Halloween is just around the corner and for some, it is the holiday
of the year. Sure, kids love Halloween – that’s a given, but there are
plenty of adults who seem to love Halloween even more than the little
trick or treaters do. I guess it’s fun to dress up like a total fool
and get absolutely wasted at your local pub/club, but it can also just
be fun to take in the spirit of the holiday and enjoy the spookiness of
it all.
So, if you happen to be one of those aforementioned folks who can’t
get enough of the Halloween ghoulish times AND if you happen to live in
or near Scottsdale, Arizona, then you are in luck. Scottsdale tattoo
shop EZ Tattoo and Body Piercing
(which just happens to be Scottsdale’s oldest tattoo shop, i.e.: a
perfect place for ghosts and other such spooky things) is offering
spooky Halloween themed tattoos from the 17th of October until Halloween
for just $31 each. But the deal isn’t just limited to tattoos, either:
the folks at EZ are also offering the same $31 deal on body piercings
(excluding genital and surface). The piercings will include standard
jewelry and aftercare.
The tattoos are only quarter-sized, but you can’t really expect a
full sleeve for $31, now can you? If you are interested in taking
advantage of EZ’s offer, then you can contact the staff at 480.941.8720
or click on the above link to be taken to their website.
Though I’ve read time and time again that tattooists have not been
affected by the current economic downturn, I still have a hard time
believing it. Even if it were 100% true, the fact of the matter remains
that economies around the world are turning to crap and people
everywhere are starting to really feel the sting of it all in some way
or another. So maybe tattooists themselves aren’t feeling too much of
an effect of the crummy economic times, but it seems like someone in
Houston, Texas either can’t afford to buy their own equipment or has
just realised that there is easy money in pawning off stolen tattoo
gear. Whatever the truth is, it ain’t good either way.
In July, Cynthia Courtney’s small shop on the East
Freeway was ransacked. Thieves ran off with $18,000 worth of tattoo
equipment.
Just last weekend, two tattoo shops were targeted.
Rene Garcia, owner of Big City Tattoos in Southeast Houston, reported
the theft of $3,000 worth of machines and supplies. Another shop on
Westheimer also reported a burglary. The two separate surveillance
cameras show a car of similar style leaving the scene of both crimes.
All I can say is that I hope the tattooists who were ripped off have
insurance. That is so essential to all tattooists who run their own
studios that I can’t emphasise it any more than I already have again and
again on this blog. INSURANCE! And, if these artists don’t have
insurance, then I really feel for them. I guess all that can come out
of this is a stern warning to all other tattooists in the Houston area
to batten down the hatches and guard your gear. If you don’t have
insurance and you have a tattoo studio in the Houston area, do whatever
you can to make sure your stuff stays safe. Good luck!
Tribal tattoos have been around for thousands of years and they range
from very different styles and meanings depending on where you go and
which tribes you encounter or study. I myself have spent a decent
amount of time looking into the different meanings of different
traditional types of tattoos, but it was only today that I actually
encountered a tattoo that signifies that its bearer is a cannibal. Yes,
you read that correctly – a tattoo that signifies that its bearer is
indeed the type of person who eats human flesh, aka a cannibal.
How do I know this? Well, unfortunately, there has been a cannibal attack
on the French Polynesia island of Nuku Hiva and it has been revealed
that the man suspected of the attack has a tattoo of the Kaioi tribe
below his left shoulder. 31-year-old Henri Haiti had acted as a guide
for 40-year-old German traveller Stefan Rami, taking him into the jungle
to hunt for goats. Haiti is a guide, registered with the local
authorities. But Rami never returned from the goat hunt and his charred
remains were later found at a campfire site by authorities.
‘Fears that outdoor fanatic Mr Ramin had been
cooked and devoured erupted after his charred remains were found on a
campfire on Nuku Hiva following a goat hunt.
Although locals described their shock at the island being
linked to cannibalism, a picture of Haiti revealed that he sports a
tattoo of a Kaioi warrior on his left shoulder.’
This story is just plain crazy and at present time, Haiti remains on
the run. Locals claim that there would not be any cannibals on their
island and that such a thing has long since gone out of fashion. Yet
it’s difficult to deny that cannibalism is indeed a possibility given
Haiti’s tattoo, signifying his connection to the Kaioi people. I guess
it’s true that some tattoos are more dangerous than others. I would
recommend not getting too close to anyone who has a tattoo like Haiti’s
and my sincere condolences go out to the family of Stefan Rami.
Any Londoners out there, reading this? How about anyone in the UK who
has the potential to get to London in a relatively timely manner? Well
if you’re out there and you’re reading this, then I suggest you take
advantage of a great opportunity that has been set up by the kind people
at Time Out London, and of course, by tattoo crackerjack Mo Coppoletta.
Here’s the gist: as part of the London based art show The Other Art
Fair (April 25-28), Coppoletta will be setting up shop and tattooing
those who have made it on to his rather lengthy waiting list. You, my
fine as-of-yet-untattooed-by-Mo-Coppoletta friend, are now being
presented with the very rare opportunity to not just be tattooed by Mr
Coppoletta, but to actually have your pick of one of four original
Coppoletta tattoos designed specifically for The Other Art Show. Does
that sound good? I think it does. I think it sounds pretty damn good, in
fact. A free tattoo from one of the world’s best tattoo artists? For
free? Not many things better than that.
So how do I do this, you ask? It’s very simple. Follow this link
and answer the most basic of basic questions (hint: the answer is
Damien Hirst) and you are officially entered in the draw. But do it now
because the contest ends at midnight on April 15th. After that, you’ll
have to get on the waiting list like the rest of us poor chumps. In the
meantime, here’s a bit of Coppoletta stuff to whet your tattoo
appetites.
Anyone up for a little tattoo documentary courtesy of the Vice crew? Of
course! These guys make the best tattoo mini-documentaries out there.
This time the focus is on Dan Santoro, a wonderful, multi-talented
tattooist who can be found at Smith Street Tattoo in Brooklyn, New York.
Dan’s work is truly original and his thoughts on tattoo as well as the
tattoo process are invaluable. So sit back – if you’re at work make it
look like you’re working – and have a sneaky little viewing of this
excellent three part doc on a wonderful artist.
Thought I’d take the time to send a few works of amazing tattoo art your
way. If you happen to just love quality tattoo, these works are
undoubtedly courtesy of some of the best names tattooing today. If you
tattoo, take a good look – the bar doesn’t get much higher than this.
Very inspiring, very talented, very unique works of art. I’d like to
send a big Thank You out to all these artists for the hard work and
dedication that they have to this artistic medium. This is the stuff
that keeps me loving tattoo…
Don’t forget about the old school. Respect your elders. I’m sure
that’s something that’s been told to many a tattoo artist throughout the
years. How many young, up and coming tattooists do exactly this, well I
can’t say. I do know that it is wholly beneficial for anyone trying to
improve their abilities to listen and respect those who came before
them. After all, if it wasn’t for the pioneers, the trailblazers, the
people who swallowed their own fair share of shit in the process of
trying to do something worthwhile, there wouldn’t be a next generation
of tattooists.
With that in mind, I invite you to check out this documentary that
deals with some of the greats of the tattoo world and the vanishing
history of tattoo.
Without a doubt, one of the things that I love the most about tattoo
and the culture of tattoo is its tolerance for all people, from all
walks of life. Black, white, male, female, gay, straight – you name it,
everyone is represented to some degree. It’s a really inclusive
environment that always holds true to the concept of whatever you like –
it’s your business and your body. Brilliant.
In keeping with that lovely aspect of tattoo culture, I’d thought I’d include an interview done by the fine folks at Gay Star News with
tattoo artist extraordinaire, Louis Molloy. The man responsible for
85% of football superstar David Beckham’s tattoos dishes out the goods
on what makes a good tattoo, his own tattoos and a few other little odds
and ends in this short but sweet interview.
Louis Molloy has been working as a tattoo artist for over three
decades, inking some of the world’s most famous people, including soccer
star David Beckham and British Olympic and Tour de France champion
cyclist Bradley Wiggins.
He told us what trends are cool, why you shouldn’t always follow in celebrity’s footsteps and some tattoos you should never get.
How did you get started as a tattoo artist?
A common question that is difficult for me to answer. I got into
tattooing properly when I was 14 and opened my studio when I was 18 and
that was in 1981.
Do you ever tattoo yourself?
I have tattooed myself and I think all tattoo artists do it at some point, but it is very difficult to do.
How many tattoos do you have?
I have two full sleeves and my entire chest is tattooed. I also have some work on my legs that I did myself many years ago.
What process do you normally follow with a client? Do most
people come to you with a clear idea of what they want or do they look
to you to design something for them?
Most people come with a concept from which the design is then worked
up but some people have no idea except that they want to be tattooed.
These are nightmare clients!
Do you ever have to persuade people that the tattoo that they’ve got their heart set on may not actually be a good choice?
If I don’t agree with a client’s choice or think they are making a
mistake, I will point this out and sometimes even refuse to do the work.
Partners’ names are the classic example of a tattoo you shouldn’t get,
for obvious reasons.
Have you ever refused to create a tattoo that someone has asked you to do?
Yes, often.
What makes a great tattoo?
Difficult to answer as it’s in the eye of the beholder but the lines
should be crisp and neat, shading finely graduated and colors should be
bright and even.
What are some of the most common mistakes people make when getting a tattoo?
Biggest mistake most people make is that they assume all tattooists
are equal and they are definitely not. For every good tattooist there
are 10 bad ones so do your homework beforehand.
The other classic mistake is not properly looking after a tattoo once you have it. I always recommend clients apply Forever Ink Balm to
help protect and recover newly tattooed skin and longer term that they
use Forever Ink Shield, an everyday moisturizer with an SPF 45 and a
unique ink lock technology to keep tattoos looking vibrant. Nothing is
worse than a faded, sun-damaged tattoo – and I have seen plenty of them.
What are some of the current trends we’re seeing in the types of tattoos people are getting?
Religious inspired imagery is very popular at the moment.
Why do people want tattoos?
Many, many answers to this but I think its mostly as a personal way of individualizing one’s self.
Is getting a tattoo painful? Are there parts of the body that are more painful than others?
All tattoos hurt but it is a manageable pain. Boney areas will hut most!
Are there any tattoo trends or styles that are specific to gay men or lesbians?
No. Tattooing is one of the only industries where gender and sexuality cross all boundaries and equality reigns.
You’ve tattooed David Beckham – which of his tattoos are you responsible for?
I have done around 85% of David’s tattoos.
Did Beckham know what he wanted or were you able to have some input into the final creation?
I worked to verbal briefs given to me from him.
Does working on celebrities add to the pressure of creating the tattoo? If you make a mistake the world will be judging it?
Celeb or not, all people are equal in my studio. I am not fazed by
celebrity however I recently tattooed Sir Bradley Wiggins and I was
excited to work on him as I am a keen cyclist myself but I was not
nervous.
Do the tattoos celebrities get influence the types of tattoos that the rest of us aspire to?
The best thing to come from celebs being tattooed is the fact they have helped tattooing become more socially acceptable.
There are many celebs who have influenced trends, but not all
good! Cheryl Cole had a tattoo done on her hand a few years ago and this
inspired many copycats and I think there will be many regrets with that
one.
If you’ve never heard of the Yakuza, then you probably don’t know
much about Japanese tattoo. Not that the Yakuza and Japanese tattoo go
hand in hand, but the Yakuza has played and still does play a large role
in the way that tattoos are viewed and utilised in Japan. It’s a very
interesting sub-culture and one that should be studied by anyone within
even a minor interest in Japanese tattoo culture.
So check out this documentary on the Yakuza and their tattoos. It’s a
good place to start for anyone wanting a bit of background info on the
subject.
As I’ve noted on here several times before, Asia in particular is a
hotbed of tattoo activity. Despite there being (for the most part)
vastly different approaches to the aesthetic, the opinion of and the
general process of tattoo, Asian cultures all have very widespread and
diverse appreciation for tattoo as a culture and artistic endeavour.
One of the more interesting aspects of tattoo found in Asia is the
so-called “magic” tattoos – tattoos that are said to bring their bearer
everything from luck to courage and strength to invisibility. Whatever
your take on the probability of such tattoos actually working is not
really important. The ritual and belief in these representations of
culture is all that truly matters. In addition to the ritual
significance of the tattoos, they are intricately designed and hand
poked, often by monks. What’s more, there are even massive festivals
that celebrate these unique tattoos in Thailand, in which thousands of
people attend and a select few retain the honour of being tattooed.
For those of you out there with a potential interest in this aspect
of tattoo but with no cash or time to actually travel to Thailand, no
worries. A new book on the topic called Thai Magic Tattoos: The Art and Influence of Sak Yant might
be just the thing you’re looking for. The book catalogues the various
Thai religious aspects of these spiritual tattoos with plenty of photos
and explanation that will aid even the most ardent information seeker
get what they’re looking for. If you’re interested in a review of the
book itself, check it out here.
And for those of you who do seek out this book but still want more, the
Wat Bang Phra holds its massive tattoo festival in Thailand every
March. Might be worth the trip.
Right, okay, back once again to the topic of bad tattoos. I’m not
sure why I’ve been thinking about this lately, but fortunately, there is
no shortage of news out there on exactly this topic. The most recent
example of a bad tattoo is courtesy of 22-year-old Brit John Forsyth.
So enamoured with the top 40 hit ‘Wake Me Up’ by Swedish pop star
Avicii, he decided that it would be a great idea to get the lyrics to
said song tattooed down his side. According to Forsyth, the lyrics tell
the story of his life. Fair enough, maybe they do. If it makes the
guy happy, then great. The sad truth of the matter is that the lyrics
to ‘Wake Me Up’ are standard generic pop lyrics. They undoubtedly tell
the story of Forsyth’s life just as they do a billion other people.
There’s no real story here, it’s just a collection of vague platitudes
that seem to really speak to you when you’re Forsyth’s age. And that’s
fine, but I mean at age 22 you haven’t really done anything. So to take
up the entire right side of your body with the story of your life is
kind of a joke. Again, it’s his body, I just wouldn’t recommend this
sort of tattoo to anyone.
Incase you’re curious, here’s what John has to say about the tattoo and his reasons for getting it.
What prompted you to get a tattoo this large? Were you drunk when you had it done?
It was just a decision I made, I was sober when I had it done. I thought about it for a few weeks.
Do you have a girlfriend? What does she think about it?
I don’t have a girlfriend at the minute, but all the girls I know they all like it. They all think it’s sick.
Did it hurt a lot getting it done?
Yeah, most painful tattoo I’ve had. It took four and a half hours, all in one sitting.
What responses are you getting? Do you have any Twitter haters?
I’ve had about over a thousand retweets. But yeah, I’ve gotten
messages from people saying: It’s shit, eat shit and all that. Saying
you’re gonna regret it. But I don’t care what they think, because I’m
not going to regret it. It’s my choice.
What would you say to Avicii if you met him? Would you show him the tattoo?
Obviously I’d show him. I’d probably ask him if I could have a
picture with him. Maybe offer a beer. Just be like I am with anyone I
first met when I’m doing my job. How’s it going, what’s your name and
all that. Well, obviously I know his name…
Someone on Twitter said some words are misspelled. Is that the case?
Yeah, actually there are a couple of words that are misspelled.
But I’m going to get that sorted out. It’s cause it was such a big
piece. In “caught” it hasn’t got the line going through the “t”. It’s a
five minute job.
Any wise words for the people out there?
Everyone should just do what they want. Live life to the most
every day. Literally I just do what I want everyday. I don’t think about
what could happen in ten years time, because I don’t know if I’ll be
here. I live life to the max. Most nights of the week I go out and get
completely off my ass. It’s part of the job. Everyone that works here
gets drunk every night. It’s a lifestyle.
And there you have it. If you’ve never heard the song in question, check it out below.
Oh and FYI, John? Getting drunk every night isn’t “a lifestyle”. It’s called being 22.
I’m always looking to hear about different scenes in different
cities. I tend to travel a lot and while I travel, I’m always on the
look out for new and different tattoo studios and if I can, to meet new
and different artists. I’m really hoping that this year I’ll be able to
get to a very specific – and as of right now – secret location in order
to get tattooed by a tattooist whom I have a lot of respect for. I’m
keeping my fingers crossed and seeing how this year pans out.
Anyway, as I was saying, I love to learn about different scenes,
yeah. Some of you might cringe over the use of the words “tattoo
scene”, but I don’t give a rat’s ass if you do. Cities have scenes,
like it or not. If I go and check out the tattoo studios in London,
England, it’s going to be a completely different experience from
checking out the studios in L.A. or Seoul. Different people, different
styles, different attitudes, different ink. That my friends, is a
scene.
Now, maybe I’m naive and uninformed on what’s going on in America, but according to this article in The Maine Sunday Telegram,
Maine is actually quite the little tattoo spot. I’m going to be honest
and say that until now, I’d never even considered Maine as a place
where there could be a lot going on in terms of tattoo. But I guess I
was wrong. One of the great things about Maine’s tattoo scene is that
all the studios are licensed and regulated. This is always a touchy
subject, but I happen to be all for regulation. At present time the
officials in charge of the inspections are only there to concern
themselves with hygiene, but hopefully as time goes on these jobs will
be filled by people who are really invested in the tattoo industry and
who appreciated it for the art form that it is.
At any rate, I recommend checking out the article on Maine and
discovers some of the interesting facts about the place and its
relationship with tattoo. It’s particularly cool that such a high
percentage of tattooists in Maine are women. It’s nice to see a variety
of genders and races within any particular scene. Keep up the good
work, Maine and I hope to get down and see you all one day soon.
