April 2009 Archives

Occasionally we featured unique tattoos here at JokerTattoo Blog. So here's a photo of two skeletons hugging - Till Death Do Us Part tattoo.

Tattoo by Tracy Rowe - Solid Rock Tattoo - Oakland City, IN

Collector: Ricky M.

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Tattoos featuring Chinese or Japanese characters have been popular long enough in America to become nearly as trite as the tramp stamp.  Some recent news articles have been reporting that a similar trend is emerging in China, where English language tattoos are enjoying a new surge in popularity.

While tattoos have been a part of Chinese culture for millenia, tattoo parlors have been mostly taboo under the Communist regime. Nevertheless, tattoo parlors have been popping up in China in recent years, and although their legality may be questionable they are slowly finding their place in modern China. Even though tattoos still bear the stigma of criminal association, more and more younger people are becoming interested in tattoos because many of their favorite Western sports and celebrity figures are tattooed.

What is most surprising of all is the latest trend that Chinese tattoo artists are reporting.  Tattoo parlors are seeing more and more clients seeking tattoos in the English language.  Not surprisingly, it is the younger crowd that seeks the English language and Western-influenced tattoos, while older clients prefer to stick to traditional themes like tigers and dragons.

The attraction to English language tattoos is easy to understand.  In the Western world, a good Kanji tattoo has an air of the exotic.  To the Eastern world, an English language tattoo can present the same mystique.

Below: From McClatchyDC.com: "Ting Ting shows off the tattoo on the back of her cousin, Zhang Hui, who used English lettering to spell out the name of an ex-girlfriend."

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What makes a gorgeous tattoo? What makes your tattoo selection the right one for you? What makes you certain that you will never regret the designs you pick? Well, it obviously depends on your personality and what you find gorgeous or wonderful. The guy who got the tat above loves it as much today as when he had it done years ago. I wouldn't even have it temporarily tattooed on my belly, that's for sure. So rather than talk about him, let me talk about me.

We've all heard the preachy "Don't get a tattoo unless you really want one" line, so I won't go there. I figure if you have decided you want a particular tattoo, then that's fine by me. I know you've done the homework on safety and longevity. There are, however, some things to think about before I have my next tat. These are things I consider every time I am thinking of having a tattoo done. It is like a conversation I have with myself... OK, so I'm odd, but it works for me.

First off is who am I going to let near me with a tat needle? For one thing, cheap tends to be nasty so find the best tattoo artist you can possible afford and save for the privilege. Second point is that when you are in there, you want to be sure any needle coming at you came out of a sealed package or an autoclave. If you don't know what an autoclave is, you'd better find out and quick. It may save your hide (literally). OK, so that deals with the mechanics of having a tattoo.

We all know that tattoos are more or less permanent, right? So before you let anyone put anything on you, you want to be as certain as you can that you are not suddenly going to wake up one day and groan "OMG, what was I thinking??!!" Imagine that guy up there deciding to become the pope. It's really not a good look for a pope, no matter how side-splittingly funny a tattoo it is. You with me?

Having said that, I am not saying you should or should not have that tattoo. After all, who wants to look back when they're older and wish what could have been? Do you want to think about that dream you never quite followed through on because fear or regret held you back? See, people are afraid to get tattoos because they're afraid of regret.

So, know thyself, as they say. Make that tattoo a special one and locate it with thought. If you feel you may one day want to be a more conservative person than you are today, then put it where the sun don't shine (somewhere you can cover it with clothes, I mean!). Make your tattoo a timeless one. A design or image that you will always love to look at.

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Fresno, Calif.  (KMPH News) - It's a case that's gone to the top of the Fresno Police Department Child Abuse Unit.  Investigators are looking for a man they describe as a Bulldog gang member and who they say forcibly tattooed a gang symbol on his 7-year old son's stomach.

Fresno Police Department spokesman Jeff Cardinale says the second grader was spending Spring Break with his father, 26-year-old Enrique Gonzalez, when he took the boy to a friend's house to get his son tattooed.

"The boy did not want to have the tattoo put on, but the father forcibly restrained the boy, pinning him to the ground while his friend who is a 20-year-old validated bulldog gang member put a Bulldog paw print on the young boy," said Cardinale.

Travis Gorman was taken into police custody on Tuesday at a home in Central Fresno.  Tattoo paraphernalia was also found and confiscated.

"The tattoo artist was positively identified by the young child as being the one who put the tattoo on him," said Cardinale.

The child was placed in his mother's custody after she filed a police report on Monday, April 20th against Gonzalez for having their son tattooed.  Police say Gonzalez also goes by the name Henry Gonzalez.

James Conway, a Tattoo Artist at 30/30 Tattoo in Fresno says not only is it illegal to tattoo a minor, there are also other dangers that come with what he calls 'backyard tattooing.'

"Most of them will use the same needles and there's cross contamination.  You can spread the Hepatitis virus, AIDS, HIV all that kind of stuff so it's very dangerous to go get tattoos in basically somebody's backyard," said Conway.

The Fresno Police Department is offering to remove the Bulldog dog paw at no cost using a tattoo removal machine issued by the Mayor's Gang Prevention Initiative.

"But, keep in mind, anybody who's had a tattoo removed will tell you, it's very painful to have a tattoo put on and then to have a tattoo removed is even more painful.  So, this young man has had to endure a lot of mental scaring and quite honestly some physical scaring as well because of this despicable act by his father and his father's friend," said Cardinale.

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Joker Tattoo has just acquired a new warehouse, and to celebrate, they're giving away discounts and huge savings! Take advantage of their limited offers for every purchase of 21 Color and 36 color sets. Hurry! This is for a limited time only.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- A Las Cruces tattoo shop feels the fallout from last week's Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms sting announced last week.The owner said business has fallen sharply after several agencies announced that 34 guns and drugs were confiscated in a storefront operation under the guise of a tattoo shop.It's only been days since the detention of 30 people accused of selling guns or drugs to the ATF in a nine-month sting."There are just a lot of questions about whether we're selling guns or not. When that question comes to effect they also ask about drugs. We don't do that. We have nothing to do with any of those," said Duke Ludwig, owner of The Tattoo Company.Customers of The Tattoo Company are voicing concerns that they are nervous about the kind of activity that goes on behind tattoo shop doors."We dropped probably about 30 percent. We took a pretty good hit," Ludwig said.The ATF unveiled part of its collection of firearms last Thursday to show what some customers were willing to get off their hands. Ludwig said it makes the whole industry look bad."What they're saying is tattoo shops in general are an industry that is full of criminals. It doesn't bother them to do that to people who are actually legitimate people," Ludwig said.He said innocent people felt they were in harm's way. A school was near the fake business and he said kids attending that school could have gotten hurt."Those parents would have liked to have known. It could have been a really bad thing. Things could have gotten out of hand and people could have gotten hurt or killed." said Ludwig.The ATF said they did have rapid response teams if something were to have gotten out of control.

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I've already stated in previous articles that tattoo shops are not yard sales; it's not proper to try to haggle with the artist over the cost for their time and expertise. But, that doesn't mean I don't sympathize with the fact that tattoos can be expensive. So, even though I don't condone you trying to talk an artist down on his/her asking price, I thought I'd share a few tips on other ways to save on some new ink.

Timing
Sometimes, it's all about catching an artist when they really need the work. The winter months tend to be the slowest in many tattoo shops, which means the artists are making less--and they have families to feed and holiday gifts to buy, too. So, keep a close watch on specials, coupons and other discounts being offered at your local tattoo shops during the colder months of the year.

I have noticed that I get see a lot of bulletins and notices being posted on MySpace by artists offering discounted work. Adding them as a friend or signing up for their newsletter (if they offer one) is a great way to keep up with any sales going on.

Trading
If you offer a service that your artist is interested in - such as mechanic work, haircuts, meals, painting, roofing, taxes, etc. - you might be able to trade work for ink. This kind of arrangement needs to be clearly outlined in a contract, though, so both parties are protected.

Offering your services in trade for ink isn't rude like asking for a discount. But if they say no, don't keep pushing the issue.

Creative Freedom
Sometimes, artists get bored doing simple stuff and flash work all the time and really love a chance to be creative. They may offer deep discounts or even free ink time if you're willing to offer them a leg, an arm or a back that they can do whatever they want with.

Some artists will post bulletins/ads that they're looking for a willing participant, but you can also ask your artist if they would be willing to offer a discount if you offer them creative freedom.

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You may have the steps to healing a tattoo down to a science but there are some things you need to consider before getting a new tattoo as well.  There are steps that must be taken in order to give your new tattoo the best chance of healing properly and looking its best.

If You're Sick, Reschedule

If you feel run down or under the weather in any way, it's a good idea to reschedule your tattoo appointment.  When you are sick your natural immune system is not performing at it's peak.  Adding the undue stress of a new tattoo to the list of things the immune system needs to deal with is not good for your general health or the healing of a new tattoo.

If you are feeling sick your best bet is to put your new tattoo on hold until your bug has completely subsided.

Don't Get Tattooed If You're Pregnant

Most tattoo shops will not tattoo you if they know you're pregnant.  The reason for this isn't that your body can't take the tattoo but it will cause unneeded trauma to the unborn baby which could  easily cause complications.  A woman's body also goes through many physical changes during and after pregnancy which could potentially affect the look of a new tattoo.

It's Not Good To Be Drunk

Not only is it a bad idea to drink the day of your new tattoo, you'll want to quit a few days before in order to assure that your blood is not thinned out.  Alchohol is a natural blood thinner and besides bleeding more, it will take your new tattoo longer to heal with a build up of alchohol in the body.

It's also a good idea to avoid using asprin or pain relievers for a few days before your new tattoo, which also thins out the blood.

Load Up On Vitamin C

Vitamin C will not only make you healthier, it will also benifit your new tattoo. Vitamin C will give your body more energy allowing it to heal quickly.

If you don't like orange juice, a muti-vitamin will do you good.

• Remove bandage after 2 hours (do not rebandage)

• Wash tattoo with your hand (make sure hand is clean) using warm, soapy water. Rinse with cold water. Don't over soak your tattoo. Keep out of the direct spray of the shower. Pat dry, DO NOT rub with towel.

• For 3 to 5 days or until tattoo is healed, apply Vitamin A&D Ointment or Bacitracin or Zinc Oxide Ointment 3 to 4 times daily after washing tattoo. Keep tattoo moist. If allergic to these ointments, use a water based lotion such as Curel.

• Tattoo will flake. DO NOT pick at the flakes or you may pull the color out. Try not to let clothing rub on your tattoo while it is healing.

• NO swimming or suntanning until healed. Apply a high SPF sunblock to tattoo after healed to prevent fading.

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It is every tattoo aficionado's nightmare. That first ever, poorly designed and executed, tattoo can become an embarrassment once the glory of new and expertly done tats adorn your body - or what happens when Billy Joe is out and Brad is in? Well, you have your tat painfully lasered off and because that does not completely remove the old tat, you have a new tattoo made over it.  That's if your name is Angelina Jolie, of course.
I've been thinking about this after all the horror stories I have heard of abrasive and invasive methods used to remove old and unwanted tattoos. While, it is possible to work a new tat over an old one and thus efface its message, this is not always a perfect match and if that is not possible then it leaves you with the choice of skin peeling or laser work, neither of which particularly appeals. The tattoo doesn't always come away completely, which is a problem also and therefore calls for the new tattoo as a solution. Not quite the way I want to be designing my body art.

Now however, there is a new tat saviour in the works. It is a method called Tattoo Erase and there are clinics popping up all over the place offering this new and innovative method of tattoo removal. This unique method from Germany apparently uses a natural substance injected into the tattoo which causes the inks to eject from the body over a number of sessions until the tat has disappeared completely. I haven't managed to find out what the substance is but it promises that skin damage is minimal and I presume it is non-toxic.  It appears that the tattoo inks hide from your immune system by lurking just under the skin surface. What this new method of tattoo removal does is call the ink's bluff by merging with it and calling the immune system to come deal with it. By allowing your body to recognise the foreign material, your body is given the opportunity to expel the tat pigments and return your skin to its original state.

Obviously this is not instantaneous nor it is cheap as it can take several sessions to completely fade a tattoo and the treatment is pay per session. The treatments also need to be well spaced out, perhaps 8 weeks between sessions. But as therapists promise that the tattoo will be erased over a number of sessions and that the treatment is only as painful as  having the tattoo done in the first place, both costs (time and money) seem well worth the trouble and definitely worth looking into a little more!.

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Are you a tattoo virgin? Are you up for making some legal, if slightly tasteless money? If so, you may consider selling your skin as a blank canvas to a company wanting to advertise its wares on your skin. Surprisingly, this is not a new idea. The idea was first put in print in Vibe magazine 20 years ago when they predicted that one day firms would pay to people walk around with advertising slogans tattooed on their visible skin. A fair stretch from being paid to walk around with a sandwich board...

Since 1999, many people have either used their fame to receive funds for advertising via tattoos, or become famous because they had an advertising tattoo displayed on their body. It is said the first occasion was when a US basketball player turned down the opportunity to have a slogan from a candy company tattooed for a fee in 2001. A few months later, cheerleaders were paid to have temporary tattoos on their midriffs at a Dance Team event. However, the most notorious tattoo ad that was carried out must be the one Golden Palace Casino paid $100,000 to the boxer, Bernard Hopkins to wear on his back during a match. This proved to be wildly effective, increasing online hits by 200% for the company and spawned a new advertising campaign method par excellence.

The first permanent tattoo was displayed for a princely sum of $7000 on the back of a man's head by a web hosting service in 2003. A couple of years later, a certain Andrew Fischer gained worldwide notoriety for auctioning his forehead space on eBay for temporary tattoo advertising, with the final bid coming in at $37,375 for thirty days' worth. Since then, tattoo advertising has almost become a mainstream activity with many well known brands deciding that this was a good use of their advertising dollar. So much so, in fact, that papers began to report that there were more people selling parts of their body for advertising than there were buyers. It is still true, though that tattoo advertising is a viable way of making money, despite the fact that the fewer tattoos you have, the more money you are likely to be offered for the privilege.

Some get all moral and up tight about tattoo advertising, especially the permanent kind, but others feel that this is a legitimate way to use your body. So much so that middle men have popped up all over the place. You can now register your willingness with an agency which matches potential advertising tattooists with the companies that want to rent their skin. Beware, though, as some of these ask for money up front. Many people will only offer to have a temporary tattoo, but others are willing to go permanent. Some would say though that this is a bit silly as most end up regretting their decision. Prime example of someone who should regret her decision would have to be Kari Smith. Kari had a permanent tattoo saying: goldenpalace.com inked across her forehead...

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HOUSTON -- Police say armed robbers shot and killed the owner of the Black Widow Tattoo Parlor in northwest Houston Wednesday morning. Investigators believe the owner was protecting his customers from the suspects when he was killed.

Now friends and family are remembering the man who sacrificed his life to defend others.

"I'm wearing him on the insides of both arms," said victim's friend Bart Stewart, while showing his tattoos. "His dream was to always open the shop and he was relentless in getting this shop open."

But early Wednesday morning, the shop turned into a crime scene.

Investigators say three men, dressed in dark clothes and wearing bandanas to cover their faces, tried to rob customers at the Black Widow Tattoo Parlor. Friends say Steve Robbins got in the middle of the robbery and paid for his actions with his life. He was shot several times.

"It didn't shock me at all that he put himself at risk to protect his customers. He did not have a fearful bone in his body," Stewart said.

Friends say that Robbins wasn't only brave, but also generous.

"If they would have came to Steve and asked him for whatever, he would have gladly, and all of us agree, taken his shirt off his back," one friend said.

Friends say by no means was Robbins a perfect angel, but he didn't deserve to die like this.

Police are looking for three suspects who left in a white four door Cadillac with dark tinted windows and chrome wheels.

If you have any information on this incident, contact police. 

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IDAHO FALLS - In a rough economy, many businesses are suffering, but others are doing just fine. 

Despite the sometimes negative public perception, tattoo shops are doing well right now both nationwide and locally.

"One of the main things is that it's something you can have forever," said Christian Buckingham, Owner of Synergy Body Art in Downtown Idaho Falls.

With many looking to save money any way possible, shelling out thousands on a tattoo may seem like an investment many would not be willing to make.  Buckingham says that's not the case at his shop.

"It's more of a lifestyle choice than a budget choice," said Buckingham.

Some may call tattoo art a desecration, but others call it art.  Those who see tattoos as a form of fine art say they will find a way to fit their bodily masterpiece into any size budget.

"I just like the feeling, and it's just a big piece of art that I can carry around with me," said Ashley McCormick of Idaho Falls. 

Dedicated customers like McCormick and others believe getting a tattoo is about more than just spending money on it, or even the lasting effects it may have.

"It's a good escape, and it's something that's with you forever," said McCormick.

Others like the opportunity tattoos offer for self expression.

"It's just a way to express myself.  I love the fact that I can show a little piece of me," said Andrew McClure of Idaho Falls.

As the economy continues to work itself back from the depths of despair, Buckingham believes more people will look to find an escape through ink, a pen, and an eye for what they believe to be fine art.

"Tattoos make people feel better about themselves.  They make them feel more in control of their lives.  For the people that come in here on a regular basis, everything about tattooing is positive," said Buckingham.

According to Buckingham, he is booked with appointments for much of the month of April.

He says he has had clients come from as far as California and Missouri for his services.

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Your face, hands, and feet are the three places on your body that a tattoo artist may try to talk you out of tattooing. You may actually have a difficult time finding an artist who will give you a tattoo there. Why is this? Because often times people are impulsive about getting tattoos and the artist knows this.

Getting a tattoo is something that should be given a lot of thought because a tattoo is a permanent piece of art As you consider getting a tattoo, you need to see the big picture of your life. An example of this is your face area. Your face is obviously a highly visible area of your body. You may not care today about your employment possibilities, but a visible tattoo could cause you problems in getting a job, especially a tattoo on your face. A tattoo in an area like your face has the potential of ruining your life.

Good tattoo artists understand the significance of wearing permanent art and they truly want their clients to be happy, not just as they leave the studio, but for the rest of their lives with their choices in tattoos. According to the professional tattoo artists I have talked to, they all say they will not tattoo someone in several areas, including the face.

Tattoos on the hands and feet also have the potential of being of poor quality because your hands and feet get the most physical abuse from everyday life. It is very difficult to maintain a good quality tattoo once you leave the studio when it is on these parts of your body. The constant friction of socks and shoes on your feet can wear away a healed tattoo as well. Healing of these areas is also very difficult and can take up to 3 months. Your hands and feet can also require more touch-ups from the tattoo artist. An artist who will do one of these tattoos may not want to include the touch-ups for free, as they usually do with tattoos on other parts of your body.

As I said before, it could be difficult to find a tattoo artist who will do one of these tattoos. Just make sure that you do not sacrifice a safe, quality tattoo experience and get an inferior artist just to get the tattoo. You should be prepared to have to take extra special care of these types of tattoos as well.