tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48800078283899247582024-03-21T08:28:04.285-04:00StudioIn the event that what you want isn’t necessarily what Society deems appropriate or necessary, saying ‘Up Yours!’ is always an option.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-74342129721461176232010-07-24T23:20:00.000-04:002010-07-24T23:20:46.721-04:00Upcoming...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_Pfg40YqVWPvuGjDHLu0dXB6LwyCLviDdu2wrd6ApqF1kHIc6g_jqpJeL299PmziB71jg1iLSMAoU-91Mr7_11YT2x2rJdUgHFYtu4IDOigmFoabTg36LAjmVT5IBtLFlUL8iZzo0akH/s1600/susancrossfinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_Pfg40YqVWPvuGjDHLu0dXB6LwyCLviDdu2wrd6ApqF1kHIc6g_jqpJeL299PmziB71jg1iLSMAoU-91Mr7_11YT2x2rJdUgHFYtu4IDOigmFoabTg36LAjmVT5IBtLFlUL8iZzo0akH/s320/susancrossfinish.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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SB's cross, being done 8.1.2010. 4 1/2 inches tall, about 2 inches wide. Pink ribbon, traditional yinyan, no color to the cross, I don't think. Very basic.<br />
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I call this one Infinity is Godlike, but that's me. Sic-un says it looks like a bee. I doodled into it at work the other day, intrigued enough to redo on paper instead of wipeboard. I'm thinking potential hip design, but it would be a bitch for me to do there.We'll see where this one goes in the future. Each square is 1/2 an inch.<br />
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Pi, obviously. Ankle, adding to the aum and the celtic triangle. It fits too well. This picture is, again obviously, blown up. Each little square is 1/2 an inch.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-25052087912555837542010-07-04T14:19:00.013-04:002010-07-04T15:21:08.243-04:00D.o.S-u...Only half......Evil, that is.<br />Yes, laydees and gennulmen, I have put ink into one of Sic-un's kids....<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Daughter of Sic-un...DoSu</span> :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbG5CoIUUsVkYo2slpLSLfAWeBtRS2mJmh68UtTwiLqB-zySAod_cOxnl59zPqAUOuWfuemYO-WWgl4rno3UOcIXvndmUCjEViGYLTexo1FV_3OTQzqxKICFqeW7GO-KUOn_YuDhxv4t9M/s1600/stencil.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbG5CoIUUsVkYo2slpLSLfAWeBtRS2mJmh68UtTwiLqB-zySAod_cOxnl59zPqAUOuWfuemYO-WWgl4rno3UOcIXvndmUCjEViGYLTexo1FV_3OTQzqxKICFqeW7GO-KUOn_YuDhxv4t9M/s320/stencil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490121330403779026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The flash (after about 45 minutes of discussion and sizing and placement and font and color and ink tests)<br /><br /><br /><br />She's been talking about getting 'only 1/2 evil' on her body for years. Years and years, according to Sic-un. So now that she's 18, 19 in a week to 10 days, she wants her first.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />"<span style="font-weight: bold;">DAAAAAAD</span>!!!"<br />How sweet would it be if Sic-un laid the ink into her? First piece and all that, but "This is my first tattoo...My <span style="font-style: italic;">dad</span> gave it to me."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtq2LIA8uV87Y5ClAHtjRwAQmUUx3Dy3L6Gb4DtCy29fJL09padmJfprvMUIt1Co2KOYO4s-vxMlxNbtr2BFVcZypjHnYYsnwjt8RbtGgM48kbWSHY-AK47A8UpQ1NXzzaZVXsEC7Kcq5/s1600/richardline.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtq2LIA8uV87Y5ClAHtjRwAQmUUx3Dy3L6Gb4DtCy29fJL09padmJfprvMUIt1Co2KOYO4s-vxMlxNbtr2BFVcZypjHnYYsnwjt8RbtGgM48kbWSHY-AK47A8UpQ1NXzzaZVXsEC7Kcq5/s320/richardline.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490122560208857154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />So he started...<br /><br />Unfortunately, due to his back (you could see the pain creeping up his face), he couldn't do the outline.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDRnoQwWg8crYOPphmkV5bPxCZni7AO1YeVyrfWzW5cANYj9xgNG9JCkAcGWLWaFzRMLw8MouC-Htocx7u6M3YvjstJ6AikdwoOpqcfS_L80j9KQAumbKI0JGlWvEohaadA3Ztduz-lbT/s1600/outline.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDRnoQwWg8crYOPphmkV5bPxCZni7AO1YeVyrfWzW5cANYj9xgNG9JCkAcGWLWaFzRMLw8MouC-Htocx7u6M3YvjstJ6AikdwoOpqcfS_L80j9KQAumbKI0JGlWvEohaadA3Ztduz-lbT/s320/outline.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490122739136453170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I finished the outline. Sic-un made a statement which kindof resonated with me...I do <span style="font-style: italic;">fine</span> outlines. I use a 3L? Yeah. FINEline... He says speed is a factor.<br />I say not so much speed as touch, if that makes sense, but I'm probably wrong.<br /><br />I've always just liked fine line outlines... If I used a 5L, it would be thicker.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5IHscZUnspWhGNdW9WGylb1Q57GQNtQFh5Jd0G9ZveV4OY7_r12rNocWpVUfkvMJ1hQgSclEoZaANg6QtpPNgDdFXkZ52o4B49Xk5_mfnISBbr0s9HgYgzlfEtyZOxbgSsVlSm2fZHlI/s1600/richardfill.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5IHscZUnspWhGNdW9WGylb1Q57GQNtQFh5Jd0G9ZveV4OY7_r12rNocWpVUfkvMJ1hQgSclEoZaANg6QtpPNgDdFXkZ52o4B49Xk5_mfnISBbr0s9HgYgzlfEtyZOxbgSsVlSm2fZHlI/s320/richardfill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490124136907574722" border="0" /></a>Anyway, outline. So Sic-un? Do you wanna try some fill? I wanna see you do some fill, even just a smidge so I can get the motioning and angle and all that rather than risking making your daughter's skin look like hamburger with trial and error and you're playing your game so you don't want to hover, and that's cool, but I'm learning, you know?<br /><br />See that little spot there on the L? Yeah. Just laid in, right before I took over. And in addition to picking BloodRed as the fill, she also bled like a stuck pig. You pick ink from blood (blood is a bit orange-ier when it's wiped out) just by quick scan....ARGH!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y4EPejX_oNeXM_My7H7g5K860en68JB0eAaoA0vc8D8dZ6t5rVhcg2L6bEbw7HqMSwQVPyOf-PZkxEIOMMZ6_ozO9FCGYCdzV5pkqwjvDuugrXWg-eeK-uwTrLr0u-s2XDbkL1Ow2jQ8/s1600/working.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y4EPejX_oNeXM_My7H7g5K860en68JB0eAaoA0vc8D8dZ6t5rVhcg2L6bEbw7HqMSwQVPyOf-PZkxEIOMMZ6_ozO9FCGYCdzV5pkqwjvDuugrXWg-eeK-uwTrLr0u-s2XDbkL1Ow2jQ8/s200/working.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490124794018279314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9lAWVBP6W-0RAKrYeM2ERCI3Zh45fbtUyRxb9ff_eD-EcMztU_YhgmmsWoh0Ibvr8C3L1LMu1GpNywxuDVOuttOwmm-_F18NHk-HXPlMVEolKWRhNvSjvbuP23X2Qrw3ZaI4b43ESqpj/s1600/twothirds.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9lAWVBP6W-0RAKrYeM2ERCI3Zh45fbtUyRxb9ff_eD-EcMztU_YhgmmsWoh0Ibvr8C3L1LMu1GpNywxuDVOuttOwmm-_F18NHk-HXPlMVEolKWRhNvSjvbuP23X2Qrw3ZaI4b43ESqpj/s200/twothirds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490125036620402754" border="0" /></a>So I worked on it. She's squirmy! It was hurting her <span style="font-style: italic;">really badly</span>. Very sensitive skin.<br />Apparently it runs in the family, too, but I think SoSu has a bit better....Control? Yeah. A bit better control.<br />DoSu? She almost bit through a tongue depressor.<br /><br /><br /><br />Still, she made it through, she's a trooper. Neat kid. I like both his kids. DoSu? She's smart, gorgeous, nice (seriously, guys? She's GORGEOUS. Like really <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> gorgeous. <span style="font-style: italic;">Enough to give a complex</span> gorgeous)...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSyB_t5pqoeXnDQBZJhygR9W4tKc4IG25aJl9z7vNceotQQHvUL62d7KPGSh9LLzqWIfVBvD28THxyeH6LyWSTFj5t7Lhxn9OA8HD0feZBCvPpXiud-skUcVqTp_4UX9wnww2s7P7iO5x/s1600/finish.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSyB_t5pqoeXnDQBZJhygR9W4tKc4IG25aJl9z7vNceotQQHvUL62d7KPGSh9LLzqWIfVBvD28THxyeH6LyWSTFj5t7Lhxn9OA8HD0feZBCvPpXiud-skUcVqTp_4UX9wnww2s7P7iO5x/s400/finish.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490128526304240114" border="0" /></a>And now there's no going back, but due to the pain factors for her skin, she's thinking long and hard about what she wants, where.<br /><br /><br />Now, it's a kindof bad picture (bad lighting, flash on camera), but I can point out some areas that you may be looking at and thinking 'Hrm. Not too good.'<br />The "i": I went over the center 2x.<br />Spots in the 'L' and the 'F' of the HALF: Again-over them 2x, but I think they're pimple scars.<br /><br />I really <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> don't want to turn her skin into hamburger at this point. This is her first, I'm still very much a beginner, and I was afraid if I went over it and over it and over it to 'make sure' I was hitting it? Yeah. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Burger</span>. Not pretty and it is not my intention or desire to scar. Therefore: It's going to be a 'See how it heals and how it looks after it heals and if it's necessary, I'll hit it again <span style="font-style: italic;">then</span>.'Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-57499686008780698602009-09-29T00:54:00.001-04:002009-09-29T00:55:14.730-04:00What I did this weekend...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoKvlqFR1tuncQUaL-6d4LaiArCOS-tO2L6M03MZvF2sB8EYFsBXbC28mnHDIqtC4sGttIACDCz1p4trviUE2XTgE1Nz4Ujdn7RaGOsK7KBaNGaRjhrviN67q-KMSww3tr-P_jIvLUQ4J/s1600-h/halfsheet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoKvlqFR1tuncQUaL-6d4LaiArCOS-tO2L6M03MZvF2sB8EYFsBXbC28mnHDIqtC4sGttIACDCz1p4trviUE2XTgE1Nz4Ujdn7RaGOsK7KBaNGaRjhrviN67q-KMSww3tr-P_jIvLUQ4J/s320/halfsheet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386745738409615778" border="0" /></a>I keep saying I have a dozen ideas in my head. I'm not huge fan of traditional, but I do want to learn, so this is really my own teaching. I'm using the myriad issues of magazines I have floating around for ideas. And it's all freehand, which is something I haven't done in a bit.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXl4s_tGXuGHxcwZ8IeQVYPlalZ-FhGZNh7dA1S_Ya2fjVAIm5Wt3o8Jj6Od7yGCPUN_ahSPVLWqDvG5xLKYHPm4Ce-LlpyAGFtmT021B8ZTe0YeM1B56B6qtWi1rLYbf0Ks80dwW3H9Q/s1600-h/fatheartbanner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXl4s_tGXuGHxcwZ8IeQVYPlalZ-FhGZNh7dA1S_Ya2fjVAIm5Wt3o8Jj6Od7yGCPUN_ahSPVLWqDvG5xLKYHPm4Ce-LlpyAGFtmT021B8ZTe0YeM1B56B6qtWi1rLYbf0Ks80dwW3H9Q/s320/fatheartbanner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386746771155773346" border="0" /></a><br />The fat heart turned out the best as far as the hearts go. The heart itself, that is. I like the banner on the double hearts better.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI61LkOWScg2hIiuENNq5K57bAS9WVLMds66WvFXTLmHWZI9LOr5JdP3s2zPnqDPee6BdpoSgSMqOpviljynPRTBa0lmoYFCRyaNhMv8_-LSSsAqpAT3x0V-afV-TUIOUhqyWHuDEZBJm9/s1600-h/doubleheartbanner.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI61LkOWScg2hIiuENNq5K57bAS9WVLMds66WvFXTLmHWZI9LOr5JdP3s2zPnqDPee6BdpoSgSMqOpviljynPRTBa0lmoYFCRyaNhMv8_-LSSsAqpAT3x0V-afV-TUIOUhqyWHuDEZBJm9/s320/doubleheartbanner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386746923042072578" border="0" /></a><br />The butterfly and the yellow flower are my interpretation of flash from c. 1920-c.1960.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoX5Ksm6nYh8tHohY68vgOlqoiEOftqfA5FetY7CvCKf2MZzDnm3Rv_9WYBSOUHmvZtPz7h3VSehOplFhSmV8JIuerLa7TOa9mxWqnzb614GOkYnxaiXZQZWQPpi12CpPuk5yZzVkzFJT/s1600-h/butterflyflower.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoX5Ksm6nYh8tHohY68vgOlqoiEOftqfA5FetY7CvCKf2MZzDnm3Rv_9WYBSOUHmvZtPz7h3VSehOplFhSmV8JIuerLa7TOa9mxWqnzb614GOkYnxaiXZQZWQPpi12CpPuk5yZzVkzFJT/s320/butterflyflower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386747816537709874" border="0" /></a>Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-22032485770006560872009-08-18T23:30:00.000-04:002009-08-18T23:31:11.716-04:00Productive long weekend....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmuT3u_3kuW5yoXEm5PHOUdVREN66AYO06ffKfSfPtGKRPBWH3fdCWCYNjaOCEU9h7ijYd3BPJxtPeP6bjHd995vXPbO3wMtvp9Uh1EWe7IONXxGUulEvyrdu652wMkoRpIuzyi051ic5/s1600-h/marthawristredo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmuT3u_3kuW5yoXEm5PHOUdVREN66AYO06ffKfSfPtGKRPBWH3fdCWCYNjaOCEU9h7ijYd3BPJxtPeP6bjHd995vXPbO3wMtvp9Uh1EWe7IONXxGUulEvyrdu652wMkoRpIuzyi051ic5/s400/marthawristredo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371509997941712370" border="0" /></a><br />...I go back to the AlternateDimension tomorrow. The good news is that there is no mandatory OT on my schedule this week. The better news is 2 days and I'm off for another 2. And then (and THEN?) I'll have off the 28th-31st. So does Sic-un, so it's all good.<br />I like days off.<br />I like lots of days off and I still want to win the lottery.<br />Still, it was a productive weekend.<br /><br /><br /><br />I redid Mari's Eye of Horus, just to the right there. She's going to JP this upcoming weekend. I wish her safe journey and for her to have a frickin' ball. She needs it, desperately. Just a weekend, but that's ok.<br /><br /><br />As for me... well, that's below. Didn't get the fan completed, but I got more done on it. It's a little strange, tattooing yourself. There's the pain involved of actually getting a tattoo, but you have to work through the pain to actually do the tattoo itself. It makes (especially on the top front of the thigh) for a painful proposition, you know?<br />Still, I did get some more into it, and it's coming together. Then I surprised myself and decided to go back to the basics while waiting for the fan to heal up for the next round.<br />Enjoy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFDZa21vm3SnAF0PtzowMfAJ4sH2nreHWPFnfdTS6J5riKQfVXmiDQJ2BLLTXuY1f5JcAD-7HxX9y7McGRmRH7bK2qJihMTaI9rye309VTg1bxMLvopVwIp7u82Yc1rpbRaKleB5ku3xc/s1600-h/weekendtattooing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFDZa21vm3SnAF0PtzowMfAJ4sH2nreHWPFnfdTS6J5riKQfVXmiDQJ2BLLTXuY1f5JcAD-7HxX9y7McGRmRH7bK2qJihMTaI9rye309VTg1bxMLvopVwIp7u82Yc1rpbRaKleB5ku3xc/s400/weekendtattooing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371511828217214690" border="0" /></a>Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-87593450263314294482009-06-21T01:19:00.011-04:002009-06-21T01:33:55.582-04:00ButterflySB, the recipient of <a href="http://studio-darkneuro.blogspot.com/2008/03/fire.html">Fire</a>, wanted a butterfly and actually found the design she wanted on the 'net. I haven't felt that I've been good enough to do something that intricate. However, after working on the fan on my leg (still have to do the background of the teal, it's coming along nicely and it feels like it's healing fast), my confidence became a little stronger. Anyhoo, it was decided that we'd do her ink today. Packed everything up, jumped on the bike with Sic_un and off we went. This is after staying up until 6 am (curse you insomnia!). I've also started taking the time to do drawings of what I tattoo (Mar!! You get yours when we fix the Eye!)<br />So. The pictures below are:<br />The drawing<br />The stencil<br />The outline<br />1/2 way through the black fill<br />Black fill and purple nodules<br />Finished<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims6hEePBhmIXePeHYRO3T0h5peBuuPhVgrQdbYqt94kQF7bL9QTscPJYbal2qPnbSGmzWcdWjCZrHnGojDmCe2d-w3Xt50St0c5fA1oPKTnL7X9OhOYhBv5HQa6aQmts-ZDtZWKFJH3VN/s1600-h/butterflydrawing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims6hEePBhmIXePeHYRO3T0h5peBuuPhVgrQdbYqt94kQF7bL9QTscPJYbal2qPnbSGmzWcdWjCZrHnGojDmCe2d-w3Xt50St0c5fA1oPKTnL7X9OhOYhBv5HQa6aQmts-ZDtZWKFJH3VN/s320/butterflydrawing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349648501070093218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqC_gP0zkW2qsDQ7U5y6KVq1RjWoFvb0lgwWg3jNRNBX0O3mlg7adYp7fjOMhoXLuCQiHnDFV9ZM9SF54AFVTU9oBUcyI9shdeDDvZOk8me6AV_f884xBw9DXHT-0n4vx1XC57FP6Mzki/s1600-h/stencilon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqC_gP0zkW2qsDQ7U5y6KVq1RjWoFvb0lgwWg3jNRNBX0O3mlg7adYp7fjOMhoXLuCQiHnDFV9ZM9SF54AFVTU9oBUcyI9shdeDDvZOk8me6AV_f884xBw9DXHT-0n4vx1XC57FP6Mzki/s320/stencilon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349648630946643698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jZ_pvrZgA8ous-wohk9Xjmb36UtjvDJd2sAUVxxXXfaVBlWGOwmcXG_jmPzpu8XcECDLtxMzQvtH9g6xn9A92AHANHmbTa5wqqwx0kSUfFukD6Bj1x1-k8goXXjose158NPWOqK1VLtY/s1600-h/outlinedone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jZ_pvrZgA8ous-wohk9Xjmb36UtjvDJd2sAUVxxXXfaVBlWGOwmcXG_jmPzpu8XcECDLtxMzQvtH9g6xn9A92AHANHmbTa5wqqwx0kSUfFukD6Bj1x1-k8goXXjose158NPWOqK1VLtY/s320/outlinedone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349648722602435458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWhnPtgyCZDmSQiLR7fBUyU1j92yUgStUQBiiMguUoygFIXsVtD6yxwxqq08RSY23fnHmYXu1N9sKvqlX1v4XZPYGEed0ulm0rqGAeaFNDh0G4ySKMlUVKIiLxltryfRZ1ixMsOD5zpXv/s1600-h/halfblackfill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWhnPtgyCZDmSQiLR7fBUyU1j92yUgStUQBiiMguUoygFIXsVtD6yxwxqq08RSY23fnHmYXu1N9sKvqlX1v4XZPYGEed0ulm0rqGAeaFNDh0G4ySKMlUVKIiLxltryfRZ1ixMsOD5zpXv/s320/halfblackfill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349648899064617698" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSh4ipn3-1nKlnJ5AeLbuBeu1XdnVBOxfX6IkEGrB_NfbeHiWKwSYNmVxqcuA-hOp5JMKM5l11rp3rc3Hrc6hr5cAXHASjMDpCL9mYvXW3PXcOTQ5ppmnz0gCf-fc_e6yVgG9akFxHUmr/s1600-h/onemorestep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSh4ipn3-1nKlnJ5AeLbuBeu1XdnVBOxfX6IkEGrB_NfbeHiWKwSYNmVxqcuA-hOp5JMKM5l11rp3rc3Hrc6hr5cAXHASjMDpCL9mYvXW3PXcOTQ5ppmnz0gCf-fc_e6yVgG9akFxHUmr/s320/onemorestep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349649088580056562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03jE19afQSKpy2gX8-P7HKCn_51KOnYkeD7BQHm4Rrnir2n27jiKxMUJ97FplLHdyPRT4fAkdEtIqKoHQtldryAF0RvUKR5TxjADQo7zqOE0BTrtgOkdUYXfhWVDQ99KNkSuL3eiR7QeL/s1600-h/flutterby.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03jE19afQSKpy2gX8-P7HKCn_51KOnYkeD7BQHm4Rrnir2n27jiKxMUJ97FplLHdyPRT4fAkdEtIqKoHQtldryAF0RvUKR5TxjADQo7zqOE0BTrtgOkdUYXfhWVDQ99KNkSuL3eiR7QeL/s400/flutterby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349649240754826978" border="0" /></a><br />Outline: 3L, 6/20/09<br />Fill: 8S, 7M, 6/20/09<br />Colors: Prizm Tribal Black, Light Purple, White<br />Subject: SB/ButterflyDarkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-28112718539640839732009-06-19T00:56:00.005-04:002009-06-19T01:01:27.601-04:00Leaves shaded...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6ZvuSOjk76abmvpVsg1j4tCLoa7OngaDagVtGbJi1eb7mpvQzcJnuHGBvL0w8yaWhRtHjo9exkwP11SoWQS0oZ_aqm1fX1HD063fVWo0DzY2vMPADzwSPVlVtf6_Z4wIGe0fpDTvXz8U/s1600-h/firstleaf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6ZvuSOjk76abmvpVsg1j4tCLoa7OngaDagVtGbJi1eb7mpvQzcJnuHGBvL0w8yaWhRtHjo9exkwP11SoWQS0oZ_aqm1fX1HD063fVWo0DzY2vMPADzwSPVlVtf6_Z4wIGe0fpDTvXz8U/s320/firstleaf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348898360592597154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The first leaf...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglurvaY_98YQseL88JlABbOTlrtSZAgQUvKzc1LId9xOon1RKhnSRrXxJehDffo1oNVMuknEyx9SfNlI5EQ5WxC0Ykc85YssZCa7cq2FlYxQUGFwxzcGolh5f68pqavNiZP6n-kLmmodcd/s1600-h/halfwaydone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglurvaY_98YQseL88JlABbOTlrtSZAgQUvKzc1LId9xOon1RKhnSRrXxJehDffo1oNVMuknEyx9SfNlI5EQ5WxC0Ykc85YssZCa7cq2FlYxQUGFwxzcGolh5f68pqavNiZP6n-kLmmodcd/s320/halfwaydone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348898523107113250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Halfway done with the leaves ---------------------><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8_8qrwFuHQD45kiG3ZkWJFPqdQEgKCdgIEH1FdEh6EKNg7HnW19m_fsH_YpGE2X5tVZc9mPawdIQiyC4NdNrGPtaK1MuEmLp-5z_Tl18q6wVJJhRiSI6-Uxo76mYXmC9Vcvvj_L2gU54/s1600-h/leavesfinished.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8_8qrwFuHQD45kiG3ZkWJFPqdQEgKCdgIEH1FdEh6EKNg7HnW19m_fsH_YpGE2X5tVZc9mPawdIQiyC4NdNrGPtaK1MuEmLp-5z_Tl18q6wVJJhRiSI6-Uxo76mYXmC9Vcvvj_L2gU54/s320/leavesfinished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348898620098249122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Full finished leaves. I started on the teal, but need to let it heal for a color check before I finish.</div>Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-49717082015332523392009-06-16T17:38:00.003-04:002009-06-16T17:46:01.320-04:00Convention. New machine.The 10th Annual ETN Tattoo convention took place last weekend. Sic-un & I went and I finally got some live, close-up action on some magnum usage. I also saw some of the absolute finest line work I've ever seen going on. Single needle, very intricate fleur de lis design, painstakingly slow. Didn't buy anything, I really just went for information purposes. See, I watch shows like Tattoo Highway, LA & Miami Ink and things like that because I don't have the <span style="font-style: italic;">time</span> to hang out in a tattoo studio all day long. Besides... My mother raised me better. I don't expect Joe Public to come watch me work (actually, Joe Public isn't <em>allowed</em> to come watch me work) and I extend the same courtesies... Except in a convention setting where it's taken pretty much for granted you're gonna watch and be watched.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the idiot-box shows what the producers of the shows believe Joe Public wants to see. I don't give a shit if Ami is babysitting the kid. I don't care that Von D is bumping uglies with Nikki. I don't know the artists as people and I don't think I'll ever meet them, so it's a moot point to know what they have for breakfast. I think the people that come in for the work on these shows prove the adage that the most ordinary people have the most extraordinary lives, at least in a microcosm...But that doesn't mean I wanna hear about them, rude as that is. "This is a memorial tattoo to my Uncle John. He was in the Navy and I always remember exactly how he held his coffee cup because he was a really huge influence." Yeah. Whatever....so you're getting this coffee cup. Ok. You do get some good art ideas, which are just fermenting like <em>mad</em> in my head (and then you throw in some of my latest influences like steampunk and biomechanical and all the traditional with the japanese and you get some really, really fucked up ideas)... But what I really wanna see...<br /><br />I wanna see how the artist is holding the machine, what strokes are used, how slow are they going really, what size needle is that, how far do YOU have it from the end of the tube, what grips do you like, why are you mixing this with that and what shading do you get from it, what does it do and how does it work?<br /><br />Can't do that on the idiot-box, you wouldn't have a show. So I find myself watching the CableMonster's on demand programming and fast-forwarding past the boring parts to get to those few minutes you can actually watch the artist work. I've seen the vids on the 'net. They suffer from the same problem: It's not how I would have done it. Usually it's angle, the zoom (c'mon. You should be able to get a bit closer than 3 feet away. Really.), and nobody gives a thought to how the artist is holding their hands and stretching the skin, no matter if it's cameraman #3 making $75K a year working in South Beach or the guy with the little Sony HandyCam and some time to spare while his girlfriend gets an anklet done. Most artists I've seen stretch with the left, ink with the right. Most camera operators shoot from the left. Over the hand stretching the skin so you don't get a good look at how they're stretching, and besides.... to stretch the skin, you usually have to tent your hand. Interferes with what the needle is doing when it impacts the skin.<br /><br />So we went to the convention and I saw someone working with a 7 magnum (hey! I have those!) doing some good shading on a snake on this guy's leg. I saw the movement. From the right. He was 18 inches away. I found myself peering intently. One of my big questions was 'Using the magnum, it looks like they're scrubbing the skin with it from a distance. Short, sharp, scrubby strokes. What is the movement the artist uses to impact the needle on the skin?' I now know the answer: Fill-in you do small circles overlapping--it looks kind of like the product of a spirograph. Horizontal, overlapping circles do not look like they're scrubbed into the skin. For shading, you do small circles overlapping vertically. Still circles, just vertically into and then out of the skin as opposed to horizontally over the surface. It looks like, but it is not in fact, scrubbed into the skin. The guy doing the lining... I was able to see the pressure he was using, how tight the skin was, how fast he went (so very slow and exact...single needle line as thick as my typical 3 needle strokes, almost to one of my 5's), how he held the machine and how he wiped. I go way way too fast with the needle.<br /><br />Sic-un has shown me, but he goes a bit fast, too, especially since I have a pretty delicate touch. It hit home watching this guy exactly how much I need to slow down. So I'm looking forward to finishing the fan.<br /><br />I'm going to be setting a flutterby onto someone I know Saturday. I needed to practice my shading, I know this. It's the whole reason for doing the fan, because it was a design I could live with and it gave me enough play-room (the sticks of the fan do, in fact, look wood-like! Yay!). But the liner, my original first machine, it ain't gonna fill in worth diddly, although I did fill in the sticks. Part of the reason it looks wood-like is that it's not meant to be used for fill-in, not really. Sic-un got a rebuild kit for his shading machine. He rebuilt his machine. His machine will not accept the tubes from the pre-sterilized combos I use. Tubes are too big for the machine. When we did manage (with a lot of twisting, cursing and growling) fit a tube into it, it spattered. No amount of tuning would correct it. We do have some separate pre-sterilized tubes/needles he can practice with to see if he can get rid of the spatter.<br /><br />However.<br /><br />I'm not that patient. And the flutterby waits.<br /><br />Meet the new member of the family.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jjKGvnT05KrBAKtmW_dLQ0omc8JgTSBjRcvSRhImiJoSX1VPyhFvfsrNZrmbzdZGFSBbM2mi703uJzGVoqR15NvPzVDzNyyyI9S-LqomKYYm0HVpZ0ssm0dOpZQ_81o6Rtmuu1afOJIP/s1600-h/machine2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jjKGvnT05KrBAKtmW_dLQ0omc8JgTSBjRcvSRhImiJoSX1VPyhFvfsrNZrmbzdZGFSBbM2mi703uJzGVoqR15NvPzVDzNyyyI9S-LqomKYYm0HVpZ0ssm0dOpZQ_81o6Rtmuu1afOJIP/s320/machine2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348038762119403474" border="0" /></a><br />This is the Raven, from Superior. Shading, of course. Lightweight, 7 oz.! Means it's non-metallic, but that's OK. And looking at it... I wonder what a wooden machine would look like. Kindof like an organic sculpture with the coils embedded... You know? You can fit it with the metal you need to get the contacts, and I bet some brass on it would be kick-fucking-ass.... Hmmm. You see the ADHD take effect. Things are shiny. Something to draw tonight in the alternate dimension.<br /><br />Anyway.<br /><br />I'll post pictures when I finish my fan (should be tomorrow evening sometime, or Thursday). And I should be posting pictures of a pretty flutterby soon too.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">This post is brought to you by the number 3 because that's how many times I've published this particular post. Variations may abound, but this is the 'full' version.</span>Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-58744337770850435342009-04-24T04:25:00.002-04:002009-04-24T04:28:55.792-04:00What is done......cannot be undone, which is just fine by me. Outline and sticks, done. 10 days-2 weeks and we'll get leaves and background done.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji72Eqo_bWCd-8FpE_7KvSX5RzJRIIwVZkZjfDHdnJ50Th3ZfYs6b498lsxdDqmxPMQa-h9IRnel2iFKuNL-da1eK7_UUFn2KMCWsLHvu2CaFwatSxSm1_beyC2pWYbbtW6-meUFbpt09j/s1600-h/placement.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji72Eqo_bWCd-8FpE_7KvSX5RzJRIIwVZkZjfDHdnJ50Th3ZfYs6b498lsxdDqmxPMQa-h9IRnel2iFKuNL-da1eK7_UUFn2KMCWsLHvu2CaFwatSxSm1_beyC2pWYbbtW6-meUFbpt09j/s200/placement.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328169134161562658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">This is checkin' the stencil placement. You can see the hash marks at the top and bottom for where I had it placed.<br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVt7TVqIrbuBpKwe3P6O1w5gIF921dBgoyIu6SW-Ge_1RZM-ECdydQ976OsL3bZ-mmC5nGWnAljibYO8WQzlNzKMgKUyUATzSHgAxCqeL6vZcUNp8mdQzQ_BSrh4VjJIFVP4LpM1cHN3H/s1600-h/first+lines.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVt7TVqIrbuBpKwe3P6O1w5gIF921dBgoyIu6SW-Ge_1RZM-ECdydQ976OsL3bZ-mmC5nGWnAljibYO8WQzlNzKMgKUyUATzSHgAxCqeL6vZcUNp8mdQzQ_BSrh4VjJIFVP4LpM1cHN3H/s200/first+lines.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328169069137606978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />First lines.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRbel8yNctR46mMT4eHMtzSkag6FBTAfbe5cgUmuiCyE0fOeldATKKxZNerKWG2oyLI8WPd8ySs6jRkC5j2HfSD1722iUCXXNm-3Zomo6QVl17X_bx_a3lMJEoRfxr-h0ffYrFpnYyIK0/s1600-h/noturningback.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRbel8yNctR46mMT4eHMtzSkag6FBTAfbe5cgUmuiCyE0fOeldATKKxZNerKWG2oyLI8WPd8ySs6jRkC5j2HfSD1722iUCXXNm-3Zomo6QVl17X_bx_a3lMJEoRfxr-h0ffYrFpnYyIK0/s200/noturningback.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328169555332383394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">No turning back!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpUdiRQmueGTFdvvOnePvRJ9lN8cjXjXkQ9mHd4_2HItvEG0qQxgycn5w3arfDZ7a7amgnQlOcHBZNLDvU0CFjyLFJ6caJIC1OPgCYxXCjArNMYvJBrxjB9iQL37kbMImu3Rc9ogbxRt0/s1600-h/2thirdsdone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpUdiRQmueGTFdvvOnePvRJ9lN8cjXjXkQ9mHd4_2HItvEG0qQxgycn5w3arfDZ7a7amgnQlOcHBZNLDvU0CFjyLFJ6caJIC1OPgCYxXCjArNMYvJBrxjB9iQL37kbMImu3Rc9ogbxRt0/s200/2thirdsdone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328169696209690530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />2/3 done with the outline. Just as a note, the inside of the thigh stings like a muthafucka...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGH95uQLAAzWJwfpzqJtxoSXo_Gb557GrGpVVGZLbQrFERix4P1iHW3dW3GGFRvxcyoLp59iboNHLtlgmQliAHrk1o1BmD1WEx95RmpWNZdi59-Wc_7SsaDk8MvPLUpIak-vEGSY6DonAM/s1600-h/outlinedone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGH95uQLAAzWJwfpzqJtxoSXo_Gb557GrGpVVGZLbQrFERix4P1iHW3dW3GGFRvxcyoLp59iboNHLtlgmQliAHrk1o1BmD1WEx95RmpWNZdi59-Wc_7SsaDk8MvPLUpIak-vEGSY6DonAM/s200/outlinedone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328169840808608754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">Outline done. Now for some fill.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdQMhqVgtjkKJWMOIvXUAMMQ6fZPjfgSo59gdpkvHT5wBc-HZRp8QBhs4e65QJasX7ZU7Xoip5TQHihc3ODC6UI_wOo2sP5JGuifxDv394XSRj4iV7styhFcWUiWFJ5yGbaviLOfsOzBW/s1600-h/playinwithshadin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdQMhqVgtjkKJWMOIvXUAMMQ6fZPjfgSo59gdpkvHT5wBc-HZRp8QBhs4e65QJasX7ZU7Xoip5TQHihc3ODC6UI_wOo2sP5JGuifxDv394XSRj4iV7styhFcWUiWFJ5yGbaviLOfsOzBW/s200/playinwithshadin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328169950853745714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />And here's some experimentation with shading. I'm actually trying to make the sticks look wood-ish.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And the wood experiment, while not a COMPLETE success, will shape up nicely on the next go-round. I unintentionally left some holes in the black/brown combinations, but am planning on adding light brown highlights, if not white highlights. I <span style="font-style: italic;">did</span> happen to play with the magnum, the 7, but I'd <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">really</span> like to see it in use up close and personal. This is where not being an apprentice really dicks with my head. I'm doing all this on my own, which means quite a bit of trial and error. Depending on how it heals up, I may overlay all the sticks with the background fabric color of the fan. That would be teal, by the way, just in case you were wondering.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkK0rq8NKZoIbm5tIl3w5PZgbS3WnIV3wDGwY7cDoGxgTc1B-g1QxpcqWDshkNtnhiclnKibAB4xBIh-y5Bg8ZPGuk7nmEo6e_coIaLXDVCG0UiBtARjdU5x8F_4Pqhm57GgQ4uZoLiJT/s1600-h/outline&sticks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkK0rq8NKZoIbm5tIl3w5PZgbS3WnIV3wDGwY7cDoGxgTc1B-g1QxpcqWDshkNtnhiclnKibAB4xBIh-y5Bg8ZPGuk7nmEo6e_coIaLXDVCG0UiBtARjdU5x8F_4Pqhm57GgQ4uZoLiJT/s320/outline&sticks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328170207905211794" border="0" /></a><br />Outline: 3L<br />Stick fill: 7M & 14S<br />colors: Tribal black, brown (Prizm)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/80x15.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License</a>.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-42110032825385197142009-04-23T20:50:00.000-04:002009-04-23T20:51:17.593-04:00.... So I have my stencil done, I'm eating my muesli (organic soy milk, too), Sic-un's in the Alternate Dimension, and I'm going to get, at the very least, the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMc_NCGA2-z0j2LwGiVfqbw6uWGQ50B13lxn_f06QSnLkOzkihGe8KRQgdZFe4ogqjAa8yiULQG3E6ImvPxaA8i3hWj45jCaeKBDNKiqNOhvA2By09YibceL2D51REuiVQWFIAVSTkcr/s1600-h/drawing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMc_NCGA2-z0j2LwGiVfqbw6uWGQ50B13lxn_f06QSnLkOzkihGe8KRQgdZFe4ogqjAa8yiULQG3E6ImvPxaA8i3hWj45jCaeKBDNKiqNOhvA2By09YibceL2D51REuiVQWFIAVSTkcr/s200/drawing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328051186120071410" border="0" /></a>outlining done.<br /><br />One of my biggest time eaters with the tattooing is the stenciling process. I don't have a thermographic printer, can't afford one (I've seen them for as low as $700, and as high as $1700), so all stencils are drawn by hand. After completing the drawing, I pulled the first sheet off the master (we remember dittos... Kids today? Not so much), set it over the drawing and then traced it off. I used the ruler to keep the lines clean, so no worries there.<br /><br />Then I took that first sheet and taped it back into position on the carbon layer to trace over it with ballpoint. Used the ruler there too.<br /><br />Then you compare/contrast and decide which elements need to be transferred over to the skin and add/subtract as necessary. I am going to be transferring the fan's fold lines over. I'm hoping to get a 'guide', so to speak, for the shading I'll be attempting in the fan's background.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HMvOQ4tJYH_YXicCBLC17i4ZcPZYz0XJ6DEcU-3oiSU8GxZwdO5bNlTs_cxnwhvA4WzbcC2oJ9FjHtxsGwJmceWvWezp90c7fdZeic72vbrYNUIVW93a-nnUqPi5t5kypliIbtyoANI7/s1600-h/comparison.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HMvOQ4tJYH_YXicCBLC17i4ZcPZYz0XJ6DEcU-3oiSU8GxZwdO5bNlTs_cxnwhvA4WzbcC2oJ9FjHtxsGwJmceWvWezp90c7fdZeic72vbrYNUIVW93a-nnUqPi5t5kypliIbtyoANI7/s200/comparison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328053187053377026" border="0" /></a><br />So I'm eating my muesli and contemplating ink. I want at least the outline done without any fuckups.<br /><br />After meal.... then ink. More after that happens.<br /><br />Oh, and if anyone wants to get me a Thermofax (tm), you're more than welcome to. It would make the process a smidge easier.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipMkpHrtAoP0UdKL4s6M2wOmHfr0c7b7nw10hTYValus75AFiPacMYOvUr9t_Om3WYAJ-RQxawVOS7aHUm_G3M14vKs6vAj6JvoyMqnQPT23GzUe3dDATXbcJ0RcbRwolOcIcxOAc8oyP/s1600-h/placement.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgipMkpHrtAoP0UdKL4s6M2wOmHfr0c7b7nw10hTYValus75AFiPacMYOvUr9t_Om3WYAJ-RQxawVOS7aHUm_G3M14vKs6vAj6JvoyMqnQPT23GzUe3dDATXbcJ0RcbRwolOcIcxOAc8oyP/s200/placement.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328053277539233506" border="0" /></a><br />(photos are, in order, drawing, comparison and placement)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width: 0pt;" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License</a>.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-1899043142519489302009-04-14T18:35:00.000-04:002009-04-14T18:36:24.047-04:00The Saga of The Fan.........It's time for me to really get into shading practice. Shading and fill in. I have outlines. I know how to outline. But shading is a bit scary, so is fill-in. SO much can go wrong.<br />It took me 2 tries to get Sic-un's leg filled in. M's fill-in has pulled out, although her father says she had a compound fracture right where it is when she was wee-small that scarred heavily, but has since grown over/filled in. The skin was a bit... tough, I guess, to get through when I was tattooing, and it didn't really want to take ink right there. Still...Fill in can be intimidating as can shading.<br />But it still doesn't stop the need for practice, and let's face it... Citrus just doesn't cut it for shading/fill practice. You can, I have. But the texture of the citrus peel itself means bits of the peel get stuck in the center of the needles and causes severe clumping and just...<br />Ick.<br />So I need practice, and I can't subject someone to something I am unwilling to do, you know? Why would I 'practice' shading or fill-in on someone else? They'd only have to go get it redone or covered over and I'd just get a reputation as another 'scratcher'...<br />Don't want that.<br />Then the thinking portion of it began. What design? Where would it be? Easiest places for tattooing on yourself are the legs. I already did my ankle and although I see several other designs there, including more triangles, I don't want to do another on my ankle just yet.<br />Sic-un mentioned the thigh.<br />My thighs are good pieces of real estate on the body, they don't have a huge amount of nerve endings, and let's face it... I have a good pad there, right? Legs that carry around a 200 pound body tend to be large. I have large legs. I have large, square-ish shaped thighs. Good for artwork.<br />So I decided on the thigh.<br />What design? What design could I use that was 'me', something I'd want for the rest of my life, yet could be used for heavy shading practice and give me some fill in time?<br />Skull--nah. Feathers... oh ick, no. Birds, animals... symbols.. No, no... not another one. Not yet. Lizard? Very little shading there. Koi? Um... no, no shading, although LOTS of outlining, LOTS of fill-in....<br />Shading and fill....<br />Hey.<br />What about... a fan? Japanese design, hand fan.... there's shading, right? Let's check the 'net for some designs or flash...<br />Hm. Sad lack. Sad, sad lack... Well, that means it's not a 'usual' design. It's not the usual rose (I discarded that idea. I do not want a rose right now) or bird or skull or knife or/or/or....<br />It's not a common design. There aren't any fans out there I could find (in ink, on the 'net) that showed a lot of shading in the fan itself. Usually, the fan is either a counterpoint (in the hand of the geisha), or just a tablet for a floral design of some sort. I don't want to use the fan as a canvas to illustrate a flowering tree, for example. I want the skin to be the canvas for a tattoo of a fan, a complete fan, with shading. I want a tattoo that says 'This is a fan that just happens to have a shaded design", not "This is a shaded design that just happens to be sitting on a fan shape".<br />I decided on size.<br />I asked Sic-un about size one night while we were lying on the couch, just last week. He asked how big I was thinking... I told him give me a pen since he was closest to my pen bin.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LJedQA-O__WYobesBCChszFQ-fbQ4BTINzveIi8yDC9Ikxce0JKS6n62D-KbEfDeJ5GwePeNMzRl28HXe_HFjJoSkVKinBBAYkmWKCasAc1wTFXhWSOTJ2QjfBiiDZNzAVxAXo91Khbk/s1600-h/fandrawingskin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LJedQA-O__WYobesBCChszFQ-fbQ4BTINzveIi8yDC9Ikxce0JKS6n62D-KbEfDeJ5GwePeNMzRl28HXe_HFjJoSkVKinBBAYkmWKCasAc1wTFXhWSOTJ2QjfBiiDZNzAVxAXo91Khbk/s200/fandrawingskin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324665999713862354" border="0" /></a><br />This is the design I started with. I drew it upside down. I was resting head on the arm of the couch, legs stretched out. I pulled up my leg, started sketching.<br />Maple leaves. I was thinking the bright reds and oranges of Japanese maple leaves, with the dark bark of the tree itself. I love those reds and oranges, even though red and orange aren't my 'favorite' colors, or even colors I tend to move towards. But I love the reds and oranges on Japanese maple leaves.<br />The area it will cover is about 6 by 8 inches, so it's not a small tattoo... And leaf placement.... gotta get the sticks right....<br />everything has to match for dips and valleys...<br /><br />I'm going to let you in on a bit of a secret....<br />I use the 'net extensively for my art creation. Not in a "I haven't had an original thought in my entire life" way, not "I'll take your art, change colors and call it MY art", but "Let's use this for the base, that's the 'look' I want, so let's take that off and then move it around and change it here and what to use for the design itself, let's go googling-googly-goo....<br /><br /><a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=japanese%20hand%20fans&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi">Pages upon pages of fans</a> pulled up and looked at and discarded and pulled and checked and removed and added, not to mention <a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=Japanese+maple+leaves&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=9gTlSbjdFN2rtgfM1IHyDA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title">Japanese maple leaves</a> to be pulled up, decided upon and moved forward with... Please, though... I don't do copies. I don't 'trace', really... I do trace shapes off if it's ridiculous to not to.... Like the fan shape. I can either pull out the compass and the straight edge and rulers and measure and mark and erase and do it again and again and again (and I can! I have... it's not fun, it's not pretty, it's precise. It's engineering, really, and it's a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">pain in the ass</span>) or I can find a fan shape I like from the 'net and play with it in photoshop and then trace it off THEN change it more on paper...<br />Which is what I ended up doing.<br />The fan I chose had a good number of sticks, was a good shade reference and had pleats the size I wanted. I played with the brightness/contrast, removed the majority of the black background which changed the edge of the piece since part of the design was black (it's rather apropos, really... one of my favorite images is Katsushika Hokusai's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2.jpg">Kanagawa-oki-nami-ura</a>, so I found a fan with the right pleats that just happened to have it on it), I had to assume part of the shape itself from the picture (funny crop on source), and actually take away most of the image while preserving the shading...<br />Then I transferred it to my pad (carbon...wonderful concept), trace out and straighten out EVERYTHING (one of the problems in taking away the black background is it DOES change the edges), lengthen the entire fan surface, decide where I wanted the visible stick to end at...<br />I liked it. I really liked it. Then I had to decide where I wanted to put the leaves, how many, where laying, how shaded, how attached, how does the branch go, where does it come from... Outline... how much to outline, decisions to made before actually inking for where outline would be... Do I outline the leaves, or use a colored outline or just fade from the background which ends in outline or/or/or.<br />Then colors, which is a whole new agonization (is that even a word???) in and of itself. Sic-un laughed at me when I asked him what color the background should be. "Babe, it's your leg. It's your tattoo. YOU decide."<br />ARRGH. I understand, really, but still... A direction would have been nice. So wracked the brain. Do I do a favorite color? Hm. Those are all dark, and you want the dark of the branch to stand out. Wait. What about... nah, that's almost as bad as... Well, it's not like, it DOES contrast... No, the color mixing would be a pain.. hm.<br />If I do the leaves and branch, let it heal, you'd have time to get some of that color in.. well, maybe. Hm.<br />I have approximately 200 colored pencils.<br />And I went back to the way I saw it in my head when I had that one dream...<br />Not the tattoo, the fan.<br />That was the dream fan. The color, design, the utter simplicity.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdaUJEL9yFpDNYmwTWbdl0VDdV5UZUsuCKFkpvDvvq5cvdlP0dqWB1dJVTeJxth4SdQPCG_6Wekrhvuk_wGD93zLiUR1l8pHdq-to8fVvzCkFyrbbRhnfv-OaGmxo2aGOlT94eLvjJgmq/s1600-h/fanautosmall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdaUJEL9yFpDNYmwTWbdl0VDdV5UZUsuCKFkpvDvvq5cvdlP0dqWB1dJVTeJxth4SdQPCG_6Wekrhvuk_wGD93zLiUR1l8pHdq-to8fVvzCkFyrbbRhnfv-OaGmxo2aGOlT94eLvjJgmq/s200/fanautosmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324676820453611154" border="0" /></a><br />I think I can work in the shading not only through the design in the leaves but also the fabric of the fan itself. If I can't, then I can't, but I'm not subjecting some victim to it. I'll try it on myself. And hey... what do you know... I'm thinking I can mix a tad Zulu Green with a greater quantity of Sky Blue and maybe get a good shade of teal. And if I can't, well, then, we'll just let it heal and cover it in straight blue.<br /><br />But I'm gonna try it. It's at the very least outlined hopefully Wednesday/Thursday or Saturday. I've got all the colors, I've got some needles, I have the time...Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-9279354326672568572009-01-11T04:00:00.003-05:002009-01-11T04:07:56.336-05:00To do more......would be to do too much, methinks.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1utxgUWV4XWXnchBJkCkgd3HiLqPSzU-wnm0bL6qQ56nDeLnkR7-wVCPw7jeBYURA_px1jY4vUjmgV9e1IgOPVtVY6VVyMlkjqyh-sEKElpwKRYKOvmfARXsdmjot_x0U40o34Wz6mVa/s1600-h/finishedcroppedresized.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 386px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1utxgUWV4XWXnchBJkCkgd3HiLqPSzU-wnm0bL6qQ56nDeLnkR7-wVCPw7jeBYURA_px1jY4vUjmgV9e1IgOPVtVY6VVyMlkjqyh-sEKElpwKRYKOvmfARXsdmjot_x0U40o34Wz6mVa/s400/finishedcroppedresized.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289380084616164226" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Symbols" 1/2009<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">This is a backpiece for someone who has some work on his back already. Across the shoulders, there's the chinese dragon, the aztec-appearing celtic sun, the little tribal and then the koi covering the shoulder. Down below, the tribal tramp stamp. That's what he called it. Really. The grey bits in the collage are faint prints of the existing work.</span> <br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">I saw his dragon and the sun and thought 'Aztec temple', so there's a temple. "And a tree!" Then I showed him the art of the PacNW. He wanted that added in too. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;">I know it doesn't look as he pictured it. I think what's blowing his twinkies is the amount of detail. A small part of me genuinely feels he was expecting a quick toss-off sketch. Instead, he got a (relatively) serious piece of work.</span>Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-56039023485725159782008-05-03T20:16:00.000-04:002008-05-03T20:17:21.073-04:00"I think of God and Death and Triangles..."*<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhAfVngtTovDcoWD6Bj_e9ekqVpbQLoNjYzzGgH5-w15T-ev_WMPc4XSQSEicGg0fqh5-TY2Yjr6HhPGixVfRzDru-ysIl2Pa_mOfas1W7OMbeCaQodA3TKIuATopc9sOcfVG8-U7ETBN/s1600-h/stenciled.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhAfVngtTovDcoWD6Bj_e9ekqVpbQLoNjYzzGgH5-w15T-ev_WMPc4XSQSEicGg0fqh5-TY2Yjr6HhPGixVfRzDru-ysIl2Pa_mOfas1W7OMbeCaQodA3TKIuATopc9sOcfVG8-U7ETBN/s400/stenciled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196307926016298098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Stencil is on and ready to go. Left ankle, crossing my leg up to the table from the chair. Yes, it's a blurry picture.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJkLlVos-SePsLbDhBfLk99gSMIoWeeqIwcLyR7YarP3gdb-J1BWQnkrN10ITyzeq8uSuhMgAHIVkN8dletqPNCCJ8DsyqppR6OAUNIDZWU7WWcmFMplMSerkDEpKEHo4AAkzc29k_x8w/s1600-h/onethirdoutlined.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJkLlVos-SePsLbDhBfLk99gSMIoWeeqIwcLyR7YarP3gdb-J1BWQnkrN10ITyzeq8uSuhMgAHIVkN8dletqPNCCJ8DsyqppR6OAUNIDZWU7WWcmFMplMSerkDEpKEHo4AAkzc29k_x8w/s400/onethirdoutlined.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196308218074074242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is 1/3 of the way through the outline. I freely admit I didn't do as well as I may have if it wasn't on myself. There's a pain that you have to work through and ignore to get it done and get it in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MEYB12vppmsawBkZgiHB70-wxU2ZCDQIXbBWULA8srGGT_WmxMy1u0Wgq8DSx7m9uFyzzWO2aPWzJA8uZU5l1oVMbhWfBAK4XZf9UYYuQ_vDmZtIEF0pPAdfS-wYIWcgnyyRB9mWNk7R/s1600-h/Outline.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MEYB12vppmsawBkZgiHB70-wxU2ZCDQIXbBWULA8srGGT_WmxMy1u0Wgq8DSx7m9uFyzzWO2aPWzJA8uZU5l1oVMbhWfBAK4XZf9UYYuQ_vDmZtIEF0pPAdfS-wYIWcgnyyRB9mWNk7R/s400/Outline.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196308540196621458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And the outline is finished.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlD8Ak3CZHW1H8Z_f-yrcAUEdDtMf4dXOn-uF9B4x2SQnrMtocKNy0bHDXQ8Oo2Ue_HntwkeFr33lGZ0fWkPF5k13Xu7KQBlyJ5I9AwuNzV7M8ysjKf_cHFMU51PV-PiLEJAOm4doZPjqa/s1600-h/Finished.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlD8Ak3CZHW1H8Z_f-yrcAUEdDtMf4dXOn-uF9B4x2SQnrMtocKNy0bHDXQ8Oo2Ue_HntwkeFr33lGZ0fWkPF5k13Xu7KQBlyJ5I9AwuNzV7M8ysjKf_cHFMU51PV-PiLEJAOm4doZPjqa/s400/Finished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196308664750673058" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Celtic Triangle - Ankle </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >5/2/2008</span></span><br /></div><br />And the the fill-in for the bare spaces. My knotty triangle.<br />3rd tattoo completed, 2nd tattoo done in 1 sitting, 2nd personal tattoo. Canvas is canvas and nothing behaves like real skin.<br /><br />Outline: 3L<br />Fill in: 8L<br /><br />*A reporter once asked <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas">Dylan Thomas</a> what he thought about. "I think of God and death and triangles," the Welshman replied. It was the title of my term paper in the 12th grade, 1988, for Mrs. Johnson's World Literature class.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-24776281504993239982008-05-02T21:27:00.002-04:002008-05-02T21:31:11.854-04:00We have machine!My order came in today from <a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/">Superior Tattoo</a>. 3 springs, 2 armature bars, 5 #15 mags, 5 #13 mags, 5#14 rounds. The machine hums again. Triangle for me, cross for Sic_un. Pictures when I find batteries for the camera.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-31796708771492320552008-04-26T20:36:00.006-04:002008-04-26T22:42:59.079-04:00So THAT'S who she is.....This woman has fascinated me since I first saw her picture 2 years ago.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVo4tXKr18TdxwdWLoEUyk3BHJAfdIznB0q_gznJjyQgBJIrrF2-g0zZ_TKd9LTkQ83rQkDm2hPOGygpQqOtwt-P07MqA-RriDTdVnnOnjGV4fhEMQcbZTnDqQscVkxOxlZ73aSusRQo2/s1600-h/MrsMStevensWagner1907.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVo4tXKr18TdxwdWLoEUyk3BHJAfdIznB0q_gznJjyQgBJIrrF2-g0zZ_TKd9LTkQ83rQkDm2hPOGygpQqOtwt-P07MqA-RriDTdVnnOnjGV4fhEMQcbZTnDqQscVkxOxlZ73aSusRQo2/s400/MrsMStevensWagner1907.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193717751499164754" border="0" /></a><br />Isn't she beautiful? She is defiant towards the camera, an early 'fuck you' to the mores and morals of society and 'normal' people. I finally found out who she is, thanks to <a href="http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/index.html">The Vanishing Tattoo</a> and their <a href="http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoo_museum/united_states_tattoos.html">History of Tattooing</a> pages.<br /><br />She is Mrs. M. Stevens Wagner, and the picture was taken in 1907. So who is Mrs. M. Stevens Wagner? I don't know, but I bet she's related somehow to Charles Wagner, who was partnered with Samuel O'Reilly in the late 1800's in NYC (Bowery). Charles Wagner did something else, too...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjc_Ml5nARCs-WSkeRuh7YO5fLLPoaPxM56nsSA6IIb-tuXMVKCcVRZd5WLgUYLZ-B3fE-6uvLBVic3iHJBxyEUyJa-NPvWGWvwpJ5gKO-5ejN5TBiA1iTiGw4HztRy-2R2RMJrnXU3aji/s1600-h/CharlesWagnerTattooDevice.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjc_Ml5nARCs-WSkeRuh7YO5fLLPoaPxM56nsSA6IIb-tuXMVKCcVRZd5WLgUYLZ-B3fE-6uvLBVic3iHJBxyEUyJa-NPvWGWvwpJ5gKO-5ejN5TBiA1iTiGw4HztRy-2R2RMJrnXU3aji/s400/CharlesWagnerTattooDevice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193721492415679586" border="0" /></a><br />Recognize it? It's a <span class="style1">dual coil reciprocating engraver, a prototype of today's machine.<br /><br />It's amazing what you learn when you surf the 'net, isn't it? Oh... A Google through various search terms provides us this: "</span><a href="http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php?title=Maud_Wagner&redirect=no"><b>Maud Wagner</b></a> was the first well known woman tattoo artist in the United States. Maud was a circus aerialist and contortionist who learned to tattoo from her husband Gus. Her daughter Lovetta Wagner became a well known female artist as well despite having no tattoos herself."<br /><br />Someone needs to get me <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bodies-Subversion-Second-Secret-History/dp/189045110X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209257987&sr=8-1">this book</a>, please. I would dearly appreciate it. I'll tattoo you for it! No... Seriously. 1-2 color piece no more than 2"x2". You provide the book and the canvas, I'll give you ink. Deal? Comment and we'll work out details.<br /><br />****EDIT**** She <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">is </span></span>Maud Stevens Wagner. Wow. .... Just.... Wow.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-12103935161546819312008-04-06T13:05:00.004-04:002008-04-06T13:16:37.901-04:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwFNatFMuv3oYHWyX3WUv-5tdvqqf4GNlZRlExL_9u7rC7_uozK0_Wpisqc7oLXbiKgLDPhVlbwUOFhL7hKiJuWkaYIIr8lPCvpKv8IbB2YqtP5yLBd90a0AzlXVwWBJJw36YAGeUqnt7/s1600-h/sizedfinished.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwFNatFMuv3oYHWyX3WUv-5tdvqqf4GNlZRlExL_9u7rC7_uozK0_Wpisqc7oLXbiKgLDPhVlbwUOFhL7hKiJuWkaYIIr8lPCvpKv8IbB2YqtP5yLBd90a0AzlXVwWBJJw36YAGeUqnt7/s200/sizedfinished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186179661290492306" border="0" /></a><br />It's small and blurry, but you get a better idea of what the color is supposed to look like. Fresh, it looks almost navy. Healing up, you can see it's actually closer to the color of the wall (indeed, brighter than).<br />It's finishing nicely, and I have only spotted 1 instance I would like to go back and correct. At the top of the "Y" shape, in the above picture it's the right leg of the Y top. Right where it comes to the point, it's not. I am not stressed about this because it is less than .. the distance between those 2 dots. Really. But I'd like to correct it.<br />She's ready for her 2nd, which I'm still playing with the design on.<br />And Sic_un is giving me my 2nd. It's celtic knotwork, not super detailed (he admits he prefers the simple). I'm thinking bicep. Outline, potential color?<br />It's closest in shape to this:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqll3lJxa57eYlV6O7mtwASlCKWHNjCrSAxzXqjheM8Jh7lxxvmnD4CKccoLGLdsI73EpAwEyyE8HrffsL69o5XuzH1hEyXd_iDXLe-J9ImY4MeIcoaagQRXaryvd_RTbISxsphZE5qnU/s1600-h/bead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqll3lJxa57eYlV6O7mtwASlCKWHNjCrSAxzXqjheM8Jh7lxxvmnD4CKccoLGLdsI73EpAwEyyE8HrffsL69o5XuzH1hEyXd_iDXLe-J9ImY4MeIcoaagQRXaryvd_RTbISxsphZE5qnU/s200/bead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186181405047214498" border="0" /></a>but reversed. I want the terminus at the top. ANYway. This reversed (and yes, I have the flash for it already), but let me throw some ideas to you:<br />Thin black outline, pale shading overs and dark unders (purple shades)<br />Thin dark purple outline, dark shading unders, everything else left alone.<br />Thicker purple outline, above shading options.<br />Thicker black outline above shading options.<br />Thicker dark outline, navy blue or perhaps a deep purple, no shading, just the outline.<br /><br />I'm leaning to the latter. I'll have to play.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-65770194927071367862008-03-23T17:36:00.006-04:002008-03-23T17:48:02.312-04:00FireSB, one of the women I work with, wanted a tattoo. Specifically, the kanji for fire flipped and modded just a little is what she requested. It's the crest for her karate dojo, and she wanted it on her upper arm. She was a lot like I was when I first started looking into getting a tattoo. She has a fear of needles, and wasn't really sure she could tolerate getting a tattoo. She didn't decide color until she was here. I was nervous, she was nervous.<br /><br />She tolerated this admirably well. So did I. And I am now officially a tattooist (accepted money for a tattoo), and I have officially broken the law.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9oBiIe6n8cjwJ7ZciEbQRjoh5KEOxYTu6DFBgqbj-PeH_Mjb4vK0ChA40_nRqwaTbqMf4uZfeV-w50hh4chAX2Scp6s6ZAw-xZgJUzK2nwgKk5SRMEucM0F9wu9_yYqO5PhNRgCbZwWu/s1600-h/Outline+done.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9oBiIe6n8cjwJ7ZciEbQRjoh5KEOxYTu6DFBgqbj-PeH_Mjb4vK0ChA40_nRqwaTbqMf4uZfeV-w50hh4chAX2Scp6s6ZAw-xZgJUzK2nwgKk5SRMEucM0F9wu9_yYqO5PhNRgCbZwWu/s320/Outline+done.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181055176895844610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is the outline. You can see 2 small scratches right above where this is at. That was the dry run. The bluish circle going around the outline (you can see it very faintly) is the edge of the stencil.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXUNQmEnkdfu1okXwY2cweV9i-y3TA8cDferclVln0RT9ST3f0b7jsqwdHo9vZq3vi4ffsRNCGyI9KO8f4GI_b0P_E3W1AKVQzSO8FHQO3rKwiu4MSnox1Gf5tUQJOwYLQA4muobQKzWz/s1600-h/finish2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXUNQmEnkdfu1okXwY2cweV9i-y3TA8cDferclVln0RT9ST3f0b7jsqwdHo9vZq3vi4ffsRNCGyI9KO8f4GI_b0P_E3W1AKVQzSO8FHQO3rKwiu4MSnox1Gf5tUQJOwYLQA4muobQKzWz/s320/finish2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181055791076167954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's the finished product. It's Superior's Sky Blue, even though it looks vaguely black in the picture.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's the full-effect finish. And you can really see the scratches in this one. That's what she likened it to... cat scratches. I couldn't agree more.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYL3UV1xdYTdBgXjT-DezBznu8KgGKfeID-H3vT4DsQe2Tu6n5MUTc3w06dAmKSWCaE9lQ3R9dvq3k8wIHb2bj68m-L7269vOYC6F7YCHXHMea3fUktCp5rDtaPB5S4Ha4UNzBR_qUUHNA/s1600-h/finish1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYL3UV1xdYTdBgXjT-DezBznu8KgGKfeID-H3vT4DsQe2Tu6n5MUTc3w06dAmKSWCaE9lQ3R9dvq3k8wIHb2bj68m-L7269vOYC6F7YCHXHMea3fUktCp5rDtaPB5S4Ha4UNzBR_qUUHNA/s320/finish1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181056216277930290" border="0" /></a>Outline: 3L, 3/23/08<br />Fill: 14S, 3/23/08<br />Subject: SB/FireDarkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-15454407030720024942008-03-22T14:15:00.003-04:002008-03-22T14:31:57.926-04:00Fixed Fill In-Completion.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOo1F_LAxErAvPlH6nBrhGz3IS7yIBPTcjO08CRKaZq8Qvl_4Tze4SN9DP5xsZBookJOpBdmikohBY9NDLFB1Am_oVJXOYM1geCWn8v9eS8vme8aeNJLRvObLazsQdSOvxIxz1qTYWe6Q/s1600-h/firstlinein.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOo1F_LAxErAvPlH6nBrhGz3IS7yIBPTcjO08CRKaZq8Qvl_4Tze4SN9DP5xsZBookJOpBdmikohBY9NDLFB1Am_oVJXOYM1geCWn8v9eS8vme8aeNJLRvObLazsQdSOvxIxz1qTYWe6Q/s320/firstlinein.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179301800729618674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's what it looked like after I redid the top line. You can see the feathering in the already tattooed area and how absolutely icky it appears, correct? NOT the new black line, but the greyish looking area (dry skin, older ink). That's what I started with, pretty much all over.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCY-yDJqNS3NW8yxNy0bMyyE0mIY_V9M0Xl_UL5iHVblM-ZlkdESmXA63ynF5r9yL0m254DYznGVvfWEmvpbhcrKwoUsCpCb7_ynWMnwNmXzxFRK-jwQZuDwCdJiQCmpyj3V93MA9FCmVU/s1600-h/freshdone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCY-yDJqNS3NW8yxNy0bMyyE0mIY_V9M0Xl_UL5iHVblM-ZlkdESmXA63ynF5r9yL0m254DYznGVvfWEmvpbhcrKwoUsCpCb7_ynWMnwNmXzxFRK-jwQZuDwCdJiQCmpyj3V93MA9FCmVU/s320/freshdone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179302097082362114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />But now... taDAAAAAA! This is FRESHLY done. You can see the lines where I put down another layer of color, so there isn't any question about where I touched it up.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYODCboEsflgeeETszmstKFF0GU-wSW5SIDZpKsG-OOwxxxcCdBGY2icCcTz4xwzn6sleZsmwChpXaEFiEkXeJnJPdMXfsHWoK3dXdbSU33a7SDuIL9qJGqgzkUSyWbJeYOFbV49RM8bJ7/s1600-h/freshdone2close.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYODCboEsflgeeETszmstKFF0GU-wSW5SIDZpKsG-OOwxxxcCdBGY2icCcTz4xwzn6sleZsmwChpXaEFiEkXeJnJPdMXfsHWoK3dXdbSU33a7SDuIL9qJGqgzkUSyWbJeYOFbV49RM8bJ7/s320/freshdone2close.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179302247406217490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">A close up of the same area as the first picture, now fully done...<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And the full finished after it's been sitting about 45 minutes or so in antibiotic ointment... it rehydrated the skin and darkened the ink all over.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFk27MTh46cRjyyCTQELN6jwZgG-EekHcnbtelUsVy_7KKrgA2J1DoRY2k952_5k2JZcU_Ekh5XElxDJjgQ8yriyUf5SrprA4pMKFv6dHkesmmVtF_Jq71uFgXC2g9nxGFpIme3AzpiVK/s1600-h/freshwait.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFk27MTh46cRjyyCTQELN6jwZgG-EekHcnbtelUsVy_7KKrgA2J1DoRY2k952_5k2JZcU_Ekh5XElxDJjgQ8yriyUf5SrprA4pMKFv6dHkesmmVtF_Jq71uFgXC2g9nxGFpIme3AzpiVK/s400/freshwait.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179302367665301794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Outline: 3L, 2/22/07<br />First Fill: 14S, 12/7/07<br />Final Fill: 14S, 3/19/2008Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-65603865649803820602007-12-07T00:00:00.000-05:002007-12-07T01:35:45.963-05:00First Fill InFinally filled in Sic_un's outline. I actually played around with it. Saw what fill in on real skin is like. Serious fill in. But I played and now I pay the price, or rather, Sic_un does. Touch up is needed. He's willing to accept some as 'first tattoo'. Other bits can be blamed on shitty lighting (architectural lamp and flo bulbs, here I come) as well as "He had alcohol". In other words, he bled like a stuck pig. Other is me being my artistic nature and testing things. How does the needle move, what if I do it X way instead of Y. Let's go through it bit by bit.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLb9mht-8FkdAXwlsP3httRe6N9ikwU3bUxu0xAoiwBFDxj7Of6I89Eb9l_Ssmtua7ixmVoARSk9AUMscNH8cAABT5S5JodGLX9O67L8aO9R3vspwrJQtmSeAuxu4Hg7WWTePj7_LGb5dW/s1600-h/beginning.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLb9mht-8FkdAXwlsP3httRe6N9ikwU3bUxu0xAoiwBFDxj7Of6I89Eb9l_Ssmtua7ixmVoARSk9AUMscNH8cAABT5S5JodGLX9O67L8aO9R3vspwrJQtmSeAuxu4Hg7WWTePj7_LGb5dW/s400/beginning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141099275571676002" border="0" /></a>Here's what we started with,<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's right at the beginning,<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30EO2hw9DfxvdLL9WkK2nCGUxHBGNaj_bWeZ5cEXI9chdphssA5avZewbZsWLMRIDLU4WRG7E1qMZ23sCExHNQBaBoPWJTfuUxEy-CZUwCBW7Tj8L2nRwt-6LdO8TLf9jYdZ0T6Re6hXE/s1600-h/middle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30EO2hw9DfxvdLL9WkK2nCGUxHBGNaj_bWeZ5cEXI9chdphssA5avZewbZsWLMRIDLU4WRG7E1qMZ23sCExHNQBaBoPWJTfuUxEy-CZUwCBW7Tj8L2nRwt-6LdO8TLf9jYdZ0T6Re6hXE/s400/middle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141099374355923826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdQh0qo4BXHexHjoaAL_PHgYrpTkGQ0k6xUPy6NSvHI_TI89TooKFpLIZi7f3kdXP2sN3QLf9LFYpNc7yL9zUkAlhd9Gc5brh4KfIlk8q30i_2fkJg1nGwqZwJ1PPOkKWISJsUf4j0OrC/s1600-h/finished.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdQh0qo4BXHexHjoaAL_PHgYrpTkGQ0k6xUPy6NSvHI_TI89TooKFpLIZi7f3kdXP2sN3QLf9LFYpNc7yL9zUkAlhd9Gc5brh4KfIlk8q30i_2fkJg1nGwqZwJ1PPOkKWISJsUf4j0OrC/s400/finished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141099528974746498" border="0" /></a>Here's after changing needles to the <a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=5026">all-in-o</a><a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=5026">ne prepackaged tube/needle </a>(the <a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=T28">disposable tube</a> with <a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=N14">separate needle</a> wasn't working out too good for me), spilling my ink on the carpet, making him switch position twice, me attempting to get comfortable, not being able to see because of lighting issues and finally at the end just trying to get the bloody thing finished. We're going to dissect this one.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Let's take it from the top, shall we?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigXeJ3JuI_a1RLJCKP1mFe9scvO72PLdgGsxXeEaxRGKD6WZ5NcKr0m_qzwoFcWFmRxest3n-IHIKEE5H9EcBTPhyphenhyphenYfauM6qJ3Ibev3XKbxpJfQnDQgOd4duWAAUorZOeGMMtv_BkYjny/s1600-h/top.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigXeJ3JuI_a1RLJCKP1mFe9scvO72PLdgGsxXeEaxRGKD6WZ5NcKr0m_qzwoFcWFmRxest3n-IHIKEE5H9EcBTPhyphenhyphenYfauM6qJ3Ibev3XKbxpJfQnDQgOd4duWAAUorZOeGMMtv_BkYjny/s320/top.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141104743065043858" border="0" /></a><br />Fig. 1: I'm working in essential darkness, about 10 pm. And it's a case of do it or it won't get done and I feel bad enough having just an outline done. So I did it anyway. I know now I should have complained and set up better lighting. It's also a little awkward working around Sic_un's back. He had worked all day, his back's been funky 'cause of weather and minor little injuries to it, and he had to get comfy. He keeps telling me little circles, but that combined with bad lighting is what led to (Fig. 2) and (Fig. 3). I miss the middles and it gets spotty. Add to that the lighting which made my needle hard to see AND the disposable needle sold separately set up was giving me fits. The needle was resting right on the bottom of the tube. Ink was globbing up around the needle, even wehn moving in more-or-less a forward movement.<br />Fig 4, I started, every so little, working in longer sweeping forms instead of tight little circles. I have to know what it will and will not do. Up until this point, it's behaved quite a bit like a pen set up, so I decided to use a few pen techniques.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2n3md37HAkZbuXZt4Us9jn6NnFUn6iaVu6FgYTwA7f-A1v6PW_HzHQgJ2f6_qylPJi6lcgV_yK8EP7nlIE_gLPdC1d8l0B06FNuLkoVi_DSAAhAIcvC02utu2qUOoeJSjyRRdw54Ikqt/s1600-h/middlefill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2n3md37HAkZbuXZt4Us9jn6NnFUn6iaVu6FgYTwA7f-A1v6PW_HzHQgJ2f6_qylPJi6lcgV_yK8EP7nlIE_gLPdC1d8l0B06FNuLkoVi_DSAAhAIcvC02utu2qUOoeJSjyRRdw54Ikqt/s320/middlefill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141108707319858082" border="0" /></a><br />As you can see, they didn't quite work. This was right in the middle of the stressy bits, where I spilled my ink, threw a bit of a whine about how I didn't think I could do it and was gently eased into it more by Sic_un being patient and very understanding as I poked him with a needle. Repeatedly. It was at this point he started bleeding a bit more. Fig. 1 is me going back and forth and back and forth. Fig. 2 is more back and forth, trying to hit both sides. I switched to the different needle setup for 3.<br />Fig. 4 to the right impressed me. I impressed myself with it, rather. I wanted it good because the line to the left had been completely missed the entire length. Still showing all the middle bits, so the back and forth isn't working. Fig. 5 I started slowing down, we got a lamp set up for more light in a better place and I started TRYING to do small circles, slow it down a bit.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwoBUliNlTEdD1ERa7xxi6eu1SJPG6q1eDB_5yUrhl4_iZVC2dg2Bc9VmOIjQf4nwBMoXU9Coxs5eILs9lulodVY2rTcZ72PdbcmFea6UVynPKg_RWCBfZ-u2IcfFI_XVJL3fnnBIDkMb/s1600-h/bottom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwoBUliNlTEdD1ERa7xxi6eu1SJPG6q1eDB_5yUrhl4_iZVC2dg2Bc9VmOIjQf4nwBMoXU9Coxs5eILs9lulodVY2rTcZ72PdbcmFea6UVynPKg_RWCBfZ-u2IcfFI_XVJL3fnnBIDkMb/s320/bottom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141109970040243122" border="0" /></a><br />My hand got away from me. I was constantly telling myself "Slow down." I would even say it out loud to myself. Not because I wanted to rush it, but it feels so comfortable, I'm killing the tattoo bit of it because I thought of it and still think of it as moving the same way as a pen. But better, even if not by much. More moving back and forth instead of in circles. Fig. 1 was another 'A-ha!' moment, but the teeth (Fig. 2) were a pain in the ass. It was right around here that Sic_un started repeatedly telling me he shouldn't have picked or let me do such an obnoxious design as a first tattoo. I say it's a learning experience. Figure 3, you can really see the blood. That's not ink popping up, kids, that's blood.<br /><br />Figure 4 pleased me, 5 not so much. But I was done and it's not not-fixable. It just has to heal.<br /><br /><br />So what have we learned with the first fill in?<br /><br />I really want to try <a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=5025">magnum needles</a>, actually. That's one of the things I've learned. There has to be a better way than a standard 14 round fill in. I know Sic_un did it that way (14rounds), and the mags weren't that widespread when he was tattooing, but... BUT. I'd like to try them for big fill ins. They make more sense to me in the needle pattern, actually.<br />Better lighting is a MUST. No excuses. The problem appears that it will be a case of me avoiding the halogen option because that's what's out there for architectural lamp choices. I'll find something that will take a bright florescent bulb. I want as little heat while tattooing as I can get away with.<br />NO ALCOHOL. Dammit.<br />Better set up. Can't do it in the bedroom. Won't, not anymore. Comfort be damned. We'll take breaks. I won't do it on the bed any more. Part of the reason ink got on the carpet is the lack of space where I was doing it at.<br />Powdered gloves. The kit came with ohsofashionista black gloves. Not powdered, at least, not enough powder if any. Made working with/in them a bitch. I wouldn't mind a slightly smaller glove. Part of the problem is my hand-size. I have wide, short hands.<br /><br />So. Critique if you wish. I've moderated comments to keep down on the 'You suck' and 'You're wonderful' stuff. Critique, not insult, not pander. Your words will remain yours.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-40583626181348264082007-11-13T10:07:00.000-05:002007-11-13T10:10:42.521-05:00Will someone please remind me.......that the painted man isn't allowed to drink anything Wednesday and Thursday nights? We weren't able to do his fill in the other night because he had been drinking. He had a couple beers and that kills your clotting ability... not that I was planning on causing major amounts of blood loss, but still. It messes with you and can be bad. So it's going to be more practice until I can do fill this weekend. I'm thinking alphabets.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-77810033884705381472007-11-10T14:48:00.000-05:002007-11-10T15:02:18.005-05:00New equipment synopsis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxv0A_oAjMar0eqqydyn1m9BK1Vp9ovOY784NmJ4klkHo1dB3IHgu9yY4zqq-6JwffQ3hWlWSY6xNwLbcrpGTP8PyPqk9xDlCKKRUa5Hgzlx02QNkE2Mha5jWRjebPRneHcrI6CXK_ZjC/s1600-h/machine11.10.2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxv0A_oAjMar0eqqydyn1m9BK1Vp9ovOY784NmJ4klkHo1dB3IHgu9yY4zqq-6JwffQ3hWlWSY6xNwLbcrpGTP8PyPqk9xDlCKKRUa5Hgzlx02QNkE2Mha5jWRjebPRneHcrI6CXK_ZjC/s200/machine11.10.2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131304249188729058" border="0" /></a><br />The machine operates well. There's a 2 step process for changing the spring instead of the 1 step process the other machine I've worked with used.<br /><br />Fake skin is not a good thing. It seems like it would be OK to practice lining, and I can see where that would be a big hurdle for people to get over, but in my case, I need something that lets me do fill in. Even a one-off outline for testing the skin didn't turn out perfect, but it's certainly fixable with fill in.<br /><br />The only problem is the skin doesn't fill in. You've got to use vaseline to lay down line with and it works OK for lining practice, but the fill in on the skin is shit. The skin has a tendency to soak up vaseline as well, and I thought that might be enough to keep the ink from dyeing the skin immediately. Didn't work. As a matter of fact, until I scrubbed the fake skin with my <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/zz057/02/">brush cleaner from my painting kit</a>, it was a smeary black blob.<br /><br />It is unworkable for fill in. But I can see where it would be handy to test outlines, maybe some small shading placement as long as you don't care what the finished product looks like. Tonight I fill in the painted man's leg.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nBqR9PcEwyWqGrQeCk1WkTCQUZLfEzK0ZNJcVoghwKvYx7bABhFaKQawIhdFvkzT6cJsWO3h9OlLmx2LInW7FDbA2Dnx_irDIDyyNXIMDWhx-Tgi2pXfi8kGZf4On8vQjK_3-MX3rqmz/s1600-h/fakeskin11.10.2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nBqR9PcEwyWqGrQeCk1WkTCQUZLfEzK0ZNJcVoghwKvYx7bABhFaKQawIhdFvkzT6cJsWO3h9OlLmx2LInW7FDbA2Dnx_irDIDyyNXIMDWhx-Tgi2pXfi8kGZf4On8vQjK_3-MX3rqmz/s320/fakeskin11.10.2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131304352267944178" border="0" /></a>Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4880007828389924758.post-20508140450767708592007-11-10T14:47:00.000-05:002007-11-10T14:48:07.590-05:00A couple of links and some information....Just to get started, there's a couple links I'd like to point out, and then some information.<br />First, there's <a href="http://www.startattoo.com/">Star Tattoo</a>, home of Chris Partain, the man who did my dolphins. <a href="http://www.superiortattoo.com/default.aspx">Superior Tattoo </a>is where I purchase my equipment. There's a wealth of information on tattoos at the <a href="http://www.tattooarchive.com/index.htm">Tattoo Archive</a>. Huge amount of art at <a href="http://www.tattooartists.org/Gal2235_Tattoo_Flash.asp">TattooArtists.org</a>. A great source of information can be found also at <a href="http://www.tattoos.com/">Tattoos.com</a>. The <a href="http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/exhibits/online_exhibits/body_modification/bodmodintro.shtml">Penn Museum</a> has an online exhibit on body mods that's worth a look. Links will be added to the sidebar as necessary.<br /><br />Information:<br />Most of what you'll see is practice skin. Not being licensed, I'm very aware of the fact that I can potentially be charged... Well, here's the text of the law:<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><b>2-38-208. Violation for operating without a permit or with a revoked or suspended permit. —</b></span></p></td> <td><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td><br /></td> <td><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><b>(a) </b>Any person who does not obtain a permit as required in § <a href="http://michie.lexisnexis.com/tennessee/lpext.dll?f=FifLink&t=document-frame.htm&l=jump&iid=tncode&d=62-38-202&sid=4a79671c.599d858d.0.0#JD_62-38-202">62-38-202</a> or whose permit has been revoked or suspended and who continues to tattoo or operate a tattoo establishment commits a Class B misdemeanor punishable only by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500).</span></p></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size:78%;">(information brought to you by <a href="http://michie.lexisnexis.com/tennessee/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=#LPHit1">this link </a>)</span><br />As you can see, not being licensed can cost me $500 here in TN. There will, however, be some real skin. That will be pointed out. [ ahem ] Documentation is being kept by the blog owner for all real skin. The NM law, since I may move back (who knows) can be found <a href="http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/HB0972.pdf">here</a>. I won't quote it, you can read.<br /><br />You may see the same design several times. It may be that I end up doing the same design 30 times to get it as perfect as it can be. You won't have to comment that you hate a color scheme or a design repeatedly. I can learn the first time. Since I'm teaching myself how to do this, I better be able to learn, right?<br /><br />Special thanks go to my partner, my painted man. He provided me the tools and the beginning knowledge. He's an unending supply of support for me, and I don't know what I'd do without him.<br /><br />Photographs are taken with a Fujifilm A350 digital camera.Darkneurohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849561627059322146noreply@blogger.com0