It’s funny to think how tattoos were kept traditional and unchanged for many years. The ink, tattoo equipment, and methods of applying the tattoo didn’t really evolve until its popularity opened up the industry to more people and new ideas.
In 2011, tattoos became animated. Tattoos with QR codes trigger a link to maybe a Facebook or Match.com profile if held up to an iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, etc.
In the first case of tattoo triggered QR code, Karl Marc held a 4 hour live broadcast to an online audience while tattooing the meticulously applied ink to the chest tattoo.
You may have heard of this type of craziness before. Yes, cat owners have tattooed their cats, painted their cats, dyed their dogs, and some people have tattooed pigs. I don’t agree with any of it. Hurting or traumatizing an animal for what amounts to “shits and giggles” is wrong. Tattooing your pet while you have them knocked out – wrong.
Russian tattoo artist Timur didn’t think so. He anesthetized his cat, a hairless Sphynx, for an hour while he tattooed the cat’s chest. Then he posted pictures of the tattoo session and a video of himself doing the tattooing. (I only watched until he was just about to make the first stab with the machine.)
The look on the cat’s face says it all.
Animal rights activists aren’t very happy with Timur and began accusing Timur of animal cruelty. According to the activists every time a cat is put under she loses about a year of her life (has anyone else heard of this?), and because the healing process for the tattoo is very painful. There’s also the fact that putting an animal under is always a risky process.
Why take any chances if you love the cat? And then you take a year of life away, too? Way to go.
I always wonder what is going to be the next discovery for tattoo uses. And here it is. Guys that are losing their hair are getting a procedure called “scalp pigmentation”. Over 50 percent of men over 50 years of age are affected by male-pattern baldness. Going bald can be a traumatic transition for some men. They don’t like it at all but now there’s a new option in town.
A company called HIS have come up with the technique. It’s basically creating an optical allusion of a buzz cut for guys that have lost their hair. Different shades of pigment are tattooed in the scalp replicating the density and size of short hairs. HIS is now opening up clinics across Europe and the US and there is no shortage of interested male clients.
Guys like it because it’s more affordable, permanent, and it’s non-surgical. This gives men an alternative to transplants which cost much more.
We have another sign that the tattoo industry is becoming more legit and acceptable. Now that shops are popping up in nice neighborhoods, people are becoming more open minded in their attitude towards the business.
Little Girl Getting Ears Pierced
More mothers are avoiding the mall kiosk. They’re taking their young daughters to tattoo and piercing shops to get their ears pierced instead! Mothers believe the tattoo shops are cleaner and they get more individual attention. People are reporting positive experiences which are leading to more people favoring the tattoo shops over the mall.
The stigma and stereotype associated with tattoo parlors is finally fading into history. It may have been true at one time that a tattoo shop was the cleanest place around. Think about it. They didn’t even use rubber gloves until a couple decades ago! That seems shocking now.
Now we’re smarter about sterilization and almost every state regulates the industry. The competition is fierce too – why visit a dirty shop when most cities are filled with talented artists working in comfortable and clean shops? Now it sounds like the general public is smartening up and the stereotypes are becoming history.
Mike DeVries is one of my favorite artists. He’s most well known for his realistic color tattoos. He doesn’t seem to be on any type of ego trip even though he’s tattooed some celebrities and has won over 100 awards over the years.
Macaw by Mike DeVries
He also has a good head on his shoulders for related businesses. He sells his art work, videos, and books. He has tutorial books as well as art books he’s put together. He collects and publishes tattoos done by many talented tattoo artists for you to drool over. One of the books explores tattoos of skulls. This latest book of his focuses on the topic of wildlife. Wild animals are a popular tattoo choice so there is no shortage of outstanding body art in this category. DeVries has put it all together in this attractive full color book.
The tattoo artists who are featured in this wildlife tattoo book are very impressive. The list include: Bob Tyrrell, Roman Abrego, Sweet Laraine, Larry Brogan, Brandon Bond, Eva Huber, and Myke Chambers.
The look on the cat’s face says it all.
Mike DeVries is one of my favorite artists. He’s most well known for his realistic color tattoos. He doesn’t seem to be on any type of ego trip even though he’s tattooed some celebrities and has won over 100 awards over the years.
