Unimax is proud to present Dr. Krutak, on July 30th at 3PM, at Sacred Tattoo, 424 Broadway, N.Y.C., who will spend an hour revealing tattoo as a statement of worldviews, where humans, nature, and the supernatural are united. He will show where and how tattoo still represents the reenactment of ancient myths, ancestral traditions, and the actions of deities and cultural heroes. Video clips from his documentary series "Tattoo Hunter," seen on the Discovery Channel supplement the presentation as well as some large format on-location photos by Krutak, from the collection of Wes Wood.

Before Jessie Knight became Great Britain's first professional female tattoo artist, she worked for her father in his sharp shooting circus act.

Her job being to stand before him so that he could hit a target that was sometimes placed on her head or on an area of her body. Which of course was fine until one night it all went horribly wrong when he accidentally shot Jessie in the shoulder.

And it was this that prompted Jessie, who was born in Cardiff, to give up show business and leave her father's act to concentrate on becoming a tattoo artist. But instead of learning the art from her father (who was also a tattooist in his day), she went to work at Charlie Bell's in Chatham, Kent, England.

It was in and around the year 1936 that saw her move on and set up her own tattoo shop in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. Later to move into the back of an amusement arcade in the army garrison town, tattooing there throughout the Second World War.

What is the tattoo that you've done that sticks out most in your memory?

I had a crazy experience that I've never spoken of before. It happened about two years ago. Over the years, I've tattooed a funeral director. When I first started tattooing, I wanted to get good as fast as possible so, as an apprentice, I would do free tattoos on him. Since he worked at a funeral home, we always talked about tattooing dead people. "Was it possible" and this and that. We never did it but flirted with the idea. Then he calls me out of nowhere and says, "Listen to this: Unfortunately, this gentleman passed away. He's got four children and he's only got three tattooed on his arm, so his wife wants him to be buried with [the name of] the fourth child, who is only about 20-months old. Will you do it?" I said I'd do it. I felt it would be a good experience, and I'd be helping the family out and give the wife some closure.

It was creepy when I got into the funeral home. The guy was all prepped on the table, naked. It was a creepy, quiet feeling almost like the movie The Shining where everything is really silent. I was really freaked out at first. I didn't know how the skin would react and if the ink would take, but after a few minutes, it just felt like I was doing a regular tattoo. By the end, I was so comfortable that I helped with his other tattoos. He had gotten into an accident and had road rash where some of his tattoos had scraped off. They were putting make-up on the tattoos but they were doing it all wrong so I offered to help. It was an amazing experience. That's what stands out as one of the moments that, in a million years, you'd never imagine you'd be doing.

What was the skin like on a dead body?

It was super rubbery. He was half embalmed already, and I didn't know if fluid would come out since he didn't have any blood in him. I had no idea what was going to happen. I asked [the director] if I would tear this guy open and he just said, "I don't know." So I took the legal route and had releases signed. I guess I couldn't make him any worse than he already was, but it went in fine. The skin was tougher than normal, and you couldn't go over and over; you had to make one pass and that was it, and whatever was there, it had to be.

Use the following calculation: (all measurements are to be done in inches; partial inches should be rounded up to the nearest inch). Member will be measured standing at the position of attention. If member has multiple tattoos/brands (T/B) that are clearly separate TBs, each will be measured separately and the cumulative size of the TBs cannot exceed one-fourth or 25% of the exposed body part.

Step 1- Measure the length of the T/B. When measuring a T/B draw an imaginary outline around the border of the T/B to capture all skin within the borders of the T/B. Measure the length from the longest two points.

Step 2- Measure the width of the T/B at its widest point.

Step 3- Multiply length by width to determine total square inches of the T/B

Step 4- Use Figures 1 and 2 above as a guide to measure the exposed body part (arm, hand, leg).

#1- Measure the length of exposed body part.

Arm: measure bottom of shirt sleeve (includes all combinations of uniform items: rolled up ABU/BDU sleeve, blue shirt, etc.) to the tip of middle finger.

Hand: measure bottom of the long-sleeve shirt to tip of middle finger.

Leg: measure bottom of skirt to top of ankle.

#2- Determine the widest point within the length of the exposed body part. At that point measure the circumference of the exposed body part. For the hand, this includes both sides.

Step 5- Multiply #1 by #2 to determine total square inches of the exposed body part.

Step 6- Divide the total square inches of exposed body part by 4. This figure will be one-fourth or 25% of the exposed body part.

Step 7- Compare the results of Step 3 and Step 6. If the result of Step 3 is a smaller number than the result of Step 6, the TB does not exceed one-fourth or 25% of the exposed body part.

The Gypsy Gentleman - Episode 01: New York City

Tattoos may convey rankings within the hierarchy of the Number, may be testimonies to a crime committed, or may sometimes be a rather more personal statement: like a message of blame, threat, or regret, or a tribute to a loved one. A 'Numbers' gangster can read another's life story simply through the markings he has. The gallows symbol signifies that the bearer faced the death sentence, before it was outlawed. Many of the most highly tattooed men that I photographed, had been given the death sentence, before Mandela's reprieve, and thus they had never believed they would be released, never imagining 'a life after'.

G: Who were your best customers in prison?

VS: I tattooed everybody: Mexicans, Chinese, white, black, all kinds of people. I did them all.

G: What kind of tattoos would they gravitate toward?

VS: Depends on the race. Black guys want gangster stuff: names, faces, gang affiliations, pictures of dead homies. Stuff that represents where they're from. Mexicans like religious imagery, lowrider and vato stuff. Girls, cars, Virgin Marys, Jesus. White dudes go for anything: dragons, knives, guns, swastikas. All kinds of weird stuff like that. Depends on the white guy you're talking to.

G: Lot of Aryan Brotherhood?

VS: You got a lot of diehard AB'ers out there, but you also got a lot of old-school Southern rockers that just want a ZZ Top tattoo.

G: What's the meaning behind teardrops?

VS: Depends on the state you're in. Some people wear them to count time under their left eye. Under the right, it signifies a dead homeboy. For some it's the number of people they've killed. In Louisiana, it doesn't mean as much--they just wear teardrops to be having them. In Texas, a lot of tattoos are gang related.

Rookie students, models risking their skin to first time body artists, a rebellious instructor and unconventional training...who will bear the drama of competition and survive?