Ladies, get Tattooed the right way

Tattoos are getting hotter as time goes by and the Ladies are doing their best to get unique looking, huge size tattoos which make them be more noticeable than someone having a tiny tattoo next to their private parts. I believe Tattoos are meant to be displayed at all times and not to be kept covered like if it was an embarrasment (if it is a messed up work then it should be covered at all times till is fixed). Remember to be creative when choosing a design and use it to get inspired and create something unique.

Remembering Tony Curtis 1925-2010

This morning Matt Lauer spoke of the late Tony Curtis on The Today Show, and I'll paraphrase to make a point to some of the younger readers....in the 1950's and 1960's Tony Curtis was Brad Pitt and George Clooney rolled into one.

Yes, he was that big of a movie star and matinee idol.

Curtis was such a mega star in that era a young brown haired singer from Memphis named Elvis Presley dyed his hair black so he could look more like Tony Curtis.

Curtis died last night at age 85 at his home near Las Vegas- his death was announced by his sixth wife Jill Curtis, who said that Tony died peacefully overnight. Daughter Jamie Lee Curtis said in a statement...

"My father leaves behind a legacy of great performances in movies and in his paintings and assemblages. He leaves behind children and their families who loved him and respected him and a wife and in-laws who were devoted to him. He also leaves behind fans all over the world."

Tony Curtis was born in the Bronx as Bernard Schwartz, the son of Hungarian-Jewish immigrants, and spoke only Hungarian until he was about five years old. About 10 or perhaps 15 years ago, Curtis was the Grand Marshall of New Brunswick's (NJ) annual Hungarian Festival, years past his prime in Hollywood. By then, Curtis spent most of his time playing the odd part on TV ("Hope and Faith", "Roseanne", "Suddenly Susan"), or in a film, but spent the majority of his time painting. He starred or had recurring roles in the 1970's and 1980's TV series "The Persuaders" (with Roger Moore), "McCoy", and "Vega$".

Tony Curtis was one of the first movie stars I was aware of when I was a little kid. He made "The Vikings" and "Spartacus" with Kirk Douglas, "The Defiant Ones" with the young Sidney Poitier, "The Great Race" with Natalie Wood and Jack Lemmon, and played Albert De Salvo the alleged "Boston Strangler".

There was "The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Trapeze" with Burt Lancaster, "The Great Impostor", "The Outsider" (where the blue eyed Curtis played Pima Indian and flag raiser on Iwo Jima Ira Hayes) and "Houdini".

A frequent costar was Janet Leigh, best known as the ill-fated Marian Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and she was also the first of six Mrs. Tony Curtis'. Janet Leigh was probably the first movie star I had a crush on as a kid, as much as an eight year old can be attracted to a real live adult woman. Janet and Tony were in "The Vikings", "Who was The Lady", "The Perfect Furlough", "Houdini" together....and that's just off the top of my head. They were Hollywood's "Golden Couple" in the late 1950's. When Curtis left Janet (and young Jamie Lee and Kelly) for the 17 year old German actress Christine Kaufman in 1962 (while on the set of "Taras Bulba"), I was saddened....for about ten seconds. Janet Leigh was a free woman; I kept praying for puberty, at last.

I haven't yet mentioned the crown jewel of Tony Curtis' resume, "Some Like It Hot", the prohibition era comedy in which Curtis and Jack Lemmon go on the lam to avoid getting whacked by mobsters. They join an all woman jazz band- in drag- fronted by "Sugar Kane" Kowalczyk played by Marilyn Monroe. Curtis did an amazing, dead on impression of Cary Grant (his co star in "Operation Petticoat") wooing the voluptuous Sugar in the classic Billy Wilder directed film, listed as one of the greatest comedies of alltime.

Tony Curtis, like all of us, was a flawed individual; witness six marriages, substance abuse and stints in rehab. But there was an everyman quality as well- a guy that handsome had no problem taking a pie in the face for a cheap laugh....though in "The Great Race" he made out a lot better than costars Jack Lemmon, Natalie Wood, and Peter Falk.



And so....another voice and image from my childhood goes on "to that next level". Tony, say hi to Jack, Marilyn, and Janet....and thanks for the thrills and the laughs.

Prison Tattoos

Tattoos have continued to fascinate the world for centuries. Not only do they showcase the skill and dexterity of the tattoo artist, they also provide a lot of insight into the character and personality of the person who created or chose the design which is the person who has the tattoo. Here is an interesting collection of tattoos for you to check out.
The most interesting thing about this collection of tattoos is that they are all prison tattoos. One of the other interesting things about this collection is that is features quite a few elderly men, giving you a peek into a world not explored efore. Another interesting thing in this collection is that it features a number of tattoos depicting dates and messages. These being prison tattoos, no doubt the dates depict the term of imprisonment. Liberty and love seem to be prominent themes for obvious reasons.

Tribal Tattoo Then and Now

Tribal tattoos have been used by different cultures for hundreds of years as marks that show the affiliation of people within a particular culture or society. Some people who belonged to a tribe received a mark implanted in their skin that showed they belonged to that particular clan. Some of these marks were very small while other marks were large and clearly visible. The people in a particular area, usually geographical, would immediately identify others by the different types of tribal tattoos. There are still some tribal tattoos that are used for these reasons, but in most cases these days, people with tribal tattoos choose them for the beauty and variety of the designs.
Tattoos have become very popular in recent years, and tribal tattoos are some of the most popular available. Some of the tattoos used for cosmetic purposes could be authentic marks of identification that the tattoo artist borrowed from another culture. Other tattoos are identified with this group because they resemble the traditional tattoos that have been actually used by tribes around the world. Some tattoos, for example, are similar in look to those from tribes in places like Samoa.
These specific tribal tattoos are very distinctive images compared with other tattoos that are currently available. Tribal tattoos are the "in" thing Tribal tattoos are possibly one of the most sought after tattoo designs and the most popular are based on the Maori, Haida, Polynesian and Native American designs. Of course the term tribal has so many different meanings and an almost limitless amount of variations and combinations. The true meaning of today's tribal tattoo lies in the unique allure it has to the individual. People choose these different tribal tattoos currently because the designs are merely pleasing to the eye. In most parts of the world tribal tattoos have no relationship to the identity of the person wearing the tattoo. Some very famous people have contributed to the popularity of tribal tattoos. These tattoos have appeared on backs and arms of some very famous celebrities that have shown them off when appearing in public, creating a demand for tribal-like tattoos from regular folk. The popularity of tribal tattoos has also led to global competition amongst tattoo artists.
Many come up with unique designs by making use of images based on the tribal tattoos that have appeared in pictures or drawings from the tribal people who originally wore these marks on their bodies. There are some skilful tattoo artists who have even become known for the beauty of their tribal designs and most own copyright to these so others cannot use the tattoos without permission. Many of the tattoos are isolated images on the chest or shoulder, but others can cover an entire arm or back. There are tribal tattoos that are in simple black, but others incorporate some color into the design. And what with so many variations to choose from, having a tribal tattoo etched into your skin can be one of the most unique choices you can make.

Kamran Pasha: Digging Up Muslim Graves

Hi gang. I'm back from my week long hiatus. But before posting some new and original material, I want to share this piece from The Huffington Post by author and film maker Kamran Pasha. He tells the tale of the death of his father and what this nation meant to him, touches on the Muslim rites at burial, and he talks about Sufi Islam and it's beauty and beliefs.

And Mr. Pasha juxtaposes these enlightening topics with a town in New York state, that is fueled by xenophobia and hatred, and seeks to dig up the graves of Muslim dead and move them, all as a political stunt.

A wonderful, moving, but sad and shocking comment on the times in which we live.

Click below, and by all means, read.

Kamran Pasha: Digging Up Muslim Graves

New OHIM President

Thanks to our friends at OHIM for leaking us the forthcoming Press Release on their new President.  Is it just this author, or are heads of OHIM, like policemen, getting younger?

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PRESS RELEASE
New President for OHIM

António Serge De Pinho Campinos, 41 years old, of Portuguese nationality, takes over as the new President of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) as from 1 October.

Mr Campinos graduated from the University of Montpellier with a Master's Degree in Public Law and a Post Graduation in Community Law, and started his career at the Court of First Instance of the European Communities, before moving on to roles in the banking sector and then the Public Administration in Portugal.

Mr Campinos, who has wide international experience in the field of intellectual property and is fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish, became President of the Directive Council of the National Institute of Industrial Property in Portugal in 2005. He has been closely associated with OHIM for a number of years, serving first as head of the Portuguese Delegation in the office's Administrative Board and then as its Chairman, since 2008.

At OHIM, he took a leading role in a number of important issues, contributing for the reshaping of the institutional cooperation framework with the Office's stakeholders, the reduction of the Community trade marks fees for applicants and making the Administrative Board's work more efficient, effective and transparent, particularly through promoting and supporting the participation of users' organisations in the OHIM governing bodies.
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We note from the Decision to appoint him that he was born in Poitiers, France as well as being French-educated, (don't they have data protection over there in Brussels?) so he ticks that box too.  We wish him all the very best, from Class 99.

Matt's Golden Silence

I met Matt one afternoon as he stood among the masses at the southwest corner of Madison Square Garden, waiting for a bus out of town.

This is his tattoo which he shared with us, covering his upper right arm:

The message is simple: silence is golden. I love how the side skulls spill off of the front skull, and how the teeth of the primary jaw are fused together.

Matt attributes this piece to "deep life experiences" and how it serves as a reminder to keep his head on straight.

He told me he's "been low and wants to stay higher" and that "keeping what I've done to myself has given me the ability to achieve what I have in life".

This tattoo was inked by Loki M. LaChapelle when he was at Kaleidoscope Tattoo & Art Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Loki now works out of Mazel Custom Tattoo & Piercing in Everett, Massachusetts.

Thanks to Matt for sharing his tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Impressive Tattoo

This is one of the most amazing tattoos I've seen. Great detail, fantastic effect.

Tattoo from a Francophile

Earlier this summer, I posted a couple of tattoos from Joe, seen here.

Needless to say, Joe became a fan, and updated me with a new tattoo, below:

Joe explains:

"The picture is fresh from the artist finishing it. It is "C077X" and is a nod to James Franco and General Hospital. He is my fav actor and I have been watching General Hospital for at least 21 years. It is the the tag that "Franco" sprayed on everything when he recently guest starred on GH as an artist/serial killer. His character's name is Franco, reflecting that art imitates life. A motto the actor and character believe, and so do I. That is why I got the tattoo. To prove art imitates life!"

Photo Credit: ABC via http://sn.soapnet.go.com

The tattoo was inked by Rob at Brooklyn Ink. Rob originally appeared here as a contributor here. And is one of several artists that has represented Brooklyn Ink over the years on Tattoosday. This label links all of the work from the shop previously seen on Tattoosday.

Thanks to Joe for sharing his new tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Slovenia in focus

Will Slovenian RCD filings for 2010 top 2008's record tally of 113? You can work it out (clues below)

This post is a "first" for Class 99 -- the first time the word "Slovenia" has appeared, according to the weblog's search facility. This small, attractive and industrious mountainous republic is the focal jurisdiction in the current issue of OHIM's Alicante News. According to OHIM, which may be struggling to say something bright and incisive:

"With just over 600 registrations since 2003, the registered Community design is reasonably popular with Slovenian undertakings. Last year there were more than 100 RCD filings with classes 25, 7 and 6 in highest demand.

The majority of Slovenian filers prefer the online route, with over 96% now using e-filing and the remaining applications coming by mail".

2008 was a good year for filings, there being 113 of them, or one nearly every three days. If you disregard weekends, public holidays and saints' days, that's nearly one every two days. Assuming that OHIM is open seven hours a day, this works out at around one Slovenian application reaching Alicante every 15 working hours ...

Taking A Break For A Few Days

The past couple of days I've noticed a drop in my energy level and focus, and when that happens my writing really starts to suffer....in other words, I go into a form of brain lock.

When this occurs....like once every couple of months....it's best to just get away from the keyboard and put my rule to come up with something new on these pages everyday on the shelf until I have a eureka moment. Or at the very least, I  have something meaningful to say.

So....I'll be back on October 1st with all kinds of new stuff. Please don't cry, I'll be back.

I'll be around to check comments.....so spammers, beware!

Red Bull X-Fighters 2010 - My tattoos (Video)

Kennewick's First Tattoo Convention A Big Hit

Hundreds of people got to peruse tattoo artist's collections, or sign up for a tattoo on the spot.
Organizers say they have about 50 vendors from as far away as Montana. Organizers tell Action News tattoos are becoming more popular.

"We thought the community would really enjoy a tattoo show. If you look around town everybody's got a piece of ink somewhere on their body and so we knew it would be successful," Heather Breymeyer with the Three Rivers Convention Center said. Organizers say getting all the artists to come was difficult. But for a first show, that is expected.

They plan to do it again.

Rachel's Bird Helped Her Let Go

The same night I met Brian, I met Rachel, who has eight tattoos.

She shared this one with me:

This piece on her left biceps is based on the work of artist Kurt Halsey. This little bird appears in multiple works by the artist, but Rachel imagined it for her own personal situation. She got it after a break-up a couple of years ago, and the tattoo gave her the strength to "let the bird go". In this case, the bird represents the ended relationship and the tattoo is a transitional piece that helped her recover from the difficulty of moving past it.

From Memphis, Tennessee, Rachel had this inked at Underground Art Tattoos and Body Piercing by Chris Fitzgerald. Chris had been a piercer at the shop and then moved into tattooing. He has since left tattooing and moved to photography. His new business is Cult Noir Photography, and his work can be seen here.

Thanks to Rachel for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Brian's Ink Speaks About Art

I met Brian in Barnes & Noble, Union Square, back in August and he shared two tattoos with us. Put your thinking caps on, folks, because Brian, who is a video artist (website here), has very cerebral ink.

First up is this tattoo, on Brian's left biceps:

This tattoo is based on an illustration entitled "Every Night We Are Haunted by a Dream" by the artist Alfred Kubin (1877-1959).

Jede Nacht besucht uns ein Traum (Every Night We are Haunted by a Dream), ca. 1902-03
Pen and ink, brush, wash, and spray on paper
39.1 x 31.8 cm (15 3/8 x 12 1/2 in.)
Albertina, Vienna

Brian explained that this work corresponded very closely to the publication of Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams, and that Kubin's illustration represents "art between the cusp of pre-surrealism/expressionism and surrealism". It speaks to Brian's understanding of the perception of dreams and art.

Brian also had these words inscribed on his inner right forearm:

The words "Créer Dangereusement" are the French title of a 1957 essay by Albert Camus entitled "Create Dangerously". This "essay on realism and artistic creation" likewise spoke to Brian who acknowledged that "all art is a political act". It makes perfect sense, if you think about it, in that no great work of art was ever created by the artist playing it safe. It is those who created dangerously that are remembered as trailblazers and icons in their respective fields.

Brian had both of these tattoos done in Austin, Texas.

Thanks to Brian for sharing his artistic ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Mr. Colbert Goes To Congress

You've heard all about it, and here it is, complete from C-Span 3. Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert, in character as "Stephen Colbert", testifies before a US House of Representatives Committee on immigrant farm workers.

Below, from the text at C-SPAN.......

Witnesses spoke about the American agricultural sector's reliance on foreign, and often undocumented, workers to pick fruit and vegetables on America's farms. Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert appeared in character to testify. Mr. Colbert was part of a United Farm Workers campaign calling on unemployed Americans to take jobs in the agriculture sector. As part of the program he spent a day laboring at a vegetable farm in New York in August 2010.

To be honest, I've only seen a few excerpts of Stephens's testimony, and listened to the rage on the right, the laughter by some on the left, and the utter confusion by most members of the media.

I'm going to watch as much of this as I can, and post a comment or two later

Beautiful Tattooed Brides

This is another posting for those who believe things only look good if thy're the way the want them to be. Who said a Bride can't be Beautiful on that special day. Enjoy the photos.

Vodka?, Tattoo?, Organic?

Good ol’ Sailor Vodka is a new Swedish vodka made out of organic grain and bottled in a recyclable PET-bottle designed by tattoo artist Aniela from Flash Fighters.

Who says Tattoos & Piercings = No job? (Alternatives for the tat + pierced)

Sometimes people who already have a job wish to get certain tattoos or piercing and simply restrain themselves form getting anything done or if they happen to have piercings they feel they have to choose either removing them and leaving it to close or debating on keeping one thing or the other. Lots of people are not aware of other alternatives available and additional ideas that can allow them to be who they are. For example, I have talked to people about retainers (see pictures below).

Retainers are commonly used by people who can not wear their body jewelry because of their jobs and they are forced to have their piercings removed, this happen a lot with those who have their nose pierced.

The best kind of retainers that can be used are the ones made of clear acrylic, it goes invisible to the naked eye. A new trend in Tattoos are the Black Light Tattoos for those who wish to have tiny tattoos details on areas like hands, forearms and face.

It make tattoos look cool when you get a Black Light Tattoo along with the tattoo that was already there so at the time you get to show it make they design look complete and more even.

Everything is possible, all you have to do is deal with what you already got, embrace it and flaunt it.

Never regret having a personal style.

(The links to the references for this postings are below)

1) http://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/the-other-side/british-job-seeker-told-to-put-bag-over-her-face/story-e6frfhk6-1225928920929

2) http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=168522

Who says Tattoos & Piercings = No job?

Hearing people say Tattoos and Piercings won't allow someone to get a job makes me sick. I've heard the stories many times and I have to say that I don't agree with it. People have been told they won't get a job for being pierced or tattooed and I find that statement not true at all. I can understand certain jobs have their "rules or ethics" but if you look closely you can realize not all jobs keep things the way they want it to appear. Not everyone understand being tattooed or pierced and having a job is possible. Someone who decide to have visible tattoos or piercings can make more money than those who dress up in a white collar "conservative" way.

Sometimes people fail to think about the future and decide to get tattooed or pierced and they regret it later in life. Is kind of the equivalent of looking at a conservative, suburb housewife with a "tramp stamp". There is nothing wrong with having tattoos and piercings, I believe one has to choose a career path that will allow you to express your personal style, sense of freedom and what you feel is appealing to your community. If you're focused on what your career path then you should know which part of the body you can get Inked or Pierced. The best way to avoid hearing crappy complaints and people telling you what to do with your body is by opening your own business, you can be the boss and no one can tell you shit, obviously the short cut to get there is by going to additional trainings and getting a higher education along with having a full knowledge of what career path will allow you to achieve your goals. There is other alternatives like laser tattoo removal (I can't stand anything that make people look like they have regrets). I've heard of jobs telling people many things that are not allowed but when you look closely you realize most things are not enforced at all. Sometimes people focus on things that have nothing to do with the ability of production of that tattooed/pierced individual, they fail to focus on that individual's potential to make things better for the business and take it to a level it has never been to before even though one has to realize people still focused on what they call aesthetic appeal or squeaky clean "image". Some places don't realize the amount of damage crated to that individual since all they care about is appearance and not the recognition that individual deserve.

 No one has the right to tell you what to do or not to do with your body. You have to realize there is better career paths you can enjoy and be able to work with employers that value their employees and give them the recognition plus paycheck they deserve instead of having people who appear something they're not which are individuals who rather not to work/perform duties as they should. It is understandable image is important and that's the reason one has to be a little more careful at the time we select a piercing or a tattoo. Once a job is found all a person have to do is focus on ourselves and not on how crappy a "clean-cut looking" good for nothing co-worker does to waste company's time and money while taking advantage of what a company has to offer and use it for personal gain. However, those are things no one should be concerned about. Unfortunately society judge people on appearance and that is also something employers are concerned with and one has to be a bit realistic when it come to the job position desired. Don't focus on working as a receptionist when you could have a better paid job, and be yourself. There is plenty of jobs out there.

Danny's Koi Struggles Upstream

I met Danny in Penn Station early in August just as he was about to board a train.

Before he headed to his platform, however, he allowed me to take this photo of his tattoo-in-progress on his upper right arm:

He explained that the koi swimming upward on his bicep represented that he was still moving upstream, that is, he was "still overcoming struggles, trials and tribulations". He added that he would get another koi on his left arm, facing downstream, when he had completed his struggle in life.

Before we could talk further, however, he had to run for his train. Fortunately for me (and for you, dear Readers), he e-mailed me shortly thereafter with some more details:

"The leaves are Japanese maples...Everyone gets the traditional lotus flowers, etc. But I chose a leaf that represents no religion or significant meaning to it. I would have gone with the Korean national flower [Hibiscus syriacus] but that, too, had meaning behind it. Many flowers that are traditionally on bodies are either Buddhist or Catholic, etc. Coming from a Christian background, I chose one without any meaning. How can I live with a Buddhist lotus on my arm?

At the time I got the tattoo I was confused with life... Direction, purpose, goals, meaning.. I had obstacles and self goals I had to achieve and was in a standstill (not drug-related or any of that sort). I looked to the pain tattooing offers and how it puts your mind in a zoned-out state, which I now thrive for when I'm stressed. It's therapy to me. I'll update you when I find an artist to finish this tattoo. The windbars were left open to expand."

The tattoo was done by Lee at Infinity Tattoo in Manhattan.

Thanks again yo Danny for sharing his koi with us here at Tattoosday!

Pink ribbon tattoo day raises funds for cause (Video).

The 2nd Annual Pink Ink fund-raiser is managed by John Motyka, owner and tattooist.

Fantastic & Creative Body Modifications (Photos).

Many people choose to be different and express their independence. People who do not live afraid of what people think or have to say. Society always have an opinion about anything, good or bad regardless of what a person does with their body or how people live their life. A person can live a double life or simply live life to the fullest. Regardless of what you choose, it is better to live with freedom than having a life full of regrets and feeling sorry for not doing things as wished.

Corset

Dermal

Implants

Ink Injection

Labret (Anyone interested?)

Magnet Implant

Pointy Ears

When it comes to scars or marks, a person can choose Branding or Scarification. There is plenty of styles and methods to choose from.

Suspension

Tongue Splitting

This are some examples of Body Modification, There is plenty more to see on previous post. This is just previously posted photos and new found photos. Awesome creativity and endless possibilities to choose from.