YOU MAY NOW APPROACH THE JUDGE’S BENCH

As the new season of Ink Master brings in mentors and apprentices, judges Oliver Peck and Chris Nuñez talk candidly about that dynamic in the tattoo world. One of the most visual representations of tattooing both to our community and to the world at large is television. The most famous tattooers on the planet, whether or not they are technically and artistically the best, are those who are on TV shows. A great swath of tattooing on television has focused as much on drama as it has on clean lines and placement, but Spike TV’s Ink Master has forever taken up the cause to promote great tattoo art. “The positive side of what I am trying to do on television is wean out the people who shouldn’t be tattooing in the first place and teach the viewers that there is quality in good tattooers,” says Ink Master judge Chris Nuñez. “The face of tattooing has been who is on television. Twenty years ago the elite were great, their tattoos had soul, and now through television and social media there are so many tattoos out there that are hollow.” The great part of growth in tattooing’s popularity is the acceptance of tattoos in society and the money in artists’ pockets, but now that tattoos belong to the populace, the hierarchy has been upset. The old guard can no longer control who is deemed topflight, and while that decision is now more democratic, we don’t want your spinster aunt or much of Facebook (Filip Leu isn’t even on there) to have a say. With the system that brought tattooing from an outlaw activity to perhaps the biggest artistic movement of our lifetime pushed aside, scratchers and kids with art degrees— but no training—have been allowed in. The apprenticing system has been decimated and with that the soul is quickly evaporating from the craft. “Internet, television and media all hurt the craft really bad in the tradition of how you get involved and, really, the dues you have to pay to be there,” Nuñez says. “You can see somebody’s time in the business looking at a tattoo.” This new season of Ink Master plays off relationships but not in a sensational way. The show invited mentors and apprentices to compete for $100,000, a feature in this magazine and the title of Ink Master. “They come in as a team—the mentor and apprentice,” Oliver Peck says halfway through filming, “and those who have the strongest bond, who both respect each other, have been staying strong in the competition and will go further. The casual groups fall off quick. The stronger tattooers had better apprenticeships because they took it seriously. It speaks volumes to the relationship between the master and apprentice.” Nuñez got his apprenticeship in 1990 from Lou Sciberras. Nuñez was a graffiti writer, walked into art school, walked out of art school and into Tattoos by Lou in his hometown of Miami. “I met Lou, I showed him some of my sketches and he said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come back tomorrow, kid?’ Ami [James] started a week after me and Emerson [Forth] also was that same week, so three of us who are still tattooing today all started our apprenticeships at the exact same time. Lou loved Emerson and Ami and I was just there to pickup—just really be the bitch of the shop.” But Nuñez wouldn’t have changed that for the world. “It was great, it was the best experience ever because I earned my apprenticeship, it wasn’t given to me. There wasn’t a single thing handed to me,” he says. The beauty of apprenticeships in tattooing and not most other training is that mentors teach their apprentices everything, to the point that if the apprentice works hard and pays attention they will be equipped to replace the mentor. How many other professions would give away all secrets to young strivers? “My apprenticeship was running the shop from the top to the bottom,” Nuñez says. “Before I even got to do a tattoo I spent months making needles, building click chords from a nickel and a paper clip, cleaning tubes, making stencils, taking payments and selling tattoos.” And of the actual “bitch work:” “There was getting coffee, washing cars and picking up dates—all for Lou, none for myself. But at the end of every night I got to be the 18-year-old kid who got to go to the coolest spots in the city and hang out with every club owner and hot models. That was the life.” The mustachioed judge had a different track in Texas. “I started out in my last years of high school and I just wanted tattoos so I figured out how to hand-poke tattoos and then made a ghetto hairdryer-rotary machine,” Peck says. “I got a bunch of my drug addict friends to give me money so I could buy some tattoo equipment, and to repay them I tattooed them all. I tattooed hundreds of people and I had never seen a tattoo magazine or been to a shop—I didn’t know that it was a career possibility.” He, too, walked in and then right out of art school but eventually landed at a piercing shop that was just starting to do tattoos. He was their first tattooer and admits that both he and they were clueless. Then Richard Stell came to town and, after being bothered by Peck for a spell, offered to show him how to really tattoo. “He told me to start over,” Peck recounts. “Every habit I had was bad. It was harder starting over than starting from scratch. When I first started tattooing I thought that I was reinventing the wheel, like, I didn’t use any black for outlines. Richard, he told me, ‘Your bullshit isn’t going to work. We did that shit when I was a kid too.’” By being around Stell, Peck was afforded the ability to see other older legends and their tattoos, but more importantly, the tattoos on them. For a young Peck, whose first tattoos hadn’t aged a decade, to see how tattoos sat after 20 years made an impact on his approach to tattooing. “With apprenticeships going away, no one is fucking hitting kids on the back of the head,” Peck says. “Trial by fire is not the way to learn tattooing. So many tattooers now do things to their tattoos, like pack white into it and make it look shiny, for the portfolio. I tell everybody who works for me if you put an unhealed photo in your book you are misrepresenting the tattoo that they are going to live with. If you put a bunch of glossy, wet, unhealed photos in your portfolio you are a fucking liar. You are selling me something that I am going to have for a week, not 20 years.” In no way is this season of Ink Master meant to serve as a crash course in tattooing, this is no Tattoo School, but rather a reminder to the community that there was a soul to tattooing and that with the right training the art will stand the test of time. “The lesson this season is that only the people who did real apprenticeships, and I’m talking apprentices and mentors, will be the last people to be in the competition,” Nuñez says. “All those who did half-assed shit go half-assed out quick.”

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BARTENDER STEPHANIE PIETZ AT WASTED GRAIN (HOME OF THE 100 PROOF LOUNGE) IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA IS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER.

What’s the scene like at Wasted Grain? I would describe it as a Prohibition-style bar that offers live music and an upstairs nightclub. Whether you’re in the mood for live jams, club music or an oversized chill patio scene, we have it covered. You guys seem to throw a lot of themed parties. Every weekend we have a different theme, from Alice in Wonderland to Under the Sea. One of my favorites was our Where’s Waldo? party. How do the customers react to your tattoos? Most customers love my tats! I get a ton of compliments on my tiger tattoo. But I’ve also had a few older gentlemen make shitty comments like, “Why would you put a bumper sticker on a Bentley?” What is your favorite piece? I’ve always been fascinated with Japanese culture and when I knew I wanted tattoos, a Japanese sleeve was the first thing I pictured. Being able to actually have the work done in Japan was just a bonus! What do you think about a guy who drinks tequila? If a man can shoot back shots of tequila with me, then he’s good in my book. I’ve even taken a shot of tequila through my nose! Wait, what? Taking a shot of tequila through the nose is better than doing a line of cocaine! Honestly, if you do it right, it’s not that bad. I went to a biker clubhouse and the only way girls were allowed in is if they spun a wheel that would eventually land on some kind of derogatory act. I didn’t feel like flashing my tits or leaving my panties on a string above the bar, so I told them I wouldn’t spin the wheel. They said the only other option was to take a shot of tequila through the nose. So I said, Fuck it, line it up!

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TATTOO COLLECTOR – JOHNNY CISNEROS

With a nickname like “The Tattooed Terror” you wouldn’t guess that Johnny Cisneros was actually an affable, almost soft-spoken, guy. Cisneros sat down with SullenTV to discuss his tattoo collection and in the video the professional MMA fighter who is known for delivering hellacious beatdowns in the ring has a sensitive side and a keen eye for art. Cisneros has been collecting tattoos since the age of 16, even though at the time he had no idea that his collection would grow to the extent that it has. One theme that has remained constant through his collecting is the meaning behind the ink—all of his tattoos combine to tell the story of his life and his heritage. A lot of his work has been done by Big Gus, who also happens to be his brother, so we’re guessing that means it isn’t too hard to get fit in for a session. Then again, when we think of the horrible things our siblings have done to us, Cisneros is showing a hell of a lot of trust. Cisneros tends to get the majority of his work done by friends or at least people who have been recommended by some of his friends, knowing the artists gives him a deeper connection with his art.

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TATTOO OF THE DAY....

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Tattoos: Understand risks and precautions

You could be the proud owner of a new tattoo in a matter of hours — but don't let the ease of the process stop you from thinking carefully about permanent body art. Before you get a tattoo, make sure you know what's involved and how to reduce the possible risks. How tattoos are done A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin's top layer. Typically, the tattoo artist uses a hand-held machine that acts much like a sewing machine, with one or more needles piercing the skin repeatedly. With every puncture, the needles insert tiny ink droplets. The process — which is done without anesthetics — causes a small amount of bleeding and slight to potentially significant pain. Know the risks Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including: Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo. Skin infections. A skin infection is possible after tattooing. Other skin problems. Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink. Tattooing also can lead to keloids — raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue. Bloodborne diseases. If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases — including tetanus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent makeup might cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases, tattoo pigments can interfere with the quality of the image. Medication or other treatment might be needed if you experience an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink or you develop an infection or other skin problem near a tattoo. Make sure you're ready Before you get a tattoo, think carefully about it. If you're unsure or worried that you might regret it, give it more time. Don't allow yourself to be pressured into getting a tattoo, and don't get a tattoo if you're under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Choose the location of the tattoo carefully. Consider whether you want the tattoo to be visible or hidden under clothing. Also remember that weight gain — including pregnancy weight gain — might distort the tattoo or affect its appearance. Insist on safety precautions To make sure your tattoo will be applied safely, ask these questions: Who does the tattooing? Go to a reputable tattooing studio that employs only properly trained employees. Keep in mind that regulation requirements and licensing standards vary from state to state. Check with your city, county or state health department for information on local licensing and regulations. Does the tattoo artist wear gloves? Make sure the tattoo artist washes his or her hands and wears a fresh pair of protective gloves for each procedure. Does the tattoo artist use proper equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist removes the needle and tubes from sealed packages before your procedure begins. Any pigments, trays or containers should be unused as well. Does the tattoo artist sterilize nondisposable equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist uses a heat sterilization machine (autoclave) to sterilize all nondisposable equipment between customers. Instruments and supplies that can't be sterilized with an autoclave — including drawer handles, tables and sinks — should be disinfected with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use. Take good care of your tattoo How you care for your new tattoo depends on the type and extent of work done. Typically, however, you'll need to: Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Apply an antibiotic ointment to the tattooed skin while it's healing. Keep the tattooed skin clean. Use plain soap and water and a gentle touch. While showering, avoid direct streams of water on the newly tattooed skin. Pat — don't rub — the area dry. Use moisturizer. Apply a mild moisturizer to the tattooed skin several times a day. Avoid sun exposure. Keep the tattooed area out of the sun for at least a few weeks. Avoid swimming. Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water while your piercing is healing. Choose clothing carefully. Don't wear anything that might stick to the tattoo. Allow up to 2 weeks for healing. Don't pick at any scabs, which increases the risk of infection and can damage the design and cause scarring. If you think your tattoo might be infected or you're concerned that your tattoo isn't healing properly, contact your doctor. If you're interested in tattoo removal, ask your dermatologist about laser surgery or other options for tattoo removal.

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So What Exactly Is a Tattoo?

It seems like everyone has a tattoo these days. Once sported only by sailors, outlaws, and biker gangs, tattoos are now popular body decorations for many people. And it's not just anchors, skulls, and battleships anymore — from school emblems to Celtic designs to personalized symbols, people have found many ways to express themselves with their tattoos. Maybe you've thought about getting one. But before you head to the nearest tattoo shop and roll up your sleeve, there are a few things you need to know. A tattoo is a puncture wound, made deep in your skin, that's filled with ink. It's made by penetrating your skin with a needle and injecting ink into the area, usually creating some sort of design. What makes tattoos so long-lasting is they're so deep — the ink isn't injected into the epidermis (the top layer of skin that you continue to produce and shed throughout your lifetime). Instead, the ink is injected into the dermis, which is the second, deeper layer of skin. Dermis cells are very stable, so the tattoo is practically permanent. Tattoos used to be done manually — that is, the tattoo artist would puncture the skin with a needle and inject the ink by hand. Though this process is still used in some parts of the world, most tattoo shops use a tattoo machine these days. A tattoo machine is a handheld electric instrument that uses a tube and needle system. On one end is a sterilized needle, which is attached to tubes that contain ink. A foot switch is used to turn on the machine, which moves the needle in and out while driving the ink about 1/16 inch or less (about 1 millimeter) into your skin. Most tattoo artists know how deep to drive the needle into your skin, but not going deep enough will produce a ragged tattoo, and going too deep can cause bleeding and intense pain. Getting a tattoo can take about 15 minutes to several hours, depending on the size and design chosen.

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Ink with meaning: What we can learn from the tattoos of our ancestors

Eight thousand years ago, a pencil mustache was tattooed onto the upper lip of a young Peruvian man. His mummified body has since become the oldest existing example of tattoo art on the planet. Today's world is, of course, almost unrecognizable by comparison. But according to Professor Nicholas Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University -- author of a new book about body art -- the tattoo has made a powerful comeback. "There has been an extraordinary, epochal change in the last 25 years," he says. "When I was a child in the 1960s, we didn't see tattoos everywhere. But there has been an explosion in popularity, and this tells us a lot about who we are, both culturally and as individuals." In fact, according to some studies, up to 38% of Americans and a fifth of British adults have some type of long-term body art. Many interlocking factors have a bearing on the popularity of the tattoo. Foremost among them is a change in the popular conception of the body. "Because of advances in technology and medical science, people no longer understand the body as something natural that you're born with and live with. Instead, we understand it much more as something that is changeable and mutable," says Professor Thomas. "People have all sorts of surgical interventions, medical and cosmetic. It is even possible to change your gender. This means that we now see our body as something we have a responsibility to design and make. Even something as simple as a fitness routine or a tan indicates this attitude." A permanent stamp of identity In addition, as global mobility leads to the increasing pluralization of society, identity is also being seen as something to be designed rather than inherited. "People are no longer simply British or Australian or Californian," he says. "Our identities are far more particular, linked to our interests, affinities to cultural or spiritual traditions, tastes in music, and subcultural allegiances. The tattoo has become a vehicle for that sort of particular identification." The recent surge in popularity for tattooing started in the California counter-cultural scene of the Sixties and Seventies. During the 20th Century, tattoos had become associated with criminals, sailors and members of the military, who had become dislocated from mainstream society and wanted to stamp a commemoration of that experience on their bodies. The Californians took that trend and subverted it, inventing their own designs and viewing body ink as an art form rather than a type of social branding. More recently, there's been a return to traditional forms of tribal tattoos. Ancient Celtic designs, or those originating in the Pacific Islands, provide inspiration for a great number of body ink enthusiasts (although it remains unusual to see a young man with a tattoo of a pencil mustache). In the past, however, tattoos were not used to form individual identities. Instead they tended to be a collective cultural project, constituting particular social markers. Sometimes they created a spectacular appearance when a tribe all shared the same design; in other instances, they were used as initiation or coming-of-age rites. "In Samoa, men have elaborate tattoos inked on their thighs, buttocks and lower chest," says Professor Thomas. "It is a painful ordeal that requires a man to submit to the authority of the elders. When he emerges, he is celebrated as a hero." Tattoos and individualism The Samoans, and many other traditional communities, saw having a tattoo as an important process rather than a possession. The whole body was tattooed at once, and it was rarely supplemented. By contrast, the modern tattoo enthusiast tends to view them as an expanding collection that creates permanent markers of important moments in an individual's life. "Globalization is exposing us to a whole range of traditions from many places," Professor Thomas says. "Body art is becoming the opposite of conformity, a sort of badge of travel, or internationalism. People visit places and make them parts of themselves, so that they will forever bear marks of their unique visit." As Jonny Depp once put it, "My body is my journal and my tattoos are my story". But does this indicate an underlying cultural anxiety? Are we literally growing less comfortable in our own skin? "That's part of it," says Professor Thomas. "As the world opens up culturally and economically, there are fewer certainties than there ever were before, and far more multiplicity. So people are trying to invent themselves, and make it permanent." Often, he continues, people who feel that a spiritual dimension is missing in contemporary Western life may be attracted to the spiritual symbols of traditional cultures around the world, which are often "understood naively in terms of spirituality". The Christian approach towards tattoos The decline of Christianity in the West has also had a degree of influence on the rise of the tattoo. Some streams of Christianity have condemned body art due to the perceived sanctity of the body. But this is far from universal. During the Renaissance, for example, European devotees who went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land often had tattoos of Christian symbols or scenes to commemorate the experience. Many were carried out by the Razzouk family in the Old City of Jerusalem (members of that family are still carrying out the service today). But whatever your type of tattoo, research has shown that it profoundly alters the way in which you will be perceived. Adults with tattoos have been shown to be more sexually active; to engage in riskier behavior; and to have stronger self-esteem and body-confidence, though this sharply declined in women three weeks after the tattoo. Moreover, academic studies of first impressions of people with tattoos have revealed that they were expected to have had more sexual partners, be less inhibited, and to be probable thrill-seekers. Whether tattoos are the cause or the effect of such personality types is a moot point. But one thing is certain: given that the fragmentation and diversification of modern life shows no sign of reducing, body art is going to be here to stay.

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