News For The Tattoo Community
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Friday, June 15, 2007
Since Georgia doesn't regulate studios, getting ink means waiting a year to give blood
You want to be a good citizen and donate blood, but you've recently had your body decorated with a tattoo.
If the ink was applied in Georgia, forget about donating blood.
You're deferred for 12 months from the time needle met skin.
However, if you went across the river to an Alabama establishment to get decorated, or further south to one in Florida, well, lie down and roll up your sleeve.
(That is, of course, unless you're subject to one of the other restrictions, such as having lived in Europe or had certain kinds of sex.)
Beverly Tolliver is a team supervisor for the Red Cross Blood Services Central Georgia Division. She explained why the origin of your body art is important to her organization.
"Some states regulate tattoo studios. Many don't," said Tolliver, working at the donor center on Veterans Parkway in Columbus. "Without the guarantee of proper sterilization, we can't take the chance."
She said a tattoo studio needs to have an autoclave as found in hospitals. It's a container which sterilizes instruments with superheated steam under pressure. Other rules for cleanliness in the studio must be strictly enforced.
Asked if the current popularity of tattoos means a reduction in numbers of those donating, she said she wasn't sure whether it constituted a large portion of potential donors.
"We see it a little more when we go into a business for a blood drive than we do from people who just stop in at the donor center, because those seem to be more aware of the restrictions," she said.
She said a bigger problem in Columbus is that so many people have spent extended periods of times in certain countries, which disqualifies them. That's because of a number of possible diseases that could have been contracted, among them AIDS or Mad Cow disease.
"That's because of Fort Benning," she said.
Another problem eliminating possible donors during the summer is a lack of iron. "It's hot," Tolliver said. "People tend to eat light." Also regular donors go on vacation.
"There's definitely a shortage," she said.
At American Red Cross headquarters in Washington, no official statistics have been compiled about the tattoo situation, but Beth Boone, a spokesperson, said she was sure it was making some difference. The Red Cross, however, has done no advocacy work to encourage states to regulate tattoo studios, she said.
"We do a lot of education programs to let people serious about giving know about eligibility," Boone said. "Of course, if you can't donate blood there are a lot of different ways to help the Red Cross, including recruiting others to give."
Though Georgia doesn't regulate tattoo studios, Columbus does. But a person getting a tattoo here would still be ineligible.
"I've been all over the country," said Chris Post, artist at Superior Skin Art Studios on Victory Drive, "and I've never seen a place that takes more care than right here. We go through three different stages of cleaning the tubes which hold the needles used, the last being the autoclave. All the needles are sterile and used once. We have our autoclave spore-tested every month to make sure no bacteria has survived."
He said some states, such as Kansas, are very tough when it comes to tattoo regulations.
"To do tattoos there, you have to serve an apprenticeship. It's just like being a cosmetologist. Georgia and Texas are very loose. Some states focus more on revenue than safety."
"We inspect the tattoo studios twice a year," said Cheryl Johnson, information coordinator of the West Central Georgia Health District. "Columbus has adopted very stringent rules to be followed."
These govern such things as studio furnishings, supplies, dyes, sanitation preparation, disinfection of workplace and disposal of waste.
The rules state that an autoclave must be provided in each studio; floors can't be carpeted or covered with nonabsorbent material; all dyes must come from professional suppliers; there is single use of disposal latex gloves; clean smocks must be worn; all unused pigment must be disposed of; and antibacterial solutions must be used in the area of the body where the tattoo is being placed.
"Muscogee is one of the few Georgia counties to adopt such a list of rules," Johnson said.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Ninth Annual Northern Ink Xposure Tattoo Convention in Toronto, Canada will again be at the Holiday Inn on King from June 15-17th 2007.
Check out our EVENTS calendar for more info:
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Thursday, June 07, 2007
June 8, 9, & 10, 2007
Keen Entertainment produces the West Coast's premiere three day tattoo, music and lifestyle festival aboard the Queen Mary and the surrounding grounds.
This 3-Day event will feature a variety of the world's premiere tattoo artists, daily tattoo contests, cirque & sideshow performers, live music all weekend long, full bars & bbq's and vendors of tattoo.
FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUR EVENTS SECTION
Don't miss out!
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Thursday, June 07, 2007
Here's a little quiz. See how much you know,
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Tuesday, May 29, 2007
There are now 26 events posted in our EVENTS SECTION! These events range from June 2007 until February 2008 all across North America!
If you have any events, parties, conventions, concerts, etc that you want everyone to know about post them in our EVENTS section and get the word out there!
Stay in the loop and never miss a party by checking back often.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Monday, May 28, 2007
Check out our events page at http://tattoo.colonies.com/events/ to see some upcoming tattoo festivals and events. New events have been added for June and there are many more to come!
Check back often to make sure you never miss the party.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Wednesday, May 23, 2007
| By Georgia Williamson, gwilliamson@gtowntimes.com |
May 23, 2007 |
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On Wednesday, May 9, Jody Bodine Bouchette, an Andrews native, began to cry in his small tattoo parlor. The young man, tattooed with a red dragon across his chest and black designs up and down his arms, cried because he had finally won a nearly year-long battle.
Three days later, with a temporary operating license on the front door, Bouchette opened the first legal tattoo parlor in Georgetown County, and his business, supported by long-time friends, Andrews police officers and bikers, has not slowed.
Since Saturday, May 12, Bouchette has completed more than 60 tattoos and has booked appointments for the next two weeks. Even before Bouchette opened — just days before the annual Harley-Davidson Bike Week began and two weeks before Black Bike Week was scheduled to launch — bikers were calling and stopping by to schedule appointment times.
Tattoo 521, less than a mile from Andrews’ town limits on U.S. Highway 521, was able to open after Bouchette passed a S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) inspection with no violations. Bouchette and his girlfriend of more than a year, Chastity Ray, endured five inspections before getting the go-ahead from DHEC to open.
Bouchette said he would have never been able to open his tattoo parlor if it hadn’t been for Ray who cleaned the parlor “on her hands and knees” before each inspection. Now, Ray handles the complex and extensive administrative duties of the parlor.
The tattoo parlor, which sits on land in Georgetown County outside the town of Andrews, has been ready to open for several months as Bouchette turned the storage facility into a fully-functioning parlor.
Bouchette created a lobby decorated with a flat screen television and hundreds of tattoo designs for customers to choose from. The parlor also has a handicap accessible bathroom and a private tattoo room. In the tattoo room, Bouchette’s pre-packaged needles, ink and gloves line the wall around a tattoo chair some 60 years old that was passed down through the generations. Stainless steel covers the countertops of the tattoo room and a bio-hazard trash can, delivered by the same company that serves area hospitals and health clinics, sits next to the sink that Bouchette installed.
An 18-year-old girl, who was escorted by her father, was the first person to receive a legal tattoo in Georgetown County, according to Bouchette. This girl is considered a minor, said Tyson Steen, an eight-year Georgetown County EMS employee who trained Bouchette in the DHEC-required courses of infectious disease control, CPR and first aid.
In South Carolina, 18- to 21-year-olds must have parental permission to legally receive a tattoo or body piercing. In Bouchette’s parlor, however, not only do parents have to sign the state permission form, but he also requires that parents be present while their child is inked. Bouchette said he gave both the daughter and her father a tattoo on his opening day just over a week ago.
Battling Andrews Town Council
While Bouchette’s dream of opening a tattoo parlor has finally been realized, his battle is not completely over. Originally, Bouchette wanted to open his tattoo parlor in his hometown of Andrews.
He said the parlor would bring new business and money to the town in the form of increased water and sewer and business license taxes Bouchette would have to pay the town. Andrews is currently a half-million dollars in debt.
Bouchette, who has 17 years of tattoo experience, said a parlor in the town limits would also keep money in Andrews as residents would not have to travel to other states to get tattooed or search for jobs, as Bouchette plans to hire five locals to run his parlor, he said.
In August 2006, Bouchette approached Andrews Town Council asking for a business license to open his tattoo parlor in the town limits. This request started a heated debate, pitting most Council members and older residents against the town’s younger generation who grew up in an era when tattoos are more socially acceptable.
One side claimed that a tattoo parlor would attract drug-users and unruly bikers who like to drink. Tattoo 521 is across the street from Sarah’s Night Life, a members-only bar that is frequented by locals. The bar has been in the area for more than five years.
Those supporting Bouchette argued that business is a business. This side also strongly believed that new businesses is the only way to save Andrews, and stated that the tattoo parlor was welcome as long as Bouchette complied with state health regulations enforced by DHEC.
Bouchette, who was born in Andrews and lived there for the past 15 years, said in the absence of a legal tattoo parlor in Georgetown County, area residents are receiving illegal, unsafe tattoos in hotels, residences and other unsanitary locations.
In these places, unregulated by DHEC, non-certified tattoo artists use pen ink, a tiny motor and guitar strings to imprint tattoos on friends and family. A sewing needle is also often used.
Unlike certified tattoo artists, Bouchette said most who give and receive illegal tattoos are into drugs. Bouchette said they give tattoos as a way to make money to support a drug habit or exchange tattoos for drugs.
Steen, who applied to Council on Bouchette’s behalf, said Bouchette wanted to open a tattoo parlor near Andrews to help residents be safe and contribute monetarily to the town where he grew up and received his education.
On Sept. 21, 2006 — 10 months before the parlor opened on land in the county — Council held a public hearing to receive input on the idea of a tattoo parlor coming to town. Andrews Mayor Curtis Dorsey told The Times that the hearing would decide the location of the parlor. But, the hearing did not end the debate as Council could not come to a decision in regards to Bouchette’s zoning and business license request.
Council, led by Council member Michael Shaw, told Bouchette the night of the public hearing that the town’s governing board, with help from town attorney Holly Wall, would create a new ordinance for the zoning of tattoo parlors in Andrews.
About 10 months later, on Thursday, May 17, 2007 Council approved a second reading of a tattoo parlor zoning ordinance that is not much different from state tattoo zoning laws requiring all tattoo parlors to be 1,000 feet from churches, schools and playgrounds. Council should approve a final reading of the ordinance during its June meeting.
The ordinance states that any future tattoo parlors erected in Andrews town limits would have to be built in an area that is already zoned industrial. Most state parlors are zoned in commercial areas.
Tired of waiting for an answer from Council, Bouchette accepted an offer from Boyd Johnson, Georgetown County’s director of planning and code enforcement, to lease a space in the county, where his parlor now sits.
Although any tattoo parlor zoning ordinance that Council passes will not apply to Bouchette because he is not in the town limits, he said he still has a vested interest in the creation of a new tattoo parlor zoning ordinance.
Although there is no state law requiring local government bodies to respond to a citizen’s zoning requests in a certain amount of time, Bouchette stands firm by his theory that Council “dragged their feet” in responding to his request with the hope that he would “just go away and give up,” Bouchette said. He said he wants to see the ordinance through because it is the principal of the thing.
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Tattoo.Colonies.com: Thursday, May 10, 2007
About one in four adults will get a tattoo in their lifetime, and many of them end up regretting that decision. Getting a tattoo removed can be a difficult process but a new laser is making it a little easier.
Shaimaa Farid wants to leave her tattoo behind
"It was the thrill of getting a tattoo. It meant something to me at that time but right now it doesn't mean anything," said Farid.
To get rid of it she's come to Dr. Mitchell Chasin who takes off unwanted tattoos with the latest kind of laser.
"The lasers deliver energy very quickly and they're able to disrupt the pigment in the skin and have the body's own immune system remove the pigment," said Dr. Chasin.
With lasers there is a limitation. Most only zap away basic inks like black and green. For different colors different lasers are required and most doctors don't carry multiple machines. Now there's a new solution. Dr. Chasin uses an all in one laser called the Alex Tri-Vantage. It can zap off different colors, using different attachments.
"It can treat all the colors that someone typically walks in with," said Dr. Chasin.
But like other lasers, it still takes six to ten treatments to get back to bare skin. Shaimaa has to come back every six weeks until it's gone. Removal is a long and expensive process, and can cost over $2,000. A tale that could make someone think twice before getting a tattoo.
"have it placed in an area you able to cover, though you think it's a great idea now, you may not later," said Dr. Chasin.
Medical insurance generally doesn't pay for tattoo removal because it is considered aesthetic or cosmetic in nature.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Monday, May 07, 2007
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Posted By:
Inked™
Hosted By::
Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.
e-mail
When:
10/05/2007
Where::
Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.
6000 Universal Blvd. #335
Orlando, FL 32819
United States
View Map
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HART and HUNTINGTON Orlando… Grand opening PARTY!!! |
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HART and HUNTINGTON Orlando… Grand opening PARTY!!!
Freestyle Motorcross demonstration to be held in Citywalk at 6:30pm. FMX boys Jeremy 'Twitch' Stenberg and Mike Mason will be there. Big B. Bam Margera
BE THERE!! |
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Monday, April 30, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Some tattoo artists in Oklahoma are challenging state regulations on the recently legalized practices that they said were designed to limit their numbers in the state.
Veteran tattoo artist Tony Garcia, who was arrested three times before Oklahoma became the last state in the country to legalize tattooing, joined the lawsuit because he said the regulations are unfair.
"I never give up for what I believe in," Garcia said.
Garcia and nearly a dozen other shop owners are fighting in Oklahoma County District Court over two provisions that are required for a license to operate a tattoo shop.
A judge granted an injunction in March to the provision that requires shop owners to obtain a $100,000 surety bond, but did not rule on the regulation that prevents them from being within 1,000 feet of a school, church or park.
A final hearing on the issues is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday before Oklahoma County Judge Dan Owens.
Health Department officials said the provisions are necessary to regulate the state's fledgling tattoo industry. They contended the challenged provisions, which originated in the Legislature, were enacted for a reason.
The surety bond was meant to protect customers in case a tattoo shop goes out of business before their tattoos are completed or ensure owners can pay fines levied by the Health Department, according to court papers filed last month by Health Department attorneys.
Agency officials said the bond amount is not unreasonable and the only reason some shop owners have had trouble obtaining one is poor credit ratings.
The proximity requirement apparently was intended to "avoid disruption of religious or educational activities," attorneys wrote.
The restrictions have not stopped 39 tattoo shops from obtaining state licenses, agency officials said. There are 121 licensed tattoo artists in Oklahoma.
Garcia and other tattoo artists argue the provisions are meant to limit the number of shops that open now that the practice is legal.
Their attorneys have challenged the regulations on constitutional grounds, alleging the state is trying to stifle their right to artistic expression.
Garcia has been denied a license for the shop he opened in April 2006 because it is too close to an elementary school, even though students don't come by the shop.
"It's not like we're taking their lunch money and giving them tattoos," he said.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Thursday, April 26, 2007
 Tattoos are going bicoastal as TLC provides more of what viewers love with August premiere of the new series LA Ink, featuring Kat Von D. A spin-off of TLC's highly rated and youngest skewing show Miami Ink, the catalyst for LA Ink was months of in- fighting between artists Ami James and Kat Von D that results in a dramatic showdown featured in the season finale on Tuesday, May 8 at 10 p.m. ET.
In each of the last few riveting episodes leading up to the finale, the tension becomes visible, tempers flare and terse words are exchanged, culminating with Kat Von D leaving the shop and moving back to Los Angeles.
TLC smashed the taboo of tattoos with the genre-setting series Miami Ink. A breakout success since the premiere in 2005, the demand for more tattoo related programming has grown exponentially. With LA Ink, TLC breaks down the stereotypes of a tattoo artist further by featuring several strong, independent working women.
"Kat Von D is a legitimate television star who has remained a true artist and authentic personality in the tattoo community," says Christian Drobnyk, senior vice president of programming for TLC. "Kat's tremendous talent, dedication to her fans and compassionate heart make her the perfect person to anchor LA Ink."
LA Ink digs deeper into the tattoo culture and the artists behind it, capturing more stories behind the tattoos and life in and out of the newest and hottest tattoo shop in Los Angeles, owned by Kat Von D. The new shop has a distinct rock-n-roll flavor reflecting Kat's personal style. Filled with gorgeous black and white photography and memorabilia signed by legendary rock artists and professional athletes, LA Ink has a glam-rock feel that is inviting to celebrities, athletes, rockers and regular people alike. Adding to the cache are the four other artists, including three women, giving LA Ink a uniquely female touch in a male dominated industry.
Since leaving Miami Ink, Kat Von D moved back home to Los Angeles to be closer to her family and friends and made one of her dreams come true by opening a tattoo shop in the city that she loves.
"I love L.A.," enthuses Kat Von D. "The amazing weather, art, music, shopping, diversity, people and action - it's just rad that I got to open a shop here. As far as the guys at Miami Ink go, I appreciate everything they did for me, and I wish them all the best! Working with them, I was able to learn some really important life lessons, and am excited about using these lessons in all my future endeavors!"
While Miami Ink won't be quite the same without Kat Von D, the boys are rejuvenated and already filming the third season of Miami Ink, which returns on Tuesday, June 12th at 10PM ET. Filled with more intricate tattoos, the stories behind them, nudists, Satanists and trips to Las Vegas, NV and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, the new season of Miami Ink promises to offer more adventures than ever before.
-Miami Ink Photos
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Wednesday, April 25, 2007
UNLICENSED tattooists and body piercers are the target of an amnesty by Hertsmere Borough Council,
There are only two businesses in the borough licensed to carry out tattoos and piercing - but the council believes there are many more operating covertly from homes.
They have until May 7 to apply for a license. After that, they face a £1,000 fine if caught.
It also applies to people carrying out electrolysis and acupuncture.
Unsafe practices during any of these procedures can leave people with hepatitis, septicaemia, HIV and other transmittable infections.
Registered premises must display their registration form in a visible position.
Michael Georgiou, the council's principal environmental health officer, is leading the amnesty. He said: "Our regulations are in place to protect the public from unregistered businesses that may have below-standard hygiene levels.
He urges people to ask to see the businesses registration form before having any work undertaken.
Mr Georgiou added: "The aim is to encourage local businesses that may have not registered yet to do so.
"Perhaps you just didn't realise you had to register or you have simply not got around to it and are worried that by coming to the council now you'll be fined."
Michael Rose, owner of Michael Rose Tattoos and Piercing, due ti open soon in Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, said: "I totally support this campaign.
"It's really important that places are safe for customers to go to and this will hopefully challenge some misconceptions people have about standards of hygiene in businesses like mine.
"I work really hard to make sure everything safe and clean and I think that is really important."
For more information contact the environmental health department on 020 8207 7435 or visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Monday, April 09, 2007
Maori tattoos are cultural and hip
Friday Apr 6 07:49 AEST
Celebrities like boxer Mike Tyson and musician Robbie Williams have made Maori tattoos decidedly hip by sporting these striking, distinctive designs on their bodies.
But most people who submit themselves to the Maori tattoo artist's needle do so in the name of cultural identity rather than fashion.
In Australia, the art form is thriving because of the growing number of Maori living across the Tasman, says traditional Maori tattoo expert, Tania Simpson.
Simpson is the executive director of the Maori consulting company Oceania Group, which recently travelled to Sydney to give a seminar on Maori tattoo art, ahead of other talks in Melbourne and Brisbane.
She says the growing number of Maori here, many of them second or third generation Australians, view getting a traditional tattoo as a way of reconnecting with their cultural heritage.
"It is the younger generation and mostly it is arms and legs," she says.
Maori tattoo, or Ta Moko, is loaded with symbolism and has multiple layers of meaning.
Simpson's own tattoos represent wo important events in her life - marriage and childbirth.
The curls of a tattooed wedding band on her arm represent her family tribe, while the Stingrays tattooed on the small of her back symbolise herself and her children.
"They might show what trade they do ... Mine is a wedding band ... you can create your own meaning."
Films like Once Were Warriors have done much to popularise Maori tattooing, arguably the most recognisable style globally when it comes to indigenous tattoo art, as have celebrities like Tyson and Williams.
But the danger in this, says Simpson, is that people may get a Maori tattoo without appreciating its cultural significance.
In Los Angeles, you could see a man walk down the street wearing a Maori tattoo that is supposed to be worn on a woman, she says - something guaranteed to produce "cultural cringe" amongst Maori.
In Australia, a large number of tattoo artists have moved over here and are starting to build up a network, charging on average $150 an hour for the work.
Sydney-based artist Tuta Tuheke, 39, who lives in Waterloo, says Maori tattoo art, once a dying art form, is experiencing a renaissance.
There are currently about five Maori tattoo artists in every state, he says.
They mainly work on people who are predominantly Maori and can't go home and get a tattoo.
With a background in carving and graphic design, Tuheke, a practitioner from New Zealand's King Country in the North Island, says when he began as a tattoo artist several years ago, there would be four clients a week.
Now there are three a day.
This increasing popularity brings responsibility for the artist, he says.
"The Maori tattoo is part of a cultural religion and worn like a crucifix ... When you step outside New Zealand, as a practitioner, you have a responsibility."
Ta Moko is rooted in Polynesian culture and symbolises tribal connections and significant personal events.
In contrast to the negative connotations tattoos can have in western society, having a tattoo is considered a great honour amongst Maori, Tuheke says.
For a woman to have a facial tattoo depends on her ranking.
Worn on the face, buttocks and chin by men and the lips and shoulders by women, tattoos were traditionally done when a person reached puberty.
Artists used a chisel made from a albatross bone and gum and vegetation dye mixed with oil for the pigment.
The tattoo artist himself was considered amongst the most honoured of all members of Maori society because he worked on the most sacred part of the body, namely the head.
Traditionally, the left side of the face relates to the father's history, with the right side relating to the mother.
After tattooing, sexual intimacy and solid food were not allowed as long as the face was still swollen.
Asked what he thinks about celebrities wearing Maori tattoos, Tuheke answers carefully.
"I think artists identify with the beauty of the symbols," he says.
But he says he is choosey about who he works on.
"I operate on only those who come from the right angle with the right intentions. I have to be fussy because of the potency it holds."
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Wednesday, March 28, 2007
By PAUL LAROCCO
The Press-Enterprise
REDLANDS - The roomful of felons, tattooed on their necks and faces, could have been a tough audience.
Story continues below
William Vasta / The Press-Enterprise
Alan Ho, of Humble Enhancements, in partnership with the Redlands' Police and Corrections Team, will remove tattoos for parolees at 50-75 percent the rate he charges other customers. Gang and prison tattoos often stigmatize parolees looking for jobs and trying to leave their former lives behind.
For Alan Ho, it was the perfect one.
Bursting to the front of a recent parolee check-in, the fast-talking laser technician let everyone know of his burgeoning partnership with the Redlands Police and Corrections Team, or PACT.
Gang or prison tattoos making it tough for you to get a job? Ho would be happy to remove them.
"If you have just a little teardrop here," Ho said, pointing under his eye, "$35."
Never mind that in many gangs, a teardrop tattoo means you have killed a person.
The purpose of Ho connecting his Humble Enhancements tattoo-removal service with police isn't to judge those who want his service. Any parolee willing to improve his life by getting a tattoo removed is welcome, police said.
In the six months Ho has been coming to Redlands parolee meetings and taking referrals, six ex-gang members have gone through with the procedure.
They have been referred through Redlands' PACT, which coordinates regular parole status checks through the state Department of Corrections. Parolees living in Redlands come to regular meetings at police headquarters to speak with their parole officer instead of traveling to the corrections office in San Bernardino.
The ones who have hooked up with Ho pay about 50 percent to 75 percent less than he would normally charge for tattoo removal. Ho said the discount is given with the knowledge that a business normally associated with the beauty/plastic surgery field is doing good.
"This is not stuff that works well at a job interview," Ho said of some of the tattoos he's removed, including gang symbols on necks and devil's horns on someone's forehead. "It symbolizes they don't fit in."
After giving his pitch, Ho returned to a table that he had set up at the back of the parolee check-in.
When Nikki Palmer had gotten his drug test and met with a parole officer, he stopped by to say hello. The 45-year-old Redlands resident had met Ho in 2004 after serving 18 years on a voluntary-manslaughter conviction.
Finally, he said, he was ready to erase the tattoos he got behind bars. Palmer, who had to get back to his job at a local distribution company, said that the "STAR" tattoo on each of his forearms was not something he proudly shows people.
"That's why, in the course of business," Palmer said, yanking down on the black sleeves that had been rolled up during his check-in, "I do this."
The tattoos, which he said illustrated his original goals of becoming a movie star after he left Texas, were now concealed. Getting them permanently removed is just one of the things Redlands police said they can offer their parolees to make sure they don't slip back into old habits.
"Tattoos that are visible to potential employers frequently stand as obstacles to their gainful employment," said Redlands Police Chief James Bueermann. "And if they don't become gainfully employed, they will find other ways to gain the things they want."
Officer Stephen Starr, who runs Redlands' PACT, said most of the parolees he deals with are forced to work in jobs such as construction and ditch digging.
But if they show a desire to do things such as remove their tattoos, they stand a better chance of finding something more secure, he added.
"That's an active step they can take to show they're serious about wanting to change," Starr said.
"And we're just giving them the option."
Reach Paul LaRocco at 909-806-3064 or plarocco@PE.com
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Monday, March 26, 2007
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to warn teenagers about the dangers of having illegal tattoos.
Posters will be displayed in schools across Tameside featuring a model with the names of diseases tattooed on her back such as hepatitis, septicaemia and HIV.
The hard-hitting message aims to remind youngsters they are at risk if they use an illegal tattooist.
The campaign was sparked after an unregistered tattooist was caught working from a block of flats in Dukinfield last November, offering children as young as 12 tattoos for as little as £5. Following an appeal in the Advertiser, almost 250 teenagers contacted a helpline.
The tattooist is currently under investigation by Tameside Council and could face prosecution.
Councillor Catherine Piddington, cabinet member for environmental services, said: "I am not sure people are even aware it’s illegal for an under-18 to have a tattoo, let alone the obvious dangers to your health if you have one done by an unregistered tattooist. Unless the tattooist is registered with the council, you have absolutely no guarantee the equipment they’re using has been cleaned since the last person.
"Thinking about that makes me shudder and certainly leaves me wondering what’s going through their heads while they’re having it done, normally in unclean conditions and using dirty equipment."
Stacey Starowojtow, 16, from Dukinfield, visited him twice for a Tinkerbell design on her back. She faced an anxious wait for blood tests before learning she was safe.
"I found out about him when my mum got the letter. I was scared and shocked," she said.
First published by the Tameside Advertiser
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Tuesday, March 20, 2007
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, March 21, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. — Marines who are thinking about getting ink done should check out the Corps’ revised tattoo policy.
In a Marine Administrative Message released Tuesday, the Corps announced that tattoos visible when Marines wear their PT uniforms are now prohibited. The ban applies to “sleeve” tattoos, which cover large parts of Marines’ arms and legs.
Under previous regulations, Marines needed only to make sure tattoos on their arms and legs were not visible while wearing the service “C” uniform.
Full-sleeve tattoos, which cover all of Marines arms and legs, are now prohibited. Half- and quarter-sleeve tattoos visible while wearing the PT shirt or shorts are also banned.
Marines who already have sleeve tattoos will be allowed to keep their existing designs, but they must have all of their tattoos photographed and recorded, the policy states.
As was the case under the old tattoo policy, Marines still are not allowed to have tattoos on their necks and heads. Also not allowed are tattoos that are “prejudicial to good order, discipline and morale, or are of a nature to bring discredit upon the Marine Corps,” according to the policy.
Such tattoos include, but are not limited to, any that are “sexist, racist, vulgar, anti-American, anti-social, gang related, or extremist group or organization related,” policy states.
In early 2006 the Army clarified its tattoo policy last year to allow some head and neck tattoos, changing a long-time policy against clearly visible markings.
Sailors are still prohibited from having such tattoos. But last spring the Navy eliminated its “25 percent” rule, which stated only one-quarter of any portion of the body covered by sailors’ uniforms could be tattooed. The Navy’s new rule is that sailors’ tattoos, regardless of size, may not be visible through the Navy’s summer white uniform.
Meanwhile, the Air Force prohibits tattoos that cover more than 25 percent of exposed body parts and those visible above the collarbone, according to an August 2006 Air Force Instruction.
Such tattoos are considered “excessive,” and if airmen refuse to cover them, they can be kicked out of the Air Force, the service policy states.
Last May the Department of Defense changed its policy on tattoo removal, requiring all active-duty troops who wish to have the marks lasered away to pay for it themselves.
The new regulation, MARADMIN 198/07, is available at www.usmc.mil.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Wednesday, March 14, 2007
March 14, 2007 9:14 a.m. EST
Nidhi Sharma - All Headline News Staff Writer
Chicago, IL (AHN) - A Chicago area tattoo artist who was sued last month by his customer over a misspelled "CHI-TOWN" tattoo claims he has many customers flocking to him who are now asking for the misspelling deliberately.
Tattoo artist Sam Hacker garnered media attention last month when a customer named Michael Duplessis sued him after Hacker accidentally made a tattoo that read "CHI-TONW" instead of "CHI-TOWN."
Following the incident, Hacker claims about 20 people have received "CHI-TONW" tattoos and more requests are pouring in. The Chicago Sun-Times quotes Hacker as saying, "I feel really good about my friends standing up, and the family of tattoo artists."
Hacker himself has a "CHI-TONW" tattoo on his leg. Many of his friends stood up in his support by first getting them tattooed with "CHI-TONW" when the suit was filed against him.
Showing off his "CHI-TONW" tattoo, a 19-year-old student Kyle Ward of Addison said he got his on Monday, above an ankle. "Each letter is an individual piece of art.'' Hacker claims to have three more "CHI-TONWs" this week at Rising Phoenix.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
PARAGOULD, Ark. A man in Greene County has been cited for operating an unlicensed tattoo parlor out of his home.
Sheriff's deputies say 30-year-old Terry J- Bass also hadn't completed a course on blood-borne pathogens.
Sheriff's Captain Bruce Drope says deputies were told two clients developed staph infections after getting tattoos from Bass.
Drope says Bass was cooperative. He told deputies he'd been in operation for about six months and gave about 15 to 20 tattoos.
Bass is to appear in court on April Seventh.
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Monday, February 26, 2007
Despite what his son has read on the Internet, Dr. Rox Anderson says he is not the enemy of tattoos.
Anderson, 56, is one of the leaders in the field of laser tattoo removal, which is growing alongside the national appetite for body art. What's made him the subject of Internet chatter of late is that he's developed a new type of removable tattoo ink, slated to hit the market later this year, which will allow for a tattoo to be completely erased with a single laser procedure and cost far less than the current methods.
Where tattoos flout and celebrate permanence, Anderson's ink deals with the reality that he's discovered in more than two decades of research: People change.
"Twenty-five percent of the population has a tattoo, including nearly half of those between age 25 and 35. And one in five wants to get it removed," he said. "But few go through the process of getting it removed because it's costly, it's painful, and it's not perfect."
The average tattoo removal requires between seven and 10 sessions under the laser -- costing up to $1,000 per session -- and even then, it may leave traces or scarring. "I worked for 10 years to improve the lasers, and at some point you come to a limit," Anderson said as his small green parrot, Photon, looked on. "That's when I started thinking about the other side of the equation: the inks themselves."
Tattoo inks are a black art. They are unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration and often contain toxins and carcinogens which, when broken up by a laser, lodge in the lymph nodes. Many of the inks -- particularly yellow and orange -- are very difficult to remove completely.
Anderson's ink -- which he developed with researchers at Duke University and Brown University and is being marketed by Freedom-2, a New York company -- is biodegradable and encased in a clear plastic polymer bead. The tattoos are expected to have the look and permanence of current inks, but, should the patient choose to have it removed, a laser can break open the bead, freeing the ink to be absorbed safely by the body. The polymer beads will remain in place under the skin but will not be visible.
Anderson, who is also a professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, estimates he's removed more than 1,000 tattoos in his career. While some patients seek the treatment for bad artwork or allergic reactions to the tattoo, Anderson said the overwhelming reason people get tattoos removed is because it is "no longer what they want to express to the world." To that end, he started a program called Project Prentiss, which offers free removal for former gang members in exchange for community service.
if people change their mind."
As for Anderson, he has no plans to test the ink on himself. And what if his two sons wanted to get a tattoo?
"It would have to be my ink," he said with the knowing smile of a father.
On the web: One tattoo aficionado anonymously wrote: "To the concept of . . . cheating permanence by getting a tattoo, a supposed permanent decision, with this new dissolving ink. . . . To that I just laugh a little, not in contempt but amusement at society's notion of permanence: Isn't marriage supposed to be permanent, too, originally intended to last us the rest of our lives and to some beliefs well beyond?"
Tattoo.Colonies.com: Friday, February 23, 2007
New Mexico tattoo artists will put their talents in the spotlight this weekend as they ink their human canvases for cash prizes and national recognition.
The Physical Graffiti Tattoo Show and Expo begins today at 3 p.m. at Expo New Mexico and continues through 6 p.m. Sunday.
Producer Don Birchfield said the expo, where tattoo experts from around the state will work on their subjects in public, is a freak show and more.
But don't expect to find only bikers and 20-year-olds, he said.
"One out of every eight people in America has a tattoo. The most tattooed person in America is (typically) a 30-year-old soccer mom," Birchfield said.
"(Tattooing) is a legitimate art and should be treated like one," he said.
Last year's show was held in Las Vegas, Nev. This year, tattoo expos will be held in seven cities.
"I picked Albuquerque because Albuquerque is absolutely ready for this," Birchfield said. "You have 50 or more tattoo parlors."
Veronica Valencia, media relations manager at Expo New Mexico, said this is the first tattoo show held here.
Other expo sites include Las Vegas, Nev.; Nashville, Tenn.; Cleveland; Louisville, Ky.; Oklahoma City; and Tacoma, Wash.
Chip Davis, the expo's event coordinator, said it will feature about 50 artists from New Mexico, plus a few from California.
Contestants will compete in four categories: traditional Japanese; best use of color; traditional American; and black-and-gray or photo realism/re-creation.
Five tattoo artists from California will judge the competition and pick the best of show.
Winners in each category will receive $1,000 and move on to a national final competition, Davis said.
What sets this show apart from others, according to Davis, is that tattoos have to be started and completed during the course of the event.
"It's unique because all tattoos have to be fresh," he said.
Cash prizes also make the show unique, Davis said.
"We're not afraid to give away money," he said. "We'll end up giving away $100,000 (nationwide) this year," he said.
The event will also feature a Ms. Tattoo USA pageant, an art gallery by tattoo artists, music and vendors selling tattoo paraphernalia.
Birchfield said he expects to see a lot of good tattoo art in Albuquerque.
"The portraits are going to be amazing," he said. "A lot of color tattoos, a lot of freehand work in Albuquerque - the talent is there."
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