Ramblings

The close of the year is upon us and so looms the reflective thoughts that accompany such a transition.  All over the place you see year in review stories filled with the deaths and dramatic moments that make up our popular culture. Many people make New Year’s resolutions of all sorts. Now I am not really a New Year’s resolution type of guy but today I was struck by something a buddy of mine (Barry) wrote on Facebook. He challenged everyone to only post original content as opposed to regurgitating quippy quotes, Willy Wonka demotivational posters, and political gibberish. Now most of us gave him a hard time about it but it really did strike a nerve with me. Perhaps because I had just watched a few clips of the movie Idiocrasy and it drove the idea home. And to quote Wikipedia’s definition of the society in the movie “Advertising, commercialism, and cultural anti-intellectualism have run rampant and dysgenic pressure has resulted in a uniformly stupid society devoid of intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and coherent notions of justice and human rights.” This just seemed right that it rooted itself as the reflective thought of my “end of the year” mindset.
So I am going to not only repeat Barry’s challenge to you but I am going to also up the ante. I challenge you all to stop repeating your same stories and to go and make new ones. Do what you can, maybe it will only be one big adventure that you chalk up this year, maybe it will be one for each month, I don’t care. But do not sit and be the same thing, doing the same thing, dreaming the same thing and not make something new. Learn a new language, play an instrument, something, ANYTHING. But let’s all strive to break free from the pop culture media nonsense that dulls our minds. Karl Marx said “Religion is the opium of the people”. I beg to differ at this stage of the game and say that in our modern society that MEDIA IS THE OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE.  So let us break free from that which binds us, the padded chains that so comfortably hold us back, and move forward to be something greater. That is my goal and my challenge to you. So to all of you I wish a happy and productive 2013.
LEARN – GROW - SHARE – REPEAT

From Movie Cool to Real Life Cool

We have loved and emulated them all....

Feed The Passion

Ride Ride Ride

Cool Stuff. I really just love all riding videos that people make. A little home editing and some cool tunes. Ride on man.

 

 

and another....

Hows this for some next level tattoo work

My buddy and tattoo artist, Jordan Madere turned me on to tattoo artist Carl Grace. In this video Grace does a tattoo with no stencil of any kind, just a blank arm for a canvas. This is some serious next level skill for any artist. So sit back and enjoy.

Clarification for the Haters

It has come to my attention that I have offended a few people with my tattoo article about artist Jordan Madere and Turning Point Tattoos. My editor received a few calls from other shops in the area complaining that my comment about flash tattoo shops was wrong and I was gonna hurt their business. I believe something was said to the effect of "who the hell am I", "they've never heard of me" and because of this fact "I'm a nobody in tattoo industry."
Ok cool. Let me just clarify my position on the subject and to set the record straight. First off, Ink & Oil magazine has nothing to do with this blog, my opinion or this response, so don't complain to the Editor if you read something here you don't like. Second, I meant exactly what I said. If you want a tattoo go to a custom shop if at all possible They do better work, period. But that is just my opinion. I'm sure flash oriented shops do have talented artists. But thats not the issue, regardless of talent your still picking a design off a wall that anyone else in the world can and has gotten. That's my issue with flash. I am 37 years old and I got my first tattoo at 17. It was a custom piece, and every piece since has been as well. The total number of tattoos I have is 10, which includes a half sleeve on my left arm, a back piece covering at least half and now nearly a full sleeve on my right arm. So just to clarify I've got experience with tattoos and tattoo shops. I'm not a noob so put that card back in the deck.
It seems that there are different schools of thought on the issue and it's no surprise. Now to clarify why these "other" shops need not to worry about my statement or the fact that custom shops exist. While I was in Turning Point getting tattooed I saw people come in and want to see designs, and get tattoos that day. Well for the most part that's just not gonna happen at a custom shop. So they left. And do you know where they went. To a flash oriented shop where they could see tangible "art" and get immediate results. I think it is safe to say that custom shops loose more business due to the fact that they do not offer the immediate gratification that we as Americans crave. And that's where these flash oriented shops come in. They fulfill the need of a segment of society that wants tattoos in a certain way. The 45 year old who is getting his first (and more than likely, only tattoo) and the girls night out crowd that decides at the dinner table lets all get one. Then there's the guy who has a family and works 2 jobs who can only spend $80 at a time and custom work is basically out of his budget.
Plain and simple flash work is probably ok for most of these people. And I guaruntee that those tattoo shops are making money hand over fist doing $80 tattoos all day long. Great for them. They fulfill a need. I'm not dogging them as artists or skilled professionals. But if you want a lifelong relationship with tattoos then don't sell yourself short, go custom. Maybe your first tattoo was a flash piece, that's cool. But move up and expect better because it's out there. And as far as the question of who am I? I am the industry! I am the guy going and getting tattoos. Im the one who people ask "cool tat, who did it?" So slow your roll and instead of bringing down a kickass shop like Turning Point who got some good press, how about we all strive to raise the bar. Maybe next time the kid comes in for a first tattoo and picks a lucky 13 with a horseshoe off the wall, ask him what he likes so you can alter it an make it a little more custom. It's gotta start somewhere.

Yep...