http://www.allentattoo.com/ en Copyright 2008 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:43:37 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss View larger version, or another/crappier version. This one felt great to finish. We started over a year ago and her visits were sporadic. But today we knocked it out. I'm slowly getting used to having partially finished work walking around. While I know, full well, that it'll get finished... the puzzle of how I'll complete stuff haunts me, occasionally, until it gets finished. *Sorry about the glare and distorted angle.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/pistols_and_wings_1.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/pistols_and_wings_1.php tattoos Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:43:37 -0600 some of it will make sense. *eventually = God only knows. So in the words of Tupac Shakur: "girl, keep your head up." And thus concludes our three part series.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/secret_number_three.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/secret_number_three.php apprenticeship learning tips Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:27:42 -0600 Always be professional. The South lost, but that doesn't mean you have a right to judge the guy getting a rebel flag on his throat. But you have every right to make fun of him in the back of the shop. http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/secret_number_two.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/secret_number_two.php apprenticeship learning tips Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:50:54 -0600 clean.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/secret_number_one.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/secret_number_one.php apprenticeship learning tips Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:47:35 -0600 I've heard about, and have slightly experienced, extreme sin skin. But today I tattooed a lady behind her neck. Well, slightly at the top of her spine. The stencil went on perfect and life was good. I setup a 7 to line. As soon as my needles went into her skin, I knew something was odd. With my left hand, I could tell the vibration was off. Even more obvious, was the instant blood trail. It was as if I had just sliced her open with an X-acto knife. Her reaction was normal, which was good. No screaming is always nice. Instantly I inspected my needles. All was good. Next up was the power. Again, all was well. So I went back to it. I checked my depth and it was fine. Nowhere near blow out, yet true and solid enough to really be in there. But the blood continued. Pardon this, but it was like I was carving a bloated turkey. About twenty minutes in I began filling solid black areas. Instantly I realized the blood seemed to be effecting the consistency. As if it was seeping and bringing ink along with it. Crap. All I could do was press on. Once you're in, you're in. Which is always the case. Yet, somehow that tattoo was the most stressful of all. You can't really control the canvas... you just sort of adjust to it. The final product was alright. Some of it was spotty, but I wasn't about to chew her up. I just made a point to push the free touch-up and chalked up the entire experience as a lessoned learned. As an instant reminder that, no matter how confident I feel, I've much to learn. http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/just_when_you_feel_safe.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/just_when_you_feel_safe.php learning observations tattoos Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:54:28 -0600 View larger version For his first tattoo, this guy picked a flesh rip from an old flash book. I took the rip and added some Dan Hazelton flare to it. His skin tear outs are incredible. I found a good reference photo for the scales. I needed something with obvious lighting differences, as opposed to a straight on shot where all the scales would be shaded the same.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/scale_rip.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/scale_rip.php tattoos Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:50:29 -0600 #61) Nice. With no visible alarm, I kept a poker face and quickly cleaned up the outline. None was the wiser and I was able to get up from that tattoo with both a lesson learned and no worries that I had completely forgot how to line.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/its_the_little_mistakes.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/its_the_little_mistakes.php mistakes tattoos Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:35:18 -0600 I've been working hard lately. From tattooing to web design, my hands are tired. Then, when I need a mental break, I go and play Xbox. It doesn't really give my hands rest, but it takes me away for a little while. Right after the holidays ended, tattoos picked up big time so I've got some stuff to post. And I'll be doing so soon. It's just that I'm also retooling this site. So bear with me for another couple weeks if the posting seems light. http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/busy_busy.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/02/busy_busy.php site Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:33:01 -0600 I guess this means I'm done with Allen Tattoo. Nah, just playin. I'll keep posting as much as I can. I just need to get this redesign done, geez.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/full_circle.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/full_circle.php learning respect Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:14:55 -0600 First there are personal items that only I can follow through with: Make sure my inks aren't low. How many more days can I go with this box of (premade) needles? Do I have enough disposable liner tubes? Have I prepared enough paper towels for tattooing? (separating individual sheets into a pile) Do tubes need to be scrubbed, and do I have enough for a steady flow of traffic? Keep the drawings coming. (this deserves its own post) Are my deposits in order? (our customers leave $20 deposit for appointments - which, in turn, goes towards the price of the tattoo) Then there are shop related items, that the shop owner covers, but I use: How is the supply of paper towels? Am I topped off with Green soap, distilled water, MadaCide, and alcohol? Check the supply of ink caps, dipsticks, dental bibs, and razors. How is the supply of paper towels? Are there enough gloves, or do I need to jump in back and get another box? Now my only difficulty is figuring out how to add new items to test into the list effectively. This means not buying everything at once, rather spreading it out and slowly mess with new stuff.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/on_inventory.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/on_inventory.php observations supplies Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:33:15 -0600 ... Just did another... 20-yr-old blond—nice looking... anyway she moaned and I backed off on the liner & got a weak line—Old "Deafy" in Philly had it all over us—he couldn't hear them groan, and he just tattooed them! Anyway, maybe I'm just a negative thinker, but I do respond to the mood of the patient and if they show pain tolerance minimum, I just can't put good work on them as it throws the physical and mental forces out of balance.—it's the difference between drawing a free-flowing line with a relaxed wrist and trying to draw one with tense flexors and extensors... Old Coleman used to put them on the "cooling off bench" when they started to sweat, and grabbed the next one so he didn't lose the swing!... - Sailor Jerry, September 21, 1971 ]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/sailor_jerry_collins.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/sailor_jerry_collins.php quotes Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:04:35 -0600 I have been learning to tattoo. It's been a very slow road for me: as I teach two days a week, have been working as a professional illustrator for several years, and now painting full time. I'm slowly altering my life and schedule to revolve around tattooing and painting, exclusively. This is my last semester teaching and I have cut down my commercial work, significantly, to give the medium the attention it requires to do it right and learn... Again, it's been a slow road. I've tattooed quite a few tattooers, friends and colleagues. And have done a few walk-ins and 'work' one day at Everlasting in San Francisco. I'm actually at the shop right now about 3 days a week, scrubbing tubes, watching, asking questions and trying to be a sponge. Traveling has afforded me much information through the amazing artists that I have met and been tattooed by... Tattooing is a very difficult medium and requires total mental commitment - and fear or uncertainty destroys line integrity completely. During my first dozen tattoos, the cold sweats and shaky hands were the name of the game. I think for me—being super comfortable and confident as a painter and illustrator—I put so much pressure on myself to do well, that I just shit the bed from feeling completely lost and indecisive. At 37 years old, delving into a craft that has so much history is definitely intimidating... to have this obsession and desire to pursue it without the technical skills to back it up. Being in the situation that I am in, everyone has offered their advice and I have even been fortunate enough to tattoo in various shops on the West Coast. With this varied advice—especially in the beginning—it has been difficult taking it all in and sorting it out enough to make sense while I'm 'in the moment'. Everyone works differently and has their own ideas on the 'right' way to tattoo (for them). There are a lot of universal tendencies- it's just going to take a few years to find what works for me... It's really only been about a a year and a half into it (as a part time apprentice) but my time teaching is ending soon for me to be a full time student of tattoo. I've done about 60 tattoos—varying themes and approaches—and I feel very comfortable with shading and I am slowly working on my lines... It's an exciting time. I have a few friends that have started around the same time as we have and some of them are killing it! Cheers, Shawn

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Related Links: Shawn Barber, Shawn's blog]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/shawn_barber.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/shawn_barber.php learning Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:57:45 -0600 View larger version of image This guy wanted the artwork from The Used's In Love and Death album on his ribs. Alex Pardee's work is wonderful, so I was happy. He specifically asked to have the bottom root angle down to go with the shape of his body... and I was proud. Because the style was more like a sketch, I was able to shade with less concern about needle patterns showing up. It's about 14 inches tall. And he sat really well, and I was feeling something in that fairytale tattoo land, so it went by in 2 hours. The grey to the right of the tree is a really light wash, and should heal pretty light. Also, for the line work, I rode the tube. By only having enough needle hanging out, I'm able to touch the tip of the tube to the skin and direct that sucker along with me. You have to visualize more, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I'm not usually one to do this; I like my needles out and about so I can see. This piece just seemed to call for it.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/the_used_album_art.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/the_used_album_art.php tattoos Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:58:54 -0600 So what do tattoo artists do when there's nothing to do? Well, sometimes we catch up on drawings, clean and organize; you know, tighten up that ship. But usually we do something else... 1. Song lyrics are much better when the content is dumbed down to eighth grade level. 2. YouTube, as vast as it is, only holds our attention for about ten minutes. 3. Recall a stupid story. Cry laughing. Go over the good bits again. Then somebody farts. 4. Tattoo lottery. (whatever you draw from a hat of random images gets tattooed on you) 5. Create new words for the Urban Dictionary. 6. Recall another stupid story. Then laugh for twenty minutes. 7. Quote Dr. Rockso. 8. Google amputees. 9. Try to convince Chris that ice cream from McDonald's isn't made from potatoes. 10. Darren Brown mind tricks. 11. Whistle the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter. 12. Make fun of men who drive scooters. 13. Think of ways to recreate Chili's Awesome Blossom in the autoclave. 14. Imitate Joey Lawrence from the TV show, Blossom. 15. Follow other tangents. 16. Listen to Tenacious D. 17. DDR in drag. 18. Convince Chris that giraffes are kosher.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/down_time.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/down_time.php shop Tue, 15 Jan 2008 04:02:16 -0600 *Often I'll make a point to contact the original creator of the piece. I don't ask for permission though, I just tell them about the finished product.]]> http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/source_material.php http://www.allentattoo.com/2008/01/source_material.php tattoos Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:36:11 -0600