I didn’t want to think on it too much for my second [tat]. I went into the shop and was thumbing through some of the books. I went in thinking I wanted a spider, but then I came across this eye design and I knew it: that was going on me. We took the color out of the original [flash] art, but other than that it’s exactly as it looked on the page. I’d had it for like a year when I was checking out tattoos on the BME site, and I came across a photo of a guy with the exact same one. He had it on his bicep. I thought it was great that someone out there who I had no idea about was down with the same design and wanted to put it on [his body]. We’re linked. And we’re total strangers. It’s cool.”
Yeah but what if that stranger’s a complete clod? Then what? Nah, I’ll push my cynicism aside for this one and agree that sharing flash just might be great. Sometimes.
Wednesday Oct 05, 2005
Two Encore Episodes of INKED Tonight on A&E
If you haven't yet checked out INKED on A&E, tonight's a great night to do so, as two of the series most popular episodes come back for an encore...
Tonight's back-to-back episodes start at 9:00PM/8:00C 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" at 9:30 PM/8:30C is an encore airing of "The Trouble with Nina"
"Nina, the new receptionist at H & H, is driving everyone crazy at the shop. And, like so many H & H receptionists before her, she's skating on thin ice."
** INKED on A&E is a sponsor of INKEDblog.com
Monday Oct 03, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Monday Oct 03, 2005
INKEDblog Interviews DG Wilson
INKEDblog: I read on your website that you got a full ride at Pratt to study visual art. You were selected from a talent search. What made you decide to attend Pratt? And did you know going in that tattooing would become such a major part of your life?
DG: I took part in a National Talent Search for the scholarship program offered by Pratt. I decided to try out for many scholarships and had a choice to make….. As soon as I walked onto the campus of Pratt (after visiting a few others) I knew that was where I was supposed to go. Destiny? Intuition? I was attracted to the way that the campus was a tiny island of Nature – the grass, trees, squirrels etc. – adrift in a sea of concrete. NYC is unparalleled in the opportunity department, so I decided to stay. I remember growing up knowing that I was going to be an artist, hoping I would be a household name in fact. But I was not clear on the form of art that I wanted to [pursue]… I wanted an art job or career that would enable me to make money, but I had absolutely no concept that I was going to go into tattoos, not at all. Tattoos were a dirty subject in my home growing up. [My] father wanted to have a tattoo all his life, but his wife would never ever let him even entertain the notion. [She’d say,] "The day you come home with a tattoo is the day we get divorced." (I ended up tattooing him. They are still married.) As soon as I graduated college I made up my mind to either "sink or swim." I wanted to avoid the trap of getting a day job to pay the bills [while putting] my own art to the side. No, I wanted to be independent and strike out on my own. Rent came up again in my small sublet apartment and I really started knuckling down. I remembered a tattoo shop I had been in once when I was a kid. There was art all over the walls. Today I know it as flash art… so there I was holding my head in my hands crying about money and then I thought, "Hey, someone had to draw those designs. Maybe I can sell some to a shop." I looked in the Yellow Pages and the only shop listed at that time was a Tattoo Supply Distributor. I contacted Wes Woods at Unimax and set up an interview. I showed him my little portfolio which included some "tattoo" drawings I did just for the interview. Wes loved my work because it didn't look like the tired Flash art that had been around for a million years. We made a deal of $5.00 bucks a page of designs. That night I was charged with energy and immediately went back and set up working. The following week I had ten pages drawn up….It was a series of art that I still feel today is the most incredible, varied and healing work I have ever done. There was a whole "cleansing" thing about the work and the way that I worked to achieve the deeply subconscious imagery. For the next two years I continued drawing up flash for Wes, but at his pace of 10 pages a week. Finally [when Wes] hadn't been in town for four weeks, I took advantage of a few lessons…and tattooed a lady’s butt with her husband’s name…..The lady complimented my work and called to thank me. That’s when [Wes and I] decided that it was time for me to go out on my own. Another year later, I opened up my own shop in Brooklyn and have not looked back since.
INKEDblog: I get the sense that you love working with your clients to really individualize the work. You only do custom tattooing. And you even work with your customers in terms of their budget. I read that you enjoy giving your art out into the world and having it breathe and exist. I think that's amazing, but does that philosophy ever make it hard for you to make a living tattooing?
DG: The philosophy that I am currently aspiring towards is one of "God Provides." Basically, I don't advertise, I don't do much of anything beyond tattooing and relying on the work. Certainly with more money and time there might be a greater turnout each day, but I am fully occupied these days. A few tattoos a day are good; however, the flow is not up to me, but God. Some days I'll do a bunch and others none at all. In that respect I don't make a lot of money, hell most times it feels like none at all. Since I can't work on the customer flow and I don't want to ram tattoos or my art down anyone's throat, I rely on the Universe to send me customers. Furthermore, I don't know how to price my tattoos. If I go by other shops then my customers would not come. If I went by the prices of others with comparable work, then the number drops even more. I'd rather tattoo and give regular people celebrity with their art than cater to the rich. Basically I have a minimum and everything else is "God given talent, pay as much as you can." I do more work, but make a bit less money this way. I don't mind at this time because I am doing a public service in a way by making Brooklyn look better.
INKEDblog: Tell me what's special about working in Brooklyn. Sounds like you are very tied to the community both in terms of the teaching you do and the murals you donate. How important is it, and why, for you to spread art to kids who may not otherwise be exposed to it?
DG: I like Brooklyn. If you can make it here then anywhere else is just that much easier. The people here are sharp. They taught me a few tricks about negotiation, that is for sure. But there is a sense of culture here more than elsewhere, even in Manhattan, because each neighborhood is smaller and more exposed. The spread of good art is important in a huge number of ways. Art is the expression of the artist in most cases. In tattooing it is the opposite: I am the tool that puts the expression of the customer on them [so they can] communicate to the world. Artists build societies and…their art is their expression of the world. As Picasso put it, "Art is the Lies that expose the truth." But in today's world… museums and galleries do not actively promote their art to the young in the hopes of creating art lovers. No, they teach to those that are already interested and to the schools that have enough finances. With my murals I am trying to excite people by showing them art in their every day life. Paintings in a gallery or home gallery are viewed frequently. The owners can experience how a subject will change appearance by way of colors, shapes and their mental interpretation of the art from day to day, hour to hour, with the changing light. Us regular people that don't even have the time to go into a museum can witness these aspects of art on our way to work each day if they are in a public mural.
INKEDblog: You are a painter, you draw & sketch, you tattoo, and you do some amazing work with Bonsai. Which of these, which visual medium, is closest to your heart and why? Or are they much too intertwined to rate them like that?
DG: To me things are compartmentalized. Painting is for fun and future profit. Drawing gets concepts of mine out quickly to others. Tattooing pays the bills. At the same time I constantly mix several [art forms] to get something out of it for myself. For example: I will put up my paintings in my tattoo shop to expose people to art, but I don't expect to sell them. I will do drawings for the customers to show them that I understand what they want in a tattoo. The Bonsai has been a hobby for almost twenty years. I only guide the tree, God does everything else. I just try not to get in the way.
Check out DG’s site for more information and photos of his work http://www.masterpiecestattoos.com/
Monday Oct 03, 2005
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
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