Baxter's Tattoo Blog

TATTOOING JUST AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE

The following article from the New York Post (NYpost.com) is all about how Don Ed Hardy’s business associates screwed the pooch and upended the cash flow to the folks who made and sold Ed Hardy tattoo products (hats, T-shirts, coffee cups, key chains, etc., etc., etc.). I think we’ve heard this story before, how certain people get crazy when money and celebrities are waived in front of their noses. But beyond the who-did-what-to-whom aspect of the story, what surprised me is what Ed Hardy was quoted as saying, in an interview regarding the current tattoo scene in North America. Mr. Hardy, with all due respect, referred to tattoos as “tats”! OMG, Ed, everybody knows using that word is a super no no; right in there with calling a tattoo machine a “gun.” Maybe Mr. Hardy has been away from the actual tattooing part of tattooing for so long that he forgot these time-honored rules. Maybe he was misquoted. Maybe he just forgot. Maybe I’m just trying to create a controversy where there is none. In any case, read the following article, learn what happened and… be sure to wear gloves, do monthly spore testing of your autoclave and remember the amazing pioneers, like Ed Hardy, who had the courage to bring this wondrous art form out of the shadows and into the (for many, profitable) light of day.

Don Ed Hardy

THAT INKING FEELING

By Kirsten Fleming (NYPost.com)

The real Ed Hardy muses on the douche-ification of his life’s work

Perhaps it was Jon Gosselin, the reviled reality TV dad of eight, who first turned us against Ed Hardy. In 2009, when photos of him frolicking on a yacht in Cannes wearing an array of T-shirts with Hardy’s signature tattoo art appeared on blogs everywhere, any credibility the ink-stained legend had went out the window.

 It didn’t matter that Madonna and Adrien Brody also wore clothes with his art. Gosselin was the uncoolest person on the planet, and now he was synonymous with Ed Hardy.

 “That Jon Gosselin thing was the nail in the coffin,” says the actual Ed Hardy. “That’s what tanked it. Macy’s used to have a huge window display with Ed Hardy, and it filtered down and that’s why Macy’s dropped the brand.”

Update: By Tamara Beckwith/NY Post

Ed Hardy reflects on his journey as a tattoo artist in his new memoir.

Ed Hardy tiger logo

The 68-year-old tattoo visionary is sitting in Soho’s Thom Bar in a classic pink buttondown and sharp navy blazer with his extensive tattoos — which stop at his wrists — peeking out from under his cuffs.

He is good-humored, like a cool uncle. And no, he’s not dripping with bling and aggressive cologne.

That dude would be Christian Audigier, the celebrity-obsessed French businessman who licensed Hardy’s art onto everything from T-shirts to air fresheners and energy drinks. He accompanied Gosselin on that ill-fated trip to Cannes.

“Christian worships celebrities so much, he will get next to anyone who is famous for anything,” says Hardy, who says people thought Hardy was made up — like Aunt Jemima. “If he could have gotten Charles Manson in a shirt, he would have.”

But who is really the man whose name has become synonymous with the word “douchey”?

Ed Hardy tiger underwear

Hardy, who just penned a fascinating new memoir, “Wear your Dreams: My Life in Tattoos,” chronicling his journey from artist provocateur to accidental fashion mogul, is a Southern California-raised collector of art books. He attended art school and even turned down a full ride at Yale grad school to became one of the world’s leading ink artists.

As a youngster in Corona Del Mar, Calif., Donald Edward Talbott Hardy was precociously obsessed with tattoos, even drawing them on neighborhood kids with the caveat that they were at least 9 years old.

“In those days you wanted to be a fireman or jet pilot,” he says. “I would say, ‘I am going to be a tattoo artist.’ ”

But as he hit high school, his interest in ink waned and he became engrossed in fine art and surfing.

He attended the San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned a degree in printmaking in 1967. Hardy then applied to East Coast grad schools and was offered a full ride to Yale for its MFA program.

Ed Hardy tiger pumps

But before he enrolled, a buddy arrived in town and cajoled him to get a tattoo. He did — and was once again seduced by the taboo art form that captivated him as a child.

“I thought I could always go back to grad school,” he recalls.

He doggedly pursued the art, moving between Vancouver, Seattle and San Diego, inking thousands of servicemen before ending up in Honolulu in 1969 to study under tattoo master Sailor Jerry.

“It was a challenge of developing it as a medium as no one had. I sort of started the thing where tattoos were commissioned instead of going and picking off the menu on the wall.”

Interested in Japanese body art, he studied there for six months. Upon his return stateside, he opened a shop in San Francisco with a private atelier, and he became internationally known for his Japanese aesthetic.

At the forefront of the movement, he was eager to spread the gospel. In 1982, he started a magazine, “Tattoo-time,” while also experimenting with different art forms, like painting with acrylics.

Ed Hardy tiger baseball cap

But life changed in 2003 when two garmentos saw his designs in an art magazine and approached him about launching a clothing line.

“We had done some T-shirts for my shop — but my art on clothing? Eh,” says Hardy, who relented after he was shown some “tasteful” samples. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ll license some of these designs for a percentage.’ ” A small line was born.

In 2005, Christian Audigier, who had blown out the Von Dutch brand, got his hands on a shirt and decided it would be his next venture. Hardy’s business associate made the introduction. “Christian wanted me to be the figurehead, telling me I was going to be famous because he was a guy who worshipped bling and fame and he lives in that world. I didn’t even know who these [celebrities] were. I said, ‘Nah, that’s cool, just pay me,’ ” recalls Hardy, who handed the master license to Audigier. “It got surreal. I would go into a store to get a magazine and see an Ed Hardy lighter. At one point, there were 70 sublicensees.”

Ed Hardy tiger “T”

Within a couple of years, the brand’s popularity reached dizzying heights — grossing more than $700 million in 2009 — and Audigier began changing the look. He put his own name on the T-shirts, tweaking the designs and color schemes.

“[My associate] saw one shirt that had Christian’s name on it 14 times and mine once,” says Hardy. “Then I thought it was a mistake to say I don’t want anything to do with it publicly.”

Nasty legal entanglements ensued, and eventually Hardy and his wife, Francesca, wrested back creative control of the name in 2010. He signed with Iconix and is currently moving forward with the brand. He doesn’t speak to Audigier, although he makes it clear he never had much contact with him, even during the Hardy heyday.

And although he’s covered in colorful tats, he thinks the culture now is “bizarre.” Hardy has never watched shows like “LA Ink,” and his son Doug has taken over his San Francisco tattoo shop.

“When I first started, I think there were 500 tattooers in all of North America. Right now there’s about 5,000 in LA County,” he says. “Tattooers are so full of themselves now. They’re so much like rock stars, as if they were sprung from the womb like the savior of mankind.”

But then Hardy just shakes his head and grins. “They’re just tats. There are more serious things in life.”

Tramp Welker and Brian Everett

THE KING OF ROUTE 66

Click for Tattoo Contest

I first met Brian Everett back in 1997. I had recently been hired by Larry Flynt to run Skin&Ink magazine and was doing my level best to feature the most talented, most respected artists in the business. Everett, along with Good Time Charlie Cartwright, Freddy Negrete and Jack Rudy, was responsible for introducing black-and-gray fine-line tattooing to the tattoo world. Before that, most tattoos were built on thick, black outlines and minimum shading. It was this core group of adventuresome artists that came to the attention of innovators like Don Ed Hardy and, ultimately, to today’s portrait tattoo specialists like Bob Tyrrell, Jeff Gogué, Shane O’Neill, Larry Brogan, Robert Hernandez and so many others. Clearly, Everett merits a place at the top of our list, so I thought, although I dropped by his Albuquerque, New Mexico, shop as recently as three months ago to take photographs for my “Tattoo Road Trip—The Best of the Southwest” book, it would be fun to reprint my initial interview from Skin&Ink‘s September 1997 issue. It’s a sixteen-year-old-conversation, but, by the sound of it and Everett’s erudite responses, it could have been recorded yesterday.  …more

SHOOTING CANDIDS ON THE GO

When Baxter asked me to write about photographing tattoos, my first thought was a to put together a nuts-and-bolts’ piece: cameras, lenses, lights and so on. On the other hand, he’s already covered most of that pretty well, so I figured I’d just set down some thoughts and maybe a few tips based on my own experience. As regular readers may have noted, I love to shoot tattooed folks, tattoo events and occasionally add a few words to the photos.

Maury’s “eBay special”

As a professional photographer, I came to shooting tattoos fairly recently. Well, fifteen or so years ago, anyway. I could date my photographic career from around the time Flower Power was in bloom and the streets belonged to the people… and that was a while ago. I was a “street shooter” then. I shot demonstrations pro and con, Be-ins, Love-ins, Sit-ins and, on one occasion, a Vomit-in. That was the time a group of vets protested the war in Viet Nam by buying a cowboy hat (an “LBJ Model” Stetson) and proceeded to throw up into it, in front of New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, on Lyndon Johnson’s birthday. That really happened. Times were different then. I got the pictures.

In time, I opened my own studio in New York City, acquired a bunch of equipment, an assistant and a voracious agent, who kept me shooting, and I actually made a fair living at it. Somewhere along the line, I collected my first bit of tattoo art from artist Mike Bakaty. This was back when tattooing was still illegal in NYC and his shop was in his loft on the Bowery. But that is another story. It was just around then that Baxter and I crossed paths. I started shooting tattoos and became a regular contributor to Skin&Ink, and the rest, as the say, is history.

Maury and subject

I mention all this because it did not happen that I one day decided to shoot the tattoo scene, grabbed a camera and was instantly successful at it. By then, I had paid my metaphorical dues and brought a bit that table. My people skills learned shooting for commercial and corporate clients worked just as well on the floor of a tattoo convention or in the back street tattoo shops of Katmandu. So, every once in a while, I’d get a decent tattoo shot. Maybe my average is a bit better than some. Maybe not as good as some others. Best part is, I have fun doing it!

So, now that I’ve mused about it, here are some tips and bits of dubious advice, in no particular order.

Click photos to enlarge

O.K., let’s talk equipment. I have no intention of recommending anything. I can barely keep track of what’s on the market, but I can say this: no matter what you are shooting with, it is really important to know your camera equipment and be comfortable with it. For me, that also has meant keeping my working outfit simple as possible. Back in my ‘film days’ I usually shot tattoo events with a Leica range finder camera. One camera, one lens. I carried a second camera body in a small bag along with a few accessories and sometimes a small strobe. That was it. Today, when I shoot a convention, I carry a digital SLR with a small zoom lens and a small dedicated strobe. Sometimes I have the luxury of having an assistant along, whose job it is to carry a bag with duplicate back-up equipment. While it was occasionally possible to repair film equipment in the field, digital gear is virtually impossible to tinker with. If something goes bad, it is a repair job for a pro, so I need the back-up gear right there.

More important than having the absolute right camera gear is being comfortable with what you have. Nothing puts a subject off faster than having the photographer messing with equipment, readjusting and re-shooting. Whenever I get a new piece of equipment, I put in lots of practice time getting to know its capabilities and quirks. I have rarely used a camera on a job that I have not owned and used first for at least a year. I have also discarded equipment that I didn’t feel comfortable using.

I love little “amateur” cameras. My current favorite is about eight years old and cost $25 on eBay. I have covered it with black masking tape. That makes it look even less professional and less attractive to bad guys (see photo). In many situations, particularly when I am traveling in other countries, that small point-and-shoot camera often lets me get shots that I would miss if I had tried to use a more professional looking rig. O.K., enough about cameras.

Another gem: Always respect the privacy (and dignity) of your subject. Sure, at a convention, the folks walking around in tank tops and G-strings are usually up for having their photos taken. Many come there just for that; a great situation for photographers. But, even there, I always ask before taking a photo. And yes, I have been refused by people for various reasons. Occasionally, I have been asked to make sure the subject’s face was not recognizable. I figure, if a stranger trusts me to shoot his tattoo but asks that his face not be shown, I have an obligation to either agree or to not shoot the picture. Once a guy claimed his piece was copyrighted and could not be photographed. There is also a particular unfortunate who frequents local shows and insists on charging to have his picture taken, because “I am in da magazines.” Hey schmuck, who do you think put you “in da magazines”?

Your First Move: Out there in the rest of the world, common sense should dictate when and how to approach people. Clearly, a couple sporting some lovely ink but also having a romantic dinner—or a loud argument—might not be receptive to having a stranger take their photos. And it’s a good idea to have second thoughts about approaching an angry group of drunken outlaw bikers. On the other hand, any of these folks could agree to be photographed, even be happy and flattered, given different circumstances.

Anyway, I always approach a potential subject with positive comment about their tattoo. At least I try. After all, there has got to be something there that has attracted me in the first place, so why not let them know right off that I appreciate their work? Sometimes it is a stretch. At one recent show, I saw a guy with a really hideous face tattooed on his huge upper arm. My first comment: “That is fucking scary!” His reply: “Thank you.” The photos are also fucking scary.

It’s not at all unusual for someone I approach to be a bit reluctant to pose in front of a crowd or even with friends watching. I’ll try to suggest moving to place that offers a bit of privacy, like a doorway or a side street. Often this lets my subject relax a bit, feeling less self-conscious. And I get a better shot.

One special case: I take particular care in photographing police officers, in uniform, on the street. Of course, I always ask permission, but then, unless the officer is going to be specifically identified in a story, I also blur out the shield number and ID tag in the final photo. I did a story, a while back, on the members of my local precinct who got tattoos after 9/11. We lost three men that day and many officers got their first tattoo as a memorial piece. In that case, the precinct Commanding Officer gave permission for me to work in the station house. This was an unusual situation. In general, blurring the name and numbers helps maintain an officer’s personal privacy and is always appreciated.

Here’s another rule that will save you a bit of grief: Always ask before you touch. If I need to adjust someone’s clothing, to get a better view of their tattoo, I make it clear—“May I move that strap/sleeve/whatever?”—before I touch anyone. I have found this avoids slaps and punches. Enough said.

If you promise to send someone a photo, then do it. Back in the days of film, sending a photo involved having a print made, packing it and often having to go to the post office to mail it. Today, it is a matter of a few keystrokes. As a professional photographer, I am concerned with copyright and possible commercial use of these photos. When I send someone a shot, it is always a small file, suitable for the Internet use but not for print. I also embed my copyright information in the metadata. Adobe Lightroom makes this very easy. Of course, this is nowhere near 100% effective, but it does offer me some degree of protection against illegal use of my work. And it is not unusual for someone to contact me and ask for a larger file for a specific use, like social media or to make a print for a significant other. In general, I have no problem with these, but I do want to be clear as to what the usage will be.

Click for Tattoo Contest

One fun part of traveling is to meet (and photograph) tattooed people in other countries. Here is a “trick” that consistently works, especially in places where I don’t speak the language: If I spot someone with an interesting tattoo, I walk up to them, point to their tattoo, then roll up my sleeve to show them some of my work. It is rare that this kind of meeting doesn’t lead to a fun interchange and, of course, some memorable photos. Often, meeting other tattooed people in another country can be an entrée to a part of their culture that would normally not be available to tourists. I have often ended up sharing meals and even being invited to the homes of people I have met this way.

Best of all, have fun!

—Maury Englander (mauryenglander.com)

ARTIST UPDATE

Hey, Bob:

Jordan here. I’ve attached a few more pictures for the website, and I also wanted to note that Dave Regan no longer works here full time. He will be working at Landmark Tattoo in Denver and only up here to complete unfinished work on Boulder clients.

Thanks!

Jordan Tinney, Shop Manager

Bolder Ink, Boulder, Colorado

WELCOME TO THE DIRECTORY!

Enso Tattoo is the home of long-time Calgary tattoo artists James Jacobs and Trevor Varem. A small shop located in the heart of Calgary’s busy 17th Avenue district, Enso specializes in custom tattooing and loves it when guest artists visit. In fact, if you want a change of scenery and a supportive, creative place to work, contact James and make art. The shop promises “no pompous politics or pious attitudes.” You can’t beat that, plus you get to spend time in beautiful Calgary with cool Canadians. Heaven knows, every time Mary and I visit Calgary, we vow never to leave. We love the place. In addition to James and Trevor, Enso has just added artist Kevin Johnson to the lineup. No photos yet, but keep checking back as I am sure he will be sending us pictures in a short time. Until then, here’s a mix of work from James and Trevor, to tempt your vacant skin.

Click to enlarge

NEW ON THE DIRECTORY

Sean Knudsen, his wife, Jayleen Roy, and shopmate Cablz have the hottest shop, Bolder Syde Custom Tattooing, in Kamloops. Kamloops, by the way, is a city in south-central British Columbia (that’s Canada), where two branches of the Thompson River approach Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District in the area commonly referred to as Thompson County.  That pretty much pinpoints it, right? I thought so. Let’s just say that it’s thirty-seventh on the list of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in Canada, enough for about 86,000 residents and one hard-working tattoo shop.

Aside from the artistry of Sean, Jayleen and Cablz, one of the highlights of Bolder Syde is its posting of  their superb list of Tattoo Etiquette rules. Sure, Kamloops is off the beaten track, but their specific rules and regs are spot-on for any tattoo shop, no matter how big or small. Other shops could do well to practice what Bolder Syde preaches and thereby be a respectful, super-professional business. So, without further scintillating facts and figures, here’s the list (click the poster, to the left, to make it bigger) and several samples of the handiwork of these three Canadian tattooists.

I.T.A.’s PROLIFIC EDITOR

To paraphrase Chris Pfouts, editor of International Tattoo Art magazine, “Too much respectability will never be a good thing for tattooing.”

Dana Brunson wrote to say that Chris Pfouts passed away last night. Always outspoken, always dedicated to the art of tattooing, Pfouts  may have left the pain and pleasures of this planet, but he’s left an important legacy. It’s because of editors like Chris that tattoo magazines gained a new respect as a legitimate and trusted reflection of the art he worked so hard to honor. Chris never minced his words or held back his often audacious, always inspiring commentary on the “real” people, not the scripted megastars manufactured by TV producers. He stirred the pot and always had something intriguing to say. His voice will be missed. We wish him and his family peace and marvelous memories of a job well done.

TWO UNFORGETTABLE EVENTS!

Back in the day

A REMARKABLE FRIEND

Schmoozing at West Coast

I met Greg James at Sunset Strip Tattoo years ago. I used to go there to get tattooed by Cliff Raven, and became good friends with the whole crew there. After Robert Benedetti took over the shop, I would make yearly visits to California, to get more tattoos and, of course, to visit my friends. While visiting one year, we took a side trip to downtown Los Angeles to meet Greg’s brother, Dave. Dave was the epitome of an old-school tattoo artist, working a street shop in the seedy part of L.A. From that point on, every vacation, every convention, I made a point to visit and talk to Dave. While I don’t really know a lot of facts about Dave’s past (besides the fact that he had worked for Capt. Jim on the and that he is the one who taught his brother Greg), Dave’s stories and kindness always made an impact on me.

He tells the best tales of the old days. Every time we talk, I tell him, “You should write a book,” all the time kicking myself for not having a recorder rolling! I guess that’s my point of this story: If you’re in this business long enough, you will meet special people along the way; people you barely know and people you wish you knew better, that make you smile. The characters that will be with you forever. The ones that help you or touch you for whatever reason. So, in my old-guy phase, I just want to tell the ones left how much I’ve enjoyed their friendship.

Dave is having some health issues at the present, and those that know him are trying to help out. Even if you don’t know Tennessee Dave, but you understand what I am talking about, send him your best. You can message him via Greg James on Facebook. He’s one of the good guys. If you can help, then donate to the Tenn. Dave Cancer Fund (www.everribbon.com). Thanks.

See ya in the funny papers and keep your hat on so I’ll know ya,

—Dana (www.danatattoo.com/danatattoo@fuse.net)

P.S. To read some of Tenn. Dave’s unforgettable tales of tattoo life, type “Tennessee Dave” in Search for, located on the sidebar to your right. And, just for a kick, click to the images to make them bigger.

WIN A MICKY!

It’s contest time at tattoo Road Trip, and the prizes are truly terrific. Send in your tattoo photos and win a world-class tattoo machine from Micky Sharpz, an eye-catching Ama Leu hoodie or a collection of art from the Leu Family Iron.

1. Enter a photo of your favorite Tattoo Cover-up , any subject, any size, any color. Multiple entries are okay.2. Send hi-rez, before-and-after digital images to baxter@tattooroadtrip.com. Type “Cover-up Contest” in subject line.

3. Include artist name, shop name*, city, state and phone number.

First Prize

4. Entries close Saturday, June 29th, 2013.

5. Voting Booth will open on Monday, July 1st, 2013 and remain open for two weeks. (At this time all the finalist photos will be posted, along with the artist and shop names.)

6. Prizes will be award to the top three vote-getters.

• First Prize: World-famous Micky Sharpz “Hybrid” tattoo machine.

• Second Prize: Flip Leu-designed Hoodie or Track from Ama Leu ”Tattoo-inspired organic clothing.”

• Third Prize: “The Art of the Leu Family” by Aia Leu

* Tattoo machine prize will only be awarded to tattoo artists working at a bona fide, professional tattoo shop.