Just a quick note to let you all know where we've been:
Besides that embarrassing eggnog-induced stolen reindeer fiasco with uncle Ned (don't ask), the blog has been on vacation during the long, cold winter months.
Keep checking here for new specials and promotions, and we'll soon be posting info to help prepare you for United Ink 2013!
Here's a riddle for you:
What's the gift that will last forever that's way cooler than diamonds?
If you guessed body art by Tattoo Lou's, you just won the chance to purchase discounted gift certificates!
Actually we're only kidding, everyone has that opportunity!!!
It's the season of giving and Tattoo Lou's is getting in the spirit with $60 gift certificates for only $50, and $120 gift certificates for an amazing $100! That's like $10 or $20 worth of free body art every time you buy!
If you're wondering how to take advantage of this opportunity, all you have to do is click here to go to our online shopping page. The more you buy, the more free body art you'll have for you and those you love. Consider it our gift to you, our loyal customers!
Happy Holidays from Tattoo Lou's!!
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
People get Halloween tattoos. That's reasonable. Halloween is a dark, edgy holiday, and rocking a jack-o-lantern or vampire bat all year 'round wouldn't make anyone think twice…but Christmas tattoos?? Yes, some people get them. Hanukah ones too. Why? Your guess is as good as ours:
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Ok, this is starting to make sense. Heavy nostalgia is likely a big motivator for those who go all in on permanent holiday tattoos. Who could forget the elves from that "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" claymation movie of our youths? We didn't need no stinkin' CGI back in our day! Actually, we really did. That film is freaking bizarre looking.
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If you really, really, really, REALLY liked getting presents growing up, maybe you'd consider a Christmas tree tattoo? If you want to give people the hint that you still really, really, really REALLY like getting presents, then even better!
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Toys For Tots is a good cause, another reason for getting a holiday tattoo! The only small issue…with this…is that a Mexican wrestler mask Santa's wearing?! Alright, we have no idea what's going on with this one…
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Yes! A Christmas Story! Who doesn't love Ralphie and this timeless tale of childhood and tongues stuck on flag poles?! Or maybe this is the mark of some rabbit-worshipping militant doomsday cult. We sincerely hope it's the former…
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The image is a bit small, but it reads "From the Dreidel to the Grave." Add in the wings and flames, and could there be a more awesome holiday tattoo?! No, there cannot be. We're willing to bet on it, and you know we're coming up Gimel every time!
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
11/23/12
In a fascinating legal case, Chris Escobedo, the owner of Elite Tattoo has filed suit against video game maker THQ for recreating tattoos Escobedo designed for Carlos Condit, a former UFC champion as part of their UFC Undisputed games. What many people might not know is that copyrights on tattoos are actually owned by the tattoo artists and not the people bearing their ink, unless there is a contract created to transfer the rights. Because Escobedo did not grant permission for his art to be recreated, and because he was not compensated for it, he has a strong case. The outcome of this suit will likely have long-term implications for the use and recreation of tattoo art in media.
Fast Fact: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 Americans now have at least one tattoo!
Ok, so recently we were graced with images of Scarlett Johansson's newest tattoo, a horseshoe with the words "Lucky You" inked on her ribcage. As it turns out, we didn't realize just how lucky we were to get a glimpse of it! Scarjo appeared on Letterman this week and talked about the tattoo, saying it was only supposed to be seen by those few men (or women?? Though she's officially denied being bisexual, we can always dream!) with whom the A-list beauty chooses to spend some private sexy time with. It was her tattoo artist who apparently couldn't contain himself and uploaded the pics to the web. Though we're incredibly grateful this Thanksgiving weekend for this gift bestowed on us average folks, who will never have the pleasure of Ms. Johansson's intimate attentions, it really would have been awesome for anyone stripping down with her for the first time to be surprised by the secret message hiding under her shirt!
We hope everyone has enjoyed a Happy Thanksgiving! We'll see you next week with more Tattoo in the News!
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
Getting a traditional Polynesian tattoo might seem like an awesome idea, but anyone who has ever gone through the procedure could tell you that it may be one of the hardest things you ever attempt. It is extremely long, extremely painful, and not for the feint of heart!
The entire procedure for the traditional pe'a (fully covering the torso and upper legs) would take about three months to complete. Every day, the warrior would undergo as much work as he could stand before the pain became too great or until dusk descended. Sometimes it was necessary to take a few days off to let the extreme skin inflammation calm down. The healing process took up to a year, with extensive aftercare of salt water washes and skin massages being necessary to avoid infection. Simple actions like walking were difficult and required assistance by friends and family.
Avoiding or quitting the tattoo process had dire consequences. Those who could not endure the procedure would be shunned by society, considered a coward for life. Because of this, despite the extreme, long-lasting pain, there were few who shrank from the challenge of getting tattooed.
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
The oldest mention of male genital piercing is believed to be in the Kama Sutra. The Apadravya is said to be exceptionally good for enhancing pleasure, both for the man who bears it and for his sexual partners, whether male or female.
The reason for this is due to the placement of this piercing. The Apadravya most often consists of a straight barbell that runs through the glans of the penis from top to bottom, running through the urethra. The ball on the top is ideal for stimulating the G spot of female partners during vaginal intercourse, while the ball underneath the glans is positioned for prostate stimulation during anal sex with male partners.
The Apadravya can be completed in either one or two sessions. When done in two, the first session creating a Prince Albert, as we recently covered, and the top half of the piercing being completed after healing.
The Apadravya is normally centered, though it can be occasionally set off-center. Even in such a case, the bar still usually runs through the urethra. Rarely, the shaft instead of the glans is pierced in this manner, called a shaft apadravya, but many piercers do not perform it that way.
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
Of course, we all know that a rock star without tattoos is about as rare as an honest politician these days, but they're not the only ones who get music tattoos. Music theory students, composers, and fans of the written note of all kinds are drawn to get music-themed tattoos. Here's a look at some favorites:
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Musical notes are a very common tattoo subject, as well as the treble clef symbol that leads off many musical scores.
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This piece emphasizes the clef symbol, with the notes complimenting it.
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Another common symbol to compliment notes is an old-time microphone, perfect for a musician or fan of retro music like Big Band or Swing
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If you grew up in the 80's or early 90's, and you love music, you had one of these or wished you did. Sweet tape deck in that boom box girl! Totally rad!
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Once, man used rocks for tools. Now, he simply rocks, and this tattoo obviously tops our countdown for this week!
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
Getting a tattoo was once a lifelong commitment with no real recourse. Today, though still costly and uncomfortable, tattoo removal technology is allowing many people who regret past ink to erase their mistakes and start over.
In a New York Times article from 2007 (Erasing Tattoos, Out of Regret or For a New Canvas), James Morel, the CEO of Dr. Tattoff, a specialty tattoo removal center in California stated that the vast majority of their clients are women, ages 25-35. He puzzled over the reason for this, whether it was because many more women are getting tattooed these days or if more women end up regretting getting inked.
That same article talks about Freedom-2, which was touted as a technological advancement in removable tattoo ink. This "ink" is actually made up of polymer beads of color that are deposited in the dermis, and are easily broken up by laser treatment, whereupon the dye, made of natural ingredients, absorbs into the skin, erasing the tattoo faster and easier than with traditional ink. A search for Freedom-2, however, makes it seem that it has not caught on as much as its makers hoped. Some artists feel it doesn't work as well as regular ink, aesthetically speaking, and the general consensus in the tattoo world seems to be that if you want a tattoo, you shouldn't get it if you don't want it to be permanent. Consulting with a trusted, experienced tattoo artist will help you decide what's right for you when considering a tattoo.
Next week, we'll continue our look at tattoo removal. Meanwhile, check out our Tattoo Removal page for more info.
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
11/15/12
A woman in England is regretting her decision to go to a tattoo removal practitioner with only one hour of training. Stacy Evans had gotten a tattoo at age 18, and now at age 38, wished to part ways with her ink. Unfortunately, getting it removed by a novice resulted in an unsightly scar, which Ms. Evans has won a compensation claim for. The lesson here? Maybe go to a reputable tattoo shop like….oh, say Tattoo Lou's for all of your ink and ink removal needs! When dealing with body art, working with an experienced, well-trained, professional practitioner should always be your number one priority.
And now an update for the guy who had the Romney "R" tattooed on his face….he has no regrets, despite his face now looking like an out-of-date political bumper sticker, which is admirable in it's own way, we suppose.
Rihanna, one of our favorite tattooed celebrities, apparently wanted to go further than her artist would allow. It seems that last month, the songstress made a trip to her favorite shop with the intention of getting inked on her face! When she arrived, however, the artist in question refused to do the work, and dissuaded her from taking such a daring step. Rihanna, you do have a gorgeous face that needs no embellishment, and we are more than happy seeing your art placed elsewhere!
And finally, from the "never make a bet involving tattoos" department comes a story of a Texas A&M student who lacked faith in his team's ability to upset number 1 ranked Alabama last week. Of course, the Aggies did just that, and our fearless hero was forced to get the score of the game tattooed on his posterior, of all places. Another entry into the Bad Tattoo Bet Hall of Fame!
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
It wasn't, and still isn't easy becoming a Samoan tattoo artist. The practice of tattooing by hand is still practiced there, and has remained unchanged for the last 2,000 years.
The tools of the trade are very much the same as they were all those many years ago. A comb of teeth made from bone, (normally of boars teeth), is attached to tortoiseshell fragments that is then attached to a wood handle to form what is called an au. Burnt candlenut combined with oil or water is used to make the ink, which is held and stored in coconut shell cups. The artist dips the comb in the ink, and then, with another wood stick or mallet, taps the comb to insert the ink into the skin. This tapping is said to be where the Samoan name for tattoo, tatau (to tap or to strike) comes from.
The role of tattoo artist is usually passed down from father to son. Long hours are spent by an apprenticed youth tapping patterns into the sand or into barkcloth before being allowed to work on a person. It is years of study and practice before a son is ready to become an artist in his own right.
Robert Drake is a professional freelance writer, editor, copywriter and blogger. To learn more about this fascinating fellow, visit his website.
