cammers

Did these on my own knuckles.. the others will be skull themed as well..

Did these on my own knuckles.. the others will be skull themed as well..

Great Low brow tattoos and art from an Australian veteran.
Met Karl last night at a mutual friends wedding a super nice guy with a tonne of talent. Not sure if he is tattooing much anymore as he is focusing more on his paintings etc.
Here is a link to his site if you like it a little low brow, his pin ups are awesome my buddy has the one with the venus fly traps tattooed on his calf.
KK Illustrations - T-Shirts, Stickers, Logos, Lowbrow Art, Kustom Kulture & more

Right, should've articulated better.
People know what they're signing up for. The proposed laws and recent actions of police aren't just a case of fucking around in the everyday lives of innocent people. These groups are not distantly associated with violent crime: they're in the thick of it. The sheer arrogance required to fire a weapon into a home or business, especially with some of the near-misses in NSW involving innocent people and children, shouldn't be tolerated. If someone doesn't want the cops on their ass, here's an idea: join one of the many bike clubs that don't have connections to criminal activity.
I would rather have "draconian" gun laws than elected representatives being shot in the head while speaking in public, kids being shot on the way home from the store for wearing hoodies and "looking suspicious", and the disgustingly casual use of the term "school shooting" which has arisen from an event that shouldn't even have happened ONCE, let alone the numerous times it has in the US. The stereotypical American notion of "freedom" is a joke to the rest of the world - not that all Americans believe in it the same way (and I really don't have any beef with the majority of Americans), but the ones who are most vocal sure do sound ridiculous.

I think mistef Conn also knows the value of his name. He knows what people think about him and is playing his cards accordingly. And he quit tattooing because he didnt dig the scene etc. so I imagine he doesnt want to do stuff with an 150$ hour rate. Keep them small and finish in one session.
Of course another aspect is that he is charging this because people make tattooers mythical. Like Mike Roper. Grime says something in a interview = Roper is god. And even if he does do amazing work, it is the name and just that to some pdople. The culture that we live in. Elevate someone and be associated to that person = you get part of that spotlight.
Golden calf etc.

In my opinion there are no books that can teach these things with regard to tattooing.
Most of what I learned is from some of the concepts from Art History (capitals intended) but throwing yourself into art history school won't help.
For me the keys to learning anything in tattooing are getting tattooed by, or working with people who can do what you can't, or don't understand.
Studying (not just looking at) tattoos and tattoo photos helps too.
Many concepts that apply to music help with visual composition too, such as flow, dynamics, contrast, rhythm etc.
Also alchemy: solve et coagula. Take apart what exists, understand it, then assemble it once more. In Japanese there is a similar concept: "Shu Ha Ri"
Its a long-ass road.
If your'e in Austin, see how Steve Byrne or Tony Hundahl lay out a tattoo. It can be a masterclass in composition for clarity and readability.

Ok, I'm late to the party again, but I'm gonna drag up the Guns vs Machines thing again...
It doesn't fucking matter. I used to think it marked a difference between 'them' and 'us' but then I learned it's regional too. So I dropped it.
Many older English (or maybe even from elsewhere in the British Isles) tattooers used to call their machines 'guns'. Many still do. It doesn't mean they can't tattoo. That's guys we'd consider 'Old School' or 'Traditional'. Yeah, maybe their equipment didn't shoot anything, maybe they were using equipment with electromagnetic motors rather than a doorbell circuit with just regular coils, but that's what they got called by working professionals. 'Guns'.
Get over it.
Stop getting high and mighty because you heard some 'insider' terminology at the Tat Spot or the Tattoo Parlour or the upscale Dermagraphic Adornment Boutique, or maybe you read it on the internet. I guess you can be the authority on tattoo terminology now. Good for you.
I'm gonna keep slingin' ink on my bitchin' clients with my tatty-zap guns and also I'll be tattooing my regular customers as per usual. They way I say it shouldn't be of much concern.
Recently I've heard so many time-wasting, lazy-ass, no-talent-goons tell me how much they 'Respect the Craft', 'Honour Tradition' & put their 'Heart and Soul' into their half-assed doodles while asking for an apprenticeship/job/critique/applause/handout/validation, that the terminology has become meaningless.
The end result of the effort should be by what measure they, we and I'm, held accountable.
Sorry to be so Off Topic.

Some people might take offense at this tattoo done by Ashley Howell on my friend and co worker Derek. (rest of front and arms by Ross Ferrie).

I have never worried about the message I send to others with my tattoos.....i get them for me and me only!

Another session on my half sleeve by Crispy Lennox at BlackGarden Tattoo London.
I love her!

Did these on my own knuckles.. the others will be skull themed as well..

Did these on my own knuckles.. the others will be skull themed as well..

Do whatever you want in this life, but do not bitch about it when someone else doesn't like it. Discrimination is walking through a gated community, being shot and killed, and the police not doing shit about it. Being asked to leave a job that you were not getting paid for is a gift.

As far as tattooing goes, most Japanese, traditional style work is based on folk tales or religious/devotional stories or artwork.
So Japanese stuff is a mix of Buddhism and Shinto. Shinto being Japan's 'Old religion'.
Buddhism grew from a sect of Hinduism, in India. Many of the Buddhist tales involve long arduous journeys to spread the new religion to the people of the world, starting with Tibet, through China and it's surrounding countries, eventually to Japan. In India, Buddhism was mostly a small sect or cult but in China it took it's own flavour and was adapted to suit the climate, existing folk tales and myths. That version of Buddhism travelled to Japan and mixed with Shinto to evolve into it's own flavour of Japanese Buddhism. That's what we see in traditional Japanese tattoos. Many of the Japanese gods and mythical beasts have equivalent Chinese names, sometimes tattooers use the Chinese names.
There are very few people working in a strict Japanese traditional style. Most tattooers, especially outside of Japan tend to work in a more broad 'Asian' style (although they focus on the japanese style). Taking elements and stylistic touches from traditional devotional artwork from across Asia. As @Kev already mentioned most of the decorated skull tattoos are based on real decorated skulls from Tibet, like the example above. There are also smaller, more cartoon-looking skulls that could be mistaken for sugar skulls. They are often used as decoration around ritual instruments or artwork. You may have seen Filip use them as decoration on a larger skull's decorated cap.
Because other Asian countries don't have much history of decorative tattooing, it's not really possible to follow their example directly within tattooing. But the religious designs are awesome and people want large tattoos. That's why you find a mish-mash of broadly Asian influence wrapped in a mostly Japanese frame or background.
The interesting this is, the more you delve into the histories and myths of various distant and unconnected cultures, you notice many of the same elements. Swastikas, winged spirits and pyramids are good basic examples. (As a side note: it was cool to stand in a temple in Japan and notice Borneo style tribal patterns on the panel frames).
Jung called these 'Archetypes' (although this refers more to conceptual ideas and relationships, not graphic shapes) I call them 'fair game' for including in tattoos. It's my opinion that it's one of our jobs, as tattooers, to understand these elements to better apply them to tattoos and to guide the style and subject of our work more in line with historical or human tradition. Wether we admit our understanding or explain these archetypes to our clients is of no consequence.
This is one of the many reasons I'd rather tattoo a witch/crone holding a twig instead of a gent holding a pipe.
But that's another story. I don't want hippy clients asking me to channel their mystic history into their Celtic, Navaho, Saxon, Russian armband/finger tattoo. Nor do I want to stick an eye in a triangle on anything and everything.
I tried to shed light on this, but I think I just muddied the water more...

Kardashifish

Welcome - Tattoo Expo
From The Website:
"Welcome
The 4th Sydney Tattoo Expo promises to be an amzing event. Where visitors can get tattooed or pierced at the Expo, whether it is their first or one of many!
We have a the best line up of local and international tattoo artists in what is now the most hugely attended tattoo expo in Australia.
There is clothing, merchandise and lifestyle vendors, Artist Skate Deck Auction, Tattoo Contests and loads of free entertainment.
With no affiliations to any association, motorcycle club, magazine or tattoo studio, this independent Expo is being organized by a professional event company, Conference and Exhibition Organisers (CEO), who have 30 years of experience planning successful shows throughout Australia.
In keeping with the relaxed, fun, family atmosphere all are welcome to visit the Expo but there is a strict No club colours or patches entry rule.
Ric Sedin"
Artists Attending (*Some of):
Chad Koeplinger (USA)
Chang Howming (Taiwan)
Cheng Xinlong (China)
Dong Dong (China)
(A large Japanese Contingent)
Akatsuki
Etsuo
Horihige
Horiken
Horikomo
Horishen
Horitaka
Horitsugaru
Khan
Kin
Kohki Sato
Masa-Shi
Mayuko
Ouka
Sabado
Tom
(Oh and some Aussies)
Stevie Edge
Tam
Suzi Q
Rory Pickersgill
Matt Deverson
Kat Abdy
And a whooooole lot of others ;) (got tired of typing) go check out the website to see the rest.
Important Info:
When:
Friday 9th March 12pm-10pm
Saturday 10th March 12pm-10pm
Sunday 11th March 11am-7pm
Where:
Halls 3 & 4 Sydney Showground
Corner Australia Ave & Riverina Ave
Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
Cost:
Online .. Door
Single Day ... $25 ..... $35
Two Day Pass ... $40 ..... $50
Three Day Pass ... $50 ..... $60
Child 12 to 16 ... $10 ..... $10
Child 12 and under ... FREE

Yeah honestly I can deal with trashy people, but I can't believe in this day and age people choose to eat such processed crap. On the other hand maybe all the preservatives will keep people alive. I am no hippy I just tend to worry about food that doesn't expire for years in the future. I will probably keel over one day due to my bacon and craft beer intake, but at least it will be fresh bacon and good beer that kills me. Really life is too short not to eat bacon and drink good beer.

I don't think you ever lose history altogether, people just have different areas of interest.
When I did my first photography qualification, I had to do a year of assignments using different film formats, developing and making prints myself. I shudder to think of how many hours I spent adjusting various things, wasting paper and inhaling gnarly fumes. Hated it. All well and good as a base to begin learning from, or as a hobby, but I don't share the opinion of that educational institution that it's "vital knowledge", or that it was necessary to spend so much time on it. I straight-up prefer digital, and don't understand the attitude of some that that makes one "arrogant" or "ungrateful".
Some people (to continue using the photography example) find that they learn a lot by using film. Or that they enjoy it. Others don't. And just as the K1000 seems to you to be "back to basics", there would've been a time when it was seen as all new-fangled and gadgety and set to destroy the livelihood of every photographer ever.
Basically, learning happens differently for different people. If, at the end of the day, they're producing something effective, does it matter how they came to that point?
How good someone is to have a conversation with, and how good they are at what they do, can be totally unrelated.