There are many wonderful blogs written by tattooists that not only exhibit the latest works but share their thoughts on the works and the industry in general. Some even offer their own philosophies, offering a glimpse into the artists' personalities.  One blog that has the complete package is Tattoo Zen by Jason Lambert of Black Cat Tattoos in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jason's latest post, "10 bits of advice for beginning tattooers," is particularly a great read and one that can be enjoyed by those who are not learning to tattoo as many of the lessons can be applied beyond the industry -- and are even applicable to our personal lives.

I also dig reading Jason's online portfolio to get the stories behind some of the tattoos, like the Momataro Japanese folk tale shown below.

Beyond the stories, Jason's portfolio is interesting (especially the before and after shots), strong and diverse. Check it.

The label "anatomical art" is often assumed to be tattoo art on skin, but in a fun twist, Repop Mfg and thirteen renowned tattoo artists are changing the meaning by creating collectible art pieces, which can be purchased as easily as a US Senator.

These beautiful limited edition "hands" are real leather printed and sewn by hand in the US; then stuffed and mounted on a wood base and numbered. Curated by Takahiro Horitaka Kitamura, each piece in the collection embodies the signature style of the artists chosen for the project. In addition to Horitaka, the artists include Steve Byrne, Colin Baker, Thomas Hooper, Chris Trevino, Chris Brand, Tim Hendricks, Horiken, Dan Wysuph, Chuey Quintanar, Chad Koeplinger, Chris Yvon, and Scott Sylvia.
 
On February 1st, the hands will be made available for purchase by Repop Mfg. but be quick to click "checkout" as it's a limited run of 100/100.

In one week, my worldly possessions will be transplanted into a new home. Granted, that new home is only five blocks away from the one I'm typing in now but that doesn't make these boxes any lighter. For many, the heavy lifting is furniture or Bigfoot Garden Yetis. But for me, it's my big-ass books. Please don't make me carry them all.

As an incentive, from today until February 1st, I'm reducing the price of my author copies to reduce any potential back problems. Here's the offer:

* Black & Grey Tattoo 3 Volume Box Set: All 3 books in sleeve and carrying case are now $320 including shipping in the US (a great deal as shipping this 20lb box is pretty pricey).

* Black & Grey Tattoo individual volumes:  Each book -- Traditional Black & Grey, Dark/Horror, & Portraits -- is now $120 each including shipping in the US.

* Color Tattoo Art: Cartoon. Comics. Pin-Up. Manga. New School: Now available for $130 including shipping in the US (retails for $199).

For US orders, you can hit up our Needles & Sins Bookstore, or contact me at marisa at needlesandsins.com. For orders outside the US, email me for shipping info. Again, this offer ends February 1st and as supplies last.

I'll even write a love note in the books if ya want. Because I do love you. xo
 

Kristen Bell's Body of Lies from Kristen Bell

This Saturday, January 14th, to commemorate what would have been the 101st birthday of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, the rum brand inspired by the iconic tattooer will be sponsoring events in Chicago and NYC where lucky Americana fans could get original Sailor Jerry tattoos ... for free.

The Chicago Tattoo Co. and Fineline Tattoo will each be offering 101 complimentary tattoos from the flash sheet above, on a first come-first serve basis from noon to midnight at Chicago Tattoo and to 10PM at Fineline. Must be 18 or older to get tattooed and obviously 21 or older to get in on the rum drink specials. The Sailor Jerry peeps will be offering those drink specials at nearby Lil' Frankies in NYC and early customers in Chicago will get drink vouchers to be redeemed at Schuba's Trader Todd's (3216 N. Sheffield Ave). SJ swag will also be handed out to those who beat the rush -- definitely expect crowds. [While there are tons of freebies, tipping your artists and bartenders is appreciated.]

The two tattoo studios are a perfect fit for this celebration. As Nick Colella says:

Chicago Tattoo has a direct lineage to Sailor Jerry through Tatts Thomas. Jerry got his start in Chicago in the mid-twenties with Tatts on South State St. He later moved on to Hawaii. Tatts stayed in Chicago on South State St. until the early sixties when he traveled to work with Amund Dietzel in Milwaukee. After Milwaukee outlawed tattooing, Tatts moved back to Chicago to work with Cliff Raven at what is now The Chicago Tattoo Co; thus, Chicago Tattoo is in the direct and unbroken lineage to Sailor Jerry.

And Mike Bakaty's Fineline Tattoo -- the longest continuing running shop in Manhattan -- also keeps the Sailor Jerry tradition of letting the work speak for itself in its non-pretentious, hardworking old school storefront that welcomes everything from large intricate work to a piece of Traditional flash.

If you can't make it this Saturday to the events, check the artists' portfolios at both shops for Sailor Jerry strong tattoos.

UPDATE: AAlso this Saturday, from 12pm to 12am, Uptown Tattoos at 575 S. Carrolton Avenue in New Orleans, is offering 101 free tattoos of one of several original designs from the flash sheet above. Afterward, patrons are invited to join in on a bar crawl kicking off at 10pm at Flanagan's Pub (625 Saint Philip St.) where they can raise a glass to Norman Collins and sip on signature Sailor Jerry cocktails.

Beyond music nostalgia, JK5's portfolio is filled with tributes in a variety of tattoo genres. What he is renowned for, however, is his lettering -- always perfect flow and readability, with a wide vocabulary of typographic forms. See examples below.

JK5 can be found at Daredevil Tattoo in Manhattan.

Today, in the Charlotte Observer, there's an extensive feature on South Carolina tattoo and fine artist Rodney Raines of Ace Custom Tattoo. Here's a taste of that article:

Over a decade ago Penny Craver, then owner of Tremont Music Hall, unknowingly inspired Raines. "She asked, 'Where did you have that done?' " he recalls about one of his full sleeves. "What she said next hit me like a bolt - 'Oh, you couldn't get that around here.' I thought, 'I've got to change that mentality.' "

He set out to change the perception of tattoo art in Charlotte. Through events that showcased his fellow tattoo artists' fine arts pursuits as painters, illustrators and mixed-media artists, he attempted to change the perception of tattoo as an art form.

Rodney furthered this goal by opening up the art gallery and wine bar Twenty-Two, where he displays work that is affordable and unique from Charlotte's usual gallery fare.

Check out Rodney's own fine art here and more of his tattoos here.

I like to think of myself as a bit of a Brooklyn badass ... but then there are things that bring me back to reality. The embodiment of badassery in my borough can be seen in this fascinating slideshow on Flavorwire of a gang "of 'troubled teenagers coming of age' in 1959 Brooklyn." Legendary photographer Bruce Davidson captured these kids getting into fights, making out with tough looking girls, and naturally, getting tattooed (as shown above). It's all very sexy. Hit up Flavorwire for more photos.

See the full size images of the tattoos in the montage above on our Flickr page.

A good way to start the new year is with a freebie, especially if it's an engaging illustrated novel by prolific tattooist, painter and now author, Dan Henk.

The Black Seas of Infinity is described as a dark thriller with a sci-fi and horror vibe. Publisher's Anarchy Books are offering the eBook version of the novel free for the Kindle and viewing via the Kindle app (which works on multiple devices). This promotion is limited, just the next few days during the post New Year's hangover. The paperback is available for $10.88 on Amazon. 

The novel is written from the first-person perspective of the lone protagonist, who is working for the military, when he makes a discovery that will forever alter his life. Pulled from his job building surveillance drones, the antihero is brought into a clandestine military group investigating downed alien crafts. As a man who pined for a career in advanced physics, this was a dream come true -- but a short-lived one. He soon finds himself at odds with the powers that be and is expelled from the group. The problem is he knows too much. The story follows him through a bloody heist turned coup, the fall of the US government, and a subsequent maze of viperous confederacies. Society crumbles around him, and he flees to the jungles of Mexico. There he finds an even worse fate.

For Dan, art and writing are intertwined. His eleven years tattooing and his fine art education clearly influence his prose, a fact that he doesn't deny. "I've been told I write with an artist's eye. I tend to fully describe a scene, not just flit through the highlights. I imagine myself there, in the midst of the scenario I'm creating, and I try to bring it to life with words." He's is currently working on a book of short stories, which Anarchy Books will also release as a paperback later this year.

Tattooing still dominates Dan's days. Check his site for tattoo work and his upcoming convention schedule.