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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.
Wednesday May 31, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share their Stories: My Treehouse
My tattoo is based on a drawing done by my best friend. I think you could safely call him a bum. He definitely smells that way. But if you can get past the funk and the nappy hair, he is one of the most intelligent people I know and without a doubt the best artist. Tattoo artists always love his work. I was fortunate enough to have Ed at Big Bear Tattoo do mine about a year and a half ago. He enlarged and reversed the image but kept the detail that makes it so unique. I can't go a day in short sleeves without a complement on it. I love knowing i have something truly unique. I'll probably get the rest of the drawing or another piece of his on my other arm (I need some symmetry)
Share your tattoo stories with us by emailing them to getinked@inkedblog.com
| Wednesday May 31, 2006
EveryBODY has a Story: The Eyes of the Spider
"A couple of years ago, Sage and I sat down to talk about an image. I wanted a large back piece, and it took some working out to decide exactly how to place it.
I had had some very intense things happen to me at that point in my life, the results of which were that the father of my children could no longer be with us.
I worked then and now at Seventh Revolution Productions, promoting music and setting up electronica shows. I was not expecting to be a single mother.
At that time, my children were three and five and I identified with the spider as a power animal. I never felt that the spider was enclosed in its web, but that instead, it took being a spider to have the creative force necessary to make an amazing piece of art like a web.
When I sat down with Sage, I decided that I wanted a giant web with a spider reaching towards the top. The eyes in the web represent the eyes of higher consciousness. This is my attempt to illustrate that goal for myself.
I suppose that I have generally been overwhelmed by the negative conduct in our society. The intense lack of individual and personal connections in our world has left us with a fundamental breakdown in the social fabric. The remedy is to open our eyes to each other and to focus on creation."
Wednesday May 31, 2006
EveryBODY has a Story: Ancestor Tattoo
"I travel around the country a lot both for my work as a tattoo artist and writer, and for my partner Tom Spanbauer’s work as a writer. I go to San Francisco fairly regularly to do work for some long-term tattoo clients and friends I have made.
Last January, I was down there and I decided to get this tattoo. In a way, it was spontaneous, I hadn’t decided to get this tattoo before I came out, but the actual image has deep significance for me.
I got this work done by Jason Donahue at Cold Steele, and we worked out the design together during a two-week period. I love the way it turned out. I call it my ancestor tattoo because the image is based on Tahitian images of gilded authentic skulls that were used in ancestor worship.
I am part of a prolific pagan community, and one of the important roles that I play is that I am the keeper of the ancestor altar. This is an idea I had that began about two years ago. I actually traded some tattoo work for the actual altar, and it is amazing. It is an enormous wooden structure full of drawers and ornamentation and secret compartments. It’s beautiful.
Many of my friends store the ashes of their friends and relatives within the altar. Some leave them for a long time, others, just for a while. When I decided to get this tattoo, one of the most important things for me was that it not be about me, per se. I wanted an image that was more about my community and our conjoined history than My image on My arm.
It took the full two weeks to get it right, but it is a continuation of my ideals within my pagan community. To see images of my work and more about my history, please see sage-ink.com.
Wednesday May 31, 2006
INKED Premieres Tonight on A&E
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Tuesday May 30, 2006
Seen On The Streets of Amsterdam
Tuesday May 30, 2006
EveryBODY has a Story: The Calling Card
"The image of the baby and the swans comes from a woodcut block from the turn of the century. What I like most about this tattoo is that it has no symbolism for me, it doesn’t really Mean anything.
When I look at it though, I see something elegant, almost classical. I didn’t want to put a skull or a dagger on my arm, I didn’t want to be marked that way, or to suggest anything that might be perceived as negative or threatening.
I wanted to have an image that was positive, something attractive for people to see. This tattoo is on my right arm, and when I shake somebody’s hand, when I make contact with another person, it’s the first tattoo they see on me: Something with positive energy that is the calling card for my career.
The tattoo was done by Donny Manco at Studio B in Indiana. He was my art teacher in high school. Tattooing was illegal in Indiana until around 1997, and that’s when Donny Manco opened up for business. In 2001, I asked him to let me apprentice, and when he realized that I was serious about my request, he accepted me as an apprentice.
He tattooed the baby and swans on my arm just this last winter. It is almost exactly like the image from my business card except that my business card has geese instead of swans.
People always ask me if it is my baby, and at first I didn’t know what to say because I don’t have any kids. Now I just kind of go with it, “Yeah, he’s two now, learning to walk, smart as a whip...”.
I have since moved and opened shop in the West. You can check out my work at ryanzachary.net.
Friday May 26, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share Their Stories: Djehuty
Many people have asked me over the years why I have Djehuty (Tehuti, Thoth) on my left arm and, in two weeks, Yinepu (Anpu, Anubis) on my right. The answer is simple and complex.
Let me explain what I don't have:
I am of a mixed Czech (3/4) and Scottish (1/4) background so why not have symbols those backgrounds? I love retro imagery so why not have pin-ups, sparrows?
As much as I enjoy my background and retro imagery, they do not call to me. They don't have the "deeper" meaning to be placed deep into my skin.
Now, let me explain why I do have the tattoo(s) I do have:
The Egyptian imagery appeals to my thoughts on many levels.
First, it has the appeal to my eye that I enjoy in symbols. They are "set" symbols, static in imagery yet constant in time and ever changing. Second, I am not a man of religion. I am a man that believes that I am solely accountable for my actions and those actions will have a ripple effect those surrounding me. I am a man of ethics and am known by my girlfriend as the "Most Christian non-Christian she has even known". I follow my ethics and am in no need to an external influence or force to keep me on a path save for my own will.
Third, with any aged symbol, there are layers of meaning through out time that become attached to it. This appeals to me. Eternity by action, deed and written thought over eternity by acceptance of faith.
The symbols of my tattoos:
Djehuty is the "Leader (derivative form)" Ibis-headed Lord of Time, Writing and Wisdom, Djehuty is said to have invented the hieroglyphic script and negotiated five extra days from the moon in order to perfect the 365-day year. As a result of these mythological connections, Djehuty is the patron of writers, teachers, accountants and all persons involved in the dissemination of knowledge, writing and/or calculation. His consorts are alternately Ma'at, Netjeret of Truth and Order; or Seshat, patroness of recordkeeping, libraries and the foundation of buildings. He stands at the side of the scales in the Hall of Two Truths to record the verdict which Yinepu delivers after weighing the deceased's heart against the feather of Ma'at.
For most, they thought it odd that I got Thoth before Anubis tattooed (since I am an Embalmer by trade). For me, Thoth is the grounded me. The me that seeks knowledge, that is fascinated by new ideas, that measures time, that enjoys partnerships with those that are teachers, are educated, that challenge me. And there is a grounding in the symbol. Measured time and foundations with eternal knowledge passed on through humble acts of leadership.
The scarab with outstretched wings below Thoth in my tattoo are a reminder to me to keep expanding my mind, to mutate with my years on earth.
In two weeks I get Yinepu.
Yinepu is "The Royal Child", a name of predynastic origins, depicted either as a full jackal or as a jackal-headed man, Yinepu originally, as Khenty-amenti or "Foremost of Westerners," was both embalmer and caretaker of the deceased, and the guardian of tomb and necropolis. Masks of Yinepu were routinely worn by the Sem-priest officiating at the funeral and the 70-day mummification process; images of Yinepu wrapping bandages, pouring oils or embracing the coffin are generally not actually images of the Netjer Himself, but of His servants doing His work. In later times Yinepu would be seen as a "psychopompos" or messenger/guide of the deceased soul. In Kemetic iconography, Yinepu can be seen leading the deceased person into the Hall of Double Truth, where He then weighs the deceased's heart against the feather of Ma'at.
This tattoo is more literal for me. It is a symbol of what I do. Who I am and what my calling has been. Anubis will be carring a Was. This is a symbol of power and dominion. This has other meanings in my life and symbolizes the other activities with living bodies that I may be known for(being a Dom). Both are guidance symbols.
I will have vultures facing one another with outstretched wings below Anubis as a reminder that I protect the dead as well as the living. Both vultures will be holding a Shen for the protection of those that cast brightness into
my life.
The original tattoo and new one are done by Harley of Wild Bills Tatoos in Roseville, CA
Thursday May 25, 2006
Hello Inked People.....
Hello INKED People!
I really like INKEDblog as it is now, it’s a sort of anthropological way of gathering personal tattoo stories. It really seems to work by managing to keep the artistic level of the tattoos pretty high, as well.
However, I liked the links and the questions/answer section you had before, too.
I would just like to point you to this site, I don't know if you know of it, it’s from a Sao Paulo tattoo convention and well, the gallery is just amazing. It is very diverse; from new skool surf girls, to Samoan facial tattoos. The photos are well taken too, definitely worth a look
Ciao,
M.
Dear M.
Thanks for the note! You’re right, this is an interesting site.
Readers, have a suggestion, question, or story to share? Send us an email at getinked@inkedblog.com
Thursday May 25, 2006
EveryBODY has a Story: Guarding the Garden
"When I was seventeen, this guy I knew stole money from my girlfriend. A while later, I went to his house and stole just about everything he had and sold it for the exact amount of money that he took from her.
I got arrested and convicted. Because of the mandatory sentencing laws, I got seventy months in prison, even though I was under eighteen when I committed the crime.
While I was there, I learned three things, how to do tattoos, draw and how to play guitar. You had to do Something to pass the time. The tattoos I mostly did on myself, you can see in the pic where I’m covering them up.
I got out of prison and a couple of days later got stabbed by this random guy who took my wallet. He got arresting and convicted but only got thirty-four months because the mandatory sentencing didn’t apply to him. The guy stabbed me and he got less than half the time I did.
I was twenty-three when I got out. I was pretty angry for a long time, but in the last year, I have decided that if I don’t focus I’m not going to do much with my life. I took a drawing class last summer and started working on a portfolio for an apprenticeship.
I knew I wanted to work at Raven tattoo, and I got this tattoo from Wade, the owner there. The tattoo is two Celtic dogs, surrounded by grape leaves. In the house where I live now, there’s an outside fireplace area that is surrounded by grapevines. It’s my chill space. I am going to slowly cover up the tattoos I got in prison and replace them with organic garden images. I’ve thinking of plants, beehives, a sort of Bio-Veg style. The dogs are there to protect the garden I have made for myself.
Thursday May 25, 2006
Five Questions For Carey Hart: "My First Tattoo"
INKEDblog: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of getting their first tattoo?
Carey: My advice is to definately research everything related to tattooing. Procedures, healing time, how to take care of it. And of course the design and artist. Make sure that it's what you want, how big you want, and where on your body you want it. One thing I have leaned the hard way is that you get what you pay for. I have got some great deals on tattoos that are no longer on my body.. You don't want to look at tattooing like you;re going to the swap meet and are bartering down the price of a knife set!! You get what you pay for..
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Wednesday May 24, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share their Stories: Indelible Twins
"I wanted to get a tattoo for some time, actually... several tattoos. I had a few already planned out in my head, but was still yet to get “inked”.
I called upon my twin brother Michael, who is a graphic artist/musician living in LA, to design what would be my first tattoo. He was working with several different designs of a Yin Yang containing two fetuses, given that we are identical twins.
One day, he called me and said, “I’ve got it, I’ve got your tattoo!” It came to him in the middle of the night, and made his previous concept completely inadequate.
He sent me the file over email and I WAS FLOORED. Looking at it, I knew instantly what it was and what it meant. So, after asking a gaggle of folks around the neighborhood where they went for their tattoos, I found my parlor. With a little liquid courage and the moral support of my older brother Andy, I made it happen.
The tattoo’s on my back, over my heart. It’s an ovum containing a zygote undergoing mitosis, wrapped in parallel lines. It represents how my twin and I came from one, remain one, and keep each other straight and true. I’m proud to say, it’s my only and will always be my only tattoo.
Jeffrey Swart
Photographer/Musician
Brooklyn, NY
Wednesday May 24, 2006
Dear INKEDblog: Help with Symbols?
Hi INKEDblog,
My son was born premature by 3 months. Born at 2.06 pounds, the doctors said he would not make it...
Well, today he is 10 months old and 18 pounds! I really want to find something simple yet unique and beautiful. His name is Devon M. Ibanez. I want a tattoo that represents Miracles, Love and Life
Any ideas?
- Celia
Dear Celia,
There are many symbols that incorporate miracles, love and life into their meaning. Often when people chose a symbolic tattoo, they find one that comes out of their own heritage. Others find a symbol from a culture they find interesting or commendable. The rest chose symbols based on their aesthetics.
There is no wrong way to go about it. You can use symbols alone, in combination, or find a way to have them work together in a unified piece. Tell your artist what you want, and bring pictures of images you particularly liked. Congratulations on the baby!
Here are a selection of symbolic tattoos that might give you ideas.
- Acorn: Represents birth, growing strength and power, and life
- Rainbow: Represents divine benevolence and miracles
- Peach: In Chinese culture represents birth, spring, the tree of life
- Dream Catcher: In Native American culture, a Dream Catcher was hung over the cradles of babies. It represents protection from unknown forces.
- Comet: Represents miraculous phenomena, something brilliant, exceptional and unexpected
- The Sun card: Success, a life-giving force, love, happiness, end of problems, regaining health, new beginning through renewed health and energy.
Wednesday May 24, 2006
Five Questions For Carey Hart: "What makes a tattoo sexy?"
INKEDblog: What makes a tattoo sexy?
Carey: I think what makes a tattoo sexy is the placement, and how that tattoo represents that person. Does it look right on them or does it match their personality.. I love big tattoo on women. Full sleeves are very sexy, but it has to suit them.. My tattoo might not look good on my wife but the right ones and its all over with!
INKEDblog: Why do you think people are drawn to getting tattoos?
Carey: I think it's about self expression and about being an individual. It is what sets us apart.. It's the feeling of being a rebel of a bad boy.. It could be small, but everyone that has a tattoo has the feeling of getting it. The fact that its gonna be there for the rest of their life is a turn on. And no matter if you have a tattoo that took 20 minutes, or 20 hours, people can relate and have a conversation..
INKEDblog: On what part of the body is your favorite place for a tattoo?
Carey: It just depends on the person. For me right now, I want to tattoo my neck really bad. But I think its best that I hold off for a little while. I think for a woman who doesn't have many tattoos, on the thigh is very cool. Any where that is unique and fits well with the tattoo..
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Tuesday May 23, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share their Stories: Swallow
"Ever since I moved to Minneapolis, I've wanted to get a tattoo. There's no shortage of talented artists and after getting a couple in my hometown, I wanted to get a tattoo in my new home. However, life got in the way. I went through a period of steady partying and a disastrous three-year relationship that involved me supporting a man for the last year of it, only to find out that he had stopped loving me.
Shortly after we broke up, I met a man who brought out my strong inner self. I figured out how to not put up with any crap and to enjoy the delights that my new hometown has to offer.
He encouraged me to get more ink, but I was still trying to figure out what image I wanted and where I wanted to place it.
Recently, I went through a health crisis and spent almost a month straight in the hospital due to complications from an appendectomy. We've had an up and down relationship that is currently in a status of friendship, but he was there for me the whole time I was sick, cheering me on and supporting me.
That's when I decided to go with traditional swallows on my chest. I read that they represent renewal, and that's how I feel about my life after getting out of my 3 year relationship with the wrong man, starting grad school, getting my health back, and accepting the fact that a relationship with the man whom I'm in love with may never happen.
When I look at the swallows, I know that I can do anything and am tougher than I ever thought. I'm a new woman and these tattoos represent that.
(Got a story or question for us? Drop a line to getinked@inkedblog.com. We’ll do our best to respond to questions)
Tuesday May 23, 2006
Five Questions For Carey Hart: "My Favorite Tattoo"
INKEDblog: Describe your favorite tattoo of all time. Where did you see it? What was it of?
Carey: Man, I have seen sooo many horrible tattoos. Not only through owning the shop, but just in general through my travels and motocross career. I cant think of one specific bad tattoo, but most of the tattoos that were done " at home" because it was "cheaper" are on top of that list. I guess you get what you pay for..
My favorite tattoo is probably some of Mike Ness from Social Distortion. He is what made me want to get heavily tattooed. Not his tattoos specific, but the image and lifestyle that it represented to me as a kid. I also like a lot of shawn palmer's (pro snowboarder) tattoos. He has a lot of cadillac tattoos, and has cow boy boots tattooed on his legs. Real cowboy boots!
(Mike Ness)
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Tuesday May 23, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Flower Girl
"During high school, I traveled quite a bit to see bands that I wanted to see. Somewhat surprisingly, my parents were very supportive of my adventures, as long as I called that to tell them that I had yet again survived…
I grew up in New York City, and after I graduated from high school, I took a year off. I lived at home during that time and work as an accounting assistant and receptionist at Wieldlinger, a name I still have difficulty pronouncing...
Though the work was boring, I saved my money to travel during the summer before my freshman year at college. I didn’t know exactly what I planned on doing, but my older sister and I knew that we wanted to go somewhere together so we left our plans open.
Sometime at the beginning of the summer, we decided that we would take a two-month trip across the United States. We had both been to Santa Fe before, but not together, and if not our destination, it was one of the places we intended to meander though during the course of our journey.
We left from New York, and drove through the south to Santa Fe. I don’t know if it was because we were two women traveling together or what, but every where we went people were incredibly kind.
We spent a lot of the time camping, and one night during a pounding rain storm, a family came to our tent and invited us to come stay at their house. They made us dinner and took us in. Another family gave us salmon to take on our way, and another man gave us a bottle of whiskey. This happened many, many times during the trip.
We made our way to Santa Fe, and it was as magical and lovely as we had remembered. Santa Fe has a large artist community, beautiful canyons, and the desert, which is a very special place for me.
We camped outside of town for the first few days before we met a bunch of people in town. Like the rest of our trip, after we met them, they invited us to stay with them. While we were there, we decided to get tattoos. I had wanted a tattoo for years, but I had just turned eighteen before the trip began.
Though I knew I wanted a tattoo, I didn’t know exactly what image I wanted. My sister and I went into the shop, and I found some of the designs that the artist there had in his private selection of flash. This tattoo appealed to me immediately. I liked the idea of the spirit in the flower, and life inside of life.
Because it was my first tattoo, I didn’t know how much it was going to hurt. The ankle area is particularly painful, but because I went first and my sister was going second, I didn’t want to let her know! She’s pretty tough too, though. She got a phoenix in the same place after I finished.
We stayed in Santa Fe for a couple more days then continued our odyssey. We drove all the way north through the western states, then back through Canada. I had a wonderful time with my sister."
Monday May 22, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share their Stories: The Two Stars
I had wanted a tattoo since probably since I was a pre-teen. They fascinated me, and it didn't help that my grandpa had a couple navy tattoos and a lot of my dad's coworkers [he's a fireman] had tattoos, as well. However, my parents didn't like them, despite how liberal they normally are.
Finally, when I was 17, I got so frustrated at not being able to have one, that I took matters into my own hands. At the time, my neighbor's uncle was going to do it for a reduced price, but when he found out I didn't have my mom's permission, he bailed. I was so disappointed.
Then, I had a bright idea. In one of the anarchist/radical newspapers I read, I remembered it had a section showing how to give yourself a tattoo. I bent a safety pin so it stayed at a 45 degrees angle, sterilized it, and used some India ink I had in my art supplies drawer.
For a self-tattoo, the first time I had ever attempted one, it didn't come out half bad. In fact, I was really proud of it... despite the fact that it was an oh-so-unoriginal nautical star. But when my parents found out, they were appalled. My dad called it a "prison tattoo" and they almost forced me to get it removed.
I decided to try to appease them by getting it fixed by a professional once I turned 18. I didn't want to keep it as a nautical star, so instead I asked to just have it a solid color. I had to choose a darker ink so it would actually cover up the original, so I chose purple. The tattoo artist convinced me to let him shade the star, instead of keeping it a solid color, and I let him.
Go figure- now that I have the self-tat fixed, I miss it. I honestly wish I had just left it, because I did it myself, and I was honestly proud.
I can't wait until I expand on it so it doesn't look so.... so silly. I've almost finished my tattoo design that I want and am so excited about having a piece of art that I designed swirling up my side!!
Now then, if I can only find a way to not show my stomach to my parents or grandparents for the rest of my life... heh."
Monday May 22, 2006
Five Questions For Carey Hart: "My First Tattoo"
As we head into next weeks premier of Season 2 of INKED on A&E, we recently sat down with motocross champion and owner of Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company, Carey Hart. Each day this week we'll be posting a question for Carey to answer. Today's subject:: "My First Tattoo"
INKEDblog: Tell us the story behind your first tattoo. What was the tattoo of? Why did you get it? How old were you?
Carey: "My first tattoo, like most people, was pretty bad. It was a skull with flames behind it and it had my race number 111 incorporated into it.. I got it the day after my 18th birthday, so I was young and excited.. Since then I have covered it up, only because I was workin' on a full chest piece and didn't want to do my whole chest skulls!!"
Monday May 22, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Monday May 22, 2006
Dear INKEDblog: Can I receive Sak Yant?
Hello INKEDblog,
I first came across information on Sak Yant a few years ago and was instantly intrigued. Being a Buddhist, this was very important to me. I saw a blog on your site and thought that maybe you could answer some questions.
I currently have a good amount of tattoos. My Avalokiteshvara being the latest and most sacred to me. Yet, none of these came from monks or even Buddhists at all. It would be a great honor to me to be able to receive Sak Yant and I truly believe in the power of the tattoos, the rituals, and the Dhamma.
So, I suppose what I am trying to ask is if it is possible for Buddhists from the West to receive Sak Yant. I plan to visit Bangkok with my wife in about a year and a half as we are from the US. Thank you so much for all of your time and help. Be well and happy always:)
Chris
Dear Chris,
Sak Yant is the Thai name for a form of sacred tattoo composed of geometrical designs and Sanskrit prayers. These beautiful tattoos are most often administered by monks, though the practice is being appropriated by non-Buddhists in the West, as well.
Many non-practicing Buddhists have received Sak Yant, but this is at the discretion of the monk doing the work. Angelina Jolie recently made Sak Yant a popular topic when she had the tattoo done a few months ago.
According to stories, the ink takes a year to make, and is composed of hundreds of magical ingredients including battery acid and snake venom!
In answer to your question, yes, it should be possible to receive Sak Yant as a Westerner. As in any unfamiliar ritual, make sure that you learn local standards of respect and payment prior to the visit.
Check out http://www.sensiseeds-online.com/. This is a great source of information on all aspects of Sak Yant. Additionally, they recommend the temple of Wat Bang Pra in Thambon Bang Gaew Fa, which is outside of Nakorn Chaysri, near Bangkok.
We at INKEDblog can not verify this temple, but if you do go, be sure to take pictures and send us some!
Best of luck!
(photo above via http://www.sensiseeds-online.com/)
Monday May 22, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Tikki God
I run a high-end design studio called Oakley Design. I’ve spent a lot of time doing many big commercial campaigns, but I have a secret passion: all things Hawaii…
I grew up in Hawaii, learned to surf, and learned to love Hawaiian culture. I am particularly interested in historic Tikki art, as opposed to the cartoonish replicas that you see around beach towns.
My Tikki project started as a completely sideline project. I have collected Tikki art for ages, and I decided to work on some Tikki images. I started slow, figuring out the right way to use the images. Soon after, I got a request from a client who I can’t name here, but sufficient to say he is a famous celebrity owner of a skin mag…
My client requested a large installation piece consisting of Tikki god images. The final painting was nine feet tall and three-dimensional. The sculpture was created by taking a flat painting and adding materials to make the surface have three-dimensions.
At this point, I started thinking about my secret passion a little differently. If I could run my design firm using the images I am so fond of, work becomes much more fulfilling. There are only about twelve Tikki designers in the US, so competition is not much of a problem either.
Even the best job in the world burns you out if you do the same thing all the time. So, after the installation, I used the images for a series of greeting cards. Two million ended up being sold. I realized that I didn’t want the image to be overused, so I decided to cut back a bit.
The last project before this tattoo was a series of woodblock prints that I made for clients as Christmas presents. It was then that I decided to use the image one last time- as a tattoo.
I am getting this work done today by Melanie Nead at Icon Tattoo. She is ceremonially retiring the image. But I’m full of ideas for the next piece…"
Monday May 22, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Strike Anywhere
"Hard Core was something I’ve been into for a long time, but when I was seventeen my older brother brought me an album I hadn’t heard before- Strike Anywhere.
I was really moved by it at the time. It was the first time that I remember connecting music and politics in such a definitive manner. Since then, I have always been interested in political music. I’m still a huge Strike Anywhere fan, and saw them in concert in the Rock Against Bush tour.
The tattoo on my leg is a Strike Anywhere emblem, but also an anti-fascism symbol. This is a great part of their political agenda. One of my favorite lines from the music is:
“I pledge allegiance to the world. Nothing more, nothing less than my humanity.”
I have a more personal connection to this music as well. My brother, my friend David and I started a series of underground punk parties in the small town of Corvallis. We started a pretty cool scene there. Everything was free, and we had amazing bands play there all the time. It got so a lot of big name punk bands would insist on starting their tour in our little town.
We didn’t have any money to pay them of course, but the feeling of the space and the crowd was incredible. One of the best parties ever was when Strike Anywhere played. We made a banner to cover the windows of the house and the image from my tattoo was on the banner.
This tattoo was done by my friend Dave from Icon Tattoo who lived in the house with me and my brother. I got it about four months ago. We all did. Now we’re thinking about doing something similar in a larger space. See you there."
Friday May 19, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Cemetery Art
This is the first of several tattoos I have gotten that are cemetery art. I got this tattoo a month and a half after my mother died of cancer. People may wonder if I am intrigued by cemeteries because of her death, but those who know me well know that I have always found cemeteries to be beautiful, comforting places. I never understood what people thought was scary.
When I was four years old, my mother told me that everybody dies. I became very upset. “I don’t want You to die!” I cried. She smiled and told me that the energy never goes away. When she died, she would still be there and let me know.
It was the same year that I remember first being in a cemetery. I thought it was beautiful. I believe I have been thinking about working in that field since then.
It’s a tough sell, though. Apparently, cemeteries don’t want young people managing them. All the people who I have met that have worked in the business are very old.
My mother was diagnosed with cancer on her birthday. She died exactly five months to the day after the diagnosis. I had never known anyone personally who had died before she did. And to start with my mother! It was so painful. She was my best friend, I literally saw her died, day by day.
The year after my mother died, I got a job in a crematory. That sounds morbid, but the way I think about it, being cremated is the quickest path from point A. to point B. When a loved one holds an urn of ashes, there is a tangible feeling of change and reality that you can’t feel with a coffin.
This tattoo is not from a particular gravestone, but is original cemetery style art. I especially love the old stones. Almost everything is symbolic. An open book represents a teacher, an anchor represents a sailor, and a sword represents a solider.
On my tattoo, I have some traditional meanings as well. The wings signify a soul going to heaven. The clasped hands are a hope for meeting in the afterlife and the hourglass is a reminder that life is limited. Like my mother said, everyone dies.
Unlike everyone said, my mother also told me that she would let me know when she was looking down on me. Three days after she died, a neighbor came over to see how I was doing.
“She was such a wonderful women,” my neighbor said. “She’s somewhere watching you now”
At that moment, the sky split apart! There was a blue light like a welding torch, incredibly bright. Quickly, the blue transformed into an emerald green and disappeared in a puff, like smoke.
My neighbor was terrified. But me? I jumped up and down saying “Hello mom, hello! I love you! Hello!!”
Friday May 19, 2006
Dear INKED: What to do about scarring?
Dear Inked,
Just wanted to tell you how much I like the blog. I just discovered it and I can't stop reading. I'm not just writing this just to tell you how much I like the blog but because I have a question…
I wanna get a tattoo but I have some scarring. Now I'm wondering if it's possible to tattoo over the scars or will it look weird? Thank you in advance.
Greetz from Stina
Hi Stina,
It’s possible to tattoo over many kinds of scars, but you definitely want to research your artist. Find someone with experience in this area. Many scars do not hold ink in the same way the the rest of your skin does which can make a tattoo look uneven.
There are several types of scars. They range from skin discoloration to raised red tissue called keloids. If the scars are fairly flat, chances are you will never notice them under a tattoo. Like any other cover up though, make sure your image is larger then the scarred area.
Good Luck!
Friday May 19, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Sacred Heart
My mother was the one who named me. My name means ‘Moon’, and after I left home, I knew that I wanted to do something to celebrate that connection. Celebrate it, but at the same time, celebrate my independence as well.
This Sacred Heart is actually a cover-up of that original one. The original tattoo was a crescent moon and star, and I got it pretty spontaneously. A friend of mine had come to visit from out of town and she and I both went and got our tattoos the same day. She got a Tasmanian devil over her butt. Needless to say, we Both covered those up…
I grew up Catholic, and have always had an affinity for Catholic iconography. I guess as a kid there were some difficult things about being Catholic, like the guilt… But as I grew up, I learned to take the good from religion (all religions in fact), and to leave what didn’t feel right.
Catholicism entreats its practitioners to give back to their communities. I really support this. At the moment, I am teaching a sign language class at Voodoo Donuts in Portland on Monday nights. I think that everyone should learn sign language.
The day I got the Sacred Heart however, was actually pretty funny. In a strange act of symmetry, the Same friend who had been with me to get the first tattoo went with me again. She covered up Taz with a beautiful flower. It ended up looking really beautiful.
I had a crush on the artist, Joey, who worked out of a shop called Sacred Art (oddly enough) in Corvallis. I ended up doing the entire tattoo in one day. Four and a half hours on my chest bones. It was excruciating. The only thing that helped was the crush…
I’ve been very happy with it ever since. I didn’t chose the image. I told Joey I wanted a sacred heart and he drew it up right there. I think it turned out great. If you’re going to have a tattoo on your chest, it can’t be small…"
Friday May 19, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Jimmy’s Skull
"When I was a kid, I remember seeing my uncle Will’s tattoo. I don’t know how old I was (young!) but I knew that I wanted one too.
Uncle Will had a bull rider on his arm. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I wanted to get when I finally turned eighteen. When the day arrived, I decided to get something pretty small so I could see what it felt like before committing to a larger piece.
So, the skull was first, and I got it ten years ago, right after my birthday. After a couple of months, I decided I wanted another part to the tattoo. I got my name, Jimmy, in Old English script.
The guy at the shop had several versions of Old English, and he explained to me that this was the oldest version of Old English that he had found. It is a more ornamental script than a lot of the other versions as well.
So now I have a son, and he just loves my tattoo. I can see by the glint in his eye that he’s going to do something like that at eighteen too.
I think one of the reasons he likes it so much is that his name is also Jimmy. He was the first kid we knew who learned to spell his name- straight off of my arm!"
Thursday May 18, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Thursday May 18, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: V Recordings, Bass and Drums
I grew up in a small town called Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada. We didn’t have a lot of home grown music and arts culture, but we had a very positive attitude about importing and supporting what we could find.
When I was fifteen, the rave scene was still really new in my part of the world. A guy in my town had a rave, and it was at that time that I became interested in Electronica. Specifically, I was interested in a sub-genre of Electronica called Bass and Drums. Bass and Drums is a beat heavy, exclusively sample-based form of electronica, comprised of a fusion of Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop and many other elements.
The guy who was hosting the party ended up becoming a good friend, and we put on many other parties after that. We went to Calgary (the big city for us) to check out renowned DJ’s, and to find new and unusual labels and albums to bring back to our town.
The label that I became (and still am) very interested in, is V Recordings. V Recordings is a Bass and Drums label based in the UK. The music is an evolving art form that never fails to amaze me. Bass and Drums as a sub-genre became world-known around ’93, but it’s still a fairly obscure variety of music.
I particularly enjoy collecting information about the label, and indexing and cross-referencing producers to keep tabs of the sub-sub-genres that this music has produced.
Since ’93, Bass and Drums has changed a lot. One interesting egalitarian change is that originally, producers needed to have synthesisers and other expensive hardware to make productions. Now, the technology has advanced so that it is easy to get the samples as software, making a place for serious bedroom producers with low overhead.
My tattoo is from the V Recordings labels, and I got it four years ago when I was eighteen. I thought it out carefully before I decided what I wanted. For me, it will be a place on my body that marks what I was so interested in at this time in my life.
I’m a DJ and I have a radio show called ‘The Eleventh Hour’. If you would like to hear my show, check out http://kpsu.org/ and check the schedule for Thursdays from 11 PM to 12 PM. For more info on Bass and Drums, see http://www.pdxdnb.com/.
When I got my tattoo in Medicine Hat, there were two tattoo shops in my town. The older one was where almost every in town went to get work done, but they seemed unfriendly went I visited. I decided to go to the new place in town. It was called ‘Personal Ink’.
When I went in, I discovered the shop was run by these British guys which seemed perfect as V Recordings is from the UK. The guys there were great, and I’m very happy with the work.
A couple of years ago, I met another DJ who ended up being a great friend and my roommate. I noticed right away that he had a tattoo showcasing a V Recordings album as well!
Thursday May 18, 2006
Dear INKEDblog: PPD in the Ink?
Hi INKEDblog,
I just read the following extract on your website archives and wanted to ask a quick question:
“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 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.”
I had a black henna tattoo on my arm in Egypt and it resulted in a weeping mass of sores across the pattern I had drawn on this then scarred leaving me with a delightful pattern for about 3 years. Recently, I dyed my hair black and same situation occurred on my head!
I assume it would be safe to say I’m allergic to paraphenylenediamine (PPD). My question may be obvious but I couldn’t find much else on the Internet and I have no patience - Is paraphenylenediamine (PPD) used in the ink for tattoos also? I have a couple of black tattoos already and want more, however not at the risk of turning into some festering mess. Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Zach
Dear Zach,
Thanks for the summer warning about Henna tattoos.
In answer to the first part of your question, yes, if you have an allergic reaction to PPD, it is common to be Extremely sensitive to many forms of chemicals afterwards. Hair dye is particularly common, but many people become allergic to perfumes, deodorants and soaps as well.
As for the tattoo question, tattoo ink should Never contain PPD. That said, many artists mix their own ink and they use a variety of substances. It is possible to be allergic to the other substances, especially if you are highly sensitive.
Advice? Go to a good tattoo studio and explain your allergy. Ask them to verify every ingredient in the tattoo ink and carrier. Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients before getting tattooed. Then, only get a test spot tattooed and wait a day before continuing.
If the shop is unable to do this because they get their ink pre-mixed, ask them to recommend someone or to buy ink for you from a company that guarantees its ingredients. More and more companies are listing all ingredients before selling ink. (As they should!)
A final note, black ink is one of the least allergenic colors.
Good Luck!
Thursday May 18, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Drinking Parrot
When I was young, I was in the Navy. I was stationed in the Caribbean, in South America, all over. I got my first tattoo in Puerto Rico when I was seventeen, and when I got out; I came to San Francisco.
At that time, there were probably less then 2000 professional tattoo artists in the United States. Now, I bet there are that many in the San Francisco area alone! I was very interested in learning how to be a tattoo artist. You really had to earn the right to be taught at that time.
I got a tattoo in San Francisco, and asked Cliff Raven to show me how to be a tattoo artist. He kicked me out of the shop (bodily!). His philosophy was that everyone wanted to be a tattoo artist after their first great tattoo and he wasn’t putting up with people who weren’t whole-hearted or who did it for the money.
So… I came in and asked Cliff to be my teacher everyday for four years. In the end, he did it. He taught me a lot about respect for the tattoo community that I think has been mislaid at this time. One thing he told me was that before you open your own shop, ask every shop around if they’ll hire you first. They’ll know what you’re doing, he told me, they won’t hire you, but they’ll know you are respecting the fact that they have been around for a longer time.
When I got my first shop, it was on the corner of Haight and Ashbury Streets. It was a real hole in the wall. Rent was forty bucks a month and a shoe shine place moved out before I moved in, so I had to get rid of a bunch of shoe shining gear, too. That was no problem, I actually ended up making money on the deal. It was a little place, but it was right for when I started.
Now, I work at Dragonfly Tattoo in Washington State, but when I was in San Francisco, I would go shoot the breeze with other artists like Ed Hardy, Lyle Tuttle, and Pat Martinique. Their shop was really famous. I went in there one day, I was in my twenties, and it was my birthday.
“Let’s have a drink,” I said to Pat, “it’s my birthday.”
“How ‘bout I give you a tattoo instead?” he asked.
So that’s how I got the parrot. I told him I wanted it to be all colorful. Just keep the black in the bottle, I said. I call him my drinking parrot because he’s upside down on my forearm.
Whatever I spill, he catches."
Thursday May 18, 2006
INKED Returns on A&E on May 31st
Wednesday May 17, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Wednesday May 17, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share their Stories: ‘Traditional’ tattoo from Borneo
"The Ibans have tattooed each other for generations. They put flowers and stars on their shoulders, broad, dagger-like patterns on their throats, fish hooks on their calves, and a wide variety of designs on their arms. Some of the tattoos are for decoration, some render one invulnerable to iron or steel weapons, some make him irresistible to women, and all, to hear my English language students tell it, were strong tests of raw physical courage.
I got mine from the famed headhunting "Sea Dayaks" of Borneo, while I was in the Peace Corps. I lived with the Ibans for two years at a rural boarding school in Sarawak, on the northwest coast. Although I'd missed the chance to be tattooed by an authentic headhunter by a generation or so, the chance of getting a tribal tattoo was too good to pass up.
One October afternoon, Chendang, one of my students, told me if I visited his longhouse that weekend; we would meet a man who could tattoo. I accepted his invitation. Early that Friday afternoon I showered and shaved my arm. As I shaved, I visualized what would happen that night:
…We'd be working in the long communal hallway of the longhouse, surrounded by people. Pressure lanterns emit a harsh glare and a soft hiss. Strange things cry in the jungle outside, wind rustles the banana leaves, and the night air is soft as a caress. The audience is spellbound as the artist selects a carved wooden block from his private collection, while his assistant mixes soot with rancid pork fat. They use the mixture to ink the face of the block, then print the design on my arm. They use needles to tap the ink into my skin, blunt needles, rusty with age and crusted with the blood of hundreds of other men. As the artist taps, gongs play, slender Iban maidens watch in awe, and Arak, a homemade rice whiskey with the robust character of kerosene, flows like water…
Chendang came over to my house after my shower and we were off. We took a bus to the bazaar, where he bought a packet of sewing needles. Well, there went a bit of the old magic and, a good chance to catch hepatitis…
We took another bus out of the bazaar. I sat with my feet on someone's bale of raw rubber, listening to a fighting cock exchange opinions with a hunting dog in the back. The bus rattled and coughed along the dusty road for an hour, then let us out at Nanga Assam. Nanga Assam is a shop, house and trail leading into the jungle. We walked along the trail for another hour, through secondary jungle, yellow-green rice fields and half-civilized rubber gardens. Finally, we climbed a notched log into the front door of Chendang's longhouse.
"Tabi, Tuai! Nuan udah ngunga mioh ukir itu?" I asked the old man there, "Greetings, Elder Sir! You have done many of these tattoos?"
Elder Sir had lived on the upper reaches of the Rejang River where he had sometimes worked for a timber company. He remembered the British soldiers who had come to Sarawak ten years before, during the difficulties with Indonesia.
Several of them had magnificent tattoos, some in several colors. One sergeant had an eagle on his chest. Apoo! When he breathed deeply, it seemed to fly! Had Elder Sir done a tattoo for a British soldier?
No, he hadn’t, exactly... Was I going to go to Singapore? I could probably get an eagle done there. Very clever, the people in Singapore.
That would be nice, I agreed, but I wanted a traditional Iban design, something that would fit my arm here - see? Where I'd shaved a spot.
Oh. My name, perhaps? That would fit, and then people would know I could read. Several people Elder Sir knew had had their names done.
That wasn't quite what I had in mind either. Could I look over the blocks he used to print tattoos? Maybe I could pick a design from them.
Elder Sir didn't have any blocks at the moment, but he could make one if it was necessary; there was a good chunk of wood over there by the fire. How had he done tattoos in the past, if he didn't have any blocks? Well, he hadn't really Done any himself, but when his were done (here he pointed at his well-decorated arms) he'd watched very closely.
We'd find something before dinner, I guessed. When did Elder Sir want to start? Right after evening rice? Elder Sir's eyes weren't as good as they used to be; he thought it would be best to wait for morning, when the light was better. I agreed.
The next morning, while we were eating breakfast, Chendang had a flash of inspiration, and rummaged around in the back of the room. He came up with a shopping bag from the Kuching Hygienic Plastic Factory, decorated with Iban designs.
“Great”, I said; “if those aren't traditional, they should be”.
Chendang copied one of the designs, a stylized dragon, onto my arm with a felt tipped pen, and we were set.
Elder Sir came in with two eighteen-inch sticks. I tied six needles together while Elder Sir split the end of one stick. He tied the clump of needles into the split end at right angles. He would tap with the second stick.
Chendang's mother mixed Tiger Brand cooking oil and lampblack into a thick paste; I added a squeeze of antibiotic ointment to the goo and we were ready to start. I put my arm on a rolled mattress.
Elder Sir dipped the needle points into the ink, held them six inches over my arm, blinked, squinted, then tapped the needle stick just behind the needles, driving all six needle points into my skin. He dipped again, blinked, squinted, then tapped. Again: dip, aim, blink, squint, tap.
After a dozen taps I asked for pause. Chendang asked me if I wanted a piece of wood to bite on. I told him I'd stick it out a little longer, but could Elder Sir pay a little more attention to the edges? Some of his taps were going wide, and I'd be carrying his mistakes for the rest of my life.
Elder Sir didn't know what it was, but he wasn't seeing too well this morning; maybe there was something in the air… Chendang's mother offered her services. She tapped faster than Elder Sir had, and came fairly close to the mark with each tap, but not close enough.
Wait a minute, I said. What about holding the needles right on the design, then tapping? In fact, gollly; I would hold the needles while they tapped. Chendang wondered if that would be asking too much of me, what with the agony and all. I told him it wouldn't, and set my jaw at a steely angle. I Could have told him the pain was a bit less than it had been reported to be, but who was I to shatter his faith in a traditional rite…?
I heard a set of small exclamations as I took over the needles. Turning around, I saw that a group of primary school students had slipped in to watch. I waved, turned back, positioned the needles, and Chendang's mother tapped.
When she quit to fix lunch, Elder Sir resumed his place. At first Chendang had winced in sympathy with each tap, but by the time Elder Sir tired, Chendang had gotten into the spirit of the thing, and was ready to take Elder Sir's place. By then the audience was so close I see the eager glint in their eyes, and I was beginning to feel like the fence Tom Sawyer's friends had whitewashed.
We shooed the children back before they could even ask to try their hands. We went over the design five times, with a break for lunch, then finished in time for dinner.
Elder Sir said I should rub oil into my skin to keep the new tattoo from peeling, and we spent the night swapping stories in broken Iban. I taught in long sleeves for a week while the swelling went down, then came into class in short sleeves.
Instant commotion and concern; had it been very painful, Sir?
I shrugged. Aw shucks, class, we English teachers are made of sterner stuff than you thought. Now maybe we could turn to more important things, like adverbs.
Get your books out.
Wednesday May 17, 2006
Dear INKEDblog: Square-knot Tattoos
Hello INKEDblog:
I have been trying to find information about square-knot tattoo sailor requirements. So far, your blog is the only one I have found with information. You have four-knot tattoo information, and I am wondering if you know any more than you have listed?
I have met the requirements for the four-knot, but have also sailed in all seven seas and am trying to find out if it would be the same tattoo. I am looking to get an authentic tat that conforms to ancient sailing lore.
Thanks,
Ron Conklin
Sitka, Alaska
Dear Ron,
In response to the INKEDblog article, “Sailor’s Tattoo Codes”, a reader wrote that any sort of rope knot indicated a four-knot sailor (a sailor who has crossed the Equator, International Date Line, Arctic and Antarctic Circles).
This knot would certainly go under the heading of a traditional nautical tattoo.
According to LTC Daniel D. Smith, Sr. (TN) of the Navy, the square knot has no symbolic value as a dress knot, and we haven’t found any other info confirming an authentic sailor symbol including the seven seas as well.
Any sailors out there who know of a tattoo like this?
Wednesday May 17, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Bugs!
A lot of people have ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ tattooed on their knuckles. My name is Christy and I have an African Assassin Beetle and a Spanish Fly.
When I was twelve years old, I lived on the East Coast and I was moving houses. It happened to be the time of the seventeen-year cicadas. If you have ever seen them, you knew how dramatic it is. TONS of enormous bugs crawl across the walls and drop with a sick thud in regular intervals throughout the summer. It seemed like a curse…
At first I was horrified, but they are very gentle animals. I think the funniest thing about the summer was the reactions of other people. There was every extreme from people publicly eating the bugs, to dark prophecies about the end of the world. The whole thing turned me on to insects in general.
I have a number of insect tattoos though the first one I ever got was a cicada. I got it after visiting home a long time later and seeing some of the seven-year cicadas doing their summer thing. That’s what cicadas make me think of now- home, summer, and calming, positive thoughts.
In 2000, I got the bugs on my hand. First, I decided on placement. I knew that I wanted something on my index finger. I had been reading about African body modification and my research lead me to discover the African Assassin Beetle. I got the beetle, but a couple of weeks later decided that I needed something else for balance. The tattoos were done by Johnny Bidwell, and I work at Dragonfly tattoo.
Spanish Fly was the clear opposite of an assassin beetle. I got the pinkie fly another week later. The Green Lace bug on my thumb is another story all together. Green Lace bugs are very aggressive and carnivorous during their teen-age years, then mellow out and become peaceful vegetarian adults. I guess I identify with them…"
Tuesday May 16, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Tuesday May 16, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: The Mermaid
"My mother and I both grew up on Manhattan Beach, in California. We lived in the same neighborhood, and went to the same elementary, middle and high school.
We both have always loved the ocean, and its presence and sound are things that seem as natural and necessary to us as air.
My mother still lives by the ocean; you can hear the waves crashing even when the window is closed. This tattoo is dedicated to her. It is actually a cover-up of an angel that I had on my shoulder before.
I knew I wanted to get rid of the angel, but it was my mother’s favorite tattoo, and she did not want me to change it. We are very close, and her opinion mattered to me.
Though I didn’t stick with the angel, I did chose another beautiful, strong, female image for my back. My mother approved of the mermaid, and in a way, I think I wanted her to like the mermaid because of her disappointment about the angel.
When I ask her what she thinks, she says that it is sweet that I dedicated such a large part of my body to her and to the sea.
Tuesday May 16, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Beautiful Night
When I was about fifteen, I read the graphic novel that came before the movie, The Crow. The comic was a Lot more graphic than the film. The whole revenge thing made a lot more sense after reading the comic.
I saw the film when I was sixteen, and it made a really big impression on me. This tattoo is a cover-up of a tattoo I got right after I saw the movie.
The tattoo said, “True love is forever”. I still really like the quote, but pretty soon after I got it, I began to regret it because of the script I used.
The quote was done in large Old English lettering, and it was not what I wanted. I was still wild about romance though, I guess that I wanted everything to happen just as soon as possible in my life.
I am a dancer, and I think that for a long time I had trouble with my body image. I ended up getting breast augmentation the day after September 11th (coincidentally), and the week after that was a haze of pain and worry that the world was ending.
Since that point, I have made a real change in my attitude about my body. I really started feeling comfortable with myself, and getting this tattoo cover-up was part of that process.
I got the tattoo from Wade, at Raven Tattoo. I knew him through an old friend, and he had done other tattoos for me. Since I trusted him, I gave him complete leeway with this piece.
Originally, I wanted Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’, there, but Wade told me that because there are no outlines in that image, that I would have to sit for the whole thing in one session if that’s what I wanted.
We compromised, and ‘Starry Night’ is prominent, but there are a lot of other beautiful details as well. I requested the flowers. I’m working now at Mary’s Club and my stage name is Satori. I am not Asian, but I am very interested in Asian art and culture. This is why I chose the Lotus flowers. The whole thing took many, many sessions to completely cover up the old tattoo. A year in all.
When I first finished this tattoo, there were not that many dancers with tattoos as large and colorful as this one. I ended up very happy with my choice, and myself."
Tuesday May 16, 2006
Dear INKEDblog: Could you suggest a good tattoo artist in Berkeley, CA?
Dear INKEDblog,
Could you suggest a good tattoo artist in Berkeley, CA?
I would like to get a tattoo of Paleolithic and primitive animal figures as well as other simple abstract forms and symbols. Could you recommend anyone who does this?
Bison Run
Dear Bison Run,
We do not recommend individual artists simply because there are so many great ones out there. However, there is definitely a right and wrong way to find the artist who will work the best with you.
The wrong way? Late at night, after a few beers, when you and a friend pass a tattoo shop on the side of the road…
The right way? Ask someone who has a really fabulous tattoo where they had it done. This is especially good if it is stylistically similar to your tattoo.
Visit several shops. Look at as many portfolios as you can. When you find the perfect artist graphically, see if the artist is someone with whom you feel comfortable. This is very important. Being able to have a good dialogue with your artist is essential to your later satisfaction. If you don’t feel comfortable explaining what you want, you probably won’t Get what you want.
When it comes down to it, the perfect tattoo artist for you might not be the perfect one for someone else. It is very individual.
Good Luck!"
Monday May 15, 2006
"Seen At The Clubs" - Photos by Mark The Cobrasnake
More from Mark here.
Monday May 15, 2006
INKEDblog Readers Share their Stories: Electrician
"My story is simple. My father and grandfather owned an electrical company called Vogel Electric in Union NJ. My father passed away when I was really young. My grandfather passed away this summer. It was hard for me cause it was my first grandparent to die and my father’s father so it was even harder.
This tattoo designed by Scotty from Shotsies in Wayne, NJ. It’s a modified version of the original logo designed many years ago for the company. The tattoo is on the right arm on the inside close to my heart.'
Each day on INKEDblog we highlight the stories behind why people get a certain tattoo inked into their skin. As we head into the Season 2 premiere of INKED on A&E on May 31st, we're interested in hearing and showcasing YOUR stories on the INKEDblog. Send us a photo and your story to getinked@inkedblog.com. Over the next couple of weeks we'll try to feature as many stories as we can.
Monday May 15, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Cherokee Brothers
My dad is Cherokee, and this is a tattoo in the Cherokee alphabet. His parents died before I was old enough to know them, so my dad was my main link to my Cherokee heritage. I am a mix of a lot of other things, mainly mutt, but the Cherokee is something we are proud of in my family.
I grew up in Boulder, Colorado and this isn’t a big Cherokee population there, either. My family is very close, especially my brother and I.
When I was twenty and my brother was twenty-two, he decided to go to Florida. It was a hard thing for me. I knew I would miss him a lot. We both got this same tattoo to honor our bond.
My name is Bear, and my brother’s name is Will. The tattoo says Will, Bear, and brothers. We know that we will always be close, no matter where we travel."
Friday May 12, 2006
EVERY BODY HAS A STORY: TELL US YOUR STORY
Each day on INKEDblog we highlight the stories behind why people get a certain tattoo inked into their skin. As we head into the Season 2 premiere of INKED on A&E on May 31st, we're interested in hearing and showcasing YOUR stories on the INKEDblog. Send us a photo and your story to getinked@inkedblog.com. Over the next couple of weeks we'll try to feature as many stories as we can.
Friday May 12, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Birthday Dragon
"I have wanted a dragon tattoo since I was about seventeen years old. I’m not sure when I first started liking dragons, but I remember always liking them. I got a couple of other smaller tattoos when I was eighteen, but I am thirty-seven now, and this is a tattoo I’ve been thinking about for twenty years.
At several different times in my life I have tried to get people to draw out the design that I wanted, but it never seemed to work out. Though I knew that I wanted a dragon, I also knew that I wanted a unique dragon. I did not want to have flash.
My aunt has a fair number of tattoos, and she always comes to Lyon at Twenty-First Century Tattoo. I knew this, but I hadn’t seen any of their work and had never gone there. Through complete coincidence, a guy at East Plating (where I work) showed up today with a tattoo that Lyon had done. I really liked it.
My thirty-seventh birthday is next week. My friend who works with me knew that I wanted tattoo and she gave me this as a present. We went in today, Lyon drew it out, and I got the whole thing done in one go.
I looked at a bunch of other dragon pictures, and the one that struck me the most was a dragon guarding an egg. I had Lyon draw something like that, but I decided I wanted wings on my dragon. Also, I chose a Yin Yang instead of an egg. As Lyon says though, an egg Is a sort of Yin Yang, each part contains the other’s destiny.
Friday May 12, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: The Passionate Skull
"I had this tribal band around my biceps before I got this skull done. You can see it; the skull is eating the band now. I got the band because this woman I loved picked it out for me. I got the skull because she broke my heart.
She was a reporter for the Sheridan Sun, and I contacted her originally six years ago to get her to write a brochure about my business, which is a sheet metal company. The whole thing took forever, about twelve hours of driving around. I wanted her to see all the job sites, and she had to take pictures and stuff.
She was going through a divorce and I was going through a divorce and I don’t know what the hell happened, but at the end of the day, we ended up in a hotel and that was that.
We fell in love really quick. After a month, I moved her up to live with me. The thing was, she was so damn bossy. I don’t take well to that kind of thing. Always jealous for no reason, I think she might have had people follow me!
One day she went to work and I got a U-Haul truck, put all her stuff in it, and moved her back to where she lived before. That was it. Kind of.
During the next six years, we weren’t really together, but we still couldn’t stop the physical side of our relationship. I guess I really loved her even though she drove me nuts.
So, upshot is that I married her last July. We decided to buy this 750K house, and I needed a 250K deposit for the down payment. It seemed like things were going good, and I was working my ass of trying to get the money together. A little while after we got married, a friend of mine told me that she was waiting for me to get the house and then she was going to divorce me.
I came home and it was over for real. The thing was, her name was on the safety deposit box along with mine, so she had to come with me to get the money. There was no way I was going to let her get that money!
I have not and would not ever hit a woman, but I did mention that I had a hell of a lot of guns in my house. She went along to the bank with me. Once we were in there, damn. We had another huge fight. She handed me the check and said something… I can’t even remember exactly what, but it seemed really important that I start telling Everyone in the bank Exactly what she had done. I was screaming, she was screaming. It was crazy.
After that, I got this skull tattoo. I really felt like I hated her. She called and called and called, but I wasn’t having any of it. Not for a couple of months at least…
I guess she called today and we talked for a while, but what are you going to do with passion?"
Friday May 12, 2006
Every BODY Has a Story: Scorpion
"I got this scorpion done yesterday. It was covering up a scorpion I had before, but the old one wasn’t very sharp. It looked kind of puny next to this one. Why the scorpion? Well I guess I must be the ultimate Scorpio. I am completely, 100% consumed by all the things that I decide to do. This tattoo, for example. I came in and had the whole thing done in one day. It took about five hours of work.
The rest of my life is like that too. I’ve been in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), been a Baptist preacher, made and lost and made a ton of money… You understand?
The fighting started though, when I was pretty young. My parents were splitting up and it was a messy business. I ran away and was just kind of roaming around when I met this pretty girl. She went to this church, and I went with her. When I was there, I met a guy that ran a boy’s home. His name was Grandpa Boyce.
One day while I was living there, an older guy about twenty-one years old said something mean to my little girlfriend and she started to cry. I jumped up to defend her honor.
In the boys’ home, we were allowed to fight if we wore boxing gloves and did it in the ring. I took on this kid and he just pounded the crap out of me. Twenty versus fourteen is not great odds… I ended up winning anyway though. Kid’s hands got so damn tired from punching me, he finally gave it up.
After that I put a call into a cousin of mine and told him that I thought that I might be a pretty good fighter. We started a little business after that when I was fifteen. I would stand outside of bars, and my cousin would go in and tell people I would fight them for twenty bucks. They would all come over to my cousin’s house and I would work my way down the line. I guess I got kicked in the head pretty good a couple of times, but I made some money.
My mom and I are now pretty close, and she was the one who told me about the Scorpio thing. I think it fits me to a tee. The other thing she told me about Scorpio’s was that they don’t tell their secrets. That’s what the faces at the top represent and I’m not telling."
Thursday May 11, 2006
EveryBODY Has a Story: The Drowning Geisha
"I got this tattoo about three years ago after I started working at Temple Tattoo. I had just finished reading Jitterbug Perfume, by Tom Robbins.
The book has a complicated series of characters including the god Pan, Alobar, King and others who are all trying to live forever. It turns out that there is a mysterious scent that is the secret to eternal life. I read it quite a while ago, but several things in the book made an impression on me.
One of them was a character in the book called Bingo Pajamas who’s this crazy guy that has a swarm of bees flying around his head all of the time. I saw the bees as a metaphor for a continued interest and curiosity in life. In the Buddhist sense, bees are a symbol of living every day and every second like it is your last.
The idea of death was another thing that Jitterbug Perfume made me think about. Before I got this tattoo, it occurred to me that death was something that was a part of life. Death was in fact integral and that some parts of your own self have to die several times in a lifetime in order to keep your own growth and interest in life alive.
Before I worked at Temple, I danced at a bunch of different clubs in town. I don’t regret it, and it was pretty fun at first. Dancing out is one of those things you do not do forever though, and I wanted to be sure to stop before I hated it. So, I quit as soon as I started to feel like it wasn’t what I wanted to do anymore.
The geisha is another kind of dancing girl. She is drowning in my tattoo, but not because I am killing her, or regretting her. The bees flying over her head remind me that she is simply dying a natural death as I progress to other things.