rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 5/9--Artist List
Lani Teshima-Miller
Last-modified: October 17, 1994
Posting-frequency: Monthly
--==*-< >-*==
The rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ is broken up into 9 parts:
1/9--Introduction
2/9--Getting a tattoo
3/9--Sanitation
4/9--Conventions
5/9--Artist list <---YOU ARE READING THIS FILE
6/9--Care of new tattoos
7/9--General care/removal
8/9--Misc. info
9/9--Bibliography
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Subject: WHAT THIS FILE CONTAINS
This file is structured as a traditional FAQ in the form of
questions and answers. Questions answered in this file:
Rec.arts.bodyart FAQ Part 5/9: Tattoo artist list
1. Who is a good/bad tattoo artist near me?
1.1. US West Coast/Pacific: California, Washington,
Idaho, Hawaii
1.2. US Southwest: Arizona
1.3. US Midwest: Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan,
Illinois, Kansas
1.4. US Southeast: Louisiana, Florida
1.5. US East Coast: Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode
Island
1.6. Canada: British Columbia, London
1.7. EUROPE/UK: London
1.8. EUROPE/POLAND
1.9. ASIA/Japan
2. Where on my body should I get a tattoo?
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Subject: 1. WHO IS A GOOD/BAD TATTOO ARTIST NEAR ME?
The following is a growing list of artists who are personally
recommended by readers of r.a.b. Most of the non-attributed
submissions came with the original FAQ compiled Paul Davies. In
some cases, artists have been posted here as a warning against
visiting them.
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THIS SECTION OF THE FAQ:
A posting on this FAQ does *not* constitute approval, and is the
personal opinion of the reviewer. For liability purposes, it is
YOUR responsibility to check out the artist. Because I only accept
personal recommendations, this list is limited to those who are
known to people who read r.a.b. There are many excellent artists
who have not made it on this list yet. Just because an artist is
not on this list doesn't mean they're not recommendable. Consider
the reviews in this list along the lines of a restaurant or movie
review--YMMV.
You may submit names to: tes...@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu. Include
the artist's name, address, phone number, hours, general prices
(or pricing scheme--per hour rate, etc.), specialization, and a
short review. If they have email access, please provide their
email address as well. You may also include the name of the
piercer if there is one that works out of the shop.
Do not send me a review of a "mediocre" artist and proclaim
him/her as excellent, or submit a bad review to bad-mouth someone.
Be factual--gossip and rumors are discouraged. Good artists should
have good business sense, a clean, sanitary environment,
straightforward fees, etc. Submissions by those with self-
interests (i.e. you have money invested in the business) are
highly discouraged and may be grounds for deletion in later
editions if the information you provide is grossly inflated.
I have tried to list the name and email address of each
contributor for accountability purposes, and for further inquiry.
I will not accept submissions from anonymous IDs. You must be
willing to put your name and email address behind your review.
Note to artists: Contact me if you find errors about your shop. I
will gladly accept a "rebuttal" from you if you get a negative
review. Depending on the situation, I may pull the original
review, or add your rebuttal into the review. However, note that
these are the personal opinions of people who say they have
received artwork from you or have some experience with you, and
can vouch for their personal experience and impressions.
Where available, I have included the information about the laws
regarding tattooing for that state. Note that some states leave
this up to the cities or municipalities. This information should
only be used for unofficial information purposes, and may change
by each legislative session--for accurate and up-to-date
information regarding the laws of your area, contact a
professional tattoo shop or the department of public health.
GREAT NEWS: More and more artists are getting email accounts. I
have posted these where available!
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Subject: 1.1 US WEST COAST & PACIFIC
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Subject: **CALIFORNIA**
California law states professional tattoo artists are not allowed
to tattoo minors who are under the age of 18.
BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA (SOUTH BAY):
Berkeley
--Tattoo Archive Research Center, 2804 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley,
CA 94702. (510) 548-5895
Run by C.W. (Chuck) Eldridge, archivist. Their primary mission
is to study tattoo history. They have quite a bit of historical
publications available, as well as interesting odds and ends
like postcards and repros of business cards. The $1.00 catalog
price is credited toward your first purchase. You can also
become a member of their Friends organization for $35 a year.
--Robert Roberts, Mad Dog (His name is Robert Roberts--Mad Dog
is the name of his tattooing enterprise.)
Inconsistent. While some of it is truly outstanding, others
aren't that great: It really depends on what you're getting.
Robert is great w/ all-black, but you might want to go
elsewhere if you want color.
--Tattoo City, 722 Columbus Ave, SF, CA 94133 (415) 433-9437
Contributed by Karl Elvis MacRae (bat...@cisco.com)
The best in shop in SF (Actually, without a doubt the best
in the state; possibly the best in the country) "Tattoo City"
on Columbus; the shop is owned by Ed Hardy; the guys who work
there are simply great. You cannot go wrong with them.
Artists:
o Freddy Corbin: A hell of a nice guy--the single tattooist I
totally trust to do a great job on anything I want to do. He's
great at doing: People; traditional; shading (excellent,
subtle); tribal (sharpest I've ever seen). I'd say he's the
best tattooist who's work I've ever seen, and if I had to pick
a 'world's best', as of now, it would be Freddy.
o Eddie Deutsch: Does a few things really, really well. Apart
from what he does really well, he's not really my *favorite*
tattooist. He's got that psycho grafitti style down like no
one else I've ever seen; he is great with chrome and metal;
his biomechanicals are excellent. Can do great Japanese, but
it comes out not quite looking like traditional Japanese. And
he can do great traditional Sailor Jerry-style stuff. He also
does excellent, inventive tribal and good Celtic. I don't
(generally) like his people; he tends to do funny stuff with
the faces I don't care for. However, I've seen some that he's
done a really good job on, so it's just a case of getting him
to do it like you want. Which is the big problem with Eddie;
if you want it different than he sees it, he's not easy to
work with. So if you don't share a vision with him, don't try
to get him to do it your way; he will, but won't be as good
a job. My advice with Eddie is; do it his way, and if you
don't want it his way, do it with someone else.
--Erno Tattoo 252 Fillmore, San Francisco, CA 94117
(415)861-9206
Hours: Noon to 9pm. Appointments recommended.
Shop is clean, businesslike. Autoclaving used.
Artists:
o Nalla: Blackwork, celtic designs, excellent artist.
Also knowledgeable about piercings.
o Patrick: Good at black & celtic; specializes in high fantasy
art. Excellent dragons, fairies, etc, also sci-fi art).
o Jaime Trujillo: More traditional; good artist--ease & skill
of a seasoned pro.
San Jose
--Pin Up Parlour. 520 South Second St., San Jose CA
Phone: (408) 279-3582.
Contributor: J. Eric Townsend (j...@netcom.com)
Artist: Klem
I went to Klem on the advice of Karl MacRae. Klem helped
figure out the right size of the piece I wanted (I'd brought
several pages of pre-scaled designs); talked to me quite a bit
about visual vs. physical balance of the placement of a tattoo
on people; and answered all my questions about how everything
worked, what he was doing, why he did it, etc. His speciality
seems to be in the non-geometric, like Asian fish designs
(he's got some beautiful drawings of koi in his booth).
--Steve Cameron at Zap Illustrations. 1385 W. San Carlos, #202
(408) 287-4011
Mostly custom; not for beginners. May try to talk you out of
a tat, if he doesn't think it appropriate to the rest of your
body-scheme. Very good free-hand work; likes bold, aggressive
designs. He'll put in vast amounts of design work for free,
if the design excites him.
--Pinky Yuen, Dragon Tattoo, San Jose.
Contributed by Karl Elvis MacRae (bat...@cisco.com)
o Pinky Yuen (Or Yun; seen it both ways): Pinky used to be one
of the best around, and was one of the first (maybe THE first)
Hong Kong tattooist to come over here and start a shop, so I
consider it something of an honor to be wearing his work.
However in his advanced age (70s?), he's not the same he was
in his younger days. When he tattooed me (twice, the first
about 10 years ago, the second more like 7), he was still
doing OK work if he liked you, so I got some decent stuff.
Sacramento
--Ken Cameron, California Tattoo Company. 7946 Auburn Blvd.,
Sacramento-Citrus Heights CA 95610. (916)723-3559
Contributor: Tim Lu (t...@sunstroke.sdsu.edu)
This is in Sacramento not San Jose, they are kind of close
together. Maybe Ken/Steve are the same person, but maybe not.
From: Richard Talbert (rtal...@netcom.com)
Name: Jackie
Address:
--Back Door Studio, 1316 Del Paso Blvd, Sacramento, 95815
(916) 927-2136. Noon-8pm. 7 days/week. General Prices: $80/hr.
ARTISTS:
Jackie, Terri, PJ (owner)
Clean friendly shop, has won the local "News & Review"
newspaper "Best Place to Get a Tattoo" award for 3 out of 4
yrs. Jackie does good basic work. Has done 5 tattoos on me From
Mickey Mouse Fantasia to tribal work. Have had her work
described as crisp sharp lines with an understanding of what a
tattoo should be.
Santa Clara
--Eddie Lum, Eddie's Skin Works, 1207 El Camino Real, Santa
Clara (408) 554-8520
I highly recommend Pinky's brother, Eddie Lum. His forte, not
surprisingly, is Oriental stuff. Very good w/ flowing lines,
dragons,tigers, flowers. I have 2 pieces from him & am very
pleased. Warning: For custom designs, there's a
language barrier, you may have to explain it several times.
Redwood City
--Redwood Tattoo, 846-M Jefferson Ave., Redwood City, CA
(415) 369-6365, walk-ins welcome, but appts have priority.
Closed Sun. & Mon, appts required for custom work. Cash only.
Contributor:
Rebecca Fenton (AS....@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU).
Artists:
o Paco Dietz: Was at Picture Machine in San Francisco;
specializes in fantasy art, custom designs. New shop w/ lots
of new flash. Beautiful tribal and celtic designs, as well as
some unusual Native American designs. Darker style
o Karl: Apprentice, past experiences have been scratching out
of his home. Specializes in Neo-Japanese. Does very nice
custom work (my favorite of his is a butterfly with a tiger
face peering out at you through the wing designs), experience
in blackwork and fine line.
Piercer:
o Fashia Fontaine: Trained under Fakir Musafar
*WARNING*: I have received some disconcerting info from r.a.b.
regular Barbara MacRae regarding the quality and sanitary
conditions of this piercer's operations. Until I am notified
by Bay Area r.a.b.ers of improvements, this warning will
remain.
Santa Barbara
--Pat Fish, Tattoo Santa Barbara
Bar-none! I've seen some of her Celtic work (her specialty),
and she's *really good*. (I read an interview where she said
she thinks it's a genetic race-memory or something, and went
into tattooing specifically to get into Celtic work.)
Greater Los Angeles (Orange County, LA)
--Skin Works, 313 East Balboa Blvd, Newport Beach CA, 92661, ph.
714-675-8905 (in Orange County, just south of Los Angeles)
Contributor: Tim Lu (t...@sunstroke.sdsu.edu).
Artists:
o Ardee Allen (owner): Excellent, always very professional. I
feel it's important to support women in business--been going
to her for about 5 years and she's done my entire chest &
about 3/4 of my back. Periodically attends conventions,
work has appeared in a number of tattoo magazines.
Specialties: Custom work, coverups, colorwork, sumi (Japanese
calligraphy) style grey work.
o Lynda Tobbin: Talented artist who does very nice custom work.
Piercer:
o Val: Specialize in body piercing.
--Kari Barba's Twilight Fantasy Tattoo. 3024 W Ball Rd (@ Beach),
Anaheim, CA 92804. (714) 761-8288. Contributor: Tim Lu
(t...@sunstroke.sdsu.edu).
Artist: Kari Barba (her hours: usually 11-5pm, off Wed--shop is
open 11-10)
Extremely well-known for her work w/ nature & wildlife. Style
reminiscent of a watercolor-like quality, which sets her
apart from many other artists. Her shop wall is covered with
awards. Nice front reception area; work area behind reception
counter. Not too much privacy--individual work areas not
divided.
They also have a second shop in Riverside, although Kari Barba
works primarily out of the Anaheim shop.
Contributor: Jonathan Ward (drd...@csld.ucr.edu):
--Twilight Fantasy Tattoo of Riverside, 5517 Van Buren Bl
(Sylvan & Van Buren), Riverside, CA. (909)688-8282
M-Th 11-10 FSS 11-11 MC VS AM Disc, cash no checks
--Sunset Strip Tattoo, Inc., 8418 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood
90069. (213) 650-6530. 10am-Midnite 7 days/wk. Contributor:
Antigone Means (MEAN...@ba.isu.edu)
Artists:
o Dottie
Review: I was quite impressed by their work in magazines, so I
went to check it out. It was clean, the people were very nice,
and I was impressed by the pieces that walked out of there! I
brought my own design; the artwork is fantastic; lines are
straight & even, shading is very professional--everything I
could have wanted! Made getting my tattoo a highly positive
experience, and everyone (other artists included) has been
highly impressed and wanted to know who did it!!
--Black Wave Tattoo, 118 S. La Brea, L.A.. (213) 932-1900
Artist:
o Leo Zulueta
Review: An incredibly humble and well-mannered man, this former
Hawaii boy is internationally noted for his bold tribal
blackwork. It's amazing to see such bold pieces come out of such
a diminutive person. A nice person who makes your ink session a
very pleasant experience, he lacks the arrogance and attitude
that sometimes emerges with such big stars in this league.
San Diego
--Avalon Gallery, 1035 Garnet Ave., San Diego, CA 92109 (in
Pacific Beach) (619) 274-7635.
*EMAIL ACCESSIBLE!* Patty Kelley: kel...@aol.com.
Needles autoclaved, new ink for each new client. Hours: Noon
to 8pm. Appts preferred--walk-ins on Sat. only. Cash only.
Each artist has a studio booth so privacy ensured.
Artists:
o Patti Kelley: Specializes in bright color work. Award winner,
booked a few months ahead.
o Fip Buchanan (her husband): Graffiti art.
o Steve Barjonas: Likes all styles but particularly enjoys
Native American gray work.
o Randy: Comic book art-style.
o Mike Strobbe:
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Subject: **OREGON**
Oregon House Bill 2569: Deals with the licensing and training of
artists, who are required to pass an exam and pay an annual fee to
the Advisory Council to the Health Division for Electrolysis (and
tattoos). They are also required to continue their education
through workshops and classes.
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Subject: **WASHINGTON (State)**
Seattle
--Dermagraphics of Seattle, 1516 Western Ave., Seattle, WA
(206) 622 1535, by appointment only.
This is Vyvyn Lazonga's shop. Specializes in combining bold
primitive lines with colorful, flowing abstract geometrics
lines, bubbles, etc. "A fusion of primitive & modern
tattooing" according to her card. The whole effect is very
pleasing, and rather unique, & would work well for both men
and women, I think. Also works out of San Francisco. (P.S.
According to her card, her name is spelled "Vyvyn," not
"VyVynn.")
--Seattle Tattoo Emporium, 1106 East Pike St., Seattle.
(206) 622 6895
Hostess (twi...@u.washington.edu) says: I had a decent (if
not average) small rose tattooed by a guy named Hubba at the
Seattle Tattoo Emporium. But soon after, a girl I worked with
(who has 14-15 tattoos) told me that she and her friends had
had bad experiences from them in the past, stemming primarily
from their unprofessional behavior in trying to "hit on them"
in what they perceived as rather unflattering ways. Please
note that this did not happen to me when *I* went, although
they did not provide very good aftercare instructions.
Kat O'Bryan (k...@eskimo.com) says: Okay, I beg to differ on
this one. I got my (very beautiful) tattoo at Seattle Tattoo
Emporium. Jim Hillary was the artist. I have seen other work
he has done, and I thought it was beautiful. Don't know if I
would have gotten any of the other guys there to do it, but I
liked what I saw in his book. Plus he is a nice guy. I get
constant compliments on my tattoo (whenever I wear a shirt
that is low enough in back). I guess any place can have its
mistakes. [Kat tells me she didn't have any trouble with the
male artists there.]
Spokane
--Artistic Impressions, 4901 North Market, Spokane, WA 99207
(509) 483-6545
Contributor: Victor Swan (sw...@Wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu) ["2 pieces
on biceps & a large chest piece for a total of about 13 hours."]
Artist: Duffy Moon
Review: Clean, well lit, open feeling shop. Atmosphere is
business-like, professional and congenial for both males and
females (sometimes has a female apprentice). Clientele are both
young and old; shop does not have a biker image, although bikers
do come in from time to time. Has alot of original flash, much of
it not priced. He prices this original flash after he does a piece
once. Buys original tattoo artwork from local artists.
Duffy is well worth his custom rate of $75/hour (1993) which is
the top rate in this area.He charges you less than the original
quote if it takes less time than he estimates; he never charges
more than the originally quoted price.
Technique, skill, craftsmanship are excellent. Does incredible
fine work. Seems to like the opportunity to be creative--adds
to/alters designs on the fly. I encourage this.
His personal, almost full-sleeve tattoos were full-page pictured
in _Skin & Ink_, Feb. '94, p. 61. He and his "Most Unusual" award
winning tattoo from the Chicago Tattoo Tour '93 are in a full-page
picture in _Tattoo Ink_, Jan. '94, p. 64.
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Subject: *IDAHO*
--Eye of the Dragon, 416 S 5th Ave C, Pocatello, ID, 83204;
(208) 232-7829. Appts/walk-ins welcome. Contributor:
Antigone Means (MEAN...@ba.isu.edu)
Review: The place had been recommended; the artwork I saw by
Token Tom looked pretty good--he did a flash wolf on a girl
right before me that was great! However, he specializes in
blackwork, and charges $5 for each extra color. My custom frog
piece looked like an outline with some coloring in; the shading
wasn't right and in 2 months the color started to fade!! He &
apprentice Jan were very nice, but I didn't want to go back to
get my tatt redone there after that experience. You will have a
problem if smoking bothers you. Permanent eyelining done, and
now have a resident piercer.
--Ty's Tattoos, 690 Yellowstone Av. Pocatello 83201
(208) 234-4577. Very reasonable rates. Appts/walk-ins welcome.
Contributor: Antigone Means (MEAN...@ba.isu.edu)
Review: Ty specializes in custom, tribal, and bright colors.
Shop is small but very clean; no smoking in the front room,
where tatts are done. He quoted only $60 for my custom 3"x5"
piece (frog sitting on a branch by a bird of paradise flower).
Was very pleased with the results. Not totally perfect; some
lines not as even as could be on the outline, but pretty darn
good. Excellent shading, vibrant colors. Definitely an artist,
not just fill-in-the-space person. Definitely got more than my
money's worth. Ty's apprentice, Pat, drew up the outline
freehand, and did an excellent job. Ty guarantees his work and
will do touchups for free with no hassle.
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Subject: *HAWAII*
Oahu
--China Sea Tattoo, 1033 Smith, Honolulu, Hawaii, (808) 553-1603
The oldest tattoo studio in the US with a grand tradition. In
Chinatown area near Downtown Honolulu. Suggest going during
the day (hours: Noon-11pm) to avoid seedy nightlife scene.
Artists: Mike Malone, Scotty and Kandi Everett.
All excellent. Mike very active in the tat world, and attends
tat conventions. Kandi Everett (also very well-known) only
works there on Tues, (also works at Dragon Tattoo in Wahiawa on
Mondays), specializes in Hawaiian-style designs and has 10
years' experience.
--Skin Deep Tattooing, 2128 Kalakaua Ave, Hon. (808) 924-7460.
If in Waikiki, you may want to stop by; right on the main
strip. Place is run by Winona Martin & several of her
workers. Advertises heavily; may be pricy due to Waikiki
location.
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Subject: 1.2 Southwest
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Subject: *ARIZONA*
--Jil, Skin Alive Tattoos, Prescott, Arizona. (602) 772-2387.
Formerly of Bodygraphics, Reno. By appointment only.
My *favorite* tattoo artist. Forte is wildlife, but good with
just about everything--would be very successful wildlife
artist in another medium. Her tattoos have an incredible
amount of life, & her detailing is incredible. 20 years'
experience. She's a custom fineline specialist, & has won
awards. Style is what I think of as "fineline steel
engraving" (as opposed to Kari Barba, who does incredible
animals, but primarily with striking colorwork). Found
her by pouncing on a total stranger & demanding to know who
did his *incredible* tats.
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Subject: 1.3 MIDWEST
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *INDIANA*
--Jeannie Fritch, Personal Art Tattoos, 3453 Central Ave.,
Lake Station, IN, (219) 962-3600
--Roy Boy's Badlands, 3849 Broadway, Gary, IN 46409,
(219) 884-4965.
Needles autoclaved. I got an all-black, tribal piece (a very
even dark gray)--Design was reproduced on my skin quite
accurately. Flash is stereotypical and old-looking, though
some nice Celtic designs. Felt vaguely sleazy--badly painted
signs in the front, water-damaged ceiling panels inside.
Actual work areas were spotless, but the building doesn't
inspire confidence. Good enough, but not really anything
special, what with Guy Aitchison a few miles away.
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Subject: *ILLINOIS*
Illinois Compiled Statutes Annotated @ 16-5-71 (1993):
Professional tattoo artists are not allowed to tattoo minors under
the age of *21*. Violations are considered a Class C misdemeanor.
--Guy Aitchison, Guilty + Innocent Productions, 3105 N. Lincoln,
Chicago, IL 60657, (312) 404-6955 tattoos, 404-6963 merchandise
$1 catalog available by mail.
*EMAIL ACCESSIBLE!* Dawn Grace Russell: daw...@rci.ripco.com
Contributor: Phredd Groves (phr...@casbah.acns.nwu.edu) and
Dawn Grace Russell (see above)
One of the most popular & well-known artists in the country.
Rates:$150.00/hr, includes consultation/drawing time. Guy is
booked a year and a half in advance--deposit required,call for
details. Award winning artist,highly skilled,very adept at
translating your wishes into reality, hot stuff! Well worth the
price and longish waiting period.
Also at GIP is Rob Koss (see Milios shop below), great talent!
Merchandise is available---many t-shirts,posters and flash-for a
catalog, send a buck to cover the cost of postage to the shop.
As of September '94, Deborah Brody no longer works at GIP.
Note 1: Dawn is Guy's apprentice. While she cannot help you
move your schedule up, she will be more than happy to help you
with information, etc.
Note 2: *GUY DOES FRACTAL WORK*! Dawn writes:
Guy's been doing quite a bit of fractal work lately. Guy says "you
have to forget everything you've ever learned about drawing,
because it's a completely different thing." Apparently the
difficulty of rendering a fractal was quite a challenge. He's
mastered it now, but it's always comforting to know that such a
great talent can get stumped! If you can't get in to see Guy, I'd
HIGHLY reccommend the guys at PRIMAL URGE in San Francisco,
particularly Timothy Hoyer and Marcus Pacheco-those guys do VERY
high quality work and really know how to lay the color in!
--Body Basics Precision Tattooing & Body Piercing, 613 W Briar,
Chicago, IL 60657. (312) 404-5838.
This is Mad Jack's place. I don't know much about his work but
I do know he's been in the business for quite a while, and that
Guy used to work there.
--Milios Hair & Skin Studio, 3205 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
(312) 549-1461.
*EMAIL ACCESSIBLE!* Adam Rybaczuk: ar...@casbah.acns.nwu.edu
Contributor: Adam Rybaczuk (ar...@casbah.acns.nwu.edu)
To my knowledge the only tattoo shop in the country set in a
full service hair salon & clothing boutique! Shop also has a
pool table & a very relaxed, non-traditional atmosphere.
Flash available, but custom pieces preferred. Referenced in
the Nov. '93 issue of _Allure_ magazine. Cash only, $100/hour
(custom), deposit required. All equipment autoclaved; needles
used once & discarded. Chicago Health Dept inspected &
approved, proper licenses present.
Artists:
o Robert Koss: Main artist, works at Guy Aitchison's Guilty +
Innocent Prod 2x/week. Does mostly custom work & does fine,
fine work.
o Adam: Apprenticing under Rob. [Note: Adam the contributor is
also Adam the apprentice. While you can email him about the
shop, his account is through his "day job," so please use
some common sense as far as taking time out from his job to
reply to you. If you're in the area, it's probably better to
phone.]
--Tatu Tattoo, 1754 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL, (312) 772-TATU
Contributor: Phredd Groves (phr...@casbah.acns.nwu.edu)
--Body Basics Precision Tattooing and Body Piercings
613 W. Briar, Chicago, IL, 60657. (312) 404-5838, (a block
south of Belmont, west of Broadway), Tues.-Sat. 2 to 10pm
Contributor: Phredd Groves (phr...@casbah.acns.nwu.edu)
Run by Mad Jack and Anna, Jack does the tattoos and both do
piercings (appointment only). Can personally recommend these
guys as far as piercing & professionalism goes.
--I'm No Angel Production, 2606 W. Farmington Rd., Peoria, IL
61604. (309) 673-4930. Contributor Steven Parks
(nud...@bucs1.bradley.edu)
Wanda Harper is the owner/artist. Open Noon to 8pm everyday.
New needles and ink for each new customer. Appointment
required. Specializes in Celtic and Native American designs,
as well as piercings. Learned from Jim Hawk (Galesburg), who
occasionally stops by for a visit, and people in town who
know him may come in for a special tat. Wanda looks out for
her customers and won't do work that won't turn out--It's all
in the reputation.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *IOWA*
The Code of Iowa @ 135.37 (1992): Professional tattoo artists must
obtain permits through the Department of Public Health. They are
not allowed to tattoo an minor, which they define as "an unmarried
person who is under 18 years of age." Violators are guilty of a
"serious misdemeanor."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *KANSAS*
--Skin Illustrations, 9970 Sante Fe Dr. (87th Street), Overland
Park (913) 642-7464.Contributor: Robert Goings
(ROBSGON%KSUVM....@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU). Professional and
VERY clean--an excellent relaxing atmosphere; great for both
first-timers and the experienced. Prices: $50/hr per hour for
standard work and $65 per hour for custom work. Some piercings
also done: Average price: $25 + jewelry.
Artists:
o Uncle Russell: An excellent artist who's very versatile in
the use of colors and shades.
o Jake: A very good artist also excellent with shading.
o Matt: Shop apprentice.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *MICHIGAN*
--Suzanne, Creative Tattoos, 307 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104
Contributor: Jean-Luc Reutter (reu...@igd.fhg.de)
Needles autoclaved but I don't know about new ink for every
customer.
Artist:
o Suzanne: BS, MA of Fine Art. Great custom designs, preferably
black only or celtic. Skilled artist but sometimes lacks
motivation w/ smaller pieces; results may vary in quality.
Cash only, usually no receipt. Usually by appt only, very
rarely walk-ins. Sometimes guest artists. Nice friendly
atmosphere.
Piercer:
-Barbara
Lance "Zaphod" Bailey (zap...@bcu.ubc.ca) says: "She really
doesn't specialize in Celtic stuff. Used to, but doesn't any more-
-says her old eyes aren't good enough for it. Was in her shop
yesterday and she seemed pretty disinterested in doing Celtic
stuff on me. Maybe Celtic-inspired, but it's going to take some
work from me to get a design she's willing to do, & I'm willing to
wear...sigh. But she does specialize in being good :) I saw a
wizard she did yesterday and it was so very nice.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *MINNESOTA*
--Acme Tattoo Co., 1045 Arcade St., St. Paul, MN, (612) 771-0471
*Good* but expensive. Pre-designed tats are costly & other
work is $200/hour (as of '92).
--Steve Butterfield, Tattoos by Yurkew, 3127 Nicollet Ave,
Minneapolis, MN, (612) 825-6161
Steve is real good, and is preferable over the shop's owner
(Dave Yurkew). Steve around after about 6:00 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *OHIO*
--8-Ball Tattoo, 2593 Indianola Ave, Columbus 43202
(614) 784-8850, 2-10 pm Tues-Sat. $30 min; $30 deposit;
competitive prices. Cash only. Contributor: Janet Ingraham
(wpl...@ohionet.org)
ARTISTS:
o Adam "Atomizer" Gray: Color work and cover-up. At 23, he
recently won his first national award for cover-up work.
o Eric (apprentice): Accomplished local painter, will probably
be most into doing custom.
8-Ball looks a bit on the shoestring side: fairly bare, folding
chairs etc. They DO have a Magic 8-Ball. NO flash on the walls!
Instead, they have a display of excellent bumper stickers by a
local artist (eg: "Warning: Mind Control Experiments next 5
Miles") and other artwork. Shop is on the fringes of a cozy and
settled part of town (Clintonville). Friends come and hang out.
--Marty Holcomb, Marty's Artistic Tattooing, 3160 West Broad
St., Columbus, Ohio
Marty won several national "Best Tattoo Artist" awards in the
1991.
--Dana Brunson, Designs by Dana, 4167 Hamilton Ave.,
Cincinnati, OH (513) 681-8871
--Tattoos by Woody. Toledo Tattoo, 2068 Airport Hwy,
Toledo, Ohio 43609, (419) 382 8805.
Contributor: Jean-Luc Reutter (reu...@igd.fhg.de)
Needles autoclaved but I don't know about new ink for every
customer. Good custom designs, by appointment only, very
reasonable prices. Refuses to do swastika sh*t. Clean &
friendly atmosphere.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *SOUTH DAKOTA*
South Dakota Codified Laws @ 9.34-17 (193) allows each
municipality to regulate individually. However, @26-10-19 also
states that minors may obtain tattoos with the signing of a
consent form by parents. Violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *WISCONSIN*
Wisconsin Statute @ 948-70 (1991-1992) prohibits tattoo artists
from tattooing "children" (age not specified--assume 18).
Violators are guilty of a Class D forfeiture.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1.4 SOUTHEAST
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *ARKANSAS*
Arkansas State Annotated @ 5-27-228 (1993) allows the tattooing of
minors with the written consent of the minor's parent, legal
guardian or legal custodian.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *FLORIDA*
Florida Statute @877.04 (1992) states that tattooing is illegal,
and violators are guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.
I understand that most medium to large cities in Florida have
tattoo studios. However unless someone can point me to a change in
the state statute, the above information is current.
--Ancient Art, (407) 855-TATU
Lance Bailey (zap...@bcu.ubc.ca) says he was happy w/ Mike.
Caroline Emmons (cem...@garnet.acns.fsu.edu) says: "Ancient
Art" inked several of my friends, who were all quite
satisfied. I think the main guy is supposed to be kind of an
asshole, but he has a new assistant who I hear has less of an
attitude
--Tattoo Paradise, Lake Worth.
Contributor: Sean Walsh (wal...@gate.net) says this is an
excellent shop. Very clean, professional.
Artists:
o Louie Lombi (owner), Ed Lombi (Louie's brother). Visiting
artists on a regular basis. "Most of my tattoos are custom
jobs, and they have always been extremely helpful in both the
design and implementation of my sometimes outlandish ideas.
They're not cheap (Custom work: $100/hour), but are worth it.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *GEORGIA*
Official Code of Georgia Annotated @ 16-5-71 (1993) states that it
is illegal to tattoo a person under the age of 16. Violators are
guilty of a misdemeanor. Also, OCGA @ 16-12-5 states that it is
illegal to tattoo within one inch of an eye socket.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *KENTUCKY*
Tattooing is legal with a $20 annual permit.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *LOUISIANA*
Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:93.2 (1992) states that tattooing
minors under 18 is legal only with the consent of a parent.
Violators are fined $100 to $500.
New Orleans
--Electric Expressions, 2327 Veterans Blvd. Ste B, Kenner, LA
70062. (504) 464-0053. Appointments preferred
Artists:
-Henri: Considered one of the better artists in N'Awlins area,
personally recommended by Elayne Binnie (Rings of Desire
below). We visited this shop looking to get some work done,
was told Henri lived next door to the shop. We never got any
work because Henri, knowing we were there, made us wait for
over an hour while he "took a shower" (according to his
apprentice). I looked at his flash--the work was good--however
I personally am not willing to patronize businesses that think
they can keep potential customers waiting in the lobby (he
could've easily let his apprentice tell us to come back in 2
hours). Take a pillow and a good book to read with you.
--Rings of Desire, 1128 Decatur St. 2nd fl, New Orleans, LA
70116 Above "Boomerang" (leather shop), (504) 524-6147
This is a body piercing shop--tattoos are *NOT* done here.
However the shop owner, Elayne "Angel" Binnie, is the subject
of a poster that shows a tattoo of wings on her back--she also
has her entire legs covered with multi-hued fish scales, done
by Juli Moon, that is a true marvel to behold. If you're down
in the French Quarter, visit her shop just to gawk at her
tattoos. She's off Mondays & Tuesdays.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *NORTH CAROLINA*
Carrboro
--Choice Peach Tattoo, 304-E W. Weaver St. Carrboro, NC 27516.
(919) 932-9888 is excellent.
They do 100% original work, NO flash. By appointment only.
Review by Scott Jacobs (sja...@phoenix.cs.uga.edu):
I have nothing but positive recommendations on the ability of
the (as of August 1993) two artists there. They do all custom
work, no flash at all. Both artists (I wish I could remember if it
is Tom and Marshall who are the artists or if Tom Marshall is the
one who did my work and he has a partner whose name I forget.
Anyway...) have extensive photo albums of their work and clippings
from publications that have featured their work. The shop is small
and very friendly. They have an autoclave on the premises that I
jokingly quizzed Tom on. The blackwork tribal that I recieved from
Tom has some of the sharpest edges I've ever seen on a tat, much
sharper than some prievious blackwork I've gotten. Tom's rates are
reasonable, especially considering the amount of consultations and
drawings he did. They are not limited to one style however.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *OKLAHOMA*
Oklahoma 21 OKI. St. @ 841 (1992) BANS all tattooing across the
state.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *SOUTH CAROLINA*
South Carolina Code Annotated @ 16-17-700 (1991) states that
tattooing is illegal, and violation of this is a misdemeanor.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *TENNESSEE*
One of a handful of states with extensive tattooing legislation,
perhaps to assist in the large number of military personnel there.
Tennessee Code Annotated @ 39-14-403 (1993) states that minors
under 18 are not allowed to obtain tattoos. Violations are a Class
A misdemeanor. TCA @ 62-38-102 through -176 deals specifically
with various concerns regarding professional tattooing. Of
interest to the reader include: Training required; permit & fee
for artist; semi-annual inspections of shops; operating room must
be separate from waiting room; sterilization required; autoclave
required on site; needle sterilization legislated (including how
many minutes at what temperature); skin care information required.
Memphis
--Rocky's. 604 South Highland St., Memphis, TN 38111 (910) 323-
8288.
Hours: 3pm to Midnight. Walk-ins only.
Place owned by Rocky, but I only know about Kevin, who did 2
chest pieces on my husband. Kevin is trained as a scientific
illustrator, so his wildlife is *incredible*! His stippling
method makes for a very realistic rendering. Warning: My
husband said he saw a poster of Hitler in the back room, &
that Rocky wore a "W.A.R." (White Aryan Nation?) tat on his
knuckles--but that he thought Kevin just worked there and
wasn't part of "all that."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *TEXAS*
Texas Health & Safety Code @ 161.072 (1993) states that minors
under *21* may not obtain tattoos. A misdemeanor with a fine of
$10 to $200 and up to six months in jail. House Bill 1217
specifies licensing, fees, instrument sterility and specifics on
autoclaving procedures, keeping of permanent client records,
notification of any spread of infectious diseases (HIV, Hep), as
well as laws against tattooing customers who are on drugs or
alcohol. A violation of any of these are a Class C misdemeanor.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1.5 EAST COAST
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *CONNECTICUT*
Connecticut General Statutes 53-41 (1991) makes it illegal to
tattoo minors under the age of 18 without parental consent.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *MAINE*
32 Maine Revised Statutes @ 4202 makes it illegal to tattoo minors
under 18.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *MARYLAND*
--Main Street Tattoo Studio, Starlite Plaza, Rt 40, Pulaski Hwy,
Edgewood, MD, (410) 676-TAT2 (8282). Also in Elkton: 398-1202.
He's done some very spectacular work & just completed an
excellent cover-up of 2 small pieces (which were quite dark;
red, green, blue, purple) I had for over 10 years. The cover-
up is a tiger lily (magenta, black, pink w/ yellow tipped
petals) w/ delicate curving tribal thru the lily that is
quite breathtaking & required his exceptional artistic
talent.
--Great Southern Tattoo Co. 9403 Baltimore Blvd. (Rt 1), College
Park, MD 20740. (301) 474-8820.
Right off the Washington Beltway (495), right up the street
from the Univ. of Maryland College Park Campus.
Contributor: Kristen Herzog (khe...@skidmore.edu)
Operated by a family (Charley, Sandy, and Dee Parsons); very
relaxed atmosphere. Also done some of the best work I've
seen in the area.
Stan Schwarz (ssch...@bga.com) agrees: I had some work done
by Dee at the Houston convention (Summer '94). I found her to
be very pleasant to work with, and she did a nice job.
-Not everyone agrees with Kristen. Andy "Ozric Tentacles"
(adw...@mason1.gmu.edu) was not satisfied: "Charley estimated
one price, & upped it halfway through. I'd only gotten from
the cash machine what he quoted, and didn't intend to pay
more than the original quote, so the work stopped unfinished.
I suppose it might have been my fault for not getting pissed
about it then. In talking to people about their experiences,
they seem to divide along gender lines. Those who were happy
w/ the work were women, while those unhappy were men. I've
heard more than one of them give the impression that the
difference in service might be attributed to being the only
close option in a college town, and not needing to do a high
quality job for the typical frat guy client."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *MASSACHUSETTS*
Tattooing is illegal. Violators are fined with up to $300 and one
year in jail.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *NEW HAMPSHIRE*
Tattooing of minors is illegal (considered "endangering the
welfare of a child").
--The Tattoo Shop, 109 Daniel Street, Portsmouth NH 03801
(603)436-0805. Contributor: Fred Jewell (fr...@ksr.com )
Artists: Hobo, Tattoo George
Prices start at $40; ave $100. In business since '76; clean,
use sterile instruments 7 do good solid work.
--Sign of the Wolf, Wiers Beach NH, (603)366-2557
Contributor: Fred Jewell (fr...@ksr.com )
Artists: Dave Sr., Dave Jr., several apprentices.
Friendly, laid back, would make you feel comfortable if
anxious. So clean you can eat off the floor. Dave Jr. has won
a few awards. Range: $100 to $350; average $260 for a fairly
large piece. Specialize in wildlife & American Indian art.
--Juli Moon Designs Inc., Route 1, PO Box 1403, Seabrook NH
03874 (603)474-2250. Contributor: Fred Jewell (fr...@ksr.com )
What can you say about Juli Moon except, "When?" She is
booked a month in advance, and is truly award winning.
--Brothers Too, South Broadway, Salem NH, Exit 1 Off Rt. 93
Licensed & Board of Health Approved. Contributor: Fred Jewell
(fr...@ksr.com )
Tattoo Frank scared me. Asked if he'd been vaccinated for Hep
A & B he said, "I only got hepatitis once and that was from a
customer." His brother, "Bennies Tattoos" is just down the
street and has the same kind of attitude.
--Bill's Tattoo Palace, Broadway , Derry NH, (603)437-8813
Contributor: Fred Jewell (fr...@ksr.com )
Nice guy, but I set up an appointment & he didn't show! I
called back, and got someone who thought he was doing me a
favor by talking to me. Some of the work is really good but
there seems to be a lot of new people in the shop trying out
the profession.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *NEW JERSEY*
--Ernie White, Tattoo Factory, 94 Main Street, Butler, NJ.,
(201) 838-7828
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *NEW YORK*
--Pat's Tats, 102 Mill Hill Rd, Woodstock, NY 12498. (914) 679-
4429.
*EMAIL ACCESSIBLE!* Pat Sinatra: pats...@aol.com
Pat Sinatra is the owner--she is also VP of the Alliance of
National Tattooists, whose primary concern is information
dissemination on disease transmission and sterilization. Note:
Pat only checks her email on Fridays.
--Last Rites Tattoo (201) 402-2380. "Dark Images by Paul Booth"
You may be familiar with Paul Booth's black & grey work
depicting gory images of sacriligious objects. Although he's
only been in the business a few years, he seems to have
exploded in infamy for his striking images, aided in part by
the incredible work he's done on his rather photogenic
girlfriend, Barbara Valverde. The following recommendation by
Deborah Lynn De Graw (dg...@cwis.unomaha.edu):
I have many tattoos by Paul Booth that I dearly love. I
realize his reputation of gruesome work may put off some
people. While he usually won't do colorwork, he's always been
very willing and flexible for me because he says it shows
people he can do it. I was more than pleased with my back
piece, which has kept its color very well. He's sensitive to
my need for balance (symmetry) without my having to say so.
He an intelligent, superb artist who can take anything I give
him and turn it into the most beautiful piece of art. I feel
extrememly lucky to have found him before he became so
popular. He's honest and always careful about keeping
everything sterile and safe!
--Bruce Bart Tattooing. Main Street, Tannersville, NY 12485.
(518) 589-5069. Second shop at: 274 Lark St., Albany, NY 12210
(518) 432-1905. Hours: M-F Noon-8pm, S/Su 11am-6pm.
Cost: $120/hr. $5 disposable (& autoclaved) needles, new
ink for each customer.
Contributor: Kirsten Herzog (khe...@skidmore.edu)
Artists: Bruce Bart and Bruce Kaplan
Specializes in Japanese, modern primitive, colorwork, Celtic.
Prefers appts, but will take walk-ins if not busy. Lark St.
shop looked like a dentist's office. Very friendly, totally
receptive. Impressed by the ready art & sketches in the
waiting room. Seemed very professional.
--Spaulding & Rodgers
Sells tattoo guns, needles & ink. The few artists that have
worked on me (Cliff Raven, Kevin Brady, Phil Payton) usually
do a lot of custom work on their needles if not the gun
itself. Needles continually dull from use or sterilizing &
have to be resharpened and soldered into the appropriate
groups & configurations.
--C&C Tattoo, 307 Congress St., Troy, NY 12180, (518)272-0576
Ask for Sue Daves (apprentice)--did my full back piece, & it
came out awesome!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *PENNSYLVANIA*
18 Pennsylvania C. S. @ 6311 makes it illegal to tattoo minors
under 18 without parental consent. Violations are considered a
third degree misdemeanor.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *RHODE ISLAND*
Rhode Island General Laws @ 23-1-39 makes it illegal to tattoo
minors under 18. Violators can be fined up to $300 and one year in
jail.
--Electric Ink Tattoo, 153 Waterman Ave, E. Providence, RI
(401)435 3393. From: Jesse Leigh Parent (jes...@WPI.EDU)
Needles autoclaved (required by RI law). New needles/ink for
every customer. Cash only; walk-ins welcome.
Artists:
o Chris Borge: All-around great tattoo artist. Specializes in
tribal; probably the best in the shop. *Chris is online!* You
can feel free to email him at: chris...@enest.com
o Skott Greene: Great for custom to a greater extent. Doing
them since Dec '92, already very adept; the one to see about
great custom designs. (Trained as an airbrush artist)
Note: Don L. no longer works out of Electric Ink as of 11/93.
--Artistic Tattooing, 405 Atwell Ave., Providence RI, 02909
(401)861-7373
All needles are brand new & autoclaved, artists wear gloves,
and ink is individual.
Artists: Rusty, Dean II
Pricing done by the piece, but may be hourly for large
pieces. I found pricing to be very reasonable and am very
happy with my tats (backpiece by Rusty, earpiece by Dean II).
They do everything from tribal to coverup. They do not
participate in any tat conventions.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *VIRGINIA*
Virginia Code Annotated @ 15.1-28.3 defines what a professional
tattoo parlor should be. I assume this makes tattooing legal in
Virginia.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *WEST VIRGINIA*
Another state with extensive legislation, 30-33-3 through -7
specifies, among other things: Minors obtaining tattooing legally
with parental consent; procedures of sterilization and aftercare;
waste disposal, permits, fees, and the keeping of client records
for five years.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1.7 CANADA
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *BRITISH COLUMBIA*
--Sailor Cam, the Dutchman Tattoos, 630 12th St, New
Westminster, BC, Canada, (604)522-5156
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *LONDON (Canada)*
--Blue Dragon Tattoo, 253 Wellington London, 519-434-4706
Busiest shop in town, does a lot of flash work. Found them
either pretty grumpy/opinionated or at times friendly.
--Tattoos Unlimited, 847 Dufferrin, 519-672-8025
Al Newcombe has been tattooing in London for a looong time.
His work is mostly flash, can create stencils from your
artwork. His work tends to have a '50s feel--the stuff you
see on ex-seamen.
--Tattoos by Gypsy <does not list address>, 519-453-0822
Tony is pretty young & is a design artist. I've created some
really nice work w/ him starting w/ my rough sketches. but
his work is pretty uneven; can be really good or really bad.
--George Lewis, Tattoo Art (est. 1980), 244 King St. S.,
Waterloo, Ont. N2J 1R4, (519) 576-8054
Artists: George Lewis, Ken Lewis, Todd Evans (I have experience
only with George--cannot commend on the other two). "Sterile
conditions", "lifetime guarantee" (which I assume means I can
return to touch up color fades, etc.) by appt only. Does
exotic piercings. Visa/Mastercard accepted. Mine are very
well done--lines are even & seem to connect properly & all of
my friends are amazed at the fine detail & how bright the
colors are!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: *ONTARIO*
--Tattoo Art by George Lewis. 244 King St. S., Waterloo, Ont.
N2J 1R4 (519) 576-8054. Visa/Mastercard accepted.
According to their card: Ultra modern; sterile conditions;
modern designs--fine line; cover-up work; custom work;
lifetime guarantee. Appts only. Also does pierces.
Contributor: Judy Carr (jca...@mach1.wlu.ca)
-Artists: George Lewis, Ken Lewis, Todd Evans.
Tho' I don't know much about 'good' or 'bad' tattoos, believe
mine are very well done!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1.8 EUROPE/UK
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: London
--Lal Hardy is at 157 Sydney Road, Muswell Hill, London N10 2NL.
Tel: 081-444 8779, on Tuesdays and Fridays.
On Saturdays and Mondays, he is at:
Chuck's Custom Tattoo Studio, 22 Goresbrook Rd, Dagenham.
Tel: 081 984 0013. You can either phone the studios or his
answer phone 071 328 1403. Appointment only except Saturdays
which are first cum first served
Gifs of a thunderbird back piece available from 141.214.4.135.
The following wonderful first-hand information comes to us
courtesy of Andy Richardson (A.Rich...@cs.ucl.ac.uk):
Artists:
o Lal Hardy: Has been tattooing for 17 yrs altogether with 14
yrs at the current studio. He has won many awards (I counted
at least 4 from just the last 3 months) and is probably the
best known artist in London if not the UK. His walls are
covered with certificates from associations from all around
the world. He said that he enjoys Celtic work especially, but
really just likes working with customers on their own designs
and meeting people who come in for whatever reason. A very
cool bloke who knows his stuff.
o Martin Clark: Has been tattooing for 4 years and is a trained
graphic artist (also does airbrushing and pencil art). Again,
although he does not have any style, he particularly enjoys
black and white work and fantasy/gothic stuff (my
description).
Both prefer to do custom work. I have gotten all my stuff
here, as this is the friendliest studio that I have found so
far. Lal organises the Dunstable Tat Expo every year, is
billed as the friendliest expo in the world. There are no
charges for consultation or drawing out of ideas. They do not
work on drunks, and do not tattoo hands, necks or faces.
They'll do touch ups or repairs on their work for free. I was
very impressed with how down to earth they both are.
Piercer:
o Cushla Adamson: Registered member, Europeans Professional
Piercers Association. I started professionally body piercing
when I came over from New Zealand. I have nursing experience
in medical, surgical, theatre and intensive care. I don't
think I could really have the understanding of piercing that
I do. My main concern with customers is that they understand
their piercing. I can't stress enough the importance of
aftercare of a piercing. I use new needles per customer, all
my methods are safe, sterile and professional.
--Dennis Cockel, Walkers' Court London W1 (a small side street
in Soho). Tattooed myself and a girlfriend about four years
ago and we are both very satisfied.
---Mark and Andy, Kensington Market, London W8. Their designs
were drawn by several artists over many years, claim to do
award winning custom work & my opinion is they are good. The
parlor is on the basement of the market building; doesn't
have anyname (as I remember); not listed on yellow pages.
--Saint's Parlor, Portobello Road, London
Warning: He had some photos of tattoos he had done that at
first looked ordinary, but if you look more closely, you can
see he has *redrawn* parts of the design on the photo
afterwards by pen. At least I wouldn't trust on a tattooist
who does that!
--Terry's Tattoo Studio, 23 Ghisholm Street, Glasgow G1 5HA,
U.K. Tel (041) 552 5740.
Three artists in 1992: Terry, Stuart, & Steven--Quite
popular. The ready-made designs were nice & my boyfriend is
very satisfied w/ his tattoo. A first-timer can feel
comfortable, since it looks like an ordinary shop w/ show
window & quite large, light waiting room for customers.
--Into You, 144 St Johns Street, London EC1, 071 253 5085
Contributor: Dan Chalmers (etl...@etlxd30.ericsson.se)
Artist:
o Alex Binnie (tribal/abstract): Alex may be known to those in
the US as he has traveled to various shops here. He does
mostly tribal and abstract stuff.
Piercer:
o Teena Marie
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1.9 EUROPE/POLAND
--(Acid Shop) Studio Tattoo. ul. Ogrodowa 20, 61-820 Poznan,
Poland Phone: 522-851. Hours: 11:00am-9:00pm.
Needles sterilized via pressurized steamer (120C)
Contributor: Ulf Nagel (ul...@dhhalden.no)
Artist: Slawek Slavomir
Slawek has been tattooing since 1990, when Poland &
Russia were introduced to a free market economy. The only
other person in Poland who has been tattooing longer (6
years) is in Gdansk. Slawek is yet to refine a
specialization. He recently won an award at a German tattoo
convention.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 1.10 ASIA
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Japan
--Tattooing by Hori Waka, Green Haitsu (sic--"Heights") Asakusa
601, 2-19-9, Nishiasakusa, Taitou-ku, Tokyo, 111, Japan.
38-3844-6002
Horiwaka uses both traditional Japanese , as well as the gun.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 2. WHERE ON MY BODY SHOULD I GET A TATTOO?
Duh--This may seem VERY trivial, since the answer can be "anywhere
you please!" The ONLY places you cannot technically get permanent
tattoos are your hair, teeth and nails (even the cornea used to be
tattooed years ago for medical purposes). Interestingly, women and
men tend to get tattoos in different locations. This, according to
sociologist Clinton Sanders, is because men and women get tattoos
for different reasons. Men, he says, get them to show others,
while women get them for the sake of decorating their body--and
often place them where they can't normally be seen, so that it
doesn't prompt comments about her "reputation." However for the
sake of this FAQ, the following is a short list of areas to get
inked. I am included the statistics from Clinton Sanders' study on
the body location of the first tattoo for men and women as well
(there were 111 men in his survey group and 52 women)
--Head: The "head" in this case refers mostly to the area where
your hair grows. You'll need to shave the area for the tat to be
most visible. If you need to hide your tat, you can grow your hair
out. Areas more commonly inked are the sides of the head (above
the ears), and above the nape of the neck in the back. There are
people who have their entire heads inked.
--Sides of neck (nape):
--Back of neck: I've seen some tribal pieces, and bats done on the
back of the neck. You'll need to keep your hair short or tied up
to keep it visible.
--Face: Various areas possible. Facial tattoos could fall into the
cosmetic, prison, or standard categories. Cosmetic would include
darkening of eyebrows, eyelining, liplining, etc. Prison tattoos
(which are actually in their own category) often include tat of a
single tear near the eye to signify time served. Getting a tat on
the face is serious business and crosses a portal because people
will never look at you the same way. Can we say "Circus," boys &
girls?
--Upper chest: One of the standard areas for tattoos for both men
and women. Allows lots of flat area in which to get a fairly large
piece. One of the areas where you can choose to get symmetrically
inked on both sides. (Men: 5%, women: 35%--chest & breast
combined)
--Breasts (women): Used to be trendy to get a tiny tat on the
breast. Women (particularly larger breasted ones) need to be
careful about eventual sagging of the skin in the area. Don't get
a tat that will look silly when it starts to stretch.
--Nipples: Usually the artist leaves the nipples alone--the
omission of ink tends not to be so noticeable. There HAS been work
done with tattooing a facsimile of a nipple onto a breast in
reconstructive surgery for those who have lost their nipples, tho-
-for aesthetic and self-esteem purposes.
--Rib cage: Can be rather painful because of all the ribs you work
over. However it offers a fairly large area, and can be
incorporated into a major back piece, wrapping around toward the
front.
--Stomach/Abdomen: Some people choose not to get work done on
their stomachs for a couple of reasons. Area is difficult to work
on because there's no solid backing to hold the skin down. It is a
sensitive area that may feel uncomfortable. The tat may look
horrible after your metabolism slows down and you develop a --er--
"beer gut." (Men: Less than 5%, women: 14%)
--Genitals: The matron nurse: "Did you see the patient in #409?
His penis has a tattoo that says 'SWAN' on it!" "Oh no it didn't,"
says the younger nurse. "It said "SASKACHEWAN'!" All kidding
aside, people DO get inked in their genital area. The idea may
sound very painful, but a friend of mine said it wasn't any worse
than any other spot. However, do consider that there *will*
probably be some blurring in the area because of --er-- shall we
say, the amount of movement the skin experiences (kind of like
hands)? A thread in r.a.b. discussed whether penises are flaccid
or erect during tattooing--some are, some aren't (how one can
*maintain* one during the process is a wonder to me). The only
female genital tattoo I've seen (inner labia, I think) was in
_Modern Primitives_, and it looked rather blurry. Note: Many
artists refuse to do genitals. (Men: 0%; women: 5 %)
--Thighs/hips: A popular area for women to get larger pieces
(often extending from the hip area). Shows well with a bathing
suit but easily concealable in modest shorts. The entire area of
skin around your thighs is bigger than your back, so you can get
quite a bit of work done. (Men: 3%; women: 10%)
--Calves: Nice area to get a standard size (2" x 2"). However if
you have very hairy legs, it may cut down on the visibility
somewhat. (Men: 7%; women: 8%. Category simply listed as leg/foot)
--Ankles: Currently trendy. I think you have to have an ankle tat
before you can go to the Eileen Ford Agency with your modeling
portfolio. :) You can either get a spot piece on the inner or
outer ankle, or get something that goes around in a band. Vines
and other vegetation seem popular (pumpkins, anyone?)
--Feet: I've seen some incredible footwork (pun intended) in some
of the tat magazines. Concealable with shoes. Probably don't have
as much wear and tear as hands so you might get less blurring and
color loss. This however, is the TOPS of your feet. You will have
trouble retaining a tattoo on the bottom of your feet.
--Armpits: Usually reserved for those who want to get full
coverage around the arm and chest area, & need the armpits filled.
Probably not strongly recommended for the highly ticklish.
--Upper arms: One of the most common areas for men, although I
have seen some nice work on women as well. If you decide to get a
piece done on your upper arm, consider how much sun it's going to
get. Will you be able to put sunblock on it regularly? Otherwise,
expect some color loss and blurring. If you want some serious work
done, and you want to show it off, you may want to consider
getting a "sleeve"--full tat coverage throughout your upper arm.
(Men: 70%; women: 18%. Category simply states arm/hand)
--Inner arms: A more unusual location than the outer upper arm
area, this area is often not easily visible. Be careful if your
genes are prone to "bat wing" flab, however.
--Forearms: Popeye sported his anchor on his forearm. Probably not
as popular as the upper arm but common just the same. You can have
your upper arm "sleeve" extend down for the long sleeve effect.
For an example, check out the heavy metal video disc jockey on MTV
(who also has a nose pierce, BTW).
--Wrists: Janis Joplin had a dainty tat on her wrist...easily
concealable with a watch.
--Hands (fingers and palms): This usenet receives frequent queries
about fingers, palms and hands in general. Some artists don't do
hands because the ink will have a tendency to blur or fade easily.
Consider that you probably move your hands the most out of your
entire body. A friend of mine had a multi-colored tat on his
finger by Ed Hardy (who cringed upon hearing about where my friend
wanted it), that is only several years old and is now barely
noticeable. Some people want to substitute their wedding bands
with tat bands. Your palm doesn't retain ink well--if you can find
an artist who will do it, you can expect it to be a rather basic
line, and that it will not last too long. Perhaps just matching
tats someplace else would be okay? There *IS* a photo of a tattoo
on a palm in Sandi Feldman's book on Japanese tattooing. This
seems to be an exception.
--Shoulder blades: The back shoulder blade area is another popular
spot for women, who can show off the work with a bathing suit or
tank top, but cover it up with regular clothes. If this is the
case, be particularly careful with sun because you're not gonna be
wearing that unless it's warm & sunny. It's a "safe" place--but
may get in the way if you decide to commit yourself to a large
back piece. (Men: 15%, women: 15%. Category listed as
backs/shoulder)
--Back: You can get any part of your back done, or find yourself
an artist you really like, and save your money for a "back piece"
that encompasses your entire back. Expect to pay several thousand
dollars for a full back piece (not to mention many tat sessions).
--Buttocks: Again, beware of potential sagging in the area.
--==*-<*>-*==
This ends "rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 5/9--Artist List." This
should be followed by "rec.arts.bodyart: Tattoo FAQ 6/9--Care of
new tattoos."
--
Lani Teshima-Miller (tes...@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu) "Sea Hare" o/ /_/_/
UH School of Library & Info Studies. "Whatever the cost of our o|<0_0>------*
libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant \=^-| |_| |
nation." -Walter Cronkite [R.a.b.bit--FAQ Maintainer: "Think Ink!"] \_B}\_B}