taaarro

You can watch the whole thing here. It's a great documentary.
Signatures of the Soul - Tattooing Today - Television | NZ On Screen

So during my trip to SF back in October. Our first area we ended up in was Mission, and I was so inspired by the murals painted there. I took a lot of pictures and decided I wanted one of the beautiful traditional roses tattooed on my arm.
We went to Oakland at Temple Tattoo, I wanted to visit this shop anyway because well....its fuckin historical.
So there was only one artist there that day, Jonah.
I asked if he had time for a small walk-in tattoo, and showed him the pics of the murals. Ended up being him that painted those murals! :)
We definitely made each others day!
So he drew up a rose while we were talking to him, fuckin awesome experience overall.
Having someone with 15 years experience tattooing me was epic and especially in that shop.
One of the best trips ever. I have to go back to California. <3

Dear admins, if this is too basic a question for a thread, or if it has been covered elsewhere please delete it.
Until very recently, I appreciated Japanese style tattoos, but was totally uninterested in getting them. It probably had lot to do with growing up in Tokyo and living here again now. Ever since a tattooer friend recommended (or implanted the idea of) getting a thigh done tebori "for the experience," I've been semi-obsessing about it. Who are your favorite tebori artists and why? It seems the styles, from the width of the windbars and palette, to drawing styles, are so varied. Do you like the artists doing classic work or the younger artists making "innovative" work? Some younger Japanese tattooers seem to be heading in a SSTP direction of simplification, where ultimately, classic tattooing, whether Japanese or American, becomes almost the same (except in subject matter). Some others' works seem too anime-influenced for my tastes. Even among older artists of a similar region, there's also a lot of variety. For example, Horitoshi I's work looks completely different from Horikyo's works and they are both Tokyo-based.
Just curious about all your opinions.
Horikyo

Horitoshi 1
 

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

@Cork Horitoshi I gave it to the man with the donburi suit as a "gift" when he finished his suit. It's a traditional Japanese motif that's supposed to bring good luck, but in this case, it's something Horitoshi puts only on people he really likes and he feels really understand his work. There are about 30 people in the world who have it. Both men in the video have it, and it makes them "like brothers" in a sense.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

Dear admins, if this is too basic a question for a thread, or if it has been covered elsewhere please delete it.
Until very recently, I appreciated Japanese style tattoos, but was totally uninterested in getting them. It probably had lot to do with growing up in Tokyo and living here again now. Ever since a tattooer friend recommended (or implanted the idea of) getting a thigh done tebori "for the experience," I've been semi-obsessing about it. Who are your favorite tebori artists and why? It seems the styles, from the width of the windbars and palette, to drawing styles, are so varied. Do you like the artists doing classic work or the younger artists making "innovative" work? Some younger Japanese tattooers seem to be heading in a SSTP direction of simplification, where ultimately, classic tattooing, whether Japanese or American, becomes almost the same (except in subject matter). Some others' works seem too anime-influenced for my tastes. Even among older artists of a similar region, there's also a lot of variety. For example, Horitoshi I's work looks completely different from Horikyo's works and they are both Tokyo-based.
Just curious about all your opinions.
Horikyo

Horitoshi 1
 

Flex your head!

Came to post this Sailor Jerry sheet:

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Is that on the inside of your elbow? If so we are twins, and my friend got one at the same time (Mine from Mario Desa and his from Nick Colella) in pretty much the exact same location.
Also notice the rose tattoo on the elbow and the cutesy folk bird near the armpit, I'm clearly concerned about my masculinity and being tough. Sorry about the terrible photo:

For years I always advised people away from getting tattoos for anyone other than your parents, siblings or children, for obvious reasons.
As I've gotten older and more heavily tattooed and the designs I wear progressively weirder however, I've found it really fun to get little bro tats and the like, to sort of put a timestamp on really important life events. A matching Mr. Burns head with Mike and my brother, my best friend's initials (she has my portrait in the same spot) and a fun little 'honey moon phase' tattoo with my girlfriend, the Party's Over tattoo with Ron...
The kind of stuff that I'd warn other people about and here I am, getting them all over the place.
So. I thought I'd start a group thread for Bro-tats, His/Hers (or His/His, Hers/Hers, Theirs/Theirs) etc so we can all revel in the bad ideas!

Honeymoon Phase by Nik Lynds.
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Matching Skull in a party hat with Ron Garza. Tattoo- Nakota Garza.
BT/SP- Bethany and Shawn tattoo. Tattoo- David Bruehl.

This?

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

Dear admins, if this is too basic a question for a thread, or if it has been covered elsewhere please delete it.
Until very recently, I appreciated Japanese style tattoos, but was totally uninterested in getting them. It probably had lot to do with growing up in Tokyo and living here again now. Ever since a tattooer friend recommended (or implanted the idea of) getting a thigh done tebori "for the experience," I've been semi-obsessing about it. Who are your favorite tebori artists and why? It seems the styles, from the width of the windbars and palette, to drawing styles, are so varied. Do you like the artists doing classic work or the younger artists making "innovative" work? Some younger Japanese tattooers seem to be heading in a SSTP direction of simplification, where ultimately, classic tattooing, whether Japanese or American, becomes almost the same (except in subject matter). Some others' works seem too anime-influenced for my tastes. Even among older artists of a similar region, there's also a lot of variety. For example, Horitoshi I's work looks completely different from Horikyo's works and they are both Tokyo-based.
Just curious about all your opinions.
Horikyo

Horitoshi 1
 

@Cork Horitoshi I gave it to the man with the donburi suit as a "gift" when he finished his suit. It's a traditional Japanese motif that's supposed to bring good luck, but in this case, it's something Horitoshi puts only on people he really likes and he feels really understand his work. There are about 30 people in the world who have it. Both men in the video have it, and it makes them "like brothers" in a sense.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

@Cork Horitoshi I gave it to the man with the donburi suit as a "gift" when he finished his suit. It's a traditional Japanese motif that's supposed to bring good luck, but in this case, it's something Horitoshi puts only on people he really likes and he feels really understand his work. There are about 30 people in the world who have it. Both men in the video have it, and it makes them "like brothers" in a sense.

@Cork Horitoshi I gave it to the man with the donburi suit as a "gift" when he finished his suit. It's a traditional Japanese motif that's supposed to bring good luck, but in this case, it's something Horitoshi puts only on people he really likes and he feels really understand his work. There are about 30 people in the world who have it. Both men in the video have it, and it makes them "like brothers" in a sense.

@Cork Horitoshi I gave it to the man with the donburi suit as a "gift" when he finished his suit. It's a traditional Japanese motif that's supposed to bring good luck, but in this case, it's something Horitoshi puts only on people he really likes and he feels really understand his work. There are about 30 people in the world who have it. Both men in the video have it, and it makes them "like brothers" in a sense.

here is my tebori experience and you dont want to see the embarrassing fundoshi pics my wife took...

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.

HAHA, you'd have to pay me to do the whole thing, but the discussion around 16:00 about successors is pretty interesting. He says that until three years ago, he had a successor (Horitoshi II) lined up, but that the successor did not abide the rules of the family and was expelled. Then, he had a Horitoshi III lined up, but that this potential successor had no intention of leading the family. So, he has decided that they will elect a Horitoshi III democratically between him and his three oldest "sons." The ideal successor, he says, has to be good at tattooing, but also a man of character. He has to be mild-mannered because he (Horitoshi I/the family) has various domestic and international relations to maintain, and dedicated to the family.
In another really interesting bit of the interview, at around 24:00, he says his "family" differs from other families in that his relationship with his "family" members is really one between father and son rather than master and apprentice. The apprentices start as such, but after spending some time apprenticing and being deemed worthy based on character, they become his sons. That is why they call him "Oyaji" (Pops) rather than "sensei." Despite this, in the most unfortunate case, he says, an apprentice/son left the family after six years.
Finally, towards the end, Horitoshi expresses his devotion to the preservation of tebori as a Japanese tradition. He says that ultimately, he is teaching his apprentices to maintain tradition. The Horitoshi Family, in Japan, he says, is the family most dedicated to tattooing as a Japanese tradition. Machines could be used for lining, but shading has to be done by hand to preserve tattooing as a Japanese art. He doesn't think tattooing will be accepted in Japan anytime soon, but maybe in fifty years, Japanese people will have a more "casual" attitude toward it.