Tattoo Johnny Review

I do not have a paid membership to this site as it does not work like that – this is a site where you actually pick the tattoo you want and then pay for that particular tattoo only. The quality of the tattoos on this site are truly exceptional – I have just wishlisted an amazing cat tattoo and a frangipani one – want to check the whole site out before I make my final decision. I must admit this is my totally favorite site next to Chopper-Tattoo.

When you find the tattoo you like you simply download it – individual prices range upwards of around $10.00 for each tattoo design – some tattoos can be upwards of $20 depending on the size and how complex the design is. For this price you get the colour reference and the actual tattoo stencil – this makes it really easy for your tattooist – your tattooist will need both images to apply your tattoo!

This site is a real joy – it is very easy to navigate with a clean and fresh look about it – well worth a visit.

One thing I found interesting is that they sell a Tattoo Test Drive kit – this kit consists of 1 sheet of tattoo test paper (8.5″ x 11″) and 1 clear transfer sheet (8.5″ x 11″) and a clear set of instructions. This kit allows you to print your selected design onto the special paper and then transfer the printed image to your skin. All you need is an ink jet or laser printer and a design and you are ready to see what your tattoo will look like before making it permanent – it’s that easy.

The site also contains the following:

• My First Tattoo – a great page for anybody contemplating their first tattoo
• Tattoo Store – this store covers everything from Tattoo Flash Sets to Fine Art Prints to Door Size Poster Prints – well worth a look, especially the Tattoo Flash sets!!!
• Tattoo Wiki – this wiki contains an absolute treasure trove of articles on everything relating to the world of tattoos, including tattoo history, celebrity tattoos, and tattoo safety

Check it out below if you are interested!

Tattoo Fever Review

I do not have paid membership to this site but it is judged to be an up and coming star in the tattoo design gallery world. I am seriously considering joining as there is a couple of the ebooks that I really want and it is a really good price at  the moment at $19.99 (reduced from $49.95).

This site is a little bit different in that it is not really a membership site but a one off download of over 300MB worth of packages. These packages contain:

• TattooFever Flash Pack – contains 1000s of flashes
• Just Tribal – contains over 1100 classic black and white tribal designs
• Tattoo Unlimited – contains oriental and tribal tattoo designs
• Got Ink? – an ebook that contains real tattoo photos and some other good information – I have this book from elsewhere and it is a good resource
• Chinese Names – contains over 3,450 Chinese names and includes Japanese Katakana chart and Kanji symbols – I have this from elsewhere and it is a fantastic resource
• The Art of Tattoo – an ebook detailing the basics of tattooing itself – a good resource if you’ve ever considered becoming a tattoo artist yourself
• DragonFever – this is 220 printable pages of dragon tattoos

Grab this tiny ebook from TattooFever to give you some ideas on why you might want to get a tattoo.

Check it out here if you are interested!

The Tattoos Designs Review

I do not belong to this site but am seriously considering it. It truly stands out from all the other tattoo design websites with its totally awesome look. You really have to check it out and have a look at it here: The Tattoos Designs.

There are a couple of sites with similar web addresses – so don’t be confused – this one is a classy, professional website that really respects its visitors by providing a top quality experience. My one criticism is that it is a little hard to navigate at first – but stick with it – it is a nice looking site.

Membership options are:

• One year full and Unlimited Access for $2.25 per month (only $27 in total)
• Special Offer – Lifetime Full and Unlimited Access for $37 (best deal)

The site also offers a full 60-days money back guarantee – so you really cannot lose.

The site currently has over 1,100 tattoo designs, stencils and flash – this is less than other sites but it is only relatively new so plenty of time to add more designs – and really quality wins over on quantity every time when it comes to tattoo designs. With membership you get access to the following:

• The Designs Gallery – where you view the growing list of designs, print out your favorites and you can even organize your favorites into a favorites folder.
• The Members Gallery – this is where members of the site upload their own tattoo pictures and you can view and review them – which is always fun.
• My Favorite Gallery – this is where you can add your favorite designs and photos from the Designs and Members Gallery. You can also add your favorite tattoo studios here too.
• Tattoo Discussion Forum – this is where you get to discuss tattoos with other like-minded individuals – always a good idea.
• Studio Directory – a directory where you get to find tattoo artists in your own area, you can also give feedback to share with others.
• Tattoo Videos – links to videos about tattoos, you can also upload your own videos too.

Check it out here if you are interested!

P.S. Would love to hear from anyone who has membership to this site!

Tattoo Store

Tattoo Highway – new reality TV show

The A&E Network is premiering a new reality TV show this May (27th May on A&E) – it features master tattoo artist Thomas Pendelton in the new “Tattoo Highway”. You may remember Thomas Pendelton from “Inked” (Inked – The Best of Season 1) the reality TV show showing an inside, up-close look at the art of tattoo and its surrounding culture–Las Vegas style.

This new show “Tattoo Highway” follows Thomas Pendelton and his business partner and wife Monica in a 1970s tour bus that has been transformed into a tattoo parlour on wheels and decked out with top-of-the-line tattooing equipment. The show will follow Pendelton around the country as he creates unique ink art for the people he meets along the way. The bus has been christened “Ministry of Ink” and will allow Pendelton to tattoo anyone, anywhere – so expect the unexpected as they travel from Las Vegas to Los Angeles to Phoenix and beyond and I would guess encounters with a host of “interesting” characters who want to get inked.

“From the creation of the art to the environment that I tattooed in, it has always been about my customers’ experience,” Pendelton said in a statement.  “In a street shop, it was easy to forget just how personal that experience should be. Rolling up and parking the shop right in the middle of someone’s life, well, there is nothing more personal than that.” Some of the interesting tattoos that Pendelton creates on “Tattoo Highway” include a memorial portrait created from the ashes of a man’s wife mixed with ink; a tattoo created with UV ink that can only be seen under a black light; a giant gorilla riding a scooter, and a pair of matching eggplants.

For those of you who do not know Thomas Pendelton, he is a 15 year tattoo veteran, and was Carey Hart’s business partner on ““Inked” about the Huntington Tattoo Company – the first tattoo parlour to open in a casino. Following the success of this show, Pendelton now has the chance to front his own reality show – but this time on the road. A&E hope the travelling element will help to differentiate this show from all the other tattoo shows currently out there.

Let’s hope that “Tattoo Highway” is as good as it sounds – there are 13 episodes – so cannot wait!

Tongue Tattoos

Tattoos are a hot commodity these days, becoming more and more popular than they have ever been in the past.  There are hundreds and thousands of different designs and styles of tattoos to choose from, giving you the chance to express yourself.  Although tattoos are very popular, the new trend that is rapidly taking effect in the world of tattoos is known as tongue tattoos.

Although many aren’t familiar with tongue tattoos yet, they are just now starting to take shape.  They resemble other designs and styles, although they cover the muscle known as the tongue.  There are tattoos that cover the entire tongue, or just a single area.  In most cases, those who already have them, chose to have their tongue tattooed a certain color.  Whether it be purple, orange, black, or blue, the tongue can be tattooed a variety of different colors.

The designs that are poplar with tongue tattoos include stars, tribal work, and other shapes and designs that cover a region of the tongue.  Stars are popular with the lower area of the tongue, near the tip.  There are also designs that can be tattooed farther back on the tongue, near the middle of it.  As tongue tattoos become more and more popular, more and more designs are implemented.

As far as the procedure goes, it’s very similar to getting a tattoo on any other part of your body.  A tattoo involved needles puncturing the skin, depositing ink into the epidermis.  The needles move extremely fast, breaking the skin and leaving the pigments of ink.  The tongue, just like the skin, will swallow the pigments once the surface has been punctured by the needle.  Once the pigments of ink are absorbed by the tongue, the color will remain there forever.

Those who have had tongue tattoos in the past say that they aren’t very painful.  Unlike tattoos on the skin, the tongue is a giant muscle.  A tattoo on the tongue is often described as a tickling sensation or the feeling of numbness in your mouth.  When the tattoo artist does the tattoo, he will normally use a tool to hold the tongue out.  If you’ve ever had a tongue piercing, you’ll know what it looks like.  Once the tongue is out, the artist will begin work.  The process normally does take very long, as long you hold still and don’t move around.

If a tongue tattoo sounds interesting to you, the first thing to do is find a tattoo artist in your area who is experienced with doing them.  Not a lot of tattoo artists are familiar with tongue tattoos, as they are just now beginning to surface.  A tongue tattoo is a bit on the creative side – something that you just don’t see in public everyday.

Caring for a New Tattoo

When you finally decide to get a tattoo, the first thing you’ll need to do is find a reputable tattoo artist. Most tattoo artists have several designs that you can pick from. If you don’t find anything you like, you can always ask them to make a custom tattoo or why not create one yourself and get the tattoo artist to fine tune it for you. Remember you’ll have the tattoo for the rest of your life – so think hard about what you want. The design of course is the most important but you also need to know how to take care of it.

After your tattoo is finished, your tattoo artist will most likely cover up your tattoo – this is done for a really good reason – to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. A fresh tattoo is like a wound and is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection – so whatever you do leave the bandage on for a minimum couple of hours – this is important! I know you will be excited to show the world your new tatt – but please keep it covered – there is plenty of time to show off that new tatt!

Now the only time you should take off a bandage straight away is if for some reason your tattoo artist has covered it with plastic wrap or saran wrap – this is a DEFINITE NO-NO – so take it off immediately.

So you have waited a couple of hours and you have now removed your bandage – so it is time to wash and treat your new tattoo. Gently wash your tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild, antibacterial soap – don’t use anything too harsh – try Provon Medicated Lotion Soap if you can get it. If you are not sure – simply remember to ask your tattoo artist what he/she would recommend. Make sure you clean the area completely and do NOT use anything abrasive – use your hand to gently clean the area – clean as best as you can to try and prevent too much scabbing.

After cleaning your new tattoo, gently pat the area – do NOT rub – with a clean or paper towel and make sure it is completely dry. Then apply a really light application of your antibacterial ointment of choice – once again ask your tattoo artist for their recommendation.

After your initial clean and ointment application – it is now a matter of continuing to keep it clean – do NOT use any lotions or soaps with dye or fragrances in them – just keep it clean with unscented products.

There is a lot of talk about NOT showering with a new tattoo – this is NOT true – you certainly can shower – just don’t saturate your tattoo – and try hard not to get soap or shampoo on the area – if you do – clean it with fresh water straight away. Whatever you do AVOID swimming – so no pools – either freshwater or salt water pools – this should be avoided at all costs for at least a couple of weeks.

Now chances are you will experience some scabbing over the new tattoo – this is quite normal – a little scabbing is to be expected – so don’t panic! DO NOT pick and DO NOT scratch – this is very very important – this means it is healing so LEAVE IT ALONE! If you must do anything – apply warm moise compresses for a few minutes a couple of times a day to soften the scabs and eventually they will come off themselves – so once again DO NOT pick and DO NOT scratch.

So one more piece of advice is to always take care of your tattoos by using sun protection – tattoos can fade – so slap on that SPF30 sunblock and keep your tattoo fresh and colourful and whatever you do – SHOW THAT TATTOO OFF!

Tattoos as Art – Scott Campbell Exhibition

Make It Rain

April 11 – May 9, 2009
Showing at O.H.W.O.W.
3100 NW 7 Avenue / Miami / Florida / 33127

In what will be his first major solo presentation of his works, Campbell will showcase his unique aesthetic via sculptures, paintings, drawings and photography.

Scott Campbell was born and raised in a fishing camp, perched alongside a muddy bayou in rural Louisiana. With a clever knack for drawing and a fondness of stories, he began his career by doing illustration and assistant editing. Curiosity soon led him to experiment with tattooing and his immediate mastery of the art was undeniable. After a subsequent 18 month stint in Spain honing his craft, he packed up his skills and his tattoo machines and traveled for the next 5 years taking inspiration from the art and folklore of tattoo cultures all over the world.

In 2004, he opened Saved Tattoo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Since then, it has grown to be the East Coast’s premier tattoo shop with a devout following of celebrity clientele. Campbell has the taken the blue collar grit and lore of tattoo culture and extracted a visual language and wit that are supremely refined and deliberate. He has an uncanny ability to tell a story with any medium, flesh or otherwise.

All photos by Norman Lendzion

Check out Scott’s own site here.

Johnny Depp’s literary inspired tattoo

Johnny Depp has a great relatively new tattoo “Silence Exile Cunning” which is a quote from the book “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” by James Joyce. The tattoo comes from a quote near the end of the book by the main character Stephen: “I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use – silence, exile, and cunning.”

It is on the inside of his left arm and is a great quote and an awesome tattoo. If you want to see a picture of it – just google it – it is everywhere – no need for me to recycle the same old photos!

We also know that Johnny Depp has a multitude of other tattoos – around 14 known tattoos, including:

• American Cherokee Head- reflecting his great-great-grandmother’s cherokee heritage
• Brave Symbol – on his inside right arm from his movie The Brave
• Lily-Rose -  the name of his first-born child is tattoed near his heart
• Heart with Betty Sue – on his left upper arm is his mother’s name
• Inverted Triangle – is above the Betty Sue tattoo and is often used as an expression of romantic love
• Jack – his son’s name
• Wino Forever – on his right bicep is his notorious Winona Forever tattoo which he had changed after his breakup with Winona Ryder
• Three small rectangles on his right index finger – he has described these as a “permanent phone doodle”
• the number 3 – on his left hand between his thumb and index finger is said to be a mystical, magical number
• Flying Bird – on his right forearm and is from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie – but he turned the tattoo around so that it flies towards him – his son Jack’s name is tattoed below
• Skull and Crossbones – on his outside lower right leg with the phrase “Death is Certain” below it
• Question mark ? – on his right inside leg over his ankle

Most of Johnny’s tattoos have been done by New York tattooist Jonathan Shaw.

He is a true tattoo aficianado and every tattoo means something to him and marks a specific time in his life. I have several tattoos myself and each one means something special to me – I think this is one of the best ways to approach getting a tattoo – linking your tattoo to something that means something special to you.

As Johnny Depp says tattoos are milestones to remember life’s journey by.

Tattoo My Brain Review

I do not belong to this site but it rates a mention – even if only for the fact that it gives away the most unrelated bonuses for a tattoo website!

With membership you get the following bonuses:

• Quit Smoking Today! ebook – $39.95
• So You Wanna Buy A Car? ebook – $29.95
• 101 Money Leaks ebook – $29.95
• Online Dating The Easy Way ebook – $39.95
• Your Dreams Revealed ebook – $29.95

I am sorry – but what on earth do these bonuses have to do with tattoos? I am not a big fan of sites that give away totally unrelated bonuses – it insults the intelligence of anyone considering membership to this site.

But apart from the bonuses, the site gives you the opportunity to sign up for a free 5 day tattoo mini course – I have signed up for this and it is average – it tells you a little bit about the history of tattoos, and selecting a tattoo, etc.

Like most tattoo sites it allows you to browse through categories to find the tattoos you are interested in and there are over 6,000 designs on offer. I am not sure of the quality of the designs – so you would have to make up your own mind on this one.

The membership price is $35.95 – a one time fee.

Check it out here if you are interested!

Would love to hear from anybody who has actually joined this site!

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