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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.
Home / Pop Culture
Thursday Mar 16, 2006
In the News: Helping Hands
The Auburn Journal reports that a tattoo studio called Wild Bill’s Tattoo, in Roseville CA, raised $17,000 for a children’s hospital in a unique way– a Tattoo-a-Thon.
For the fifth straight year, employees have donated all the proceeds and tips from their work during a fifteen hour day, to UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Owner, William Hill has continued the Tattoo-a-Thon tradition with sponsorship from 98 Rock, KWOD 106.5, The Eagle and other radio stations. The tradition started when Hill’s wife, Kim Forrest heard a story about a child being treated in the hospital on the radio. The story touched her so much; she called into the radio station and said she would donate all the money she made that day to the hospital.
The idea spread through the shop, and now all the employees are happily donating their time once a year. This last Tattoo-a-Thon, nearly 150 people received tattoos from Wild Bill’s Tattoo.
Good idea, Wild Bill’s! Let’s see more tat studios following your example
| Thursday Mar 02, 2006
Tattoo Stats
Everyone knows that more people are getting tattoos than they used to, but how many more? Moreover, who are the people getting them? Who’s still happy with their tats, who’s not?
Vanishing Tattoo compiled information from a tattoo survey conducted by Harris Interactive of 2,215 adults in the US. The tattoo survey was given between July 14th and July 20th, 2003. They found some interesting info…
Did you know that 16% of all Americans adults have tattoos? If you just look at American adults between the ages of 30 and 39, the figure jumps to 28%. If you look at people 25- 29, more than a third of that population has one or more tattoos (36%). People in the gay, lesbian and bisexual population (regardless of age) were also close to the one in three mark at 31%.
If you live on the West Coast, you are more likely to have a tattoo and the same if you are a Democrat. Republicans are 4 percentage points behind Democrats when it comes to getting tattoos, but are statistically more likely to regret them. Republicans have the highest percentage of tattoo regret at 24%, mostly related to having a tattoo of a person’s name.
Careful of that!
The Harris Study found that most people did not regret getting that tat. 83% of tattooed Americans are satisfied with their ink, thank you very much. After the name problem, the second most common reason people end up regretting their tattoos is that they do not like the way it turned out.
Choose you artists and designs with care!
Lastly, tattoos appear to make a lot of people feel sexier, a full 34% of tattooed people report feeling sexier after getting their tat. Now there’s some useful information!
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!
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”.
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 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.
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
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.
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”.
Friday Jan 27, 2006
Tattoos from Ground Zero
After ten months of work at the ‘hole’, the name given to the remainder of the World Trade Center buildings after the 911 attacks, the workers from Local Union 79 needed to make some kind of gesture as a result of that experience. The work of the firefighters and service workers was publicly exalted, but the Union workers cleaning up the horrific site were given little to take with them but their chronic coughs- a result of the inhaled chemicals.
The workers decided that like many of the military men who got tattoos after Pearl Harbor, a tattoo would best express the camaraderie in tragedy that they shared.
It was difficult to select an image, but they finally decided on the cross of twisted metal that remained on site during their toils.
Nike Swoosh Tattoos -
What makes the employees at Nike tattoo themselves with their employer’s logo? Is it that Nike management brought three tattoo artists to their campus, ‘just in case’ there was interest? Despite appearances to the contrary, the Nike tat phenomenon doesn’t seem to be just another way to get in big with the boss. There are a group of extremely gung-ho employees who called themselves EKINs (Nike spelled backwards), who started the tattooing craze before the managers actually brought the tattoo artists to the office. Now that’s some job loyalty
Wednesday Jan 18, 2006
Baby Tats
In INKEDblog’s search all things old, new, interesting, or frankly wack in the tat world, we found a bunch of online references to a tattoo studio called “Baby Ink”. Though the site is no longer up, you can still find pages and pages of diatribe from outraged parents and artists, as well as a few pages of comments from people who believe it might be ‘cute’ or a ‘good idea’ (?!). What is ‘it’? Tattooing babies, of course. The site featured babies with fake tattoos, and instructions for tat touch ups as the babies grew and stretched their skin.
DJs at Channel 933 KHTS-FM radio in San Diego conceived this joke site as an April Fool’s Day joke. Nice one. The oddest part of the online discussion? People actually debated whether tattooing babies is any worse than piercing little children’s ears.
Wednesday Dec 14, 2005
In Defense of Tribals
From an Inkedblog reader:
"I love your site. I'm pretty obsessed with tattoos. I only have one, but I look at photos of them for hours, contemplating what next.
I know neotribal style was a huge trend in the 90s -- when I got mine. In a real typical place, my lower back. And now we have the backlash, beause SO many people got them unthinkingly. The part of me that is still attached to trendiness is the part that goes -- cover it! People think it's lame! But here's the thing.
I picked the tribal design I did because it is meaningful to me. So, to me, it transcends the superficiality of the trend. The design resembles an angel with unfurling, swirling wings. Though abstract, when I tell people how to look at it they see it too. I didn't WANT to get a realistic tattoo of an angel. I was afraid I would tire of the image; and I personally prefer bold, black tattoos with a strong abstract design element. I wanted something flowing and symbolic, whose meaning could change over time. The concept of having an angel "watching my back" is very personal to me -- so personal that I am glad that if a stranger asks me what my tattoo means, I can just say, "Nothing, it's just a design I liked." Because it's none of their business. And while tattoos can be fashion and beauty statements, they are also spiritual and represent a rite of passage in the wearer's life.
So -- just because there are lots of dudes out there who get tribal armbands for no real reason, and chicks who just slap a tribal over their ass because it's "sexy"...don't assume that's true of all of us!
Okkie's Best of 2005
FAVORTITE TREND IN TATTOOING OF 2005
Letters and amazing new colouring.
LEAST FAVORITE TREND IN TATTOOING N 2005
Too small work on newbies.
BEST TATTOO SHOP
25 To Life and the Inkstitution, both in Rotterdam NL
BEST TATTOO ARTIST
Errol (the Inkstitution)
and Lionel (Out of Step Tattoo, France).
FAVORITE TATTOO SEEN THIS YEAR
My new tattoo by Errol, a recordplayer which i got yesterday and my tattoo from Lionel, who was working for a week in SlickNick's 25 To Life shop in Rotterdam. Also a tattoo from Pete Schroder (Shipwreck Tattoo Rotterdam) who made a jesus with a crown of chrismaslights, that one is mindblowing! I include my octopus tat from Pete, however that one is 5 years old.
BEST TATTOO RESOURCE (ONLINE)
inkedblog.
Tuesday Dec 13, 2005
Roselly's Best of 2005
Favorite Trend in Tattooing of 2005: Most likely anything being done on the underside of the wrists.
Least Favorite Trend in Tattoing of 2005: Lower backs for sure, full skin tattoos on the ass and the entire back. Somehow those just don't look right to me.
Best Tattoo Shop: I've only been to one my whole life, it would be at Glen's Tattoo on Main street in Carrboro, NC.
Favorite Tattoo Seen this Year: definitely this one
Best Tattoo Resource: Definitely you so far, I've seen alot in my search for my "perfect" tattoo but I've gotten ALOT of ideas from you so far! YAY for Inked Blog!
What;s your "Best of 2005" list? Send it to us at getinked@inkedblog.com
Rutger Betlem's Best of 2005
FAVORTITE TREND IN TATTOOING OF 2005: Urban art
LEAST FAVORITE TREND IN TATTOOING N 2005: anything celtic or tribals As well as tattoos on lower back
BEST TATTOO SHOP:
Marco Bratt
BEST TATTOO ARTIST:
Filip Leu
BEST TATTOO RESOURCE (ONLINE): Well that's gotta be you
Paul Pattee's Choice for Best Tattoo Artist of 2005 - Andrea Ottlewski - Slave to the Needle, Seattle
You can see more of Andrea's work here.
Monday Dec 05, 2005
SesMan's NBA2K6 Tattoos Photos
How lifelike are the graphics on the new Xbox 360? Check out these player tattoos photos taken by SesMan while playing NBA 2K6 on the Xbox 360.
Marcus Canby
Kenyon Martin
Carmelo Anthony
Thursday Nov 17, 2005
Canadian Government Funds Tattoo Parlors Inside State Prisons
Getting a tattoo in prison, usually means the down-and-dirty homemade needle and ink version with a paper clip, and some ink from a pen
But recently, in an effort to stem deseases like AIDS and hepatitis, the Canadian governement has allowed inmate-run tattoo parlours inside the minimum-security Rockwood Institution, Atlantic Institution in Renous, N.B., Cowansville Institution in Cowansville, Que., Bath Institution in Bath, Ont., and Matsqui Institution in Abbotsford, B.C. Funding for the project has come from a one-year, $700,000 grant by Health Canada.
The cost for the prison tattoo is $5 Canadian
Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
New Tees From Mark The Cobrasnake
Each week we showcase the photography of our good friend Mark The Cobrasnake. Because there are a lot of fans of Mark's out there, we thought we'd let you know that Mark has made a limited edition of 150 hand screen t-shirts. You can check them out here.
Wednesday Nov 09, 2005
Tattoos Banned From Iranian Basketball
From the Press Trust of India:
"The Iranian Basketball Federation has banned its players from having tattoos like many of their foreign counterparts, a student-run news agency reported on Wednesday.
"It has been noticed recently that some basketball players are copying foreign players and having themselves tattooed ... Which is against the morals (of the Islamic republic) and unacceptable," the federation said.
It called, in a statement carried by ISNA, for players who have "committed such an act" to take rapid measures to "make them disappear so to avoid firmer measures" against them."
Friday Oct 28, 2005
Halloween Tats
BMEZine's weblog has a terrific gallery of Halloween th emed tattoos. You can check it out here.
Friday Oct 21, 2005
Surge in New Orleans Tattoos Post Katina
Kevin Krolicki of the news service Reuters reports yesterday that in New Orleans, there's been a huge surge in demand for tattoos in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Relief workers have been getting messages and images inked onto their bodies in response to the devistation from the killer storm. The article states:
"It's not like people are getting 'I Survived Katrina,'" manager and resident body piercing expert Erik Clemmer said. "But I think people are happy to be alive."Natalie, who asked that her last name not be used because she does not want her parents to know she is getting a tattoo, chose a line from the musical "Cabaret," to carry on her left hip: "In here, life is beautiful."
The line conjures the menacing forces swirling around Berlin in the 1930s, she says, adding that it seems apt for New Orleans, another city that has cultivated an image of sinfulness.
"I think it's perfect because outside the world is falling apart," she said.
Seated nearby U.S. Army Spec. Brian Wood, a member of the Illinois National Guard, was getting a lyric from a rock song framed by two pistols needled into his right forearm.
The line from band Killswitch Engage stuck with him as a kind of mantra during 18 months in Iraq and six weeks in New Orleans, especially during the early days of high water and looting, the 20-year-old said.
"This is the path I walk. I walk it with my own resolve," he said, quoting the song. "It means I know what I'm doing. And, I don't know, it just seemed like the time to get it."
Tattoo artist Juju Becker spent days after the late August storm working up designs like "Katrina" written on a Second World War era-bomb, just in case clients showed up asking for that kind of hurricane tattoo.
But, he said, most request a storm-related message that has personal resonance.
A New Orleans Police Officer in uniform, who asked that his name not be used because he was critical of the conduct of other police, came in with a design for himself and comrades in the First District, which now calls itself "Fort Apache."
A badge-like design, the tattoo reads: "Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Police, Fort Apache District."
"We were the only ones that stayed. The only ones that held," he said of his police station in the chaos that followed the storm. "They were shooting at us in the station. We were shooting back. I'm glad people are back now. It was like a zombie movie, man."
Photo Above: "Tattoo artist "JuJu" Becker works to design a tattoo for National Guardsman Brian Wood at the Crescent City Tattoo Parlor in the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana October 18, 2005. With the emotional impact of working during the weeks following Hurricane Katrina there has been a rush of National Guardsmen, relief workers and others impacted by the disaster to get tattoos commemorating their experiences in the U.S. Gulf Coast. REUTERS/LUCAS JACKSON"
Thursday Oct 13, 2005
Can You Date Me By My Tat?... Comments by Jessica Lund
Often lead by celebrities, tattoo styles have shifts and trends like any other high fashion item. Since tattoos last forever though, it will be interesting to see if we will be able to date people by their choices. Imagine your granddaughter looking at your tribal tat and saying, “geeze, grammaw, you musta got that in the 90’s! You are So old!”
This isn’t so different from the way that WW1 and WW2 tattoos date their wearers, but for our generation, it is style, rather than historical events that move our choice of style.
As tattoo trends come and go, the ink remains. One wonders if the custom tats that are so hip at the moment will look like dinosaurs in ten years when everyone starts getting their zip code tats inked on (oh, wait a sec, zip code tats are already popular). Some other trend then, something we haven’t even thought of yet.
To try to guess someone’s age, we won’t need to ask them when they graduated from high school, we just need to take a look at the Celtic armband- huh, he’s 42. He looked so much older…
... Jessica Lund
Tuesday Oct 11, 2005
What’s In, What’s Out: Latest Tattoo Trends
IN:
Half Sleeves: shoulder to elbow
Japanese Style: fish, water, fire. (Often fitting
over the body, rather than discrete images)
Lettering: Old English and others
Religious Tats: sacred hearts, saints
New York Style: bold outline and bright, bold colors
Fineline: highly detailed work that reproduces the effect of a drawing or painting on skin
Rockabilly: cars, babes, and rock n roll
Bio-mechanical: flesh combined with machines
Realistic: often portraits or photos, most often in black and white
Custom: work designed either by the wearer or in conjunction with the tattoo artist
Henna: for those who are not seeking a permanent tat
OUT:
Tribal designs: Overdone!
Arm bands: Overdone!
Homemade tattoos: Dangerous and ugly!
"Flash": Boring, impersonal and overdone!
NOTE: The main trend with tattoos is that people are taking more time to find their design, whatever style that may be. This often means that these tattoos are bolder than in the past, as the wearer has had the time to consider the tattoo, carefully. As for what’s out, the less popular tats are either ones of inferior design, or tats that have been seen too often.
Thursday Sep 15, 2005
Red Robin Settles Tattoo Discrimination Lawsuit
Today's Rocky Mountain News reports that the Red Robin restaurant chain had settled a high profile religious discrimination lawsuit in which a former employee, Edward Rangel Jr, was fired for having religious tattoos on his wrists.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers will pay Rangel $150,000 to settle the case. Rangel's tattoos, which covered his wrists, spells out the name of God in a text that corresponds wiht Rangel's ancient Egyptian faith called Kemet.
Rangel, who was asked by Red Robin to cover up the tattoos, is quoted in the papar as saying - "You can't cover it up - it's like killing the name of God"
You can read the article here.
Thursday Sep 01, 2005
Jessica Lund on Hippies, Tats and Your Parents
Have you ever seen those pics of your parents, circa 1975, sporting bell bottoms, big beards, long hair (that would be dad); mini-dresses covered with little mirrors and barefoot (that would be mom)?
In a sick sort of way, I like to compare these pics to the ones circa 1985 where they’re wearing hideous sports jackets with leather patches on the elbows and large tortoise shell glasses; pants sets, sucky pho-glam hair styles with head bands and there’s lil’ me right in the middle there, dressed in some sort of retarded sailor suit or something…
What the hell happened?
I wonder if the reason tats became so popular during my generation is partly due to the blow of our parents’ particular brand of culture shock. That is, we are shocked by our parents’ ability to change cultures literally at the drop of a hat…
It occurred to me that no matter how rebellious it was to have long hair back in 1968, it took about seven minutes to turn back into the geek you were before once the decade changed. And we get lectured on authenticity?
It seems to me that tat culture is a sort of response to this chameleon-like shifting with which we have grown up. Rebellion is nothing if it doesn’t last forever. The only physical rebellion that we allow ourselves will be unchangeable, stuck in the moment when we made our decision to make a mark.
There’s not a sailor suit in the world that’ll cover it up.
Friday Aug 26, 2005
From Street to Skin - Banksy's Girl with the Heart Baloon
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TATTOO
Monday Aug 22, 2005
From Street to Skin
"Just recieved photos of my new favourite maniac, a guy called Shane who's had Shat-at tattooed onto his back! RESPECT!
Quite odd seeing your work on someone's skin, but very cool none-the less! Don't have any info on the tattoo artist or the parlour, but looks like a sweet job to me!"
... Eelus
Friday Aug 19, 2005
Rocket From The Crypt - The Tattoos
The San Diego based rock band Rocket From the Crypt has basically gone into hibernation for the past year and a half, but its legacy still lives on in the tattoos of its fans. RFTC has long had an amazing tattoo fan club: anyone with a Rocket From the Crypt tattoo would get into shows for free, and even get special limited edition 7 inches. The most interesting aspect of the tattoo club is that it’s not just the same uniform tattoo on different skin: each fans customizes the basic design in numerous creative ways, as you can see here in this gallery.
Thursday Aug 18, 2005
Yakuza Tattoos - A Quick Introduction
Japan's Yakuza have been known for their full body tattoos. During initiation, men receive intricate tattoos that can often take more than two years to complete from start to finish.
"Irezumi" is the art of tattooing in Japan. The word means "insertion of ink." Irezumi can be used either as an adjective or a noun, and can be used to refer to a tattoo artist, the person who gets the tattoo, or the actual design.
Irezumi designs often use images from Kabuki theatre. One of the most popular irezumi designs is Benten Kôzô. Benten Kôzô was a criminal who would disguise himself as a woman. When he was caught, he pulled off his clothing and people discovered that he was a heavily tattooed man.
Wednesday Aug 17, 2005
Killer Klowns
The gallery of clown tattoos featured at Tattoo22.com certainly aren’t the ‘kid friendly balloon twisting’ clowns that pacify rambunctious toddlers at your niece’s birthday bash. And we’re pretty sure that most of these ghoulish characters would feel quite at home at www.ihateclowns.com -- a site entirely dedicated to the depiction of clowns as sinister and evil characters. However, whether you’re into ‘killer klowns’ or not, it’s hard to dismiss the incredible needlework that has gone into creating some of these creepy creatures. The color and detail is certainly impressive, and the expressions on their faces are real enough to invoke terror in even the toughest big kid.
Tuesday Aug 16, 2005
"You Need Eyes On The Back Of Your Head"
Inspired by his children’s remarks about his driving, Martin Reilly recently had eyes tattooed into the back of his head.
What makes it even more unique is that the piece was done for a good cause. Reilly collected sponsorships totaling more than £350 (plus free work from The Ink Pot in Oldham) to raise money and awareness for Fantastic Dyspraxic Kids. Dyspraxia is a learning disability that also effects motor skills, and affects many children and adults.
You can read the story here.
Monday Aug 15, 2005
Elvish Tattoos by Ned
If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, or simply interested in exotic scripts, Ned Gulley will translate your name or phrase into Elvish for a very small fee.
And if you’re not interested in paying, he’ll teach you how to do it yourself.
Wednesday Aug 10, 2005
Video Game Totem Tattoo
Gotta love this video game totem tattoo. We found it on Joystick.com. The owner of the tat explains on Joystick:
”...as the native people in the pacific northwest (and other places) used totem poles to tell stories and keep family chronologies, my design was intended to tell a history of some of the important games that influenced me and my family as i grew up.”
Tuesday Aug 02, 2005
Steed Taylor's Road Tattoos
From Steed Taylor's Artist Statement: "Road Tattoos? Because roads are the skin of a community, a road is to the public body what skin is to the private body. If people mark their skin as a means of commemoration, communication and ritual; then a road can be marked for the same reasons. I am interested in the intersection of memorials, ritual and public art. I have been investigating how personal emotional significance can be placed on a public space and how this emotional resonance can be manifested in public artwork. My Road Tattoos are a result of this investigation.
Road Tattoos are placed at locations of personal significance and are composed of cultural designs previously appropriated to mark skin. Once the design is drawn on the road, names or other specific information is painted within the design, a prayer is said and the design is painted in, covering over the names. They are subtle, usually close in color to the roadway, but made with reflective paint causing them to appear and disappear with passing light. Eventually traffic and weather conditions dissolve them into the road.
You can learn more about Steed's work here.
Femme Coleur: Salon, Coffee Shop, and Tattoo Parlor
If there were a mascot for tattoos' growing mainstream popularity, there's a good chance that it would be Femme Coleur, a full-service. The business is notable not only for its wide range of services, but also for its location - Gustine, California. Gustine's a farming community of about 5,000 in Northern California. If there's any doubt left about tattoos' social acceptance, it should be noted that about a quarter of the salon's customers leave with tats. Owner Bob Sherman states that "People want tattoos. They just don't want to walk into a ghetto to get one."
Thursday Jul 28, 2005
IGN's Best Tattoos of Lollapalooza
IGN has posted a gallery of tattoos seen last weekend at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Here are two of our favorites:
You can see the gallery here.
Best of The Bay 2005
The San Fancisco Bay Guardian has come out with their "Best of the Bay 2005" issue. This year their theme is tattooing. You can check out a terrific little gallery of San Francisco tattoos here.
Also... Congratulations to the women of Black and Blue Tattoo who were voted "Best Tattoo Shop" of San Francisco in the Reader's Poll.
Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
John Irving Takes You Into The Parlors
John Irving’s new novel, Until I Find You centers (mostly) around an actor attempting to locate his father and a sense of identity. The son of a tattoo artist, prostitute, and sexually abusive mother named Daughter Alice, much of the novel involves hero Jack Burns’ attempts to track down his tattoo-addicted father – a church organist with the goal of covering his skin in its entirety.
This 800 page novel is, to be honest, John Irving at his worst. Irving’s writing is tedious, and he seems to be recycling his same old scenes of childhood abandonment and wrestling to increasingly less effect.
The novel’s saving grace, however, is its warm, detailed, and realistic depiction of tattoo parlors. Irving’s obviously done his homework – as Jack’s mother takes him across Northern Europe at age 4 to look for his father, the reader gets a detailed and loving tour of tattoo culture, learning such things as that a heavily tattooed body is highly sensitive to the cold.
If you love tattoos, there are parts of this book that you’ll find interesting and entertaining. But if you love good books, you won’t be finding one here.
Monday Jul 25, 2005
Rev. Fish's Clive Barker Tat
Last week we asked if any of you have a tattoo of a celebrity autograph. Over the weekend we received the following email from Rev. Fish:
"Hey, my name is Fish. I am a tattoo artist in South Florida and I have not only a celebrity autograph tattooed on my arm but a drawing he did as well. I met Clive Barker in 1998 and he autographed my arm as well as drawing an original piece in an open space which I proceeded to have both of them inked."
Fish writes on the Clive Barker site:
"My portrait of Clive represents my creativity. Clive is a multi-talented individual who has thrived at all of his endeavors, and that is what I aspire to as well. I currently draw, paint, tattoo professionally, make music, DJ, and have recently started writing fiction.
The devil face (which I consider an interpretation of Lude) and Clive's autograph were drawn directly on my skin by Clive at the Galilee reading at the National Press Club in Washington DC. He loved my ink, insisted that it be on the site, and was more than happy to help add to it. So I lucked out and I now have a Clive Barker original that I can never lose, and I got for free at that LOL."
Tuesday Jul 19, 2005
‘Crazy Diarrhea’
We definitely need to give some props to Darren Barefoot for giving us the heads up on this site, which is solely dedicated to debunking misused Asian character tattoos.
But we had to draw your attention to this particular tattoo faux pas; we literally fell off our chairs in laughter at this one. Poor little Naomi Chaney mistakenly tattooed the words “Crazy Diarrhea” just above her butt. Astonishingly, the craziest thing about this misnomer is not what the slogan says, but the fact that the owner admits she knew what she was doing, and actually got help from an Asian friend. Apparently the joke is on us -- and she’s actually paying homage to the bunch of ignoramuses out there who are unaware of what their tattoos mean. Yeah right! I’m sure it’s gotta be some kind of cover up, and you better believe she’s got some serious beef with her so-called friend.
Friday Jul 15, 2005
Out of This World Tattoos
Sci-Fi has long spawned a fascination that runs the cultural gamut – from counter culture to mainstream, from books to videos, and from cartoon characters to blockbuster super heroes. Tattoos22 features a superb gallery of supernatural tattoos. Most of the alien designs are the archetypal little green martians, but there are a few original deviations. Of course, the very nature of life from outer space is enigmatic, so some of the tats are difficult to decipher. However, they all seem to incite feelings of ‘outer-worldliness’, and many are laden with dark overtones. We particularly like the tattoo of a green lady that’s sitting cross legged, as though she were mid-meditation -- it’s very provocative, as though the owner is trying to make a statement about spirituality and alien life forms. We love tattoos that make you think.
Tuesday Jul 12, 2005
Temporary Tats Debut in the OR
It’s no secret that tattoos add to our body’s aesthetic. However, wral.com details how temporary tats can actually save your life. Medical errors are every patient’s worst nightmare. 1.3 million injuries in the United States occur from medical malpractice. It seems unfathomable that surgeons need to be reminded which part of the body to operate on, but statistics have proven that this is an all too common mistake, and one that needs rectifying. So, if this means putting a tattoo bull’s-eye on our body before going under the knife, then sign us up.
Shepard's Gallery of Obey The Giant Tattoos
If you're a fan of artist Shepard Fairey's Obey The Giant, then be sure to check out the gallery of OBEY tattoos on Shepard's website. Eighteen tats have been uploaded so far.
Monday Jul 11, 2005
The Indelible Art of Story Telling
Recently the LAWeekly published an update on Shelley Jackson’s "mortal art" project, in which 2,095 people will each tattoo one word of a 2,095-word story somewhere on their body. The idea has a simple elegance: to take a short story and tattoo it, one word at a time. If you’re interested in this project we highly recommend reading this article. Although Jackson’s website is informative it fails to communicate the true essence, and the deeper philosophical nature of the experiment. Jackson’s literary and artistic sensibilities are certainly commendable, and it’s interesting to read her rationalizations behind the project. True to the nature of this human experiment, the story’s contents will continue to remain elusive well after the project’s completion. She says, “I wanted to think of the story as a living text, an embodied text. I wanted it to be a text that eventually died, that had a lifespan like a living organism, a text that eventually erased itself from the world”.
You can read the LA Weekly article here.
Friday Jul 08, 2005
Mike Essl and His Mr. T Tat
The Washington Post yesterday ran a terrific story about Greg Rivera and Mike Essl, arguably the formost collectors of Mr. T memorabilia in the world. What immediately caught our eye was the massive Mr. T tat that Mike Essl sports on his bicep. The article quotes Essl as explaining to the reporter:
"When I met Mr. T, I cried. It was at an autograph signing, with Mary Lou Retton, of all people, and I got my arm signed and my photograph taken with him. Then I just went outside and I cried."
Even as he recalls the moment, Essl verges on welling up.
"I wanted him to sign my arm because I wanted to tattoo his signature on my biceps. He was totally friendly -- he called me 'big buddy' -- but he had this guy who was there to make sure people moved along and before I knew it, the whole thing was over. So instead I got this."
Essl rolls up a sleeve. On his arm is a huge, brightly colored tattoo of Mr. T."
You can read the article here.
Wednesday Jul 06, 2005
Tats Still Taboo in Tokyo
Regardless of the long standing, century old tradition of tattooing in Japan, the majority of Japanese people are strongly against tattoo art. Recently we discovered an excellent article on Geocities.com that discusses the current mentality of Japanese society towards tattooing. Tattoos hold a highly tabooed position in Japan. Due to this stigmatization, tattoos have strong effects on social standing and appearance. The Geocities article is an incredibly well researched piece, and you need to dedicate a block of time to read it thoroughly. But it’s totally worth it. The article outlines the importance of both religion and popular culture – people that are particularly pious believe that tattoos contaminate the body, destroying the symbol of good citizenship and filial youth. Although, the youth of Japan is gaining momentum in its fight to break the stigma against tattoos, it still remains an underground activity in most parts of Japan. You can read the article here.
Thursday Jun 30, 2005
Giving it up for Guinness
We’ve all heard stories of people making the disastrous mistake of getting a tattoo after downing one too many pints of lager. But actually getting the logo of your favorite beer tattooed on your arm, that’s a definite first for us. However, people who drink Guinness definately belong to some kind of drinking cult, as they vehemently refuse to try any other beer. And most of them are ridiculously well versed in exactly how the beer is brewed – down to how long each fermentation cycle last. So, I guess we shouldn’t be all that surprised to see that some Guinness fanatic has tattooed the brewery’s logo on himself -- we’ve seen people get tattoos of things (and people) that they love a lot less. In addition, the tattoo is extremely well done.
Photo above nicked from here.
Wednesday Jun 29, 2005
More Star Wars Tats
After posting a link to a collection of Star Wars themed tattoos this morning, we've received a ton of amazing Star Wars tats. The one below is one of our favorites.
Image nicked from Lower East Side Stories
Killer Tattoo
With all the recent discussion around Living Wills following the Terri Schiavo case, we were reminded that back in March of 2003 the BBC reported that an 85 year old retired English nurse went to the length of having the words “do not resuscitate” tattooed across her chest to ensure that she would not be kept on life support. Frances Pollak paid a mere 25 pounds to get this life-denying lettering tattooed over her heart -- the exact spot that would need to be shocked, should she go into cardiac arrest. Apparently, she was worried that doctors wouldn’t see her ‘do not resuscitate’ card that she carries in her handbag. We’ve heard of people tattooing ‘life-changing’ quotations on their body, but the ‘DNR’ tat takes the cake – Pollak’s instructional ink is literally the difference between life and death. Being that this article was written a couple of years ago, it would be really interesting to know if she is still around, and if medical professional ‘obeyed’ the tattoo. We’re really impressed by this lady’s tenacity and sheer will to do things her own way. We’re giving her a definite big ups for having the balls to go the extra mile.
Star Wars Tattoos
All summer Star Wars enthusiasts have been revved up to high voltage with the release of the last episode of the Sci-Fi trilogy – Revenge of the Sith. For those of you that want to take your fandom one step further, and want to remember the Star Wars mania in a forever kind of way – Shane's archive is the website for you. This is undoubtedly the Web’s definitive home for Star Wars fan tattoos. From Darth Vader to R2D2, there are dozens of tattoo artist interpretations of your favorite character. Here you will find the most comprehensive collection of Star Wars tats. And for those of you who are craving a little infantile regression, or never got Demolisher (the coolest Transformer) for Christmas, here’s your chance to make up for it. The website also boasts tattoos of GI Joe, Transformers, comic characters, Anime and toy related tattoos known to mankind. You can check it out here.
Monday Jun 27, 2005
Tattoo Tees
Want to look like you're punk rawk without jeopardizing your chances at that cushy white-collar job? If you can’t stand the pain, but are willing to do a bit of front’n for the day, Sleeves Clothing has got the T-shirt for you. What started out as a quirk in the movie industry, with guys like Brad Pitt wearing the ‘fake tats garb’ for a photo shoot in People magazine, has now forged its way in the fashion arena. Sleeves Clothing sells translucent clingy shirts that "give you the realistic illusion of tattoos". These Tees are meant to look like your skin, so they’re super tight and thin. They’re covered in artistically painted designs (fake tattoos) that give you the look of full-body tatts without the permanence, pain, sagging or disapprobation.
Friday Jun 24, 2005
Tattoo Of The Week - Zelda
Each and every day the team here at INKEDblog looks through thousands of tattoos as we prepare these posts. So we thought that on Fridays we'd end each week with a shout out for our favorite tattoo of the week.
The tattoo above of Zelda, found on livejournal.com, definately caught our eye this week. The attention to detail is painstakingly flawless, and the design is both intricate and super sharp. Even if you’re not into video games, Nintendo, or Zelda - and you just don’t have the inclination to ink yourself with characters from the castle of Hyrule - you’ve gotta love this mad tat. We’re not really that familiar with the game, but we do know that it involves an intrepid princess that stands up to her evil ruler – so, in the tradition of bravery, we’re definitely giving props to this guy for being seriously fearless by getting his tat in one sitting. Although we think the tattoo looks beautiful in black and white, we’re looking forward to his next session, where he’s getting it colored in.
Thursday Jun 23, 2005
Tattoos Catering To the Cooking Industry
Nytimes.com has come out with a killer site on chef’s tattoos. We’re always impressed by people that go the extra mile to show their unwavering passion for a particular craft – and what better way for chefs to remind themselves, and others, of their love for cooking, than to leave a little indelible ink on their skin. The first picture is of an Alice Waters tattoo – Mrs. Waters has been hailed as one of America’s great gastronomical masters. Most of the tattoos illustrate a pure devotion to the trade, like the tat of the four knives, or the words “duck fat” scribed across the skin of one chef’s forearm. Other tattoos are more humorous in their depiction of the mania that manifests in the kitchen – “the spoon is running, the fork is stressed out, the knife is excited, and they're all going after the plate”. Every profession has its rituals and idioms, but there is something especially tribal about the preparation of food. Check it out here.
Tattoos No Longer Taboo at Work
If you’re afraid that a little exposed permanent ink is going to put back in the unemployment line, think again. CNN.com recently came out with a refreshing article on a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, that indicates a growing tolerance for tattoos in the workplace. It seems that tattoos are no longer only associated with society’s salacious slackers or ne’er-do-wells, but are now making it into the mainstream. The Mayo Clinic found that 23 percent of university students had one to three tattoos, and 51 percent had one or more piercings, other than earlobe piercings. A Harris Interactive poll found that 36 percent of 25 to 29 –year olds have tattoos. Banning tattoos in the workplace could definitely be viewed as a form of discrimination, especially if potential employers are discriminating not the body art itself, but are suggesting that a candidate fits a certain stereotype just because they have a tattoo. We’re really pleased that this attitude is finally beginning to change. It would be interesting to find out the Mayo Clinic’s stance on tats on their employees.
Tuesday Jun 21, 2005
Revenge of the Tattooed Nerds
If you thought getting the Ying and Yang sign was a little geeky, think again. Imagine getting the Mandebrot Set tattooed on you back. Revenge of the Tattooed Nerds is filled with awesome stories of why people chose to get the Apple logo tattooed on their arm, or why they felt inspired to permanently pen the double DNA helix up their back. This is the definitive gallery of pics and rationalizations about nerd tattoos-- from Mac logos to 8-bit Nintendo heroes to DNA, all culled from the submissions at BMEZine, a body-modification zine.
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