Allergic to Tattoo Ink?

Unfortunately, some people develop allergies to colored ink, red, blue, and yellow are the usual culprits. Usually the allergy isn't that pronounced, but it can can cause some discomfort. Here's what you can do to fight allergic tattoo reactions.

How to Treat Tattoo Ink Allergic Reaction

Also it's another reason to Black and Grey all the Way. Black doesn't contain nickle and it's the easiest color to remove with a laser.

Although this refers to permnant tattoos, a lot of people are allergic to BLACK HENNA. NEVER GET A BLACK HENNA TATTOO. I'll spare you gross photos, but BLACK HENNA IS BAD NEWS.

Ryan Gosling's Tattoo

The Drive actor wanted to personally create a tattoo for himself but when he tried to ink a monster's hand with a bloody heart onto his left arm, his needle skills left him with a design that looked like the prickly plant.

He said: "One of my tattoos is supposed to be a monster's hand dropping a bloody heart but I did it myself with a tattoo kit so it looks like a cactus."

OOPS. Stick with the barefoot running.

Get tattooed by the author of this blog.
5 hours only $200!

Must live in Portland, OR

5 Hour Tattoo

Cool Head Luke (Guest Post Kuckle Tattoos)

Lucas sends us this set of knuckles:

The story behind my knuckles is nothing more than self expression. I’ve grown up with many nicknames, an one always stood out to me. Cool Hand Luke, an over the past two years I’ve been throwing This idea around. So I’ve finally decided to make my move, I’m an up and coming bartender in Brooklyn, an soon to be a barber. So with that, I'm able to be tattooed from head to toe. There simply is no better way I can represent who I am, better than what my knuckles present. I’m not afraid of 50 eggs nor can I pass up a challenge. My knuckles represent, the concept of never giving up, an also showing off my humor, in other words. I couldn’t be happier. Check out the real irie tribe ink tattoo shop. The end.

Ink a Difference (Nicole's Tattoo Story)

My tattoo is the Japanese kanji symbol for "to be different" (above the slipknot symbol, on the back of my neck). I got this tattoo because i've always been on my own path, a little different than all the girls in my family, a little to boyish for the girls and to girly for the boys. My life has taken me on a crazy ride that has set me apart from most people, so i found this tattoo to be a very short and sweet motto if you will for myself.

--Nicole Estep

A Touch of Gypsy Blood (Ursala's Tattoo Story)

I have a feather tattoo on my inner left arm to remind me that “birds of a feather flock together,” as the saying goes. This is the handiwork of a good friend of mine, and I get compliments on it all the time.

In fact, I just was on a trip in India and came across a bunch of traveling gypsies who were of course covered in tattoos with a lot of birds and feathers. One of their friends asked me, “Are you part of this family?” I smiled, and she said, “you probably are because you have that feather tattoo on your arm.” I may have gypsy blood, but I'm not full on gypsy.

It's interesting how we attach meaning to images, and others may have a different idea when they see my feather. It's another way for me to explore why I was drawn to this image when other people comment on it.

--Ursala Garbrecht

Finally a story from Oregon. I know there are more good ones out there.

Blog moving Soon

We're gonna move to another server soon. If you saved this URL, you're OK. The update should be smooth.

Love is of Demon Tattoo is of Photoshop (Guest Post)

Gabriela sends us this these knuckles and the story:

Hi,my name is Gabriela and I’m from Brazil. the history of my knuckle tattoo is: My parents are very religious, and I hate religion . For my parents all things that I love is of demon, like rock, tattoos, among others. I don’t believe in demon or god, but I decided tattoo, as a form of revolt, the name of the beast on my fingers, a prominent place. They never tried forced me to go to church again, now they are ashamed of my tattoo, and don’t want what the priest see it .

Nice story. Anton Levey would be proud.

Tattooed Web Fonts SUCK

Get Hand Lettering or No Lettering at All

I'm f%$&* sick of seeing Web Fonts as tattoos. Unless you're going for a typewriter effect or something very particular, Fonts look like sh*! as tattoos. It's "near beer" instead of a fine Oregon brewed porter. Most shops should have an assortment of good tattoo lettering. If they don't have references or don't just freehand it on, go somewhere else.

Lettering is among the MOST TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT and UNFORGIVING tattoos to get. Make sure your artist is up to the task.

Four Letters, Four Fingers, One Word Down

I made a list of four letter words. Then let fate choose which one when I rolled the dice.
Thought I crapped out at first, but it's perfect. This Tattoo is sharply sarcastic.

Broken Hope Fixes Herself

Miss Hope sends us these knuckles and a story:

Hey my name is Hope.This was my very first tattoo. I got it done when I was 15 being punk in golden gate park. My friend needed alcohol and I needed some tattoos. Jim Beam for tats. I will definitely never forget that day. I have other tattoos now but these are still ghetto . Maybe one day I will get them fixed. Hopeful is with one L not two but I didn’t want to leave that one pinky lonely. It was actually going to be Hope Less but I had an odd feeling that would make me even more hopeless then I was at the time.

Read My Fists (Half Assed Guest Post)

Savannah sends us this set of knuckles:

i am a reading addict. i started reading at the age of 5, and have more or less never put the book down since. my personal library contains about 400 books or so. i have yet to meet a single person who doesnt like this tattoo.

none of the hundreds of books i read taught me how to capitalize or use apostrophes.
i should have read how 2 check a tattoo artist's portfolio b4 i got his tattoo because the line-work sucks.

Fist Full of Ink (Tattoo Story)

Now She's Hard to Beat

My name is Elizabeth. I got this tattoo because I was abused as a child. My Dad told my teachers that my black eyes were from my clumsy tripping. He soon discovered that it was easier to hide the beatings when he punched me in the stomach. It took a broken rib and punctured lung for me to gain the courage to report him.

This tattoo reminds me to play nice all the time. It also shows my strength. I'm nice by choice, not from weakness.

Bizarre Royal Wedding Tattoo

Some people have a bizarre and unhealthy addiction to dumb tattoos.

Craig's List Unusable

Happy seizures. Wow. It's remarkable how useless my favorite sites have become. Google delivers nothing but spam results or crappy keyword heavy "content" which says nothing.

Craig's List is worse. Each request for tattoo stories and submissions just gets me a ton of stupid spam. Now, some Dumb-ass is flagging my posts. It's ridiculous that CL doesn't check the flags. I had the fake flag issue in Spokane as well. All competitors just flagged anything you posted. What a waste of time. It's not even worth resubmitting because the Jackass will just do it again. Luckily, I have other sources to promote my content. Who needs the reject, loser crap that comes from CL? Not me. Good Riddance to CL.

BTW, if you're going to submit a tattoo picture and story. Proof your work. I'm not gonna publish any old crap that comes my way.

Nepal (Guest Post)

Not that many people venture into Nepal.  Despite its close proximity to the Himalayas and its once prominent status as a hippie getaway in the 60’s and 70’s, Nepal has in more recent times become something of a dubious travel decision.  Part of this is attributable to the civil war that raged there from 1996-2006.  That period certainly wasn’t much for luring in travellers and even today there has been problems with Maoist insurgents who create a somewhat unstable environment for visitors.

Regardless of these setbacks in hospitality, Nepal is once again on a mission to lure back the tourists that had previously arrived in hordes.  Their solution?  A series of newly created and funded state initiatives called Nepal Tourism Year 2011.  The first part of this was bringing Canadian singer/songwriter Bryan Adams over for a concert.  Once state officials realised that no one actually wanted to see Bryan Adams, they came up with the next idea, this one much better suited to bringing in new and different people and points of view.  So, this past weekend, Kathmandu was the site of the Nepal International Tattoo Convention.

‘Despite being an integral part of some of Nepal’s ethnic cultures, tattoos have had a sketchy reputation in the nation’s past.

They were once synonymous with the “free love” ideology made popular by the hippies who strolled Kathmandu’s backpacker hub known as Freak Street during the late-1960s and 1970s.

Another reason for disparagement was cultural. For centuries, members of Nepal’s lower castes would decorate their bodies with stars and moons in the belief that once their soul left their body they would be recognized in heaven.’

A pretty great idea actually, and one that really seemed to draw in a decent crowd.  Not only that, but artists from all around the world made the trek for the weekend long event, with 91 indoor stalls set up for tattooists.  Hey, it’s a long journey to Nepal, but I’m sure it would have made for an unforgettable time.

Idiotic Tattoo Fest 2011 (Guest Post)

This may sound a tad naive, but I am continually surprised by the amount of people in this world who are willing to permanently alter their appearance with a tattoo for cash or some other sort of material incentive.  That’s not to say that I disagree with someone getting a tattoo across their forehead in exchange for a fistful of cash or a lifetime’s supply of laundry detergent, though.  I mean, if that kind of stuff is that valuable to you, then by all means, tattoo away.

The latest in the tattoo-your-face-for-a-prize scheme comes from the Czech Republic where an unnamed man has had the name of a restaurant listing website tattooed across his forehead.  In addition to a year’s free lunches at any of the restaurants listed on the Czech website Obedvat.cz, the man also received 200,000 Kč (just over $12,000 USD) for his trouble.  And, according to the unnamed and now tattooed man, he’s more than happy with the arrangement.

‘”I feel fine and checked myself in the mirror, and I like it,” he said. “I don’t regret it at all, and I will certainly enjoy the money.”

He admitted he had been getting some strange looks when he went out in public, but seemed unperturbed, if not pleased, by the extra attention.

“People have slowly started to turn around and see what I have on my forehead,” he said. “It is strange and extravagant, and I like that.”‘

Glad to see that he’s happy with that tattoo because as we all know, money isn’t permanent.  A tattoo however…

Tags: Ads, czech republic tattoo, Dislike, forehead tattoo, News, obedvat forehead tattoo, Stories, tattoo blog, Video

I disagree. That dude is an idiot. Now he has the rest of life to realize how he has literally "defaced" himself. When you break it down, 12,000 bucks is a JOKE for the amount of time:
Average Life Expectancy: 79 years


His Age: 22 (a guess)


Life of Tattoo: 57 years (almost 3 times his life already)


57 years is 20,805 days


That comes out to a little over $0.57 a day!!! Not even a cup of coffee.


Is your face worth more than that? Worst of all the longer he lives, the less value he gets. So, his only choice is finish himself off early. That way, he at least gets a half-ass deal out this fiasco.


BTW, that lettering will look like a smudge in about ten years.

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More Tattoo Studio Prejudice (Guest Post)

More news out of Hermosa Beach today where city residents have been making a great deal of effort to chase tattooist and tattoo studios from the area, despite a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision last year which stated that tattoos and the business of tattooing are forms of expression protected by the First Amendment.

If you’re familiar with this story, then you’ll probably also know that back in March, the Hermosa Beach City Council asked the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission to hold a public hearing this month in order to determine what can be done about the city’s current tattoo ordinance.  Here’s the list of proposed regulations that concerned residents came up with, which will be discussed at the next planning commission meeting on May 17th.

Tattoo businesses in the Hermosa Beach area will be required to:

1. Not be within a 100-foot buffer zone around residential property.

2. Not be within a 200-foot buffer zone around parks, schools and religious facilities.

3. Operate between 8am and 9pm.

Honestly, can’t these whiney city residents just let it go already?  They’ve lost.  Tattooists are protected by the First Amendment.  It is their right to open and operate their own businesses.  Imposing the above restrictions on tattooists is not only unconstitutional, but it further stigmatises these legitimate artists and businesses.

What the concerned group of citizens and homeowners in Hermosa Beach don’t understand is that it’s they who are maintaining and adding to the bad reputation of tattooists.  These people believe that tattoo studios are going to create a criminal element and drive down the real estate value.  Obviously these people are not aware of how much money tattooists make.  They’re also only serving to keep a negative stereotype alive by trying to push the tattooists out.  While the tattooists quietly go about their business, these obsessive residents are carrying on about how undesirable tattooists are.  Get it residents?  You’re creating, maintaining and spreading the lie that tattooing is somehow dangerous, morally corrupt and detrimental to your living space.  Let the businesses flourish for a year and then try and tell me that tattooists are bad for your community.

I guess we’ll see what happens at the next meeting in May, but something tells me that there is no way in hell that these residents are going to win.  And that’s a very good thing.

Tags: hermosa beach, hermosa beach city council, hermosa beach planning commission, hermosa beach tattoo ban, tattoo blog, Uncategorized

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4/20 Knuckle Tattoos (Guest Post)

Erica sends us these knuckle tattoos and a short description:

Since baseball season is upon us it always reminds me that my pride is there no matter who is on our team this year or who may or may not be retiring.  I found your website & thought you might like the pics!

You can check out a more in depth description at: http://stellatattoos.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-york-yankee-pride.html

The execution for this one is OK, the design is a little dicey for a knuckle though. That's something I'd expect the owner to have, not a mere fan. To each her own.

Tattoo Studio Attacks on Rise (Guest Post from Tattoo Blog)

No offense to the Australians out there, but something tells me that Sydney isn't the best place to open up a tattoo studio. Of course, I could be wrong (believe it or not, it has happened before), but it seems like there is a lot of violence toward tattoo studios over there. Typically I'm not too interested in news that revolves around crime and tattoo studios, but in the case of Australia, there just seems to be incident after incident that catches my eye. Check this out:

December 29^th, 2010: A tattoo studio in Coogee is firebombed.

January 13^th, 2011: A car is rammed through the front entrance of a tattoo studio in Mount Druitt.

March 26^th, 2011 : A 40-year-old man is shot and killed inside a tattoo studio in West Ryde.

And now, as of April 19^th, someone broke into a Sydney tattoo studio during the night with a sledgehammer. They then doused the premises in some sort of flammable substance and lit the entire place on fire.

Sheesh, those are a lot of bad incidences for the tattoo folks of Australia. Is it due to some sort of fanatical anti-tattoo group? Well, no. It's actually a result of Australian motorcycle gangs (or bikies as Australians seem to call them). I'm not sure exactly what these guys have against tattoo studios, but my guess is that it's probably not something very nice. The violence is most likely over turf or something of that nature. I'm not an expert. All I do know is that it's slightly troubling any time that a consistent streak of violence seems to plague tattoo studios for no clear reason. Really gives tattoo a shitty name and reputation.

Tags: australia motorcycle gangs, australia tattoo, bikie gangs, Coogee, Dislike, Health Risks, Mount Druitt, News, Stories, Sydney Tattoo, tattoo blog, West Ryde, Workforce

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Who Set the Tattoo Endurance World Record? (Guest Post from Tattoo Blog)

Get up to anything interesting this weekend?  Norwalk, Ohio residents Robin H.M. and Jeff Garton certainly did.  Surviving on a steady supply of bananas and orange juice, the two set a new Guinness World Record for the longest tattoo session.  How long is long?  Well, the tattoo started on Friday, April 15th at 9:05am at Norwalk’s 546 Tattoo Studio and it didn’t end until Sunday, April 17th at around 9:30am.  All told, the running time was 48 hours and 26 minutes.  That’s a long time to tattoo and that’s a long time to sit still for a tattoo.

The tattoo was a design by Robin H.M. and it was done on Garton’s thigh.  Though Guinness has not yet officially recognised the feat, Robin and Garton’s tattoo marathon beat the old Guinness record by 11 minutes.  Throughout the tattoo, Guinness records stipulated that neither participant could sleep, though they could take occasional 2 minute breaks.

In addition to breaking the Guinness record and gaining recognition for their achievement, the event had an entirely charitable purpose:

‘Robin, who has been a tattoo artist for the past 14 years originated the idea as a way to generate donations and raise awareness for the current and baffling cancer cluster in the nearby area of Clyde. A case that has affected scores of lives, including many children. ”It just seems like there are more and more of them all the time, and something needs to be done.” says Robin who has been frustrated with the tragic medical mystery for years.  Meanwhile, Jeff Garton, says he was doing the event to raise awareness for a local rehab center in the Norwalk area.’

Nice work, guys!  Hope you’ve caught up on your missed sleep.

Tags: 48 hour tattoo, 546 Tattoo Studio, Guinness Book of World Records, Jeff Garton, News, Norwalk Ohio, Robin HM, Stories, Tattoo Artists, Video, Workforce, World Record Tattoo

Will SwedenTake Over? (Guest Post from Big Tattoo Planet)

The Swedes continue to invade the tattoo world.  The weirdest thing keeps happening to me lately where I’m seeing the work of tattooist, then looking more into who that tattooist is and finding out that they are Swedish.  Again and again it happens.  I don’t want to give the impression that I’m favouring the Swedes over everyone else out there, slaving away in their shops.  Oh well, when all is said and done, it doesn’t matter where someone comes from.  It’s their work and only their work that truly matters.  Right?  Right.

When I was a kid, there used to be this arcade game called Dragon’s Lair.  It was unlike any of the other video games in the arcade because it was literally a cartoon that you could control.  It pretty much blew my ten-year-old mind and even though the game itself wasn’t that great, I was incredibly drawn to the game’s animation.  I hadn’t thought about that game or its crazy cool animated graphics for years.  And then, I saw the tattoo work of Emil Edge and I was instantly reminded of the Dragon’s Lair animation style all over again.  I love the fact that Edge’s work also retains a kind of creepy three dimensional aspect to it - something that works especially well with skulls and creepy little dudes with skinny fingers.  That’s what I think, anyway.

Edge has been tattooing since 2004 which obviously isn’t that long, yet it’s apparently been long enough for him to come up with his own particular style.  Between 2006 and 2008, Edge was running a shop called Dedication Ink, but these days he can be found at Fisheye Ink in Karlstad, Sweden.

How to Submit Tattoo Photos & Stories

Knuckle Tattoos (Guest Post)

Someone likes A Day To Remember, I think it’s Josh! Wait, I know it’s Josh:

Hey my name is Joshua Ellis. I recently got this done. Homesick is an album that I listen too daily, and have done so for the past almost 3 years.

That script is wrong. The letter forms aren't legible, especially in all capitals. I would have done it by hand, and left the computer fonts for graphic designers.
You can make your own hand lettering or you can choose lettering from a book:

Warning: 5 Risks Scratchers Don't Want your to Know About

Tattoos aren't for everyone. There's no shame in wondering the world without ink. If you're considering a tattoo here are five risks to consider.

1. Allergic reactions

   Tattoo dyes — especially red dye — can cause allergic skin reactions, resulting in an itchy rash and other skin irritations at the tattoo site. This may occur even years after you get the tattoo. Also, the ink may just fall out as your body rejects it. If you're concerned about having a reaction to the ink, get a Black and Grey Tattoo (without white highlights). Black ink is super safe.
   

2. Skin infections

   Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections, characterized by redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage. This is usually the result of bad aftercare. As long as you follow proper aftercare instructions this shouldn't be a problem. If your tattoo does get infected, see a doctor sooner then later. I have a few posts about how to spot infections.
   

3. Other skin problems

   Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink — especially red ink. Tattooing can also lead to raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue (keloids). This is rare, but does happen on occasion. It's something to think about, especially if you're a getting something with a lot of red in it like a rose.

4. Bloodborne diseases

   It's almost impossible to contract a bloodborne disease in state with strict regulations such as Oregon. Even so, there's a minute chance. If you see your artist using dirty equipment, LEAVE. Infections are very RARE in a shop, but transmission could happen from a base scratch-er. Since tattoo needles bust open your skin, opening the crimson flow of your circulatory system, dirty equipment can infect you with blood-borne pathogens, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tetanus and HIV.
   

5. MRI complications

   Rarely, tattoos or permanent makeup may cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases — such as when a person with permanent eyeliner has an MRI of the eye — tattoo pigments may interfere with the quality of the image. This is most likely from inks/dyes that use minerals such as brown, red, blue, and "mixed green" (it has blue in it--you know yellow and blue make green.)

Medication or other treatment may be needed if you develop an allergic reaction, infection or other skin problem. In some cases, the tattoo may need to be removed. Keep in mind that tattoo inks are classified as cosmetics, so they aren't regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

IN OREGON YOUR ARTIST IS OBLIGATED TO TELL YOU ABOUT THESE RISKS BEFORE EVERY TATTOO PROCEDURE. It's the law.

3 Myths about Tattoo Ink (Really Tattoos Dyes)

1. Myth#1 Tattoos use Ink

   Nope! Tattoos use dyes, ink is a mouth worm. With INK, the pigment sits on the surface of the substrate; with dyes, the pigment sinks into the substrate. Since your skin is the substrate in tattooing, your skin is being dyed--the stencil or marker drawing on the surface is INK, but NOt the actual tattoo. Of course, getting inked sounds way better than get dyed.

2. Myth #2 Tattoo ink is Regulated by the FDA

   There are NO FDA regulations for tattoo ink. The FDA considers the inks used in intradermal tattoos, including permanent makeup, to be cosmetics. The actual practice of implanting inks/dyes is regulated by local jurisdictions. In Oregon, the only requirement for Ink is that it is purchased from a "commercial manufacturer":
   (6) Inks, dyes, or pigments must be purchased from a commercial supplier or manufacturer. Products banned or restricted by the Food and Drug Administration must not be used.
   OHLA Link to Tattoo Ink Rule
   

3. Myth #3 Laser Tattoo Removal Always Works

   Despite advances in laser technology, removing a tattoo is a painstaking process, usually involving several treatments and considerable expense. But even laser removals fails sometimes. Some colors such as RED, BLUE, and GREEN cannot be fully removed. BLACK IS USUALLY THE EASIEST PIGMENT TO REMOVE WITH LASERS. If the artist went too deep or the tattoo got infected, removal without scarring may be impossible.

To find out more about Tattoo Safety visit FDA.Gov

Don't Let Corporations Infect your Skin

WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

Getting a corporate logo tattooed is stupidest idea ever. Not only do corporations change, but so do you. What if Ebeneezer Scrooge had gotten "Money Over Bitches" in a fine hand lettered script? There would be no Christmas Carol. He would have died in a lonely cold grave, overtaken by Ignorance and Want.

Corporate logos and memes are the epitome of slavery. Did you know that the term "brand", as in a the Google Brand is the SAME as the Cattle brands charred deep into Cattle? It's a sign of ownership. When you wear a brand, not only are paying to advertise for the company, but you're also telling the world that company owns you.

Beware of Back Room, Basement Scratchers

Fifty bucks and an E-Bay account are all it takes to get your hands on some machines and ink. These cheap, Chinese, home tattoo kits are serious danger to personal and public health. Everyday some drunk, mentally ill, or meth.ed out scratcher busts out the "tattoo gun" and takes aim. (BTW, tattoo "gun" is a term that untrained artists use; the correct term is "tattoo machine" or "irons".)

Dim lighting, filthy dust, smoke, and soot floating over the suspiciously stained torn pillows and the shaky hands of the "artist" ravage the skin the world over. When by some miracle of God, the tattoo doesn't get infected, the craftsmanship is far from stellar. Good work takes more than a steady hand, machines,and ink. The art of tattooing is a craft. The quality of the artwork is but one part of the craft. Machine settings such as spring tension, needle configuration, and technique all conspire to either breath life or death into your work. Tattooing is NOT something you just do. It takes training, practice, and dedication to achieve professional level work.

Is your local tattoo pro responsible their for cleaning up the damaged skin from a terrible “tattoo”? Most artists offer cover-ups. But even pro tattooers are not created equally. Cover-ups, in my opinion, are a specialty. Usually, it is impossible to completely cover old work. Some artist can achieve very good results through multiple sessions. Yes, black can be covered in about three sessions of color.

Often the goal of a cover up is to disguise the crappy work. The only other option is laser removal. But lasers can't remove scars from staph or from needles that plunge too deep.

Save your skin, don't get a basement home tattoo. Go to a shop, check out the artists portfolio, and THINK BEFORE YOU INK.

The Tattoo Shop in Sandy, OR Irie Tribe Glass & Gifts

I used to work at Irie Tribe Glass & Gifts, also known as Irie Ink or Irie Tribe Ink, the only tattoo in Sandy, OR.

I no longer work there. Because I practice Zen, I will not dive into the dirty details of why I left that shop. I wash my hands of that place. I wish the owner, Justin Kruckman, the staff, and the tattoo artists there the best.

For a time I was at Voodoo Tattoo. The shop is a trip, full of New Orleans signs, doors, beads, skulls, and crows. The ambiance cannot be matched. The girls that work the counter are friendly and not hard on the eyes, if you know what I mean. But I was a ship in the stormy seas of Willow Sparrow when I worked there; loud claps of thunder, bright flashes of lightening, sharp rain blasting in the cold wind. Every once in a while, a clear sunny day. But the storms were too much. Never knew when they'd come, how long they'd last, or how severe. Tragic, really. Voodoo Tattoo could be a great shop.

So, far there's only one shop where I would actually work. Graveyard Tattoos in Clackamas, OR. Allan and Bob are solid artists. They could definitely, use a Web site re-design though.

Graveyard Tattoos is clean, well lighted, and offers a safe, interesting tattoo experience. Bob puts flash from his students and his artist on the wall.

In fact, I got my first professional tattoos from Graveyard Tattoos when I was learning the art of tattooing there as a student. Overall, it's a professional environment, but still has the essential elements of real tattoo shop. And it's right across the street from Fantasy Adult Shop (inside joke.)

Excellent Source for Great Tattoo Designs

Simplicity at its best. Don't be fooled by the coloring book title. These designs are an awesome starting point for your artist. Each one has clean line-work and solid design that will last years to come.





Some art schools use this as a reference for tattoo arts. It has thousands of highly tattoo-able and easily modifiable designs. I highly recommend this book to tattoo enthusiasts, not only for variety of subject, but also for its unique style.

Tattoo Blog Back in Action

I converted my WordPress blog to Blogger. We're up and running again. Soon, I will add a custom domain.

Tattoo For Japan

Google is the Devil Incarnate

Fucking facists!!!

Auto Draft

Is your Tattoo Artist Obsolete? Automatic Tattoo Machine Invented

The inventor, Chris Eckert, pushes the boundaries of sculpture, technology, and art. Many of his extraordinary automaton inspired machines interact with their environment. When I last checked, he was working on a device that transcribes the gospel of Mark. It, however, reacts to sound. When the machine "hears" a noise, it makes a random error in its transcription.

So what does the glamorous contraption above do?

In a way, it's an automatic tattoo machine. Once the main switch is triggered, the operator is RANDOMLY assigned a religion. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc. The symbol for that religion, for instance a cross for Christianity, a star for Judaism, a crescent moon for Islam is tattooed onto the person’s arm. The operator does NOT have control over the assigned symbol.



The inventor, Chris Ekert, made a video of the machine in action.



It looks like a joke, but in fact it's sort of real. Any tattoo artist will tell you that you need to stretch the skin when tattooing, otherwise you get some very freaky skin snags. The leather strap on the machine does pull the skin a bit, but not enough for a real tattoo. Instead the design is simply drawn on the skin with a pen while the coils give that lovely, distinctive, tattoo, chattering buzz.

Since the machine does NOT give a REAL TATTOO, your tattoo artist is safe, for now. Some day, a machine will be invented. I, however, like many others would never get an automatic tattoo. It damages the whole experience, no silly, nervous jokes, no interesting, insightful conversations, and no awkward, weird pauses after the client tells you she just had an orgasm.

Catastrophic Kanji: A Terrifying Tale of Toxic Love

Rollin wanted the Chinese characters for “courage, strength and unity”. His girlfriend, Jane, loved the idea, "You should do it." she said, "And I know this great artist who can hook you up." When Rollin left, an evil smirk slid across her face.

At the tattoo shop, Rollin told his artist, Freddy Flesh Tones, what he wanted.
"No problem," said Freddy, "I'm a native speaker of Mandarin. We'll do the characters in cursive. It will be sick."

Rollin liked the design, he wasn't sure what it meant because he only speaks English, but it looked like other Chinese symbols he had seen before. Freddy inks the tattoo, Rollin loves it until his friend, Nevitt, sees it.

Nevitt says, "I didn't know you were gay."

Rollin is shocked, "Dude, you know I'm not gay."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but those symbols mean, 'He who loves men.' And that little thing there isn't a radical, it looks like a stylized penis."

Pissed, Rollin talked to Nevitt's friends who also confirm the meaning. A day after discovering the true meaning of the tattoo, Rollin finds out that Jane is cheating on him with Freddy Flesh Tones. She and Freddy orchestrated the whole thing.

Unfortunately, this tragic story is based on true events. I only changed the names to protect the innocent and to keep Rollin's legal options safe from infection. Make sure you know what your "Chinese Symbols" mean before you get them inked. Rollin clearly wasn't at fault, he got duped. Freddy Flesh Tone's wild, cold blooded cruelty is NOT the norm for tattoo artists. Let's just say that if Rollin's legal options don't pan out. Some other forms of justice will prevail.

5 Myths about Tattoo Artists

1. All Tattoo Artist are Created Equal.

   The truth is there are good tattoo artists and there are bad tattoo artists. Now that tattooing is so popular, anyone can buy a tattoo kit and scratch out some tattoos. Some scratchers have talent, others desire, but most don't have complete knowledge about how to properly and safely implant ink into the dermis. Licensed artists OR artists who have served an apprenticeship, will usually do a much better job than "some guy" in a garage. Infection control is much better in a shop than in a home. It all comes down to talent, dedication, and knowledge. It's also worth knowing that not every great artist can be a great tattoo artist. Tattooing has many psychological and technical components to it. Some artists are great oil painters, but crappy tattoo artists who can't stop their hands from shaking while they tattoo.



2. Tattoo Artists are Junkies, Convicts, & Thugs

   To be sure, some tattoo artists are. I once stepped into shop where the owner, thin as a stick figure, lit up a joint or PCP right in front of customers, who also looked like junkies. At the same shop, the lead artist would tattoo on Fridays with a bottle of Patron by his side. Drunk and or stoned out his mind. My instructor, must have flipped over in his grave at that one. He used to say, "Clean line. Clean mind. A tattoo records everything you do: good, bad or indifferent." Bob was kind of a mystic. But he was right.
   
   The tattoo industry is changing. More and more traditional artists are learning to tattoo. States such as Oregon have very strict tattoo laws, requiring schooling and basic medical training for tattoo artists. Most shops are clean and hire only the best artists.



3. Tattoo Artists Who Use Stencils, Can't Draw

   There are times when freehand art is called for, but most of the time. Stencils are faster. If your aritst chooses to use a stencil, that's his or her prerogative. It has nothing to do with his or her artistic talent. Stencils are great for realistic portraits, certain lettering, geometric designs, and other things that would be tedious to draw straight on the skin.



4. Tattoo Artists Shouldn't Get Tipped

   In most cases, the studio takes a percentage of the tattoo. The artist gets the remaining percent, but most studios require artists to supply their own ink, needles, needle-tubes, needle-tube-tips, and needle-tube-grips. These things cost money. Tips help your artist pay for his or her supplies and show appreciation. Tattooing is a service industry; so, it's RUDE NOT TO TIP.



5. Tattoo Artists are Rude & Grizzled

   Some tattoo artists are grizzled. And for good reason. Working at a busy shop can be stressful and some of the people who take a seat in the chair are irresponsible, stupid, and frustrating. How would you like it if you spent hours painting a beautiful portrait and then your canvas decided to run through the mud and dunk itself in a tub of bleach? Then when it's art got all fucked up, it blames YOU? Tattoo artists have to deal with that crap. A friend of mine tattooed a killer, full-color Zombie Elvis on this hick idiot. The guy who got the work done went swimming in a dirty lake the VERY NEXT day and the day after and the day after that. He didn't wash his tattoo after his swims, later that week--tattoo red and swollen--he enters a MUD wrestling contest. Needless to say, the dude had problems with healing. Some of the ink fell out. So what does he do? He blames my friend for this. He even threatened to sue. We laughed at him. Our aftercare sheet says in black and white NOT to swim until the tattoo is fully healed. That said, most artists return in kind. If you're polite so are they. After all, this is a service industry repeat customers and word of mouth are important.

6 Signs of Tattoo-Rot (Infection)

6 Symptoms of a Rotting, Infected Tattoo

The following tattoo symptoms indicate infection and may occur from poor aftercare or from unsanitary tattoo practice such as the use of dirty needles, tubes, or tips, the implantation of tainted ink(s), or from contact with contaminated instruments.

1. Excessive Swelling:

   Although swelling is normal during and after the procedure, excessive swelling may hint at an infection. Excessive swelling may also indicate an allergic reaction to pigment used in tattoo ink. Make sure that you visit a doctor if the swelling has not gone down in 48 hours or if it worsens.
   



2. Excessive Redness:

   It is quite natural for the skin to turn red while tattooing. The tattoo may remain red for a day or two. If the redness spreads and it is accompanied by irritation, it's time to call a nurse or see a doctor.
   



3. Fever:

   If you develop a fever, you should be alarmed. It a flashing red light for infection. Make sure that you consult a doctor immediately. Ignoring this sign of the infection can endanger your life and it can allow the bug to spread to other parts of the body. You don't want that. Get medical treatment ASAP.
   



4. Discharge:

   A slight discharge of blood or pigment is quite common a day after the tattoo. It should, however, abate quickly. If you notice white, green, or yellowish pus issuing from the tattoo, consult a physician.
   



5. Excessive, Lingering Pain:

   Tattoos are somewhat painful, but the pain is more of irritation and it should decrease. Make sure that you seek medical attention if you experience the same amount of or worse pain more than two days after the tattoo. Pain can signal infection.
   



6. Red Streaks:

   Read streaks signify blood poisoning. The likely cause is use of unsterilized needles. Tiny Red Sores or blotches may also appear, they are also symptoms of a serious infection. Consult a doctor. This should frighten you; your artist probably didn't use clean needles!!!!! You might want to get checked for other blood-born pathogens such as HIV, Hep. AB & C. Red streaks and sores can also occur from a self-inflected sewing needle tattoo. (Sticking a sewing needle or guitar string in a flame, WILL NOT STERILIZE the needle. The temperature of an open flame is no hot enough to kill most bacteria, let alone spores, and other microbiological nasties. Home tattoos invite infection, disease, and bad art. Get your work done from a professional studio. Make sure your check out the shop and inspect your artist's portfolio first.)

3 Reasons Why Fleshtone Cover-Ups Mutilate Skin

Some tattoo artist offer a cover-up service that is similar to tattoo removal. The process involves multiple tattoo sessions during which the artist implants "flesh-tone" over an existing tattoo. Yes, they do go over black. The trick to covering black is MULTIPLE SESSIONS. Usually three to four sessions will lighten and even fully cover black. Even so, sometimes, you're left with something that looks like a weird bruise.

So what's the problem?

1. Your skin tone is NOT stable. Your skin changes color according to temperature, not mention sun exposure. If you tan, the covered area will not match. If you get hot or cold, the covered area will not match.


2. It is impossible to match your skin tone because your skin tone is actually several colors working together at once. Every color portrait artist knows this. It takes takes several layers of color to achieve passable skin tone in a portrait painting. The "Flemish Technique" demonstrates this best.


3. Once the pigment is implanted that many times, it's much more difficult to remove. If the "cover-up" doesn't work out, you will have to pay through the nose to get it laser-ed.

As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Make sure you get your work done by a competent artist. If you do get bad artwork, bite the bullet and get a laser removal.

Are Tattoo Removal Creams Safe?

Can tattoos be removed with creams?

Tattoo removal cream manufacturers advertise various success rates and some creams, such as Tat B Gone, Wrecking Balm, and Tattoo-Off are available over the counter or online. While tattoo removal creams cost less that laser treatment, their success rates and skin safety are not proven.

How Most Tattoo Removal Creams Work?

• The first step includes using a hand held medical device (same idea as picture above) that will effectively remove the upper layers of your skin.
  


• The second step use of the chemical serum. The tattoo removing serum penetrates in the deeper lower layers of your skin. The cream makers claim that their secret serum is what does the trick and is what ultimately fades your tattoo from within. Usually, the cream is applied for 4-6 weeks. The time allows for skin cells to replenish after each skin stripping. The 4-6 weeks is one tattoo fading cycle. Tattoo removal cream manufacturers usually recommend monthly purchases for 3-12 months, with daily applications.
  

There is no scientific evidence that tattoo removal creams work for everyone.

Many of the ingredients in the removal creams are classified as “high risk” in cosmetic safety databases and have unknown side-effects.

Despite the expense,

laser tattoo removal is currently the “gold standard” tattoo removal option

with the highest success rates.

The "D" Stands for "Don't Watch"

When the LA Ink started off, it helped a great deal. It blasted away the stereo type of the dingy, drug infested tattoo shop. (These shops aren't just a myth in fact many of the shops in Oregon have seedy elements. Criminal artists, IV drug users, and perverts.) Even so, it showed NOT ALL tattooers are thug-druggies. It demonstrated tattooing as a craft for the uninitiated and the curious.

Although the show has always had some degree of "drama", for instance Corey Miller's epic battle with a vasectomy decision, the show's main focus was the tattooing. Unfortunately, as the years go by, the focus switches to the half-baked drama.

Now the show spins around a pre-fabricated story-line, complete with scenes you'd never see in a "documentary". In one episode Kat had a cacellation. She phones her back-up clients. There is a shot of the clients just walking down the street. They pretend to be surprised by the unexpected call. Obviously that shit had to be scripted. I doubt the LA Ink film crew shot everyone walking around in LA that day. You can't even see people move their mouths when they talk. Each scene or piece of "dialogue" is random footage with a choppy voice-over; the mismatched audio blurbs and phony scenarios have turned to the show into a very boring soap opera. Soap Operas at least have master mind criminals, spirit possessions, and steamy love affairs. Frankly I don't want any details about Kat's love life.

The carnal sin the show has committed is cutting back on the actual tattoo work in favour of focusing on minor conflicts which are blown entirely out of proportion in the hopes of achieving interesting television. The end result is one less viewer.

5 Tricks to Great Lettering

1. Keep it short and sweet.

   Whether your words are from a poem, a movie, a verse of Scripture, or a song, remember that short quotes work better than long ones. For example, "Fearless", "No Risk: No Reward", and "Faith" are better than "I am not afraid of anything", "I like to take risks because the rewards are worth it", and "I am a ( Crazy Christian, Mental Muslim, Hip Hindu, Zany Zennist, etc.)."
   



2. Pick a Good Location.

   For short quotes, the best places are the foot, wrist, back of the neck, ankle and arm. For longer lettering tattoos, the rib cage, shoulder blade, collar/chest, back, and hip area.
   



3. Pick a Good Lettering Style/Font.

   Not all fonts will look good as tattoos. I prefer script because it looks nice and usually has a better flow than computer fonts.
   
   The lettering below is far too busy to stand as a good tattoo. Over time the dots and line will merge together making it illegible. The solution is make it larger and to space the letters.
   
   
   
   Fonts like this one work better. They're bold and have large areas of black. The lettering is also legible.
   
   
   
   In general if you can shrink the font and still read it, it's probably going to be OK to tattoo.
   



4. Make sure the style of lettering has the "personality" for the quote.

   For example, this doesn't work:
   
   
   
   The style of lettering doesn't have the right personality for the message. Ol/Gangsta English would be better.



5. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR ARTIST'S PORTFOLIO for LETTERING.

   Lettering is one of the MOST TECHNICALLY DEMANDING TATTOOS. There is little room for error. If you don't see a lot of lettering or the lettering is weak (uneven lines, messy fill, illegible), pick another artist. Not much can be done with bad lettering. It usually has to be covered or faded.

3 Easy Ways to Piss off your Artist

1. Get Wasted before your appointment.

   Friday nights are the worst for this. One lady stumbled into the shop with a black eye and scrapes all over her face, she slurred out something like, "iwannagetatattootonight". For kicks I asked her, "What do you want?". "'Ilovedrugs iwanitnon my forehead." I told it would cost $2,000. "Lemmegogetthemoney". Never returned, big surprise. It doesn't matter if you made the appointment sober, you can't get tattooed in Oregon if you're drunk or show signs of IV drug use. It's the LAW.



2. Squiggle during your tattoo.

   You can seriously mess up your artwork doing this. One girl I tattooed kept squiggling during the outlines. I told her to stop moving around. When I got to a line near her lovehandle, she levitated out of the chair. I took my foot of the foot-switch to stop the machine and raised the machine high above her skin, but she jumped so high that the needle poked a small dot on the side of her design. I had to add "sparkles" to make it fit with the rest. To top it off she bitched about having to pay extra for the sparkles. You move, you pay.



3. Spit your guts out and confess to crimes.

   I like talking to clients during the tattoo. It's one of the reasons I love this art form; you get to see people in their purest and crudest state, but there are some stories I can do without. Don't burden your artist with all the nasty details of how you did your sister when you were younger. It's awkward. And isn't that you're sister holding your hand?

5 Unforgivable Tattoo Sins

If this tattoo had color, it would have it all.

1. Design Dysfunction.

   This ex-stripper turned tattoo artist had a knack for bad tattoo designs. She attempted to draw a Sailor Jerry Anchor, but it didn't come out right, which is pretty difficult with sailor flash because it's so simple. Somehow she manged to screw-up the drawing. Thinking herself the artist, she insisted that the design remain unchanged. The guy who tattooed didn't do a great job of executing the tattoo, but that wasn't the REAL problem. The crap design was the problem. She went mental when she saw it. Months later she insisted the shop owner to drive to her shop to fix the thing for free. When he refused the drive--not the fix, she bad mouthed him all over town and still to this days speaks ill of him. What can say, she's a crazy bitch.



2. Indecent Implantation

   Poor tattoo execution on a good design can be serious a problem. It's sucks to see good traditional design, such as an anchor, a swallow, or a rose fucked up by bad line-work and crap fills. One guy who stepped into the shop had what I suspect was a nautical star tattooed on his left hand. He was wasted when he tattooed the thing with a homemade tattoo machine. I've never seen anything this bad before. There were three crazy wandering lines for each point of the star. It was like he just couldn't get the points to connect; so he swirled out a new line each time. He never quite succeeded. The fill wasn't any better. The entire tip of one point of the "star" was black. (Nautical stars alternate, black, color, black color, etc.)



3. Color Confusion

   This usually involves putting in the wrong color. I guess the guy above fits into this category too. But I've also seen my share of purple smurfs and putrid portraits. Color can go very wrong in color portraits; so make sure you're artist up to the task. Also pay attention. If you see your artist bust out the red ink for a black and gray tattoo, say something.



4. Lame Lines.

   I hate seeing shaky, timid lines, it just makes me cringe.



5. Misplacement/Misalignment.

   The ex-stripper turned artist mentioned above also had a slightly crooked cross on her lower back. This one might have been a joint effort. She approved of the placement, but the artist should have double checked. A few days later, the ex-stripper's boyfriends told her "the cross ain't right". Guess they had good view of it, if you know what I mean.

3 Terrifying Facts about Tattooing

1. Your Tattoo Artist might be a Criminal. I worked at shop where the lead artist was a convicted sex-offender and convicted felon. He committed 1st degree felony assault (practically murder, the worst assault charge you can get). He was constantly high or in trouble with the law. Worst of all, he had his creepy hands all over young female clients. CHECK OUT YOUR ARTIST. I left the shop as soon as I discovered the facts about him


2. You risk Infection.You can contract Staph, Hep. C (or A or B), HIV, and other blood-borne pathogens from a DIRTY, UNTRAINED ARTIST. Tattooing involves exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Both you and your artist are at risk. If your artist does not follow infection control standards, you can get sick. Usually you're artist will know enough not to infect you with Hep. or AIDS. STAPH is your biggest risk. A Staph infection will scar you and can kill you if left untreated.


3. You can get a Bad Tattoo. I've seen some terrible tattoos. Shaky unconnected line, muddy vomit coloring, and moderate scarring from untrained, inexperienced artists. Most can be removed or covered, but in some cases you're left with a scar.

Not all tattoo studios or artist are equal. THINK BEFORE YOU INK. Check out your artist and Studio. Tattooing is sacred. Putting your time to do a little research will get you a better tattoo.

How Not Get a Tattoo

They don't hurt that much!!! WTF?

Three Steps to a Bad Tattoo

1. Stumble into your friends living drunk without any idea of what you want
2. Have your Friend who bought a Tattoo Kit from Ebay Tattoo you
3. Let your cat or dog lick your tattoo.

Are Color Tattoos Safe?

For some people they're safe, for others they are dangerous. Color carries risk. Yellow, for example, is made of cadmium yellow (potential carcinogen), ochres, curcuma yellow, chrome yellow, or disazodiarylide. Curcuma is derived from plants of the ginger family; a few people are allergic to it. Adverse reactions are commonly associated with yellow pigments, in part because more pigment is needed to achieve a bright color. Red and blue have similar stories.

Reactions vary in severity. Sometimes it means delayed healing, other times the body just spits the ink back out, but other times it's more severe, resulting in blisters and scarring. I'll spare you the gross images. If you want to see them, then just do a Google Image search for: Tattoo Allergic Reactions.

The worst thing about COLORED tattoo ink is the "proprietary" color trade-secret. Companies DON'T have to place the ingredients on the ink bottle because the color is considered a "TRADE SECRET". That's BS and irresponsible. Consumer health is more important; besides, Oregon doesn't allow artist to make their own ink. Ink must be purchased from a commercial manufacturer, BUT THERE IS NO REGULATION for the manufacture of the INK!!!!! WTH?

How to Check an Artist's Portfolio

There are many qualities to look for in good tattoo artwork. But it doesn't take art expert to spot a few tell tale marks of a good/experienced tattoo artist. Here are five things to look for when you inspect a tattoo artist's portfolio:

1. Clean, solid, stable lines.

   Line-work is paramount in tattooing. Lines hold the design together; they also determine to a large extent the longevity of the tattoo. Here's what to look for in the lines:

   • Solid, connected lines.

     The lines should NOT be shaky. Shaky lines indicate inexperience. Solid lines require proper machine set-up and tuning, choice of needle configuration, and a stable hand.

   • No "foggy lines".

     Foggy lines in LINE-WORK and Blowouts put you at risk. If you see a hazy line, run. The tattoo artist went too deep or tilted his or her hand causing a blowout. You should NOT see blowouts or foggy lines in a portfolio.

   • Even line-weight.

     Uneven line-weight or variance in the thickness in the line, unless it's obviously intentional, usually means the artist is either lifting his or hand or failing to maintain a steady speed while inking. Either mistake leads to weak, unpredicable line-work.



2. Solid Fill.

   Fill should NOT be spotty or dotty; it should be evenly toned throughout the filled area. It should also connect to the line or color border. Some artists do fill in multiple sessions to ensure bright, vibrant color. An artist who uses that technique will include a picture of the tattoo AFTER it is healed. If you see lots of "weepy" oozing tattoos in the portfolio, choose another artist. Excessive weeping results from overworking the skin, wanting to put too much color in one sitting.



3. Smooth Color Blends and Shading.

   Uneven dotty blending of color patchy shading indicate a lazy or inexperienced artist. Color blends and shading should look airbrushed. Good color blends and shading aren't an accident. They require proper machine tuning, needle configuration choice, and a practiced hand. (There is an exception to this. Some Old Skool Art has "California spit", the shading is decoratively dotty, not sloppy. I'm guesing that if you know about California spit, you're a true connoisseur and know how to spot good work already.)



4. Good, quality artwork.

   Good lines, solid fills, and smooth gradients can't overcome a crappy design. You want to make sure that your artist knows how to create quality art. He or she should have a firm grasp of proportion, perspective, color theory and other artistic aspects of tattoo design.



5. Good Expression of Concept.

   This refers to how the artist interprets and translates the design request. It doesn't matter how technically proficient or even how talented he or she is artistically; if he or she cannot create a design that effectively communicates your idea, you'll end with a bad tattoo. In my opinion, tattoo designs should be simple, you should be able to recognize the design from half way across the room. If an artist can't translate your idea into a simple, effective design, it won't look good.

3 Reasons Why Only Idiots Get Lover's Names Tattooed

1. Love can Turn to Hate. If it does you're STUCK with a constant reminder of how that person controlled you. You'll want it removed or covered, both cost money.


2. Names change but tattoos stay the same. You're lover might decide to change his or her name. Hey, it happens. Maybe a celebrity or politician with their name does something despicable. Of course, you'll be stuck with name too and everyone will think you endorse the despicable person. For example, what if you're lover's name was "OJ"?


3. It's a CURSE in the tattoo world. No matter how much you love someone who is living, getting his or her name tattooed on you is almost a guaranteed breakup. I can think of few reasons why this is so. First, getting a name tattooed is a desperate attempt to show the person how much you love him or her. It usually doesn't work and some people get freaked out by it. Second, the name is a kind of BRAND. The person wearing it may realize this later on, leading to resentment.

Satanic Devil Tattoos

Contrary to popular belief a devil does NOT mean you are a SATANIST. I have a Devil Tattoo & I'm a Zennist. Devil tattoos can represent the mischievous little boy or girl inside us all. It doesn't mean that you are evil or anti-religious. Everybody has a little devil in them. It must be honored.

The devil tattoo wearer is having a little fun and it should be taken as such. Even when a tattoo artist paints horns on an angel, it is just their expression of the duality. We are evil and good at the same time.

Devil tattoos in extreme cases may be a form of religious expression, but this is rarely the case. And even most satanist are widely misunderstood. Many of Anton Levey's books are very funny and much more aimed hedonism than midnight blood sacrifices of virgins.

Devil tattoos can also represent the constant temptation that we have in life. Perhaps that's why the mere sight of them can instill the fear of eternal wraith, ironically reminding the wearer to steer clear of sin. Devil and Satan tattoos are also kind of talisman. Since you have evil on you already, evil will leave you alone. This odd logic and superstition are common in the tattoo world. You see it a lot with nautical tattoos. I think the Traditional Rooster & Pig Tattoos exemplify it best.