“I was four days from my 62nd birthday when I got my first tattoo. I wanted a women with red hair. So at first I really liked AAF-02670 (lady with red hair, designed by Andrea Ale):

but she was too tall (5 inches). Next I liked JRF-00032 (a mermaid design, by James Ryman), but she had no color:

After much research, I picked TolTec Tattoo Studio (located in Grand Junction, Colorado), which is owned and operated by Russ Duclos. There I met Lisa Tuttle, and after talking with Lisa and telling her what I wanted, she said that they carried Tattoo Johnny tattoos. She also said that she could put red hair on her and color the rest of ‘Red’ (my name for her). Plus change her waist, as you can see by the photo.

So anyway, I had Lisa tattoo Red on me and while this was going on I was thinking about adding to her like Russ said I could. After healing and everything was fine I started looking for the next part for Red. That is when I came up with the purple butterfly wings with the eyes (PVF-00445, designed by Pericle Varduca):

I bought it from you and played with the size so the wings would fit. Next I talked with Lisa and told her what I was up to. She looked at it and said it would look great. Now Lisa gets all the credit for the way the wings are behind Red. I would have never thought of doing it that way. I am so proud of Red and the job Lisa did. A few ladies have looked at Red and said she looks great. I know the ladies in the tattoo studio really liked Red!”

–Stanley

Feast your eyes on Stanley’s finished tattoo:

Thanks again to Stanley for sharing his story! And remember, we have thousands of tattoo designs that you can combine and customize to get the perfect tattoo–start browsing and imagine the possibilities!

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You love your guitar. Problem is, it looks like everyone else’s. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could customize the look of your axe without shelling out a lot of cash?

Problem solved! We’re thrilled to introduce our brand spankin’ new  Tattoo Johnny Guitar Tattoos (www.guitartattoos.com), a series of removable, reusable decals that turn your run of the mill guitar into a stringed, awesomely original work of art. The Tat-Paks designs are created by some of the best tattoo artists in the business (David Bollt, George Davis, Douglas Shephard, Richard Tate, and Bob Tyrrell, just to name a few) and range from classic tribal motifs to sexy cowgirls, rockin�?? grim reapers and scary clowns. Feast your eyes on some of the Tat-Paks ($19.95 each) currently available:

Collect ‘em all, and be on the lookout for even more designs to be released throughout the year. Surf on over to www.guitartattoos.com and get yours today!

Warning: Application of Guitar Tattoos may result in uncontrollable urges to bang your head, perform extended guitar solos, stay up until 4 in the morning playing Guitar Hero III and/or Rock Band, and trash hotel rooms. Proceed with caution.

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Kat�??s a big tease, Hannah�??s still in Chicago, and Corey has an, uh, excitable female client in his chair�?�here�??s what you missed on the first episode of season 2 of L.A. Ink�?�

Joanna, an adult film star, has an appointment with Corey to get a tattoo of the traditional woman symbol with a face inside and a crumbling effect above her hip. �??Working the adult industry, I�??ve found the strong woman in myself,�?? Joanna explains. She has her own alternative porn company, featuring rocker-friendly looking chicks.�??I want the crumbling to represent the duality�?�the strength and the weakness I have as a woman.�?? Pixie calls her out for wearing short bootie shorts into the shop, which Joanna shows off as she works the pole. Joanna flirts shamelessly while Corey tattoos her, and fakes an incredibly fake orgasm in a bid for attention. �??Whatever,” shrugs an irritated Corey. “I gotta finish the tattoo and get you outta here.�??

Kat�??s back from being on tour with Orbi, and makes the dramatic announcement to everyone in the shop that she�??s pregnant. She has them going for about three seconds before she confesses that she�??s kidding. �??I knew she was full of shit, but I wouldn�??t mind seeing a little Kat running around,�?? says Corey. Guess that heavier look is just the result of good living (we’re not being mean, Kat–you were looking a little too skinny for awhile there)…

Kat and the gang catch up with one another over drinks. Kat tells how she met Orbi�??s mom and was nervous about her seeing all her tattoos. �??I think she likes me,�?? says Kat. The conversation steers towards Hannah�??s absence, and Corey suggests bringing in a guest artist until things with Hannah are resolved.

Marky, a makeup artist, comes in to have Kat tattoo the words �??It�??s Called Vitiligo�?? in Old English text on his arm, to represent the skin disorder that he has that turns his skin white. �??People always say, it�??s called what?�?? explains Mark. He defers to Kat on the design after she suggests that it will read better horizontally. �??It was always something that separated me from the pack,�?? Marky explains, who�??s been dealing with vitiligo since he was four years old. �??I wanted this to be an educational tattoo. It�??s empowering.�??

Chris, a visual effects producer, comes in with his girlfriend Carmela to get his first tattoo from Kim of black-and-grey flowers that represent all of the women in his life on his upper arm. Kim expresses concern that Chris is getting a tattoo for Carmela, who he�??s been dating all of two months, but gives it her blessing since it doesn�??t incorporate her name. �??It�??s fairly new, but she�??s been just as solid as my Mom has,�?? Chris says of their relationship. The big flower represents his mother, who took care of him when his lung collapsed when he was in high school. Chris had to complete the tattoo in two sessions, during which Kim uses opaque grey, a black ink mixed with white, to help distinguish the shapes in the foreground of the tattoo. �??The whole piece pops off my arm�?�I know I wouldn�??t be able to find another artist that would be able to do work like she�??s done,�?? says Chris.

Kim calls Hannah, who�??s still in Chicago. Hannah confesses that she�??s been tattooing at Deluxe, her old stomping ground, and is enjoying catching up with her daughter and old friends. �??Maybe this is where I need to be,�?? Hannah says of Chicago. Meanwhile, clients are calling High Voltage looking for her, and the shop is losing business as a result. Kat hasn�??t been able to talk to her, and Kim tells her that Hannah is planning to return, but she isn�??t sure when. �??I just need an answer,�?? sighs Kat.

Jon, who is self-employed, comes in see Corey for half-sleeve tattoo of a crow descending into fire�??a complementary piece for his existing tattoo of a phoenix coming out of water. The crow symbolizes death, while the phoenix stands for life. �??Six years ago, I was in an accident that almost killed me�?�60% of my body was burned.�?? Jon was in a mobile home that caught fire and saved his friend, and was put in an induced coma for three weeks. Both Jon and his friend recovered, thankfully. Corey comments that the ink goes in easy to scarred skin, but the consistency might be a problem. The finished tattoo turns out well and has hidden skulls embedded into the flames, which Jon loves.

Kat shares her idea with Corey to host her own tattoo convention and music festival in Los Angeles. �??It�??s a big deal, but I know I can do it,�?? says Kat after Corey gives his excited approval.

Lala Romero, a Latin singer, takes an empty spot left by a cancellation to get tattoo of a soldadera, a female soldier from the Mexican revolution, by Kat on her leg. �??Are you sure you wanna tattoo those legs?�?? Pixie flirts. Lala and Kat bond over their shared Latin roots, and Lala adores the finished tattoo. �??It�??s gonna be a constant reminder to brush the haters off,�?? she says.

Kat sits down with Corey to talk about how things went in her absence. Corey tells Kat that Pixie left the shop for a week and went down to Mexico without clearing it with Kat first. Kat is angry, but unsure how to address the issue. At the end of the episode, she pays a visit to her life coach, T.C. Conroy, and shares her feelings about her working relationship with Pixie. �??The line between boss and friend is definitely blurred,�?? says Kat. When her coach asks what she would do if she and Pixie weren�??t friends, Kat says she would fire her.

On the next episode: Corey tattoos a client who brings his meddling mother into the shop, and Kat fires Pixie. But does she really? Tune in to find out!

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“My name is Eddie DeBlock and I have been tattooing for 25 years.

I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. When I was 12 years old I was designing menu covers for a local restaurant. I am a self-taught tattoo artist and have worked across the country: Arizona, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, just to name a few.

I am the owner of Double De�??s Custom Tattooing and Double De�??s Limited Editions in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania. I specialize in large custom pieces, but I never turn down those little �??bread & butter�?? tattoos.
I also do private parties and reserve my studio in advance for this service. I also travel for �??Tat Parties�?? throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. For details, call 570.828.2358 or 570.228.7055, and ask for Annie, my wife–she’ll happily send you out an information pack.

I have been married to my loyal wife Annie for 10 years and she�??s a big help in the studio with scheduling appointments and other shop duties. We have five children, ages 6 to 19 years old. The kids each have their own special talents and they love helping out in the studio. They are all very artistic in their own ways.

Tattooing to me is a lifelong love affair and the day it starts to feel like a �??job�?? is the day I retire. I don�??t see that happening, so I guess I�??ll give up tattooing when my wife pries that tattoo machine from my cold dead hand!!
Double De�??s Custom Tattooing is located at 114 Doolan Road in Dingmans Ferry PA 18238 and all our work is done by appointment only!!”

What’s the next best thing to being personally tattooed by Eddie? Downloading one of his incredible tattoo designs from our main site. We’ve got over 90 of Eddie’s designs to choose from–take a look and find your favorite!

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“The first tattoo that I found on the Tattoo Johnny website was so beautiful and it was exactly what I wanted but I didn’t know until I saw it. The site was so easy to use and since it is broken down into some popular sub-groups, you can find one that matches your personality.

My choice of the butterfly was me wanting something free and beautiful and has lots of colors. Something innocent and something that I was able to incorporate my children’s initials into.

When I found the one with the baby boy on the leaf, I changed a couple of details from the original that I found on the website. I removed the antennae and the wings. My children aren’t the flying type. I wanted something that I could look at and remember the calmness and innocence of my boys when they were younger. Both of them also had a teddy bear that they keep close to their hearts for comfort. I also changed the hair color to reflect both my boys and their blond hair. I chose the black-and-gray scheme because it seems to me to be a captured moment in time and softens the moment.

I have passed this website on to other people that I talk to that are looking for a resource that is easy to use and vulgar in its complete content. I have run into cases where I was a tad embarrassed when landing on a particular site.

Thanks for all of the responses back to me, and I wanted to convey to you guys how pleased and happy I was with your site and the beautiful art that you have on it available to us tattoo lovers.”

Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing your beautiful tattoos!

Alright, it’s your turn…do you have a Tattoo Johnny tattoo that you’d like to share? Send us your photos and your story to melissa@tattoojohnny.com.

Jennifer Murdoch

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DNJ photo by John A. Gillis

We’ve all heard about be called to do something with our lives, but for Keenen Lee (pictured above on the right with his assistant, Jonathon Griener) his calling came from his momma–who had a vision that he was meant to be a tattoo artist for the Lord. That’s right, and to heed that calling Keenen has opened Prophetic Ink, a Christian tattoo parlor, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. So, what exactly does that mean? Lee meets with his clients, gets a vision of a tattoo design, and then draws out what he sees for the client to approve. Oh, and no cursing allowed in the shop. Read more about it here.

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We could’ve made the whole process much safer–there are over 150 gun-themed tattoo designs for sale on our main site. Feast your eyes on this smokin’ gun by Sean Horne:

and this bullet-filled, colorful Brandon Miller creation:

and this saucy, well-armed vixen by Jeremy Harburn:

Feeling inspired? Click here to log on to TattooJohnny.com and find your perfect gun tattoo today!

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Well, sorta. More like buy a $125 tattoo, get a free University of Hawaii Football team tattoo (your choices pictured above) if you can get to the Hart & Huntington Tattoo Parlor in Waikiki between now and Jan 31st. Smells like permanent team spirit to us!

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We know, we know…all last year, you were thinking about getting your first tattoo. Or adding a new one to your collection. You flirted with different themes and designs, debated about placement, checked out artists…only to change your mind or put it off until later.

Well, guess what? Later is now, and the start of 2008 is the best time to get the tattoo of your dreams. Start your research on our main site, where you can browse thousands of tattoo designs, read our seven steps to the perfect tattoo, learn about some the artists (Like Philly John, pictured above on the right) and educate yourself on aftercare. We’re here for you, and we want you to be happy with your tattoo. And if there’s anything you want to know about tattoos, tattoo designs, tattoo artists…heck, anything about tattoos, really…that you don’t see on our main site or here on the blog, let us know and we’ll do our best to answer your questions!

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Take a look at two of our favorite winning entries:

Bryan in Glasgow, Scotland: �??My tattoo rocks because�?��?? MY GIRLFRIEND BOUGHT ME IT FOR CHRISTMAS AND I TRAVELLED 500 MILES TO GET MY FAVOURITE ARTIST TO DO IT. EVERYWHERE I GO PEOPLE SAY WOW !!!!

And since nothing’s more rock n’ roll than getting canned for your skin art, we loved Jess’ (a.k.a. Tattooed Mama) entry:

“I have a bajillion tattoos..but the wings on my chest rock because they got me fired! Apparently, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Congrats to the eight other winners, whose photos and answers will be coming soon. Watch our blog for more great contests and giveaways!

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Now that Mr. Claus is done delivering toys to all the girls and boys, it’s time for him to kick back and get a tattoo. We love this site, made by the clever interactive agency R/GA–not only can you give the jolly fat dude a customized tattoo, but you can send it to a friend. Enjoy!

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For The Children of your Tattooed Friends:

The best children’s books are all about acceptance and celebrating our differences, and that’s what we love about Mommy Has a Tattoo, a nicely-written, lovingly illustrated lesson in learning not to judge people based on their appearance. The Tattoo Coloring Book is the perfect complement, because what little kid doesn’t love to color? And who knows, it could inspire a whole new generation of talented tattoo artists…

For the Aspiring Tattoo Artist:

If you know someone who wants to take on a tattoo apprenticeship, give them a few books that will help them sharpen their drawing skills. Dynamic Figure Drawing teaches the art of rendering bodies in motion without the aid of a live model. For reference and inspiration, pick up a copy of The Sketchbook, which features drawings and illustrations by 80 of the world’s top tattoo artists.

For the “Loves to Look at Tattoos” Fan:

Do you know someone who trolls the Internet looking for as many different photos of people’s tattoos as they can find? Then they’ll get a kick out of Inked, Inc., which juxtaposes photos of button-up professionals in their “day attire” (including Needled.com’s blog writer Marisa, who works as a lawyer and writer when she’s not writing her awesome blog) with photos that show off their impressive skin art. Beautifully photographed, and a great coffee table book. Pair that with Body Type, which focuses soley on photos of yes, tattoos of words, and you’ve got the beginnings of a nice tattoo starter library.

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That’s right…the votes went to Kat Von D and her crew at L.A. Ink’s High Voltage Tattoo. Congrats are in order…but who do you think should have won? Send us your comments!

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Starting tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time, TLC is presenting a tattoo smackdown tonight with back-to-back reruns of Miami Ink, L.A. Ink and London Ink. If you haven’t seen them, this is a great chance to sample all three shows, but if you have, no need to devote three hours of your life to watching them again.

Which ‘Ink’ do you think is the best? Cast your vote at www.tlc.com and see the results the next morning.

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If you’ve got a tattoo, we know you’re proud of it. We also know you’ve got a photo of it somewhere on your computer. Send it to mytattoorocks@gmail.com and finish this sentence: “My tattoo rocks because…” and you could win one of ten incredibly awesome leather guitar straps designed by tattoo artist David Bollt.

These straps are part of a limited edition series, so don’t miss your chance to score one for free before they’re gone for good. And besides, how cool will you look playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band with one of these strapped around your guitar? If you play a real instrument, even better. Oh, and if you win and give your strap to someone as a gift, your secret’s safe with us.

Don’t delay…enter today!

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With all the exciting developments in skin art technology, could a Braille tattoo be far behind? A student proposed the idea on the Internet, and thousands of people are interested.

“In April, while taking a university course on �??body technology,�?? a Czech art student named Klara Jirkova had a vision of a �??touchable �??tattoo�?? for blind people.�?? According to her project paper, one way to do it would be to emboss the surface of your arm, say, with a word or message in Braille by having stainless-steel beads surgically implanted under your skin �?? thereby creating a body modification meant not just to decorate but to be touched and read…”

Fascinating. The appeal to the blind aside, you know the body mod community is all over this one.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

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Nunez and Ami (pictured above) judge a bikini contest, a client nearly passes out, and Ami freaks out. Here’s what happened on last night’s episode of Miami Ink…

A shapely young lady sashays to the shop and asks Nunez and Ami to judge a bikini fashion show. They�??re so morally offended, they through the girl out of the shop�?�just kidding. Of course they agree to do it.

Joni Anderson, an artist, asks Ami for a tattoo of one of her favorite paintings on her back�??she wants it 4 inches by 4 inches. As Ami places the stencil, Joni reveals that he�??s the first person other than her husband (a comedy magician) to touch her in 17 years. Ami’s not sure how to react to that bit of news. Anyway, Joni plans to get more tattoos of her paintings in the future when she can afford it. �??It�??s not a lucrative business, this art crap, so maybe this tattoo will help me do better,�?? she says.

Ami and Nunez sit down to talk business, and Ami reveals that he�??s stressed out. The shop is still down one permanent artist, and Nunez suggests they stop hiring guest artists and commit to hiring a full-time person. Everything seems cool, at least for the moment…

Madelene, a Swedish tourist, wants Nunez to do a bright pink �??rose with attitude�?? on her lower back. She already has leaves on a vine in the same spot that she doesn�??t like, so she hopes the rose will pretty up the design. The poor girl started to get dizzy and sweaty halfway through her tattoo, so Nunez stops and gives her a break. When she felt better, Nunez continued, and Madelene explained that she wants her tattoo to make her butt appear more apple-shaped. The tattoo and exercise should do it, she thinks. She also shares that she shares a bed with her roommate back in Sweden, which prompts Nunez to ask to be her special friend and fantasize about a threesome.

Garver�??s buddy Troy is in town, and they hang out and play some pool. Garver tells Troy how much he misses New York, and considers asking Ami if he can split his time between New York and Miami. Watch how you time that request, Garver…

Julie, a tattoo artist from England, wants Darren to do a tattoo on the side of her hand to celebrate her 10th anniversary as a tattoo artist. She wants to get a tattoo needle with flames. �??I opened a shop myself and now it�??s going pretty well,�?? says Julie, who loves her finished tattoo. �??That�??s really tidy, the lines are brilliant. Darren did a really nice job. It was nice to get a tattoo from a tattoo artist that I look up to.�??

Darren meets up with Ami over lunch, during with Darren reveals that his aunt (a nun) is suffering from Parkinson�??s disease. Darren wants to take a month off to visit her and help handle her affairs. Ami curses the timing, but gives Darren his blessing and starts looking for someone to fill in while Darren is gone.

Stacey, an artist, wants Ami to do a tattoo of a rose with crossbones behind it that her boyfriend Joe drew when her best friend Crystal died in a train crash. Ami complains that the rose doesn�??t look like a rose�??�??It looks like an oyster,�?? he says�??and refuses to do it as is. He gives Stacey a book of flowers and asks her to pick out a rose that she likes.
�??Ami, honestly, he just scares the living crap out of me,�?? says Stacey. �??I�??m hoping to see something close to what I wanted in the first place.�?? Thankfully, Stacey loves the design that Ami creates, and she has it done on her shoulder. While she�??s being tattooed, she shares that another friend killed herself on the same train track. �??It�??s very hard to make new friends because you fear that loss…I need this tattoo to let go, to let myself know that its time to move on.�??

Isaac, a musician, asks Darren for a tattoo of a cartoon samurai with a guitar with the acronym Abuchoman�??for abundance, choice and manifestation. Isaac tells Darren how he was out of shape and drinking too much, and the sight of a picture of him at his heaviest put him on the path towards a healthy lifestyle. �??It�??ll be a constant reminder of the changes I�??ve made,” Darren says of his new shoulder tattoo.

Ricky, a basketball player who is partially deaf, wants Garver to do a tattoo of a shark busting through his skin. �??Tattoos ripping through the skin were popular about 10-15 years ago. You never know what�??s going to come back,�?? says Garver. Ricky plays with a deaf team called the Sharks, and a friend and fellow player, Johnny, died last year. Ricky wants the tattoo in Johnny�??s honor, and his team all chipped in to help him pay for the tattoo. Ricky shares his experiences being deaf, and tells of his love for his hearing wife, Diana, and his cutie-pie son, Dale. �??To be a father being deaf, it�??s hard sometimes�?�I get paranoid,�?? says Ricky, who loves his finished tattoo. �??I think Johnny will be proud of me.”

Meanwhile, at the bikini fashion show/contest, Ami and Nunez thoroughly enjoy their judging duties (Tough work, boys!). The lovely ladies strut their stuff across an Astroturf-covered walkway suspended over a pool. A raven-haired lovely named Isabella was the winner.

At the end of the episode, Nunez tells Ami about a new space that�??s opened up that�??s bigger than their current location. Ami doesn�??t want to take on the extra responsibility, but Nunez says he�??ll handle it. Ami is stressing, and Garver hits him with his request to go to New York. �??I don�??t have a life anymore,�?? Ami bitches before walking out of the shop to cool off. �??If it gets any worse, I might be leaving myself.�??

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To refresh your memory, Stan is a fan of Deidra’s, a plus-size model with a huge Internet following (to learn more about Deidra, check out her myspace page). Stan decided to get a big girl pinup-style tattoo to honor his lovely wife, and Deidra met him at 305 Tattoo (a.k.a Miami Ink) to get a voluptuous pinup tattoo of her own (click here to read our entire episode recap). Check ‘em out:

Stan, getting inked by Miami Ink’s Chris Garver.

The finished product!

Up close and personal with Stan’s new tattoo.

Deidra, with Miami Ink’s Darren Brass at work on her tattoo.

Done! Deidra shows off the finished tattoo.

A close-up of Deidra’s tattoo (nice shading!)

Thanks again to Stan and Deidra for sharing their photos!

Did you have a tattoo done on Miami Ink or L.A. Ink? Drop us a line…we want to hear from you!

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Feast your eyes on the limited-edition designs you could win:

Yeah, baby! You know you want one. Don’t delay…enter today!

Fine Print: Guitar Strap designs are preselected, so sorry, you can�??t pick and choose. To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, you may not get what you want, but if you win, you�??ll get what you need. Besides, they all rock, don�??t they? And if you send us a photo, it�??s likely that we�??ll post it, so don�??t send a photo if you don�??t want to live in infamy on the Internet forever. And please, have a valid mailing address. Cause if the strap comes back, we�??re sending it to someone else. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery, especially if you live in a remote part of the world. Oh, and ages 18 and older, please. Tattoo Johnny is not responsible for incomplete entries.

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With little to no fanfare, TLC has finally put London Ink onto their schedule in the United States. We’re thrilled–no more watching 8-minute segments on YouTube!–but come on, TLC, how about a little heads-up? London Ink airs Tuesday nights before Miami Ink at 9 p.m. E.S.T., with the previous week’s episode airing the hour before.

Since viewers in Europe have been so vocal on our blog about London Ink, we want to know what all you North Americans think of the show. Is Louis Malloy (pictured above) the most egotistical tattooist ever? Is Nikole hot? Would you trust Dan to do clean lines on your skin? Send us a comment and tell us what you think!

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a new report, “Think Before You Ink”, which states that the government agency will be paying closer attention to tattoo safety–specifically, the regulation of inks and pigments used in tattoos. Read more about it in this New York Times blog entry.

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So many of you have been asking us how to find the real London Ink that we decided to do a little investigative reporting. As it turns out, unlike “Miami Ink”, which continues to operate under the name “305 Ink”, and “L.A. Ink”, which is actually open under the business name of “High Voltage Tattoo”, London Ink appears to have only been open for the duration of the reality show’s filming. Sorry, kids.

According to Dan Gold’s MySpace page, the series was actually filmed in his tattoo shop, London Tattoo (see below for contact info). Post London Ink, the artists have scattered. If you’re looking to have work done by one of them, here’s where they could last be found:

Louis Malloy: Middleton Tattoo Studio

www.tattoos.co.uk

to book an appointment, call 0161 655 3909

Nikole Lowe: Into You

144 St John St, London, EC1V 4UA

Phone 020 7253 5085

for any appointments… www.into-you.co.uk

Dan Gold: London Tattoo

332 GOSWELL ROAD ANGEL EC1 7LQ LONDON

08458288667

Phil Kyle: Magnum Opus Tattoo

www.magnumopustattoo.com

33 Upper North Street BN1 Brighton

for appointments: magnumopustattoo@gmail.com

Fair warning: The show has made the artists insanely popular, so be prepared to wait a long, long time before getting an appointment. Good luck!

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And yet, we’re still kinda turned on. This may or may not ever actually happen, by the way, but it’s nice to know the money you shelled out for that flat screen T.V. is going to help some guys in a lab somewhere dream this crazy stuff up.

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Yo, Adrian! Either the Italian Stallion’s been buying Dermablend in bulk, or he’s sporting some fresh ink. We want to know…who’s the babe on Rocky/Rambo’s arm? Send us a comment if you think you know whose image Sly is wearing on his arm.

photo credit: bigpicturesphoto.com

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Some of you may have spent Thanksgiving weekend eating leftovers and camping outside Best Buy for $300 laptops, but in Arizona, all the cool kids were getting tattooed. AZCentral.com has the scoop. We love that the aunt is holding her niece’s hand in this photo…our aunt wouldn’t even come with us to the zoo when we were eight years old. Brandy, your aunt is awesome.

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If you call our offices today and get voicemail, that’s because we stood in line this morning to pick up Rock Band, the new video game brought to you by the folks at Harmonix, and we’re playing it right now. We’ve been living out our rock star fantasies on Guitar Hero for years, but with Rock Band, we get a lead or bass guitar, and a microphone, and a drum set. We’re so excited, we can hardly see straight.

Our one complaint? The guitar strap that comes with the cool Fender-based guitar for the game is, well, not so cool. We’ve got some pretty nice ones (check out a few of our designs, below)…and we want you to have one, too. So we’re giving away ten (10) of our 100% leather, 100% rock-’n-roll Tattoo Johnny guitar straps (designed by the talented Tattoo Johnny Art Star David Bollt and made by Perri’s Leathers) to ten people who send us a photo of their tattoo and do the best job of finishing this sentence: “My tattoo rocks because…”

Sound easy? That’s because it is. So snap a picture of your tattoo and send it with your answer to mytattoorocks@gmail.com. The deadline is Tuesday, December 4th, 2007, at midnight Eastern Standard Time. We’ll announce and post the winning results a week later.

Good luck!

Here’s the Fine Print: Guitar Strap designs are preselected, so sorry, you can’t pick and choose. To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, you may not get what you want, but if you win, you’ll get what you need. Besides, they all rock, don’t they? And if you send us a photo, it’s likely that we’ll post it, so don’t send a photo if you don’t want to live in infamy on the Internet forever. And please, have a valid mailing address. Cause if the strap comes back, we’re sending it to someone else. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery, especially if you live in a remote part of the world. Oh, and ages 18 and older, please. Tattoo Johnny is not responsible for incomplete entries.

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It was way out of our price range, but we’re glad to see that the skateboard Kat Von D designed with Wes “Bulldog” Humpston brought in $3,300 for the Tony Hawk Foundation. It was up for auction on eBay, and even though bidding ended on Friday, you can still check out additional photos of the board here.

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Artist #1:

Tom Renshaw

Vital Stats: Won over 400 worldwide competitions * accomplished wildlife photographer * 15 years of tattooing experience

Approach: black and grey animal portraiture, no lines

Style: wildlife photorealism. �??Black and gray lends itself fantastically well to all these photorealistic images, including wildife, which are by far my favorite.”

Home Base: Eternal Tattoos in Detroit, Michigan. To visit Tom’s artist site, click here.

Example of Tom’s Work:

His canvas: Matt Webber, a longtime client and fishing buddy, who already has several big, impressive wildlife tattoos.

Artist #2:

Deano Cook

Vital Stats: 14 years of experience * Spent 10 years photographing marine life * Multiple colorwork awards

Approach: vivid color, fine details

Style: Wildlife realism. �??I have such a love for scuba diving and the ocean..I love the fact that I�??m able to marry my passion with my career.�??
Home Base: Psycho Tattoo in Atlanta, Georgia

Example of Deano’s Work:

His canvas: Bill Foster, a correctional officer from California with several Deano tattoos on his back.

The Challenge: Reproduce a wildlife photo on skin in under five hours.

Tom meets with his canvas, who nixes Tom�??s idea to tattoo on the ribs, so they settle on the thigh and find a photo of a gnarly, snarling bear. In between preparations for the War, Tom inks Matt Webber, who is getting a tattoo of sheep on his upper arm. �??I�??m such a fan of wilderness, that it�??s really the only thing I wanted on my body,” says Matt.

Tom explained why he’s made wildlife his specialty. �??Wildlife allows me to get into scenery, drop landscapes behind almost all of my wildlife pieces�?�I�??ve spent a lot of time around North American wildlife.�?? Tom makes annual trips to Alaska for photo research, sometimes inviting favorite clients (including Matt) along for the ride.

Tom is working on a tattoo when Deano calls. The two tease each other about the upcoming War. �??He�??s like a big brother to me,�?? Deano says of Tom. “Deano took one of my seminars�?�that�??s probably why he�??s as good as he is now,�?? says Tom in return.

Tom tattoos a moose on a client for practice, and does a drawing of an elk that he photographed and plans to tattoo on Don Cooksee, a Gulf War veteran and American Indian. The tattoo goes right on Don�??s ribs.

Tom takes a moment to get tattooed by Jay�??the tattoo is of his English bulldog, Dozer, who passed away a few months before the Tattoo Wars competition. His girlfriend, Sandy loves it so much, she gets a little teary.

Meanwhile, Deano and Bill settle on a tiger shark tattoo for the War, and review Deano�??s photos for the best shot. Deano combines three photos and does a line drawing to create his stencil for the competition. In between preparations, he works on a shark arm sleeve tattoo on client Nate.

�??Tattooing is a demanding art form,�?? says Deano, who we see chilling with his wife and twin boys and spending some time painting on canvases before he heads off to work. Jason Dark, a regular client and collector of Deano�??s tattoos, comes in and lets Deano get creative on his arm with a fish tattoo.

Pre-competition, Deano brings his workhorse tattoo machine to Tony Olivas, a 28-year tattoo veteran who builds tattoo machines, for a little fine-tuning. Tony makes some adjustments, and Deano is good to go.

Here�??s how it went on competition day at the Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival:
Hour 1: Legendary tattoo artist Bob Tyrell stops by to check out Tom�??s work. �??I think I learned more from Tom than anyone else,” says Bob. Hannah Atchison from High Voltage Tattoo of L.A. Ink-fame stops by her longtime pal Deano�??s booth to show her support.
Hour 2: Deano�??s canvas is getting uncomfortable and cranky, but Tom presses on.
Hour 3: Tom�??s focusing on the second phase of his tattoo, while Deano chats up the crowd.
Hour 4: Both tattoos are taking form, and Tom finishes at 4 hours 30 minutes. Deano finishes with five minutes to spare after Tom stops over and tells him he’s done.

And the winner is: Deano Cook!

Next up: It’s a battle of the sexes when Seth Ciferri takes on Michelle Myles!

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(photo credit: Lisa Jarvis/ C&EN)

If you’re having tattoo commitment issues, is a tattoo done with impermanent ink the answer? We’re not sure. A tattoo with impermanent ink is applied the same way as regular ink, so you’re not saving yourself any time, discomfort or money. Still, this article in Chemical & Engineering News looks into the Freedom-2 tattoo ink and explores the pros and cons. Read it and let us know where you stand.

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