mario desa

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

funny...i get back on here and i see this and the post speculating about our departure from ctc! ha! one kind of answers the other...it's more a forum for civilians (no offense). i'd like to chime in here and there, but honestly, i'd be more interested in a forum for tattooers only, as i chat with "civilians" all day!
but i want to try to make an effort again to be on here more because i do think it's a positive!

people think i'm joking when i say i like doing tribal, too. and i've actually said to a few customers who were really freaked out "you don't HAVE to get a tattoo. i know its popular, but it's ok not to have one."

good suggestions, dan! especially the fresh breath! also, shower and wash your feet if the tattoo is there!!! don't tell me about any depressing shit...like all the dead people your tattoo is for or whatever. sorry, but i don't need to hear about that 5 times a day i just want to do a good tattoo. not get bummed out. i know that sounds cold, but i do probably a thousand tattoos a year and every other person wants to tell me about the deep deep meaning of their tattoo...it's a bit much.

i hate that, too. i always blatantly ignore the loudmouth know-it-all and talk directly to the customer. then i don't let the loudmouth come past the wall for the tattooing.

julio, i read a story about a tattooer on south state street, chicago in the 50's who also hated that. so he would wear a big sombrero while he worked so the dude couldn't look down! the brim was between him and the tattoo!!

i wasn't just being a wise-ass! that's really what that symbolyses...at least sub-consciously. it's also why we all love flowers and build giant phalluses called skyscrapers. not dissing it at all...

Mario Desa Tattooer at Chicago Tattoo Company

i stopped caring about shit like this, or i'd be angry 24/7/365. either way i'm tattooing and will continue to tattoo, i don't give a shit what's going on where...

i stopped caring about shit like this, or i'd be angry 24/7/365. either way i'm tattooing and will continue to tattoo, i don't give a shit what's going on where...

i hate that, too. i always blatantly ignore the loudmouth know-it-all and talk directly to the customer. then i don't let the loudmouth come past the wall for the tattooing.

people who walk in on their phone and try to ask questions while STILL ON THEIR PHONE. or answer their phone as you're answering their question. i just walk away.
also, spoiled college kids who lay on our couches and put their feet up, and people who ask "so, what ELSE do you do?", implying there's no possible way i could actually earn a living tattooing!

well...this is bound to turn into a huge mess. but, here's my take. i think we all "appropriate" things, especially those of us who follow "traditional" tattooing. by its nature, traditional or classic tattooing follows a certain code, look, and rules. we follow a lineage. most of the designs have been passed on to us through that lineage and visual heritage, and their origins are long lost, or if there was an originator, he is long dead.
now, if a LIVING tattooer does something unique and original, and it's his/her own idea, and overnight, thanks to facebook, it's being copied all over the world and internet, i think that's wrong. that guy came up with something cool and new, maybe his whole own style or niche, and he's still alive, making a living. we should respect that.

no respect.

there's a documentary called TATTOO THE WORLD on ed hardy. it came out in 2009/2010. it's been shown at some festivals and in LA and SF. it's not on dvd, but i was tipped with a director's copy. it's pretty awesome.

i wouldn't sell it, but for showing-off's sake...i have an original rollo sheet from 1986 that i bought from him about ten years ago, and an acetate he cut, which was a gift from josh arment. i took it for granted that we lived in the same city, and never got tattooed by him, wish i'd done it.

Nick here has pictures of Cliff Raven tribal tattoos from 1965. Leo has mentioned that Cliff was his big influence. And like a lot of things, the Gays did it first! I personally like tattooing tribal designs, and miss doing them as often as we used to.

about two years ago i got fed up with the owl craze! i stopped doing them for about 6 months. the week i decided to stop 'em, i got 5 requests for owls! people understood and i was able to tattoo other things on them, fortunately. it seemed once i told them why i stopped, they didn't want the owl anymore anyway, since it was so popular. i just got sick of drawing them, and honestly couldn't conceive of any new or different way to do them, it was so out of control.
it's funny how people want to be so unique and singular, yet want the trendiest tattoos. perfect example: the finger mustache. every single person who's requested it has a hubris about them when they say what they want, and they are visibly bummed out when i don't burst into laughter and congratulate them on being a comedic genius! when i say "ok, cool, we do a lot of those", they act surprised and try to say they never saw it before and say how bummed they are because they didn't think anyone else had it. seriously?!?!? then, they change their minds. out of all the requests, i've only actually done two. and those people started off with "i know it's been done, but...". people are funny.

i just got tattooed by her yesterday, we traded! it pays to be connected ;)