Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Gents and Ladies: Tattoo Etiquette
Basic Shop and Tattoo Etiquette
1) wash your damn hands!! This means all individuals.
2) when thinking about your next tattoo; have a decent idea in mind as far as what you want to get, where, how big and decide whether you are open to interpretation or not.
3) if you are not open to interpretation; find a "Flash Shop." These are tattoo studios where the artists are known for copying or tattooing anything directly from any flash, drawing, ect to accommodate their clients. (This is also filtered into mainly lower end studios, however, there are many good studios where the artists are willing to accommodate your wants and needs within reason.)
4) when you are open to "artistic interpretation" find what is known as a "Custom Studio." These are usually higher end studios where the artists are known for their "styles" and being able to custom design any concept you have.
5) when seeking out a location to get tattooed, check out the individual artist v. the studio. Artists tend to travel and guest spot in custom shops and you may have to wait if you are searching for a particular artist. Remember, getting what you want from who you want is worth a lot more than merely settling for a second rate scratcher out of your home town.
6) when "shopping" for an artist; look at their portfolios (both art and tattoos) if they don't have at least their tattoo portfolio available, leave. Check for consistencies in line work, style, design, color fill, and shading. A not so trained individual will be able to tell the difference if an artist is attempting to lie about their portfolios and sneak in some slightly different tattoos, done by someone else, claiming they were the artist. It's sad, pathetic, and it happens more than you think (especially with second rate and inexperienced artists.)
7) after finding an artist, make a consultation appointment to hash out your design. This is also where you may be required to make a deposit. Be prepared and educated about your design. As surprised as you might be, not all artists take pride in doing a reputable tattoo that is correct in imagery, depiction, proportion, meaning, spelling or symbolism. Take care to make sure you get your design correct.
8) work with and take care of your artist and they will take care of you.
9) be polite and patient. You will see this reflected towards you if you give it out.
10) tip each session. I recommend a minimum of 20% tip. The artist will appreciate your appreciation and will likely anticipate your next session together.
11) don't be cheap. If your tattoo is going to be out of your budget with your artist. Let them know and save up for it. Don't look for a deal. Most artists worth getting tattoos from are very old school and would more than likely turn you away than give you a discount. Remember, your getting a tattoo is someone else's lively hood. They treat it as such.
12) feel free to ask questions but don't be disrespectful.
13) don't bring your mother or your significant other to watch your tattoo. This should be your tattoo, ergo your experience.
14) wash your damn hands before you follow the steps for your aftercare process.
15) wash your damn hands again.
Not a Hump on Hump Day Gents and Ladies:
Model: unknown
Underwear: unknown
Photographer: unknown
All the same: very impressive. Thank you
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Gentleman's Advice: the Only Relationship Advice a Man will Ever Need
I grew up as a confused child. Not in my sexuality but the role of sexuality, affection, attraction, and appearance v. personality in relationships.
I recall being caught by my biological father and mother multiple times masturbating as a child. The first time, I was 8 and my father said it was ok; nothing to be ashamed of. But I was to do it when there was no one in the house and always be sure to clean up after myself. Fair enough. The next time occurred six or so months later and my father did a complete religious 180° turn. I was beat and then given a talk about how, masturbation was a sin and I was going to hell for "making love" to myself. This double standard advice continued throughout my childhood until I was eleven. And, all coming from a man who maintained such a mishap of an adulterous marriage that hypocrisy is an understatement of the infidelity involved in my biological parents' relationship. My father always considered hisself a fair and human minded man. He often related that looks were not important and it was always about what was "inside." He also relayed that "God" told him whom he was going to marry. All this eventually failed to suffice as any virtuous developmental or relationship advice. My father was a man who constantly cheated on my mother and then after finally divorcing her, remarried three months later to a hefty woman whom represented a mirrored gluttonous, tragedy that my father had become with a bipolar personality. After a year, he divorced her and then remarried a third time only several months later to another "healthy sized" woman with who knows what problems.
During this time, I realized how full of shit my father's advice was considering his mangled view and taste in people. After losing respect for my biological ancestry and loathing my existence as a product of two inherently twisted and unhealthy people; I continued to observe and take note from other people whom I saw representing a wholesome relationship and constantly interviewing to see how these people seemed so successful in finding each other and staying together. I found that it has always been a touch of luck, a big factor of timing, and valuing the character if each other.
This as nice as it was, was of little use to me as I was trying to find someone like myself (but more nice) and needed advice detecting such a wholesome person. So, I diverted unknowingly to a film that set me with a solid base that I now believe is a good measure to how a man may find his self a reasonable, down to Earth, considerate and caring person to spend time with. The film is "A Bronx Tale". The relationship advice in this movie speaks such volumes that all maturing men should be required to observe these words of wisdom if we are not given the advice by our mentors.
The advice comes after the question of how do you find out if a "broad" is a good woman and the "One." The answer is reflected through various crude solutions by the main character's childhood fiends. The solutions come in the form of "tests." After the character Sonny dismisses these ideas, he tells C, the main character, The Door Test. The following is the dialogue explaining the test and the value therein:
Sonny: Alright, listen to me. You pull up right where she lives, right? Before you get outta the car, you lock both doors. Then, get outta the car, you walk over to her. You bring her over to the car. Dig out the key, put it in the lock and open the door for her. Then you let her get in. Then you close the door. Then you walk around the back of the car and look through the rear window. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in: dump her.
Calogero 'C' Anello: Just like that?
Sonny: Listen to me, kid. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in, that means she's a selfish broad and all you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. You dump her and you dump her fast.
This of course only advises the men directly but can be taken for both parties in a relationship. (Take note to self evaluate before taking initiative to find an individual of such virtue)
This advice has helped me straighten out my own understanding of people and the relationship I hoped to have held. Taking a notice of people's simplicity and their base actions helped me relate on who I wanted to be as a man and how to find that type of individual. It's a good bit of advice for any person seeking assistance in the "love" department. A great thanks to Chazz Palminteri. Thank you for many life lessons from The Bronx Tale. Many more to be featured.
-A Gent's Advice
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Hump Day: Alright Gents and Ladies
Model: unknown
Photographer: unknown
Gents and Ladies:
It's Hump Day.
Enjoy
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Motivation Monday: Inked Pose of the Day
This nouveau traditionalism style has sprung open the gates and unleashed its overwhelmingly simple yet timeless imagery on the masses. Take note of simple contrasting colors. Traditional tattoos are very clean and are tattooed using only primary colors and black. Nouveau Traditional tattoos use various contrasting colors (secondary and tertiary) besides the primaries. This is a major difference between the two. Take your pick. One style started the American industry, the other is reviving it. Both are equally appreciated and timeless.
Artist: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Photographer: Unknown
Symbol of the Week: "Satanic" Cross
The Satanic Cross:
Image B
As well many of us westerners know, the cross is a sacred symbol among Christians and inherent to young individuals trying to find a tattoo design with meaning. A cross tends to be the default for many individuals just starting their collections, however there has been a gap in communication to the mass populous on religious tattoos.
The upside down Latin cross: (see image A)
Image A
This cross has been taken by pop culture (and the masses) as the satanic cross for simple reasons. People have commonly thought that since this cross is inverted, it represents the inversion or opposite of Christ. That is however not the case. Though reasonable as this thought may be it is incorrect and actually quite the contrary. The inverted cross is still and actually a popular Christian symbol as it represents the death of St. Peter. St. Peter also known as Simon Peter was the first "pope" of the Catholic Church. St Peter was martyred in 65-66 AD. When he was crucified, he pleaded that he be crucified upside down as he did believe himself worthy to be killed like that of Jesus, his Lord. (See image B). There are many speculations as to how he had finished dying as suffocation for crucifixion was typically the fatal consequence however as St. Peter was inverted, suffocation took longer. Some speculate that he was burned on the second day but did not die and then finally beheaded on his cross on the third day.
Even so, the inverted cross represents a dark martyrdom but is not related to the true satanic symbol. The real satanic cross is represented below: (see image C)
The Satanic Cross is a variationof the alchemical symbol for sulfur that represents fire and brimstone. The sulfur symbol was placed above the Nine Satanic Statements in the Satanic Bible in LaVeyan Satanism, and is commonly used in rituals performed by Theistic Satanists. It can also be interpreted as a combination of the Lorraine cross and the mathematical symbol for infinity, or a phallic re-imagining of the cross, with the infinity symbol representing a scrotum. It is often interpreted as a symbol of Satanism, because LaVey adopted it from the Cross o Lorraine or even the Patriarchal cross, which is also a symbol of Christianity and Hermeticism. Hermetic alchemists of the Renaissance used the emblem as a symbol of earth and spirit by combining the square earth cross with the cross of Christ. When drawn symmetrically, it symbolized the hermetic maxim, "As above, so below".
Ergo a simple inverted cross has no significance as a satanic symbol and in fact is used by the papacy as a symbol for the Pope, referencing St. Peter.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Aftercare Solutions: Baker's Health Up and Coming
As Tattoo Artists and Collectors alike, we all continue to find a better solution for aftercare that can speed up the healing time and make it easier to heal.
Many ointments and aftercare balms have made leaps and bounds in the industry. H2Ocean, Tattoo Goo, ect. have paved the way for aftercare. Basing their solutions with a water based formula; this allows the tattoo to breathe more easily and heal more readily. This is a great solution especially with individuals with sensitive skin. Solutions like these have allowed us to take better care of our tattoos and allow them to heal with a more vibrant look, keep clean, and heal better than just using an over the counter, non-scented, petroleum free, water based lotion. The only problem that arises with ointments is keeping your tattoo clean and free of contaminates. This is not a fault of the collector but a necessary measure that has to be taken to ensure healthy recovery. It is unfortunate that aftercare kits still require you to go through an intensive cleaning your tattoo at least twice a day with antibacterial soap. And further still, there are no solutions that are all-in-one tattoo recovery solutions however there is a new up and coming product that has shown to make healing a little less intense.
Baker's Health is a mobile company based out of Colorado and Florida. Headed by Carol and Rob Baker, a mom and son organization, have created a formula and product comprised of only natural ingredients that allow the health conscious and industry savvy to salivate. Their product is labeled a "Tattoo Salve" which is different then a balm or lotion. A salve, you mix it as you apply which activates and changes the chemical composition as you apply it to your tattoo. This product was originally intended as a wound salve and after success with healing and cleanliness of the wound, Carol and Rob were able to modify their formula to fit a tattoo sensibility. This salves helps alleviate the painful edge and swolleness a tattoo has after being done; while coating the tattoo, it helps draw more blood and thus more cells to the dermis increasing efficiency in healing time. The main ingredient in this is the vitamin E that helps heal the skin more readily. All of their ingredients (all natural) are all listed on their label, the only thing they don't tell you is the composition. The ingredients are: Infused Comfrey Oil, Cocoa & Shea Butter, Beeswax, Propolis, Vitamin E Oil, Tea Tree and Lavender.
Though there are discrepancies between professionals about what products and ingredients heal better, this is a product not to go with out trying. The feel and effects of this product happen to be quite nice.
The uniqueness of this salve is its lasting effects after use. It helps keep color resilient and vibrant while helping reduce scars (for those tattoos done by a not so experienced artist) It not only works as a tattoo healing ointment but also a safe, general healing ointment for everyday cuts, scaring, and wounds. It compares to the healing potency of H2Ocean and Tattoo Goo. But adds a little something extra. Carol an Rob themselves are the most down to Earth owners and hard workers you can meet. They label each of their products "Please Enjoy & Use by:" the expiration date. You an find their products online at www.bakershealth.com or at Woven Inks: The Traveling Gent In Denver. Feel free to call Rob Baker with any questions as he will be more than happy to discuss any questions and fill your orders as needed.
www.bakershealth.com
Rob Baker
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Hump Day Tattoo
Model: Unknown
Hump Day:
Fucking hell... The weekend cannot come fast enough for most of us. Whether your busy at your 9-5 or just cruising through the week getting to tattoo/ be tattooed like most of us; there's nothing better than Happy hour and a little "hump" on our Wednesdays to keep us going for a couple more days.
Redundant.
End note: I hope you all get to have a drink and fuck tonight. Thank you for reading.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Tattoo of the Day
Tattoo artist: Michael E. Bennett
Studio: 2Spirit Tattoo, San Francisco, CA
Client: unknown
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Hands of the Day
Tattooey: Susan
Tattooist: Guy Le Tatooer
Studio: Papanatos Tattoos, Den Haag, Netherlands
Friday, August 9, 2013
American Freedom: Oh pretty young one.
Naïveté. Thomas Jefferson once had ideals of absolution for what was America and every man would create freedom by having no hierarchy of any sort and maintain order and civility by the strength of ones self and the idea of "common good." This would entail no police; we would be our own police and a tried individual would be brought before a jury of "ones peers." That would be us all coming together of our own will to keep the virtue of our freedom a community accomplishment.
Modern America would never and never did go for this ideal because as we all even still hope; we strive for an idealistic freedom that never existed. Only in concept. "America is a business." We turn towards our economy and our jobs to create "a living" for ourselves. We have no independence as we as people cannot be independent from eachother. We all need someone to buy our products/services to be able to buy groceries at our supermarket. We all need work to pay for our rent/mortgages. We as individuals do not and are not capable of living, farming, or creating our lives from the raw land and living solely off of our harvests.
The naïveté in our young generations has allowed for constant disconnect with our land and further immersed ourselves in consumerism. Fuck, we've made "Freedom" into a fucking brand. And the people who we sell these ideals to are everyone coming in from other countries. We are a nation of selfish capitalists that will sucker punch the international dreamers, hoping for a glimpse of the freedom they all hear about. And it starts with us and our next generations. Our parents and grandparents have gone as far as their ambition goes.
Our emoed, punkified, young trust-fund kids have been lucky enough to rely on their money from their grandparents' hard work. Now they see the fruits of their labor and see no reason for aspiration or point to life other than to fuck and get fucked up because they are bored. Ambition will have no drive if there is no purpose. And unfortunately our education growing up in America is branded as well. I remember that we celebrated Columbus Day as Christopher Columbus was the first to discover America. He landed in the Philippines and he was not the first fucking one to discover this land! Turns out there were (and struggling, still are) Natives. And these are referring to Native Americans. (Not native as in "dude, I was born here.) True natives to this land. Our history we learn as youth is wrong and we have given ourselves permission to accept that we were the "good ones" bringing civilization to an "unforeboding and wild land."
Our civilization has lost our attachment and need for this land. The only thing we cultivate like its our blood spilling, is our oil. Even that we only drill sparingly. (Our government officials know as this world runs out of fossil fuels, our dependence will remain the same, especially if the Oil Companies maintain our dependence by buying out any technology presenting alternative opportunities.) nothing drives prices up like creating scarcity. (Drilling overseas and wars over oil.) Next is the "World Oil Reserve" and then world unity. But it will be a further blinded unity. Contemporary America is the practice game. But at this point it is all just a waiting game. We are all too selfish, too irresponsible, too fat, and too many to be able to make a decision about the good of our country let alone our planet. And the education of our emo teens reflects the pettiness of our efforts to reform our ways. "Recycling" doesn't help. No one uses 100% recycled materials. It's old shit, mixed in with the new manufactured shit. You can polish a turd. Fact is you can sell them too.
Our youth have no connection to land because they do not appreciate history, where they came from, how they got here, and who worked, fought and died so they could cut their thighs with a shallow razor while they get fucked from behind. We all need to step up and relearn our connection to the land.
Start with next time you go "camping." Build a shelter, find food, water and make fire without creating a dramatic impact on your surroundings. Find sustenance from your surroundings. You'll catch a glimpse of independence and true freedom.
Camus relates how "going against the grain" is mere weakness contrasted to just the basic idea of true freedom. To be truly free, everyone else will fear you and the being/life you have begun. But for us all to one day enjoy a wholistic freedom; we have to all be 100% free of servitude, government, policing, conspiracy, hatred, envy and consumerism. We all can stand on our own feet and find a way to accomplish our own freedom.
Only in a free world.
Gent Girl of the Day
Cigarette girls were made famous by the famed Playboy Club. The bunny costume was a derivative of those jobs and the business to entice their clients more. Unfortunately, smoking has now become less of a social expectancy and more of a tyranny against humanity and life; our need to "chill the fuck out" has been replaced with veggie, uptight, frigid virgins' opinions whom feel singing old Presbyterian hymnals satisfy their soul better than a good fuck and a cigarette. Well, God damn cancer and God damn those frigid, virgin assholes who will never experience any joy in their miserable servitude except when they finally decide to leave their closeted spouses and become the leather bound subs they've always wanted to be. Fuck... I'll have a smoke when I can. I'll enjoy my brakes when I must and thank goodness for others willing to show us the sultry side of our fantasies to give our minds a rest. Fantastic.
-The Gent
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Upcoming Featured Artist for Premiere Issue
Joseph Deegan from Dublin is going to be our first Featured Artist for The Gentleman's Tattoo Journal. Keep tabs for the upcoming interview!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Morgan Joyce: featured Model: July
Morgan Joyce: Moment to Answer Q & A
Jake: As a young model and stylist, how have you found it to make a niche for yourself in the tattoo, music and fashion scenes?
Morgan: I personally found the journey to be difficult, yet easy. It's hard to explain. It was difficult initially to make a name for myself, but once I did, it really sky-rocketed for me. I feel like there isn't anyone else out there who is very similar to me and that's what I love.
J: You've been featured in several publications and guest appeared as a model on a prime time Spike TV show "Ink Master;" how do you feel media has affected the tattooing world?
M: I am not sure how I feel about it. I love how media has made tattoos look less taboo. I really think it's great that it's becoming more appreciated as an actual artform. But at the same time, it's almost too mainstream now. There are SO many tattoo shows and a lot of them are scripted. With all the drama and egos, sometimes it makes the industry look bad.
J: As a public figure and alternative model, you represent several venues that reflect a "tattooing lifestyle;" where do you see yourself in this venue 5 and 10 years down the road?
M: I don't see my life to be much different in 5 - 10 years. Other than hopefully being even more successful and well known, I still hope to be doing what I'm doing. I hope I will have made a real name for myself.
J: How long have you been a free-lance stylist and how did you get into styling?
M: I have been doing hair for 7 years, but professionally for 5 years. I went to a vocational school so I was certified in hair styling & cosmetology at the age of 16. At age 17, I got licensed. After working in a salon for about a year, I realized that the environment really wasn't for me. It's filled with way too much drama. Also, I'm not good at answering to people or being told what to do in certain situations. So I decided to strictly freelance, and it's worked out wonderfully for me.
J: Getting to work with big names in music, art and fashion; how do you cope with constant day to day of keeping up with the high speed world going on around you?
M: I feed off of the energy, really. Although when I hit the pillow at night I am so grateful to be in bed. I have SO much fun with my jobs that the stress really just cancels itself out. I'm all about it.
J: What is your most significant tattoo and why?
Who was it done by?
M: Most significant in size, or meaning? Either way it's a tie between a few. I'm never able to answer these questions. I guess I'd have to say my most MEANINGFUL tattoo is the one on my thigh. It's done in my mom's handwriting, and is a cover-up of self harm scars. It represents my recovery.
J: What made you start thinking about getting into music, fashion and the tattoo world?
M: I took fashion classes for 3 years in high school. I've always been an artsy person but am not very good at drawing or creating. But once I realized I could express myself through body art- I knew that's how I wanted to decorate myself. As soon as I turned 18 I got a tattoo and started pursuing my dreams.
J: If you we're able to be tattooed by one artist for the rest of your life, who would it be?
M: This is such a difficult question. My two favorite artists are tied. Gianna Galli at 1228 Tattoo in Brooklyn, NY and Brian Monkeyboy Fusaro at Freehold Tattoo in Freehold, NJ are my two main artists. I love both of their styles. Can I pick both? 😊
J: What's the next step for you in your career?
M: I'm not quite sure. I hope to just keep growing and getting my name out there. I work really hard in all aspects of my career, so I'll see what comes my way next!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Welcome to the Gentleman's Journal
As we all have gone to our local tattoo shops when we turned 18 (or sooner); getting our first tattoo was a mark of pride and our own "Right of Passage." Of course, our parents and possibly peers thought, "Oh shit. There they go, another person getting another crappy tattoo. Going down life's shitter and never amounting to anything. Fuck!" We've all been there. The disowned, the religiously persecuted, the drunken tyrants, the
princesses, the proud and stupid scholars, the ink virgins, the old men and young boys, the faithful and the sadned weakened in memorium; we've all had our reasons to get our first tattoos. But, our world and views are not the same.
As world thinkers in an ever growing mass population, we are becoming lost and less significant than people were 100 years ago. We are losing touch with our individuality and therefore push harder to use our body art as a means of self expression. The unfortunate realization, that if we are here breathing for just a short while, in the broad view of all humanity, we as people don't matter. Unless our actions have significant consequence to affect others over the entire world, we don't matter. Our push to be someone and make something happen is an ever reoccurring ambition we all share from birth. However, we are not all allowed the opportunity to excel in the ways we hope. It is only the handful who we look up to, who we are jealous of that are "lucky enough" to be successful and not have to be ever clawing and fighting through life to gain a sort of stability and relief. We as human beings can mark our lives with our significance and that is about all we can do for now until we are noticed.
Thus our tattoos....
We are able to bond and separate ourselves with our art. Our tattoos have become our self expression and our lost tribal right to humanity. Tattoos bring us together and literally define us to others. Those of us who get and give tattoos share in our experiences through our ink. The shitty thing is that my tattoos are the only thing I can take with me when I die. Ergo, tattoos are what we have to mark our lives. Give them or collect them, we all get to be a part.
This is The Gentleman's Tattoo Journal
-Jake Weaver
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