Why You’re Tattoo Didn’t Come Out The Way You Planned

Tattooing is like any art form. There are days when no matter what you do, after following your training and procedures to the letter, the tattoo comes out perfect, and days when no matter what you do, you will follow your training and procedures to the letter, and the tattoo is not perfect.

Part of getting a tattoo, is understanding that tattoo artists are not machines. That no matter how much training and experience they have, there will be times when the tattoo, although just so, is not what your minds-eye had pictured as the result.

Another part of getting a tattoo, the part that most people don’t even bother doing, is the research part. Would you let a plastic surgeon you didn’t know, and whose work you had never seen or been referred to, cut into your body in any way? For that matter, most people take more time picking out a pair of jeans than deciding which tattoo artist and studio will meet their expectations and needs.

Before you sit down in that chair, make absolutely certain that you have examined the work of the artists; that you have at least ONE dependable reference from someone you personally know, and who has a tattoo that you have seen and admired from the artist; make sure that the artist’s style and technique are a perfect fit for the work you are asking them to do; and don’t bargain shop for your tattoo – pay the right price for the work you want done, and you will be very happy with your results.

Many people, because they are in a hurry, or because they think one tattoo artist is pretty much like any other, will ask an artist to do work that is not their specialty. While it is generally up to each artist to decide and inform their clientele when a piece of artwork is not something they are comfortable getting perfect, the burden for this decision unfortunately still falls squarely on the shoulders of the client.

If you don’t see the kind of work you want done in a particular artist’s portfolio, chances are they are not going to give you the results you want – keep looking, and find a tattoo artist whose skill and expertise are aligned with the artwork you want to put on your body. Don’t be the foolish angry customer who lets anyone give them a tattoo because the price is right and they happen to be the only artist available. Do your research before inking your skin – it’s permanent after all - and you only have yourself to blame if you don’t.

Norman Collins Work Preserved as Historic Art

What great news for the history of tattooing in America! One of the nation's most loved early tattoo artists, Normal Collins, will have his life work preserved and forever linked to the history of tattoos.
An article discussing his life and contribution to this artform follows in its entirety below.


Saving 'Sailor Jerry'
Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts preserves work of legendary tattoo artist Norman Collins
April 12, 2011
By NATALIE POMPILIO

TO MANY, he's the godfather of American tattooing, the original outsider artist.

Between 1940 and 1973, Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins inked his distinctive tattoos on the flesh of visitors to his Hawaii shop. His distinctive style combining bold lines and careful coloration is still imitated today and can be found today on thousands - perhaps tens of thousands - of people.

"It's pure folk Americana and it has a rich history," said Erich Weiss, of Philadelphia, who wrote a book and directed a documentary about Collins. "People now consider tattooing as an art form, but back then they didn't see it that way. "

Now Center City's Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts is preserving Collins' work for prosperity with the same care they've put into historic documents and other masterpieces of art. They're finishing up the project in time to mark the 100th anniversary of Collins' birth this year.

The center is a nonprofit conservation laboratory that focuses on works on paper, ranging from paintings to rare books to photos. Among the historic documents that have crossed the center's tables: Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack, abolitionist Frederick Douglass' diaries and a copy of the U.S. Constitution.

The conservators have painstaking, sometimes tedious, jobs. They must maintain the integrity of the original works while repairing obvious damage. Tools of the trade include fragile Japanese paper, brushes, erasers and gentle solvents.

The center handled three types of Collins' work: drawings on tracing paper, stencils on acetate, and "flash art," the designs that the artist displayed in his studio.

"This gave me a really wonderful opportunity to do some research on the man and his contributions to the tattoo art," said Samantha Sheesley, the conservator who headed the center's 10-person team that restored Collins' works.

Younger people may associate "Sailor Jerry" with the brand of clothing and other commercial items such as rum that bear his name. They may also be familiar with Collins' style as designer Ed Hardy was one of his proteges. Once based in Philadelphia, the Sailor Jerry brand is now headquartered in Ireland.

But they may not know that "Jerry" was a real person, a grizzled former sailor who plied his craft for years in a Honolulu shop that had lines of patrons stretching out the door.

Copyright http://articles.philly.com/
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