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Let’s see what Mike can do

Before taking the step to have a permanent tattoo affixed to your body, you must first do some thorough thinking. Take into consideration that any tattoo will be with you for the rest of your life and is very expensive and painful to remove. Choose the location of the tattoo on your body very carefully. It may be a good idea to wear a non-permanent tattoo for a while to make sure that the tattoo you’re getting is exactly the right size and design you want.

Tattoos are reasonably painful to get, but you may stop the tattooist at any time during the procedure, until you feel ready to go on again. Some people feel pain more acutely than others. Most people feel inclined to get another tattoo soon – which is an indication of the bear ability of the pain. Large tattoos are done over a period of time, to give the wearer time to rest after each session. And yes, when the tattooist perforates the skin, there will be moderate bleeding. It is a good idea to be well rested before your first tattoo!

Expensive or Cheap? Good tattoos are expensive BUT nothing looks worse that a botched up tattoo. My advice is to choose a professional artist at a tattoo parlour, pay the extra amount and make sure that you get quality that will last a lifetime. Your tattoo artist should use a transfer sheet to transfer the image onto your body before starting to add on the colours…

Hygiene? Going hand in hand with choosing a professional tattooist, is making sure that your tattoo is done with all the hygienic safety precautions in place. A professional tattooist will show and explain to you all the safety precautions that are taken. It is a good idea to shop around beforehand to be able to cut out dodgy tattooists. See our article about safety precautions.

Aftercare should be prescribed to eliminate infection of the wounds and allow proper healing. In some countries underage tattooing is not allowed and special permission has to be given to tattoo mentally incapable people. It is advised to make use of well trained and professional tattoo artists and precaution must be taken by the client to make sure that tattooing is done only under the most hygienic circumstances. The responsibility ultimately lies with the client to make sure that all the safety precautions are adhered to. Click here for link to tattooing equipment for sale There are no hard and fast rules concerning immediate aftercare of a tattoo. It is advised though, to keep it as sterile as possible while it heals. Specially developed tattoo ointments are recommended, but there is consensus that gentle cleaning with soap and water is recommended. gentle anti bacterial ointment can be applied if the special tattoo ointments are not available.

Care must be taken not to use too much water for rinsing, though as this could also wash out tattoo inks or soften scabs before they naturally fall off. If a tattoo gets infected, the chances of distortion of the image are very good due to the formation of scar tissue and the loss of pigments. Two of the tattoo taboos are to remove scabs before the skin sheds them naturally and exposure to the sun is not advised. Tattoos frequently exposed to the sun will also have to be redone or touched up sooner then those not exposed – so stay out the sun – even after your tattoo has healed! Picking off scabs will remove the ink as well before it has set in and the sun tends to bleach tattoo inks. A tattoo looks at it’s best when the maximum ink remains imbedded in the skin.

Keeping a tattoo moisturised for the first two months after the first week of initial healing will keep your tattoo looking better for longer as the tattood area tends to become very dry during this stage. Keeping it moisturised will aso prevent scabbing and scarring. Allergic reactions to tattoo inks have been reported, but is very rare. It is recommended that a small patch of skin is subjected to the ink, before attempting a tattoo, especially facial tattoos, such as make-up tattoos. A program was introduced in Canada to legalize Prison tattooing. Inmates are trained and equipped with the right instruments to do tattooing properly – eliminating the chances of infection and disease spreading.

Subtle statement or a tattoo too far?  Here are 5 celebrities who’ve gone for some serious body art.

For as long as he can remember, Joel Montfort has loved to draw, sketch and doodle on whatever he can get his hands on.

As a kid, his artistic aspirations sometimes landed him in trouble.

“I really liked to draw skulls and demons and flames, that kind of thing. I went to a French Catholic school, so they weren’t very impressed with that,” he said. “I got kicked out of a lot of art classes.”

Today, the 28-year-old Oshawa man’s art is winning him national awards.

He’s only been working as a tattoo artist for about four years and didn’t expect much when he entered some of his work in the first annual Ottawa Gatineau International Tattoo Expo, which ran from Oct. 23 to 25.

To his surprise, he went home with eight trophies and a coveted ‘best in show’ title.

“I was so surprised to win anything, I haven’t been doing this for very long,” said Mr. Montfort, who goes by the nickname MOFO, a nod to the pronunciation of his last name. “I was really happy about the best in show award, that is a huge show of respect from the other artists.”

Mr. Montfort, who works at the Art of Affliction tattoo shop in north Oshawa, said he fell into his career by accident.

After high school in Chatham, he bounced from job to job, doing everything from factory work to an electrician apprenticeship.

In the meantime, he set about getting “sleeves” — tattoos covering the entire arm — a process that took about 80 hours.

“After my first tattoos, I was hooked, I wanted more,” he said. “Then, I started to think I could maybe do a better job if I was doing them myself.”

So, he asked an artist to take him under his wing and completed a year-long apprenticeship, while working nights at a factory.

“I was working 20-hour days, that was a crazy time,” he recalls. “But it was worth it.”

After months of watching and learning, Mr. Montfort finally attempted his first tattoo, a nautical star inked on a fellow apprentice. He says the experience was stressful — a crowd of people was watching — and he recalls that first effort as “horrible.”

Four years later, those nerves are a distant memory and he is known throughout the industry for specializing in intricate portrait tattoos, immortalizing the faces of celebrities and everyday people alike.

One of his award-winning tattoos from the Ottawa show is a 45-hour masterpiece that spans a man’s entire back, and features eight separate portraits of deceased rap and hip hop artists, their facial features as vivid as photographs.

He says there isn’t a secret behind his success, just a passion for drawing, attention to detail and a steady hand.

And, Mr. Montfort says he never forgets that tattooing is serious business — something he hopes clients consider as well.

“I’m always thinking about health and safety, and thinking about the quality of the work that I’m doing,” he said. “You have to, you’re scarring somebody for life.”

If you have already decided you want a tattoo, yet don’t know what you want, you should start searching for different meanings and styles of tattoos that may interest you. There are many types of symbolism to investigate, from beauty to danger, and everywhere in between.

Many first-time tattoos will be something small or unobtrusive. This is particularly common in young females, who would prefer a small star or shape than most other designs. Such tattoos are great for being able to have a
tattoo in the workplace, since it goes so unnoticed. They also tend to be cheaper, and often take less skill to make look professional.

If you aren’t afraid to get a somewhat larger
tattoo, you should look into obtaining a
tattoo of an animal. Even if you don’t want to show meaning through a symbol, you can use your pet as a basis for your
tattoo to show your love towards your pet that you care dearly about. You may also use specific animals to showcase your personality. A good example would be with the
tattoo of a penguin- which would show your softer side.

Dragon tattoos are quite popular in terms of tattoos. A dragon is a good chocie if you want to have a large amount of skin to be tattooed, since dragons tend to be very large creatures. A dragon can also be incredibly detailed, depending on the artist you choose. You could easily spend much more money on a dragon
tattoo than you would on counterparts discussed, such as a shape or animal.

Simple shapes would appear as geometry and not much else- but this isn’t always true. You could get a simple shape of a crescent, which would resemble a half-moon. In doing so, you could be showing others of your interest in astrology or science in general. You may also opt to get a
tattoo of the sun, stars, or a Zodiac symbol to show your love for astrology. Obviously, a simple shape can hold a lot of meaning in
tattoo design.

Perhaps most beautiful of all are floral tattoos, which can show a blooming flower even in the harshest of cold weather. Flower tattoos are quite common among women, who appreciate the
beauty and serenity that they provide. Floral tattoos also look great on almost all parts of the body, unlike other specific tattoos that are limited to one body part over another.

You will be living with the decision you make for a long time. Thus, you should make absolute certain that you are prepared to get the
tattoo design, and that you will be happy with it in the distant future. It will also save your money in case you do want to remove it later, if you make an educated decision beforehand.

The buzz of the tattooists’ needle will echo through the unlikely medieval surroundings of St Andrew’s Hall this weekend as Norwich hosts its first international festival dedicated to body art.

Tattoo artists and body art enthusiasts from across the country – and throughout the world – are expected to attend to marvel at inked creations and piercings through the most unlikely of body parts. Some may even be tempted to go under the needle themselves.

One of the star attractions will be Borneo’s Jeremy Lo who will be using traditional tattoo techniques – using two bamboo sticks and a high degree of precision while another person stretches the skin.

Mik Oliver, 41, a local tattoo artist at Styx studio on St Augustine’s Street, travelled to Borneo to have Jeremy give him a traditional dragon tattoo on his throat and neck.

“I had it done on my throat and side of my face,” he said. “I found it more relaxing than if I’d have had a machine one. The whole process is quite rhythmic and puts you in a bit of a trance with all the rhythmic tapping.”

Other international artists displaying their inky creations will be Julia Seizure, a well lauded artist from Star Crossed Tattoos, Hong Kong; Joe Wang from 8 Volts Tattoo in Singapore; and Eric Michalovic, who has travelled all the way from Devine, South Carolina in the US to attend.

But as well as tattoos, the event, which has been organised by local entertainment and preview guide Outline Magazine and Indigo Tattoo Studio, Lower Goat Lane, Norwich will also offer all manner of body modifications, piercings and other adornments that’ll make you stand out from the crowd.

Organisers are hoping the two day event, which takes place at St Andrew’s Hall on Saturday and Sunday, will make such a mark on the city that it will become a permanent fixture.

The human back makes an ideal canvas for a tattoo artist’s needles. If you are considering your first tattoo could do worse than to have it be an upper back tattoo. Why?

Upper back tattoos can range from small and simple to large and elaborate, and can stand alone or be the foundations for larger and more elaborate tattoo work if you like the outcome and want to add to it. Upper back tattoos are, more often than not, covered in indoor settings so they won’t be an issue in professional environments.

Women considering upper back tattoos will have to decide if their social life is a deterrent; backless formal gowns may be out of the picture once upper back tattoo enter it. But a small tasteful tattoo has found its way to many a female celebrity’s upper back, so the bias against female tattoos in upper social circles may be fading. Tank tops and bating suits will also be a giveaway for upper back tattoos, but in the casual environment at poolside they are not only accepted; they are often admired.

Any upper back tattoos you are considering should be a topic of conversation between you and your tattoo artist before you make any decisions. Placement is key, so that you can incorporate you design into a later full back tattoo if you so desire. At the same time, you don’t want you upper back tattoo to be so oddly positioned that it sticks out like a sore thumb.

You’ll also have to consider the amount of time you are accustomed to spending shirtless in the sun. You should be using sunscreen anyway, even if you don’t have tattoos, but sun exposure is a big contributor in the fading of tattoos. Your upper back tattoo is going to fade, because that is what tattoos do, but here’s no reason for you to speed the process simply because you neglect the sunscreen.

One big positive to having an upper back tattoo as you first is that they are much less prone to infection than tattoos in other areas. But you’ll still be responsible for following your tattoo artist’s after care directions, which will include periods of letting your tattoo be exposed to the air to help it dry. So consider the time of year when you get your tattoo; bring shirtless in January in your part of the world might get uncomfortable.

Nicolas Cage, with a top-hat wearing monitor lizard, David Beckham, with his son’s name above a Crucifixion scene; LeBron James, with Chosen 1; Fabio Cannovaro, with his daughter’s name; Melanie Chisholm, with a phoenix; and Laura Headley, with a lotus blossom, are just a handful of celebrities who have chosen upper back tattoos to say something about themselves or the things that matter to them.

If you do an online search for upper back tattoo designs, you’re sure to be amazed at the variety of designs from small and simple to mind blowingly intricate, and somewhere among them find the one which is perfect for you!

Here are some top tattoos. Pretty funny, cool and weird at the same time…

The history, meaning and symbolism of nautical star tattoos is a hotly debated topic. Today many different groups have adopted the Nautical star tattoo as a symbol for their own movement and they have all ascribed their own meaning and history to the symbol. Thus has lead to a wide disagreement as the the meaning of the tattoo.

Historically most everyone agrees that Sailors were the first people to get nautical star tattoos. In fact the very word nautical relates back to sailing. So this connection has been pretty firmly established. Most people would agree the sailors were a pretty superstitious group historically and sailor lore abounds with superstitious and fantastical stories of life and death and being lost at sea. Early on sailors navigated by the stars at night and the north star became the symbol for finding ones way home. Once you know where the north star is you can point your ship in the right direction to get home. So the star became a symbol for finding ones way home or more symbolically even finding ones path in life. Therefore many sailors would tattoo nautical stars on their forearms as a good luck symbol in hopes of returning home.

However their modern day meaning is a more debated topic. Many believe that groups including gay and lesbians, punk rockers and those in the military have adopted the nautical star tattoo as a very important symbol. The diversity of these three groups has lead many to argue the meaning of their tattoos.

For the military the connection is pretty obviously point back to the early sailors and the symbolism and meaning is the same as the early sailors. Many military people get a nautical star tattoo as a symbol for finding ones path home safely. Of course this can also include more symbolically just finding ones way in life.

Here is a quote we found from a member of the armed services and his interpretation of the tattoo:

“I am in the United States Army, an MP who searched towns and villages for Al Quida and insurgents. I was in Iraq for 1 year. I have a red and black nautical star on my wrist. The reason I got it was because when I was out there, I felt it was a guide to guide me home to my family safely. I got it so that it would remind me that I am going to make it to see my son grow up. I am not gay, it doesn’t matter what you believe it represents, it means something different for everyone. Out in the desert, I would look up at the stars and think about home. So anyone can think what they want to, that is what it means to me. ”

Punk rockers have also adopted this as a popular symbol to have tattooed. The punk movement traces its history and use of the nautical star tattoo back to Sailor Jerry. Sailor Jerry is historically one one of the most famous tattoo artists ever. He was well known for his innovative and “cool” designs. Punks have taken this symbol and it has very much the same meaning of finding one way in life. Being the rugged individualists type Punks are drawing to the symbolism of true north and finding one own unique way in life. So the Nautical star has become a symbol for this. You see many punk bands that have full sleeve tattoos typically incorporate nautical star tattoos either on their elbows or elsewhere.

The lesbian and gay connection is the one that does not seem so obvious at first. Historically back in the 1940’s and 50’s when alternative lifestyles were not the norm and often women had to hide their alternative choices they would sport a hidden nautical star. Often they would get the star tattoo done on the inside of their wrist where it could easily be hidden by a watch during the day but shown off in the evening when out on the town. Today many lesbians where the nautical star tattoo to show their connection with their early pioneering sisters. Here is a little evidence to support my points.

“Here’s the passage (with some pieces dropped) from “Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community” by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy and Madeilne D. Davis copyright 1993 p. 189.

(talking about the 1940’s and 1950’s):

“…During this same time period, the cultural push to be identified as lesbians- or at least different- all the time was so powerful that it generated a new form of identification among the tough bar lesbians: a star tattoo on the top of the wrist, which was usually covered by a watch. This was the first symbol of community identity that did not rely on butch-fem imagery. We can trace this phenomenon back to an evening of revelry in the late 1950’s, when a few butches trooped over to “Dirty Dick’s” tattoo parlor on Chippewa Street and had the tiny blue five-pointed star put on their wrists. Later, some of the fems of this group also go the idea one night and did it…The community views the tattoo as a definite mark of identification…”the Buffalo police knew [that] the people that had the stars on their wrist were lesbians and they had their names and so forth. That it was an identity thing with the gay community, with the lesbian community”. The fact that the star tattoo was created by those who were firmly into roles, in fact by the group that was considered the butchy butches and their fems, suggest that the force to assert lesbian identity was strong enough to break through the existing traditions of boldness based in butch-fem roles. The stars presage the methods of identity created by gay liberation. In fact, the mark has become something of a tradition in local circles and has seen a revival since the 1970s.”

This meaning of the symbol has of course created a lot of problems and arguments among the other two groups of bearers of nautical stars. Most puck and military people do not want to have a nautical star that points back to anything from the lesbian movement so many will say that there is no connection there and this is false.

Here is a quote from another armed forces member about the symbolism of the nautical star among the gay community:

“This “gay symbol” is a load of hooey that someone made up VERY recently. The nautical star tattoo has been around nearly as long as tattooing itself. The late Celts (or early Irish, depending on your view of World History) were said to have been the first to have the tattoos, although evidence of it being used on ships in Spain has been found pre-dating the Irish claim.

As a Marine, it’s a very commonplace symbol amongst us if we have been part of a Boat Raid company, red for port, green for starboard on varying parts of the body. On ship, I saw about a million different variations on the Sailors I was was serving with, obviously harking back to the sailor roots.”

Here is a quote from a punk rocker and his feelings about the symbolism of the tattoo:

“what idiots..even the military boys dont know what it really means….JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW!!!!!it was used by OLD sailors.. and the symbol represents North on a Map …and it is the North Star the sailors would use it as a baring to get home….you can find it on Really really old maps and old navy vessels… Punk Rock.. well we use it because we can and because Sailor Jerry made the coolest tattoos who started putting them on everyone.. my grandfather even had one thus being used as a traditional icon”

It just goes to show that when the same powerful symbol is used over and over again over decades of time it can taken on very different meanings for different groups. So all of those that you see sporting a nautical star tattoo might not all have the same interpretation of its symbolism.

So do you have a nautical star tattoo or think about getting one in the future? Which meaning of the symbol will you get the nautical star for? As long as you know what the symbolism behind the star is for and you have gotten it for the right reason to either support the lesbian movement or as a symbol to finding your way!

The human heart, in reality just a muscle, has been regarded as the seat of love since time immemorial, and has bee adapted into a symbol to encompass every kind of love that humans feel; love for people, places, or possessions are all attributed to the cardiac muscle and when a person is deprived of the object of his or her love, the heart is said to break. Sometimes, though, the heart continues on mot broken, but bitter at love’s failure.

Because love does not always last, heart tattoos can often outlast the relationship which they are supposed to cement. Many a heart and love tattoo has been inscribed with the name of the beloved, only to have the beloved lost to circumstance or another lover. Of all the possible tattoos one can a get, the heart and love tattoo has the greatest chance of becoming a painful reminder of a happier past.

If you really want to get a heart and love tattoo, get one without a specific name on it. That way it can simply be a reminder of all the loves which have past through you life, and bring joy instead of pain.

If you really want your heart and love tattoo to be a compliment to the current love of your live, you can always find a temporary tattoo with the name of your current passion to add to the permanent heart, and replace the temporary tattoo as often as necessary. It may seem fickle, but it will save you the pain and expense of having a name from the past removed surgically.

Some of the more elaborate heart and love tattoos will have two hearts each with a name of one of the lovers, joined by Cupid’s arrow; others are engulfed in the flames of passion; and some, done in the aftermath of romances gone bad, may be pierced like a pincushion or broken in two. Heart and love tattoos can portray the agony and ecstasy of the human condition with as much elegance or harshness as their wearers desire.

While the heart is far and way the most popular tattoo for portraying romantic feelings, there has been a significant increase in the number of celebrity couples getting love, or couples’ tattoos, perhaps in a gesture against tabloid speculation about their relationships.

Couple love tattoos, will often incorporate song lyrics or passages from poetry or Scripture which are of special significance to the couple.

Couple love tattoos can be a very special sign of an enduring love, or they can be a painful reminder of a love gone wrong. Consider Britney Spears, and then you’ll have a very clear picture of what can happen when an impermanent passion is immortalized in a permanent tattoo!