Lance

I've been looking for awhile for some good bakeneko designs and cannot seem to find any good references. Does anyone have a book or site for good designs that they could direct me to? I know Horitomo has a lot of really cool cats but from what I've seen none of them were really "bakeneko". I plan on getting a tattoo of one soon and would like to see some better pictures then what google has provided me. I'd like to do it with a really elaborate kimono and then have some severed heads with it. I was hoping to find an old Japanese folklore book with pictures but have so far been unsuccessful.

I'm not sure if this will help. It's more of a broad cat reference but I believe these books may have a couple bakeneko or nekomata references. Unfortunately the 1st is temporarily out of stock and the second is in Japanese I believe. The latter one had a cool print of a otokodate or samurai fighting a giant bakeneko or nekomata, if it's the same book I think it is.

Horitomo actually did a really nice nekomata on Grime. It was sitting with a knife in it's mouth. It was posted on Horitomo's or Grime's or Sword & Skull's IG site. I can't remember exactly. I think it's in the monmon book too.

Cats in Ukiyo-E: Japanese Woodblock Prints (Japanese and English Edition):Amazon:Books

Edo Neko [Tankobon Softcover] by Japanese Author:Amazon:Books

More video posting.

Horitaka! Taki lectures the first half and during the second, is where you see 50 backpieces/bodysuits walking around.

Kip Fulbeck! The photographer talks about how everything was put together.

Chaz Bojorquez! Lettering genius.

Another display option if you have the same ikea lamp:

Genius! Never thought I'd ever eagerly want to step into an ikea.

Perseverance lectures are up!!!

Junii!

Jill Bonny! I mean Horiyuki! I mean Jill Mandelbaum I mean Jill Halpin!... ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT1KpJ2O1mU

Chris Brand! Horishiki!

And there are more too but I'll try posting them later if someone else doesn't get to it first.

A little bummed I can't watch these till I get home. They may not be safe for work viewing if you work with uptight folks.

This is my homey after his first ever kill...not sure why I find this awesome. I'm a vegetarian.

Because you're a proud parent and this was his first kill. Sweep the foot! Sweep the foot! :-)

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I may be going to SOG too much for my own good, but I was half expecting everyone on this thread to own French bulldogs. It seems every time I look around another artist has a French bulldog for a pet.

@ironchef, I love it when sleeves are capped by bonji. Very nice. I've been debating getting that done myself, but I've little room between the end of my sleeve and hand. Especially at the wrist bone. Kokuzo Bosatsu being my birth Patron though.

Can I ask you the significance of, if I'm right, Fugen Bosatsu and Fudo Myo-o being red vs. black? Was it Horimitsu's choice or did you ask for it?

I'm not sure why you people keep posting pictures of tattoos that wrap around calves/forearms etc. Flatten those suckers out, it's very inconsiderate.

I mean, HELLO!!! You are "human canvases". Stretch those suckers out for us. ;-)

I thought Junii had (to me)the most inspiring lecture. She may have struggled through some English but every story or idea she was talking about rang true regardless of gender. She well deserved the ovation if anyone were to get one. Chasing dreams is part of what makes us interesting people and keeps out spirits alive. I can relate to the same experience of chasing a dream to be doing what I love to do and how the realization of the dream has made me a happier person in general.

Chris's was really interesting and well put together. Both of those were my favorites. I have always been a huge fan of Chaz esp what he's been doing the last few years style-wise but it (again in my opinion) wasn't a lecture that truly fit in with the rest of what the exhibit was about...

...The woodblock is by Chris Brand, and during his lecture he talked at length of his ongoing project of interpreting the 108 heroes in a context of combining the Japanese and Chicano approaches to similar concepts in story/folklore. His lecture also comprised of an interesting slide show that went into how the early drawing and paintings of the stories of the Water Margin/108 Heroes were later re-imaginged by Yoshitoshi and Kuniyoshi , how they included detailed figures with tattoos and how some of those were interpreted into bodysuits. So he would have a slide of 3 or 4 pictures side to side of the original print, and then in chronological order backpieces by various tattooers of the same image. I was already quite familiar with the Kuniyoshi & Yoshitoshi prints, but the following sequences of the tattoos was really interesting and informative.

He then showed 7 or so backpieces of the aforementioned project of the Japanese/Chicano crossover. He explained his approach by showing side by side slides the similar icons and figures in folklore and meaning, using one example of his comparison of Kannon and Mary of Quadalupe. Really fascinating lecture, make sure to watch it when JANM puts them up for people to watch.

Thanks for the lecture write up @irezumi! Chris Brand's lecture, woah! Your words ring absolutely true and I don't need to repeat you. I can't wait to re-watch that when they post the video.

You are also indeed correct with regards to Junii. She was very nervous and as you said at times struggled, but the emotion that came through was definitely felt by the audience. She absolutely deserved the standing ovation she received. I have much respect for this stand out Lady.

Speaking of another nervous speaker, I spoke with Jill after her lecture. We had a good laugh that she was so incredibly nervous, she absolutely could not bring herself to look up from her notes when speaking. At all! She had single minded focus looking down at her 8 1/2" x11" sheets. "There was a crowd in the lecture hall, what?" Ha ha. But her lecture was a good one as well. And an interesting one that worked well as a follow up to Chris Brand's 108 heroes of Los Angeles. Hers was about a Client who's bodysuit looked traditionally Japanese, but upon closer inspection actually held historical Mexican stories and legends. His back piece was a translation of the Mexican flag telling the story of the founding of what would be Mexico City, but rather than depicting an eagle it held a falcon which is a common motif in Japanese tattooing where an eagle was not. Then she translated two Aztec gods as dragons for each sleeve. Quetzalcoatl, a winged serpent, was depicted as a winged dragon and the other was depicted as a floppy eared dog-like dragon (can't remember the god's name) but she used these not to dis-similarly to the pairing of Fujin and Raijin. The whole of it balanced out not too unlike the idea in some Asian cultures for the 4 directions.

What's best of all is all of the lecture subjects are also in the catalogue and soon to be online for everyone, I believe.

Oh, and the 50 bodysuits on stage were amazing. No picture I've seen online do them the justice deserved. When will you ever see that again I mean? Jill had initially asked me to participate in it but modesty got the best if me and I declined. In hindsight had I asked about the format I could have totally rocked a fundoshi. Strength in numbers ;-)

On a last note, one of the best experiences I had at this show was engaging in a conversation with a gentleman who was looking at 3 of Shige's clients back pieces. He had no tattoos and was dumbfounded by Shige's work. He asked me how such a thing could be done. He was so amazed by the quality that when I mentioned Shige works by machine and not by traditional hand tools, he thought Shige input the design into a computer and a machine tattooed the image onto the Client. With all these threads on here about negative experiences from people without tattoos, this is a fantastic show for people with no tattoos to experience and learn about a culture and educate themselves and a great way for people with tattoos to engage them in a friendly dialogue.

Yes!! Well now that I met him on Sunday and told him I want one as he signed my book with an awesome cat drawing....it's like I have to asap. I don't know how long the wait is, he just gave a nod and said, "call." Hardest thing now is figuring out which image/where........thinking it'll have to be on a leg since my arms are pretty much covered and I want to be able to look at it as much as possible!

May I suggest your torso? Bigger area=bigger monmon cat. :-)

I'm still awed by the monmon cat backpiece he posted on IG. Yeah, use that momentum and get on that list of his. You'll be able to save up while you wait.

Put me in a room full of dedicated tattoo enthusiasts and I am more than happy to strip down and get stared at - because then we're all talking tattoo and looking at the art. (but c'mon, buy me dinner first ;))

Love love love that! Ha ha ha! I'll remember that next SFO Convention. Ha ha!

#24 of 26: this backpiece (the karajishi), a Bill and Junii collab, is actually a cover up of another large back piece. Wizards and turrets and some other stuff like it, according to Bill. I was admiring it in the shop when he told me that - hard to believe and really well done. Never would have pegged it as a cover of up of another backpiece. Still don't now when I know it for a fact!

@irezumi thank you so much for your report and all the pics, it is MUCH appreciated!

I don't believe you @beez ;-) a cover up?! Wow!

it was an AMAZING exhibit! Taki's events never disappoint and I'm SO glad I went down there!

I knew I saw you on Friday! But you were talking to people so I grabbed a beer. When I looked around I didn't see you again. Shame.

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@Lance I thought we'd already spoke at SFO last year? not a formal introduction but I think we exchanged words. Just say Hi - it's easier than walking through a crowd in a fundoshi.

All I'm prepared to say right now it that I found the exhibition, lectures and whole experience incredibly positive and personally overwhelming.

@Stewart Robson, very true, I didn't think you'd remember. It's a bad habit of mine. On a related note regarding Miyazo, during the book signing, even he remembered me and asked if I was at the SFO convention wandering around around the floors. Next time I will definitely say hello. I guess I'm a more memorable/recognizable guy now with long hair and tattoos. Ha ha! ;-)

Thank you for participating in the show. It is obviously quite impressive.

Ahhh, Perseverance, what can I say? It was awesome! But everyone already knew it was going to be. Here's a rushed description of the exhibit space itself. This doesn't do it justice or describe the energy on Friday and SaturdayI'll write something up later regarding the actual experience of this exhibition mixing people with tattoo knowledge mingling with those who don't (that was interesting. Kind of cool in a funny way), the lectures, tattooing, etc, which were all cool too. I'm just too tired right now. But it was great to see Reyeslv on Friday, and @TrixieFaux & @DJDeepFried on Saturday. Btw, DJdeepfried, get that spot with Stewart Robson! You've got to. I was too shy to introduce myself to him, again (headsmack!!!)

For those who did not make it out to the opening and can't go due to travel restraints it's located on the upper level level of JANM. The exhibit is contained within 2 rooms. Before you even enter the exhibit the anticipation builds as you encounter kites hanging from the ceiling leading you towards the exhibit. On each kite is printed a close up of someone's tattoos echoing the woodblock printings on kites of Japan's past. It's an effective drum roll as your pace quickens to drink in all that will come mere steps away. Once you enter you're greeted with an explosion of these kites suspended from the ceiling and not only the kites but you are welcomed by a large floating temple style gate sitting in the center of the rectangular space. Starting at one side of the gate, ringing around and ending at the opposite side are suspended panels of life size bodysuits created by the 7 artists that are the main feature of the exhibit. When you step inside, each panel displays a Client's back. As you walk around you see the Client's front. It's quite impressive. Especially when you are in the center of it all ringed on all sides by these amazing images. Hanging on the exhibit walls are a series of double rowed smaller photographs lined up and down. In the second room there are more photos placed in double rows on the wall. On the white walls, are intricate reproductions in black brush strokes are drawings by some of the tattooers. On one wall a koi, another a dragon, a third, Benten, etc. these pairings work well with the photos and subject matter and also informed where photos were hanged in arrangement. It's all very clean and well thought out. One wall in particular,which I thought was a great idea, is dedicated to those who don't have knowledge about Japanese motifs. There are descriptions behind certain supernatural entities flowers, warriors, etc. This was nice and absolutely essential for anyone not familiar with Japanese tattoos and helps inform viewers. Also, within this 2nd room, floating just off center from the center was a large curving panoramic depicting 13 of Shige's Clients. If you are a fan of Shige's, this is a must see Soaking it in was a delight. All of the exhibit was a delight and deliberate. All the elements not on walls were suspended. The kites, temple gates, Shige's panoramic. All were floating and I couldn't help but think this was a deliberate act to allude to the ideas of the "floating world" of old Japan. Even if this wasn't deliberate, I think it's a cool thought.

Accompanying this was the exhibit catalogue. Oh my! It's so amazing! This will be my favorite book for a while. it's absolutely worth more than the $20 you pay. I love the images of course, but also how it's broken down. I think it and the exhibit does great justice to tattooing. The format is awesome. From including descriptions regarding Japanese tattoo elements such as munewari and soushinbori, to showing traditional Japanese tattoos and tattoos influenced not by Japanese subject but by Japanese form. Basically a bunch of good things in it.

My favorite of which is a chapter specifically dedicated to Chris Brand's 108 heroes of Los Angeles.

Another favorite is a chapter featuring the work of Onizuka Tattoo owned by Lil Tokyo Jiro in LA. I haven't heard many shout outs for this shop but Iv'e been aware of them for years. 3 Japanese ex-pats working out of Little Tokyo. Jiro Yaguchi who has crazy solid work, and works by machine, LA Horitaka from the Horitoshi I Family doing tebori work, and Jakoh who's work has a modern twist. I'm happy to see them get attention. If I hadn't gotten tattooed by Jill Bonny 5 years ago, I'd probably be going to Jiro right now.

Taki, Kip Fulbeck, and all involved deserve a great deal of congratulations on a job well done and our thanks for putting something like this out to the world, not just the tattoo community.

Btw it's also awesome to look at this book and see larger images of 3 torso tattoos depicting Fudo Myo-o by Horitomo, Shige and @Stewart Robson. All 3 are uniquely their own and equally beautiful. I wish they were shown together.

@Lance et al : PLEASE give a full report!!! Pics if allowed!! I really wish I could be there!! Junii hadn't quite yet decided the full dint of her lecture when I was there last week, so I am curious to know what she lands on. So if anyone goes, I can't wait to hear.

Hopefully I can get back down to LA before September (and not October, thanks @Lance :p), because I definitely want to see in person.

JEALOUS!

Definitely meet up if you guys get a chance. @cltattooing and I were just discussing this over in the 'awesome things you've been doing' thread -LSTers are awesome folk.

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The t-shirt helped ease me over the awkward hump at the Bay Area Convention. Because otherwise you're just people staring at people and that is kind of weird and possibly creepy until the LST connection is made. When I saw the shirt I was able to point and grunt excitedly (i was still awkward ;p) and I think that's how I met @Scott R, @ian and @cvportagee - easily identified by the shirt.

I will definitely give a full report, no worries. But it definitely won't be anything compared to actually making it down before it ends @beez. Too bad it's still not exhibiting while SFO Convention is going on. Make it happen, you know you want too, what's rent money?

@DJDeepFried, @TrixieFaux, great news. I never thought I'd say that when hearing someone cancel a tattoo session. I definitely plan to be there both Friday and Saturday so I'll see you there. Also @Reyeslv, @irezumi, @Jen Beirola, and all the rest who are going, looking forward to seeing you again or meeting everyone.

and @cltattooing, please give us an update about the Analog Show. I really wish I was still living part-time in SF.

Hey @ian, sorry to hear you're going through some stuff. I absolutely agree with you. Thanks for posting your thoughts about this site and to remind everyone it's supposed to be fun for all and also a place to be helpful to one another.

Grez Eagle, Chris O'Donnell Snake, Mike Rubendall Dragon

Instagram view of this battle royale insanity

Sooooo nice!

Ha ha! @Killercook76, you are absolutely correct. I should amend my earlier statement that it's a common enough question for those who have no or very little tattoos, but it's equally annoying to hear for Artists. I learned the hard way ;-)

Agreed with @BrianH. There are many factors which can determine the amount of time a tattoo was done in. How well can a Client sit. How big a Client is. How fast the Artist is. What environment were they tattooed in. I don't know how many times I've heard a potential client walk into the shop I go to and ask this. The Artists and Shop Guys I know always tell them it's hard to say because a lot of it is not determined by the Artist but the Client. When getting my first tattoo, I asked the same thing. It's a popular question for people with little or no tattoos. If it's a money thing, all people need to know is have enough cash for each session and they're good. If it's because they have a low pain tolerance, setup shorter sessions and it'll work out.

I just realized I'm getting a tattoo that day (the 8th)! D'oh. Hadn't looked at the calendar for March in a while. Just been focusing on my upcoming Feb 22nd appointment. Can't really cancel a tattoo to go to a tattoo art show. @DJDeepFried will probably still go though, I might be able to go after.

Oof, that's a shame. But getting tattooed def trumps looking at a tattoo. If you are able to make it later, cool. Or if @DJDeepFried attends, it'd be great to meet you both. This doesn't help at all, but look for the long haired pudgy Asian with glasses and black and grey tattoos. Needle in a hay stack.

So as a momentary aside, the last few posts made me curious. At what point do you or should you give up reaching out? When does it get to the point that you are just badgering the person?

I remember in the past, before I ultimately decided to go completely traditional Japanese and stick with 1 artist, I reached out and tried emailing or phoning other shops but had no response. These were all highly regarded artists. After months of waiting with periodic calls to the shops or emails through their web sites (I couldn’t stop by the shops as they were international or across the country) I ultimately decided I didn’t really need tattoos from them. The artists tattoos were cool, but didn’t blow my mind enough that I couldn’t go to another awesome artist that specialized in the same style that I liked equally. Where as in the beginning, the Artist who I go to, the opposite happened. I hounded her till I was able to get a hold of her and schedule a consult, then appointment, and nothing was going to stop me from getting that appointment. I’m sure I annoyed my way into having her take me on, after a bit I was starting to feel bad. ;-)

You could say some artists may even make it difficult to contact them so as to weed out those who don’t really want tattoos by them bad enough, which actually works because as I mentioned earlier, I did exactly that by walking away from people who didn’t respond to me. I can also assume some artists don’t respond because they are not interested, others though are simply busy and will get back to you in time. So when do you cross the proper etiquette line?

@cvportagee, sorry to hear you won't be able to make it. it would have been cool to meet up. Also it would have been cool to spy your latest and greatest too. I will definitely give a full reporting to everyone when I go. :-)

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@DJDeepFried and I can't go to the opening as we are not Museum members, but we will probably go on the 8th...

If I go on the 8th, we'll likely cross paths. It'd be cool to meet others too.

Haha, @Lance, when I read that I was like "yeah, but the Perseverance show isn't until March 2014!"....I cannot believe it is actually (almost) March 2014, holy balls. I very much want to go to this, but have no actual plans to get down there. Booo! Are you going to the opening? I intend to get down to see it while it is still up, for sure. (Til October, right? Scrambling for references after I hit 'send' on this).

I will be so jealous of all you LSTers who make it to the opening!

Uh oh, you better make plans sooner than October or extend your tattoo vacation. I just saw on FB that it runs from March 8th to September 14th.

I plan on going on the 7th. I believe the Museum is hosting an opening preview reception for Museum Members. I was photographed earlier to potentially be included in it so I received an invite too. Depending on what happens at the reception, I may go again the opening day too. I really want to listen to all the Speakers the opening day. Taki, Jill Bonney, Chris Brand, Junii, etc.

I was just thinking about fox tattoos when this resurfaced (due to listening to the Julian Cope song about Reynard the Fox)

Wendy Pham

Kiku

Man, I'm really loving the whimsy of Wendy Pham's work. They look like a lot of fun.

Heading down to the Bay Area a at the end of the month for some continued work on my back piece! Only actually we're working on my leg this time :p. I think another peony and some rocks to go with the karajishi on my thigh. I have two days booked, so we should get some solid work done :p.

Junii is collaborating with 'Horitsukikage' (Shad) on the snake and hannya that will be going on my back, but as he is based in Belgium we prob won't start that til June or later.

Horitsukikage/Junii snake and Hannya combo collaboration? Ooooo, that's going to be nice. On your way down to California, are you traveling even more southerly to LA, for the Perseverance show too?

Less than a month away! Who's planning on going?

2 more videos btw. Some really nice work from Brand, Shige, and Miyazo can be seen.

Kip Fulbeck:

Chris Brand: