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“Does it hurt?” When you're a tattoo artist, that's the most universal question. For Chris MacDonald, the answer is simple: hurts less than a broken heart. Those words are painted above the entrance to his shop, Under My Thumb Tattoos, as a reminder. Chris and his brothers were as wild as the wind, in their house among the fields of Alliston, Ontario, when their parents divorced. Shell-shocked, they were uprooted and brought to Toronto by their dad. Their mother's mental illness worsened in the aftermath, and she disappeared. As a teenager, Chris left home and found himself immersed in the city's underbelly, a world where drugs, skateboarding, and punk rock reigned. Between the youth shelters, suicidal thoughts, and haunted apartments, a light shined: and it was art. He eventually found himself following the path of his brother, Rob, and pursuing life as a tattooist. Then, at the height of a destructive summer, everything changed: he met Megan, the girl who would become his rock of ages. This remarkable memoir examines what tattooing means to MacDonald and traces the connection his artistic motives have to both his family and childhood. The Things I Came Here With is about how crucial our past is to understanding our future, but it's also a love letter to his daughter about the importance of expression, life's uncertainty, and beauty.

This beautifully illustrated guide delves deep into the meaning and significance of different tattoo symbols, exploring the rich cultural history around the world of this widespread form of body art. Tattoos are everywhere: one in three of us has at least one. Body art is one of the most popular ways of expressing our identity and beliefs. But whether we're aware of it or not when we choose a design to be permanently inked on our skin, a complex language of meanings lies behind the visuals we choose. A lotus flower, koi carp swimming upstream or a dragon rising towards the sun: in the language of tattoos these are all symbols of strength and overcoming adversity. This book uncovers the meanings behind tattoo symbols, delving into the history of the most popular motifs that recur in many different tattoo styles, including tribal, traditional, Japanese and realistic. Over 130 symbols are grouped according to their meanings, whether it's good luck, freedom, wisdom, power, spirituality or love. Each symbol is illustrated with stunning, specially drawn visuals by acclaimed artist and tattooist Oliver Munden, and accompanied by an explanation by tattoo expert Nick Schonberger which delves into its history, significance and application in tattooing. Both a visual delight and a fascinating insight into the rich cultural heritage of tattooing, this is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn more about tattoo symbolism, in need of inspiration for their next tattoo, or who just loves tattoo art.

Tattoo artist Megan Massacre presents a beautiful collection of her best work, with instructive how-to and inspiration for both professional tattoo artists as well as tattoo aficionados. With a personal behind-the-scenes peek into the making of a tattoo, from concept to execution, plus fan favorite tattoos and tattoo cover-ups, this approachable, full-color paperback will feature everything Massacre has learned over the years. Part idea sourcebook, part tattoo opus, this is an art book that tattoo fans will be eager to read and display.

Calling all ink addicts! If you want to celebrate your passion for something in the form of a tattoo—or are just fascinated by them—Geek Ink will have you covered, literally and figuratively. This tattoo inspiration sourcebook and ultimate coffee table book presents mind-blowing tattoos on themes from science fiction and fantasy, as well as a wide range of topics across science, mathematics, literature, fine art, cult cinema, and philosophy. The cutting-edge designs from the most sought-after and acclaimed contemporary tattoo artists from around the world cover all types of fandom. Among the topics:Fine art: Gustav Klimt, Michelangelo, Dali, and Van GoghFilms: Star Wars, Batman, Back to the Future, Metropolis, The Wizard of Oz, The Gremlins, My Neigbor Totoro, Pulp FictionLiterature: Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, The Little Prince, Life of PiTelevision: Twin Peaks, Game of Thrones, The Simpsons, Family Guy, X-FilesMathematics and geometry, including a Fibonacci vortex and intricate mandalasAnimals, both realistic and abstractYou will also find hyper-realistic floral designs, intricately detailed botanicals, and whimsical and puzzling works of surrealism. The tattoo styles range from sublimely simple line drawings to masterpieces that would have you spending days on end in the chair. The artwork is organized into two sections: the first, by artist, with an introduction to 25 of the world's greatest tattoo artists, and the second, by theme. Geek Ink incorporates commentary from creators of the Inkstinct project—which connects people with the finest tattoo art from 380,000 studios worldwide and has an Instagram fan base of more than 1 million—as well as interviews with world-renowned masters like Balazs Bercsenyi, David Cote, and Thomas Eckeard. Embrace your weird with this definitive source for tattoo inspiration and appreciation.

‘The Art of Tattoo'brings you a stunning collection of the most intricate, unique and exquisite tattoos, from the subtle and delicate to one-of-a-kind whole-body pieces. Showcasing a range of innovative new styles as well as traditional designs, and packing a punch of colour and charisma, every one of the tattoos in this book is proof that a tattoo is not just ink; it's art.

Pioneering black-and-gray tattoo artist Freddy Negrete was twelve years old and confined in the holding cell of a Los Angeles juvenile facility when an older teenager entered—covered in tattoos. Freddy was in awe, not just of the art, but of what it symbolized, and he wanted what this kid had: the potent sense of empowerment and belonging that came from joining a gang. The encounter drove Freddy to join the notorious gang La Sangra, and it didn't take long before he was a regular guest at LA County's juvenile detention facilities. By the age of twenty-one, Freddy had spent almost his whole life as a ward of the state in one form or the other.Enthralled by the black-and-gray tattoo style that in the 1970s was confined to the rebel culture of Chicano gangsters and criminals, Freddy started inking himself with hand-poked tattoos. Everyone wanted a piece of Freddy's black-and-gray style--gangbangers but also Hollywood starlets and film producers.In a riveting narrative that takes the reader from Freddy's days as a cholo gang member to evangelical preacher to Hollywood body art guru to addiction counselor, Smile Now, Cry Later is, ultimately, a testament to that spark within us all, that catalyst which gives us the strength to survive, transform, and transcend all that can destroy us.

'The human body is the most beautiful thing to us, both inside and out.'--Nick & Brian WolfeInside the Magical World of Bodypainting From fine art to fashion and from advertising to competition, the world of bodypainting is vast and beautiful. With The Human Canvas you will get front row seats to the pageantry of mind-blowing images from accomplished artists around the world. Many of these artists have won the coveted championship at the World Bodypainting Festival and every one holds a special place within this secret, joyful world of creativity and art. With gorgeous images and inside peeks into the minds and processes of the artists, this book will inspire and amaze you.This book was inspired by the World Champion artists Brian Wolfe, who succumbed in his fight against pancreatic cancer in October 2013. A portion of the proceeds from this project will go to support Brian Wolfe's wife and young daughter.About the World Bodypainting Festival The World Bodypainting Festival in Austria has been one of the driving forces in bodypainting over the past two decades. This event hosts the World Bodypainting Championships and has distinguished and encouraged the art form.Receiving hundreds of hours of broadcast time each year, the World Bodypainting Festival has carried this art form into the consciousness of everyday people on almost every continent. It has brought together a massive artistic community with years of history, creativity and experience.'Imagine a painter who can create an image from an idea in the fullness of color, design and expression, and then imagine this artist asking their canvas to sing, dance or scream.'--Karala B.

A celebration of all things tattoo, this visually appealing wealth of tattoo knowledge will have you running for the nearest tattoo artist. The twenty-first century has seen a boom in tattooing, with millions of American's—23 percent of them—boasting ink on their body. This popular pastime is not something to be taken lightly, as there are dozens of aspects to consider when planning your ink. Art on Skin helps with that planning by detailing the different types of art, ink, and artists that pervade the industry.Using striking visuals, Art on Skin showcases the beauty of the art of tattooing and aids in the choosing of a style, with detailed descriptions of the many different styles of tattoos, including fine art, cartoon characters, wildlife, and many more. The full-color photographs within these pages will leave you with dreams of your own pieces, and stories from others who have lived the tattoo experience will keep you from stumbling upon unwelcome surprises. This is the perfect book for tattoo lovers and prospective tattoo junkies of all kinds.

For thousands of years, people have engaged in ritualistic marking of the skin to identify themselves as a member of a tribe, of a lineage, of a mindset, or of a subculture. The ancient art of tattooing is a tradition we carry on to this day. While the past 10 years have seen no shortage of books about tattoos and tattooing, most are best described as “idea books.” Until now, none have profiled the world's most renowned artists across a variety of styles. This book explores this most basic form of self-expression by showcasing the studios and work of 18 of the world's top tattoo artists, including Sulu'ape Angela (San Diego), Aaron Bell (Seattle), Bugs (Los Angeles), Mo Cappoletta (London), Madame Chan (Brussels), Daniel DiMattia (Liege), Durga (Jakarta), Gakkin (Kyoto), Horiryu (Costa Mesa), Henning Jorgensen (Copenhagen), Rory Keating (San Diego), Brent McCowan (Carinthia), Maneko (Brasilia), Keone Nunes (Oahu), Noon (New York/London/Berlin), Sua Sulu'ape Petelo (Sydney), Te Rangitu (Waipapa), and Simon & Eddie (Hartama). Each chapter profiles the artist in the context of where he or she fits into the overall tradition of tattooing, while the photos showcase not only the art but also the artists and their workspaces.

This is a companion volume to our highly successful, Tattoo Design Direct book. Lettering is frequently incorporated in tattoos and this book presents a wide range of samples of different types of letters from Egyptian hieroglyphics, Viking runes and Hebrew words to contemporary Western favourites such as Chinese and Japanese kanji characters. Latin phrases which are very popular are also included. The book also contains 64 pages of various alphabets so that the artist has a wide choice of letters to work with. All in all, this is a must have book for all those interested in tattoos and body art.

A complete reference guide for body artists, illustrating the essentialtechniques of tattoo art and providing stylish designs on a range ofsubjects, many of them accompanied by photographs showing how thedesign translates to the skin. The designs provided includeclassic tattoo motifs such as flowers, hearts, butterflies, stars andzodiac symbols alongside contemporary favourites such as Japanese kanjicharacters. The result is a complete guide to the art oftattooing as well as a rich source of over 200 designs suitable fortattoos. A must for anyone interested in the subject.

Got ink? Having a tattoo is now thoroughly mainstream—but getting it done is still scary for most regular folks. Does it hurt? Is it safe? How much does it cost? Written for the novice and aficionado alike, this book walks the reader through every step of the process: making the big decision, handling the physical event, and finally, taking proper care of your own personal work of art. • Expert advice from a high-profile professional • Includes 30 original designs, exclusive to this book • Includes 8-page full-color insert • Millions of people of all ages get inked each year • Tattoo shops have sprung up everywhere to meet this growing demand, and cable shows such as'Miami Ink'and'Inked'draw huge audiences

The most comprehensive book yet on this unique art form. Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or curiosity, the tatoo has left its mark on generations. From its beginnings as a pagan ornament to today's popular body art, this book takes an intriguing look at the world of tatoos.