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Archive-name: tattoo-faq/part1
Last-modified: October 23, 1993
Posting-frequency: Monthly

This is the 'other' half of the rec.arts.bodyart FAQ file that is posted on
a monthly basis (in the latter half of the month) and includes
information about everything but piercing that might concern bodyart.
If you are a regular reader of r.a.b. and do not want to read this
monthly posting, you may want to set a KILL command in your file for
all four tattoo FAQ postings.

The rec.arts.bodyart tattoo FAQ is broken up into four parts:
   Part 1/4: Introduction, and getting a tattoo
   Part 2/4: Artist list
   Part 3/4: How to care for a new tattoo
   Part 4/4: Miscellaneous information

PURPOSE OF THIS FAQ:

This FAQ serves to disseminate information on the most frequently
asked questions about the basics of tattoos and tattooing (as well as
other non-pierce bodyart).

Tattooing and other forms of bodyart are currently experiencing a
peaking in their cycle of popularity; however bodyart has been around
for thousands of years in various forms. While their current popularity
is helping to shed some of the rebel/underground images and
stereotypes, most of the general population of developed countries still
regard tattooing with some disdain, especially against those who are
heavily inked. The purpose of this FAQ is *not* to raise these issues or
to change such views, but to educate those who are interested in
learning more about tattoos, whether they are considering getting one
themselves or not. Regardless of motive, tattooing is a very personal
choice. Access to information such as is available in this FAQ should
help you make a wiser decision about getting inked, since the
reversing process is not easy.

I have tried to include the contributor's name and email address where
possible, both for accountability reasons and for obtaining further
information. Contributions, while welcome, may not always be added
depending on whether they fit into the purpose of this FAQ.

Comments submitted by individuals are copyrighted by the
individual. You may disseminate this FAQ in its entirety through
electronic means including diskettes, but must include this
introductory section. Please obtain permission from me before
disseminating this r.a.b. tattoo FAQ via print, especially to those
uninitiated to the usenet format. You need not obtain special
permission to quote parts of this FAQ for academic research purposes;
however please email me (at teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu) with
your topic, since the findings from your research may be something I
might like to add to the FAQ.

*IF YOU ARE A MEDIA REPORTER OR JOURNALIST, you are explicitly
requested to email me prior to using material in this FAQ.*

In the effort to keep this FAQ from becoming a promotional or political
tool, please use your discretion about sharing Part II (the artist list)
with tattoo professionals, as they might find offense in omissions or
negative reviews of their operation (unfortunately, some artists don't
have the health and well-being of the customer as their #1 priority). If,
on the other hand, artists are interested in discussing technique, style,
or the reasons they got into the field, I will gladly include this in the
FAQ, as this type of information is sorely missing in general.

This FAQ was originally compiled by Paul Davies (Synthetic Man) at
pdavies@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca, with contributions from various
people. The rights and privileges to maintain this tat FAQ was given to
me by Paul Davies in Summer 1993. The compilation and revision of
this FAQ is an ongoing learning process. If you have any comments or
suggestions regarding this FAQ, please send them to
teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu.

If I have *any* advice for those who decide to get inked, it is: To shop
around, to ask a lot of questions, to not fret about the cost too much, to
always ask to look at the artists' sample photos, and to get something
that's custom, significant and meaningful. That thing's gonna be with
you for a looong time. Oh--and "Think Ink!"

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 Tattoo FAQ Part 1/4: Getting a tattoo
     0. Does it hurt?
     1. Where do I find a good tattoo artist?
     2. What should I look for in a tattoo artist?
        2.1. How to look around in the shop
        2.2. Asking to see their portfolio
        2.3. What to look for in their portfolio
        2.4. What kinds of questions to ask
        2.5. What sorts of things to look for in a shop
     3. How much does it cost to get a tattoo?
     4. Can I get infectious diseases from tattoo needles?
       4.1 Can my tattoos get infected?
       4.2 Are there any medical conditions that will preclude me from
             getting a tattoo?
     5. Tattoo Conventions: What are they all about?
       5.1 What types of conventions are available?
       5.2 Why would I want to attend?
       5.3 What's the format?
       5.4. What's the atmosphere?
       5.5. What kind of tattoo contests are there?
       5.6. Can I actually get a tattoo at a convention?
       5.7. What else can I find at these conventions?
       5.8. When and where are upcoming conventions?


WHAT TO EXPECT IN UPCOMING REVISIONS:
--List of artists (ongoing)
--What kind of different "styles" are there?
--What kind of colors are available? What are the inks made of?
  What is it about red ink that causes allergic reactions in some?
--Where can I get good ideas for designs? Part of a bibliography.
--How is "traditional" tattooing done--without the tattoo gun?
--What is the history behind Japanese tattoos? How is it done?
--What Polynesian islands were into tattooing?
--What tat magazines can I look at for examples of artists' works?
--Where can I access GIF files of tats?
--Are there any tattoo museums I could visit?


Have fun and "think ink!"
--------------------------------------------------------------

GETTING A TATTOO

 0. Does it hurt? ----------

This is the first question in this FAQ because it's usually the first
question that people ask about tattooing. The answer is, quite simply,
yes. Having needles pierce your skin *does* hurt. But what you *really*
want to know is, "How MUCH does it hurt, and can I handle it?"
It's really not nearly as bad as what you might imagine.
Basically, there is the pain of the  cluster of needles on the tattoo gun
piercing your skin very rapidly. This sensation, however, doesn't feel
like the poking pain of an injection--it's more of a constant vibration.
You will be amazed at how quickly your body releases endorphins, or
pain killers--so even if it hurts, the pain is dullened somewhat.

The pain will also vary according to where on your body you get
worked on. Skin right above bones (collarbone, anklebone, etc.) tend to
be more painful than other areas. [My experience seems to be that it's
less painful where you have less muscle/more "padding"--any
comments?]

Finally, remember that you are volunteering for the experience. The
amount of pain will depend on your psychological attitude--so your
mileage will vary.

1.  How do I find a good tattoo artist? ----------

Looking for an artist can be as easy as checking the Yellow Pages, or
as complex as checking references, magazine photos, and reading r.a.b.
There are a number of ways to find good artists, including (but
certainly not limited to):

--Reading r.a.b. and this FAQ is a good start. It'll give you a base in
  which to start. If you live in an area where an artist is not listed in the
  FAQ, you might want to post a query, too.

--Perusing tattoo magazines.  While not all tattoo magazines are of the
  National Geographic quality the photos tend to speak for themselves.
  Some issues highlight specific artists' works; a good way see the
  type of work someone does. Use the photos in the magazines to
  compare with those of the artist you are interested in. These
  magazines have done a lot to show what is *possible*.

--Attending a tattoo convention. Read the following section on
  tattoo conventions for more information.

 2. What should I look for in a tattoo artist? ----------

You can approach this one of two ways. You can either go to a shop
because someone recommended the artist to you, or you can go in
cold. For obvious reasons, you will have a little more information with
you if you already know something about the artist. This may make
you feel more at ease when going into a shop for the first time.

2.1. How to look around in the shop-------------

Don't let the shop intimidate you when you first walk in. You are after
all, a potential customer. Consider it window shopping.

The first thing you should do when you enter the shop, is to take a
minute to look around. Chances are, you will encounter some flash
(stock illustrations) stapled on the walls. These will most likely lean
toward the traditional. Skull and crossbones, roses and the like.

You might also see some signs ("No minors; we ID," "We have sanitary
conditions" etc.). These signs will also be indicators of the personality
of the shop owner. If the signs seem overly intimidating, patronizing
or snobbish, they can be tip-offs of the shop's attitude.

2.2. Asking to see their portfolio--------------

Do not be impressed by the flash on the wall. These illustrations are
usually purchased from other places and do not represent the work of
your artist. Frankly, anyone with some experience can easily trace the
outlines of these illustrations and fill in the colors. What you really
need to look at is a book that contains a collection of photos of the
artist's work. Go to the counter and ask to see one. If they tell you they
don't have one, walk out immediately. You are visiting the shop to
commission a piece of art to be permanently illustrated on your skin;
for the artist to tell you s/he doesn't have samples in a portfolio is
insulting.

2.3. What to look for in their portfolio-------------

When you do look in their portfolio, there are a few things to keep in
mind. Do you see any photos of pieces that you recognize in the flash
(on the wall, or in a flash book)? If so, how is it rendered in tattoo
format? Before anything else, check to see that the lines are clean. Are
they well-defined? Straight where they should be; not shaky or blurry?
Do the colors seem true? Are they bright? Proportionately correct?

Look at the people in the book. This can be an indicator of the clientele
in the shop (besides looking at the ambiance of the shop). Is there a fair
mix of women and men in the book? Are they all sporting "biker" tats,
or any one particular genre/style?

Again, keep in mind that anyone can stencil an outline of an
illustration onto your skin. The skill in the artistry comes in the
shading, use of colors and other subtle things that set an artist apart
from a simple tattooist.

Do you see anything in the portfolio that is not in the flash? These are
the custom pieces that the artists have done, and they should be their
crowning glory. How do they look? Do you like what you see? If there
is more than one artist working in the shop, and you see some photos
you like, make sure to find out which artist did the work.

2.4. What kinds of questions to ask-------------

Whenever you ask to see their collection of photos, the person in the
shop will hopefully immediately recognize you as someone who knows a
little more about tattoos--at least enough not to be satisfied by
looking at just the flash. If the shop is not too busy or if the
artist is not in the middle of working, they might stand on the other
side of the counter to have a conversation with you. This is a
wonderful opportunity to ask questions of the artist.

Some reasonable questions to ask in your conversation:

What is their favorite style?
  --If what *you* are looking to get done happens to be their specialty
    you are in luck; be it tribal, wildlife or whatever.

Is there any one particular subject they like to do?
  --One artist, without hesitation, told me his favorite was skulls.  I
    would've jumped for joy had that been what I wanted.

How long has the shop been here?
  --This may be an indicator of the stability of their business. The tat
    industry in itself fluctuates, but continuity implies business acumen,
    responsible practices and that they are not a fly-by-night operation.

How long have they been at the shop?
  --The shop may have been there for 20 years, but the artist may
    only have been there for a couple of months. If they have been there
    for what you consider a short period, ask them where they were
    before.

How long have they been tattooing?
  --It might not matter so much that the artist has only been there for
    a short while, if they've been tattooing for several years. They might
    come from various backgrounds--anywhere from working on
    friends to having a fine arts degree. This type of information will
    give you more insight into the artist's attitude.

Do they get to do much custom work?
  --This may depend on where the shop is located, but it also depends
    on how good of an artist they are, and whether they have their own
    style for which they are known for.

Do they use apprentices at the shop?
  --It is often difficult for new artists to break into the business, and an
    apprenticeship is often a very good way to learn not only about
    tattooing itself, but also about the business of operating a shop.
    For an artist to take apprenticeships means they are interested in
    expanding the artform, in giving a new person a break (so to speak)
    and feeling confident enough about their own skills that they feel
    they can offer some insight and experience for the new person. This
    again goes back to the attitude of the artist and the shop.

Don't let the looks of the artist intimidate you. Tattoo artists usually
have a lot of tattoos themselves. The main thing is that you need to talk
with them and get a feel for what they are like. As you talk with the
artist and build a rapport, if you feel comfortable you may want to
broach the subject of what you're interested in getting done. Bounce
your idea off with the artist and see what they are willing to help you
with.

2.5. What sorts of things to look for in a shop------------

Looking critically at the shop is as important as choosing your artist.
Make sure the place is very clean, make sure the artist uses an
autoclave or uses disposable needles (or both even).  Don't be afraid to
ask them, either.

What does the shop look like? What is its ambiance? Does it look like a
barber shop, a hair salon, dental office or an art gallery? If you are a
nonsmoker, will cigarette smoke bother you? Look for used ashtrays as
signs. Do the work areas offer you any privacy? Do they use shower
curtains, private booths or shoulder-high room dividers?

Try to go and visit and then come back some other day. Don't feel
pressured into having to get one right then and there. Try and talk to
some people that have experience with the artist (and not the groupies
that you will find hanging around the shop).  You should feel
comfortable with the artist and you should like him/her.  If you don't,
then don't get a tattoo (or at least not there).

Make sure the artist is willing to listen to you and respects what you
want. Don't go to an artist that has an agenda of what he/she wants to
do. The artist may make suggestions, but the final word is always
yours.

Finally, make sure you take their business card with you. If the artist
you talk to does not have his/her own card, jot down the name on the
back, and perhaps some notes to yourself about the shop and the artist.

 3. How much does it cost to get a tattoo? ----------

This is an age-old debate, so the following is just a very basic ballpark.
You usually pay for work either by the piece, or by the hour. The
smaller pieces in the artist's flash book are "standard stock" material
that usually don't take the artist too long to do. For these, you might
find prices listed right next to the artwork. The artist may have a
"minimum" charge that might vary depending on the artist.

Larger (or custom) pieces will usually be charged by the hour. If you
get a "stock" piece (probably about 2" x 2" in size), you will probably
not pay more than $100 and sit no longer than an hour in the chair.
Your mileage may vary.

If you bring your own design , the artist may charge anywhere from
$50 to several hundred dollars an hour, depending on the artist.
However, you may want to work with someone who charges $100 or
so an hour; after all, you DO get what you pay for.

Price negotiation should be up front and straightforward, a part of
your initial discussion before work begins. Some shops take credit
cards; many don't. Out-of-towners may be asked to put down a
deposit. Be particularly wary of people willing to work "for cheap"
or "for free." They are often artists just starting out, who are still
developing their skills. Caveat emptor.

 4. Can I get infectious diseases from tattoo needles? ----------

There has been some concern recently regarding transmittable diseases
(particularly Hepatitis-B and AIDS [HIV]) and tattoo shops. Just as in a
dentist's office, as long as the area is strictly sanitized, your chances for
infection will be greatly reduced.

Check out the shop thoroughly. Don't be lulled into a false sense of
security by a clean look. If the needles are not disposed of after each
person, then it MUST be "autoclaved." Autoclaving is a process that
pressurizes the instruments and kills any virus or bacteria that might
transmit viruses or bacteria. My dentist has two autoclavers--one gas
and one steam--both pressurizing down to 250fsw. He also has spore
samples that he autoclaves and sends to a pathology lab to make sure
the machines are working.

Ask the artist how they clean their needles. If they don't say they
autoclave, you are taking your risks. If they say they do, ask to see
their machine. Other common-sense types of things include throwing
out the ink after each customer. Make sure the artists have small wells
for each ink color that they dispense from a larger container, and that
these are thrown out after work on you is done. Compare the
conditions of the shop to that of your dentist--does the artist wear
gloves? Are the areas sprayed clean? Are they insured?

According to the Navy Environmental Health Center Medical Corps in
Norfolk, Virginia, each year, a few cases of Hep-B are reported in
people who've gotten tattoos within the last two months, but they have
not been able to trace the disease back to its source, nor attribute it
directly to the tattoo.

Becky Fenton (forsythe.stanford.edu) says: "I spoke with a disease
infection specialist at Kaiser [Permanente--US West Coast health care
system], and there have not been any incidents (as of 1990) of HIV
being spread *to* a recipient of a tattoo.  If you think about it, the
tattooist is much more at risk, as s/he has to touch the customer's
blood.

4.1 Can my tattoos get infected?

Not as long as you take care of your new tat. Part III of this FAQ covers
healing methods in depth. Some people have trouble healing tattoos
with colors they are allergic to. If it gets infected and refuses to heal
after a few days of using a topical antibiotic, you may want to check
with a doctor.

4.2 Are there any medical conditions that will preclude me from
    getting a tattoo?

If you have hemophilia. There is even a case of a man who was HIV
positive who got a tattoo--if you are HIV+ however, you will want to
inform the artist, since it's the artist that is at more risk than you. [In
the case of the HIV+ man, he was John Baldetta, a former nursing
assistant at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, who got a tat on his
forearm that said "HIV Positive." He was suspended for three days
without pay and told he could return if he covered up the tat. He
refused and was subsequently fired, although he was not an RN and
was not doing anything that would put patients at risk.]


5. Tattoo Conventions: What are they all about?

If you want to meet others with tattoos, or would like to learn more
about tattoos, tattoo conventions may be the quickest way to learn a
*lot* and get exposed to things you normally wouldn't. The following
was contributed by Jim Meyers (jmeyers@vax2.winona.msus.edu).

5.1. What types of conventions are available?

Conventions and shows are international, national, regional and local
in scope and are sponsored by different types of organizations.
International and national gatherings are usually sponsored by groups
such as National Tattoo Supply and the National Tattoo Tour (Dennis
Dwyer and J.D. Crow), while regional and local shows are often
sponsored by tattoo shops.

5.2. Why would I want to attend?

In a recent news article, distributed at the Tattoo Tour convention in
Chicago, Philadelphia Eddie said that "...the hoopla, the roar of the
crowd, the smell of the antiseptic, the blinking lights, the stories
around the bars, the smiling faces of my colleagues and friend--that is
why I go to tattoo conventions.

"Some people go to enter their tattoos and maybe win a small prize.
Some go to show off what they have accomplished in their never-
ending drive to be better in their chosen profession. Some go to tattoo
and earn a few dollars. Some go to sell trinkets. The curious come to
see what is going on. Some go to get away from everyday stress. Some
go looking for romance, and on and on."

Artists attend to enhance professional reputations, do work on old
clients and develop new ones, exchange ideas with other artists, and
see what's new in the world of tattooing.

5.3. What's the format?

While local shows may be only for one day, regional events are 2 or 3
days long, and international and national conventions may last 4 days.
For these larger conventions, the first two days are generally reserved
for registrants with fees usually $35-$45. The last two days are open to
the public for a single-day admission of around $10.

5.4. What's the atmosphere?

The atmosphere tends to be more relaxed and less hurried in the first
two days when they're closed to the public, allowing for more
interaction (the first 2 days at a recent Chicago convention had about
700 registrants). Expect a mob scene when the doors open to the public,
however. Fire marshals were called in during the March 1993 San
Diego convention, when the crowd swelled to about 4,000 and people
had to be turned away at the door!

The convention floor is a continuous parade of people who want to
"see, and be seen," which means many people dress (and undress)
outrageously to show off their work. Expect to see LOTS of ink.
Piercing has become a big part of the tattoo scene, so you'll also see a
great variety of body pierces. Some conventions have booths where
piercing supplies and services are available.

The atmosphere is very comfortable--most people are very friendly,
open-minded and accepting. Keep an open mind when you go; meet
people, exchange stories and above all, have a great time!

5.5. What kind of tattoo contests are there?

At the larger conventions, contests are held during the first two days
and are limited to official registrants, while at the smaller ones, they're
open to everyone. Categories may include: best black & gray, most
unusual, best tribal, best portrait, most realistic, best overall-tattooed
male, best overall-tattooed female, best chest-back piece, best
traditional piece, and best small piece.

Judging is done either by a panel of artists and experts, or by audience
via ballot or applause. Artists and experts are better-equipped to base
decisions on the rendering of the art, while audience-judged contests
often turn into "popularity contests," heavily influenced by the name of
the artist, and the contestants' personality/physical attractiveness.

5.6. Can I actually get a tattoo at a convention?

Larger shows may have as many as 50 booths set up in the convention
hall, where artists and shops from all over the world tattoo clients and
sell trinkets, t-shirts, hats, post cards and tattoo memorabilia. Try to
make arrangements with the artists several months ahead if you want
them to work on you at the larger conventions, especially if they're
well known. You should be able to get some work done even if you
don't plan ahead, and some artists will also work out of their rooms to
avoid the cost of renting booth space.
Meet and see the work of famous artists. For example, seen at a recent
Chicago convention were such notables as Dick Warsocki (Omaha),
Kari Barba (Anaheim), Patty Kelley (San Diego), Jack Rudy (Anaheim),
Hanky Panky (Amsterdam), Suzanne Fauser (Ann Arbor), Brian
Everett (Albuquerque), and Marty Holcomb (Columbus, OH). Even the
Horikawas from Tokyo were there, using the traditional Japanese
tattooing method, where the work is done entirely by hand, using
groups of sewing needles fastened to the end of an ebony or ivory
handle.

5.8. What else can I find at these conventions?

You can pick up books and magazines for your tattoo book library
from various booths. In fact, both Hardy-Marks Publications
(Honolulu) and Tattoo Archive (Berkeley), often have their own booths
to disseminate literature and sell books and magazines.

Photo studios are set up at larger conventions where people can have
their tats photographed for archiving and possible publication.

Convention sponsors may contract a video production group to
produce a tape of the show, in which case they might set up a booth
where registrants can have their work taped for possible inclusion.

Seminars geared towards artists are also held at larger conventions,
with topics such as "Creative Coloring", Care and Tuning your
Machine", "Spit-Shading - Watercolor", "Tribal Tattooing", "Preventing
Disease Transmission in Tattooing"

5.8. When and where are upcoming conventions?

--Oct. 29-31: Ink-Credible Tattoo Convention, North Bergen, NJ, Days
  Inn Hotel. Info: Ink-Credible Tattoo, (201) 783-9633

--Oct. 30: Renaissance of Illustrated People, Lansing, MI, Holiday Inn
  West. Info: Magic Mike, Forever Perfect Tattoo, (517) 887-6966

--Oct. 30-31: Meeting of the Marked, Pittsburgh, PA, Sheraton Station
  Square. Info: (412) 531-5319 or Tim 941-1236 or Mike 381-2989

--November 13-14: Dream Illustration--Tattoo Extravaganza,
  Galesburg, IL, Continental Inn. Info: (309) 274-2877

--Nov. 18-21: Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival, Richmond, VA, Holiday
  Inn Exec Conference Ctr (804) 379-3800. Info: Red Dragon Tattoo
  Studio (804) 230-7908

--Dec. 2-5: Southern Comfort II Expo & Ball, New Orleans, Landmark
  Hotel, 2601 Severn Ave., Metarie, LA 1-800-277-7575. Info:  Aces &
  Eights Tattooing, PO Box 22501, Memphis, TN  38122, (901) 324-7924

--Dec. 10-12: 3rd Int'l German Skin Art Show, Berlin. Info: Tattoo
  Weber 030-251-4553 FAX 030-251-8589

--*1994*

--January 15-16: 8th Am-Jam Tattoo Exposition 1994, Schenectady, NY,
  Schenectady Atmory, Washington Ave. Info: (518) 346-0521

--February 11-13: Mad Hatter's Tea Party, Portland, ME, Ramada Inn.
  Info: Mad Hatter Assn, (207) 934-4090

--February 18-20: Easyriders Bike and Tattoo Show, Columbus, OH.
  Info: (818) 889-8740

--March 10-13: 1994 Nat'l Tattoo Assn Convention, San Francisco. Info:
  Nat'l Tattoo Supply, 465 Business Park Ln, Allentown, PA 18103, (215)
  433-7191

--April 8-10: Down East Tattoo Show, Bangor, ME. Info: (207) 989-6017

--May 19-24 : 1994  Tattoo Tour, Philadelphia, PA - Hyatt Cherry Hill
  2349 W. Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, 1-800-233-1234. Info:
  Tattoo Tour USA, 3210 S. Dodge Blvd. #10, Tucson, AZ 85713, (602)
  750-8081 or (804) 867-8899

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This ends the rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Intro & Part 1/4. This
section should be followed by rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 2/4

--
Lani Teshima-Miller (teshima@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. FAQer: "Think Ink!"]         \_} \_}



******************************************************************************
Archive-name: tattoo-faq/part2
Last-modified: October 23, 1993
Posting-frequency: Monthly

Part II includes the following information:
     1. Who is a good/bad tattoo artist near me?
       1.1 US West Coast: Washington, California
       1.2 US Southwest: Arizona
       1.3 US Midwest: Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois
       1.4 US Southeast: Louisiana, Florida
       1.5 US East Coast: Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island
       1.6 Pacific: Hawaii (US)
       1.7 Canada: British Columbia, London
       1.8 EUROPE/UK: London
       1.9 EUROPE/POLAND
     2. Where on my body should I get a tattoo?


1. Who is a good/bad tattoo artist near me? ----------

The following is a growing list of artists, most of whom come with a
personal recommendation by readers of r.a.b. In some cases, artists
have been posted here as a warning against visiting them. A posting
on this FAQ does *not* constitute approval. It is YOUR responsibility
to check out the artist and make sure s/he will do quality work.

You may submit names to: teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.edu. Include
the artist's name, address, phone number, hours, general prices (or
pricing scheme--per hour rate, etc.), & specialization. I generally do
not pull recommendations that are posted on r.a.b.. If you want to see
an artist in this list, please email me directly.

In order to avoid "politicizing" this list, please use some common sense
by not submitting a "mediocre" artist and proclaim him/her as excellent,
or submit a bad review as a way to bad-mouth someone. Good artists
should also have some business sense--a clean, sanitary environment,
straightforward fees, insurance coverage, etc. Fly-by-night operations
will NOT be posted here (unless the artist has a reputation for doing
this, and should be avoided), and postings by those with self-interests
(i.e. your brother owns the shop) is highly discouraged. After all, if
your brother is an excellent artist, someone else will probably
recommend him, anyway. You can include other information, such as
whether they've won some awards, travel the convention circuit,
take credit cards, or what their policy is for out-of-town customers.

Where possible, I will include the name and email address of the
person who submitted the information about the artist/shop for
accountability purposes, and so that you may email directly for more
details. *I will not take recommendations from an anonymous ID*.

 5.1 West Coast:

WASHINGTON (state)

--Dermagraphics of Seattle, 1516 Western Ave., Seattle, WA
  (206) 622 1535, by appointment only.
   This is Vyvyn Lazonga's shop. She specializes in combining bold
   primitive lines with colorful, flowing abstract geometrics--lines,
   bubbles, etc. "A fusion of primitive and modern tattooing" according
   to her card. The whole effect is very pleasing, and rather unique, and
   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

CALIFORNIA

Bay Area, California (South Bay):

--Pinky Lum, Dragon Tattoo, San Jose:
   Top of file, stay away from Pinky Lum.  He was good in his day, but
   I've  seen some *horrible* work he's done.  Word is out on the circuit
   that he's going blind and getting clumsy, botches tattoos and hurts
   people.  I've heard this from several other artists. I've seen a couple of
   his recent pieces; they were blurry and badly done.
   This info is supported by others, including Karl Elvis MacRae
   (batman@cisco.com) and Becky Fenton (forsythe@stanford.edu).

--Eddie Lum, Eddie's Skin Works, in Santa Clara 1207 El Camino Real
  (408) 554-8520
   On the other hand, I highly recommend his brother, Eddie Lum. His
   forte, not surprisingly, is Oriental stuff. Very good with flowing lines,
   dragons,tigers, flowers. I have 2 pieces from  him and am very
   pleased. Warning: if you're taking in a custom design, there's a
   language barrier, and you may have to explain it several times.

--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.

--Ed Hardy, Tattoo City on Columbus, 415-433-9437
   The best in tattoo shop in SF (Actually, without a doubt the best in
   the state, and possibly the best in the country) "Tattoo City" on
   Columbus; the shop is owned by Ed Hardy, and the guys who work
   there (Freddy Corbin, Eddie Deutsch, Dan Higg) are simply great.
   You cannot go wrong with the three; Freddy and Eddie are the two
   best tattooists I've ever seen.

--Erno Tattoo  252 Fillmore, San Francisco, CA  94117  (415)861-9206
   Hours: Noon to 9pm. Appointments recommended.
   Shop is clean, businesslike. Autoclaving used.
 Artists:
  -Nalla: Specializes in blackwork and celtic designs, excellent artist.
   Also knowledgeable about piercings.
  -Patrick: Good at black & celtic, but specializes in high fantasy art.
   Excellent dragons, fairies, etc.  Also excels at sci-fi art).
  -Jaime Trujillo: More traditional stuff.  Good artist--ease & skill of a
   seasoned pro.

San Jose:

--Steve Cameron at Zap Illustrations.  1385 W. San Carlos, #202
   (408) 287-4011
   Mostly custom work; 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 also
   put in vast amounts of design work for free, if the design excites him.

Sacramento:

--Ken Cameron, California Tattoo Company. 7946 Auburn Blvd.,
  Sacramento-Citrus Heights CA 95610. (916)723-3559
  Contributor: Tim Lu (tlu@sunstroke.sdsu.edu)
  This is in Sacramento not San Jose, they are kind of close together.
  Maybe Ken and Steve are the same person, but maybe not.

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.RAF@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU).
 Artists:
  -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.
  -Karl: Apprentice, past experiences have been scratching out of his
   home. Specializes in Neo-Japanese style art. He does very nice
   custom work (my favorite of his is a butterfly with a tiger face
   peering out at you through the wing designs), and has experience in
   blackwork and fine line.
Piercer:
  -Fashia Fontaine: Trained under Fakir Musafar

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 (tlu@sunstroke.sdsu.edu).
 Artists:
  -Ardee Allen (owner): An excellent artist, always very professional. I
   feel it's important to support women in business--I've been going to
   her for about 5 years now and she has done my entire chest and
   about 3/4 of my back. Periodically attends conventions, and her
   work has appeared in a number of tattoo magazines.
   Specialties: Custom work, coverups, and colorwork, sumi (Japanese
   calligraphy) style grey work.
  -Lynda Tobbin: Talented artist who does very nice custom work.
Piercer:
  -Val: Specializes in body piercing.

--Good Time Charlies, Anaheim
**I have been informed that Kari Barba now has her own shop (see
below). Unless I get another recommendation for artists from this
shop, I will delete this shop from the list for the next revision.**

--Kari Barba's Twilight Fantasy Tattoo. 3024 W Ball Rd (at Beach),
  Anaheim, CA 92804. (714) 761-8288. Contributor: Tim Lu
  (tlu@sunstroke.sdsu.edu).
 Artist: Kari Barba
   Extremely well-known for her work with nature and wildlife. Her
   style is reminiscent of a watercolor-like quality, which sets her apart
   from many other artists.
   Funny thing is, this is the place where I got my first professional
   tattoo. That was before Keri worked there. It was just called Twilight
   Fantasy Tattoo; I wonder if she bought the place?

San Diego:

--Avalon Gallery, 1037 Garnet Ave., San Diego, CA  92109 (in Pacific
  Beach) (619) 274-7635.
  Needles autoclaved & new ink used for each new client. Hours: Noon
  to 8pm. Appts preferred--walk-ins on Sat. only. Credit cards accepted.
 Artists:
  -Patti Kelley: Specializes in cover-ups, bright color work, moreso than
   minute designs. Award winner, booked a few months ahead.
  -Fip Buchanan (her husband): Graffiti art. More detail work than Patti.
  -Randy:
  -Steve:

 5.2 Southwest

ARIZONA

--Jil, Skin Alive Tattoos, Prescott, Arizona. (602) 772-2387.
   Formerly of Bodygraphics, Reno. By appointment only.
   My *favorite* tattoo artist.  Her 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, and her
   detailing is incredible.  20 years' experience.  She's a custom fineline
   specialist, and has won awards.  Her style is what I think of as
   "fineline steel engraving" (as opposed to Kari Barba, who does
   incredible animals, but primarily with striking colorwork).  I found
   her by pouncing on a total stranger and demanding to know who
   did his *incredible* tats.

5.3 Midwest:

OHIO

--Marty Holcomb, Marty's Artistic Tattooing, 3160 West Broad St.,
  Columbus, OH
   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, OH
  43609, (419) 382 8805.
  Contributor: Jean-Luc Reutter (reutter@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 fascist swastika shit. Clean and
   friendly atmosphere.

MINNESOTA

--Acme Tattoo Co., 1045 Arcade St., St. Paul, MN, (612) 771-0471
   *Good* but expensive. Pre-designed tats are costly and other work is
   $200/hour (as of '92).

--Tattoos by Yerkew, 3127 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN, (612) 825-6161
   Steve Butterfield is real good, but the shop's owner, Dave "the fat
   guy" Yerkew leaves quite a bit to be desired.  Steve around after
   about 6:00 pm .
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.

MICHIGAN

--Suzanne, Creative Tattoos, 307 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104
  Contributor: Jean-Luc Reutter (reutter@igd.fhg.de)
   Needles autoclaved but I don't know about new ink for every
  customer.
 Artist:
  -Suzanne: BS & MA of Fine Art. Great custom designs, preferably
   black only or celtic.  Skilled artist however she sometimes lacks
   motivation with smaller pieces and the results may vary in quality.
   Cash only, usually no receipt. Usually by appointment only, very
   rarely walk-ins. Sometimes guest artists. Nice friendly atmosphere.
 Piercer:
  -Barbara

   Lance "Zaphod" Bailey (lrb@ctrg.rri.uwo.ca) says:
   "She really doesn't specialize in Celtic stuff. she used to, but she
   doesn't any more--says her old eyes aren't good enough for it. I
   was in her shop yesterday and she seemed pretty disinterested in
   doing some 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, and
   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.

ILLINOIS

--Guy Aitcheson, Guilty + Innocent Productions, 3105 N. Lincoln
  Chicago, IL 60657,  (312) 404-6955 tattoos, 404-6963 merchandise
  $1 catalogue available by mail.
   Contributor: Phredd Groves (phredd@casbah.acns.nwu.edu)

--Tatu Tattoo, 1754 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL, (312) 772-TATU
   Contributor: Phredd Groves (phredd@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, just west of Broadway), Tues.-Sat. 2 to 10pm
   Contributor: Phredd Groves (phredd@casbah.acns.nwu.edu)
   Run by Mad Jack and Anna, Jack does the tattoos and both do
   piercings (both by appointment only). I can personally recommend
   these guys as far as piercing and professionalism goes.

--I'm No Angel Production, 2606 W. Farmington Rd., Peoria, IL 61604.
  (309) 673 4930. Contributor: Steven Park (nudnik@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.

 5.4 Southeast:

FLORIDA

Orlando:

From:
--Ancient Art, (407) 855-TATU
   Lance R. Bailey (lrb@ctrg.rri.uwo.ca) says he was happy with Mike.
   Caroline Emmons (cemmons@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

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.

TENNESSEE

Memphis:

--Rocky's. 400 South Highland, Memphis, TN
  Hours: 3pm to Midnight. Appointment preferred, especially around
  military payday (good side trip from Graceland!).
   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 for
   medical companies, so his wildlife is *incredible*! Not quite so
   colorful as Patti Kelly (San Diego) or watercolory like Kari Barba
   (Anaheim), but his "realistic renderings" look like they came straight
   out of a natural history museum. He used the stippling  method
   (small dots) for shading the leathery feel of a dinosaur, as well as the
   furry feel of a saber tooth tiger. One word of warning: My husband
   said he saw a poster of Hitler in the back room, and 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."

 5.5 East Coast:

MARYLAND

--Main Street Tattoo Studio, Starlite Plaza, Rt 40, Pulaski Hwy,
  Edgewood, MD, (410) 676-TAT2 (8282)
   They also have an Elkton, MD shop (410) 398-1202. He's done some
   very spectacular work and 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 and required his exceptional artistic talent.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

--The Tattoo Shop, 109 Daniel Street, Portsmouth NH 03801
  (603)436-0805. Contributor: Fred Jewell (fredj@ksr.com )
  Artists: Hobo, Tattoo George
   Prices start at $40; average is $100. In business since '76, are clean, use
   sterile instruments and do good solid work.

--Sign of the Wolf, Wiers Beach NH, (603)366-2557
  Contributor: Fred Jewell (fredj@ksr.com )
  Artists: Dave Sr., Dave Jr., several apprentices.
   Friendly and laid back, would make you feel comfortable if you were
   anxious.  So clean, you could eat off the floor. Dave Jr. has won a few
   awards. Price range: $100 to $350; average is $260 for a fairly large
   piece. They specialize in wildlife and American Indian art.

--Juli Moon Designs Inc., Route 1, PO Box 1403, Seabrook NH 03874
  (603)474-2250. Contributor: Fred Jewell (fredj@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 and Board of Health Approved. Contributor: Fred Jewell
   (fredj@ksr.com)
  Tattoo Frank scared me. Asked if he'd been vaccinated for Hep A and
   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 (fredj@ksr.com)
   Nice guy, but I set up an appointment and 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.

NEW JERSEY

--Ernie White, Tattoo Factory, 94 Main Street, Butler, NJ.,
  (201) 838-7828

NEW YORK

--Great Southern Tattoo Co.. 9403 Baltimore Blvd. (Rt. 1), College Park,
  MD  20740. (301) 474-8820. Contributor: Kirsten Herzog (kherzog@skidmore.edu)
   Located right off the Washington Beltway (495), right up the street
   from the Univ. of Maryland College Park Campus.
   Operated by a family (Charley, Sandy, and Dee Parsons); very
   relaxed atmosphere. They've also done some of the best work I've
   seen in the area.

--Bruce Bart Tattooing. Main Street, Tannersville, NY  12485.
  (518) 589 - 5069. Second shop at: 274 Lark Street, Albany, NY  12210
  (518) 432-1905. Hours: M-F Noon-8pm, S/Su 11am-6pm.
  Cost: $120 an hour. $5 disposable (and autoclaved) needles, new
  ink for each customer.
   Contributor: Kirsten Herzog (kherzog@skidmore.edu)
 Artists: Bruce Bart and Bruce Kaplan
  Specializes in Japanese , modern primitive, colorwork, Celtic styles.
   Prefers appointments, but will accept walk-ins if not busy...
   Lark Street location looked like a dentist's office. Very friendly and
   totally receptive. Impressed by the ready art and sketches they had in
   the waiting room, Seemed very professional.

--Spaulding & Rodgers
   Sells tattoo guns, needles and 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 and have to be resharpened
   and soldered into the appropriate groups and configurations.

--C&C Tattoo, 307 Congress St., Troy, NY 12180, (518)272-0576
   Ask for Sue Daves (apprentice). She did my full back piece, and it
   came out awesome!

RHODE ISLAND

--Electric Ink Tattoo, 153 Waterman Ave, E. Providence, RI
  (401)435 3393.
  Needles autoclaved (required by law in RI). New needles/ink for
  every customer. Cash only; walk-ins welcome.
 Artists:
  -Chris Borge: All-around great tattoo artist. Specializes in tribal;
   probably the best in the shop.
  -Skott Greene: Great for those who like to customize to a greater
   extent. Doing them since Dec '92, he's already very adept; the one to
   see about great custom designs. (Trained as an airbrush artist)
  -Don L.: Graffiti art & modern methods, the one to see for all the
   off-the-wall, weird imagery. (Trained as commercial & graffiti artist).

--Artistic Tattooing, 405 Atwell Ave., Providence RI, 02909
  (401)861-7373
  All needles are brand new and autoclaved, artists wear gloves, and
  ink is individual.
 Artists: Rusty, Dean II
   Pricing is 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.

5.5 Pacific

HAWAII

--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 Kandy.
   All are excellent. Mike is very active in the tat world, and attends (I
   think they all do, rotating. I know Kandy was at the Chicago tat
   convention recently), and has served as a judge at tat conventions.
   Kandy only works there on Tuesdays, (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, Honolulu (808) 924-7460.
   If in Waikiki, you may want to stop by , as it's right on the main strip.
   The place is run by Winona Martin and several of her workers.
   Advertises heavily; may be pricey due to Waikiki location.

 5.6 Canada:

BRITISH COLUMBIA

--Sailor Cam, the Dutchman Tattoos, 630 12th St., New Westminster,
  BC, Canada, (604)522-5156

LONDON (Canada):
--Blue Dragon Tattoo, 253 Wellington London, 519-434-4706
   The busiest shop in town, does a lot of flash work. I have 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, he can create stencils from your artwork. His
   work tends to have a '50s feel to it--the stuff you see on ex-seamen.

--Tattoos by Gypsy <does not list address>, 519-453-0822
   Tony is pretty young and is a design artist. I've created some really
   nice work with him starting with my rough sketches. but his work is
   pretty uneven it 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 appointment only. Does exotic
   piercings. Visa and Mastercard accepted.
   Mine are very well done--lines are even and seem to connect
   properly  and all of my friends are amazed at the fine detail and how
   bright the colors are!

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; specializing in cover-up work; custom work;
  lifetime guarantee. Appointments only. Also does pierces.
  Contributor: Judy Carr (jcarr4@mach1.wlu.ca)
   Although I don't know much about 'good' or 'bad' tattoos, I believe
   mine are very well done!  All my friends are amazed at the fine detail
   and how bright the colors are!
 Artists: George Lewis, Ken Lewis, Todd Evans.

5.7 EUROPE/UK

London

--Lal Hardy, 157 Sydney Road, Muswell Hill, London N10 2NL.
   Tel: 081-444 8779
   Gifs of a thunderbird back piece available from 141.214.4.135.

--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, they claim to do
   award winning custom work and my opinion is they are good. The
   parlor is on the basement of the market building, it doesn't have any
   name (as I remember) and is not listed on yellow pages.

--Saint's Parlor, Portobello Road, London
   Warning: He had some photos of the tattoos he had done that at first
   looked ordinary, but if you look at them 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, and Steven--Quite popular. The
   ready-made designs were nice and my boyfriend is very satisfied
   with his tattoo. I think in this parlor a first timer can feel comfortable
   in, since it looks a lot like an ordinary shop with show window and
   quite large, light waiting room for customers.

5.7 EUROPE/POLAND

[The following is a particularly interesting addition to our FAQ. It
didn't dawn on me until I corresponded with Ulf a few times, that the
concept of tattooing in Poland is in its infancy. I'm very excited that we
can disseminate information internationally this way, although I can't
vouch for how advanced his equipment or techniques are. --Lani]

--(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 (ulfn@dhhalden.no)
 Artist: Slawek Slavomir
   Slawek has been tattooing for about three years, since Poland and
   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.
   Charges very low rates, "because zloty (their money) is damned
   cheap, and inflation is still somewhat strong. Otherwise he charges
   people with plenty money more, than of polacks with less money."
   Economically, the Poles "have more freedom to do just about
   nothing.... You see, until two years ago, the inflation could be
   enormous, and money became was worth less and less. Today the
   monthly wages of the factory workers are what I can earn in TWO
   days!!!!! That says about everything, except this: 30% unemployment
   in the worst areas."

 6. 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). However for the sake of this
FAQ, the following is a short list of areas to get inked:

--Head: The "head" in this case refers mostly to the area where your
  hair grows. Obviously, 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 as well as 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 the tat of a single tear
  near the eye to signify time served. Getting a regular tat on the face is
  serious business and crosses a portal because people will never look
  at you the same way. You might see people with extensive facial tats
  working in a circus, for example.

--Upper chest: One of the more 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.

--Breasts (women): Used to be trendy to get a small tat on the breast.
  Women (particularly larger breasted ones) need to be careful about
  eventual sagging of the skin in the area. Do not 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 during reconstructive
  surgery for those who have lost their nipples, though--for aesthetic
  and self-esteem purposes.

--Rib cage: This area 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. The area is difficult to work on
  because there is no solid backing to hold the skin steady. It is a
  sensitive area that may feel uncomfortable. Finally, the tat may look
  horrible after your metabolism slows down and you develop a --er--
  "beer gut."

--Genitals: Said 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
  second, younger nurse. "It said "SASKACHEWAN'!" All kidding
  aside, people DO get inked in their genital area. The prospect may
  sound very painful, but a friend of mine said it wasn't any worse than
  any other sight. 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 recent thread in r.a.b. discussed whether penises are flaccid or erect
  during tattooing--some are, some aren't (however how one can
  *maintain* one during the process is a wonder to me). Note however,
  that many artists refuse to do genitals. I have even heard of LESS
  incidences of female genital tattoos, although a woman profiled in
  _Modern Primitives_ did have an inner labia tat (it looked very blurred).

--Thighs: A rather 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.

--Calves: A 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.

--Ankles: The current trend-spot. 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. Easily 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, and 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 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.

--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 apparently 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.
  The palm side of your hand 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 and sunny. It's a "safe" place--but may get in the
  way later on if you decide to commit yourself to a large back piece.

--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. Rumor is
  that George Schultz has a tiger on his, and Cher has a bunch of
  flowers on hers (I wish she'd stop getting the silly small things and
  get some serious big custom pieces done on her bod! Has anyone seen
  that "necklace with three charms" that she has on her arm? Yeeech!)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This ends the rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 2/4. This section
should be followed by rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 3/4.

--
Lani Teshima-Miller (teshima@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. FAQer: "Think Ink!"]         \_} \_}



******************************************************************************
Archive-name: tattoo-faq/part3
Last-modified: October 23, 1993
Posting-frequency: Monthly

This section includes the following information:
     1. Is using a sauna or steamroom bad for tattoos?
     2. Is sunlight bad for tattoos?
     3. How do I care for my new tattoo?
       3.1 Suggested Method #1: The Minimal Moisturizer Method
       3.2 Suggested Method #2: The Pat-with-Listerine Method
       3.3 Suggested Method #3: The Wait-24-Hours-to-Take-Off-
             Dressing Method
       3.4 Suggested Method #4: The Coconut-Oil-Itch-Relief Method
       3.5 Suggested Method #5: The Huck Spalding Method
    4. How does weight gain/loss affect a tattoo?
    5. Can a tattoo be removed?
       5.1. Get it reworked--cover-up
       5.2. Get it reworked--touch-up
       5.3. Get it removed--Tissue Expansion
       5.4. Get it removed--Sal Abration
       5.5. Get it removed--Staged Excision
       5.6. Get it removed--medical lasers


1. Is using a sauna or steamroom bad for tattoos? ----------

Once it is healed, there is very little that will screw up a tattoo.  The
one exception is prolonged exposure to sunlight. (the other is scarring,
but that is patently obvious).


2. Is sunlight bad for tattoos? ----------

Well, unfortunately it is.  The newer inks are better at resisting
fading but whatever you do, if you spend lots of time in bright
sunlight your tats will fade (over a lifetime not over a week).  The  best
is to try and keep them out of bright sunlight.  No one wants to
become a cave dweller just to keep their tats looking good, just use
your common  sense.
{Think of your tat as an investment--slather on that sunblock so it
doesn't turn into a dark blob. Like I say, "There's no such thing as a
healthy tan!" Take it from a Hawaii local! I've seen my share of
melanoma here, and they're not even from surfers or beach bunnies!}


3. How do I care for my new tattoo? ----------

The artist that did your tattoo will have something very definite to
say about the care of your new tattoo, and it is probably a good idea to
listen to him/her. Many shops will actually have an information sheet
listing care instructions. This section lists a series of treatments to give
you an idea of the breadth of suggestions being offered. The
suggestions have been given "titles" using some unique facet of the
method, and is thus named only for the sake of convenience. These
methods are NOT actually called these. Each set of instructions is
followed by commentary. Special thanks to Lance Bailey
(zaphod@ctrg.rri.uwo.ca) for this section.

3.1 Suggested Method #1: The Minimal Moisturizer Method
    From Ancient Art Tattoo, (Orlando, Fla)

Ancient Art puts a heap of vaseline on the new tattoo and then
bandages up the whole thing, they give you these instructions:

Tattoo Care Instructions:
 1. Remove bandaid in 18 hrs.
 2. Wash tattoo immediately, with soap and water
    When washing off the tattoo, there should be old ink and some body
    fluids. At this state there is little that can harm the tattoo.
 3. When skin feels like normal wet skin, pat dry.
 4. Put nothing on the tattoo for 3 days.
 5. From the 4th day, apply the *tiniest* amount of lotion possible
    once a day to keep it from drying out completely, and gently work it
    in. (Mike suggests a drop for a 1 inch by 4 inch piece).
 6. Do not get the tattoo wet; moisture is your enemy.
 7. Do not permit sun on tattoo.
 8. Do not get the tattoo wet; moisture is your enemy.
 9. Scabbing may or may not occur. Scabbing is normal. do not pick
    scab.
10. Do not get the tattoo wet; moisture is your enemy.

His strongest advice:  "MOISTURE IS THE TATTOO'S ENEMY".
On using Vaseline:      Neosporin is Vaseline-based, and it doesn't hurt.
On using Neosporin:     Not really neccessary, but it doesn't hurt.
Strong warning:         Never let the shower directly hit the tattoo.

This procedure is how I healed the four I got at Ancient Art and they
seem to be the slowest to heal. After 2.5 weeks, they still have scabs.
sigh.

Lance Bailey says: I used to go to great lengths to keep my tattoos
moist while healing. But now, looking at the ink I healed then, and
other art which is not much older but healed without all the moisture, I
see that the ones where I kept it real moist to prevent any scabs are a
lot fainter--grey where the others are still black. I quite literally drew a
lot of the ink out of the piece. Yes, it is important to keep the tattoo
from drying out, but a scab is part of the normal healing process, and
trying to fool mother nature is risking trouble. Your mileage will of
course vary.

3.2 Suggested Method #2: The Pat-with-Listerine Method
    From Tattoos Unlimited (London, Canada)

 1. Change your bandage within two hours, wash hands before
    touching tattoo,
 2. Clean tattoo with soap and water, pat with Listerine for a few
    minutes.
 3. Apply Polysporin Ointment and bandage.  Repeat this process 4
    times a day until tattoo is healed.

This is how I healed the first four or five tattoos. The theory is that
by keeping it covered with ointment, you don't form a scab -- and no
scab means no scab problems. UNFORTUNATELY, this method also
draws out a lot of the ink and can result in a pretty pale tattoo. sigh. I
would not recommend this method for a good final result, although it
can heal up a tattoo in as little as a four days if you use Vitamin E and
Polysporin..

3.3 Suggested Method #3: The Wait-24-Hours-to-Take-Off-Dressing
    Method
    From Joker's Wild (London, Canada)

 1. Remove bandage after 24 hours while you are showering.
 2. Use a mild soap then pat dry
 3. Allow tattoo to dry for 24 hours.
 4. Apply supplied healing lotion four times a day. Please do not use
    anything else on tattoo then the supplied cream.
 5. When using the healing cream, use it sparingly, you want to
    moisten your tattoo, not soak it.
 6. Do not soak your tattoo in the bath for 2 weeks.
 7. Do not swim in chlorinated water for 2 weeks
 8. Do not tan your tattoo for 2 weeks
 9. If your tattoo does happen to scab, do not pick.

Roland at Joker's Wild (no longer there) also recommended protecting
the new tattoo from the shower.  Since all of mine are on the lower leg,
he suggested putting a bag over it which is a bit of a pain, but probably
worth it.

This is how i healed the 3" X 6" piece on the front of my shin with the
exception that I washed it gently at least twice a day to clean off old
ointment.  I am very pleased with the result.

3.4 Suggested Method #4: The Coconut-Oil-Itch-Relief Method
     From Blue Dragon Tattoos (London, Canada)

For effortless healing of your new tattoo please follow these directions
carefully.

 1. VERY IMPORTANT. Leave sterile dressing covering tattooed area
    for a minimum of 2 hours.
 2. If desired, dressing can remain on tattoo for a maximum of 24
    hours.
 3. After removing dressing (non-stick), gently wash tattooed area
    with soap, pat dry with a clean towel.
 4. Apply Polysporin twice daily until healed. Usually 3 to 6 days.
 5. Please refrain from picking or scratching tattoo during the healing
    process. Damaging the light scab formation will result in poor
    colors in your tattoo. If tattoo irritates, you may apply a slight
    smear of pure coconut oil.

I have never tried this method; the owner of Blue Dragon and I don't
seem to get along. Pity because one of my favorite artists now works
there.

3.5 Suggested Method #5: The Huck Spalding Method
    From Huck Spalding's "Tattooing A to Z"

 1. Bandage(*) should stay on for at least two hours.
 2. Remove bandage, rinse gently with cold weather and blot dry.
 3. Apply Bacitracin ointment four times a day and blot out the excess.
 4. Keep tattoo fresh and open to the air. Do not bandage.
 5. For the first week, avoid swimming or long soaking in the water.
 6. For the first month, avoid too much exposure to the sun.
 7. Do not pick or scratch scabs
 8. Itching is relieved by slapping or alcohol.
 9. Keep tattoo covered with loose clothing.

* Bandaging Summary
 1. After tattooing clean whole area with green soap and white paper
    towel.
 2. Spray it with alcohol and hold a paper towel on it.
 3. apply film of Bacitracin ointment.
 4. Cover with bandage or Handi-Wrap and securely tape it on.

I have yet to try this method, but have seen a few tattoos which have
been bandaged with handi-wrap and they turned out just fine. (Huck
writes that the handi-wrap stops people from peeling off the bandage
in the first few hours to show friends.)

4. How does weight gain/loss affect a tattoo? ----------

Tattoos can definitely be affected by stretch marks. Whether you will
or won't get stretch marks is apparently determined genetically, so
placement is a consideration if you are planning on getting pregnant.
I know for a fact that stretch marks can ruin a tattoo, because I have a
very small tattoo that now looks more like a blob because of a large
stretch mark running through the middle of it. Luckily, this was a
home-brewed job (the kind done with India ink and a pin wrapped in
thread) so I was never particularly attached to the artwork.  :-}

If your skin stretches from weight gain and then shrinks back up
without losing its elasticity (the loss of elasticity is what results in
stretch marks), then I would expect that there wouldn't be much
distortion of  the tattoo, maybe none at all.

Or, put the tattoo someplace that won't get stretched so much, like the
chest area above the breasts.  My upper stomach didn't stretch much,
either, but the lower abdominal skin did stretch quite a lot.
(I've seen stretch marks on hips, thighs and arms as well--probably
related to muscle gain from weight lifting as well as general
fattening/thinning.)

5. Can a tattoo be removed? ----------

There are several methods for "removing" a tattoo, listed below.
However with all of these methods, you either still end up with a
tattoo (albeit a better-looking one), a scar, or a skinnier wallet. In other
words, it is much easier to *get* a tattoo in the first place than to get rid
of one. If you are considering getting a new tattoo, think carefully
before you do--or you may end up re-reading this section.

5.1. Get it reworked--cover-up

There are different ways to get cover-up work, depending on the
situation. A name can be tastefully camouflaged with a small design,
making the name impossible to read. If it's the entire thing you want
covered, it could be covered with another design. It is easier to cover a
lighter color with a darker color, although oftentimes the original work
is done in a dark color.

This means not just a good tattooist, but a really good artist; what
they'll have to do is find a way to work the existing tattoo into a new
design that will cover and disguise what's there. I have seen some
brilliant coverup; there's a lot of it in one or two issues of 'Tattootime'.

--Patti Kelley from Avalon (see entry under 5.1 US West Coast:
  California: San Diego) has won some awards for cover-up work. The
  main idea is to check with the individual artist. If they've done
  significant cover-up work, they should have before and after photos
  of it in their book.

--The people at Tattoo City can do it (see their entry under 5.1 US West
  Coast: California: San Francisco).

5.2. Get it reworked--touch-up

With the advances in technology, technique and the availability of
úÿ(Continued from last message)
new, brighter colors in the past few years, faded or blurred tattoos can
look brighter and sharper than when they were new.

5.3. Get it removed--Tissue Expansion

The tissue expansion method is where a balloon is inserted and
inflated under the skin to slowly stretch the flesh. The tattoo is then cut
out and the newly stretched skin covers its place. This is a popular
method for removing smaller tattoos and leaves only a straight-line
surgical scar.

5.4. Get it removed--Sal Abrasion

Sal abrasion involves rubbing the image with salt and "sanding" it out.

5.5. Get it removed--Staged Excision

The staged excision method actually cuts the image out, a small
portion at a time.

Both the sal abration and staged excision methods result in more
scarring.

Also, homemade tattoos can be more difficult to remove because while
the concentration of ink may not be as great as in a professional tattoo,
it often goes deeper into the skin (you may want to consider cover-up
work in this case).

5.6. Get it removed--medical lasers

There are a number of new laser methods for tattoo removal, although
they tend to be costly and are usually not covered by medical
insurance plans. Of the three forms of medical lasers currently
available (the CO2 laser, the Q-stitched ruby laser and the Tatulazr),
the new Tatulazr has been deemed one of the most effective ways to
remove blue-black tattoos.

According to Dr. Richard Fitzpatrick of Dermatology Associates of San
Diego County (who is the clinical investigator for the Tatulazr), the
Tatulazr delivers pulses of energy that are selectively absorbed by the
pigment granules of the tattoo. He says that the Tatulazr's wavelength
causes less absorption of the laser light by the normal skin, resulting in
less risk of scarring. The longer wavelength allows more energy to
reach the target tattoo pigment, resulting in greater removal success. In
addition, the wavelength allows for deeper penetration into the skin,
which means fewer treatments may be required for complete tattoo
removal.

For the name of a physicial in your area who uses the Tatulazr, call the
Candela Laser Corp. at 1-800-733-8550 Ext. 444 (or write to them at 530
Boston Post Rd., Wayland, MA 01778).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This ends the rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 3/4. This section
should be followed by rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 4/4.

--
Lani Teshima-Miller (teshima@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. FAQer: "Think Ink!"]         \_} \_}



******************************************************************************
Archive-name: tattoo-faq/part4
Last-modified: October 23, 1993
Posting-frequency: Monthly

This section includes the following information:
    1. Are there glow-in-the-dark tattoos?
    2. Where can I get a Japanese "irezumi" tattoo?
    3. When did tattooing start?
    4. How does a modern tattoo gun work?
    5. How long do I have to wait before I can donate blood?
    6. Are there references about tattoos I could look up?
      6.1. Tattoos in movies and videos
      6.2. Newspaper articles about tattoos/bodyart
      6.3. Magazine and journal articles about tattoos/bodyart
      6.4. Books about tattoos/bodyart
      6.5. Tattoo organizations
    7. Non-tattoo bodyart
      7.1. What is branding and how is it done?
      7.2. What is scarring?
      7.3. What are cuttings?


1. Are there glow in the dark tattoos?

Quite simply, yes.
--You generally get a quick test to see if you react to it... If you are
  not allergic, it is not a problem.
--It does not always become invisible.  Freddy (Corbin)tells the story of
  a woman who got a 6-inch spurting penis with the words "love it" on
  her forearm.  The pigment never became invisible (oops.)
--It sometimes does not take well.  It comes out fairly regularly.
Because of all of this, it isrecommended that you use it to highlight an
existing tattoo, but you should not do it as the only pigment.

You can get it at Lyle Tuttle's studio, Tattoo City, and the Blue Buddha.
If you go to the BB, ask for Bill.

2. Where can I get Japanese "irezumi" tattoos? ----------

[Note: There is an issue of International Skin Art (November 1993)
primarily devoted to irezumi, with some very good info (albeit some
errors in the romanized spelling of Japanese words--argh. Hey
Jonathan Shaw--I'm bilingual--why don't you hire ME for your next
translation job? --Lani).]

Japanese "irezumi" tattoos are often associated with laborers
(primarily fire fighters and carpenters) and yakuza members, who
stereotypically also lack the tips of one or two digits on their hands (to
signify a failed order and to show loyalty--see the movie, _Black Rain_
with Michael Douglas for an example). An excellent book to to see
examples of traditional Japanese bodysuits is _The Japanese tattoo_ by
Sandi Fellman (New York :  Abbeville Press,  1986. 112 p.). For those
interested in getting work of this magnitude done however, the
general answer is "ya can't gets one." This is not only because of the
time or costs involved--there is a sense of the spiritual and of propriety
with the artists, who do not advertise their services in the Yellow
Pages.

Your best bet as a "gaijin" (foreigner) is to find a Western artist who
specializes in oriental artwork. As trends go, the young Japanese are
now interested in tattoos of Elvis and Chevies, anyway--the grass is
greener on the other side, I guess.

2.1 Kanji Characters

One word of warning about getting Japanese or Chinese characters--
make sure that the artist who does this understands the importance of
the shape and form of the letters. Unlike the roman alphabet, the
essence of the Oriental characters is in the proper execution of form.
The artist will have to know where the "brush strokes" of the
calligraphy starts and ends (as stroke order also counts), as well as
how angular some corners should be, etc. The worst thing would be to
sport a Japanese kanji character that looks like some zygotes. How to
tell if the characters are formed properly? It would help if you know
how to read kanji or if you have Oriental friends--otherwise, go with a
reputable artist who is known for it.

3. When did tattooing start? ----------

Paraphrased from the Globe and Mail (Toronto's National Newpaper):
   "A 4,000 year old man has been found in Italy near the Austrian
   border, (originally it was reported he was in Austria, but both
   countries now agree he is in Italy.)  Carbon dating will take a few
   months, but artifacts found near him strongly suggest that he is over
   4,000 years old....He is also tattooed...a small cross is behind one knee
   and above his kidneys there are a series of lines, about 15 cm long."
Now I knew that the Egyptians tattooed each other, but that was only
3,000 years ago. I wonder how much further back this custom goes?

From "Tattoo You" by Steve Wind (Off Duty Hawaii Magazine,
October '92):
 "The first Western references to tattoos didn't come until 1771, when
  Captain cook brought the word to Europe after Seeing the artform in
  Tahiti. Tattoos were associated with the lower class and criminal
  elements in Britain and America until the early 1900s when, drawn by
  a sense of freedom, decadence and sexual liberation, upper classes
  began wearing them as well."

4. How does a modern tattoo gun work?

I'd like to thank Fred Jewell (fredj@ksr.com), who did this entire
section, except the diagram [thank you, thank you! :) --Lani].

The tattoo machine (gun, as a misnomer) is really a basic doorbell
circuit (you know--you push a button and somewhere in the kitchen
this little arm bangs the hell out of a bell thingie). For you techies out
there it's a DC coil and spring point(s) machine. Both doorbell and tat
machine were invented before household current was available.

                 __
                /  \
                \  /  <--rabbit ear w/ a screw in it
              _/ /____
            / /_/     \
           | (   )---\ \
           |  --- ---\\ \
            \/ /_____ \\ \   __     __
           (  )     \ \\ \ /  \   /  \ <--mecha-
           =============================   nism
             ^ ------------    |  |    | <-contact
armature   (| |________________|---\___|   points
bar ->      | | _/  \_||_/  \_        / <-This
            | | [XXXX]||[XXXX]__    __ \  whole
coils (X)-> | | |XXXX|--|XXXX|   \ /  \ \ thing is
            | | |XXXX|--|XXXX|   / \__/ | the base
            | | |XXXX|--|XXXX|  /   || /
            =========================== <-rubber
            ===========================   bands
          ___| |___|__|__|__|__/ |___((_//
         / //\                       |\-
        | // |    ___________________|
         \// /___/
          ---  |
           |___|
          /XXXXX\
          |XXXXX|
          |XXXXX|
          |XXXXX|  <--sanitary tube
          |XXXXX|
          |XXXXX|
          |_____|
            \  /
             | |
             | |
             \_| <---needles


It is essentially in 3 sections: The base, the mechanism, and the
sanitary tube.  The base really is the bulk of the metal; a rabbit
ear with a screw in it, bent at 90 degrees to hold coils.  In the
front there's a round hole to hold the sanitary tube.
Some people think the base looks like the handle of a gun. The base
houses the mechanism, which consists of two coils of wire wrapped
around an iron core.

At the top of the mechanism is a set of silver contact "points" (like the
end of a wire); one usually on a spring mechanism, the other either the
end, or on the end of a screw.

The spring connects to the base and a bar, which is connected to the
needle arm (90 degrees offset). The needle arm is connected to the
needles (which are soldered onto the bar), and moves up and down
inside the sanitary tube.

The coils connect to a DC power supply (between 6 - 12VDC), via a
spring coiled U-cable. the U-cable is called a "clip cord," designed to
move easily between machines but also stay in place and not fall out
and spark all over the place. The springs hold the cable in/onto the
machine.

One side of the coils is connected to the power supply, the other end
to the point on the screw on the bunny ear, which is insulated from the
base.  Through the points, the current flows via the coils and the base
of the machine.  This causes the coils to become electromagnetic.  The
electro-magnet pulls down the bar, which does two things: pulls down
the needles, and opens the points.  The points being open turn off the
magnet.  The spring assembly brings back the bar, which causes the
needles to move up *AND* make contact with the points.  This causes
the whole cycle to happen again making the needles go up and down.

Most machines have a large capacitor across the coils/points, which
keeps the points from arcing and pitting, and wearing out so quickly.
A capacitor is a device that holds energy kind of like a battery, but
charges and discharges much faster (parts of a second rather than 3 or
4 hours). The capacitor charges while the points are open, so when they
close, the difference in voltage across them is nill. The points are
really an automatic switch controlled by the spring to turn the thing off
and on quickly.  In old cars where there were points there was a
condenser (aka capacitor) for the same reason.

The sanitary tube sucks up the ink in capillary fashion, and the
needles load up as long as there's ink in the small portion of the tube.
It's called "sanitary" because of the cutout at the bottom of the tube,
which can be rinsed out.

My understanding is that there are three layers of skin: Scaly layer,
epidermis, and dermis.  Tattoo machines are adjusted to penetrate into
the dermis layer but NOT *through* it (below it is the fat layer of the
body).

When the needles go into the sanitary tube they have a layer of ink on
and between them.  The needles make little holes in the skin, and the
ink is deposited into the holes. This is why the skin has to be stretched
so blobs of ink don't stay. Otherwise, the skin will latch onto the
needles, grab the ink from them and generally make a mess.

Ink just put into the scaly layer would be replaced quickly and fade
away.  While ink into the epidermis will stay, my conjecture is that
the dermis makes for more ink and perhaps a more vivid image.

Machines are really of two types: Liners, and shaders.  They are
exactly the same, but are set up differently.  The gap for a liner is
around the thickness of a dime, and a shader is the thickness of a
nickel.

Liner needles are usually arranged on the bar in a circular pattern.
Shader needles are usually straight (like a comb), although Spaulding
& Rogers sells a 15-needle round shader.  The needles are small sewing
machine needles, usually made of stainless steel.  Liners are in 1, 3, 4, 5,
& 7-needle combinations, set in a round configuration.  Note: There
can really be any number of them but these seem to be most common.

Shader needles are in a straight row and usually are in groups of 4, 6,
7, 9 needles.  The sanitary tubes are designed especially for the
combination of needles, so there's a special tube for each different
number of needles in a needle bar assembly
.
There are two other types of machines.  Spaulding & Rogers revolution
(don't know of an artist that uses this one), which is a DC motor that
turns a cam that raises and lowers the needle bar assembly through a
sanitary tube.  The other is something that I have never seen (even in
pictures) but they are used in prison and are made of tape recorder
motors, and for the life of me I don't know how they work.


5. How long do I have to wait before I can donate blood? --------

The standard question they always ask at blood banks is whether
you've had a piercing or tattoo within the last 12 months. A lot of
discussion has been made over r.a.b. about some centers allowing for
exceptions and whatnot, but it looks like the general concensus is that
you have to wait 12 months. I assume this is to wait out any incidence
of hepatitis or HIV.

Jonathan Allan (news@rchland.ibm.com) says the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, MN won't take you if you have had:
 1. Sex with another male since 1977 (male to male);
 2. Sex with someone from the subtropic islands or subsaharan Africa
    since 1977;
 3. Sex for money or drugs EVER;
 4. Sex with someone who had sex w/ one of the above EVER;
 5. ANY piercing or tattoo in the last 12 months.


6. Are there references about tattoos I could look up?

6.1 Tattoos in movies/videos:

This is not a comprehensive list, and does not include videos that are
produced for tattoo conventions; but rather, easily accessible movies
and videos where tattoos are used in some significant form. This
wonderful movie bibliography was compiled by Carl Shapiro
(carl@lvsun.COM) unless otherwise noted:

Tattoos play minor, but sometimes interesting, roles in these movies:

``Blues Brothers". John Belushi, Dan Akroyd
  Contributor: Ray Hamel (hamel@primate.wisc.edu)
    The brothers have their names tatooed on their knuckles.

``Cape Fear'' (1991). Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte.
    A tattooed psychopath preys on a Southern lawyer and his family.

``Double Exposure'' (1987). Mark Hennessy, Scott King.
    2 photographers turn sleuth after taking a picture of a tattooed
    blonde.

``Lethal Weapon" Mel Gibson
  Contributor: A.D.C.Elly (A.D.C.Elly@bnr.co.uk)
    The cops recognize that one of the men they're after is a "Special
    Forces" man because a little boy saw his tattoo (which matches the
    one Riggs got when he was Special Forces).

``Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders''  (1989). George
  Peppard, Ursula Andress.
    Odd tattoos on corpses lead a detective to a Los Angeles nightclub.

``Night of the Hunter''  (1991). Richard Chamberlain, Diana Scarwid.
    A crook's family is prey to a preacher who has ``LOVE'' and
    ``HATE'' knuckle tattoos.

``Night of the Hunter'' (1955). Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters
    Original (and much better) version of above.  Mitchum is fantastic;
    very scary.

``Poison Ivy" has a scene about tattoos.
  Contributor: Abu (jdaley@scf.usc.edu)

``Raising Arizona". Nicholas Cage
  Contributor: Todd Liebenow (squonk@camelot.bradley.edu)
    Cage's character has a tatoo of a Woody Woodpecker head on his
    arm.  At the end of the movie when he's fighting the lone biker of the
    apoclypse we find out that the biker has the same tatoo.  However,
    we never find out what all this means.

``Sonny Boy'' * (1990). David Carradine, Paul L. Smith.
    A demented brute and his hairy tattooed wife lose control of their
    wild child, bred to kill.

``Tales from the Crypt"
  Contributor: Abu (jdaley@scf.usc.edu)
    There's an episode with Tia Carrera about a guy whose tattoo
    gets...under his skin.

"Tattoo" Maude Adams, Bruce Dern
    A tattoo artist obsessed with a professional model abducts her and
    tattoos her entire body.

``Tattoo Chase'' (1989). F. Richards Ford, Michael Gregory.
    An heir has 60 days to find the treasure-map tattoo on one of his
    father's global girlfriends.

``The Jigsaw Murders'' (1989). Chad Everett, Michelle Johnson.
    A police detective and a doctor solve a gruesome mystery with a
    puzzle and tattoo as clues.

``The Phoenix''  (1992). Jamie Summers, E.Z. Rider.
    Tattoo master seeks perfect canvas.

``The Tattooed Stranger'' (1950). John Miles, Patricia White.
    A New York police detective tracks down a killer using a tattoo clue.

They play major roles in these:

``Charles Gatewood's Tattoo San Francisco'' (1988). San Francisco, CA :
  Flash Video. 60 min.

``The Illustrated Man'' (1969). Rod Steiger, Claire Bloom.
    Wonderful adaptation of Ray Bradbury's novel about a man whose
    body tattoos depict actual events, all shown in flashback and flash-
    forward.

``Irezumi'' (Spirit of Tattoo) (1985). Masayo Utsonomiya, Tomisaburo
 Wakayama, Yuhsuke Takita, Masaki Kyomoto, Harue Kyo, Naomi
 Shiraishi, Taiji, Tonoyama.
    In this exquisitely beautiful Japanese film, a young woman consents
    to her lover's wish to have her tattooed, and fulfills the cycle of
    the tattoo master's life.

``Signatures of the soul, tattooing'' (1984). Peter Fonda. Producer Geoff
  Steven.  New York, NY :  Filmakers Library
    Peter Fonda explores the social history of tattooing, both
    primitive and modern, discussing its use as ornament, badge, and
    personal statement. Practitioners of the art from the Pacific islands,
    California, and Japan discuss the aesthetics of the art.

6.2 Newspaper Articles (these citations obtained primarily from the
    Newspaper Abstracts CD-ROM database):

"In Amsterdam, Celebrating an Art That Gets Under Your Skin" by
 Mikelbank, Peter. Washington Post Dec 8, 1991  Sec: F  p: 1  col: 3
    A visit to the world's only tattoo museum in Amsterdam, where an
    active tatto parlor is in operation, is discussed.

"With Him, We Figured They Were Real" by Marx, Andy. Los
 Angeles Times, Nov 24, 1991  Sec: CAL  p: 31  col: 2
    Tattoo artist Roy Zuckerman explains how he helped create the fake
    tattoos seen on Robert De Niro in the film 'Cape Fear.'

"No Longer Just a Biker Thing, Tattoos Trendy Among Women" by
 Monroe, Douglas. Atlanta Constitution, Nov 8, 1991  Sec: F  p: 1 col: 2
    Paul Nelson of Painless Paul Nelson's Ace Tattoo Studio in Scottdale
    GA says about 80% of his customers are women, who are
    increasingly willing to pay the price and the pain to have tattoos
    permanently drawn into their skin.

"Laws Require a Business License, but Little Else" by Monroe, Douglas.
 Atlanta Constitution, Nov 8, 1991  Sec: F  p: 3  col: 5
    Georgia's limited laws on tattoo artists prohibit tattooing anyone
    younger than 16 or tattooing within an inch of the eye, except by
    doctors, but in some parts of the state, only a license is required to
    open a tattoo parlor.

"Practicing an Underground Art" by Lawson, Sarah. Boston Globe,
 Nov 2, 1991  p: 9  col: 4
    A profile is given of Mike, a tattoo artist who practices his art
    underground in Massachusetts, where it is illegal.

"Rose Tattoo Would've Worked" by Bombeck, Erma. Los Angeles
 Times, Aug 29, 1991  Sec: E  p: 8  col: 4
    Erma Bombeck discusses the popularity of temporary tattoos.
    [I just HAD to stick this one in here! :) --Lani]

"The Million-Dollar Tattoo" by Wallace, D F. New York Times Book
 Review, May 5, 1991  Sec: 7  p: 20  col: 2
    D.  F.  Wallace reviews the novel 'Laura's Skin' by J. F. Federspiel.
    Favorable book review.

"Under Your Skin" by Eng, Lily. Los Angeles Times, Apr 3, 1991  Sec: E
 p: 1  col: 5
    The work of tattoo artist KARI BARBA of Anaheim CA is featured.

"Point Isn't Lost on Tattooers-War Hurts" by Zamichow, Nora. Los
 Angeles Times, Jan 23, 1991  Sec: A  p: 3  col: 1
    The work of tattoo artists is featured.

"Wearing Their Hearts Under Their Sleeves" by Hedges, Chris. New
 York Times , Aug 21, 1990  Sec: B  p: 3  col: 1
    Tattoo artists do a thriving business in some 100 parlors in New
    York City, all of which operate underground since tattooing was
    banned in 1961 because of a Hepatitis B outbreak.

"A Token of Love That's Skin-Deep" by Farley, Christopher John. USA
 TODAY, Feb 13, 1990  Sec: D  p: 1  col: 2
    Bob Shaw, president of the Nat'l Tattoo Assn, says that Valentine's
    Day brings an increase of young lovers who want love tattoos.
    Many celebrities, including Roseanne Barr, Brigitte Nielsen and
    Winona Ryder, have the tattoos.

"Where the Guy Has No Green Teeth" by Levey, Bob. Washington
 Post, Jan 29, 1990  Sec: D  p: 7  col: 1
    Bob Levey comments on the possible health hazards posed by
    getting a tattoo.

"Tattoo Me, Tattoo You" by Swisher, Kara. Washington Post, Nov 16,
 1989  Sec: C  p: 5  col: 1
    Tattoos are featured.  Tattooing may be a phenomenon of only
    transient psychological significance.

"To Tattoo or Not to Tattoo" by White, Diane. Boston Globe, Jul 26,
 1989  p: 53  col: 1
    Diane White comments on the tattoo trend.

"For Those with Tattoo Regret, Here's Hope" by Altman, Lawrence K.
 New York Times, Apr 28, 1989  Sec: A  p: 15  col: 1
    A new laser treatment reportedly removes tattoos almost painlessly,
    without leaving a scar.

6.3 Magazine and journal articles:

"Marks of Distinction." _Soldiers_. April 01 1993 v 48 n 4 p 41
    Tattoo, anyone?

"Contemporary western tattoos" by Kojima, Hisaka _Aidea =  Idea_.
 March 01 1993 v 41 n 237 p 96

"Made in the Marquesas: Typee, Tattooing, and Melville's Critique of
 the Literary Marketplace" by Evelev, John. _The Arizona quarterly_.
 Wint 1992 v 48 n 4 p 19

"You may never meet Lydia the Tattooed Lady, so here's Mark
 Baudains, for whom almost no piece of skin is taboo to tattoo."
 _People weekly_. Dec 14 1992 v 38 n 24 p 74

"Tattoo Parlor" A photographic essay by Robyn Redman. _Salt_. Sep 01
 1992 v 11 n 2 p 15

"Going To Extremes" by Fox, Marisa. _Option_. Sep 01, 1992 n 46 p 66
    What is it about music that makes artists and fans walk on the wild
    side? Psychic TV's genesis P-orridge and others talk about body
    piercing, tattoos, and brands. Part one of a two-part series

"Career-oriented Women with Tattoos" by Armstrong, Myrna L.
 _Image--the journal of nursing scholarship_. Wint 1991 v 23 n 4 p 215

"Memorial Decoration: Women, Tattooing, and the Meanings of Body
Alteration" by Sanders, Clinton. _Michigan quarterly review_. Wint
1991 v 30 n 1 p 146

"Skin Pics." _The observer magazine :  m._ Dec 08 1991 p 48
    The vocabulary of the tattooist has come a long way since the days
    of love, hate, Mum or Dad engraved on the fingers. Matthew
    Gwyther meets some devotees.

"Tattooing Behavior in Adolescence: A Comparison Study" by Farrow,
 James A., Schwartz, Richard H. , Vanderleeuw, Joop. _American
 journal of diseases of children_. Feb 01 1991 v 145 n 2 p 184

Delio, Michelle. "The Magical Mark: The Art of Tattoo." _Gnosis_,
Spring 1993 n 27 p. 60.
    Did the first of all sacred arts use the human body as a canvas?

"Trends: Tattoos go mainstream." _Newsweek_. Jan 07 1991 v 117 n 1 p
60

"Psychiatric Implications of Tattoos" by Raspa, Robert F., Cusack, John.
 _American family physician_. May 01 1990 v 41 n 5 p 1481
    Tattoos may be acquired for a variety of reasons and may be markers
    for several psychiatric diagnoses.

"Now Ear This; Noses are fine, and navels are cool, but for the likes of
 Axl Rose, Perry Farrell and Keith Richards, this is still the classic rock
 & roll pierce." _Rolling stone_.  Aug 05 1993 n 662 p 59

"Nonmainstream body modification: genital piercing, burning, and
cutting" by Myers, James. _Journal of contemporary ethnography_. Oct
01 1992 v 21 n 3 p 267
[James Myers is apparently an anthropologist on the US West Coast
who has been doing significant research into body modification.]

6.4 Books (some of these books may no longer be in print--check your
    university library for a copy, or request an InterLibrary Loan):

DeMichele, William. _The Illustrated Woman: Photographs by William
DeMichele_. Pref. by Gorman, Shotsie. (Illus.). 128p. 09/1992. $65.00.
(ISBN 0-9631708-0-5); Paper. $34.95. (ISBN 0-9631708-1-3). Proteus
Press, Incorporated.

Ebin, Victoria.  The body decorated. [London ;  New York] :  Thames
and Hudson,  c1979. 93 p. :  ill. ;  25 cm. Includes index. Bibliography:
p. [94]
LCCN#: GN418 .E24

Fellman, Sandi. _The Japanese tattoo_. Photographs and text by Sandi
Fellman ; introduction by D.M. Thomas. New York :  Abbeville Press,
1986.  112 p. :  col. ill. ;  32 cm.
LCCN#: GT2346.J3 F45 1986

_Heavily tattooed men and women_ Compiled and edited by Spider
Webb ; introd. by Marcia Tucker. New York :  McGraw-Hill,  c1976. 100
p. :  chiefly ill. ;  25 cm. McGraw-Hill paperbacks. Includes
bibliographical references.
LCCN#: GT2345 .H42

Heger, Franz,  1853-. _Ueber [i.e., uber] die Tatowirung bei den
Sudsee-Insulanern_. [Wien,  1885] p.35-39.  27cm. Caption title.
Photostat (positive) copy from Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen
Gesellschaft in Wien, Bd. 15, 1885.
LCCN#: GN419.3 .H44

_Marks and meaning, anthropology of symbols_  Edited by O.P. Joshi.
Jaipur :  RBSA Publishers,  c1992. viii, 190 p. :  ill. ;  26 cm.
LCCN #: GN419.3 .M27 1992

_Marks of civilization :  artistic transformations of the human body_
Arnold Rubin, editor. Los Angeles, Calif. :  Museum of Cultural
History, University of California, Los Angeles,  c1988. 279 p. :  ill. ;  29
cm. Bibliography: p. 265-276.
LCCN#: GT2343 .M37 1988

_Modern Primitives_. V. Vale and Andrea Juno, editors. Re/Search
Publications, San Francisco, CA, c1989. [216] p. :  ill. ; 28 cm. Index. #12
in the Re/Search series.
    If you are interested in bodyart as a whole beyond tattoos, this is the
one book that you should have in your reference collection. The book is
a collection of interviews and write-ups about a very wide spectrum,
including the opener on Fakir Musafar (he is THE bodyart god,
IMHO), sword swallowing, Polynesian tattoos, pierces, cuttings, etc.
The section on body piercing complements Ardvark's FAQ, and has
illustrations on exactly WHERE those darned genital pierces are
supposed to go. Important note: This book is not for the faint-of-heart.
Some of the information and text contained are very graphic--an
assumption can be made that those wanting to read the book are
already USED to small tattoos and nipple pierces. There is a graphic
photo of a bifurcated penis, for example. You have been duly warned.
    If you (ahem) have trouble finding this book in your local bookstore,
send an SASE to Re/Search Publications, 20 Romolo #B, San Francisco,
CA 94133.

Richter, Stefan,  1952-. _Tattoo_. London :  Quartet,  1985. 158 p. :
chiefly col. ill. ;  36 cm. Ill. on lining papers.  "An art as old as
humanity: a short history of tattooing in the Western world" / Stephan
Oettermann: p. 11-17. Bibliography: p. 17.
LCCN#: GN419.3 .R53 1985

Richie, Donald,  1924-. The Japanese tattoo /  Donald Richie, text; Ian
Buruma, photos. 1st ed. New York :  Weatherhill,  1980. 115, [1] p. :  ill.
(some col.) ;  27 cm. Bibliography: p. 115-[116]
LCCN#: GT2345 .R52

Robley, Horatio Gordon,  1840-.  _Moko;  or, Maori tattooing_.  With
180 illustrations from drawings by the author and from photographs.
[Auckland] :  Southern Reprints,  1987. xxi, 216 p. ;  ill. ;  27 cm.
"Authorities consulted": p. [209]-212.
LCCN#: GN667.N9 R7 1987

Sanders, Clinton. _Customizing the body :  the art and culture of
tattooing_. Philadelphia :  Temple University Press,  1989. xi, 220 p., [8]
p. of plates :  ill. ;  22 cm. Includes index. Bibliography: p. [195]-211.
LCCN#: GT2345 .S26 1989

Scutt, R. W. B. Art, sex and symbol;  the mystery of tattooing  [by] R.
W. B. Scutt and Christopher Gotch. South Brunswick,  A. S. Barnes
[1974] 205 p.  illus.  29 cm.  $15.00 Bibliography: p. 199-200.
LCCN#: GT2345 .S38 c. 2

Steward, Samuel M.  _Bad boys and tough tattoos :  a social history of
the tattoo with gangs, sailors, and street-corner punks, 1950-1965_.
New York :  Haworth Press,  c1990. 204 p. ;  23 cm. Haworth series in
gay & lesbian studies ;  v. no. 3. Includes bibliographical references.
LCCN #: GT5960.T36 S747 1990

_Tattoo, torture, mutilation, and adornment :  the denaturalization of
the body in culture and text_  Frances E. Mascia-Lees and Patricia
Sharpe, editors. Albany :  State University of New York Press,  c1992.
vii, 172 p. ;  24 cm. SUNY series, the body in culture, history, and
religion. Includes bibliographical references.
LCCN#: GT495 .T38 1992

_Tattootime_. Honolulu, Hawaii :  Tattootime Publications, v. :  ill. ;  28
cm.  Began in 1982. Each volume has also a distinctive title.

VanStone, James W. An early archaeological example of tattooing from
northwestern Alaska /  James W. VanStone and Charles V. Lucier.
[Chicago] :  Field Museum of Natural History,  1974.  9 p. :  ill. ;  24 cm.
Fieldiana.  Anthropology ;  v. 66. no. 1  0071-4739. Publication - Field
Museum of Natural History ;  1193. Caption title. Bibliography: p. 8-9.
LCCN#: GN2 .F4 v.66 no.1

6.5 Tattoo organizations:

Empire State Tattoo Club of America (ESTCA), PO Box 1374, Mt.
Vernon, NY 10550, New-York  10550. PH: (914) 664-9894, Fax, (914)
668-5200.
Founded: 1974, membership: 1000
International organization of tattoo artists and individuals with tattoos.
Works to increase public awareness of tattoo art. Sponsors
competitions and bestows awards. List of tattoo artists. Affiliated with
Professional Tattoo Artists Guild.

National Tattoo Association (NTA), 465 Business Park Ln., Allentown,
PA 18103-9120, Pennsylvania 18103. (215) 433-7261 Fax, (215) 433-7294
Officer: Florence Makofske, Sec.-Treas.
Founded: 1974, membership: 1000, budget: $46,000
AKA: National Tattoo Club of the World (changed 1984)
Tattoo artists and enthusiasts. Promotes tattooing as a viable
contemporary art form; seeks to upgrade standards and practices of
tattooing. Offers advice on selecting a tattoo artist and studio. Holds
seminars for tattoo artists to improve skills and learn better hygienic
practices. Sponsors competitions and bestows awards; maintains
charitable program for children; operates museum and biographical
archives. Lists of members and tattoo studios.
Publications: National Tattoo Association--Newsletter, bimonthly.
Price included in membership dues. Circulation: 1000. Conventions:
Annual (with exhibits).

Professional Tattoo Artists Guild (PTAG), 27 Mt. Vernon Ave., PO Box
1374, Mt. Vernon, NY 10550. (914) 668-2300 Fax, (914) 668-5200.
Officer: Joe Kaplan, Pres.
Membership: 2000
Professional tattoo artists.

Tattoo Club of America (TCA), c/o Spider Webb's Studio, Captains
Cove Seaport, 1 Bastwick Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06605. PH: (203) 335-
3992
Officer: Joe O'Sullivan, Sec.
Founded: 1970, membership: 45,000, budget: $25,000
Tattoo artists and individuals worldwide who have been tattooed.
Seeks to promote the art of tattooing and make it more acceptable to
the public. Bestows annual Mr. and Miss Tattoo awards; sponsors
speakers' bureau; maintains hall of fame. Maintains library and
museum of antique tattoo designs and memorabilia.
Publications: Newsletter, quarterly.
Conventions: Annual conference and symposium (with exhibits) -
always March, New York City.


7. Non-tattoo bodyart

7.1 What is branding and how is it done? ----------

Branding is the process where you take something white hot (usually
some piece of metal in some particular shape) and press it into your
flesh so that it makes a serious burn and (later) a permanent scar.
Branding is dangerous (all burns are prone to infection), but so is
driving a car.

Most of the branding I've read about fall into one of two categories:
  --Rite of passage
  --Punishment.

Most of the rites of passage involved branding someone with a design
on entry into puberty.  A lot of tribal people have puberty initiation
that involve something like scarification/tattooing.

Most of the branding in Western cultures was done as a means of
marking criminals.  The French would brand a fleur de lis into the
shoulder of the offender, and the mark was supposed to make the
wearer into one of essentially an "untouchable" class.  However, they
also did this to Protestants, after a while, and with so many French
Huguenots wearing fleur de lis brands, it lost a lot of its former
meaning.

The English branded people with marks, in different locations,
depending on what they were accused of. Cutpurses and pickpockets
were accorded the punishment of an "S" brand on the cheek, indicating
"slave" and sent into a lifetime of indentured servitude. This
punishment came into the laws in the reign of Henry VIII, and was
abolished in the 18th Century, when they started getting heavily into
transporting folks to the colonies.

Based on my experience with burning my fingerprints off on an
antique stove, and the fact that the pain lasted for weeks, you might
not want to get into that.  (Well, if you're into constant pain and self-
generated endorphins, I don't know.) In full-scale branding, the iron is
heated hot enough, and applied long enough, that the resulting wound
is a third-degree burn, which destroys the nerve endings and doesn't
hurt as much as more minor burns.  However, areas that have been
third-degree burned *never* regain sensitivity.  It will make a silver
scarred area, in the shape of the third-degree burn, due to destruction
of the entire dermis layer of the skin (through to the underlying tissue).
The surrounding skin,  with years, will eventually fill in areas that
haven't been too badly damaged.

A word of warning---second and third degree burns are notorious for
getting majorly infected.  Third degree is slightly better, due to
cauterization.  Where it gets you is if the scab cracks. [Just remember
that your skin is your first line of defense against infection.]

The following is a synopsis of modern branding from the article,
"Strike up the Brand, a Scar is Born, New Fad leaves its Mark on the
Valley" from the Phoenix New Times:

The article is on Steve Haworth, of HTC Body Piercing in Phoenix,
who was interviewed at a branding demonstration at "El Rancho de
los Muertos".
Haworth said human branding is very different from cattle branding
(which would just leave a big blob-scar with no definition) because the
human body has more curves and fewer flat planes. To fit the
topography, he uses small irons of stainless steel 1/16 to 1/32 inch
thick. Brands tend to spread 2-3 times the width of the iron. The length
of steel is rarely more than an inch long. Heated with a propane torch
until red hot, it's tested on a piece of cardboard (1,800F is the preferred
temp.) and held on the skin no longer than a second or two--and
apparently produces quite a stench.
Haworth said the keys to successful branding are:
  --The brander's skill at judging correct temperature
  --How long the steel is held to the skin,
  --Proper pressure
  --Placement
  --People's skin types (which differ greatly).
While a local doctor didn't recommend getting brands, he did say,
"On a more optomistic note, they can be removed by laser," although
even the laser leaves a scar (why not do the brand with a laser in the
first place?  Star Wars branding!)
Some history: Among Fakir's more painful discoveries were that wood
burners, soldering irons, red-hot coat hangers and paper clips were far
more apt to produce unsightly blisters and/or uneven scars than the
small stainless steel strips used today.

BTW the most famous brands that people remember were of the
forehead brands that the followers of Charles Manson wore during the
Helter Skelter trials.

7.2 What is scarring? ----------

Scarring is the making of marks on the body through the use of
making cuts.  The most famous use of such techniques can be seen in
Africa. Small cuts are made in the skin and ash is rubbed into the cuts
to make  a raised bump scar.  This can look really great.  The
unfortunate thing is that people with white skin can't really get these
types of scars because they are formed by a substance called keloid.
Races with dark skin have keliod and races with light skin do not.

Often, these scars and the process is part of a religious or social ritual.

Scarring can also be the result of self-mutilation due to psychological
problems, although that is too deep and serious a subject we won't
delve into it here.

7.3 What are cuttings?

Cuttings are made by a razor blade or other very sharp instrument
onto the skin. These are usually made in shapes of particular objects,
and sometimes rubbed in with ink so that the scar of the cutting shows
up like in tattooed lined. The person most known for this procedure at
this time is Raelyn Gallina, a "San Francisco Bay Area jewelry maker
and piercer whose specialty is women."

The phenomenon of cutting seems to have grown out of the SM gay
(particularly lesbian) community. Raelyn prefers that clients bring the
particularly illustration they want done--she does not make random
patternless cuts. For more information on Raelyn's personal
philosophy on cuttings, please read _Modern Primitives_.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This ends the rec.arts.bodyart Tattoo FAQ: Part 4/4.

--
Lani Teshima-Miller (teshima@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. FAQer: "Think Ink!"]         \_} \_}



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