Chicamauga

So I finally got this painting done, and shipped of to Safwan in Montreal. I had a bit of a hold up so I could get prints made and wanted to be sure they came out well before shipping off the original artwork. I had posted some of these shots and mentioned this painting in previous posts, but I will post them again for the context of this posting.

The painting itself is called “Chicamauga”. It is based on the short story of the same name by Ambrose Bierce. (Here is a link to the complete story) He had written a couple dozen short stories based loosely and directly on events of the civil war. I plan to do at least two more paintings from his stories as soon as I can get a better grip on my time. All of his stories are graphic and usually full of very dark irony. Perfectly suited to base some illustrations on.

There are a few things I will be working on for shows in the near future, so this series may have to be shelved until I can get the time to focus on it. It’s a little disappointing, as I don’t usually have the fire under my ass as hot as it has been working on this. That said, it is hard to complain about having a few shows and an entry into a book to work some paintings up for. I’ll of course write more on those projects, as they get finished.

The last few images are some vinyl stickers that I’m printing for the Lehigh valley convention this weekend. Let me know what ya think of them… or any of the silliness I post up here for that matter. It’s always nice to get some feedback. Let’s me know if things are interesting to anyone but me. hahaha

If I get the time I plan to post some other recent tattoo photos. I have a ton of drawing to do for this week though, so it may get put off another day or two.

I hope this finds you all well, and maybe ill see you up at the convention!
Scott

This is the machine Safwan made for me. I use it damn near every tattoo I do!

This was the start of the inkwash. Stained paper with tea and peat ink. Black is Talens.

Here is the finished product! I went in to establish a little more depth with acrylic outlines.

Monuments and Rollercoasters

I mentioned earlier that I was going to post photos from my actual camera as most of the other shots from my trip were from my phone. Most of the Shots are from the Monumental Cemetery in Milan. Photos really dont do justice to the scope of this place. 2 1/2 hours of walking around and we still didn't see the entire thing. The carnival photos came from a small one set up in a park across from where we stayed. It is pretty rad that they keep it going through the winter months.
Ok I'll quit yammering... Here's the photos


PS. DON'T FORGET YOU CAN CLICK THE PHOTOS TO SEE THEM BIGGER!

3 steps to a better tattoo community

So today at the shop we had a nice talk about the state of tattooing. More specifically, we discussed the fact that the whole trade seems to be going into the shitter. Yeah I know that is sort of a wide range statement so I’ll try to specify as much as possible without getting too down on everything. Honestly it was a pretty upsetting conversation.

The whole lovely conversation started when Joy pointed out a statement “Inked” magazine had made in their recent issue. Apparently they plan to open 400 tattoo studios in malls across America. Now I would have figured that statement alone would be enough to strike fear into the hearts of every tattooer. It seems I was wrong. I tried to find more info online and found a bunch of people in a forum trying to defend the move. Many of those arguments were from either folks that worked in malls already, or defended the decision as a brilliant business move. It all actually made me sick to my stomach. Talking about that bit started an afternoon’s conversation that covered all, but not only the rant below…

One of the main things that got me interested in tattooing in the first place was the idea that it was still a craft and not a business. It is steeped in tradition and a sense of integrity that gets lost in mainstream art. It has done that by staying, as a business, extremely small. Amazing really, considering it has been around for as long as it has. That small size has kept it manageable and able to be policed by the few individuals that paid their dues to the craft. It was inevitable that tattooing would grow to the gross proportions it has today. Within that growth there has been progress undoubtedly… but I fear it has grown too far past its ability to self govern. There are magazines that publish darn near anything sent their way (or so it seems… id hate to see what they turn down), there are conventions that seem to only have a criteria of affording the booth fee, and there are shops being opened left and right as “business ventures” where the owner has never even held a tattoo machine or if they do indeed tattoo they are green as hell (can you say blind leading the blind). It seems every time you turn around mediocrity is being rewarded and recognized as greatness. If you add that to the overblown sense of entitlement that has swept the nation, you’ve got a perfect storm of bullsh*t.

I don’t think its possible to ever get the good old days back, but if we are going to still have a hand in our own industry we need to take some steps to keep it ours. Simply complaining isn’t worth the time to write, so here are a few ways to start getting a grip on the industry we have built:

As tattooers we need to take responsibility for our trade, our art, and the service we provide.
1. If you are new to the trade, it is important for you to keep yourself in check. Unfortunately as pointed out, you will be told how awesome you are by magazines, show promoters, and customers. Don’t be fooled. You still shouldn’t be attempting that color portrait as a tattoo. If you cant draw it, you cant tattoo it. Self govern.

2. If you HAVE been tattooing for years, HAVE paid your dues, and can tattoo better than everyone on your block… good for you. Now accept the responsibility for your work. Stop with the how to videos, the online step by step tutorials, and for all our sake stop trying to ride this wave till it crashes. You are killing your own industry. Self govern.
lastly (for now)

3. If you don’t tattoo at all… stay the fu*k out of my business. I have worked too hard to watch you run my passion into the ground. You have no right owning a tattoo shop just because you have the money to open one. (let alone 400) I cannot stress enough the damage done by you and your kind. Leach.

I do apologize for the complaining, I usually try to keep this blog positive. Next time will be more pictures and good feelings I promise. Now I gotta get some sleep so I can get up early and draw my ass off. Long day tomorrow.
-Scott

Old art, Old Friends, and an Old Me

Since the London convention, things have continued to be busy and hectic as hell. I am certainly not complaining, but i will say I am happy to see the end of over a month of running around. It will be good to focus on simply tattooing again. If i can i plan to even get the kayak out in the river for some fall smallmouth/sauger fishing... a guy can dream cant he?

Just after returning from London Turk had a day to relax here in PA before returning to San Diego. The highlight there was going to the Brandywine River Museum. It was a quick visit, but it made me realize i need to go back there more often. An amazing collection of the Wyeth families work, as well as a solid collection of one of my favorite artists, Howard Pyle.

http://www.brandywinemuseum.org

After Turk returned home, I had less than a week to focus on work at the shop before leaving for a short trip to Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Holly and Hoss. Every year around my birthday we try to get up there to visit friends, do some tattoos, and just get away from home for a bit. This year was rushed, but i wasnt about to miss the chance to get up there. First stop was in Mass to see some dear old friends for a day of tattooing and relaxing. I didnt get the chance to get any photos but it was no less a grand time.
The next day we were off to Portsmouth to visit more friends and work out of Hobo's Tattoo Shop in town. Most of the time there was spent tattooing, but we did get out a bit to hang out and talk shop. The Tattoo Shop there is one of my favorite places to work, including my own place. Its a pretty amazing group of artists. Definitely worth checking out if you are ever in the area. Jason Scott owns Hobo's, and just opened a second shop in town called Congress St. Tattoo. Both shops support each other and compliment each other in town perfectly. I couldnt be happier for them!
http://www.boldwillhold.com/

 The reason it was a rushed trip to New England this year was a tattoo convention that was arranged aboard the Warship Olympia at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. So Jason and his wife Kim returned home with Holly Hoss and I to attend the show. The concept of the show was pretty amazing, and the idea of working aboard an 1800's warship was too much to pass up. I am certainly grateful to Troy for inviting us to work it. In a time when conventions seem to be getting bigger and bigger, it was refreshing to be a part of a select group of folks where there were only 27 booths. Anymore it seems shows try to cram in hundreds of artists into a room all in the name of the mighty dollar.

All that said, the show was dead. It was a shame more folks didn't make it out. Between the weather that weekend, the Phillies playoffs (go  phils!) and simply little or no word out about the show made for a really quiet time. I was pretty busy as I had booked ahead of time, But many of the other artists were not so fortunate. It made for a chance to talk with other tattooers, and make some new friends so at least there was an upside. I would certainly try it again if it was to be put on again, simply to support the idea of a smaller show like that one. Not to mention the ship itself was Amazing!

Oh and by the way... The first day of the show, Fri 16th, was my birthday. A pretty rad place to spend your 36th birthday in my opinion. Sitting tattooing friends on the oldest steel-hulled American warship afloat, that served as Commodore George Dewey's flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898.

After the convention I had a the next week to prepare for the Pushing up Pumpkins art show we put on at Mercury each of the past 4 years. Between getting everyone's artwork together,  labeling it all, hanging it all, decorating the shop, finishing my own painting for it, and of course drawing and tattooing all my regular apointments... it was a brutal week. I will post a separate blog about the show when i get the photos from the opening. It was a great turnout! well worth all of the effort and expense to put it together. Holly of course was the one that really allowed it to come together. She decorated and cleaned the shop almost entirely by herself. I'm a pretty lucky fella indeed.

Website for Pushing up Pumpkins

Here are some shots of the painting i worked out for the show..

And lastly here are a few pics from home. I was able to get out a bit and enjoy fall this year....it aint over yet, but with halloween this weekend, the fall is ending soon indeed.

Hoss loves the fall as much as Holly and I!

These shots are all from the house and yard...