On memorial tattoos.

When you’ve lost someone close to you, tattooing is often a tool you can use in your grieving process. I do many memorial tattoos and I know from my own personal experience of getting them, that it can be really emotional.

The best thing to do, first of all, is to contact the artist and set up a consultation. Every artist is different, and what I do may not be what all artists do. So check in first, before assuming anything. That said, I deal with memorial tattoos by taking my cues from you. some people are light hearted, remembering good things. others are in mourning and need to cope with that. I’m not a therapist, just a person, so here is my take on memorials and how I set things up for you if you want one.

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You might want your own soundtrack. This is fine- the shop doesn’t need to change their music for this to happen. The shop music is for the people working in the shop and we don’t change it- however I’m more than happy to work on you while you listen to your own calming music or meditation tracks on good headphones. If you don’t have good noise reduction headphones, let me know- I have over-the-ear ones that are amazing, and will keep out the hustle and bustle of the shop for you, so you feel safer. I’ll let you borrow them.

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I’ll put up a screen if you’d like to have more privacy. Crying and feeling emotional are common things when we get memorial tattoos so please don’t feel worried if you need a moment to let it out, or if you get overwhelmed during the tattoo.

We can take breaks as needed. I usually charge for a break, if it’s one you need and not one I need- but in this case I stop the clock. i don’t charge for that time. It can take some minutes to calm down, to refocus. I respect that need and I want the tattoo to come out perfectly, so a little break for you to cry or breathe it out is OK. It’s not unusual and I’m not thinking poorly of you. There’s no need to get embarrassed about it. Everyone on earth loses things and people they love, and I have been through it too.

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Bringing along comforting objects like books, photos or a pillow can help, especially if you have sensory issues. A familiar (clean) blanket and pillow are always ok. A photo for you to look at, a book, or videos through headphones. this can also help you remember the good times, and make your tattoo a celebration of the person’s life instead of just a sad moment thinking about the loss.

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You’re welcome to bring a friend or loved one who is sharing in your grief, so that you can have someone to talk to, who really understands. I highly recommend this. Bringing someone along who also knew the person, or who is very supportive of you in your life, can really help. it’s difficult for me to both commiserate with you AND do the tattoo perfectly, so having that friend along to hold hands, tell stories, or just vent to, will help you get through things and still walk away with a good tattoo.

case in point.

images are always good, not just words.

I do a lot of lettering, dates of birth and death, names, as memorials. This is very classic and totally ok. It’s just fine to do a memorial that’s simple and understated. I also do a lot of meaningful images related to the person who died. If there was an in joke between you, a pet name, or something you both loved, using an image of that as your memorial is a great idea and a really good way to remember the person going forward- as someone who had a positive impact on your life in an active way.

think of your loved one as a star. what were their greatest hits? what was their joy in life? did they create something wonderful, do something valuable? these are all good ways to think of images to memorialize them, rather than just letters.

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I’ve also done tattoos that include cremains. This involves several steps- you’ll have to sift the ashes to get the lightest, finest ash. I’ll only need a tiny bit (the ink cup I use to pour out your ink into is very tiny, think a few drops) so a little sprinkling on top of that tiny cup is what we will use. You’ll need to bring them in the day before your appointment, so I can sterilize them for use and let them dry out. Then we will dust a small bit of them on top of the black ink we will be using. Cremains in tattoos is a debatable issue and a lot of tattoo artists will refuse to do this, and the do have good reasons. you may lose spots of ink during healing, since the ash has larger particles than the ink. However by sterilizing them ahead of time, we avoid any possible bacterial contamination of them and any other risks.

If your tattoo is a memorial don’t be shy about telling me or asking about these things. I’ve got memorial tattoos. I cried during a few of them. I wore headphones, hugged someone’s t shirt that smelled like them, I took breaks and I felt miserable. The process itself, though, seemed to help me work through my more awful feelings- and having someone there to discuss the good times with, seemed to help me the most.

one of my own memorial tattoos, on me.

a memorial tattoo on me.

 

we all grieve differently. if you’re getting a memorial tattoo, we should have a consult before your appointment, just to be sure we get everything settled for you, so you can use the process instead of feeling worse. Again, my concern is to do a good tattoo on you, that will give you positive feelings as you wear it over the years.

I’m not a therapist and I can’t help with the grieving process on that level. all I can do is give you a hug, and schedule you at the end of my day so I’m not bringing the weight of that loss in to my next appointment.

The truth about fan art.

Now, I’ll admit  that I’m a fan of things. I enjoy things. I have problematic favorites just like anyone else. wanted to get that out of the way before I proceed.

case in point.

case in point.

 

now, about fan art. I’ll do it. I’ll do a caricature tattoo (more painterly- I don’t do photorealism) of any thing you like- especially if I like it too. however, I don’t want to copy a still frame of a film, a production photo or an exact image of a character someone else owns the rights to. it seems like bad karma somehow. those folks worked long and hard and they need to get paid for that, they own the character, the art, the film itself.

 

so my solution has always been to find a reference, a pertinent moment, and refine it into an idea that references the original without interfering in the ownership of the image. I’ve fallen down on this, all tattoo artists have. a tattoo is personal use, you see, so as long as I’m not using it to promote or create follow-up products, I’m on the ok side of things.

 

I prefer the subtle approach. for example, right now I’m obsessed with Westworld. I’ve got sketches of every damn character, based on extensive research into the actors, not based on any one moment in the series. they’re loose, painted. I’m ready to tattoo these. once. one person gets them. I may post them and tag we online (they are open to fan art) but I’m not interested in exact reproductions. I want to capture a moment or meaning, not a face.

 

all the things there were mechanical until the "upgrade" to cheaper materials like meat and bones. they were beautiful, now they're just like us. including the horses, the bison. so there it is.

all the things there were mechanical until the “upgrade” to cheaper materials like meat and bones. they were beautiful, now they’re just like us. including the horses, the bison. so there it is.

 

they can't ride that train anywhere. it's a goddamn loop around the park areas. it's headed nowhere. they can't escape. who laid those tracks? there it is.

they can’t ride that train anywhere. it’s a goddamn loop around the park areas. it’s headed nowhere. they can’t escape. who laid those tracks? there it is.

 

I’ve been obsessed with other things over the years, of course. mostly horror and sci Fi. I’d rather do something that contains the meaning of a scene, rough and raw and laid in strong, than copy and break a law or even piss someone off. there’s a lot of celebrity images in the public domain, I tend to rely heavily on mugshots, government images, and my paid Getty images access for these. I’ll use these and some of the character’s words or token totem items to make the piece. crossovers are fun, too, if I’m a fan of the actor.

 

looking at you, Walken.

looking at you, Walken.

 

looking directly at you, goldblum.

looking directly at you, goldblum.

 

 

I’ll do some things. I have dodgy soft spots. if I’m geeking on the same thing as you, I am a marshmallow and I’ll do it. I feel bad afterwards, but I love some things too much to say no outright. and I usually only do this if the creator has died.

 

Ernst Haeckel, public domain actually.

Ernst Haeckel, public domain actually.

 

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I really want to change the things to make then more my style, more to your fit, more important. I want to bring out the abstract qualities the original creator didn’t do- I want the meaning, the pith. if you’re a fan of a thing I’m a fan of, expect our consultation to be a geek fest about our fan theories and conceptual framework, finding symbols to use without infringing on copyright. that’s my goal every time.

 

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they never kiss.

from the literary description of It.

from the literary description of It.

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painting of a little sister.

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I wanted a real turtle.

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I’ll go abstract as fuck to capture the most powerful Disney villains.

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had to add sex appeal, sadness, and painterly feeling.

if, like me, you find important moments in media, like books, movies, shows… come talk to me. I like a lot of stuff, mostly horror/sci Fi and a little weird standard fiction. I’ve got a list of things I’d love to do, on standby. if our interests match, we’re going to end up with magic.

 

I was more lax about copyright in the old times of my career. after all, I need the word of mouth, the internet brings me about half my clients, and known franchises and characters will consistently outpace original works. people like the familiar and you’ll see a crap copy of a screenshot from a movie with 19,900 likes and hearts and comments, while thoughtful original content gets ignored. it’s really difficult to deal with as a creator. I’ve chased that little bump before. Won’t do it again. anything related to a media franchise from now on is all OC based on the universe in which the characters are set, all characters drawn from copyright free sources.

 

I’m an artist and I know artists need to get paid. while I need the exposure copying and making fan art gives me, and I enjoy it with my particular interests, we’ve got to find ways to change things- to use elements that are meaningful in that universe, without simply tracing a damn thing.

 

currently I’m interested in Westworld, the Wire, better call Saul, Ursula k Leguin sf (not fantasy though), everything from Stephen King, Octavia Butler, any horror movie you can think of, and of course, any celebrity who’s a little off their rocker. I’d like to do an Idris Elba, Antony Hopkins, Charlize Theron, Gary Bussey, Grace Jones, any woman in a good strong character actually from any era. I’d like to paint character actors. I’d like to tattoo a lot more characters from fiction instead of movies. true crime! but then also, I’m a horror movie creep so I’d like that too. inglorious basterds! hey just try me. if I’m not a geek for it, I’ll know someone who is.

don hertzfeldt tattoo

OH GAWD HELP ME MY ANUS IS BLEEDIINNNN-

just no direct copies. I’m not made for photorealism, my work is rugged and strange and won’t work that way. you can contact me if you’re interested by email, or with the link here: resonanteye.net/gettattooed.

I’ve been focusing more on skin and less on paper, so these images start out loose, they get refined on the skin. it’s about your interest in a thing matching mine, and your trust in the process. but I’m gritting my teeth waiting for more of this in the schedule, so please, bring it my way.

 

please. my inner nerd is underfed.

 

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outline of center areas done elsewhere, repaired and added the rest. xox John Waters

ka is a wheel. piece still in progress.

ka is a wheel. piece still in progress.

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bring these to me. please. I’m in the mood.

getting tattooed with scars from self-harm-answers to common questions.

I’m not going to include many photos in this post, to provide my clients with some privacy.

side note: this information applies to most any kind of scar, not just self injury.

 

don hertzfeldt tattoo

 

I’ve got some scars from self harm. I know a lot of people do. it can be really embarrassing, or feel shameful to have them seen. if they’re in really visible areas, it’s even worse.

I’ve had mine covered with tattoos (I stopped cutting years ago, when I was still fairly young). I’ve gotten images that remind me of what I’ve been through and of what I’d like my future to look like. I want you to know you’re not alone with this, first of all. I also want you to know that not only are you not alone, I have seen and tattooed worse scars than yours- burn wounds, surgical scars, all of it. yes, you may have done serious damage to yourself, but no- it’s not impossible to tattoo over it.

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If you want to do this, here’s a few things to keep in mind.

  • you have to stop cutting in that area and adjoining areas for at least a few months before we can start working on it. the skin can only heal so much at once, so nearby open wounds will mess up the healing process of the tattoo. if you can’t entirely stop SH/SI, try to go lighter and in a completely different area for a while before you come for a tattoo.
  • make a consultation time with me first. that way we can figure out the pattern and texture of your scars and skin, what areas are “ripe” for tattooing and which may need more time. scars should be a little bit settled in before we tattoo on them, so the ink will hold properly. a consultation gives us a chance to also meet up and discuss what your goal is with the tattoo itself.
  • it’s OK if your goal is ‘hide these’, it’s OK if your goal is ’emphasize these’, it’s OK if your goal is to stop SH/SI and it’s OK if your goal has nothing to do with stopping. I won’t judge. I won’t look down on you. I know that you have your own reasons, and you don’t have to explain that to me or go into detail. you don’t have to relive your troubles just so that I will tattoo you. my goal is to make you happy with your tattoo- that’s all. I’m just here to make something positive happen for you.
  • minimal, crisp, geometric, thin-lined, pale, wispy art doesn’t cover or hide scars. if your goal is to camouflage the scars, we will likely end up doing painterly, saturated, textured organic shapes of some kind. branches, trees, flowers, plants, animals. things that have volume and texture. if your goal is NOT to hide or cover the scars, let me know, so that we can work out what you do want to do.
  • scars that are fresh, still healing, or very livid usually don’t take ink very well. usually, moisturizing often with vitamin e and/or a good scar reducing lotion for a few months will fix this. this is yet another reason to stop harming the skin in the area you want tattooed and the surrounding area. we need to give your cell walls a chance to regenerate, to hold the ink in.
  • don’t be afraid to email me or contact me EVEN IF you aren’t coming to me for the tattoo. I’ve been through some shit and I know how intimidating it can be to walk in to strangers and talk about this stuff. I can always answer questions, possibly suggest understanding artists in your area, or even just listen. I think everyone deserves a good experience when getting tattooed, and I’m here for that if you need it.
  • you’re likely to get an endorphin high during or after the tattoo, similar to what you’d get from shallow cuts or abrasions. getting heavily tattooed was part of how I broke my cycle of self harm- I realized I could get that sensation in other ways. it’s almost the same chemicals released as a “runner’s high”- so just speaking from personal experience, running and getting tattooed are both good ways to get that little kick, without doing more damage.
  • come prepared to comfort yourself. your favorite blanket, pillow, headphones, dress in comfy clothes. self-soothing is totally welcomed in my space, I will never mock you for making sure you’re comfortable and feeling safe. bring a snack as well, or something you like to munch or drink (no booze!) you can bring a friend or come alone- whatever makes you feel safer.

 

yes, that's me

me getting my upper arms worked on.

 

if you need further information, email me, or, preferably, comment below. I’ll try to answer any comments I get here as quickly as I can.

"don't cover them"

“don’t cover them”

it goes without saying that SH/SI is dangerous and you shouldn’t do it. we all know that. but I know, and you know, that sometimes it’s a thing we do to cope, and we can’t just stop until you find better ways to cope with all the bullshit life throws at us. I hope we all find better ways to cope, I hope everyone reading this is able to find things that help. I did-and if I can do a thing I am damn sure that you can do the thing.

I understand that it takes time and work so again-don’t feel ashamed. It’s just a thing some of us do. Be as safe as you can be.

 

(sterile saline wound wash, steri-strips, and clean hands help a lot)

 

xox

using a scar as a design element

using a scar as a design element

after. the indentation and raised areas become an asset to the design

after. the indentation and raised areas become an asset to the design

 

 

 

 

December! the Inlander, and a few ideas.

I had an interview in the inlander, which was great. They were very easy to talk with and they quoted me correctly!

 

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also, a reminder; I’d like to do more works like the following images.

painterly flowers, solid black heavy rough edges, and high contrast works. winter is a good time to get a tattoo, mainly because it’s easy to heal this time of year. I’ll be at mom’s in Spokane (and in Eugene for the evergreen convention in March)

ukokprincess

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safety pins;

if you are capable and willing to defend someone who is being harassed or harmed, this is a great idea. I’m fully in support. there may be some naysayers but I think expressing this willingness to help others is a good thing.

you shouldn’t feel bad if you can’t help others or may be victimized yourself; but if you are able and willing to step in and stop others from being harassed and harmed this is a good way to express that, just in case.

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because I support this idea, on November 20 I’ll be doing safety pin silhouette tattoos (visible places only, wrist/hands/neck) or semicolon tattoos (any place on ya) for $50 (below our minimum.) first come, first served, from noon till five.

for each tattoo I do I’ll also donate ten bucks to the Southern Poverty Law Center to aid in their efforts to stop racism and misogyny.

 

I’m doing the semicolons as well, because not every person is able to step in and help others. some are not physically able, others are likely to get targeted themselves, or have other reasons.

bullying is often a contributing factor to suicide and suicide rates spiked in vulnerable populations this past few days, so I’d like to support those who are struggling with that, as well as those who are allies willing to step up and defend others.

 

feel free to share.

in other cities/areas, for safety pins,

Brent Schlemmer , (Indiana)
Kimber Teatro, (Portland, Oregon)
Curby Dickens (Salem, Oregon)
Club Tattoo Scottsdale (Arizona)
Suzen Tattoozen-Tanton (Eugene, OR)
Denise Gardner (Corvallis, OR)
Jessica Parrish, Ink Dreams Tattoo (TN)(will be donating to local soup kitchen for each tattoo done, the 21st)
George Long (Seattle, WA)
Premium Tattoo (Oakland, CA)
Steph Burnside (San Diego, CA)

 

I don’t know if they’re donating to anything, what day they’re doing this, or what they’re charging but you can look them up to find out.

 

if you’re a tattoo artist or shop doing something related, please comment- I’ll add you to the original post. then we can all share it so people in different regions can find someone who’s doing these.

xox #safespace #support #ilovemyclients #safetypin #semicolon #spokanewa #spokanetattoos #solidarity

Seminar: Passive income and social media use for tattoo artists

13912592_10153856265657712_6602799035210498873_nSeminar: Passive income and social media use for tattooers.

Even though we all make our daily bread tattooing, we all are also human beings, living inside bodies that can get broken or worn. When you’ve got slow times or an injury or illness, passive income is a good backup, and if done properly it will complement and improve your work on skin.

If you’re using social media at all- to share your tattoo work – or if you would like to start selling your other artwork online to reach a wider audience- this class is for you.

If you see the internet ad social media as a chore, hate pinterest, and fear theft- this class is for you.

Learn to use social media properly — without compromising your copyright.

This class relates to the sale of secondary mediums beyond tattooing, and will go over the relationship between your existing client base and the collectors who will buy your work on paper rather than skin.

We’ll cover print-on-demand services, pros and cons of social media use, networking as a strategy to find collectors, consolidating your media management, and getting more reach with your work online.

Seminar text and cheatsheet handout packet, aftercare instructions, and legal consent form templates included.

round two of the DayStar tour!

Eugene, Seattle, and Auburn WA.

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Video seminar is live!


This streaming video contains about 2/3 of the information I present in my seminar. You can stream it as much as you like, pause and play, rewind, and take notes all you want.
If you’ve taken my seminar in person, email me to get the free version of this. If you stream this and wish to take my seminar in person, email me and you will get a discount when you attend!

All feedback is welcome. I hope this information helps you- it’s hard-won.

 

Three projects at a time
BEK

black-eyed kids

I’m back east in Spokane for a few weeks. In the time I’m here, I have to:

I leave October 1st and I won’t get home until the 26. It’s going to be a long trip full of events and work!

Here are some photos- small images from the new book. A picture or two of the seminar prep work (kinda boring to look at but the seminar itself will be out of this goddamn world, you should go preregister for it, because it’ll cost a little more if you just show up on the day)- and pictures of the lifesized predators.

Now, I had some of this work done from before- the seminar text I had written already, but not the slideshow or the handouts. I had the illustrations sketched, but in pencil and messy, not inked or scanned. I had copious notes for the book text but nothing completed or proofread. I had the shark nearly finished and the grolar bear and wolf sketched out as underpaintings. But everything else? I’ve had to work every day I’ve been home, sometimes pulling ten hour days on these projects. Not to mention I have another show going on all this month at a gallery in Seattle! I spent last month’s days off prepping for that.

Once I leave, I have no days off until halfway through the month. And then I will spend those days driving.

It’s going to be a long and rough road until November, but I think I can do it all. Then I can relax for two weeks. Then I’ll be in Seattle at the shop there for two weeks…and then I will not be working in December. Like, at all. Maybe on personal little things but NO big projects like this. It’ll be a nice break and I think my brain will need it by then.

Hope to see you guys at one of my stops on this trip!
(I’m totally booked for the trip for tattoos- except for one day in Redding, and one day in Phoenix. If nobody wants in I’m gonna take those days off, though. !!!)

jersey devil

jersey devil

deerwoman

deerwoman

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a short break

a short break

seminar stuf

seminar stuff

running on fumes?

running on fumes?

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meeting niharika and luisa

On this visit I got to meet two incredible, creative women. One was Niharika, who does costume/dress for movies in India. She is so sweet, funny, and stylish. And she made me feel stylish too.

I worked overtime one night and stayed late, and when I came home she gave me the most perfect soft sweater ever…
Also she took some pictures of me which are kind of funny. We had cactus tacos together, and she got a really fun floral tattoo (with wasps in it! I’ve been dying to do some wasps.)

Here are picture she took and pictures I took.

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Then I also got to meet Luisa, a glass worker from Mexico City. She’s Colombian, beautiful, and hilarious. We watched some episodes of the Strain together and talked about art, and she shared her coffee with me.
Here we are looking fantastic.
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And here she is with some of her work, which was marvelous. I got a pair of green glass ear weights from her.
In this picture is her work in mirrored glass.
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While all this was happening, the shop here got a new owner. She’s a really wonderful woman and incredible tattooer that I worked with ages ago- and I’m really glad to be working for her/with her again. Here’s a picture of all the women I work with right now, it’s so great to have a good mix of man and woman at work. I love working with other women.
There are men at the shop as well and they’re awesome too, but I had this photo of all of us ladies together so I figured I would post it.
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Last but not least, I got my hair trimmed and fixed by Jordie, my favorite hair worker, I think she did an amazing job. I feel stylish. Between her, Jason, and Niharika I was a fashion queen this week.
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I say Jason as well, because I got the most amazing glass ring that matches my eyes. He made it from matte glass and layers. You can see it in the photos up top that Niharika took of me, it looks like sunny side up eggs (just like my eyes)
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