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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Tree of Life Tattoos

It may well surprise you to find out that the search engines are one of the worst places to begin your search for that perfect Celtic tree of life tattoo design. This may well seem counter-intuitive, because if you are anything like me you will have become practically dependant on search engines for every question you may have. The reason that they aren’t so great for searching for tattoo designs is because they were built for searching for information, and have no clue whether a tattoo design is original, interesting or high quality.

If you want proof of this, simply type Celtic Tree of Life Tattoo into any search engine and you will be presented with heaps of information about the history of them, how popular they are, where you can get one but very few actual designs. And even the ones that you do get will most likely be rubbish cookie cutter designs that have been floating around the internet for years and already been tattooed on millions of people.

I don’t know about you but this definitely is not what getting a tattoo is all about for me. I want something original, creative and interesting. Something that expresses my personality.

So where can you find a Celtic Tree of Life Tattoo that will do all of this for you?

It is actually surprisingly simple once you know where to look. It took me a while to discover this, but the best place to find great tattoo artwork online is in the tattoo forums. This is because lots of professional tattoo artists use these forums and like to upload their latest designs to get other users opinions. This is great for us because it means that we can get the absolute freshest tattoo designs, by professional tattoo artists before anyone else gets anywhere near them!

And wait there is more! If you go to the archive section of some of these forums you will find that they have a section which gives you links to some of the large online tattoo artwork galleries that you wont find anywhere else. This is where you will find the real gems and you are guaranteed to find loads of awesome Celtic Tree of Life tattoo designs. These galleries are constantly updated with new artwork and none of it shows up in the search engines so you won’t be inking yourself with the same thing as everyone else.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Sensual Images Tattoo

 Search online for "sexy tattoos" and you'll find plenty of naked women inked on arms, chests and legs. It's a little difficult to know whether these tattoos are just for the wearers, or if they expect other people to think they're sexy. Men with these tats are presumably admirers of women, or else they wouldn't have chosen images celebrating the female body. The question is, do they really think women will want to look at those images on their mate?

Still, from the numbers of such tattoos, it's clear that a lot of people think they're sexy. Sometimes called pinup girls, after 1950's-era calendar girls, these tats feature:

    * Large-chested, bare-breasted women in all sorts of poses
    * Fully naked women wearing lascivious looks
    * Fantasy girls dressed as bikers, vampires, devils and angels
    * Leather-clad beauties, sometimes bearing whips and chains
    * Schoolgirls, nurses and other uniformed gals

Women also sometimes get tattoos of gorgeous women. Wearing these sexy tattoo images doesn't necessarily indicate sexuality; these tats can also represent female power. Some women choose to have sexy men tattooed on themselves to make a statement as well.

Temporary Sexy Tattoos



Have you always wanted a tattoo, but you're not quite ready to get one? Does your partner admire tattoos on other people? Temporary tattoos can be a way to get sexy without making a permanent change to your body. You can find temporary lower back tattoos, ankle tattoos and even tats for your nipples. Some temporary tattoos include tiny, sparkling crystals that adhere to the skin.

You can put a temporary tattoo in as public or as private a place as you want. If you find that you like it, you might want to see an artist about getting a sexy tattoo that will last a lifetime. 

Fairy tattoos

tatoo_designs_for_girls.jpg

Fairies are adorable so they can be a perfect option for a sexy tattoo for girls. You can select the fairy that you desire and color it if your favorite shades as the possibilities are endless. Go simple or bold and your tattoo will look fabulous.

Star tattoos

sexy_tattoos_for_girls.jpg

Stars look fabulous and they can be a perfect simple tattoo option for men as well as women as stars are unisex tattoo designs. You can choose simple stars, 3D stars, monochrome, filled or just contoured stars, whatever suits your personal taste. You can choose a one star tattoo design or you can go for multiple stars or incorporate stars into a tattoo design which appeals to you.

Flower tattoos

tattoos_for_girls.jpg 


 
Flowers are lovely and can underline best your femininity. There are so many flowers to inspire yourself from, it's absolutely amazing. Behind flower tattoos you can find hidden messages as different flowers have different meanings. Flowers can be tattooed on almost any part of the body and their size can be adapted to suit the area and personal preference.
Go for a simple flower tattoo or a more complicated tattoo which incorporates other elements as well.

The most popular flowers tattooed are: lotus flower, cherry blossom, lillies, orchids, hibiscus, roses, daises, etc.

Butterfly tattoos

butterfly_tattoos.jpg

Butterfly tattoos look fabulous and can pose as a great tattoo design for girls. There are a variety of butterfly species to inspire yourself from so you can have a lovely but realistic tattoo. You can opt for simple monochrome butterfly tattoos or colorful butterflies, depending on personal preference. Also the butterflies can be incorporated with other tattoo elements to create a unique tattoo designs
which suits your style perfectly. The size of your tattoo can also be adapted to personal preference as well as the area the tattoo is to be created.
 

Sexy Tattoo Ideas for Girls

There are a variety of tattoo designs available to choose from as along time tattoo artists have improved the tattooing techniques and so new incredible tattoo designs have been developed. Girls are nowadays among the regular tattoo salon clients, tattoos being considered a symbol of individuality. There are several sexy tattoo ideas for girls to inspire yourself from all you need to do is find the elements which suit your personality and taste. The new tattoo methods and inks allow fabulous designs to be created, tattoos which have a realistic design and even coloration.
Choosing a tattoo is a very serious matter as tattoos are permanent and after they have been created the only way to erase them is by turning towards laser tattoo removal, which is an expensive procedure which can leave scarring.
Forget the latest tattoo design trends and select a tattoo design which suits your personality and your style. The tattoo design you opt for should definitely suit you as so you will enjoy your tattoo forever.
To make things a bit easier, as there are so many options when it comes to selecting a tattoo deign we ave selected some sexy tattoo designs for girls to inspire yourself from. Go simple or bold depending on your style and introduce elements which you have come up with into your tattoo if you are creative!

Tattoos On Tour The Great Pit Ball

On March 14, All or Nothing Tattoo's owner Brandon Bond staged the largest tattoo-related charity event ever- The Great Pit Ball- at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the event went to Villa Lobos in Canyon Country, California, the largest pit bill rescue organization in the U.S. Scheduled festivities at The Palms included an art show featuring work from prominent tattooers and other artists, an 11-course vegetarian meal, and the premiere of the film, Vicktory to the Underdog. Dinner was prepared by New York City chef Mike Perazzo and some of Sin City's top chefs including Gino Bernardo, Barry Dakake, Rick Moonen, Joe Elevado and Kerry Simon.

 

At the conclusion of dinner, a cash auction was held, hosted by seductive adult film star Tera Patrick, who was "assisted" by the notorious Heckles and Twitch. The art on display went to the highest bidder.

The red carpet movie premiere was hosted buy one of its stars, Danny Trejo and the movie's director Brandon Bond. The film takes an in-depth look at efforts to rescue pit bulls, particilarly Michael Vick's fighting dogs. Rather than focusing on the dog fighting problem, the movie sheds light on solutions for all underdogs-tattoo people, pitbulls, parolees, and others. Among the cast were Debbie Trejo, Michael Berryman, Pixie Acia, and Donald Logue.




After the movie, everyone relocated to the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Casino for the after party and concert featuring music icon Evan Seinfeld, plus Sick of it All, Madball, Spyderz, and ToeTag. When all the fun was over, Villa Lobos was presented with a hefty check, making the great Pit Ball a huge success.

Open letter from John Baker for The Roberto Clemente Award

Written by John Baker
Catcher Florida Marlins


I want to start by saying that I am incredibly honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as the great Roberto Clemente. I wear the number 21 proudly in his honor.


No matter where I've been, people of all faiths and walks of life have told me that things, both good and bad, happen for a reason. In January of 2010, the Florida Marlins gave me the opportunity to visit the men and women of our Armed Forces over seas in Kuwait and Iraq. I did some research and found out that despite the fact that we have Military veterans in our Hall of Fame in Cooperstown no active players had ever been to the middle east to support troops.


I learned right away that the service men and women did not care that I played Major League Baseball, they cared that I showed up in person to support them. The experience taught me that most of the time a person's most valuable philanthropic asset is their time and love.


I also learned that although it is the athletes that receive all of the glory and praise for their abilities, it is the men and women of our Armed Forces that should be receiving the nightly standing ovations. While in Iraq, we slept in a bunker in order to protect us from mortar shells that occasionally are lobbed over the base walls with the intention of killing or wounding the sleeping soldiers. It was the first and only time in my adult life that I went to bed scared of the dark. I made a commitment when I got home to do the best I could to support veterans in our community. It was then when I was first introduced to Standown House and Roy Foster. First, during spring training I spent some time with the men and women there and knew immediately that I would do whatever I could to both promote and help their noble cause: to make sure that no military veteran in South Florida is ever left behind.

I was placed on the disabled list with a nagging injury to my right elbow. At the time I thought I would be back with team in a matter of weeks, little did I know that I would miss the rest of the year. Part of my recovery process called for six weeks of complete rest. The rest period weighed heavily on my psyche. I love the game of baseball with all of my heart, and in nearly ten years of professional baseball I had never missed more than two or three games.

I again received a phone call from the Marlin. They asked if I was interested in helping spearhead their homes for Haiti campaign. The intention of the Homes for Haiti project is to build a Haitian village with twenty five concrete family homes. Since I had a few more weeks of rest, I agreed and hopped on a plane with Food for the Poor bound for Port Au Prince. I wish I could say something positive here, but the truth is that the situation in Haiti is both bleak and heavily disturbing. I had no idea that Haiti was a mere hour and ten minute flight from Miami, closer by plane than any of our division rivals. Tents abound, rumors of government corruption run rampant, and many people there are homeless or starving. While the situation is bleak, the spirit of the people is strong. I met children that smiled and laughed despite recently losing their entire families. I learned immediately that no matter how bad one thinks their situation may be, someone very close is going through something much more difficult with a smile on their face. This lesson has helped me immensely as I recover from Tommy John surgery. Anytime the rehab seems too tough, or the injury too painful, I think back to the kids I met and their positive attitudes and I gain hope.

Please take the time to vote for me for the Roberto Clemente award, winning this award would garner national attention and funding for both Standown House and the Marlin's Homes for Haiti project. I am pushing as hard as I can to give back as much as I can, because these experiences have taught me so much. Sometimes as players we are so concerned with wins and losses that we forget to take a broader view of our surrounding community, I hope to never make that mistake again.

Geek Ink: Brian Rowland

Brian Rowland is the second person I have intentionally hunted down after seeing pictures of his Tattoos online.  Armed with only “Brian the Vader Back Piece Guy,”  I scoured the internet until I finally found him.  Brian had a vast variety of Star Wars Tattoos that ranged from Lego Star Wars to The Clone Wars.  He is the proverbial wet dream for any Star Wars fanatic who’s wanted to get a tattoo.

Header

NERDSociety: Let’s start off with the basic and obvious question, why Star Wars?

Brian Rowland: That is one of the questions I get asked the most often along with how long did that take, did that hurt, how much did that cost, are those real, and every once in a while, I will get, is that your family hahaha. But why Star Wars is by far the most difficult one to answer.  I could get real deep about it like most huge fans would and go on and on about how it changed my life and helped shape who I am today from my earliest childhood memories. How it changed cinema and the impact it had on how movies where made or even make religious comparisons for those that are into that angle. I just like sticking with its pretty cool and makes for some awesome tattoo reference.

Santa Yoda Tattoo

NERDSociety: Do you have any other tattoos other than Star Wars characters?

Brian Rowland: I have many pieces that are not Star Wars related a few that are funny and/or nerdy and others that represent the non nerdy side of me. For example I have a piece from my favorite non Star Wars movie “Falling Down” my favorite athlete Larry Bird and my favorite musicians Les Claypool and Eddie Vedder. On the nerdy side I have Sub Zeros fatality from the original MK, an old school television ( I am a huge TV junkie), a replica from my favorite artist Sas Christian.  I just got a Zubaz pants piece from my good friend Matt Dunlap those of you under 30 that are unfamiliar with Zubaz i suggest you go to Zubaz.com and get a pair pronto.

NERDSociety: What is The Force in Flesh for those of us that don’t know?

Brian Rowland: Force in the Flesh is a book that was released by this cool guy named Shane Turgeon three or so years ago.  I was lucky to be featured there with my tattoos and the stories behind them.  It’s a pretty rad book especially if your into Star Wars or just tattoos in general. He also holds Star Wars themed tattoo contests similar to those held at your run of the mill tattoo convention only with a Star Wars twist at Star Wars conventions. I have never attended one myself but have heard that it is a great time for everyone involved. I may make the trip to Orlando this summer to jump in on the action.

Lego Star Wars TattooNERDSociety: It seem like you have a good even number of characters from the “old stuff” and the “new old stuff.”  Does this mean you like both equally, which I know is hard for many fans?


Brian Rowland: Hahaha of course not. Almost everyone over the age of 12,  I’m sure agrees.  Don’t get me wrong, it has its moments and Natalie Portman is Natalie Portman. But it is just too much driven towards a younger audience. It is fine when your selling toys but I don’t blame George for wanting to get paid and create a whole new generation of fans to carry on his legacy. It just sucks that that he had to dumb it down so much, and I really could have done without the “yipeeeee”, “animal surfing”, and of course “Nooooooooo.”

Star Wars Tattoo Sleeve

NERDSociety: Your the second person who we’ve featured that is quote “sleeved up?”  Why did you choose to get covered in something that is considered nerdy rather than Skulls, Barbwire, and Virgin Marys’?

Brian Rowland: That’s simple because I am a huge Nerd. I think it would be a little weird if I was covered in skulls or had a Polynesian body suit. It’s just not who I am. I think it would be more strange to see a Nerdy looking dude with a bunch of flames and skulls, but that’s just me.

NERDSociety: I recently found there are some haters out there, of the nerd kind. This one guy posted on his blog that disliked Star Wars fans  getting tattoos, and quoted to say “they are not real fans.”  What do you say to guys like these, other than STFU?

Lei and Anakin TattooBrian Rowland: I have come across a few people with similar opinions and the vast majority of them are against tattoos in general. I am curious as to why anyone would say any Star Wars tattoo collector is “not a real fan”.  Maybe he or she is just closed minded or can’t understand why someone would “do that to themselves” so they go the close minded immature route to mock and insult. Whatever the reason its all “sticks and stones,” the self anointed super fans have the right to there opinions just as much as someone has the right to mark themselves with an image they are passionate about.

NERDSociety: Spoken like a “true fan” lol.  We look foreword to hearing from you if you add any additions to your grand collection, and thanks for sharing your Geek Ink with us.

Copied By : checkoutmytattooz.blogspot.com

Martin Prado's psychic tattoo artist

One year ago today, MLB All Star 2nd base starter Martin Prado watched the same midsummer classic with one of the worlds best tattoo artists, Brandon Bond, who predicted the overwhelming success that would follow their July 2009 session.


"He thought I was crazy," Bond states, "but I told him, your'e going, pack your bags for LA 2010." Prado was extremely successful in his utility role which saw few starts in the 2009 season. He arranged the appointment with Brandon through relief pitcher Peter Moylan, also of the Braves. When asked about the artwork itself Brandon replies, "He wanted something to glorify his father and grandfather, both of which is where he derives his name from, and the only time we had to do it was during the All Star break last year." Upon the completion of the tattoo both artist and second baseman shared a drink and toasted to next years (2010) All Star Game. "I believe I said, to you making it to the LA All Star game, and we downed a celebratory drink, but after I mentioned it, Prado got very serious and emotional and said, "that would be amazing... I wish." Well, his wish came true.
Prado even offered to fly out Brandon and his wife to the 2010 All Star game if the psychic tattoo prediction came true. Many of Brandon's other baseball clients have seen a huge surge in their numbers. Jeremy Hermida of the Boston Red Sox has had an amazing year, but suffered an injury and is currently on the DL. Peter Moylan led the entire game of baseball for most of last year in appearances and was almost unstoppable toward the end of the 2009 season. Ross Gload of the Philadelphia Phillies, has hit game winning "all or nothing" pinch hit homeruns multiple times this year. Brandon's tattoos are making the rounds, and apparently magic for those who seek them.

"I insisted on the fact that it would happen for him, and he (Prado) almost dismissed it as being impossible. I told him this would happen, because it was obvious to all those who know him or have even watched how he plays ball. He is a man on fire for 9 innings no matter what the score is, a very 'all or nothing' approach to baseball. Brandon should know because his studio name is ironically "All or Nothing Tattoo" located in Smyrna, GA a suburb of Atlanta.


Bond continues, "Out of all the baseball guys I have tattooed, he has a focus and an excitement about baseball I have never seen. He lives for baseball, and plays in Venezuela in the American offseason, so he plays all year. Most of the baseball guys don't want to watch baseball on TV while I work on them, I guess kinda like I don't ever wanna watch LA Ink. But Prado is different, and everyone around him will tell you the same. He was focused on every pitch, every foul ball of last years all star game even while under the needle."

This is Prado's first full year in the starting role, and he has often been credited by the Braves players as one of the key reasons they are in first place. He will be hitting in the #2 position in the lineup directly in front of "King Albert" Pujols. "There was never a doubt in my mind he would make it, plus he had the tattoo community voting for him!"

Bond, who is one of the most famous and award winning tattoo artists in the world, is no stranger to celebrity clients. In 2009 he began tattooing multiple baseball players, accommodating their grueling schedules by compromising his own.


"I bought season tickets to the Braves because I needed some time off and my wife and I love baseball. It backfired and I ended up with a lot more clients and a lot more work. But baseball guys are awesome. Boxers, rappers, basketball players, actors, share a crazy ego, I noticed none of these (baseball) guys so far do." Brandon is currently tattooing players on 11 MLB teams, varied geographically from Boston to Miami to California and of course Atlanta.

Tonight's mid summer classic will be an extra special one at the Bond home, stating that even his mother is excited. "When I mentioned to my mom that he brings his mom for the season from Venezuela, she absolutely fell in love with him. He is every bodies favorite." With the media swirl following the homerun debut of Braves rookie sensation Jason Heyward (also an All Star this year) Prado's blessed explosion has been somewhat unnoticed by much of the media. "That will change after tonight," Bond states, "I told him this would happen and it's awesome."

When asked for any other psychic tattoo predictions Bond replies, "Braves win the World Series for Cox and Wagner's last year, and Prado will be the MVP." If the first half he season is any indication of what is to come, his next prediction will be on point yet again.







Copied By : checkoutmytattooz.blogspot.com

Tattoo Guru- Brandon Bond

Brandon Bond the mother fucker we all love to hate.Yes we know Brandon
saved the Pit bulls,is an absolute marketing genius,is rumored to have
left his wife for a midget,but I feel these are the things that the
press has fed off of,or maybe the opposite what Brandon has fed to the
press? What the fuck do I know?



What most people don't want to know,or realize is Brandon is actually
a very kind,and sweet person.When Brandon called me I answered my
phone to a "This is Brandon Bond" I wanted to reply with "Yea,and this
is Geena Fkn Russo,should I act all impressed now?" I bit my tongue
,and began our interview with the stigmatization everyone attaches to
Brandon.After two hours into our four hour conversation I simply
interrupted him,and flat out said "I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you
at first,but I just was sure you were a straight asshole." His reply
"Oh,I fucking knew that,and I was damn sure I would prove you wrong."


Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the real Brandon Bond.


GFR:Tell me about you,the real you?



BB: My brain doesn't stop moving. I am working towards slowing myself
down. Most people have to try and motivate themselves to do anything,
I have to actually force myself to stop. To sit down and take it all
in. When Zeke Owens worked with us here at ALL OR NOTHING, he told me
"Don't live for this shit (tattooing), it will kill you and ruin your
family". I took that to heart, he is an incredible man, who has
tattooed longer than I have been alive. I have lived for tattooing and
nothing but tattooing for almost 20 years now, and I am forcing myself
to slow down. As I type this, and prepare for our Amsterdam trip later
today, I'm looking out a window at a wild turkey in the North GA
mountains. If I gave two fucks about being "famous" or whatever, you
would see me at every single convention getting my picture taken with
everyone. I have not been to a tattoo convention in 3 years. I believe
that artists have misinterpreted messages sent into the universe
directed at the CLIENTS of the world. As to my personal interest in
articles, awards, and bullshit: I listened to Zeke.


GFR:Twenty years of tattooing is a long ass time.What are some of the
changes you think you've help make to our industry?


BB: I have seen a LOT of changes. The main difference that stands out,
and that I believe we had a profound influence on, is the fact that
Charity is now a common word in tattooing. When I started with bikers,
drug dealers, pimps and ho's, charity was not a word in our
vocabulary. Now I see "Toys for tots", bike runs for fallen officers,
abused animal fundraisers, donations for child cancer, in tattoo based
promotion all the time. This Christmas was the best one yet for that.
I clicked on my MySpace and saw like 3000 charity events at tattoo
shops. While I would never take credit for that, it is awesome to see
how constant and prevalent it has become for us as an industry.
Charity used to be a bad word that incited argument.

Early on I did some charity auctions,and stuff publicly, and all we
got initially was hate mail. "You scumbag, you're keeping that sh*t".
I believe it was when one of our artists' children was diagnosed with
cancer that it really took on a life of its own. The whole industry
came together to help! We raised some money for injured soldiers, a
tattoo artist who had a bad car wreck, and did toys for tots, all
while filming the animal charity movie (Vicktory to the Underdog), and
all of a sudden the incoming mail changed. It was people with their
own ideas on who to help, how to help, or asking what they could do to
help US!

All of a sudden, I understood what "My Name is Earl" is actually all
about. Now I fucking love that show. "Hey Crabman!" But the point is
that now it's trendy to do this and before it was only thought of as a
scam. "Do good and good things happen".



GFR:How does you wife handle all the constant rumors that surround your life?



BB: She handles it better than I do. She laughs about it. She has
actually had people come up to her and be all, "Are you ok? I heard
Brandon was in jail". Or "I heard Brandon got shot", or, well, you get
the idea. I don't like it when people talk about me at all to be
honest with you. It was a weird side-effect of becoming successful
that we did not foresee. She does not get involved with my work in
anyway. I separate the "family" and the "marketplace" in my family.
She is a civilian and in no way involved in anything "tattoo". I think
she is just now figuring out what has happened over the last 8 years
or so. It still amazes her when people stop us and get a picture or
whatever.



GFR:Tell me about some of the regrets you have when it comes to the
decisions you made career wise?


BB: If I could do it all over again I would have done a lot of things
differently, too many to list here. I wasted a lot of time, and
overdid it a bit. I did not realize how successful we had become until
recently, but we were still pushing hard. I would have backed off
sooner, and been more careful about how I promoted our shop. Honestly
I was just trying to do whatever we could to get asses (clients) in
the seats. Apparently the "straight A kid" still gets beat up in
school.

GFR:At what point do you feel people stopped seeing you,and just
starting seeing the person they believe you are?


BB: Just before I opened ALL OR NOTHING I was touring and winning a
lot of awards at shows. Articles were flowing like water. That was
when everyone started treating me differently, people that knew me
before all that especially. I didn't change, they did. No one likes
the smart kid until test day. Then they all want to cheat off your
paper. I see it still to this day. It is unfortunate.



GFR:Do you feel with the mass amount of exposure you've had over the
past few years people have come to not take you as seriously?



BB:People take me way to seriously now. It's the opposite. I can't
just do whatever I want now because it all gets retold a zillion
times, changed, and ends up with me fucking a midget or something. I
have never been serious about anything but tattooing. Now everyone
gets real serious when they meet me, it's lame. Just like YOU did when
I called you. All I said was "hey its Brandon Bond", and all of a
sudden I could hear the scorn and disdain pour back at me through the
phone, yet you had never even spoken to me. Weird huh?


GFR:So when you contacted me for an interview you explained you
haven't granted an interview in two years.Why now? Why Tattoo Guru?



BB: I read some articles you did with various artists. I appreciate
the uncensored and raw aspects of what you are doing. I also liked
that it was a venue to reach more artists than clients. Messages to
clients are way different than messages to artists, that is just the
food chain of what we do. A LOT of artists seem to be unaware of that,
but it is a fact. The lion deals differently with other lions, the
zebras just get eaten.



GFR:So you catch your wife in bed with five midget's.What's next?


BB: The pistol I wear everyday ironically holds 12 rounds. I shoot
them all twice, including her. Then I tweet about it and ask everyone
how to clean up midget blood. She is short as well (5ft) so all of
them would fit in my car at the same time afterwards.



GFR: That was my fuck with your day question. Did it?


BB: I think your "fwyd" questions are priceless, I was looking
foreword to mine. It's weird how people talk to me about midgets all
the time? What is that about huh? I'm 6 ft tall!



GFR:I give you fifty words,any fifty words to express your self,and GO!



BB: Tattooing is changing, weather we like it or not. The influx of
mainstream interest, and people who really wouldn't even be tattooing
if it were not for tv shows and bands is taking it's toll. It's like
the flood in the bible, "get in the boat or you will drown". But even
Noah had a slew of haters.



GFR:Bodyguards? (first thing that comes to mind when you hear this
word?)


BB: Like as in condoms and gloves?


Brandon I must say your a really not the dick head I had expected. I
loved talking with you. I feel like I walked away from this interview
with a new out look on how things can be so easily jaded.Thank you so
much for your time.I loved talking with you,for the simple fact you
are one funny mother fucker.

BB: Thank you for the interview, and for the talks, I look foreword to
meeting you and your family in person.


~Geena Fkn Russo

Tattoo Masters : Dave Mf Tedder

How long have you been tattooing?


Jesus, I know it's one of the stock questions that has to be handled in an interview, but it really is one I have to answer on a daily basis. It's all good though, after 10 years I've learned how to answer it with grace and a little bit of style. My career really began 15 years ago, in my home town of Florence, South Carolina. But, before then, it was something I dreamed of as a small child. I've known I was destined to tattoo since I was about ten years old.  In the state where I was born and raised, tattooing was actually illegal up until 2006, I think. I was gone long before it became legalized, but that's beside the point, the bug hit me at a very young age. Ever since I was a wee little chap, tattooing has fascinated me. I know most artists have that uncle, or maybe even their father, who had tattoos that they used to trace with their finger as a child.  Not me. As a kid growing up in rural South Carolina, I noticed that only the outlaw types had tattoos. The hard-ass bikers with long hair and naked ladies, inked in the old school blue/black ink, running down their arms.  Images of skulls, snakes, and daggers, adorning every exposed area of skin, flipped some kind of a switch in me. I saw these guys, guys everyone gave wide berth to when they were walking down the street, and I knew I wanted to be like them. I knew I wanted to be the one that made these sweet f*cking designs on their arms, I wanted to be the one that made these forbidden images, for others, to wear like their hearts on their sleeves.  So, I tried to find as much information as I could.  Unfortunately, in the backwoods of small town South Carolina, there wasn't much to be had. By the time I was 15, I had scraped together enough knowledge to know that the only proper way to go about it was to apprentice under an established artist, and progress from there. Everyone I had spoken with, and everything I had read, convinced me that trying to teach myself was only going to lead to me fighting in the dark for years.  Sure, I had lots of opportunities to make some sh*tty jailhouse "tat gun", but I always tried to keep the high road. I knew that my life and tattooing would eventually cross paths, so, I waited and watched all of my friends get sh*t-faced, and give each other really horrible names and ugly little hearts and banners.

Knowing that I would never find an apprenticeship in a state where tattooing was still illegal, I knew that I had to find a way out, a way to help myself glide into the industry a little bit smoother.  While tattooing was illegal, the piercing industry really hit it big in South Carolina right around 1994-1995, and by 1996, I had already taken an extremely quick, and not so thorough, piercing apprenticeship.  I moved to Myrtle Beach the summer of that same year, and promptly talked myself into the main position at the busiest piercing studio in Myrtle Beach. I've always been a natural hustler, and they had no idea I was lacking the experience I probably needed.  The beach in the late 90's was fertile ground for piercing, and I really spent about two weeks in a serious trial by fire.  It was insane, the three seasons I worked in Myrtle Beach, I did more piercings every day than most shops do in a week or a month. NO exaggeration.  I've never seen anything like it since, and I'm sure that since tattooing became legalized in South Carolina the piercing trade is nothing like it used to be.
After three seasons of piercing in Myrtle Beach, I knew  that if I stayed longer, I might never realize my real dream of tattooing.  I set out for Florida in 1998, to live with friends, in a state that might open up real possibilities for me.  I was in South Florida for almost a year, and had bounced between a few studios, before I met someone whom I felt comfortable learning from. I had a few offers in that year, but I didn't want to make the mistake of learning bad habits from a bad artist. I had done a lot of research over the years, and I knew that if I didn't get it right the first time, I could spend years trying to figure out my bad habits and then unlearn them. After enough searching, I finally started working with Holden Ritchison at Bulldog Tattoo, down on Fort Lauderdale beach. I became aware of Holden's work as soon as I arrived in Florida, it was some of the cleanest and most solid I had ever seen.  Needless to say, I was more than excited to be working with him. Then after enough begging, he finally agreed to teach me how to tattoo.  It was one of the happiest days of my life, until the owner of the shop said that I couldn't apprentice at his studio. Afterward, it also became clear that I was no longer welcome there. Old school mentality, to say the least. He wouldn't outright fire me, but I was given the worst shifts, and through attitude, it became apparent that I was going nowhere fast. Since he was fed up with the studio as well, Holden and I left simultaneously to work at Babylon Tattoo. Novi, the owner, was in need of a piercer and tattooer, and he was more than willing to let me apprentice, if it meant gaining Holden as an artist. It was almost as if the stars were finally aligning for me and my dream. I spent the next year busting my ass, getting to the shop before everyone else and making sure it was spiffy and neat before it was open for business, making needles, running stencils, scrubbing tubes, being the brunt of every ones jokes, and tattooing as much as possible.  I was hella glad for every bit of it.  I was living the dream. Right around the turn of the century/millennium, I was given the green light to start charging clients and booking real appointments. I let myself think that I was on top of the world, for just a brief second, then I brought myself back to reality. I knew that there was so much more work to be done, if I was ever going to figure this tattoo thing out for real. The green light alone was not enough to make me happy. At this point, I knew there was much more to tattooing than I could imagine, and I wanted to soak up as much of it as I could. I could never be satisfied with being mediocre or middle of the road. 

Where did you live before coming to Atlanta? How long have you been with ALL OR NOTHING and how did you come to work at such a prestigious studio?

It's a pretty crazy adventure since Florida.  My mother died during my apprenticeship, right near the end of it.  It was hard times for sure.  I hadn't seen my family in years at this point and it was a difficult cross to bear. After she passed away, my father tried to maintain and keep himself together, but he is an old school southerner if there ever was one. He didn't even know how to do his own laundry, didn't know how a washer or dryer even worked.  When he called me and I heard fear in my fathers voice for the first time in my life, I knew that I had an obligation to what was left of my family.  I moved back to South Carolina and sought out work in North Carolina, where tattooing was legal. Originally, I worked in Lumberton, the tiniest town I've ever tattooed in. It was the closest town to the South Carolina border. After almost a year of quasi-hard times, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get out, but I still wanted to stay close to my family, so I started traveling, even further north, and began working in Fayetteville. This time it was an hour and a half commute each way, instead of the hour to Lumberton, but the extra miles didn't make any difference to me. I started working at a busy studio called Chop Shop Tattoo. Fayetteville was a military town, and the studio is located in an area where most of the officers live, so there was plenty of custom work to go around. It was a nice combination of walk-ins to help build up the speed, and enough custom work to keep me artistically challenged. I worked there for almost a year as well, and it was a hard thing to have to leave.  I really enjoyed my time there, but the traveling bug struck me, as it usually does, and I had to make miles.  By this time my sister had moved in with my father, so the family was taken care of, and I started traveling for a few months. I sat in and did a few guest spots at various studios, traveled to new cities and sold flash, did a few conventions, and settled in Asheville, North Carolina for a few months.  Asheville is a wonderful city, but it's also a small one.  The studio I worked in was very nice and extremely artsy, but the owner and I butted heads on a regular basis. It made for a rough work environment, despite the benefits of the city, so I couldn't stay. The road was calling once again, and when the road calls, who the f*ck am I to ignore it? So yet again, I was off on the flash route. I made a new set, specifically to travel with and sell on the road.  I did a few more guest spots, a few more conventions, but somehow, I couldn't shake the bad luck that Asheville stuck to me.  At least that's how it felt. Nothing seemed to have changed in my approach, but the outcome was vastly different. Instead of having a blast on the road, and making lots of money while seeing new places, I seemed to have hit a dry spell on all fronts. The flash market seemed to have dried up, every shop I stopped to work at for a week or two was in the middle of a slow spell. All of the conventions I worked were a complete bust for me.  Life is like a roller coaster sometimes, and you have your ups and your downs, this time I was on a serious dip in the track. Then my car finally kicked the bucket. It had died long before, but I refused to accept it, so when It finally had enough and couldn't go any further, I knew I had to figure out contingency plan B.


I called my good friend DJ Minor, because I knew he was working a studio that was generating a lot of buzz in the South East, All Or Nothing Tattoo.  I knew Brandon Bond had just opened the studio in Atlanta.  I saw the studios' full page ads in the local magazines and had already seen a writeup or two as well, so I was interested in whether or not they were hiring.  I was surprised as hell when Dj told me they had only been open for a few weeks and needed someone bad. I thought that the studio had at least 6 months to a year under it's belt, as much as I had heard about it already.  I promptly put together a mini portfolio and sent it to Atlanta.  When they received it, DJ called me back.  He gave me the go ahead to come down for a guest spot, just to make sure everyone worked well together, and so Brandon could make sure that I wasn't a douche-bag. I was a sad case at that point in my life, and I actually had to ride into town on a Greyhound bus. Not something I'm proud of, but on a long enough time line, it's just another dip in the track. I spent two weeks at All Or Nothing, and they were the best, most profitable two weeks of that year so far.  Brandon and DJ decided that, despite the horse I rode in on, I was a good fit for the studio, so I was officially among the employed again, and happy to be there. I went back to South Carolina to tie up a few loose ends I had there, packed up my gear, and moved to Atlanta forthwith. No bus this time,  I was actually able to get an old friend to drive me down, and I moved into a hotel for the first few months I worked at the studio. The reason I lived in a hotel is because All Or Nothing was so damn busy that I didn't have time to look for a place to live. I went months and months without a day off, and I was happy to do so. Sure Brandon and I butted heads a bit during the early days, that tends to happen a lot with me, but I recognized his genius for what it is, and I'm pretty sure he recognized my loyalty and dedication for what it is. Both of us tolerated the other until eventually we became close friends. It was through touring that we really got to know each other and became best friends.
I've always been a gypsy at heart, and the road is always on my mind, but fortunately Brandon isn't an owner that tries to stifle personal growth as an artist, quite the opposite... he encourages it. Most shop owners aren't too keen about their artists taking off any weekend they want and doing a convention or ten. Brandon is smart enough to realize that what is good for one of his artists, is good for everyone and the studio. So travel is always an option at All Or Nothing. Anyone here can do as many conventions, or travel as much as they please. It really is the most comfortable work environment I've ever experienced, or even heard of. That's why I've never had the desire to leave, not once. I'm afforded the best of both worlds, and the opportunities here are limitless.


 

What is your favorite type of tattooing to do?

That really is a loaded question, huh? My favorite type of tattooing is the expensive type! HA! Really though, it's kind of hard to pin down, because so many different styles of tattooing have fascinated me over the years. One look through my on-line gallery and it's kind of apparent that I like to work in many different styles. At first, I was fascinated by traditional tattooing, because that's what Holden focused on, so that's what I was exposed to the most at the beginning of my career. That quickly evolved into a deep love for neo-traditional Americana. That's really my first love. I spent so many hours studying and stealing. Playing the mad tattoo scientist, and backwards engineering all the tattoos that I thought were incredible at the time. I focused on that when I could, but when I started to feel that I had some understanding of it, my attention slowly started drifting towards more Japanese themed tattoos. When Albie-Rock was down at the studio working with us, he and Brandon saw a koi fish that I had done that night, and both of them agreed that Japanese was where I needed to start focusing my efforts. That was really the only push I needed, and I was balls deep in it. I dove into my studies with a furious fever, trying to soak up as much knowledge about the history of the art as I could, while still reverse engineering every tattoo I admired. I've spent quite a few years now working on dragons or koi fish, damn near every day of the week. I still have a love and passion for the oriental arts, but I'm currently becoming more and more fascinated with black and grey tattooing. Especially, portraiture and realism. It's a realm of tattooing that never really interested me before, but completely consumes me now. Hopefully, in the future, I'll find some way to balance my passion for Japanese style tattooing, and my desire to do more black and grey realism. That is one thing I love about Europe and the UK. Whenever I'm over here I get to do so much more black and grey than I do back home.

  

What machines do you use? How many do you set up for a substantial session?

Wow! I use a lot of machines. Especially these days. Of course, since I started over 10 years ago, I began with only two, which is one more than a lot of guys I know. But over the years, my collection has grown substantially. I usually don't buy collectors machines, because my father was a carpenter, and I'm a firm believer that a tool is meant to be used as often as possible. It longs for use, but I do have a few that have never broken skin. But mainly, my collection consists of heavy duty irons meant to take a beating. For the longest time, I used Pulse machines exclusively, but over time that changed as well. Currently, my daily drivers are a Seth Cifferi brass Wienerdog, a Lucky Irons Walker frame with a Greek Lira bolted to the side that I have dubbed "The Ass Sex Machine", a Pulse Executive Liner, a Seth prototype Walker-esque cutback liner, an Infinite Irons Walker frame, that I picked up off of Joey D when he rolled through the shop, and an Eric Merrill limited edition machine, from Pulse, that also uses Walker geometry. Notice a trend there? I love a Walker frame, and I hate a welded frame. Joey and Seth are the only guys I know that can weld a frame and not make it sound like dog shit.


What type of needles & groupings do you prefer? How did you come to start using them?

I've changed groupings a lot over the years.  Like most, at times, I thought there was a secret that I just didn't know, but there isn't. I found that it's really just what you're comfortable using.  I started out like everyone did down in Florida, about 10 years ago, using 7's & 7's; 7 rounds, and 7 magnums with the occasional tight 3. Then over the years, I branched out and broadened my horizons a bit, and tried a 5 liner. So, I threw that into the mix when I needed it. Then eventually, after quite a few years, I tried a 9 mag and thought I was in heaven. I didn't know how I ever lived without it. So pretty soon, I figured out how to fit a 9 mag into everywhere I used to go with a 7. After the 7 mag was taken out of the mix, I tried an 11 and a 13 mag. I spent a few years experimenting, trying to figure out what worked best for me, and eventually I dropped the 11 mag. It just wasn't doing it for me. I settled on a 13 mag and the occasional 9 mag.  It has to be a pretty tight piece with lots of little areas for me to break out a 9 mag these days. As for liners, I use tight 7's, loose 7's, and super tight 5's. And by super tight 5's, I mean 5's that could pass as a 3 or even a single at times.

Is Brandon really a psychopath to work for?

Like I said earlier, Brandon and I butted heads a lot during the first few months. And while it took me quite a while to come around to his way of thinking, that is mainly because I was extremely stubborn, not because he's crazy or wrong. Do I think Brandon is a psychopath? No. I do see how those on the outside could perceive him as such though. I'm sure it can seem confusing for those on the outside looking in. Truth is, shit moves so fast around here that everything that gets put out there, for the world to see, is always two or three steps behind what's currently going on, and it's about 10 steps behind whatever he's got cooking for the future. So it must be a lot to keep up with. You wouldn't believe some of the rumors I hear. The tattoo industry is worse than a sewing circle, playing the children's game "telephone" at times. But it is what it is, and like P.T. Barnum said, "No Press is bad Press."  Truth be told, I've worked with Brandon since the start, over 6 years now and many more to come, and he is the closest thing to Howard Hughes/P.T. Barnum that the tattoo community has. Regardless of your opinion, whether you love his antics or hate them, you can't deny that they work.




What has changed about your tattooing since you first walked in the front door of ALL OR NOTHING?

Everything, really. I've been here so long now that if my tattooing hasn't rolled over a few times already, I would be stagnating. I'm a firm believer in moving forward. There is no room, and no reason, for complacency in this business, especially these days. The new kids are coming up fast, and it's really easy to get left behind if you don't practice your art to the best of your abilities every day. When I first came to the shop I was knee deep in my neo-traditional phase, I was painting watercolors every day and picking up new tricks as often as I could. Over the years, my style has drifted more towards the Japanese inspired motifs, and my technique has changed drastically. I think that's part of the growth I was talking about as well. The more time you spend actually implanting pigment under the skin, the more you begin to understand the process. You have to spend as much time studying your craft as you do practicing your art. You can have all the best designs in the world, but, if you don't understand the fundamentals of tattooing, and the basis behind your techniques, you're gonna really shit the bed when your favorite machine dies on you mid-tattoo.
I seriously believe you should have a completely different outlook, on everything concerning tattooing, every 2-3 years. If not, you're standing still and watching the herd pass you by.



Everyone that comes arrives at different times, so the list of artists is always in flux. Who have YOU worked with, gotten tattooed by, met or gotten to watch work since coming to ALL OR NOTHING? And how did any of that affect you and your art.

You know, I started working at All Or Nothing about 3-4 weeks after the doors first opened, so I've had the opportunity to work with everyone who's ever worked here, or done a guest spot at the studio. I feel extremely fortunate for all of the experiences I've had here. Just imagine anyone that has ever worked here, even if only for a day, and I've stolen at least one trick from them. Many of the artists, I sought out and personally hired when I was managing the studio, and many of them came to us seeking a way to further their careers and their art.
The best thing about working with so many different artists is the constant barrage of different ideas. Everyone who works here, or comes for a guest spot, have such different styles that it's impossible to not be inspired every day I come to work.  When Eric Merrill was here, I learned more about watercolor painting in one day than I had taught myself in an entire year. And when Bob Tyrell came, and tattooed Short, I learned more about portraiture than I had in years.  Plus, getting to work beside such talented artists like Short Parker, Vince Villalvazo, Tony Mancia, and Chris Birdsong every day keeps me on my toes. It's exciting to have such a group of talented artists next to you, it gives you someone else to impress.

What other type of art do you produce? Paintings, video, flash, graphics etc?

I don't produce anywhere near as much art as I should these days, but that recently changed. I used to paint with a lot of watercolors. I've put out three sets of flash and I'm currently working on my fourth, but my newest passion is oil painting. I've wanted to get into oils for awhile now, but they've always been kind of intimidating. Recently, I decided to dive in head first, and now Paul Booth has agreed to let me come up for a few days and steal some of his oil trickery. I'm really excited to learn more with this medium, and I can't wait til' I have created something that I feel worthy of print.





Was there ever a time when you realized you had figured this out or had an "art epiphany" about your own growth as a tattooer?

HA! Every six months, I sit back after I've had such an epiphany and think, now I've got this shit figured out, I get it now. Then six more months down the line, I realize that all this shit I thought I knew half a year ago was only the tip of the iceberg. That's the beautiful thing about tattooing, as long as you treat it good, it will find a way to keep you interested. That's the trick, you do right by tattooing, and tattooing will do right by you.
What kind of inks do you use?

What, are you trying to learn how to tattoo or something? I like how you slid that question in, a few personal questions after the needle question. I use a mix though. I have yet to find a complete set that I love entirely.  But, currently, I use a mix of Dynamic and Pelican black, a lot of Classic Colors, I love Troy's pigment, and a few select Starbright colors, Scarlet, White and Yellow, mainly for mixing. It's hard to say really, because the inks I use change like my styles have changed over the years. It all falls under that "now I've got this shit figured out" epiphany that keeps happening.
 

What types of tattoos would you LIKE to do, like if you could start doing any specific style a lot, what would it be?

Like I mentioned earlier, I'm really fascinated by black and grey realism these days, and if there was any particular style I would like to focus on, it would be anything I've had a hand in developing, except in black and grey, instead of color. Portraits with crazy backgrounds, Japanese themed images done ultra realistic, or even extremely religious images.  Anything black and grey. I'm especially partial to creating really dark images from from obscure sculpture reference.

What do you love about tattooing the most?

I love the fact that tattooing can take me anywhere I want to go.  Tattooing has saved my life, many times over, and it continues to do so to this day. I mean that in the most literal of senses. Without tattooing, there is no telling what cell block I might be on, or what shallow grave I may have ended up in. Tattooing has kept me grounded. Tattooing has continually been good to me, and in return I've tried to give as much back as I can through hard work and dedication. Tattooing is one of the fairest trades I know.

Zombie Tattoo Tutorial- Vince Villalvazo

Tutorial Available in Tattoo Masters Magazine

 

Introduction

-In the following tutorial, I am going to take you through my process
of developing and executing a tattoo. All aspects of sterilization and
cross contamination should be covered before beginning a tattoo. This
is in no way a replacement for an apprenticeship, or an instructional
on how to learn to tattoo; this is simply my way of tattooing. I will
be walking you through every step of my creative thought processes. In
this tutorial, I will be elaborating on how I execute the following
steps.

            -Reference

            -Drawing and Design

            -Creating a Stencil

            -Tattooing Style

            -Procedure Set-up

            -Tattoo Procedure

            -Aftercare

Reference

-The piece I will be doing is a female zombie. I usually like to keep
my tattooing really fun and relaxed. I always try to draw everything
that I tattoo, even if it is created from a reference. I believe that
it keeps my drawing skills sharp, and continuously allows me to
improve. This particular reference is a photograph that I took of my
wife. I took various photos with different types of lighting.  I
really wanted to have dramatic lighting on this piece, so we used
different elements, such as, a flashlight in a dimmed room to achieve
my desired effect. When you get a good picture, with excellent
lighting, there is not much that needs to be manipulated by Photoshop.
However, I took this picture and put it in Photoshop, and it flipped
horizontally “Flip Canvas”

  I then used the “Apply Image” tool at a thirty-percent ratio, which gives an overall sharper contrast. Funny enough, I learned this helpful tool from Brandon Bond.


I finish it off with the “Burn Tool,”  which helps create a higher contrast
on selected areas. The reference is now ready to be used to create the
design.


Drawing and Design

-As mentioned earlier, I like to draw as much as possible for my
tattoos, even when I have reference available. Unless I am doing a
portrait, I like to loosely use the picture to create a drawing of my
own. This is very helpful in creating accurate proportions and light
sources. In this reference in particular, I am solely using the pose,
proportions and light source, rather than creating a reproduction of
the photo. Especially since the reference photo is my wife, I would
not tattoo a portrait of her on anybody, and would prefer nobody else
do so. This makes the process a lot of fun for me. I am able to take a
photo, and create something completely different from it, while still
keeping the foundation of the reference.

-I like to start off with a color pencil sketch which allows me to
change shapes and add elements. I prefer color pencil over lead
because I am still able to see the colored lines, and with lead, it
tends to smear easier and becomes more difficult to see. When you have
a colored pencil sketch, you can make a photocopy in color and then
you can go over it with a dark pencil to clean the design up.


Drawing and Design

-As mentioned earlier, I like to draw as much as possible for my
tattoos, even when I have reference available. Unless I am doing a
portrait, I like to loosely use the picture to create a drawing of my
own. This is very helpful in creating accurate proportions and light
sources. In this reference in particular, I am solely using the pose,
proportions and light source, rather than creating a reproduction of
the photo. Especially since the reference photo is my wife, I would
not tattoo a portrait of her on anybody, and would prefer nobody else
do so. This makes the process a lot of fun for me. I am able to take a
photo, and create something completely different from it, while still
keeping the foundation of the reference.

-I like to start off with a color pencil sketch which allows me to
change shapes and add elements. I prefer color pencil over lead
because I am still able to see the colored lines, and with lead, it
tends to smear easier and becomes more difficult to see. When you have
a colored pencil sketch, you can make a photocopy in color and then
you can go over it with a dark pencil to clean the design up.


Creating a Stencil

-When making a stencil, there are a few different things that I may
do. If I am working on a portrait, I make a copy of the photo and
trace the copy on top of the thermal fax paper. This helps me achieve
accuracy in a portrait, without having a barrier, such as tracing
paper, in between the photo and myself. When doing something more
stylized, such as this tattoo, I simply trace my line drawing while
keeping it loose. I let the shading and coloring happen once I being
to work directly on the skin. Another possibility is free-handing a
design directly on the skin. I use different colored sharpies,
starting with a light sharpie, to map out the overall area to be
worked on. I then use a medium colored sharpie to create a sketch, and
finally, finish with a dark sharpie to refine details before beginning
to tattoo.



Tattooing Style

-Now that the stencil, or drawing, is applied to the skin, you can go
in a number of directions. In my time tattooing, I have experimented
with, and applied various elements that have created my personal
style, which is constantly evolving. Some of the styles I have enjoyed
doing most are realism, neo-traditional, and illustrative. I have
taken all of these styles and fused them into one undefined style;
currently, this is what I enjoy doing most. I love soft edges on
tattoos, as well as showing how beautiful a bold line can be, combined
with smooth blending and negative space. In my world, anything goes as
long as I am given the freedom to do so by my clients. In this
particular tattoo, I will apply all of these elements including the
bold and fine lines, soft and hard edges, smooth blending and negative
space along with a realistic light source.

Procedure Set-Up

-Before I set up my machines, I closely check my needles for any
imperfections using an eye loupe. The smallest imperfections can
damage the skin and cause scabbing. I will be using four different
machines: two shaders and two rounds. My needle  groupings of choice
are 13 bug pins which fit in a 9-mag tip, and 13 regular curved mags
which is the largest size I like to use. For liners, I will be using a
5-tight and 9-round. These options allow me to have a wide range
throughout the tattooing process. These sizes, I have found, work best
for me and the type of work I typically do. It is always important to
experiment with different needle groupings to find out what works best
for you as an individual.

-My color palette selection will vary greatly. I will have a lot of
cool tones, for the background and hair, and warm tones for the
foreground.



-I prepare the skin, prior to applying the stencil, by cleaning it
with the paper towel and green soap. This will create a lather, which
will make shaving the area much easier. In the preparatory process, it
is important to cause as little irritation to the skin as possible,
because it allows the client to sit longer and it makes the skin more
cooperative. For these reasons, I always shave in a downward motion,
which prevents the skin from flaring up.  After shaving, I use
distilled water to clean away any green soap residue or loose hair
that may be left behind.  I then apply rubbing alcohol or an unscented
hand sanitizer to ensure the skin is as clean as possible. You will be
surprised how much dirt will come out of the skin and, if its not
removed, it will just be pushed deeper into the skin during the
tattooing process. Once the tattoo area is cleaned, I always ensure my
client does not touch it. Just because it is their body, doesn't mean
their hands are sterile.  I then apply the stencil with Dettol, which
works very well for me, as it stays great on the skin.



Tutorial Available in Tattoo Masters Magazine
Purchase yours today: http://www.tattoomaster.co.uk/



Introduction

-In the following tutorial, I am going to take you through my process
of developing and executing a tattoo. All aspects of sterilization and
cross contamination should be covered before beginning a tattoo. This
is in no way a replacement for an apprenticeship, or an instructional
on how to learn to tattoo; this is simply my way of tattooing. I will
be walking you through every step of my creative thought processes. In
this tutorial, I will be elaborating on how I execute the following
steps.

            -Reference

            -Drawing and Design

            -Creating a Stencil

            -Tattooing Style

            -Procedure Set-up

            -Tattoo Procedure

            -Aftercare


Reference

-The piece I will be doing is a female zombie. I usually like to keep
my tattooing really fun and relaxed. I always try to draw everything
that I tattoo, even if it is created from a reference. I believe that
it keeps my drawing skills sharp, and continuously allows me to
improve. This particular reference is a photograph that I took of my
wife. I took various photos with different types of lighting.  I
really wanted to have dramatic lighting on this piece, so we used
different elements, such as, a flashlight in a dimmed room to achieve
my desired effect. When you get a good picture, with excellent
lighting, there is not much that needs to be manipulated by Photoshop.
However, I took this picture and put it in Photoshop, and it flipped
horizontally “Flip Canvas”


 I then used the “Apply Image” tool at a thirty-percent ratio, which gives an overall sharper contrast. Funny enough, I learned this helpful tool from Brandon Bond.


I finish it off with the “Burn Tool,”  which helps create a higher contrast
on selected areas. The reference is now ready to be used to create the
design.





Drawing and Design

-As mentioned earlier, I like to draw as much as possible for my
tattoos, even when I have reference available. Unless I am doing a
portrait, I like to loosely use the picture to create a drawing of my
own. This is very helpful in creating accurate proportions and light
sources. In this reference in particular, I am solely using the pose,
proportions and light source, rather than creating a reproduction of
the photo. Especially since the reference photo is my wife, I would
not tattoo a portrait of her on anybody, and would prefer nobody else
do so. This makes the process a lot of fun for me. I am able to take a
photo, and create something completely different from it, while still
keeping the foundation of the reference.

-I like to start off with a color pencil sketch which allows me to
change shapes and add elements. I prefer color pencil over lead
because I am still able to see the colored lines, and with lead, it
tends to smear easier and becomes more difficult to see. When you have
a colored pencil sketch, you can make a photocopy in color and then
you can go over it with a dark pencil to clean the design up.


-When creating a background, I like to keep it as minimal as possible.
That allows me to have a more detailed foreground and I always keep in
mind that the client may possibly want to add to the piece in the
future; a busy background makes that harder to do. I never want to
create a tattoo where the main piece is overpowered by the background.

-In this drawing, I used the face, instead of the entire upper body,
so I could use the space more efficiently and put a great amount of
detail, as opposed to doing the same amount of detail on a small face;
this will help the tattoo last for a long time. The size of the moon
creates balance within the image, and the flowing hair is a good segue
into another piece, if desired by the client.



Creating a Stencil

-When making a stencil, there are a few different things that I may
do. If I am working on a portrait, I make a copy of the photo and
trace the copy on top of the thermal fax paper. This helps me achieve
accuracy in a portrait, without having a barrier, such as tracing
paper, in between the photo and myself. When doing something more
stylized, such as this tattoo, I simply trace my line drawing while
keeping it loose. I let the shading and coloring happen once I being
to work directly on the skin. Another possibility is free-handing a
design directly on the skin. I use different colored sharpies,
starting with a light sharpie, to map out the overall area to be
worked on. I then use a medium colored sharpie to create a sketch, and
finally, finish with a dark sharpie to refine details before beginning
to tattoo.


Tattooing Style

-Now that the stencil, or drawing, is applied to the skin, you can go
in a number of directions. In my time tattooing, I have experimented
with, and applied various elements that have created my personal
style, which is constantly evolving. Some of the styles I have enjoyed
doing most are realism, neo-traditional, and illustrative. I have
taken all of these styles and fused them into one undefined style;
currently, this is what I enjoy doing most. I love soft edges on
tattoos, as well as showing how beautiful a bold line can be, combined
with smooth blending and negative space. In my world, anything goes as
long as I am given the freedom to do so by my clients. In this
particular tattoo, I will apply all of these elements including the
bold and fine lines, soft and hard edges, smooth blending and negative
space along with a realistic light source.

Procedure Set-Up

-Before I set up my machines, I closely check my needles for any
imperfections using an eye loupe. The smallest imperfections can
damage the skin and cause scabbing. I will be using four different
machines: two shaders and two rounds. My needle  groupings of choice
are 13 bug pins which fit in a 9-mag tip, and 13 regular curved mags
which is the largest size I like to use. For liners, I will be using a
5-tight and 9-round. These options allow me to have a wide range
throughout the tattooing process. These sizes, I have found, work best
for me and the type of work I typically do. It is always important to
experiment with different needle groupings to find out what works best
for you as an individual.


-My color palette selection will vary greatly. I will have a lot of
cool tones, for the background and hair, and warm tones for the
foreground.


-I prepare the skin, prior to applying the stencil, by cleaning it
with the paper towel and green soap. This will create a lather, which
will make shaving the area much easier. In the preparatory process, it
is important to cause as little irritation to the skin as possible,
because it allows the client to sit longer and it makes the skin more
cooperative. For these reasons, I always shave in a downward motion,
which prevents the skin from flaring up.  After shaving, I use
distilled water to clean away any green soap residue or loose hair
that may be left behind.  I then apply rubbing alcohol or an unscented
hand sanitizer to ensure the skin is as clean as possible. You will be
surprised how much dirt will come out of the skin and, if its not
removed, it will just be pushed deeper into the skin during the
tattooing process. Once the tattoo area is cleaned, I always ensure my
client does not touch it. Just because it is their body, doesn't mean
their hands are sterile.  I then apply the stencil with Dettol, which
works very well for me, as it stays great on the skin.


Tattoo Procedure

-Outline

-I am going to go through and outline the entire thing; paying
attention to the areas where I want my thick and thin lines. For the
frame of the piece, I used a combination of thick and thin lines. This
will create a great dynamic in the hair which is what I would like to
achieve. In the key elements of the face, such as the eyes, lips and
nose, I will use black lines in combination with a lighter value in
order to create softer yet sharp edges. I will map out the background
with a blood line to hold the reference without creating a hard line.



-Color

-Since this is a larger piece, I will complete the color in sections.
This will make it easier on my client, allowing him to sit longer. I
will not use grey wash, instead, I will use black blended out to color
tones. While blending, I always dip from the next color without
rinsing; this keeps the elements of the last color I used, which will
result in a seamless color transition. I will start off with the hair
and then work my way to the face, which has the brightest tones. When
I work on the brighter tones, I will make sure my tubes are free of
any undesired colors by rinsing really well. In this case, rinsing will prevent my colors from being muddied. For this tattoo, I want to keep a clean and pretty look
to it with a twist of gore. I want to have a bloody element to this
piece, without over doing it. To create the blood, I will start off
with really dark tones, such as dark purple, to a bright red to create
depth and the illusion of blood. It will be important to leave tiny
edges open to add highlights, which will appear brighter if they are
surrounded by contrasting color.


Aftercare

-We all know the standard aftercare procedures and the various ways to
heal a tattoo. Through experimentation, I have found that the two day
wrap method followed by dry healing works best. I follow this for the
healing of tattoos on myself and advise my clients to do so as well.
After the tattoo is complete, I clean it really well, freeing it of
ink, blood, and all other bodily fluids. I wrap the tattoo, using no
ointment or any other substance, with saran wrap. This allows the
pores to open up and naturally secrete plasma, which I find relieves
the swelling of the tattooed area. I advise leaving it on for four
hours, and then washing the tattoo thoroughly with antibacterial soap,
and patting it dry with a paper towel. Then, let it breathe for 10-15
minutes before wrapping it again. I suggest washing and re-wrapping
around three times a day. This should be repeated the following day
and night before allowing the tattoo to dry out. Once the tattoo has
dried out, it is still important to wash it routinely. Once it begins
to peel, you can begin applying fragrance-free lotion as needed.



Credits

Tattoo and Artwork by Vince Villalvazo



All or Nothing Tattoo Studio Atlanta, GA

Client is Christopher Gleeson (Chicago, Illinois)

Written by Tara Villalvazo

Photos by: Pablo, Frankie, Corey, Jarvis, Matt and Tara

Dan Dringenberg Tattoos

SHANE ENHOLM: It’s a family thing with you, huh?

DAN DRINGENBERG: I’ve been running a lathe since I was 10 years old. At my dad’s house, still to this day, there’s a 1922 South Bend lathe with leather belts. I couldn’t get leather belts to replace it, so I went and bought regular leather belts at a swap meet. I bought the lacer to lace them, and that was my grandfather’s lathe. And my dad’s a mechanic and stuff. I started making other things, just whatever, and then I started making homemade tattoo machines. This was way before I was even working at Fat George’s. But when I started at George’s, cleaning tubes, I’d look at the tubes he had—and they were all Nationals and stuff like that— I’d look down and I’d go, “Hey, man. These are good tubes. But they’d be better if they were finished.” And he’d look at me like, “What do you mean?” I’d go, “These people right here could give a fuck about how they work. They’re about money. The more times you have to handle a piece of metal, the more money it costs you to make it—the less profit there is.” He said, “Well, what do you mean? Can you make one better?” And I go, “Fuck yeah I can make one better. I can make one’s that the best. Way better than what you’ve got.” He goes, “Why?” I go, “Because there are principles behind it.”


Dan Dringenberg

So just like Scott—Scott’s family were machinists. It was innately in you as a human being.

Dan Dringenberg

Well, my grandfather defected from Germany in 1925. He was in World War I on the German side. He was an engineer, and he was working on jet-propulsion and stuff like that in the 20s.

Right, ahead of time, yeah.

Dan Dringenberg

When Hitler was coming into power, my Grandfather came to America. Anybody that was working on any kind of project like that, Hitler was snatching those people up. So he came over here and denounced Germany, and went to work for the U.S. government, for the Aerospace Industry. It wasn’t NASA—it was way before that. Then he went into designing John Deere tractors, and that’s where he retired from. So my grandfather made it through all these hard times, you know? He took out many patents—even on, like, tricycles for kids…

Right, all kinds of stuff.

That stuff always had me fascinated. I was a little kid going through his shit all the time. I’d get out there and try to learn how to not kill myself in a machine shop, you know what I mean? How to keep all my digits, you know?

 Dan Dringenberg 

So you built the belt for that lathe?

Oh, I had to make all the belts. One of the belts had a twist in it and that’s how you got reverse. It had overhead shafts and stuff like that, and then it had a wooden handle with a clutch that just had two blocks on each side, that would go into each different gear, and that would be the drive gear. So it’s like really different, you know what I mean? I started making scripts and I found on that lathe I couldn’t make a neural.

The Road to Redemption

Marcus Kuhn
The Road to Redemption
By Eric Michalovic

I first met Marcus Kuhn back in 2002 in Portland, Maine. He had recently returned to the small coastal town after a long “walk-about” spanning nearly a decade and the entire globe, to open “Just Good Tattoos”.

Marcus Kuhn

I was beginning my journey in tattooing when, by chance I first encountered Marcus. I found myself in possession of some machines I believed to be stolen, after a little investigation I discovered the machines belonged to him. While he was in the process of opening his shop, some dirt-bag had stolen a case containing approximately 30 valuable and highly sentimental, personalized tattoo machines.


Marcus Kuhn

I had butchered a tattoo on the scum-bag who had stolen these machines in trade for a shader. The machine, I found out later was a bull-dog from Sailor Jerry’s original castings which had passed through Adam to Seth and was built up personally for Marcus. When I held this machine I could feel its importance, even in my juvenile stage of tattooing I knew it meant something to someone, and I had to get it back to the rightful owner. I didn’t want to enter tattooing with a mark on my karma. I immediately found out who it belonged to through an acquaintance who was working in another tattoo shop. I phoned Marcus and that afternoon was standing in his shop with the machine. This move opened a dialogue between us that has been very important to my growth as a tattooer, an artist and as a man.

Marcus is a real straight shooter, stern and serious, no bullshit. He’s not the guy to go to if you want a pat on the back or are looking for compliments, but if you’re willing to leave your feelings at the door and are truly ready to hear what you need to hear, then he’s your man! He’s one of the most disciplined hardworking people in tattooing today, he’s a gift to this world. It’s a great honor to have the opportunity to help share his influence and inspiration with the rest of tattooing.

Marcus Kuhn I have gained a great deal over the years from our interactions. I find myself thinking over things he’s said to me for months or even years at a time. I think you will have the same experience when done reading this interview. Enjoy.

 Marcus Kuhn

For the complete Marcus Kuhn article from Issue #22,

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hot Ink Tattoo Party

 
HOT INK TATTOO PARTY

Come on out and show off your ink!!

Its gonna be a Hot, Sizzling night...
and our MALE DANCER will be on hand to turn the heat up even more...
you won't wanna miss his moves!

Tattoo Competition:
Sign up between 9:30 and 10:00 to compete
Competition at 10:30

1st Place Prize - $100.00 Kadillac Tattoo Gift Certificate and T-Shirt
2nd Place Prize - $75.00 Kadillac Tattoo Gift Certificate
3rd Place Prize - $50.00 Kadillac Tattoo Gift Certificate

Winners to be chosen by audience applause, so be sure to bring your friends out to cheer you on.

Raffle Drawing at Midnight - Donated by The New Boot Rack Saloon, Kadillac Tattoo and Crazy Egg Restaurant


*** Shirts & Coupons from Cadillac
*** Gift Certificates from Crazy Egg
                     *** Bar Tabs and shirts from The New Boot Rack

$1.00 Raffle Tickets will be available for purchase. Proceeds to assist Devin Wilson with the Tattoo Gift certificates. Must be present to win.


AWESOME DRINK SPECIALS

* Domestic Bottle Beer *
12oz bottle -$2.50

* BUSCH & NATURAL LIGHT *
12oz bottle -$1.00

* Wine, Import Beer & Speciality Drinks * - $3.00

* LARGE Domestic Draft Pitchers *
$5.00 - add a pint for only $1.00 more!

* Boot Rack Cocktail * - $2.00

* Jell-o Shots * - $1.00