For those who need a prequel to the reconstruction Gabriele did…
OM NOM NOM!
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Author Archives: Shannon Larratt
Katzen’s New Whiskers
My old friend, world famous artist, musician, performer, and tattooist Katzen just had her whiskers cut by scarmaster Pineapple at Shaman (shamanmodificationsatx.com) in Austin, Texas where they both live. I wanted to mention the term I’m using here for scarification artist, “scarmaster”. I’ve seen “scartist” used before, but that’s sort of a joking word that was invented in Internet days, but “scarmaster” is an indigenous term (translated into English of course) that, if memory serves, I picked up from Lars Krutak who has been traveling around the world documenting scarification and other body modifications — I hope to review his book Spiritual Skin: Magical Tattoos and Scarification soon.
Edit/Update: Here’s a nice close-up as well!
This seat has the best view in the house
A stunningly beautiful photo, the sort of thing I can see framed and hanging in a gallery somewhere, is from Bryan Fury, taken at the Street Mirror Expo 2012. In addition to the seated suspension, those playing cards aren’t just stuck on — they’ve been stapled there.
Dipped in Ink
I love these finger stripes and finger tip tattoos — very neat little touch of ink, and if his hand has been dipped into the liquid world of mods and magically altered by the experience. With just a few simple lines and a little fill, it really tickles my imagination. This was done by Max of Body Temple in London on his own hand.
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A couple of cockmaster(piece)s
Unfortunately it’s rare for genital tattoos to really be masterpieces of tattooing, even with the best artistst holding the needle. Next to a scrotum, it’s about the worst skin to work on. But just because it’s not the best canvas, it’s hard to stop people — tattoo artists and enthusiasts included — from having fun when there’s a penis involved. Happened to see two tattooed members this morning — on the left is a “NO PAIN / NO GAIN” (I guess that means he’s into S&M and can only get hard if you’re pushing needles into his taint) piece by Veronique at Original Sin in Belgium, and on the right is a “firecracker in bed” and “red rocket” (I thought it was the “love bomb” but I was corrected) themed member care of Jon Gray and Chris Costa at Brass Monkey Tattoo. I’ll leave it to you to figure out who shoots the ink and who receives it. Anyway, if you want to see more, BME has built up a giant gallery of genital tattoos (both male and female) over the years that you can explore if you’re a member.
No need to be redundant
I like this simple cutting by Alicia in Milan because it keeps things simple. No one — at least no one that can read — has to ask you the old stand-by question that we all get asked over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, “didn’t that hurt?”
The Three Mod Amigos
My friend Emilio Gonzalez as well as old BME friend Matt Gone (interviewed by The Lizardman back in 2003) and also Mary Jose Cristerna are down at the Costa Rica convention to promote it, and are doing lots of television interviews while there. I’m sure the media are thrilled to have three superstars of body modification all in one place at once. And doesn’t Emilio just dwarf Matt? His head looks about twice as large, as I’ve said before, I suspect that that Emilio is not fully human — some sort of tattooed alien werebear creature I think.
Full Backpiece Scarification
I wanted to share this amazing full-back scarification project, well healed and done several years ago by Shane Post of Wingnut Tattoo (wingnutmods.com). For a piece this big, with scars that have raised quite significantly, it’s remarkably even. I like that from a distance people probably think it’s a burn wound or some horrible injury, but then when they get closer — assuming they can bring themselves to look — they realize it’s a beautiful work of art.
EDIT/UPDATE: I wanted to add something that Shane just told me. This piece was done in one sitting, over about eight hours, and the client didn’t complain once. Wow. Very tough woman, I don’t know if I would have been as brave. She must have been on one hell of an endorphin high as well — this really pushes it from aesthetic procedure to ritual, and gives you an insight into the ancient shamanism practices of early humans.
Strangely, I don’t hear Lady Gaga calling
As you may have already seen, as it’s become viral news on Reddit (which is how I was tipped off) and elsewhere, a guy with a mountain of skull-related tattoos (and even a little Zombie Rick-aesthetic) and an eyeball tattoo just got himself in trouble for, among other things, serial burglary and shooting a cop in Anchorage, Alaska. Not to joke about cop killers (tonight we get even), I have to admit that it is at least mildly amusing to me seeing eyeball tattoos being “endorsed” by criminals — I mean, I don’t think you could possibly come up with a better FUCK THE WORLD and NO FUTURE tattoo than a fully black eye. And as far as I’m concerned, anything at this point that stops the gentrification of tattooing the better. Scare away the yuppies that think body modification is a fashion choice. It’s not. It’s a lifestyle. Duh, it lasts for your whole life — fashion is transient, and when people get that confused, hello tattoo removal and coverups. Of course I generalize, but you know what I mean. Anyway, for my dead homies, on to the tattooed cop killer.
Best booking photo ever.
These pictures below are snagged from the Anchorage Daily News. Click to zoom in. If you’d like to learn more about this case, maybe lose what little hope you had left for humanity, you can follow this link to the story on ADN.
PS. For any dummy that wants to complain, no of course I am not endorsing this guy, and no I don’t think he or his actions are “cool” in any way. So don’t waste your fingers typing a complaint. Also he only grazed the cop, and didn’t kill him like he wanted to, so I don’t feel too bad speaking lightly of the event.
Colourful Calligraphic Tree Tattoo
Before I go on with my exciting plans for the rest of the day, which as those who know me are aware, mostly involve cocaine and hookers while Caitlin is off at work, I wanted to share with you this charming trash tattoo by André Cruz (andrecruztattoo.com.br). I’ve had this piece open in a window for a week or two now, and smile every time I look at it. There’s something just really happy about it, and I think it’s the perfect picture to use as my bow before leaving the stage for now.
