The current state of tattooing?...One man's opinion.

Ask the random person on the street, and they will probably tell you that tattooing is more popular now than it has ever been. They're probably right. What with all the cable network "reality" shows and tattoo imagery on everything from baby clothes to platinum Visa cards (yes, I've seen both).
Then, why is it that if you ask the random tattooer the same question, they will probably tell you that it's been slow going for quite a while now?
Here's why I think that is...
The tattoo business hasn't changed....tattooers have.
Tattoo shops have gone from mysterious to commonplace....the mystique is all but gone...people know what to expect when they walk through the door of their neighborhood tattoo "salon", because they've "seen it on the teevee"....
As much as we complain about the "reality " show, most of the shops that I've been in in the last several years bear, at least some, resemblance to the shops on the tube....custom this...no flash that...art gallery wannabee...
And as much as we aspire to be "artistes"...99% of us never will be...
The problem with this is, the standard customer still just wants it to BE a tattoo SHOP....
They want nice looking pictures to choose from the walls...not "hand painted flash" that looks really cool and really shows them that your shop is different (like everybody else).
Most of the tattooers that I know got "tired of doing nothing but Cherry Creek", and took it all down...I'm guilty of it too...but I was being selfish...I know that now.
Many of the "newcomers" in tattooing, those that have 5 or less years under their belts, have never even done a single piece of CC flash...and that's a shame...it's not really their fault, they were taught by guys that were "sick of barbed wire and Taz".....
I paid many a bill with the tiger face/butterfly that Rand drew 15 years ago....and I could probably pay a few more if I got the flash back out...
I know that the tattoo police will say that it's not "elevating the art form", but is that what I'm here to do?
The customers couldn't care less...
I think, most of the time, that tattooers are really just trying to show off for each other..."check out my obscure reference on this one "..."I gotta start painting more"..."how many prints did I sell"..."I only tattoo my own artwork".
Is this what tattooing has become? An art contest? Let's see who's booked out the furthest?
It's all just comparing dick size....
So....to all the tattooers out there that are too good to knock out a Cherry Creek eagle/mountain/wolf...go on with your business as usual.
I'm calling for the return of "The Street Shop"....if the home tattooers can make money doing awful renditions of mundane imagery, then I can surely do it too...except mine will look nice....
When we, as tattooers, stop worrying so much about the tattoo and start worrying more about tattooing, then, and only then, will we arrive back at "the good ol' days" when tattooing was fun, and profitable....
Give the people what they want...nice names, a good selection of flash that sells and a clean and pleasant environment.
Then, like the old timers, tattooers can build trust and loyalty from their clients...and, if they're lucky, they'll get to do an occasional sleeve or back piece....

The travel trunk...

I have been looking for a good travel trunk for my tattoo equipment for many years...
Lately, I have been traveling a lot...and I can't seem to get settled into a nice, easy, portable setup.


As a self confessed "case addict", I want something that is more than just a fancy box to carry stuff in...That's easy...and easily accomplished with already available stuff...brief cases, foot lockers, miscellaneous camera trunks...etc.
But...there is nothing built especially for the traveling tattooer...
So, I am designing one...
Compact, functional, easily transported...everything needed to tattoo...at your fingertips.


Going to try to get my prototype done before the St. Louis convention...