Inked in the South

It's been too long...

2013-05-05T23:10:00.001-05:00

Life has a funny way of throwing things at you. This was one of my first blogs, and it's always been my favorite. As much as I love to write, writing/blogging is one of the first things to go when life gets hectic.

I'm getting things back on track, though. I'll be updating this blog, as well as my Facebook and Twitter over the next few weeks. So keep an eye out, and let me know what you want to see more of...

I'll be back... :)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InkedIntheSouth

~Kim

Timeless Tattoo in Victoria, TX

2010-11-02T22:58:00.000-05:00

http://www.timelesstattoovictoria.blogspot.com

I met yesterday with Will Ellis over at Timeless Tattoo here in Victoria. There will be several articles to come, out of our talk, but I wanted to put a quick post up right away.

Timeless Tattoo is Victoria's newest tattoo studio, having opened just this past July. But don't mistake "new studio" with "new to the trade". All three artists (Will, Cheryl, and Christy) have many years of experience, and impressive portfolios. According to their website, their mission statement is:

"Timeless Tattoo is proudly bringing sensational custom tattoo artwork to Victoria TX, and is committed to providing our clients with a safe, clean, and comfortable tattoo experience by a knowledgeable, friendly, professionally licensed family owned and operated business."

What I noticed when I first walked in the door was that it's more like walking into a doctor's office or an office building than an old school tattoo parlor (and I've been in quite a few of those). Everything is brightly lit, and there's a lack of flash on the wall. In the lobby area, you'll find a table and chairs with tattoo magazines spread out neatly. As you look at the walls, you'll find tattoo memorabilia, but still no flash. Why is that? Yes, I heard you ask. Timeless Tattoo doesn't do flash. What? Let me repeat: Timeless Tattoo doesn't do flash. They strictly focus on custom tattoos.

When I asked Will why that is, his passion for his art became obvious, for that passion is what inspired them to make their studio custom work only. As I've said before (and doubtless will again, many times), I appreciate the art that is tattooing. Whether it's drawn on paper, on the computer, or on the skin, it's the art that draws me (pun intended, bad pun, but hey, that's me...). As with any artist, the goal is to get better and better at what you do. Drawing the same flash drawing each time doesn't permit the stretching and growing that an artist seeks constantly. Will said it best, "I don't want to look at a six month progression of my work and see improvement. I want to see it from one piece to the next." That immediacy coupled with a desire to grow in your art, to learn your passion, profession, vocation, (some might say obsession), I think is true of any artist, regardless of medium. He then showed me a sample file on just one of his tattoos. It's a manila folder, about an inch or so thick, with various sketches from different angles. He's used different colors, changed the composition... tweaked it here and there, until he's found the drawing that he's happy with. The drawing that will become a tattoo. Although I already appreciate what an artist can do ~~(and yes, I'm a little jealous)~~, seeing that file, those drawings and the time and consideration that went into making it as perfect as it can be made, makes you appreciate it that much more.

So, look for more articles soon! And in the meantime, check out Timeless Tattoo's website, and blog. You won't be disappointed!!

BTW, this photo is not mine... it's linked directly from Timeless Tattoo's blog. But isn't it awesome? Being a girl who grew up in the '80s, I'm anxious to see this one finished!!!! Awesome job, Will!

Changes

2010-09-15T19:01:00.000-05:00

I've changed the look of the blog, and added a community page where you can discuss more about tattoos in the south. I'll be adding more links, and more reviews, over the next couple of weeks... as well as reviewing some books, and hopefully soon, some equipment.

Some other plans in the works include: information about tattoo apprenticeships (how to become a tattoo artist), reviews of studios in Victoria, TX, and more articles about what to consider before, during, and after getting a tattoo.

As always, please feel free to make suggestions in the comments section, and let me know what you'd like to see. The more feedback I get, the more I can make this blog about what YOU want it to be about!!!

Daddy's Li'l Angel

2010-09-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

This tattoo was the start of a tradition. Robert is my ex-husband, and Stormi and Tristan's father, and with his (our) oldest, he started the tradition of a tattoo to commemorate the birth of each of his children. I've reviewed Stormi's tattoo in a previous blog post, so I know those of you that follow the blog may recognize the name. The photo was taken summer 2010, the tattoo done by Angel at Dago's in 1991. The artwork was originally drawn by Robert, including the wording surrounding the tattoo, and the tattoo was created to closely match. I recognize his handwriting (rather than hers) on those surrounding words. She did an excellent job of freehanding this tattoo, while retaining the original "flavor" of it. The shading is excellent, and for a 19 year old tattoo, there is little fading. Excellent work by Angel! Dago's is currently located at (713) 692-7404 · 5131 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77022, or on the web.

New columns for Victoria tattoo artists

2010-05-28T18:37:00.000-05:00

There will be two new weekly columns, hopefully starting the week after next. I have been out and about this week, busily introducing myself and this site to the tattoo artists and shop owners and managers, and introducing those columns.

Click here to read more...

Handing out business cards

2010-05-28T17:08:00.000-05:00

So, I finally got my business cards in yesterday. While we were in town today, I stopped at two of our local tattoo studios to hand out my business cards. I enjoyed meeting and talking with the business manager of In The Skin and the owner of Primal Instincts. I am going to love my new "gig". I've introduced both to my suggestion of a tattoo of the week and piercing of the week. I hope to go back into town tomorrow to distribute more cards, and continue spreading the word for both Inked in the South and Victoria Tattoo & Piercing Examiner. If you live in Victoria, TX and you have tattoos from local tattoo artists, please comment below. Let me know if you'd like to be photographed and have an article written about you!

Five questions to ask yourself before you tattoo in Victoria

2010-05-09T23:08:00.000-05:00

There's a new article over at Victoria Tattoo & Piercing Examiner. Five questions to ask yourself before you tattoo...

Victoria's Tattoo & Body Piercing Examiner

2010-04-16T16:46:00.001-05:00

I'm very excited! I'm so proud to announce that as of today, I am writing as Victoria's Tattoo & Body Piercing Examiner. My first article should be posted soon, a short one defining some terms about the tattoo industry. I'll have it posted this afternoon if the weather cooperates! Most of my articles will now be focused in and around Victoria, but I will always welcome anything Inked in the South!

In the meantime, please visit my site, and subscribe to see new articles (including the soon-to-be-started Tattoo/Piercing of the week, as well as information on how to become a tattoo artist in Victoria)! As always, please subscribe, leave me a comment, and let me know what you'd like to see more of! I'll be hanging around the tattoo studios soon, so if you see me there, be sure to tell me you saw me here on my blog or on the Examiner!

tattoo design

2010-03-19T03:34:00.000-05:00

I'm always trolling for new designs, so thought I'd share this site on tattoo designTell me if you like it, and if you have others you like as well! :D

Brandi - tribal on arm

2010-03-12T06:17:00.000-06:00

Brandi, in Tyler Texas had this tribal ink done by a friend, James. We're trying to get more of James' information, but we do know that she is happy with the work. We agree! Clean lines, good shading, a tribal that forms a... well, what do you think it is? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Abstract Tattoos

2010-03-06T01:19:00.000-06:00

Found a really cool tattoo blog while surfing the net tonight. This image in particular was one of my favorites: but if you go to the website, you'll see some amazing work! Tell me what you think!

User Submitted Tattoos

2010-02-04T10:24:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder that I'd love to see your tattoos or tattoo designs! Just comment below!

Addictive Tattoos

2010-02-02T01:53:00.000-06:00

I was chatting with my daughter the other day, and she was telling me that she's ready for another tattoo. It really made me smile, as in my mind, I've been planning my next 4... and it's been almost 20 years since my one (and only).

My next two, I plan to get faeries... night and day. I won't post much about them, as their design is still evolving as I continue to search artwork that I like to show my husband for him to draw them. I think that I want the faeries on each of my shoulderblades... easily hidden when wearing shirts with sleeves, but tanks and swimsuits will show/showcase them. My third will be a "tramp stamp"... I really don't think I like that term, but there it is. I haven't decided if I want a beach scene there... breaking waves at twilight or dawn; or something tribal. My fourth, I want a quote... and have been searching for one lately that draws me to it. I'm not sure where I want this one yet. I'm sure I'll come up with several more, but this is where I'm at right now. :D

Keith of Jacksonville FL - Pain is Inevedible, Suffering is Optional

2010-02-02T00:38:00.000-06:00

Oooops. :D Did you catch it? I actually didn't at first, and I'm a spelling queen (lol). It wasn't until I was reviewing the photos of this rib tat that I realized that "Inevedible" should have been "Inevitable". Keith said that other than the misspelling, he is happy with the piece. It's on his ribs, a good place for this large quote, a reminder to Keith to not sweat the small stuff. He had this piece done by a friend, and said that he wishes he'd gone to his regular tattoo artist. He'll have some additional shading done around the tat, as well as something to try to straighten the lines that aren't even.

Keith of Jacksonville FL - No Regrets, Live Free

2010-01-25T20:15:00.000-06:00

This tattoo, on Keith's right inner arm, needs little explanation. It's a phrase that I personally ascribe to as well. Nobody can live life without the occasional backward glance with a grimace (ouch... I really did THAT?), yet everything that happens in life, whether by choice or circumstance, makes us who we are. So, Keith, I have to agree completely. Don't look back on life and regret choices made, roads not taken... live free. Recognize that the mistakes as well as the successes have made us who we are.

Keith got this great tat, easy to read with clean lines, at Inksmith & Rogers, 2177 Kingsley Avenue, Orange Park, FL Phone & Fax: (904) 213-9099. The (very talented) artist who is responsible for this ink? Peter Razis (http://www.inksmithtattoo.com/artists/peter-razis).

Keith of Jacksonville FL - K.T. tattoo

2010-01-13T22:06:00.001-06:00

Keith, of Jacksonville, Florida has several tattoos, and will be featured in several upcoming posts. He got particular tattoo as a memorial to his grandfather.

K.T. are his first and middle initials, and what his grandfather called him. The banner above and below are his grandfather's date of birth and date of death. The intricate old english letters are well-defined, dark and even, and the shadowing is well done. The banner, a traditional motif in tattoos was given an aged look to match the lettering. When asked if he had any regrets on this tattoo, he said that he only wished he'd made it larger. Keith already has several other tattoos, which I'll be featuring in the blog over the next several days, and plans to get more.

One plan of his is a half-sleeve Koi fish. I can't wait to see it!

This tattoo was done by Lester at Inksmith & Rogers at 6003 Roosevelt Blvd, #8, Jacksonville, FL 32244, phone: (904) 771-8555. If I'm in Jacksonville wanting to get a tat, I'd be more than willing to look up Lester!

2010-01-07T19:42:00.000-06:00

Jonathan went to Primal Instinct Tattoo (3610 N Laurent St Victoria, TX 77901-3441 phone: 361-573-0092) for this tattoo. Lucy is Jonathan's late mother. Lucy Mae... he has plans to add her middle name to the tattoo at a later date. The clean lines, decorative but easily recognizable letters were an excellent choice to honor her.

We plan to review more designs by Primal Instinct at a later date.

Inked Nation - a Tattoo Community

2009-11-29T02:37:00.001-06:00

Westside Tattoos, Jacksonville, FL

2009-11-29T01:07:00.000-06:00

This next photo is of my husband's (Tom's) tat that he got at Westside Tattoos in 1988 or 1989. As he can't remember which year he got it, he obviously doesn't remember the artist... he thinks it was Mike, but can't be positive. But it is 20 years old, and the colors are still very strong. He's never had a touch-up done, and he was a surfer all through the 1990's and into 2000's, so you know it was exposed to quite a bit of sun.

His (late) dad had a parrot tattooed on his leg because he loved Jimmy Buffet. After his dad (Tommy Sr.) had that one done, my Tom (Tommy Jr), drew a picture that had a background of the beach (for his love of surfing) with the parrot in front of it. The artist told him it would look better without the background, so he went with the parrot only, and did a great job!

Westside Tattoo is currently located at: (904) 783-3233, 622 Cassat Ave, #9, Jacksonville, FL 32205.

Tattoo Billy's, Jacksonville FL

2009-11-29T00:46:00.000-06:00

Tattoo Billy's

This was a tattoo done at Tattoo Billy's in Jacksonville, FL in December 2005 on my husband, Tom. He doesn't remember the name of the tattoo artist, but the same person did a tattoo on his sister (picture to be added later). He talked Tom into the coloring of the star and the upper right side as a "silver" because white is just not possible. The artist screwed up both tats... my hubby's as well as his sister's. On his, the biggest issues are fading, the lines not being well-drawn, and the color choices. On his sister's, the guy actually put the wrong dates, after we told him numerous times what the dates were... and even wrote them down, if I remember correctly. Hubby wouldn't let him do the lettering on his banner due to the screw-up on his sister's.

Don't know if that artist still works there, as we can't even remember his name... if I find it (we had his card at one point), I'll do a "buyer beware" post for that guy. Awful work.

Angel's work... 19 years later... Dago's, Houston, Texas

2009-11-29T00:17:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, my first (and currently only) tattoo was done at Dago's (northside of Houston, TX) about 19 years ago. Angel did the tat, after I'd watched her do some AMAZING work on my ex-husband. Keep in mind that this body is definitely NOT the same as it was at 18...LOL. So, there's been some stretching, but the color is still deep (even the red), and I've never had a bit of trouble with it!!! I haven't been there in years, so I really can't review the shop currently, and things were definitely different in the early '90s, but I can say that it was clean, never gave me a bit of trouble, and again... can't say it enough, Angel's work was EXCELLENT!

I haven't re-touched any of the tat itself, just the area surrounding it. :)

I do know that Dago did some really excellent work himself, back then, too. Don't remember any of the other tattoo artists there.

Dago's is listed as being at: (713) 692-7404, 5131 North Fwy, Houston, TX.

Tattoos... a personal statement

2009-11-28T21:03:00.000-06:00

To me, tattoos are a personal statement. Some people may get one in memory of a loved one who's passed, some get them to commemorate a birth of a child, a favored pet, a favorite rock band, or just a personal statement about who they are.

To date, I only have one. It's a rather large tattoo, on my left hip, of a black panther. I loved the grace and muscle of this animal. Although I was barely 18 when I got it, I did realize that I was permanently marking my body, and in doing so, I needed to be sure that it was something that I would later not regret. The panther did it for me. It's larger than it once was (LOL... as am I), but it's still something that I'm not ashamed to show.

I've wanted other tattoos. I don't want to be covered in them, I'm not personally interested in having "sleeves", but I'd like to have several small, tasteful tattoos that make a statement about who I am. Hopefully in time, I will. For the last several years, I've been enthralled by fairies. That's what I want next, a reminder of days gone by, of times both mythical and mysterious. I've asked my husband to design something for me... but as our lives are so busy (way busier than I have time to explain in this blog), it just hasn't happened. I'll have to bump that up my priority list, and see if I can get him to draw a few things for me. Maybe I'll let you vote on my next tattoo, out of my favorite designs! :)

'Til next time, then. Kim will be out and about this week, visiting local tattoo shops, visiting with the artists and the customers, and seeing if I can decide on my next artist. If you see me, be sure and tell me hello!

About Us

2009-11-28T20:41:00.000-06:00

We're a husband and wife writer/photographer/artist team who love tattoos... In looking for a tattoo artist in South Texas, we recognized that without traveling to their shop, seeing people that they'd designed tattoos for, and actually viewing their work, it would be difficult to decide whose shops we wanted to go to for our own next tattoos. My husband is an artist, I'm a writer and photographer, so we decided that we'd start a blog. In it, we'll be reviewing the artwork of tattoo artists (starting with our local area, Victoria TX and surrounding counties), documenting some of their work in words, photography, and video. We'll give you, our viewers, our honest opinions. We'd love to hear from the community of artists, tattoo enthusiasts, and others, so feel free to comment on your experiences, your own work, and more... Maybe we'll schedule a visit to your favorite shop next!! Be sure to let us know what you like, what you don't like, and your experiences, good and bad. We may interview you for a story, document your tattoos with photos, and make recommendations for your next tattoo (if you need them, or you can recommend your artist to us!). Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy being inked, scratched, painted, or whatever your favorite term is!!!