California Tattoo And Body Piercing
News And Articles...

Orland, California
01/08/10

Slingin' Ink Tattoos, at 714 Fourth St., is owned and operated by Orland native Jay Cee Rodriguez. An artist at heart, he began doing tattoos about three years ago in the San Fernando Valley.

"It's the art. If I can create something that people will like for the rest of their lives, that's awesome."

"I focus on being sanitary. I take extra measures, because I don't want to have things dirty. I don't want to get sick and I don't want my customers to get sick." As far as he's concerned, a tattoo is not done until everything is cleaned and put away.

With everything in place, Rodriguez prepared the customer's arm by shaving it, cleaning it with alcohol and applying a stencil solution to transfer the design.

Then he opened a new needle — "nothing is reused," he said — and began drawing the outline with ink that meets industry standards. All his ink is made in America.

By law, no one under 18 can be tattooed, even with a parent's consent.

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Courtesy of: willows-journal.com

San Jose police with tattoos may be ordered to find cover.

The San Jose Police Department recently adopted a policy that prohibits cops from displaying tattoos while on duty. So officers with tattoos will either have to wear long-sleeved shirts year-round to cover them up or have them removed.

Over the past months, officers and tattoos has become a nationwide issue in law enforcement and the military. Many agencies, including the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Police Department, have adopted policies prohibiting personnel from showing off body art while on duty.

Some agencies, including police departments in San Jose, Long Beach and San Diego, allow tattoos that are partly visible or deemed not offensive. In San Jose, any exceptions to the rule must be approved by the chief's office or a member of his command staff. Davis said the policy will be "pretty stringent" and officers seeking an exception must meet "a real high mark."

Bobby Lopez, president of the 1,360-member San Jose Police Officers' Association, agrees that some tattoos displayed by officers need to be covered up in order to maintain a high level of professionalism. Lopez was pleased that Police Chief Rob Davis was willing to make an exception, especially for veteran cops who are suddenly being told to cover up their tattoos. Lopez estimates that about 30 of the 1,360 San Jose officers will be affected by the policy.

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Courtesy of: mercurynews.com

Fresh bread, fresh start for ex-gang members.

Homeboy Industries is a nonprofit rehabilitation center for former gang members founded 20 years ago by Father Gregory Boyle, a parish priest in the Boyle Heights neighborhood near downtown.

A spacious new bakery and a training and job development center opened here last week, on the site where the old bakery burned down in a 1999 fire. The fourth location since 1988, the new building includes tattoo removal, counseling, and classes in financial literacy, decisions for healthy living, computer basics, anger management, and Alcoholics Anonymous.

In a county considered the gang capital of America, with some 86,000 gang members, the facility represents a growing acceptance of a gang-control tactic that redirects youths, and that was reviled when it was first introduced.

Hoping to change the enforcement-only model, Boyle has held to his maxim that "nothing stops a bullet like a job." Begun as a community program based out of a small parish for eight local gangs, Homeboy has expanded to include more than 600 gangs across Los Angeles County.

Homeboy Industries employs about 250 former gang members and at-risk youths – most of whom start by earning minimum wage and slowly work their way up. Officials say they reach out to 600 gangs, offering services to about 1,000 people from 45 different ZIP Codes.

"Every year we have a company picnic and baseball tournament, and it's like the United Nations out there," says Boyle. "We have something like 300 people with spouses and kids, and it's extraordinary ….[that] these guys used to be shooting at each other and now they are on the same team."

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Courtesy of: csmonitor.com

Fresno, California
09/02/07

Hammer and hope: Fresno takes the bite out of the Bulldog gang's bark with a variety of tactics.

Born in prison, fed by complacency, the violent Bulldog gang has become over the decades a 4,000-strong force so ingrained in this central California city that the bulldog mascot of Fresno State University no longer belongs to fans and students.

After the gang adopted the mascot, public schools banned clothing bearing images of the muscle-bound dog that has represented California State University, Fresno, since 1921, but today Fresno officials are using new tactics to deal with a problem they allowed to escalate.

"We'd become tolerant of gangs operating within our communities," said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer, a city native who worked his way up in the department to become chief six years ago. "What we have to do, and law enforcement has to take the lead, is to change our way of thinking and create a new normal."

Court injunctions are issued creating "gang-free zones" and banning individual gang members from associating with each other or wearing gang clothing. In coming weeks, Global Positioning System tracking devices will be attached to Bulldog parolees, alerting police to their whereabouts 24 hours a day.

At the same time, a $1.1 million program initiated by Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, a former actor, helps gang members make a transition out of the thug life by paying for tattoo removal, job training and GED classes.

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Courtesy of: palmbeachpost.com

Barstow, California
08/18/07

Life, Liberty and Little League.

Pete Esquivel, or “Little League Pete” as most know him, has a passion for baseball and specifically for Little League. That passion has led him to Little League games, meetings and conferences.

Wanting a permanent symbol of his love, Esquivel got the official Little League logo tattooed on his left arm in 2003. With a week to go before the 2007 Little League World Series, he once again visited the tattoo parlor. This time he got a tattoo of the logo for the first Little League District of Williamsport, Pa.

Esquivel’s devotion to the game goes back more than 40 years to his first Little League practice. He began playing when he was 5 years old in a time when local teams still wore jeans to games.

Esquivel now has his own Little League museum in a room in his home. The walls of the room are painted to resemble Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, where the Little League World Series is held each year. Esquivel recreated the stadium down to every detail. In left field, you see the scoreboard and hill that fills with up to 50,000 spectators. In right field, you can see the Little League Headquarters.

He even has foul posts erected in the corners. One wall is lined with T-shirts, jerseys, hats and balls he has collected over his nine years of world series. The room is crowded with cases of Little League memorabilia from a pair of decades-old unused Little League licensed cleats to programs from various world series.

“He has a lot of unique items, and he knows the history on every piece in the room. I think he loves Little League because it’s something that everyone can play. As you get older, it’s more exclusive, but Little League is for everyone,” said West Barstow Little League President Gary Vinson.

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Courtesy of: desertdispatch.com

Marisa DiMattia's Guide to Getting Inked in LA.

Marisa DiMattia is the ultimate go-to source for all things tattoo. The globe-trotting New York lawyer and writer is co-founder and editor of Needled.com.

This modern Greek goddess sports full sleeves, an elaborate backpiece, and much more. Most of her tattoos are custom blackwork done by her husband, acclaimed blackwork tattoo specialist Daniel DiMattia of Calypso Tattoo.

Somehow she found the time to put together her ultimate guide to getting inked in Los Angeles. While she could have included many more (Mister Cartoon is missing, solely because of his rapper and rock star-filled waiting list), here are 10 of Marisa DiMattia's top tattoo shops in LA.

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Courtesy of: gridskipper.com

Got ink?

So what's the big trend in tattoos now? Anything related to pirates, thanks to blockbuster movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean." That includes skulls, pirate ships and anything else with a nautical theme, says Kris Stencel, owner and tattoo artist at White Lotus Tattoo Studio in Laguna Hills.

"Anytime there's a tattoo on 'Miami Ink,' we'll get requests for it," Stencel said.

Tribute tattoos continue to be big, with folks coming in to get names of deceased loved ones scrawled into their skin, or even portraits of loved ones and pets.

Tattoo trends are dictated by celebrities, too. Years ago, a few famous pro wrestlers helped fuel the tribal trend. More recently, tattoo artist Greg Pugh said, several girls have asked for a rosary-around-the-ankle tattoo similar to Nicole Richie's.

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Courtesy of: ocregister.com

Better hide the tattoo if you want the job.

Once associated with drunken sailors, felons and Hells Angels, tattoos have gone nearly mainstream, putting employers in a bind. How to write rules that won't alienate un-hip customers on the one hand or eliminate talented workers on the other?

Different standards have emerged. A pink rose discreetly inked on an ankle might pass muster at a hospital but not a day-care center; an eyebrow stud will be viewed as charming at one store and a blemish at another.

In many cases, grooming policies are being set by members of a generation known for letting it all hang out.

Nearly 50% of Americans between 21 and 32 have at least one tattoo or a piercing other than in an ear, according to a 2006 study by the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Men and women alike say their tattoos make them feel sexy and rebellious, a 2003 Harris Poll found, while the unadorned of both genders see body art as unsightly and think those with tattoos and piercings are less intelligent and less attractive.

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Courtesy of: latimes.com

A quick look at Kayle Leogrande.

The 2006 USCF Elite National Criterium Champion Kayle Leogrande of the Rock Racing team is easy to recognize, look for a soft-spoken family man always ready with a smile for his fans. Oh and if it helps, his body is covered in tattoos.

Leogrande was quite successful as a junior rider and was part of the US National team but quit cycling. Just when most junior riders were signing on to become professionals, Leogrande quit the sport of cycling at the age of 18 to become a successful tattoo artist.

During his absence from cycling, he built up his expertise as a tattoo artist, and now owns his own studio with 10 employees, and can now focus on riding his bike again. "I am able to ride my bike at my own leisure and since I worked so hard to get where I am with the studio."

In 2007, he joined the new team Rock Racing, a new US Continental team, with Rock & Republic as their title sponsor. Being on a team with good and stable sponsor made a huge difference. "All I have to do is concentrate on training so that makes all the difference in the world. I feel really blessed to be on a team that takes care of that for me."

"I've had a good year, it just keeps getting better and better."

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Courtesy of: dailypeloton.com

How to Prepare Yourself Before Getting Your Tattoo.

A tattoo is a permanent mark in you skin that you will be wearing for a long time and you should do some serious thinking before getting your tattoo. Getting a tattoo is a life-long decision and you should avoid rushing yourself to get one and then later on regret wearing a tattoo that you don’t like. Here are some tips that you need to know before getting your tattoo.

Reason for getting a tattoo: Before subjecting yourself under the needles, think why you want to get a tattoo.

Legal age: The legal age is usually 18 years old, but still check with your country or state before getting your tattoo.

Safety: Make sure someone tattooing you is using sterilized needles to avoid catching infectious diseases.

Budget: You should know the total tattoo cost before getting your tattoo.

Get a professional artist: Find out about the reputation of the tattoo parlor before getting your tattoo. Find a tattoo parlor which abides with the law about tattooing and who cares more about your safety than your money.

Placement of tattoo: Placement of tattoo is a critical decision and you should know the pros and cons of tattoo placement before getting your tattoo.

Choosing the best tattoo design: Give yourself time to shop around, look at other tattoos or carefully work with a tattoo artist about the best tattoo design for you.

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Courtesy of: americanchronicle.com

San Diego, California
06/04/07

Biobytes: Michael Wininger.

Michael Wininger got into the tattoo business by way of law school. A car accident left him with too many bills, so he had to give up school and go to work, apprenticing at a tattoo shop in his hometown of French Lick, Ind.

When Wininger saw an Internet posting for a tattoo-artist job in California, he took a bus to Twentynine Palms. But the desert wore on him after a couple of years, so he moved to San Diego in 2003.

Wininger, 31, ran his own tattoo business for a while before starting to work for Edgewater Tattoo in Hillcrest.

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Courtesy of: signonsandiego.com

UCSB Student Opens Henna Body Art Business.

Students and I.V. residents wanting to decorate their bodies with something less permanent than an “I Love Mom” tattoo now have one more place to get inked in Isla Vista.

Beachside Body Art, a new student-run business specializing in henna designs, is the brainchild of second-year dramatic art major Jessica Chernicki. The new business specializes in traditional Indian, tribal, Asian, flash-type and custom designs, according to Chernicki.

Chernicki said she uses only natural ingredients - which she mixes herself - for her designs. Based on the complexity of each henna design, prices for body art at Beachside range from $5 for small designs to $85 for larger, more intricate patterns.

Beachside Body Art is located inside the Sweet Jane clothing store at 6529 Trigo Rd. and is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Fridays and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Sweet Jane, which has been open since last October, sells women’s clothing, jewelry and costumes.

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Courtesy of: dailynexus.com

Marin-born tattoo legend dies in Chicago.

Michael Malone, the San Rafael-born tattoo artist who gained worldwide notoriety for his vivid images, died on April 17 at his home in Chicago. He was 64.

Malone committed suicide after a long illness, said his business partner, Keith Underwood.

Malone, who assumed the pen name Rollo Banks early in his career, helped popularize and standardize tattooing through his images of dragons, daggers, cartoon characters and crests that he distributed to tattoo parlors around the world.

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Courtesy of: marinij.com

Tattoos.

At the Classic Tattoo Studio in Grass Valley, tattoo artist Cory Norris is pushing the envelope of self-expression with his Japanese-inspired designs.

Norris is so busy nowadays that he is restricting his appointments to existing clients and referring new ones to his colleague, Nick Chaboya.

The tattoo artist launched his career 12 years ago in Santa Cruz, dropping out of art school to tattoo full-time. Norris opened up his own studio on Colfax Avenue in Grass Valley nine years ago.

Although Norris has won awards at tattoo conventions around the world, perhaps his greatest work of all is his father's tattooed body suit. Jerry Norris, 57, says that his tattoo is even more special because of the time he spent with his son while the ornate pattern was inked on his body. Call it father-son bonding in the extreme.

"It keeps us tight," says Jerry Norris, describing the five years of bi-monthly, four-hour sittings to work on tattoos that stretch from his collar bone to his wrists and ankles.

At conventions, Norris usually submits his father's body suit in contests. It's come up a winner 34 times, including a "best color" award at the National Tattoo Association in Seattle last weekend.

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Courtesy of: theunion.com

Paramount Grabs Horror Script Involving Tattoo Artists.

Looking to get their feet wet in the world of horror, Paramount Vantage has picked up a spooky high-concept spec script, Ink, by Harris Wilkinson (Stir of Echoes: The Dead Speak) that apparently has something to do with tattoo artists.

The script is currently out to directors, and it's being produced by Riche Prods. in association with Mandalay Independent Pictures.

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Courtesy of: cinematical.com

Leave piercings to the professionals.

"There are some places that you just can't disinfect because they are a mucus membrane," said Dr. Mark Vaughan, a general practitioner with the Auburn Medical Group. "For example the tongue. I've seen with horrible infections that left scarring behind."

Vaughan said when piercing the upper ear lobe, which is cartilage, there is a higher risk of infection. "There's not much blood supply in the cartilage," he said. "That area can't fight infection and if one starts and antibiotics can't get to it because of poor blood supply."

Ron Cox owns Red Dragon Tattoos and Piercing in Rocklin. He's been piercing professionally for about nine years and said he's heard of individuals piercing with paper clips and other "horrific" objects. "When piercing yourself you go to someone's house, garage or bedroom and it's not a sterile environment," Cox said. "The worst thing is not just a bad piercing its some sort of horrific disease."

So, what's the most popular location to poke a hole in? "People come in a lot to have their ears pierced," Cox said. "Most popular are nostril and the belly button."

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Courtesy of: auburnjournal.com

Tattoo limits hit Marines like forearm.

The Marines are banning any new, extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the corps' spit-and-polish image.

For many Marines, getting a tattoo is a rite of passage. They commonly get their forearms inscribed to remember fallen comrades, combat tours or loved ones, and often ask for exotic designs that incorporate the Marine motto, Semper Fi, or "Always faithful."

The ban is aimed primarily at "sleeve" tattoos, the large and often elaborate designs on the biceps and forearms of many Marines.

Similar designs on the lower legs will be forbidden as well. So will very large tattoos on the upper arm, if they are visible when a Marine wears his workout T-shirt. Small, individual tattoos will still be allowed on the arms and legs. (The Marines already ban them on the hands.)

The Army actually relaxed its tattoo restrictions last year. Soldiers can now get ink on the backs of their hands and the lower back of the neck.

The Navy last year decreed that tattoos visible while in short-sleeve uniform cannot be larger than the wearer's hand. The Air Force says tattoos should be covered up if they are bigger than one-quarter the size of the exposed body part.

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Courtesy of: denverpost.com

Think before you ink.

Scott Bryant, 33, is a professional tattoo artist at American Graffiti, located on 19th Street and Capitol Avenue in downtown Sacramento. Bryant has been tattooing for more than 11 years and has performed cover ups for many of his clients. Bryant pointed out two main factors that can sway a person to consider getting a tattoo covered up. He said people tend to get their first tattoo in a bad shop, and after seeing other people's tattoos, ask: "Why doesn't my tattoo look like that?"

Second, Bryant's No. 1 reason why people want to cover up their tattoos is because they want to conceal a name. That person must get a tattoo that is bigger and darker to mask the name underneath.

A good rule to follow before getting a tattoo is to check out the shop before you commit to getting inked. Tattoo artists usually have portfolios of their work handy.

At the age of 18, many people want to experience getting a tattoo and often make sudden decisions.

If you have a tattoo or are planning on getting one, you must consider that your opinions and views of life might change. So whether you think you will not ever regret your tattoo, you don't know how you will feel later in life.

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Courtesy of: statehornet.com

Auburn Ink.

Tattoos have long been a part of cultures throughout the world and have made their way from the arms of sailors and bikers, to the backs, stomachs and wrists of the everyday person.

Tattoo artists have seen and inked their share of unusual body art.

Chris Harm, 20, has been a tattoo artist for a few months at Auburn Tattoo. "The most unusual tattoo I've done is a pair of wire cutters, cutting off a guy's finger with a banner that says, 'Get some,'" Harm said.

Josh Daniels, 28, of A-Town Ink, has a passion for art, whether it's on canvas, a mural or a body part. He said he gets all sorts of requests for tattoos. "More people come in with their own ideas. Each individual is different," Daniels said. "I like tattoos that reflect the person or their image."

Landon Mau, 23, is a tattoo artist. He hasn't counted all his tattoos, but said he thinks he has 11 or 12. "I have quite a few I did on myself. My latest is a giant rose," Mau said. "I look at my tattoos as time lines. They all have significant meaning in different ways."

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Courtesy of: auburnjournal.com

Oakland, California
03/02/07

Not Your Grandma’s Tattoo Parlor — Or Maybe It Is.

Tattoo artist Sasha Merritt specializes in non-traditional, custom tattoo art at Dragonfly Ink in San Francisco. In addition to creating original designs, she performs color restoration and alteration on older tattoos, scar concealment, and cosmetic tattooing. Her work ranges from botanically-correct flowers to a near-abstract inspired by the complex figuring on a church’s marble floor piece, from a baby’s handprints for a proud father’s chest to an elegant grasshopper in the classical Chinese style.

She participated in several group art shows and sold some greeting card designs before finding her life’s work. After completing an apprenticeship at San Francisco’s Black and Blue Tattoo, Merritt traveled and tattooed in London and Worcester, as well as in Phoenix and San Francisco.

“I realized that although I’d worked with some great people, what I was looking for in a shop, I hadn’t found: a space devoted to art — an art that happened to be tattooing. I wanted a feeling like an art studio or a gallery.”

“A lot of my clients are women in their 30s, 40s, or 50s either coming to deal with scars, or just women coming into their own,” says Merritt. Some tattoos are chosen as a means of self-expression, belief, or inspiration. Some of the tattoos are “just for pretty.” Some clients need cosmetic tattooing to fill in eyebrows damaged by excessive tweezing or electrolysis; others want to cover up, say, the name of an ex or a clumsily-drawn earlier tattoo. Cancer survivors with reconstructed breasts often need tattooing to make the new areolas look natural.

Merritt has fulfilled her desire for the feel of a gallery — and her commitment to serving the local community — by curating a number of group shows at Dragonfly. The paintings currently hanging are her own, due to the time-consuming nature of the group shows. Merritt is taking a break from them, but only temporarily. “That’s part of what the space is for,” she says.

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Courtesy of: babwnews.com

Stockton, California
02/11/07

Tattoos, piercings less taboo at work.

David Russell sits while his ears are swabbed with antiseptic first. A taper (large needle) is slowly pushed through his left ear lobe. His lobes were being stretched by his wife, Tam Russell, owner of Redemption tattoo studio. Soon after the piercing, studs are implanted, filling the newly formed holes. The next day, Russell will button up his shirt, slip on some slacks and head to work, as a systems analyst in the corporate world.

As younger generations of employees emerge, body modifications such as tattoos and piercings are, now more than ever, openly seen in the workplace. Currently, there are more than 15,000 tattoo studios in America, according to U.S. News & World Report, which said they are one of the fastest growing retail business categories in America.

"Tattoo artists, who have graduated art school, end up going into tattooing because it's a lucrative business," said Tam Russell, the owner of Redemption tattoo studio on Main Street. Russell has been tattooing and piercing for 16 years, being one of the first female tattoo artists in Stockton.

Television shows such as "Miami Ink" and "Inked" have triggered even more interest in the practice, said Jeff Hardcastle, owner of Nothing Sacred Tattoo on California Street in Stockton.

Branding has become increasingly popular said Santiago Roxas, a Stockton tattoo artist and body piercer, who performs the branding procedure with a cautery machine. Although he is currently out of commission, due to surgery, his wife, Brandy Roxas, took over branding operations for the time being.

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Courtesy of: recordnet.com

Sake’s inspirations combine to create ‘something dark’.

A San Diego artist known only as Sake stands in the center of his tiny den, which also serves as a makeshift gallery. From the waist up, this room is orderly, with paintings hanging level on the walls. The floor, however, is another matter. Plastic toys in eye-catching primary colors litter the carpet, and a small dog and an even smaller child make frequent appearances at ankle level. It’s wise to look down before taking a step in any direction.

Sake beams with fatherly pride on the subject of his 14-month-old son, Miles, which seems all the more endearing coming from a 37-year-old man who runs a tattoo shop, Hillcrest’s Red Lantern, and has a background in graffiti (legal, of course).

He enjoys tattooing. He’s been doing it for eight years and is happy running his 2-year-old shop with his wife Chyna. He’s good, too, but he does it more for the money than the love. “There are people that are real tattoo artists. I’m not that tattoo-artist guy.” Eventually, he’d like to pursue fine art full-time.

These days, most of Sake’s paint is reserved for his canvases. He takes time off from tattooing when preparing for shows, painting 10 or 12 hours a day for two weeks straight. He recently did a group show in Sacramento and has a four-man show opening on Feb. 10 at Distinction Gallery in Escondido.

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Courtesy of: sdcitybeat.com

Escondido, California
02/03/07

Removing telltale gang tattoos an expensive process.

Gang tattoos often are used to tell the world the bearer is proud of his affiliation and his neighborhood, law enforcement officials and former gang members say.

But when former gang members are trying to put their lives back together, find jobs and detach themselves from the stigma of gang life, they soon learn that removing the tattoos is very expensive. One tattoo removal business, for example, charges as much as $8,000 to remove a single tattoo, a company official said last week.

The Family Centers of San Diego clinic in San Diego's Logan Heights was one of the only places in San Diego County that offered low-cost removal of tattoos for gang members wanting to leave that life behind and find a decent job.

Tattoos on the forearms, hands or face are called "job-stoppers," said Gordo Lost, who owns Escondido's Good Neighbor Tattoo. While covering up gang-related tattoos is an option, even tattoos that have nothing to do with gangs can make it difficult to find work, he said, adding that he often advises would-be clients not to get tattooed on parts of their body that are visible to potential employers.

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Courtesy of: nctimes.com

Colfax, California
01/31/07

Downtown's hurting while I-80 businesses flourish.

Though several Colfax business representatives say they are not doing well, other area businesses are not experiencing that economic downturn.

In November, CraZyman Alexander, co-owner of Old School Tattoo Parlor, moved his four-year-old business from a neon-lit storefront on South Auburn Street to the nearby Fruit Exchange Building on Railroad Avenue.

Although the new location doesn't have the same amount of street traffic, Alexander said that Old School Tattoo has retained its regular customers.

"If we were just starting the business, being here (on Railroad Street) would really hurt," he said.

Now with more room and cheaper rent, the small business is looking to expand their training and apprenticeship program, he added.

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Courtesy of: colfaxrecord.com

Redding, California
12/11/06

Will employers warm up to body art?

"Every generation has their thing. In the '60s, it was long hair, and in the '70s, it was bad fashion," said Mark Keppler, human resources professor at California State University, Fresno. "And with the current generation, it seems like tattoos are their thing."

Keppler and other workplace experts say that while body art may be fashionable and embraced in some specialized job markets, many employers are less likely to allow their workers to sport lip rings or let their tattoos show.

Legal experts said companies can amend their dress code policies to restrict body art, but they must apply the new rules consistently and without religious bias.

"As long as you go about it properly, you can do it," said Talar Herculian, a Southern California employment law attorney. "But what I like to tell my clients is that they should really think carefully about what their goals and purposes are. If they want to maintain a certain image for customer relations purposes, then they can create a policy that supports that."

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Courtesy of: redding.com

Gilroy, California
11/04/06

Art for Life.

Tattooing has undergone a seismic shift. Once the outlaw's brand, the emblem of sailors, felons and thugs, tattooing has gone mainstream, with veterans, moms and working stiffs getting inked. Nearly a fourth of adults age 18 to 50 are tattooed, and they're not the token tough guys: Ray Figueroa says 70 percent of his clients are women. He's evened the skin tone of burn victims; he's inked realistic nipples and full-color murals on the masectomied breasts of cancer survivors.

Last week, after Figueroa took over Gilroy's only tattoo parlor, he gave it a 21st century makeover. Gone are the gunmetal-gray and black walls: four coats of paint later, the shop is a sterile, surgical white. Delicate ink drawings of ornate lotuses and koi lay arrayed on a desk, Figueroa's custom designs. Even the name has changed: 'Tortured Souls' is now 'Capt. Lu's Ink Life.'

"It's not taboo anymore - it's an art," said Figueroa. "If it can be drawn with a pen, it can be drawn with a tattoo needle."

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Courtesy of: gilroydispatch.com

San Diego, California
10/25/06

Leaving a mark.

Finally, someone who’ll let us pick at our scars.

When you think about it, there’s not much difference between tattooing and scarification. Both are methods of ornamenting one’s skin.

The crew at Apogee Body Piercing in Ocean Beach say they’re seeing an increase in popularity for scarring, so maybe it’s just a matter of time for this uncommon, yet ancient, form of body modification.

All cuts leave permanent scars, but different types of cuts leave different types of scars. A common cut is a channel cut, which forms a deeper, thicker scar than just a single thin line. Cutters can also use tissue removal in their designs, which is simply removing some layers of skin to create even deeper images.

Apogee also does other types of body modification, such as branding (burning the skin with an electrocauterizer) and moxa incense burning (a process of burning a cone of incense on the body, which slowly sears the skin, leaving behind a perfect circular scar). www.apogeepiercing.com.

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Courtesy of: sdcitybeat.com

Laguna Beach, California
09/07/06

Jake La Botz Debuts Album at Tattoo Parlors Across U.S.

Jake La Botz has stolen and lived in cars, learned to play blues from the last of the delta greats like Robert Johnson protégé David “Honeyboy” Edwards, played in a south L.A. church band, acted in indie films and even auditioned for the band Velvet Revolver.

Now, on the eve of the October 3 release of his new CD, Graveyard Jones (Charnel Ground Records), Jake La Botz is about to make musical history. He will preview the album over the course of the 20-city cross-country “Tattoo Across America” tour, stopping at tattoo parlors throughout the country. The tour kicks off in Hollywood on October 7 at Mark Mahoney’s Shamrock Social Club and continues to Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Nashville, Boston, New York, San Francisco and elsewhere through November 2nd.

So with boxes of the new Graveyard Jones CD in the trunk of his car, La Botz will visit an itinerary of tattoo shops that are as legendary to tattoo people (Gil Montie’s Tattoomania, Doc Dog’s Las Vegas Tattoo Co.) as CBGB and the Whisky A Go Go are to rock ’n’ rollers.

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Courtesy of: modernguitars.com/

Hollister, California
07/04/06

Business is Slow for Unofficial Version.

Many local stores stayed open this weekend despite the lack of a city-sanctioned Hollister Independence Rally, but merchants expressed disappointment at how little extra revenue the biker horde brought with it this year.

Many other businesses rented out their storefronts to vendors catering to the biker crowd. This is a common practice each year, but space was particularly scarce as vendors were unable to set up shop on city streets this weekend. Tents were set up at every available space in parking lots and back alleys, selling leather, T-shirts and sunglasses. Gone, however, were the tattoo parlors and custom bike outfitters that have become standard for the Independence Day weekend.

Many local merchants expressed disappointment over this year's biker turnout and the city's decision not to hold an official event. Not only were fewer bikers coming in to shop, many noticed, but they were unhappy and left town earlier because there was simply nothing to do and police were taking up most of the sidewalk.

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Courtesy of: hollisterfreelance.com

Sonora, California
06/30/06

Stylish shops give Angels a hint of hip.

A pair of vibrant and hip businesses have popped up along Angels Camp's downtown corridor, creating both energy and controversy in the sleepy Gold Rush city.

The shops — a stylish men's barber shop called Skeez's Cutting Lounge and a flashy and provocative tattoo parlor named Bombshell — opened on the city's South Main Street this year, joining a small cluster of shops that cater to a younger, trendier clientele.

Customers have come from as far away as Valley Springs to the shop for tattoos.

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Courtesy of: uniondemocrat.com

Gilroy, California
06/27/06

Good Body Art is Clean Body Art.

Before jumping on the body art bandwagon, a few simple precautions can mean the difference between serious health complications and a flashy new body embellishment.

California legislation requires all tattoo and body piercing establishments to register with their respective county health department and to sign an agreement committing to meet certain health standards, including using sterilized equipment and safely disposing of needles. Shops are also visited regularly by health inspectors.

Despite the health codes, customers should take control of their own health. The conscientious customer should end up with a clean, healthy tattoo or piercing.

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Courtesy of: gilroydispatch.com

South Lake Tahoe, California
04/27/06

Anyone who has visited Las Vegas recently can see multiple themes with Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, Tropicana, Venetian and Luxor.

Harrah's Lake Tahoe is more "elegant," while a refurbished Bill's Lake Tahoe Casino, with a new nightclub and tattoo shop, is aimed for the younger crowd.

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Courtesy of: tahoedailytribune.com

Stockton, California
03/27/06

Artist's canvas of skin.

About 65 percent of the In 2 Skin Tattoo & Piercing owner's work centers around tweaking the work of other artists.

Much of Big Phil's work is custom, original paintings that require multiple colors and shading, as opposed to simple, one- or two-color traditional tattoos - a style called flash.

Custom work is less common in San Joaquin County than in the Bay Area, where he also runs a shop.

He opened the Stockton shop at 2738 Pacific Ave. eight years ago.

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Courtesy of: recordnet.com

San Mateo, California
03/18/06

Ink — it’s in their blood.

For the past eight years, Gomez spent time sitting in a chair in an effort to pay tribute to his lost buddy. He had a tombstone tattoo put on his right arm, but didn’t really like it. Now Gomez is working with San Bruno tattoo artist Jay Nieder to get it right.

Such specialty designs are what Nieder enjoys most about his job. He began doing his own work 15 years ago. A friend of Nieder’s put together a homemade tattoo machine. Nieder used the machine to create a low-rider type guy on his buddy’s chest. Afterward, he was hooked.

Starting at $60, customers can walk into Jay’s Fine Line Tattoo and pick a tattoo from the books or work with Nieder or another artist to create something custom. Custom work might be done on the fly as a person walks in but could also be put off for a week depending on how busy the shop is done.

He does have a preference for creating skulls and Japanese inspired tattoos that include creatures like dragons. His work will be on display next weekend at the Tattoo and Body Art Expo at the Cow Palace. It was just six months ago that Nieder and his crew attended the last Expo where they won first place for a Japanese sleeve on someone’s leg.

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Courtesy of: smdailyjournal.com

California Tattoo and Body Piercing Laws

California Tattoo and Body Piercing Conventions

California Tattoo and Body Piercing Employment Opportunities