March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

It’s pretty surprising to me that with all the recession talk and money being scarce and jobs being non-existent and what have you, that the US government is actually setting aside money to pay for tattoo removals.  No kidding, Congress’ $410 billion spending bill has been sent to US President Obama and among the nation’s most pressing costs is $200,000 for tattoo removal in the state of California.

Now, I don’t know what any of you out there think about this, but speaking as someone who lives in a country with nationalized health care, I can assure you that this sort of thing would not even be covered here.  It would be termed a “cosmetic procedure” and the cost would come out of your own pocket.  Am I wrong in assuming that people shouldn’t have to pay for other people to have their tattoos removed?

Part of what irritates me about giving a clinic money to remove tattoos, is that they are using some of the money to “educate” students at local schools about the perils of being tattooed.  Then, as if that isn’t bad enough, the organizers of this clinic use the excuse that people want jobs but they can’t get jobs because of their tattoos, so they have to come and get them removed.  Huh?  That to me is not the problem of tattoos, that is the problem of a society that puts far too much emphasis on the ridiculous notion that tattoos are somehow a gauge of a person’s work ethic, skill and moral fiber.  Besides, aside from neck, face and hand tattoos, pretty much every other tattoo can be covered up if need be.  You could work a  9-5 desk job, wear a suit every day and still be covered in tattoos without anyone knowing.  So I’m sorry, the excuse that people can’t get jobs because they are tattooed can be true in some cases, but for the most part I’d have to say it’s a pretty weak excuse to ask for $200,000 worth of tax payers money.

True, the article does go on to say that 90% percent of those coming to the clinic to have their tattoos removed are gang members, but even if that is an accurate statistic, I still don’t think the general public should have to pay for it.  $200,000 could probably be better spent in areas where gangs are prevalent, educating youths about the medical danger and stigma that could result from joining a gang.

Am I wrong?

Tags: California, gangs, President Obama, tattoo removal, Uncategorized, US Congress

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March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

The military has always had a long-standing tradition of tattooing, far longer than many would guess. From the sacred designs of the Ta Moko of the Maori to the Gulf wars, tattooing has predominated the warrior way of life. Even Julius Caesar commented on the “paint” that the Celtic warriors of Briton wore.

While the Navy has always had a long-standing association with tattoos, it is the pride of the Marine Corps in tattooing that deserves some long awaited and deserved attention.

Short of the afore mentioned Maori, one would be hard pressed to find another group that takes as much pride in both their reputation as warriors, and their ink. If I were to count up the number of military tattoos that I have done, the U.S. Marine Corps would be the winner hands down. At least three out of every five military tattoos that I did went into the skin of a Devil Dog.

The U.S.M.C. emblem was one of my favorites to do, as was the different variations of  the Marine Bulldog, and to a man you could see the pride written in their faces once I had finished. Here was what a military tattoo was all about. Brotherhood, pride, and patriotism. A tradition that I hope never to see the end of.

While many of us civilian collectors get our art to make a personal statement, and simply because we love the art in and of itself, the military tattoo holds a special place in the history of tattooing. One that is almost as special as the men and women who serve. It shows their commitment and dedication to keeping us safe in an unsafe world.

While I focused on the U.S.M.C. in this blog to give them some much deserved props, I am not ignoring the rest of our Armed Forces. Each and every one of them deserves our respect and support. I know that there are a lot of tattoo parlors set near our military bases. Mine was not one of them, so perhaps I was in a better position to gauge who was getting tattooed the most. After all, they had to go out of their way to find my shop, and I always cut 50% off of any tattoo that I did for our service men and women.

Still, nothing gave me as much personal satisfaction in my art than when a Marine came into the shop and I was determined to give them my best. (Yes, I did my best for every client, but I was more aware of my desire to do extra special work for our military; especially a Marine.)

So, to all of you out there who are risking your lives in our Armed Services: God bless you all!

And to that special group, The Marine Corps: “SAEPE EXPERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATRES AETERNI.”

Stay safe.

Tags: Military tattoos, Tattoos, Uncategorized

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March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

There has sometimes been a question as to whether, or not, laws regulating scratching and scratchers is fair. It has even popped up here on Tattoo Blog. Well if the last horror story wasn’t enough to convince anyone that the art of tattooing is better off being regulated how about this one from Australia?

In the Land down Under only the State of Queensland has the regulation to be licensed, unlicensed operators risk a $30,000 dollar fine, and even that was being poorly policed according to Caz Smith of The Professional Tattoo Association of Austraila. As a result cases of Hepatitis B and C had risen to an alarming 277,000 from only 13,000 across the continent within the space of a single year!

Now I have to ask the question that since the Aussies are on the large part unregulated, just who is being treated fairly? Certainly not the poor saps who will have to live out their lives, (short as those may prove to be), with these deadly diseases thanks to allowing scratchers to run wild!

One of the biggest whines that scratcher supporters, (most likely the scratchers themselves), have is the high cost of an apprenticeship. What? You want an artist who cared enough to pay the price to get his own training to give it away to you? This argument is just another case of wanting something for nothing, or damn close to it.

Hell, the reason I had to quit tattooing was because of my deteriorating eyesight. Am I crying about the cost of surgery being too high, or unfair? Hell no! I am doing all I can to get the cash to get the surgery done. Its part of the price I’ll have to pay if I ever want to tattoo again, and I’m willing to pay it. This is on top of what I’ve already paid for an apprenticeship, and getting properly trained. Why? Because the art and the client are worth more than my putting them at risk by not being able to see properly, that’s why!

We pay the price necessary to get something we want more than anything, and it isn’t easy. If your too damned spoiled to do whatever it takes to get properly trained, or too damned lazy, then you don’t deserve to be a tattoo artist in the first place. Which is most likely the real reason you get turned down.

After a few years of dealing with people from all walks of life a tattoo artist gets to be a pretty good judge of character, and if your are a good enough artist, if we see you have the heart to do the work well and give it, and your client the respect they both deserve; most of us have no problem working something out. If you show us that you are just looking for an “easy” job, most likely we won’t give you the time of day. Even if you do have the cash.

Tattooing is not an “easy” job. Tattooing is not something just anyone can do. Tattooing is a very special art form. Tattooing is a highly developed skill that takes a special kind of person to do right.

So are tattooing laws unfair to scratchers? Damned skippy they are, but they are a hell of lot more fair to the people who matter the most. The client and our fellow tattoo artists who had the balls to do whatever it took to become a tattoo artist.

Tags: Caz Smith, Dislike, Health Risks, Scratchers, Scratchers, The Professional Tattoo Association of Austraila

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March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

Ahh, the life of a scratcher: buy some stuff you don’t know how to use off the internet, make some local kids think you’re a rad tattoo artist who works exclusively out of his crib, tattoo a whole bunch of them without sterilizing your equipment, then subsequently have the police and parents after you while you desperately flee.

At least, that’s more or less what’s been going on with Idaho’s Andrew Walthall, after he tattooed two 15 year-olds and a 13-year-old at his home last October.  I don’t know why all this is just coming to light now, but at any rate, the cops in Boise would like to have a chat with Mr Walthall, who is nowhere to be found.  Where could he be?  Maybe he was taken under the wing of some secret scratcher society that lives underground, a rogue band of fake tattoo artists who only come out when someone is in need of a shitty tattoo in a dingy basement somewhere.

Still, I’m actually glad to see that a story like this makes the news.  The more that people are educated about scratchers and how they are likely to misuse or not sterilize equipment, the smaller the amount of people there will be who actually get tattooed by scratchers.

So kids, to recap: Don’t get a tattoo from someone who isn’t really a tattoo artist!

Tags: Andrew Walthall, Boise, cops, scratcher, Scratchers, underage tattoos

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March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

I think that my favourite Steve-O tattoo is the one that he has of himself on his back, giving the thumbs up.  Then again, I’m not sure.  There’s just so many to choose from.  I mean, there’s the tattoo on his ass that plainly reads “Your name”, enabling Steve-O to confidently bet anyone that he has “your name tattooed on my ass”.  And of course, there’s the baby portrait of himself.  All of these are most certainly classics of a certain regard.  Steve-O it seems, has made a career out of tattooing things on his body that most people would never consider.  It’s as though he’s intended his body to be as hilarious and as head shakingly disturbing as the stunts he regularly performs both on his own and as a member of the Jackass crew.  To put it bluntly in his own words:

“I never get a tattoo unless I know it will make somebody smile.”

But Steve-O has had a difficult past year.  There have been arrests and substance abuse issues that shed light on a very dark side to the world in which he inhabits.  Hopefully however, those days are behind Steve-O and he can continue making people smile and enjoying life to its fullest.  His initiative to stay clean in both body and mind has found its way to his tattoos, as he’s recently decided to get rid of some of what he has in preparation of an image change.  Cool.  Whatever works.  So what does that mean exactly?  Well, he’s covering up two tattoos in particular: the pot leaf on his wrist and the dribbling dick on his arm.  I’m never one to judge people on their tattoos (at least not good tattoos), but I’d have to say that it’s a pretty good idea for Steve-O to decide that it’s time to cover up the dick and the leaf.  I’m not really going to elaborate on that.  Yeah.

What this means for all the big Steve-O/Jackass fans out there with some artistic ability is that Steve-O is accepting submissions for what his cover up tattoos should be.  I’m thinking that the dick should be turned into an elephant’s trunk and that the trunk should wrap around his forearm into his palm where there are three peanuts about to be sucked up. But that’s just me.  If you however, are the type who can actually come up with a good suggestion, then submit your stuff and on March 23rd, you just might be the owner of a new T-shirt and the personal satisfaction of Steve-O wearing your tattoo idea.

Tags: Celebrity, cover up tattoos, Jackass, Steve-O

March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

I’ve got a pair of confetti cannons that I’ve been trying to sell for over a year on Ebay. I guess that’s not the best product to sell on Ebay. So, I’m gonna try my luck here…

I bought these cannons when I had my events company. These Conwin Confetti Cannons blast range is a distance of approximately 30 feet (9m) with a height of 15 feet (4.5m).

If you are a Red’s or Devil’s fan, you could fill the cannons with red confetti and blast away each time Liverpool or Man United scores! Better still, fire the confetti cannons when Liverpool wins the BPL!

These cannons are Easy to use, Easy to load and Easy to fire! The set comes with 2 Confetti Cannons, 2 100-Ft. Spools of Wire, 1 2-Zone Control Box with 12-Volt Sealed Battery, 1 Control Box Battery Charger, 1 Cannon Helium/Nitrogen Recharge Hose, 1 Heavy Duty Carrying Case.

I’m selling it for SGD$500.00. Do help spread the word. Many thanks in advance! If anyone is interested, my email is ink@noelboyd.com

March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von

The past three days at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was awesome. I worked my ass off and at the end of it, it was worth the ache and pains. Besides the mini-tattoo exhibition that we did, our airbrush tatts were priced from $5 to $15. Thankfully, we were the busiest booth on all the days. Take yesterday for example… It was so busy at our booth that we didn’t eat all day. There was always a queue at every given minute.

But you know, I’m not complaining. I would if things were the other way around. My thanks to the organizers of the NTU Arts Fiesta 09′ for having us. We will be back at NTU in mid August for a five day event. Woohooo…I can’t wait!

I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to change the direction of this blog. There was a time where I truly enjoyed blogger. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy it now. Maybe not as much but I still do. I guess my weekly posts (Rate this Ink, Inkedividual, etc…) had something to do with it.

I’m going back to the basics. The weekly posts will now be ad-hoc. I’ll do it when I can and when I feel like it without any pressure or deadlines. Please tell me that’s cool with you!

March 18th, 2009 by Kat Von