Revive From Ashes and Rise

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Gangster number one Ryan Ouellette from Precision Body Arts in Nashua, New Hampshire, sends in this phoenix cutting he did recently. Wait, what’s that? You want Ryan to cut you? Well holy damn, you’re in luck. He’ll be at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention from February 27 to March 1, 2009, doing all sorts of fun things. Visit him at PBAscars.com to set something up.

Also, the above cutting after three months of healing, after the jump.

154 thoughts on “Revive From Ashes and Rise”

  3. Man, i love the look of a fresh cutting, but i’ve never enjoyed the look of the keloiding / scarring afterwards. Kudos if it’s your thing, of course. 🙂

  4. Man, i love the look of a fresh cutting, but i’ve never enjoyed the look of the keloiding / scarring afterwards. Kudos if it’s your thing, of course. 🙂

  7. #1, I’ve always liked fresh scarifications as well, but the few actual end results I’ve liked are when the scar hasn’t keloided much and the scar’s actual colour is lighter than the normal skin (but I do have to admit that the traditional dot-scarring that some African tribes practise looks amazing too, ‘though the scars are darker in colour than the unmarred skin)

    But the phoenix scar looks nice, even though it lost some of the details in the healing process.

  8. #1, I’ve always liked fresh scarifications as well, but the few actual end results I’ve liked are when the scar hasn’t keloided much and the scar’s actual colour is lighter than the normal skin (but I do have to admit that the traditional dot-scarring that some African tribes practise looks amazing too, ‘though the scars are darker in colour than the unmarred skin)

    But the phoenix scar looks nice, even though it lost some of the details in the healing process.

  13. I must say I like the healed result. It has retained enough detail to still look like a phoenix, but the sofening of the edges makes it very organic, which I think is the purpose of this artform over tattooing. Hence a beautiful job!

  14. I must say I like the healed result. It has retained enough detail to still look like a phoenix, but the sofening of the edges makes it very organic, which I think is the purpose of this artform over tattooing. Hence a beautiful job!

  25. i have always liked fresh cuttings but figured why cut when you can ink?

    this piece has changed my mind.

    fucking epic!

  26. i have always liked fresh cuttings but figured why cut when you can ink?

    this piece has changed my mind.

    fucking epic!

  29. This is absolutely beautiful, and makes me want a cutting of my own… a lot.

  30. This is absolutely beautiful, and makes me want a cutting of my own… a lot.

  41. ah, gods! that looks so painful, and beautiful! i’ve always wanted a pattern of raised dots and lines…

  42. ah, gods! that looks so painful, and beautiful! i’ve always wanted a pattern of raised dots and lines…

  49. Man, when I saw the first picture I was about to go into a tizzy about how unethical it is to do this kind of work on a pregnant woman! Obviously just the angle/way she is standing. I can’t be the only one who thought that, right?

  50. Man, when I saw the first picture I was about to go into a tizzy about how unethical it is to do this kind of work on a pregnant woman! Obviously just the angle/way she is standing. I can’t be the only one who thought that, right?

  53. i think of it as art, but people need to understand the gravity of these sorts of creations, i mean, not mentioning the fact of how many different kinds of diseases you might get from this (HIV, Hepatitis, necrotizing fasciitis, systemic infections), the life long implications as well, the fact that you will forever have this scar on you sagging skin as you get older making it more prone for you to shear your skin, and just the fact that it will look just plain ugly as you get older!!! but as i mentioned.. it is art, there are various cultures who experience it religiously and as always it is YOUR personal choice, i just feel that people need to know the full implications of their choice to do this….

  54. i think of it as art, but people need to understand the gravity of these sorts of creations, i mean, not mentioning the fact of how many different kinds of diseases you might get from this (HIV, Hepatitis, necrotizing fasciitis, systemic infections), the life long implications as well, the fact that you will forever have this scar on you sagging skin as you get older making it more prone for you to shear your skin, and just the fact that it will look just plain ugly as you get older!!! but as i mentioned.. it is art, there are various cultures who experience it religiously and as always it is YOUR personal choice, i just feel that people need to know the full implications of their choice to do this….

  57. i dont understand the point of scarring. it looks awesome in the first picture, but the scarring does not. 🙁

  58. i dont understand the point of scarring. it looks awesome in the first picture, but the scarring does not. 🙁

  63. This is retarded! Looks odd, and over tiem the scars will fade and loose their shape so that there is nothing but blurred lines left where you look as though someone sliced and diced you open

  64. This is retarded! Looks odd, and over tiem the scars will fade and loose their shape so that there is nothing but blurred lines left where you look as though someone sliced and diced you open

  65. Obviously this is a personal choice, but why wouldn’t you get the design tattooed instead. It would look so much cleaner, and not leave a terrible looking scar across your body!

  66. Obviously this is a personal choice, but why wouldn’t you get the design tattooed instead. It would look so much cleaner, and not leave a terrible looking scar across your body!

  67. Wow you people are assholes. If it’s on you feel free to voice personal opinions. But since it’s on someone else just shut up and mind your business.

  68. Wow you people are assholes. If it’s on you feel free to voice personal opinions. But since it’s on someone else just shut up and mind your business.

  69. Stumbleupon; by serving me this disturbing piece of ‘art’.. you have failed me in an epic way :-\

  70. Stumbleupon; by serving me this disturbing piece of ‘art’.. you have failed me in an epic way :-\

  71. uhhhh. im disturbed. i mean it looks cool but it would look much better if you didnt have to cut your skin off to do it. why didnt you just do a tattoo?

  72. uhhhh. im disturbed. i mean it looks cool but it would look much better if you didnt have to cut your skin off to do it. why didnt you just do a tattoo?

  73. as someone who used to be a cutter, this is sick to me. it’s absolutely disgusting. i can’t even begin to say.

  74. as someone who used to be a cutter, this is sick to me. it’s absolutely disgusting. i can’t even begin to say.

  77. Holy crap! OW! OW! OW!
    It’s beautiful, but there is no way I could cope with that amount of skin being separated from my body.

  78. Holy crap! OW! OW! OW!
    It’s beautiful, but there is no way I could cope with that amount of skin being separated from my body.

  79. #27.. thats exactly what i thought as well.
    if this is your thing then good for you, but i reckon it looks sooooo painful. and scars arent a good look imho.
    lol at “annoyed”!! people always voice their opinions about other people. and if someone chooses to do this to themselves then they have to expect that lots of people will dislike it. get over it

  80. #27.. thats exactly what i thought as well.
    if this is your thing then good for you, but i reckon it looks sooooo painful. and scars arent a good look imho.
    lol at “annoyed”!! people always voice their opinions about other people. and if someone chooses to do this to themselves then they have to expect that lots of people will dislike it. get over it

  81. Omg, that must hurt like crazy. I can’t even imagine how it must be to deal with as it’s healing. How to sleep? Bend over to pick something up? Owwwwwwww. It must take all kinds of dedication to the art form to even do a small image. This is huge!

  82. Omg, that must hurt like crazy. I can’t even imagine how it must be to deal with as it’s healing. How to sleep? Bend over to pick something up? Owwwwwwww. It must take all kinds of dedication to the art form to even do a small image. This is huge!

  83. I don’t understand why you would do this to yourself if I’m honest. I don’t care about being hated on but I think it looks really ugly and would be totally painful. Stumble failed me again.

  84. I don’t understand why you would do this to yourself if I’m honest. I don’t care about being hated on but I think it looks really ugly and would be totally painful. Stumble failed me again.

  85. I dont think I could handle that. I guess if your looking for a non reversible mark on your body scaring is the way to go… Its not for me.

  86. I dont think I could handle that. I guess if your looking for a non reversible mark on your body scaring is the way to go… Its not for me.

  87. Wow. ouch. Im with chantal on this–the implication of pain is enough to make me flinch when i see the picture.

    I’m all for body modifications–i have a tongue piercing and some ink on my ankle (with more to come) and the design itself looks wicked as hell, but damn! why do the cutting when you can get the same look with ink? it may take a bit extra money to have them find an ink that’s the right color for your skin, but still.

  88. Wow. ouch. Im with chantal on this–the implication of pain is enough to make me flinch when i see the picture.

    I’m all for body modifications–i have a tongue piercing and some ink on my ankle (with more to come) and the design itself looks wicked as hell, but damn! why do the cutting when you can get the same look with ink? it may take a bit extra money to have them find an ink that’s the right color for your skin, but still.

  89. This looks amazing. The scarring killed the details but it still looks incredible. And I’m not even into this stuff to begin with!

    Wtf is stumble and why does it appear to be such a retard-magnet? Shit, it’s all nice and well to have an opinion, but “ur stupid 4 doing dis it looks ugly!11!” is not an “opinion”.

  90. This looks amazing. The scarring killed the details but it still looks incredible. And I’m not even into this stuff to begin with!

    Wtf is stumble and why does it appear to be such a retard-magnet? Shit, it’s all nice and well to have an opinion, but “ur stupid 4 doing dis it looks ugly!11!” is not an “opinion”.

  91. some people like being cut. i believe that is one of the reason scarification is popular. Its the same reason people cut themselves sometimes. people love the endorphine rush from it.

    is it permanent?

  92. some people like being cut. i believe that is one of the reason scarification is popular. Its the same reason people cut themselves sometimes. people love the endorphine rush from it.

    is it permanent?

  93. this is such a beautiful piece. i love the placement on her body.
    these seem almost impossible to heal. i pick, so i know i would eff it up.

    scars do look pretty cool… it would be awesome to have one in the shape of something.
    it’s just another mod… for some the more extreme the better.

    i love how someone in every feed is like, “it’s photoshopped!!”

  94. this is such a beautiful piece. i love the placement on her body.
    these seem almost impossible to heal. i pick, so i know i would eff it up.

    scars do look pretty cool… it would be awesome to have one in the shape of something.
    it’s just another mod… for some the more extreme the better.

    i love how someone in every feed is like, “it’s photoshopped!!”

  95. I am very impressed at the neatness, impeccable attention to depth detail and obvious skill of the person who did this – not so impressed at the aftercare, the way it’s worn along the waistline of where the woman obviously wears her clothes. Still, the initial cutting was impeccable, not my taste of body modifications – none the less I can appreciate when I see a skilled cutting – and this is one. Kudos.

  96. I am very impressed at the neatness, impeccable attention to depth detail and obvious skill of the person who did this – not so impressed at the aftercare, the way it’s worn along the waistline of where the woman obviously wears her clothes. Still, the initial cutting was impeccable, not my taste of body modifications – none the less I can appreciate when I see a skilled cutting – and this is one. Kudos.

  99. I think this is an excellent example of this artform and I’m thankful for stumbleupon enabling me to find this. I’m sorry other users can’t just give it a thumbs down and move on without having to comment. Kudos to this person to be brave enough to embrace a body mod that some don’t understand and to find an artist who can do it well.

  100. I think this is an excellent example of this artform and I’m thankful for stumbleupon enabling me to find this. I’m sorry other users can’t just give it a thumbs down and move on without having to comment. Kudos to this person to be brave enough to embrace a body mod that some don’t understand and to find an artist who can do it well.

  101. I think it’s beautiful, I wish I had the guts to do something like this.
    On behalf of my fellow stumblers- I apologize.

  102. I think it’s beautiful, I wish I had the guts to do something like this.
    On behalf of my fellow stumblers- I apologize.

  103. What’s the matter? Did mommy not love you enough were you were little? Come from a broken home? So now self mutilation is how you deal with low self esteem?
    Go see a psychiatrist instead of a sadist.

  104. What’s the matter? Did mommy not love you enough were you were little? Come from a broken home? So now self mutilation is how you deal with low self esteem?
    Go see a psychiatrist instead of a sadist.

  105. JRM. Eat a dick. What happened to “to each their own”? It doesn’t affect you so don’t be a dick about it.

    That is a very nice piece.

  106. JRM. Eat a dick. What happened to “to each their own”? It doesn’t affect you so don’t be a dick about it.

    That is a very nice piece.

  107. i’m from stumbleupon too. and i’m not a retard lol. anyway i’ve never heard of this, but it’s pretty tight. don’t know if i have the bawls to do it, but it is an art. and it is a little disgusting, but tattoos are pretty bad too. this is just less common and less conventional so everyone frowns upon it.

  108. i’m from stumbleupon too. and i’m not a retard lol. anyway i’ve never heard of this, but it’s pretty tight. don’t know if i have the bawls to do it, but it is an art. and it is a little disgusting, but tattoos are pretty bad too. this is just less common and less conventional so everyone frowns upon it.

  109. Hi guys I am here because I hit a button that takes me to random websites and feel entitled to trash on someone else’s choice…

    Oh wait, no I’m actually here to say I really like that piece and I impressed by the artist who created it and the woman who underwent it.

    As someone with no body art I don’t feel I can completely relate but I have talked to many people who relate that the pain experienced while having a piece done is something of a luminous experience, transcendence through overcoming pain if you will.

    I also really admire it because I feel like having this done to oneself not only serves as a space for more beauty to enter the world, but because it loudly proclaims, “This is my body, this is my choice, you can accept or reject it as you please, but you must deal with the fact that I”m here and the person I am.”

    Props to the artist and the lady, and jeers to ye who wouldst talk smack!

  110. Hi guys I am here because I hit a button that takes me to random websites and feel entitled to trash on someone else’s choice…

    Oh wait, no I’m actually here to say I really like that piece and I impressed by the artist who created it and the woman who underwent it.

    As someone with no body art I don’t feel I can completely relate but I have talked to many people who relate that the pain experienced while having a piece done is something of a luminous experience, transcendence through overcoming pain if you will.

    I also really admire it because I feel like having this done to oneself not only serves as a space for more beauty to enter the world, but because it loudly proclaims, “This is my body, this is my choice, you can accept or reject it as you please, but you must deal with the fact that I”m here and the person I am.”

    Props to the artist and the lady, and jeers to ye who wouldst talk smack!

  111. I LOVE the design. I would have opted for a tattoo as well, mostly because this cutting shows less detail in the end and the pain that was necessary to go through for it has little cultural significance except to those who defend cutting (not a brave warrior in the Amazon or anything). I have piercings but this seems more of a desperation for attention greater than a tattoo could garner (like branding would do, also) and as with all body modification (even plastic surgery) it is a sign of unattended to psychological disturbance that doesn’t disappear after the act. Especially as this has such an obvious methodological relationship to emotional cutting, which can be correlated to severe mental disorders and emotional instability, this is a bit scary to exalt. Wonder why she got it; hope she gets some help if she really needs it.

  112. I LOVE the design. I would have opted for a tattoo as well, mostly because this cutting shows less detail in the end and the pain that was necessary to go through for it has little cultural significance except to those who defend cutting (not a brave warrior in the Amazon or anything). I have piercings but this seems more of a desperation for attention greater than a tattoo could garner (like branding would do, also) and as with all body modification (even plastic surgery) it is a sign of unattended to psychological disturbance that doesn’t disappear after the act. Especially as this has such an obvious methodological relationship to emotional cutting, which can be correlated to severe mental disorders and emotional instability, this is a bit scary to exalt. Wonder why she got it; hope she gets some help if she really needs it.

  115. jesus christ, who put modblog on stumble? it’s like an idiot magnet.

    scars aren’t my cup of tea, but nobody’s forcing me to do it. i much prefer the look of a fresh cutting, so i’ll stick to red ink tattoos, rather than the risks of an imperfect image coming from healing.

    i really like how hers faded in the bottom though, it looks lovely.

    oh, and @40, i used to cut myself as well, but funny, it didn’t make me closeminded about other people…

  116. jesus christ, who put modblog on stumble? it’s like an idiot magnet.

    scars aren’t my cup of tea, but nobody’s forcing me to do it. i much prefer the look of a fresh cutting, so i’ll stick to red ink tattoos, rather than the risks of an imperfect image coming from healing.

    i really like how hers faded in the bottom though, it looks lovely.

    oh, and @40, i used to cut myself as well, but funny, it didn’t make me closeminded about other people…

  119. As both a frequent Modblog visitor, and a StumbleUpon user, I think that cuttings are absolutely amazing. They are an art form whether or not you agree with it. It’s not, in my own opinion, related to self injury at all, so for #40, your self-injury shouldn’t have an impact on how you view this. I am an ex-self injurer as well, it’s been over two years that I haven’t cut, and I see these scarification pieces as just another body modification. This work in particular is one of my recent favorites. Do any SU users visiting understand the patience and pain that goes into this? It’s done as much for the experience as it is for the artwork. This is a fantastic way to express yourself with your body, and I am glad to say I will be getting a scarification piece done. Modblog, let me apologize for the ignorance of your average everyday SU user..

    Oh, and…it kinda sucks that this has to be my FIRST ever comment. lol.

  120. As both a frequent Modblog visitor, and a StumbleUpon user, I think that cuttings are absolutely amazing. They are an art form whether or not you agree with it. It’s not, in my own opinion, related to self injury at all, so for #40, your self-injury shouldn’t have an impact on how you view this. I am an ex-self injurer as well, it’s been over two years that I haven’t cut, and I see these scarification pieces as just another body modification. This work in particular is one of my recent favorites. Do any SU users visiting understand the patience and pain that goes into this? It’s done as much for the experience as it is for the artwork. This is a fantastic way to express yourself with your body, and I am glad to say I will be getting a scarification piece done. Modblog, let me apologize for the ignorance of your average everyday SU user..

    Oh, and…it kinda sucks that this has to be my FIRST ever comment. lol.

  121. I agree that the stumblers are a little dumb but 59′s comment was exponentially worse for being the most pretentious thing I’ve read this year. The last sentence with the “methodological” and the “correlation” and the “exalt” (!!!!!) was utterly hilarious…I want to know what kind of “unattended psychological disturbance” your own piercings are symptomatic of (terminal hypocrisy, I’d guess) (Hope you get some help!).

  122. I agree that the stumblers are a little dumb but 59′s comment was exponentially worse for being the most pretentious thing I’ve read this year. The last sentence with the “methodological” and the “correlation” and the “exalt” (!!!!!) was utterly hilarious…I want to know what kind of “unattended psychological disturbance” your own piercings are symptomatic of (terminal hypocrisy, I’d guess) (Hope you get some help!).

  127. Therapy, real therapy is needed here. It’s not cool. It is not a form of art. To have yourself mutilated out of free will means you have some serious issues that need addressing.

  128. Therapy, real therapy is needed here. It’s not cool. It is not a form of art. To have yourself mutilated out of free will means you have some serious issues that need addressing.

  129. I like tattoos, I like plugs, but really, this shit is completely fucking nasty. Just the thought of cutting pieces of your flesh off to have a giant scar on your body that’s in the shape of a phoenix, this is on the same lines as people who throw giant ass hooks in their body and hang themselves and say it’s an “art form” when it’s basically just self mutilation.

  130. I like tattoos, I like plugs, but really, this shit is completely fucking nasty. Just the thought of cutting pieces of your flesh off to have a giant scar on your body that’s in the shape of a phoenix, this is on the same lines as people who throw giant ass hooks in their body and hang themselves and say it’s an “art form” when it’s basically just self mutilation.

  131. Yes, you could get it tattooed instead of scarred, it would hurt less and have a lasting effect, BUT THAT’S COMPLETELY BESIDE THE POINT OF IT. I am almost perfectly certain the chick knew of the implications of scarification, that it would not heal in perfect shape, etc.

    Personally, I wince at the fresh cuts but I think the scars have left a nice, subtle image.

  132. Yes, you could get it tattooed instead of scarred, it would hurt less and have a lasting effect, BUT THAT’S COMPLETELY BESIDE THE POINT OF IT. I am almost perfectly certain the chick knew of the implications of scarification, that it would not heal in perfect shape, etc.

    Personally, I wince at the fresh cuts but I think the scars have left a nice, subtle image.

  133. I was excited to see this on SU since I frequent modblog myself. I’ve added the QOD as a page to SU because I think it’s a great resource for people who are interested to get answers they need. A lot of SU users seem to use this great little button to start internet dramaz, but the people like #59 who say they have piercings, but that think scarification is a sign of deep psychological issues…. seriously guys? Lolz.

    To be a part of a community is to accept and stand by your community. Scarification is not about slitting your wrist with a razor blade because you need someone to talk to, it’s just another form of body art. I’m not even going to go into the fact that if they did have mental issues, Ryan wouldn’t even touch them with a blade.

    He’s still the one I go to for all my work. Love him.

  134. I was excited to see this on SU since I frequent modblog myself. I’ve added the QOD as a page to SU because I think it’s a great resource for people who are interested to get answers they need. A lot of SU users seem to use this great little button to start internet dramaz, but the people like #59 who say they have piercings, but that think scarification is a sign of deep psychological issues…. seriously guys? Lolz.

    To be a part of a community is to accept and stand by your community. Scarification is not about slitting your wrist with a razor blade because you need someone to talk to, it’s just another form of body art. I’m not even going to go into the fact that if they did have mental issues, Ryan wouldn’t even touch them with a blade.

    He’s still the one I go to for all my work. Love him.

  139. Hey, don’t come down on us SU users so hard. A lot of us just stumble around and never say a word…..few bad eggs *sigh* There are retards all over the internet, no matter how they got there.

    My opinion: I am intrigued by this and find it both beautiful and disturbing at the same time. Props to girl for handling the pain this must have caused. I don’t think I could. If she likes it. That’s all that matters 😀

  140. Hey, don’t come down on us SU users so hard. A lot of us just stumble around and never say a word…..few bad eggs *sigh* There are retards all over the internet, no matter how they got there.

    My opinion: I am intrigued by this and find it both beautiful and disturbing at the same time. Props to girl for handling the pain this must have caused. I don’t think I could. If she likes it. That’s all that matters 😀

  147. it’s beautiful… but there’s no way I could take it… and personally I think it would look better in ink just because the red’s so amazing…then again, if it hadn’t shown the fresh cutting first it probably wouldn’t’ve occured to me =p

  148. it’s beautiful… but there’s no way I could take it… and personally I think it would look better in ink just because the red’s so amazing…then again, if it hadn’t shown the fresh cutting first it probably wouldn’t’ve occured to me =p

  149. “its fake… photoshoped..”

    TRUST ME, it’s not fake. I’ve seen, and touched it myself. The more it heals, the prettier it looks (in my eyes). Ryan did an excellent job on this cutting.

    And, whoever said it’s from a movie, she’s never been in any movie I’m aware of, and I’m pretty sure I’d know 😉

  150. “its fake… photoshoped..”

    TRUST ME, it’s not fake. I’ve seen, and touched it myself. The more it heals, the prettier it looks (in my eyes). Ryan did an excellent job on this cutting.

    And, whoever said it’s from a movie, she’s never been in any movie I’m aware of, and I’m pretty sure I’d know 😉

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