January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Tags: Australia, gold coast australia, gold coast convention and exhibition centre, surf n ink 2010, Uncategorized

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January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Lately I’ve been pretty busy and I haven’t really had time to think much about the new year.  In case you’re reading this and you didn’t know: it is in fact, a new year.  Yes, that’s right, it’s no longer 2009.  It is now 2010.  I’ve never personally been the sort of person who gets all excited about a new year, but the fact of the matter is that a new year is like a clean slate, you can start all over fresh and new and try to do the things that you some how failed to do last year.

When I sat down and started thinking about all the things that I want to accomplish this year, I realized something: the new year is the absolute best time to get a new tattoo.  The idea of getting a tattoo that represents a goal that you want to achieve this year or in the near future or maybe a tattoo that reminds you of something that you’ve been through in the past year – these are all perfect ways to either stick fast to your goals or hold past memories closer than ever.  I was reading this article and although the article itself doesn’t say much of anything new, this part in particular made me nod my head in agreement:

For Soumya, tattoos are far more effective than New Year resolutions: “A new year is a time for resolutions and reflection. A tattoo can help remind a person of something he or she wants for a lifetime. So your reflections will remain with you not just for a day in the coming year, but beyond.”

Sure, it’s hardly a new concept to get a tattoo to kick off the new year, but it is a concept that somehow just seems right.  Every year people make resolutions knowing full well that they won’t stick to them.  Maybe it’s time to get your resolutions or reminders of your resolutions stuck on you?

Tags: 2010, new tattoos, new year tattoos, new years resolutions, Stories, Tips

January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

The major players in the fashion world have always had a way of taking the trendy and transforming it into part of their designs, lines, whatever you want to call them.  If you’re too young to remember grunge, then head over to wikipedia and look it up.  However, for those of you who do remember grunge, you might also remember how several months after grunge really blew up with regards to the mainstream, grunge inspired wardrobes began making their way onto catwalks across Europe and the United States.  The end results were awful, a tired and bland offering of something that had been new and was subsequently suffocated by clueless corporate bandwagon jumping.

Well, give it some time and that infamous corporate bandwagon jumping will always come back to the current zeitgeist in hopes of continuing the tradition of overcharging the rich.  Yes, for the great price of just $75 US, the wannabe tattooed can forgo actually stepping into a tattoo studio of any sort and instead get a package of fifty-five different Chanel designed temporary tattoos.  Seventy-five bucks for some temporary tattoos: wow!

I think the most surprising thing about all this is that it took them so long to jump aboard.  Oh well.  The tattoos will become available online as of March 1st,  just in time for spring.  What better time to be a total poser/human billboard than spring?  Yahoo!

Tags: bandwagon jumping, catwalks, chanel, Dislike, Europe, Fashion, grunge, News, poser, Products, temporary tattoos, United States, wikipedia

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January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Here we go again.  Every now and then (and more often than I’d like to admit) the Tattoo Blog has news of some idiot somewhere improperly or illegally tattooing others.  Well, it’s officially a new year and I guess that means that it’s time for another such case.

Patty “Jo Jo” Marsh and Jacob Edward Bartels of Summerville, Georgia were arrested on December 28th after tattooing their six children, aged from 10 to 17.  Last Friday the couple were bonded out of jail on $10,000 property bonds.

The tattoo in question was a small black cross between the thumb and index finger of each child’s hand.  One child was also tattooed with the words “Mama and Dad”.  For their part, Patty “Jo Jo” Marsh and Jacob Edward Bartels simply can’t figure out what they’ve done wrong.

“‘I’m their mother. Shouldn’t I be able to decide if they get one?,” Marsh said, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after being released from jail on bail.

“They weren’t hurt by them,” Marsh said to the paper.

“We would never do anything to hurt them….I don’t understand why this is getting ‘blowed up’ so big.”‘

Yes, it’s very difficult to figure out just why this is getting so “blowed up”, isn’t?  I mean, aside from it being illegal in the state of Georgia to tattoo anyone under the age of 18.  It might also have something to do with the fact that neither Patty “Jo Jo” Marsh nor Jacob Edward Bartels are licensed or trained tattoo artists.  How do I know that?  Well, considering that they tattooed their children with a plastic pen tube and a guitar string, I’d say it’s obvious.  In fact, I’m going to go out on a limb here and venture to guess that neither Patty “Jo Jo” Marsh nor Jacob Edward Bartels are licensed or trained at anything, period.  I’d also venture to guess that if you’re a parent and can’t understand why things are getting so “blowed up” after you illegally tattooed your children with crap equipment and zero ability, then it’s probably best that you aren’t permitted the responsibility of raising children in the first place.

Tags: atlanta journal-constitution, Dislike, georgia, Health Risks, homemade tattoo gun, jacob edward bartels, News, patty jo jo marsh, Scratchers, Scratchers, Stories, summerville, tattoo blog, Video

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January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Uncle Allan is awesome.  Seriously awesome.  I’m not biased, either.  Sure, I actually do have an uncle named Allan, but he isn’t a wicked tattoo artist like this one.  Still, my uncle Allan is a pretty cool guy.  But I digress.

Uncle Allan does the majority of his tattoo work from Conspiracy Inc. Tattoo in Copenhagen, Denmark.  He’s a 31-year-old artist who is full of life, travelling regularly and pulling off some of the finest tattoo work that anyone could ask for.  At the moment however, Uncle A is no longer taking bookings because he’s just so damn busy.

Besides his tattoo work, Uncle Allan does a lot of travelling about the world and while he’s travelling, he takes photos.  His photos of different spots and objects around the world are great, thanks in no small part to his artist’s eye.

He keeps both a lively blog and a MySpace page with more information about himself and his busy life than I could ever tell you.

Uncle Allan’s work uses lots of colour and vibrancy, even when he seems to be tattooing the most dark and evil looking images.  Still, his use of colour in no way diminishes the impact of his art and I’m sure that anyone who is lucky enough to sport an Uncle Allan tattoo will tell (and show you) the exact same thing.

I want to go to Denmark.

Tags: conspiracy inc. tattoo, copenhagen, denmark, Inspired, photography, Pictures, Tattoo Artists, Tattoo Pictures, uncle allan, Workforce

January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mario Desa claims that in his early years he hadn’t thought much about being anything more than a gang banger.  Thankfully, Mario eventually found punk rock, skateboarding and graffiti – three staples that greatly aided in his transformation to becoming a tattoo artist.  In fact, from the early age of 13 Desa was interested in getting his own tattoos done.

Desa has been tattooing professionally since 1997.  In his early, formative years, Desa says that graffiti played a relatively large influence on his tattoo style.  These days however, graffiti tattoos don’t interest him, although he does admit to trying to bring a little of the graffiti style back into his tattoo work, in terms of colour combinations and blends.  What does interest him more now, seems to come from outside of tattooing:

“Now, more so, I look outside of tattooing, like Henry Darger, Fred Stonehouse, Mexican art. It doesn’t really show up in the tattoos, but there’s a hint. Mentally, I am thinking about some of their stuff, and trying to bring back some of my graffiti influence; as far as color combinations and blends, but not necessarily graffiti. I don’t really like doing graffiti tattoos.”

From a stylistic point, Desa’s favourite work is American Traditional, however, as with all great tattoo artists, he can pretty much pull everything off.  Portrait work is the only tattoo form that he will refuse to do, as he believes that anyone seeking out a portrait tattoo should go to a portrait tattoo specialist.  Makes perfect sense to me: an artist that is aware of their boundaries is in my books, a wise one.

Mario can be found at The Chicago Tattooing and Piercing Co, in Chicago, illinois.  His hours are as follows:

Tuesday, 4pm-midnight
Wednesday, 4pm-midnight
Thursday, noon-6pm
Friday, 4pm-midnight
Saturday, noon-6pm

Lastly, you can check out his tattoo work, artwork and prints by visiting his website, Permanent Luxury.

Tags: American Traditional, Fred Stonehouse, Graffiti, Henry Darger, Inspired, mario desa, Mexican art, Permanent Luxury, Pictures, punk rock, Tattoo Artists, Tattoo Pictures, The Chicago Tattooing and Piercing Co, Workforce

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January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Scott Sylvia started working in a tattoo shop as a teenager, after his good friend Aaron Cain got him a job.  Aaron showed some of Scott’s drawings to the owner of the tattoo studio where he worked and that was that.  From then on, Scott Sylvia has worked his ass off, following his own personal mantra of “work fucking hard at everything you do and stay inspired.”  I can’t think of much better advice for anyone, anywhere.  That just sums it all up.

After much hard work and planning, Sylvia opened up his first tattoo shop, American Graffiti, with fellow tattoo artist and friend Eric Hogan.  Sylvia was in his early 20’s at the time and working like a madman when the offer to work for Marcus Pacheco at Primal Urge came along.  During this time, Scott worked on perfecting his own style while also gaining a new and fresh outlook on tattooing by being immersed in the creative environment in which he found himself in.

As of 2004, Sylvia works in San Francisco at Blackheart Tattoo, which he owns and runs with fellow artists Jeff Rassier and Tim Lehi.  Scott is apparently one of the innovators of the “American Power” style that is a modern play on the Classic American tattoo style.  The buoyant and deeply colourful pop that make up Sylvia’s work can be seen all over the American Power style, giving an otherwise classical look a completely lush and original beauty.  I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say that fans of tattoos and tattoo artists alike have a lot to thank Scott Sylvia for.

Take a look at some of his stuff, here.

Tags: aaron cain, american graffiti, american power, blackheart tattoo, classic american, Inspired, jeff rassier, marcus pacheco, Pictures, primal urge, scott sylvia, Tattoo Artists, Tattoo Pictures, tim lehi, Workforce

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January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

The nice thing about getting a tattoo is that you can always get it removed if you change your mind the next day.  Right?  Isn’t it that simple?  No.  Not really.  Well, it might be “simple” depending on your definition but I’m sure it’s not painless.  There are a few ways to get it removed and I think all of them involve a significant amount of feeling not-so-good by the tattooed and unhappy patron.

Me, if I had to choose a method to get rid of a tattoo I didn’t like, I would rather get it covered by another tattoo; one that I hopefully will not hate tomorrow or years down the road.

Some tattoos are simple and ugly in their simplicity and can be covered easily.  Others are very complex, full of color, and might have to be removed or partially removed before they can be redone or recolored.  I have a small bit of Chinese lettering on my right shoulder that is not only TOO small but also is a reminder of an ex that I would like to get covered.  It’s plain black and probably simple to cover up but I am just not sure yet what I want to have put there.  Depending on when I start my next career as a paramedic, I might have something from that line of work put there.  Maybe a rescue type design or IAFF logo (International association of firefighters) if I become a firefighter instead or maybe just a black square, big enough to cover the lettering.  In any case, I’m going to get it covered in the future.  Putting new ink over it should be a lot less painful and a lot less expensive than any kind of skin removal or laser treatment.  Plus, I’ll have a new tattoo to show off.  I could always go with a method similar to the person’s tat I the pic to the left.  That’s something I have never seen before, except on my son’s arms when he comes home from school after drawing on himself in some particularly boring class.

January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

Are getting tattoos addicting?  I have heard a few people say that recently and am just wondering how or why they feel that way.  I only have two tattoos and the second one didn’t come until two years after the first one.  To me, they’re not addicting but that might be because I do not have a whole lot of money to spend on tats and, since I like to have some deep meaning in mine, it might take me a little longer to decide on what to get.

One person, and I think it was on a television show, was having trouble with addiction to drugs and alcohol.  Getting a tattoo was something he did just about every time he got intoxicated.  With so many tattoos on himself, and some in places that were visible even while wearing long sleeve shirts or jackets, he was having issues with people taking him seriously during job interviews.  He mentioned quite a few times that getting tattoos was another way to “get high” since he felt a rush while the artist was poking those tiny holes in his skin.
Someone else mentioned they’re addicting because he feels the piece is never complete.  He is working on a full sleeve of tattoos on each arm and he seems to always find a new place to add more designs.

I suppose I can see how they could be addicting.  I have a few things on my “bucket list” that I would like to learn or do before I am too old to do them and I wouldn’t mind documenting some of those things in ink.  For example, something I have always wanted to learn to do was to solve the Rubik’s Cube.  I know, silly, right?  Since my Dad first handed me a cube way back in the early 80’s, I’ve been wanting to learn to solve one.  It took me a few years, mostly because I forgot I wanted to do that, but I finally did it.  I learned the easy method and memorized the algorithms for that method and now I can solve one in less than two and a half minutes.  WOOOOO major accomplishment, I know.  Rubik’s cubes are also somewhat colorful so they might make a decent looking third tattoo, one of these days.  Although, I’m not sure if I should get one that shows it being solved or one that shows it all mixed up.

January 13th, 2010 by Kat Von

No tattoo aficionado can avoid knowing of Kat Von D. She is LA’s best known female tattoo artist and persona. She has been instrumental in the shift in attitude towards women and tattoos. In fact, I credit her with the huge societal ground shift which has seen professional women choose to have tattoos to adorn their bodies and enhance their sexy charisma, their power and their talents. If I have any criticism it is only that tattoos have now become so popular that the trend buckers among us are going to start soon to choose to go as blank canvasses just to be different…

Why do I say that? Well, Our Kat has done what every other celeb woman has done (or tried to do) – she has launched her very own smell, or smells in this case… Kat Von D has introduced her very own signature fragrances which reflect her view of herself as naughty but nice, I presume….

Sinner starts with a light, delicate blend of orange blossom flower, mandarin citrus and luscious ripe plum, creating “a contrast with a provocative, sultry heart”. In there can also be detected a hint of sweet jasmine and earthy cinnamon, an “herb associated with ancient rituals of pleasure”. Beneath that, you also have a “dark, mysterious back of earthy vetiver, patchouli, and woods” leaving a sensual musk lingering on the skin. A mouthful, but actually a rather delicious scent, if rather complex for my personal tastes. I can see, though, that this would work well for an evening perfume.

Kat’s alter ego, then, would be the Saint. This also begins with a citrus and plum overtone but one that is much sweeter and lighter. The depth of the scent is provided by the combination of the exotic Tiare flower and the temptation of caramel. Jasmine, a hint of vanilla and the depth of sandalwood anchor this perfume which also leaves a sweet musk lingering on the skin.