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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 Feb 27, 2006
Thai Temple Tattoos: Sak Yant
Thai Temple tattoos are an ancient tradition in Thai Buddhism. These beautiful tattoos are geometrical designs that are deemed to possess magic powers of protection. Given by Thai monks, the prayers inside the designs are written in Pali Sanskrit.
Though the main component is Indian or Rotring ink, the magic temple ink is said to contain an enormous array of other eclectic materials including battery acid, lizard skin, plant extracts, snake oil, corpse chin oil. This concoction appears to kill bacteria!
Monks use different tools to make the tattoos. Some of the monks use sharpened sticks of bamboo, others use thin weighted metal rods. Apparently, they used to use parts from a western umbrella, cut and modified though this is rarely seen now.
A note of caution: this tattooing process does not use the same methods of sterilization towards which most Western tattoo artists strive. Because of this, there is a greater risk involved with this type of tattooing than there would generally be in the States.
If you happen to be in Thailand and decide to get a Temple tattoo, go in the morning when the tools have been newly sterilized, they are not always sterilized between uses during the day.
| Monday Feb 27, 2006
Everybody HAS a Story - The Angel and Devil Dolls
I was living in Texas before I moved to Portland and started apprenticing at Captain Jacks. I got this tattoo back then; it represents some of my buddies who didn’t make it. One of the guys died from gang violence, the other one died from drugs. The guy who died from drugs is the devil one cuz I am not into that stuff. The other guy is an angel because it wasn’t his fault. I have their faces look like dolls because dolls are not alive.
Friday Feb 24, 2006
Tattoo Convention in the Salt Palace
Where can you find a huge gathering of tattoo artists and celebrities from all over the world this weekend? Not New York, not Los Angeles, but… Salt Lake City.
Though at its conception three years ago Salt Lake City was considered an odd place to host the convention, it has been wildly successful and promises to provide even more thrills this year.
Organized by CJ Starkey, many famous artists will attend including Jack Rudy (known for his improvements in single line tattooing), and Gil Montie (world renowned tattoo artist). Other artists from around the globe will be present and most ready to administer some truly unique tattoos.
The convention will run from Thursday through Sunday and will be filmed on behalf of A&E’s INKED. Not only will some of the cast of INKed be present, but an episode will also be filmed during the convention.
Are you attending the tattoo convention? Tell us about your favorite tattoo or artist!
Thursday Feb 23, 2006
The Taz…
What is it about Tasmanian Devil tattoos? While Taz is not even one of the most popular characters in the Bugs Bunny cartoons, he is at the top of the list when it comes to subject matter for tattoos. There is something undeniably charming about this befuddled whirlwind that speaks to many people who wear him with… if not pride, self-knowledge and a sense of humor.
Though now extinct, the Tasmanian Devil was a real animal in Australia. With its ferocious growl, carnivorous appetite and tremendous teeth, it’s no wonder the creature ended up with ‘Devil’ as its surname. The cartoon version of the Tasmanian devil is a whirling dervish, his extreme energy and animal instincts belaying his innocence and lack of guile. Bugs Bunny always tricks him in the end, but the Taz never loses his enthusiasm.
A Tasmanian Devil is a tattoo that says “Carpe Diem!!” or “Seize the Day!!” and really means it.
Thursday Feb 23, 2006
The Virgin of Guadalupe
An iconic image of Mexican culture, the colorful Virgin of Guadalupe is a popular choice for tattoos. The icon represents more than a religious reference, however. The Virgin is a quintessentially Mexican story that symbolizes both Mexican nationalism, and faith in miracles.
According to the legend, the Virgin of Guadalupe was the Virgin Mary who appeared to a Catholic man named Juan Diego, almost five hundred years ago. At that time, few of the Aztec people in the region were Catholic. The Virgin requested that Juan tell the bishop to build a church, immediately on the site where she appeared. The bishop balked, doubting the veracity of the miracle, and Mary appeared again to Juan. This time, she gave him a beautiful bunch of roses. Juan put the roses in his poncho to show the bishop, but when he opened the poncho up there were no roses! In their place was an image of the Virgin of Guadeloupe, imprinted on the interior of his poncho. The church and poncho exist to this day, in Mexico City where the miracle occurred.
Many other miraculous imprints of the Virgin of Guadalupe have since been discovered, and the use of the image as a tattoo is highly significant
Wednesday Feb 22, 2006
US Army Shifts Position on Tattoos, Again
After the last recent ruling on neck tattoos in the US army, it seemed as if a fairly clear standard was developed: neck tats are alright for enlisting soldiers as long as they do not contain offensive, or demoralizing content.
Then a woman tried to enlist with a tattoo that began on the front of her neck and continued down the rest of her torso. The Army balked.
Officers decided to make a rule to exclude this woman but their attempts to use viable reasoning just ended in arbitrary bureaucracy. The new ruling is that neck tattoos in front of the ear portion of the neck are forbidden.
Even Steve Lawson, the spokesman for the Army’s recruiting battalion in Indianapolis agrees that the ruling is confusing. “It’s funky” he reports.
Twenty-four year old Charles Keller is now trying to enlist in the Army but he too has been denied based on his neck tattoo: a three-inch red, white and blue eagle. Keller’s tattoo is under his ear, leaving approximately one inch in front of the ear area.
How complicated does this have to be? Regardless of one’s feelings about the military, with enlistment an extreme low, it seems the Army should be counting its blessings for every qualified person who attempts to enlist.
Beyond that, it’s just not good policy for any company to admit that their hiring procedures are “funky”.
Wednesday Feb 22, 2006
Breaking News
Australian mother-of-two, Peta Bull, has publicly complained about her mistreatment by airline, Jetstar. Bull alleges that a flight attendant humiliated her, forced her to wear a jacket covering her arms during the duration of her flight, and during her exit through the airport.
Why? Because of Mrs. Bull’s tattoo. The tattoo in question is on Peta Bull’s right shoulder blade. Though Bull insists that the tattoo does not portray the act of sex, the image is of a man and woman in an intimate embrace.
Jetstar is now accusing Bull of trying to damage its reputation with her public accusations. This will be an interesting case for tattoo aficionados to follow particularly if the case requires new legislation on tattoo imagery.
Tuesday Feb 21, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here
Tuesday Feb 21, 2006
Beyond the Basics: The Autoclave
Veteran tattoo aficionados know the importance of an autoclave to the tattoo process. If you do not, the autoclave is the instrument that sterilizes all of the non-disposable instruments in the tattooing process.
It is very important to check and make sure that your tattoo studio is using an autoclave and that the results are tested regularly. For best performance, the autoclave should reach a temperature of 250F for a minimum of thirty minutes.
Is this enough? According to tattoodles.com, there is a safety check that would be an excellent addition to the standard process: a control spore strip.
Ideally, the results of the autoclave are sent into a lab on a regular basis, and the lab cultures the results to see if there are any remaining microbes. In addition to this, a tattoo studio can also get spore strips, which are strips that contain spores that are harder to destroy than blood-born pathogens. If the autoclave gets a clean bill of health after the spore test, it is in good working order.
Since many studios buy their autoclaves used or over the Internet, the spore test would be a good first step for every studio before using the autoclave for active sterilization.
Friday Feb 17, 2006
Earth Angel
One of the most popular of all tattoo designs, an angel tattoo represents faith, and a gentle, benevolent form of spirituality.
Not just a Christian phenomenon, stories about angels also figure prominently in the Islamic and Jewish faiths as well.
An angel tattoo is also often used as a symbol for a loved one who has past away. From the Greek word for ‘messenger’, the angel represents the link between heaven and earth. This idea of a spiritual connection to the souls of those no longer on earth makes a poignant expression of both loss and remembrance.
Images of angels range from naked babies with wings, to avengers of evil complete with multiple sets of wings, and intimidating stances.
The Roman god, Cupid, is often confused with angels. Though a positive image as well, Cupid is a much more mischievous and merry personage. He represents our lack of power over the grand forces of love.
Friday Feb 17, 2006
sXe Tattoos - An Explanation
The sXe, or straight-edge movement began in the 80’s with the band, Minor Threat. Front man and songwriter, Ian MacKaye outlined the philosophy in one of his songs:
“Don’t smoke, Don’t drink, Don’t f—k”
Unlike other punk bands at the time (notably the Sex Pistols and Sid Viscous) who were celebrating rebellion and anarchy with drugs and drinking, Minor Threat’s philosophy took on the youth establishment creating a counter, counter-culture.
SXe continues to be a popular movement. Though sometimes portrayed as violent in the media, most straight-edgers are also anti-violent.
The straight-edge symbol is a black X across the back of a person’s hands. This is an iconic sXe tattoo. Originally, the X symbol came from the black X drawn on the hands of people under 21 years old in clubs, so that the bartenders knew not to serve them.
Tattoos are very important to sXe culture because it symbolizes a lifetime pledge to the values of sXe.
Tattooed X’s appear commonly on all parts of the body, but generally somewhere visible as a badge of honor and commitment. Other sXe tats include slogans such as “Drug Free” and “Straight Edge” and are often on the wrists and hands.
Tuesday Feb 14, 2006
Skull Tattoos - An Explanation
Skull Tattoos
Do skull tattoos mean danger, darkness and death? Not always!
Skull tattoos have developed a reputation as the insignia for secret societies, gangs, or SS tattoos, but that is often not the case, reports tattoolovers.com. Images of skulls, and skull tattoos specifically, represent a wild variety of meanings in different cultures.
For example, a skull is the symbol for several famous Saints including St. Francis. In addition, the Mexican Day of the Dead is represented with skulls and skeletons, often engaged in very life-like (and sometimes humorous) pursuits. The Day of the Dead is a holiday in which the living celebrate the lives of those who have died, occupying themselves by doing the things their loved ones used to like to do during life.
Though skull tattoos remind us that death is our constant companion, they are also a powerful reaffirmation of life.
Tuesday Feb 14, 2006
Joker Tattoos - An Explanation
Our modern deck of playing cards is based in part on the ancient game of Tarot. The Tarot is a deck of many more cards than the standard poker deck contains today; including twenty-one cards called the Major Arcana.
The Major Arcana are the cards from the Tarot such as the Hanged Man, the Tower, the Moon, and the Day of Judgement (among others) that represent the powerful forces at work in the world.
The Joker is the only remainder of the original Major Arcana from the Tarot deck to survive into our modern playing card deck. Originally called the Fool, the Joker represents eccentricity, unexpected events and possibly madness. The Fool (and the Joker) has also been linked to a sort of innocent mysticism, as well. In the Christian interpretation of the Tarot, the Hanged Man is a representation of Jesus on the cross, but the Fool represents the innocence of Jesus and his teachings during his life.
Joker tattoos often refer to the fact that the Joker has a unique role in a deck of cards with the option to play or not, and never according to the standard rules. A Joker tattoo can also mean that the wearer is a trickster or joker, as well, and that things are not always what they seem…
Tuesday Feb 14, 2006
Tattoos Emerge in the US Army
Cory Davidson, from Elwood, Indiana wanted to join the Army. He visited a recruiter who told him that his neck Kanji, meaning ‘Brothers’ would make him ineligible for recruitment. He got laser surgery to have the tattoo removed, but a shadow remained. Though he got the okay from five different officers to ship out from Indiana, when he arrived at Oklahoma’s Fort Sill, he was rejected by officers who said his tattoo remained a violation.
Historically, the US Army does not allow recruits to have any tattoos that are visible above their uniform. What this means specifically, is that no neck or hand tattoo is allowed. Just days ago however, something shifted.
Until the end of December of 2005, the Army maintained its judgment on Cory Davidson. However, a new nationwide policy decision has changed all of that. Now, the Army publicly permits neck tattoos on anyone. Their official policy now reads:
"All tattoos that are on the neck that are not vulgar, profane, indecent, racist or extremist are authorized as long as it does not extremely degrade military appearance [are permitted]"
Wednesday Feb 08, 2006
Top Ten Tattoos
What are the Top Ten most popular tattoos in America? The list changes from week to week, but www.vanishingtattoo.com updates this list regularly.
The results are in:
10. Butterfly - For the past few years the butterfly has been by far the most popular specific tattoo design request. Butterfly designs are an overwhelmingly feminine tattoo choice.
9. Tiger - The Tiger is a potent symbol across Asia in many cultures and has long been a fixture in indigenous tattooing in India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan. Tigers are associated with power, ferocity, passion and sensuality, beauty and speed, cruelty and wrath.
9. Moon - The Moon is said to represent the feeling nature of the individual. It is used to characterize the inner child within us, as well as the past and how we have been as individuals rather than how we are now. (A tie for #9 with tiger)
8. Flames - Flame tattoo designs are a popular design element in many tattoo genres and they make their first appearance this year in the Top Ten. Flames can be found in Old and New School tattooing and fire and flames are important design motifs in Japanese tattooing.
7. Cross - Cross tattoo designs encompass many different styles, from simple crosses, to much more elaborate Celtic crosses and Maltese crosses.
6. Sun - As a tattoo design and symbol, a Sun represents fertility, vitality, passion, courage and eternally renewed youth, light and knowledge.
6. Fairy/Fairies - As a tattoo design they can be symbols of youthful innocence and a desire to retain a child-like imagination, wonder and awe. As a tattoo design, they are a potent symbol of our youth. (In a tie for #6 with Sun)
5. Wings - Wings as a tattoo design can often have inspirational or spiritual symbolism. They also have an element of the magical about them.
4. Angel/Angels - A tattoo design with strong religious connotations that speaks of faith and a design often used in Memorial tattoos.
3. Phoenix - The Phoenix is a traditional design in Japanese and Chinese myth, symbolic of rebirth and metamorphosis, popular with both men and women.
2. Star/Stars - Stars are often symbols of guidance, a reference to their use in navigation. The Nautical Star is a star design that has taken off in popularity on it's own, heavily featured in Old School and Nautical Tattooing. The Nautical Star is popular with both men and women and interestingly, several widely diverse sub-culture groups have seized upon the Nautical Star as a symbol of inclusion, from sailors and marines to lesbians.
1. Tribal - Tribal tattoo design searches were by far the most popular this week. A perennial favorite, tribal tattoos are a widely popular tattoo genre with many influences and sub-genres. Bold graphic designs done predominately in blacks and grays, heavily influenced by traditional tattooing in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.
Wednesday Feb 08, 2006
Every BODY Has A Story - "The Ties that Bind"
“On my mother’s 60th birthday, she had an unusual request. She asked my sister and me if we would like to get tattooed with her. We were Very surprised, but happy to do this together. We choose a Celtic symbol- the top part of the symbol from the triangle up means family. My sister, my mother and I chose our own pieces for the bottom of the symbol that we felt reflected our individual personalities. My part of the symbol represents ‘Healer’ because I am a doctor. My mother got her tattoo over her breast, and my sister got hers on the back of her neck.”
Monday Feb 06, 2006
Every BODY Has A Story - "Tattooed Valentines"
"During the first year of our marriage we celebrated often- actually we still do! But one memorable time was when we went to Hawaii. Everything was so beautiful. Even when you looked at the ground it was gorgeous- tiny flowers covered every surface of the island. We wanted to get a tattoo to remember our experience there, and decided to get these matching flowers on our feet so we would always remember the beauty of our time there. "
Monday Feb 06, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here
Monday Feb 06, 2006
Back in the Day
What did the cool kids do in 1902? Get tattooed. A copy of the New York Tribune from Sunday, October 29, 1902 protests the tattooing of elementary school age children though apparently the children themselves were thrilled.
Charles Wagner, a young tattooer in New York, wanted to practice his tattooing skills on someone before trying to tattoo sailors. The neighborhood kids happily obliged. Unfortunately, some mistakes were made: a Jewish child had a large cross inked on his chest to the strong objection of his parents, and another child received the inscription “To the Beloved Mother Gone to Rest”. His mother, however, was very much alive and not thrilled with the permanent mark. To read the whole story click here
Thursday Feb 02, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Thursday Feb 02, 2006
Every BODY Has A Story - Two Hearts
“A bunch of people I know with a lot of tattoos end up having a ‘good’ side and a ‘bad’ side. Like flowers on one side and monsters on the other and stuff like that. One of my first tattoos was a banner on my right arm that said ‘Regret’ with sparrows around it. A little bit after I had that done, I met my wife and my life changed entirely.
I got the red heart, along with some others on my upper arms to symbolize how much I loved her, and we have a lot of matching heart tattoos. I ended up getting the black heart to balanced it out, though. You don’t want too much of ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but a balance.”
Wednesday Feb 01, 2006
Better Than a Microchip?
In Alaska, Animal Control is now offering free tattoos for dogs and cats. Rather than a microchip, which needs a scanner in order to be read, a tattoo can easily be read by anyone, even if the pet’s collar is lost.
The procedure takes about fifteen minutes, and the pet is tattooed in the ear with a couple of letters and numbers identifying them to the state. These tattoos do not interfere with showing purebred animals, in fact The Kennel Club encourages owners too tattoo their pets.
Makes sense to us here at INKEDblog- you and Fido can make an appointment together.
Wednesday Feb 01, 2006
Astrological Tattoos: Aquarius
The Aquarius sun sign is the sign of those born between the 20th of January and the 18th of February. According to Astrology Online, Aquarians have strong and attractive personalities. They seek truth above all things, they are usually honest enough to change their opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades them that they have been mistaken. Consequently, they are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. They obey the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and are prepared to learn from everyone.
Aquarians are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. They are quick, active and persevering without being self-assertive, and express themselves with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor.
Aquarians need to retire from the world at times and to become temporary loners. Even in company, they are fiercely independent, refusing to follow the crowd. They dislike interference by others, however helpfully intended, and will accept it only on their own terms. Normally they have good taste in drama, music and art, and are also gifted in the arts, especially drama
Astrological tattoos are becoming quite popular. Unlike the cartoon designs of the past, many astrological tattoos are intricate and thought out, showing qualities of both this sign, and the person wearing the tattoo.
Wednesday Feb 01, 2006
World Tattoo Festival
According to Hospitality Net News, Thailand will hold the world’s first Tattoo Arts Festival and Exhibition between the 10th and 12th of February in Bangkok. The best tattoo artists in the world will be showcased and a spotlight will be placed on Thailand’s arts
community.
Mr. Vithaya Sintharapantorn, Director of the Exhibition Sector of Thailand said: “This event was implemented under the concept of “The Arts of Reflections” by Jimmy Wong, the Master of Tattoo Arts in Thailand. Tattoo can represent arts, culture, belief and thought of people in each environment and society.”
The organizer of this event, Joy Wong heiress of Jimmy Wong, Master of Arts Tattoo in Thailand said: “There are many exhibitors from different countries that are accepted to join including the foreign media. We will put all Arts of Tattoo around the world together in an event, which has never been done before. The highlight is the combination of Tattoo Arts and artists from all over the world such as Horiyoshi from Japan and Johnny Tootan from Singapore who once David Beckam has gone to do tattoo with. We intend to set an agenda for Thailand as the Center of Tattoo arts in Asia and have planned to set up the Tattoo Arts Association here in Thailand.”
Other activities planned to entertain visitors include “Tattoo Arts Body Contest”, “Tattoo Fashion Show” and “Meet the World-class Tattoo Artists”.
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