Dean Schubert

I don't think people should limit themselves with simple big and black. I ask the client what they really want for a new tattoo. Then I figure out a way to make that happen through lots of lines various colors , and possibly going over the image with white up to three times before I put the new image on. But overall if I never did another cover-up I'd be stoked. I keep telling myself - no more cover-ups. On the other hand, it feels great to eliminate unwanted tattoos for people. I'm close to having a suit and I have no cover-ups. If the tattoo is there it doesn't lie. If people keep covering their work with the trend du jour, the cover-ups don't stop and they end up looking like a confused mess. If you don't like your old work just wait 10-20 years and it'll either be cool or funny. I know there's all kinds of exceptions to this theory, so whatever, there's my 2-cents worth.

Once people quit tattooing, or in rock n roll die, they become more desirable due to the "unobtainable factor" Never got tattooed by Dan Higgs either but lived and worked close to him and met him on more than one occasion. So I guess I didn't want one that bad. And back then Higgs was an anomaly rather than an unobtainable ghost leading a pack of confused newbies looking for a place in tattooing. No offense to anyone on that. we all start somewhere knowing nearly nothing.

I love motorcycles and have been riding since I was 10. Here's some pics of my '46 knucklehead. I'm also almost done with a 05 buell project. Hopefully the pics will come up here.

I agree with Julio, its like racial slang. If you aren't part of the race, you can't use the word. In other words , if you aren't black , you shouldn't be dropping N bombs.

Before-light meal and a good shit. After sushi, beer, medicine

Before-light meal and a good shit. After sushi, beer, medicine

Not showing up for appt.'s. After 15 years of appt. only I've about had enough. Need to get a chunk upfront!

Here's a set I've done within the last year. An appropriate one for election day. And, if you cross the hands, it says Free Feel. How cool is that!

There is no such thing as the best rose. Its not a competition, more of an appreciation, repulsion, or somewhere in between. My personal fave is Henry Goldfield, He rules the rose in SF His chest piece is a giant rose from Oakland's Shakey Jake done in the early 60's I believe. Many tattooers and their families wear Henry's roses. I don't have photos available right now , but I wear one and my wife has a 3/4 sleeve of 3 roses from Henry. When I got mine, he gave me the drawing which proudly hangs in the shop. Next to the rose it says" Dean, here's your rose. Follow the rose in life and you'll never go wrong. Good luck to you." Most of the roses I see today are very well done in a variety of styles. I like rose tattoos with a black outline made by people over 50. But hey, whatever you're into, there's room for it all.

I'm dealing with this issue right down the street from me. I live in an area that has a vibrant underground economy which allows for so called artists and non-artists to open tattoo shops that don't have to support the artist or owners. So we end up with a good amount of half-ass tattoos going down. I have a woman down the street who took Fakirs piercing course and now has the largest shop in the county. However, after a nationwide craigslist search she was unable to find any artists. She has only been able to fill one chair with a local creeper artist. In our case it will probably fall. However I'm not into it when established artists team up with monied entities to open clothing store/bar/tattoo shop etc. in tourist locations. How lame! Corporate and Gangster organizations have the money and inertia to make things happen and they will continue to use tattooing as long as it remains mainstream. There will always be room though for artist owned and operated shop. And, this is nothing new to the profession. Look at history. Tattooers have operated in all kinds of environments since our current mode of business began in the middle 1800's. Currently tattooing in a town of 14,000 with five shops! I was the only shop for at least eight years. I guess the rest of the world will catch up with you even if you are in the middle of nowhere.

To me, unless you are from Japan, and a member of a Japanese "business" family, the Japanese suit is out of place. The more you learn about the culture and the history of Japanese tattooing, the "mystery " and fantasy of the work dissolves. What's left is a very rigid culture that is out of synch with western ways. The work is no doubt beautiful when done properly. But think of this, those suits are earned within their culture. When Americans, and other westerners coop the style, the core intent of the suit in Japanese culture, has been stripped away, and we are left with surface decoration mostly derived from Chinese art and literature. I like it when westerners add their own flavor. If a westerner is making what they consider traditional Japanese work, they are posing. Even if some of your relatives lived in Japan generations ago. You are living in Japan making tattoos in that system, or, you are offering imitation Japanese traditional work. With that in Mind, there are some awesome, inspiring tattoos made by Traditional Japanese artists. And on occasion, I do some poser Japanese work myself. As a westerner, the idea of middle age men having "masters" just does not work for me. The Japanese philosopher, DT Suzuki said something to the effect..... If you want to understand Japan, you must start with India. On that note see you in a couple of weeks, time for another digital cleanse.

There is no such thing as the best rose. Its not a competition, more of an appreciation, repulsion, or somewhere in between. My personal fave is Henry Goldfield, He rules the rose in SF His chest piece is a giant rose from Oakland's Shakey Jake done in the early 60's I believe. Many tattooers and their families wear Henry's roses. I don't have photos available right now , but I wear one and my wife has a 3/4 sleeve of 3 roses from Henry. When I got mine, he gave me the drawing which proudly hangs in the shop. Next to the rose it says" Dean, here's your rose. Follow the rose in life and you'll never go wrong. Good luck to you." Most of the roses I see today are very well done in a variety of styles. I like rose tattoos with a black outline made by people over 50. But hey, whatever you're into, there's room for it all.

I love motorcycles and have been riding since I was 10. Here's some pics of my '46 knucklehead. I'm also almost done with a 05 buell project. Hopefully the pics will come up here.

I love motorcycles and have been riding since I was 10. Here's some pics of my '46 knucklehead. I'm also almost done with a 05 buell project. Hopefully the pics will come up here.

for all you tuna lovers ALBA CORE

Here's a set I've done within the last year. An appropriate one for election day. And, if you cross the hands, it says Free Feel. How cool is that!

I agree with Julio, its like racial slang. If you aren't part of the race, you can't use the word. In other words , if you aren't black , you shouldn't be dropping N bombs.

Even sharing info with real tattooers online bugs me. You want info? Pay up fool. Get tattooed or buy art or machines from people you respect and ask them questions. Maybe they'll give you a straight answer, maybe they won't .I have no desire to share info with who knows who. I've personally spent tens of thousands of dollars, travelled all over the states, been to Japan and Europe to get the info I was looking for. The Last thing I want to do is give info to some suck-ass with less than 10 years. IN! Pay Money and keep your ears open and your mouth shut!

My favorite tattoo book of all time is Bad Boys and Tough Tattoos By Samuel M. Steward, PhD. At some point I'd like to write a review of this book. Sam Steward is also known as Phil Sparrow in the tattoo world. Steward played a hand in starting out two of the greatest tattooers of the second half of the twentieth century, Cliff Raven and Ed Hardy. I could go on and on about this book so I'll try to limit it here. Part of the book focuses on Street Shop tattooing in Chicago and Milwaukee during the 50's, Along with Oakland in the 60's. The other part of the book looks at tattooing from the psychological side. All in All a must read for every tattooer or anyone curious about tattooing. Its available for purchase on the interwebber.

I've never had a problem with tattoo equipment or Beards. However I did have some women from the bookstore at lax dis my neck tattoo's. They spoke to each other in their native tongue as they held their throats shaking their head in disgust. I had a moment of reactionary thinking regarding their decision to immigrate to the USA.

Before-light meal and a good shit. After sushi, beer, medicine

Here's a set I've done within the last year. An appropriate one for election day. And, if you cross the hands, it says Free Feel. How cool is that!

More people are influenced to get tattooed by tv and people are just as influenced by tv to start tattooing. We've had a five fold increase of tattooers in our area since Miami Ink. We have not had a five fold increase in Business. I will be tattooing either way as well. However, I'm starting to dislike these shows and the perceptions of tattooing they create. I will ride it out as the less dedicated fall. Look at the custom bike world if you would like a glimpse of tattooing in a few years. A grip load of people running to a profession that can't support them. Except with tattooing, the start up potential is so much more accessible than bike building. Get an eight line in there, copy a simple trad tattoo, grow a beard and bam! you be one.

There is no such thing as the best rose. Its not a competition, more of an appreciation, repulsion, or somewhere in between. My personal fave is Henry Goldfield, He rules the rose in SF His chest piece is a giant rose from Oakland's Shakey Jake done in the early 60's I believe. Many tattooers and their families wear Henry's roses. I don't have photos available right now , but I wear one and my wife has a 3/4 sleeve of 3 roses from Henry. When I got mine, he gave me the drawing which proudly hangs in the shop. Next to the rose it says" Dean, here's your rose. Follow the rose in life and you'll never go wrong. Good luck to you." Most of the roses I see today are very well done in a variety of styles. I like rose tattoos with a black outline made by people over 50. But hey, whatever you're into, there's room for it all.

There is no such thing as the best rose. Its not a competition, more of an appreciation, repulsion, or somewhere in between. My personal fave is Henry Goldfield, He rules the rose in SF His chest piece is a giant rose from Oakland's Shakey Jake done in the early 60's I believe. Many tattooers and their families wear Henry's roses. I don't have photos available right now , but I wear one and my wife has a 3/4 sleeve of 3 roses from Henry. When I got mine, he gave me the drawing which proudly hangs in the shop. Next to the rose it says" Dean, here's your rose. Follow the rose in life and you'll never go wrong. Good luck to you." Most of the roses I see today are very well done in a variety of styles. I like rose tattoos with a black outline made by people over 50. But hey, whatever you're into, there's room for it all.