Mad Mad Tattoos: 2011

Friday, December 23, 2011

Noel.

Frozen Christmas

This flash sheet was inspired by David Attenborough's incredible Frozen Planet TV Series, and of course the festive season surrounding us at this very moment. I was torn between drawing this polar bear and cub over an emperor penguin and chick; I love penguins but these dudes above look fitting in my Christmas display. I'm sure I'll get the chance to draw an emperor penguin one of these days.

I did this in Crayola and Staedtler felt tip pens, and a black gel pen. I haven't really used felt tips for ages (I'd say the 90's) and it was fun, fun, fun. I'm gonna do a lot more pictures in felt tips so watch this space.

Merry Christmas everyone! x

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

tattoo PLACEMENT

I am pretty sire I have not written about this before, but the other night this idea popped into my head around 2 am and I basically could not go to sleep. I think because earlier that day someone came in and wanted a tattoo done somewhere on their arm, that just didn't work. I find myself saying the same thing over and over to people that come in.
The typical places that are difficult to tattoo and heal are : The feet, the hands (fingers and palms) the neck side and back, The elbow etc.
I tattoo on the feet all the time. I am a confident foot tattooer and as long as the client takes care of it, there is usually not a problem with this area.
But when it comes to the other trouble zones, like the hands I usually won't tattoo someone there unless they are already heavily tattooed and know the deal. That is the same rule I have for the neck too. But the reason I don't tattoo the neck is because that could ruin someone's life if they are not in the tattoo business. Having a neck tattoo puts you in a different area of society, well it used to anyway but now it looks like young people put tattoos on their necks anyway, which I think is bad form from the artist.
Now I want to talk about the arm. I see this all the time on people and it is so fucked up. When doing a big piece on the arm like a sleeve, the elbow can be the hardest spot to address on the arm. I often refer to this area as no mans land. Basically I think it is best just to do fill work around the elbow with like back ground or some subtle shading. Never put and important part of the piece like a head of a figure on the elbow. This most certainly will look like shit in a very short amount of time. The skin texture is so wrinkly there. So If you are going to do a troll I suppose that could work there. If you are not at the caliber of tattooing as say like Shige, Phillip Leu or Paul Booth just stay out of there.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Julia's poppy

Saturday, November 26, 2011

D.O.B.

16th Oct '09

Oooo, 'this looks familiar' I here you say! Well head on over to a previous post of mine titled Mark's Child, and all will be explained. Mark wanted this version to almost mirror the other design on the inside of his opposite arm, but first a few changes needed to be made. I like how this design is soft with gentle angel wings and the red touch's really give this tattoo a peaceful look.

I did the lettering completely by hand this time around because:

a)numbers were not included in the font that I downloaded

b)I wanted to see if I could do a decent job of lettering.

I'm real happy with it anyway and I would love more opportunities to do lettering!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Our web site is now smart phone friendly

We are please our web site is now smart phone friendly.

Will Hutson

Finally we've upload Will Hutson photos to the web site, check them out.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Gypsy Jen

Can you see the man's head in this one?

Some things I like to do while tattooing ( and for no additional cost):
~Interpret dreams (especially the re-occuring ones)
~Bio water interpretation, that is when I look into my rinse cup and see the different swirling colors from the different pigments. They usually make some interesting shapes. I've seen fetuses for example.
~Paper towel Rorschach tests. This is when I unfold the paper towel and see what ink blot pattern is made from the color and wiping.
~After I am done tattooing (I am usually very messing) I have ink spills on the floor, those also take shape sometimes and the most recent one was a single drop that turned into a skull. I tried to take a picture of it but it is elusive.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Here is a picture of me from 2001. It was taken by the lovely tattoo artist Flo Amblard from Paris. We took this in San Francisco. I have more tattoos by now. I will have to post a current pic.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

PLEASE LIKE OUR PAGE

https://www.facebook.com/londontattoo13#!/londontattoo13

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Laziness.

Sloth

The 7th and final deadly sin. The punishment in hell for being slothful, is to be thrown into a pit of snakes. I don't really see any connection between laziness and serpents, but it makes for a badass tattoo design. I think people who sit on their backside all day should be punished with slave labour for eternity. Too far? So, next for my boy Mitch is a flash sheet of 'fill-ins' including bugs, beasties and undergrowth.

Deadly!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Gandalf

Does anyone want a portrait of Gandalf? This is the picture I would like to use.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

just for Helloween

BAPHOMET

HOLY DIVER

Here is some close ups on a sleeve on my boyfriend that I have been working on for three years now. The Baphomet was my idea. I think it was like our 3rd date or something. This piece has been a lot of fun to work on! Nothing like gettin' the demons out. For the both of us!
On the front of his arm (not pictured) we have a Medusa, you can see her arm above the pentagram- that was his idea to get her, which I love, cause you know Medusa's story right? She cursed men and they turned into stone when they looked at her! I wish I had that ability! So, I think the piece can be appreciated by men and women.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Here is an article I can agree with :

http://www.livestrong.com/article/180816-non-toxic-tattoo-ink-ingredients/

I use Eternal ink. I have never had a problem with it before, and I know others that use it, that swear by it. But when it comes to any ink- there is no guarantee. Most people by now know that if someone has a problem with a certain color it is most always red. There is something in the red that can cause problems with the healing- I am not exactly sure why, but I came up with this idea- the molecular structure of the pigment red is the biggest and most potent. Plus there is other reasons. You can do a red test by putting the ink on top of your skin and letting it dry, after wipe it off and see if there is an irritation, but still I am not sure how accurate this test is.
It is a bummer too, I use red so much of my pieces...

Rose Desire-Belle.

Burlesque Lady

Once upon a time...

... I conversed with a friend about designing a burlesque inspired tattoo, the image you see above is the final design.

THE END.

Oh wait, I've missed out the middle of the story. Well, let me start with saying that it was an epic journey of immense proportions. Hours, days, weeks and months of hard work and determination, including blood, sweat and tears, have been put into this. I hope it shows.

Then I say to myself, 'Stop being a Moaning Myrtle Darren. Be grateful to those who trust you to design them something they are willing to get inked into their skin for the rest of their lives.' Enough said. I thoroughly enjoyed designing this, for me it's my personal benchmark, gotta' keep pushing myself.

So... a Burlesque Lady for a lady who is undoubtedly burlesque. Visit the website of the lass I designed it for here!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Pricing FAQs

OK here goes tattooing is not a one size fits all kinda business

Our rates are baesd on many variables size of tattoo complexity of design and varies from person to person, no two people have the same skin nor indeed tolerance to pain

But here is a laymans guide

First hour inc consultation and design you should expect to pay between £100 - £120

Then for larger pieces the rate falls to £80 per hour there after

OUR MINIMUM CHARGE IS £80

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I got into the shop this morning and straight to the answering machine and email and I have 4 cancellations this week! One person is sick, something came up etc. So, I am going to post on here, work on the website and do some facebooking.

Here is a beautiful picture form one of my clients who got a celestial back piece, stunning, I know!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Tattoo reading list

Here is a list of my favorite tattoo books to further your tattoo education. Some of these books are old school... came from the era when I first start tattooing which was not that long ago but considered old school by now. They are not in any particular order and there is so many awesome books out there! Some of these books are on technique which be of interest to someone that wants to learn to tattoo. Although even if you are just a collector I think they are good books to read.
~ Bodies of Subversion (a secret history of women and tattoo)
~Sailor Jerry American Tattoo Master
~TattooTime : Art from the heart
~Vintage tattoos by Carol Clerk
~Tattooing A to Z Huck Spaulding
~Electric Tattooing by Women (Madame Chinchilla 2003) (I am in this book!)
~ The total tattoo book by Amy Krakow
~The Tattooed Lady by Amelia Klem Osterid

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Constant

I have been having a pretty good time the past few weeks doing tattoos on some really cool people. I have a drawing here to share that I tattooed on this guy who is/was a guitarist for a pretty well know band actually. I often get to tattoo people that are in bands or are transitioning and need to be placed in a band. I want to link people up sometimes because I believe in the need to create and creating needs to be supported! We MUST support our bands and when they are local, I totally believe in supporting that too. Ok so anyway I came up with this design- he wanted a treble clef but after talking with him I drew this ornate one with the creatures in it. It seemed to fit his personality. I will post the tattoo when I get a good healed pic of it.

I tattooed another musician who is quite talented who also needs to get another band together. I did a wonderful Norse image, It is a outline but I think it works quite well as a line drawing. I love talking with musicians about music and band dynamics! I never have played an instrument before I am sure I would suck at it, but I am so into bands! I think it would be fun to be a band therapist like Dr. Twinkletits.
When I was in high school I actually took a music appreciation class on classical music of course. My favs are Mozart, Chopin, Wagner and Beethoven just to name a few.

And lastly my niece gave me a tattoo on my hand yesterday, here it is:
I especially enjoy the blood drops from the arrow part. My niece is a good little artist.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Five rules for tattooed people

Can't have this month go by without writing...
So, I want to write a short but sweet and hopefully funny piece on tattoo etiquette. I could write a book on this matter, and I have journals upon it...Maybe one day when I am not consumed by drawing and tattooing.
If you follow this blog I have written before on this subject but to keep it fresh here it goes again and forgive me because I have had a long week already and it is only Thursday evening, so basically I hope not to come off as a rant. This is sorta a addendum to my tips on getting tattoos blog. But I am going to set it up like a rules list, kinda like the one that guy had on Zombie land. Man, that movie had such an awesome intro.

Rule #1 Like Mom used to say if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. This would apply to if you see a tattoo you think is ugly, don't say it. It's rude and it can make someone hate their piece. In most cases loved ones will tell their spouse they don't like their others' tattoo and it is obnoxious for obvious reasons. If you need explanations why this is, send my an email I will wrap it real nicely for you. Which brings me to Rule #2 When you bring your spouse to the shop with you for support, it is best if they are quite in the back ground and YOU are the one who decides where the tattoo is going etc....
Now I would like to discuss tattoos out on public display. When I am out and about I cover my tattoos so I don't have to engage, since it seems these days that tattoos are a major conversation starter. Everyone is so wrapped up in "what's the meaning behind that tattoo?" Well, there is none, I just thought it would look cool. That's why everyone used to get tattoos, now there has to be this deep meaning behind it. Thank you LA Ink! My point is Rule #3 Not everyone wants to be asked in line at the grocery store-to be put on the spot while ten people are waiting behind you dying to be checked out. Rule #4 Don't ever reach out and touch someones tattoo ( personal space people!) And certainly don't ever touch a lady's tattoo when her man is standing by cause you will probably get punched. Don't even overly stare at a lady with tattoo's cause it's just creepy and "oh, I am just checkin' out your tat's" is a stupid excuse! Let's just go to RULE #5 If you are anybody staring at anyone, just don't do it at all, it's rude. So, basically a lot of these rules are just plan common sense, but most humans need to brush up on their manners anyway!
I will be adding to this list in the future for sure, so let's just focus on the first five and then we will build from there.