Domo Sayagata, Mr. Willie

This sayagata patterned cutting was done by Sweden’s own Willie.  The recipient is actually Willie’s apprentice, and I have to say that is one lucky apprentice.  At the time this photo was taken the scar is 4 days old, which is a nice time to take a picture as the scar is still fresh, but the bleeding has stopped and any swelling has died down.

Given the level of detail required for a design like this, I’d day Willie pulled it off really well.

Abstraction in progress

It’s no secret how much I absolutely adore the work of Joey Pang from Tattoo Temple in Hong Kong.  However, Joey isn’t the only artist working at the temple, and it’s high time we took a look at what Jodic Chan has been up to.

This abstract piece is still a work in progress, but you can definitely see where the piece is headed.  While abstract isn’t for everyone, you can still appreciate Jodic’s work from a technical point of view.  Her blending of different art forms into a unified piece is remarkable.  Hopefully we get to see this again when it is fully complete.

The Refined Gentleman

He is a man of impeccable tastes.  Always knowledgeable of the finer things in life.  And you can always spot him in the crowd as the classiest looking, probably sporting a dignified mustache .  To give an example of such refinement, The Wong Fukin Person has sent in this photo.

To see the non-blurred version of this dapper looking young man, you know what to do.

You probably recognize the hafada jewelry from the last time we saw Wong.  It’s just a shame he didn’t send this in last month because I probably would have used this photo for a Movember Monday.

The Guess What Game (Results)

Time’s up!  It’s time to see how everyone did.  But before we get to the results, lets get a quick recap of today’s game.

Round 1

Round 1

Round 2

Round 2

Round 3

Round 3

Any final guesses?  Now’s the time.

To see the results, you know what to do…

Round one was the first (and only!) genital piercing of the week.  Gcar101 sent in this photo of a set of labia tunnels.  It’s rare to see this type of piercing without any others visible, so it is somewhat noteworthy.  And I’ll admit the hint was something of a red herring, but can you blame me?  If I had said anything else the default answer would always be genitals.

Round 1

Newsgirl28 sent in this photo of a freshly done hand microdermal.  As pervy as I tried to make the hint, I’m sure not everyone fell for it.

Round 2

Today’s final round was something of a guessing game.  As you can see below it is a photo of a simple tongue stud but the lighting definitely gives the tongue a unique look.  I actually had to closely look at the photo before I realized the tongue wasn’t coated in plastic.  As for why they’re licking a leaf, I have no idea whatsoever.

Round 3

So?  How well did you do this time?  I’m hoping for at least a couple of perfect scores to make up for last week’s disastrous first foray into a themed game.

Every week we’re looking for more photos to play the game with, so if you have a photo lying around that you think might be great for the Guess What Game, just send it in.

Another day down by the iHung river

Every single time the iHung.org gang gets together outside, magic happens.  This time is no different.

A couple weeks back Jason made the drive down from Toronto to Columbus to help xromance with a couple of suspensions.  What they caught on film was something that is becoming a staple of their portfolio, a tranquil setting for a life changing experience.  I caught flack from Jason a couple weeks ago over dinner when he told me to stop referring to him as iHung.  The fact is, iHung is much more than Jason.  Here’s what their mission statement says.

ihung consists of individuals who believe that it is our calling, as modern practitioners of ancient rituals, to find a balance between reverence and respect for the past and the latest techniques in order to provide safe, clean, positive and meaningful experiences.

With that said, lets get back to xromance’s 2-point suicide suspension.  Because as big a part of the experience as the team is, in the end it is all about the person suspending and what they personally get out of the experience.

To see a couple more shots with her in the air, keep on reading..

To see more suspensions from the iHung team, check our their BME gallery.

The Guess What Game (Round 3)

Another week, another Tuesday, and another edition of the Guess What Game!  If you remember last week, there was a lot of blood.  While some people enjoyed the idea of a themed week, the cropped images were admittedly a failure.  So for this week we’re going back to basics.  Three pictures, all clearly of some kind of modification, and no pictures that only show something completely unrelated to the mod.  To make things interesting I can tell you that at least one of this week’s photos isn’t genital related.

For those new to the game, the rules are simple.  Throughout the day, you’ll be faced with three cropped images.  Your job is to figure out what body part/modification is being shown.  To make things a little easier, a clue will be given as to what is in the picture.  At the end of the day, the results will be revealed for all three pictures, and the winners will get bragging rights for the week.  Now, on to the game!

Round three is all about textures.  You have the smooth ball atop a piercing that is going through something that is uniquely textured.  The object on the right side of the image has no direct bearing on the rest of the photo, so don’t let that come into play when making your guesses.

Guess What

Think you know what it is?  Place your guesses in the comments below, then come back later in the day to see if you guessed correctly.

If you’re joining the game late, be sure to go back and check out round one and round two.

The Guess What Game (Round 2)

Another week, another Tuesday, and another edition of the Guess What Game!  If you remember last week, there was a lot of blood.  While some people enjoyed the idea of a themed week, the cropped images were admittedly a failure.  So for this week we’re going back to basics.  Three pictures, all clearly of some kind of modification, and no pictures that only show something completely unrelated to the mod.  To make things interesting I can tell you that at least one of this week’s photos isn’t genital related.

For those new to the game, the rules are simple.  Throughout the day, you’ll be faced with three cropped images.  Your job is to figure out what body part/modification is being shown.  To make things a little easier, a clue will be given as to what is in the picture.  At the end of the day, the results will be revealed for all three pictures, and the winners will get bragging rights for the week.  Now, on to the game!

Round two’s image is of a very fresh microdermal.  What I can tell you about the image is that while it appears that the piercing is off-center, it actually is placed well, it is the photo that is on an angle.

Guess What

Think you know what it is?  Place your guesses in the comments below, then come back later in the day to see if you guessed correctly.

If you’re joining the game late, be sure to go back and check out round one.

The Guess What Game (Round 1)

Another week, another Tuesday, and another edition of the Guess What Game!  If you remember last week, there was a lot of blood.  While some people enjoyed the idea of a themed week, the cropped images were admittedly a failure.  So for this week we’re going back to basics.  Three pictures, all clearly of some kind of modification, and no pictures that only show something completely unrelated to the mod.  To make things interesting I can tell you that at least one of this week’s photos isn’t genital related.

For those new to the game, the rules are simple.  Throughout the day, you’ll be faced with three cropped images.  Your job is to figure out what body part/modification is being shown.  To make things a little easier, a clue will be given as to what is in the picture.  At the end of the day, the results will be revealed for all three pictures, and the winners will get bragging rights for the week.  Now, on to the game!

So for round one we’re looking at tunnel created out of stretched flesh.  While it may appear to be easily identifiable based on what you can see through the hole, sometimes images can be deceiving.

Guess What

Think you know what it is?  Place your guesses in the comments below, then come back later in the day to see if you guessed correctly.

ModBlog News of the Week: December 3rd, 2010

Holy crap it’s December already.  Why didn’t anyone tell me?  With only a couple more weeks until the end of the year, there isn’t a lot of time left for any type of holiday shopping that might need to get done.  Not to mention getting travel plans finalized for the BME New Year’s Eve Party.

Thankfully the news is a little light this week so you’ll still have a few hours to get to the stores before they close.

The first story of the day is one of sadness.  Back on November 19th the Pike River coal mine in New Zealand was rocked by an explosion which resulted in the deaths of 29 miners.  One way that members of the community are handling their grief is through memorial tattoos.

West Coasters are paying a permanent tribute to victims of the Pike River mine disaster.  Greymouth tattooist Nick Reedy said he had done tattoos for about 20 people, marking the deaths of the 29 miners.  ”It’s something people naturally do in remembrance of others and have done for hundreds, if not thousands, of years,” he said.  ”With this latest tragedy … people are doing the same.”  Reedy said he had done some tattoos for free, while other customers had made a donation.  Designs had included mining tools and the yellow ribbon, which had become a symbol of solidarity with the miners and their families.

For the rest of this week’s news, keep on reading…

Last week I posted a story about a professor who was having a camera implanted into the back of his head.  At the time the procedure hadn’t been done, but this week we have video not only of the implant, but also parts of the procedure as well.

New York University photography professor Wafa Bilal had a titanium plate implanted about a week. It was done by someone who normally does body piercings. They used a local anesthetic. A small surveillance camera connects to the base magnetically.

I wasn’t able to find out who did the implant, or even if they want to be publicly acknowledged for the work or not.  It does look like they did a good job though, of course that will be determined on how it holds up with the weight of the camera over long periods of time.

Speaking of using implants in unconventional ways, it seems doctors have found a way to use a piercing that resembles a dermal anchor to assist people who have lost the ability to swallow.

Surgeon Peter Belafsky had been tinkering with ways to treat oropharyngeal dysphagia–a swallowing disorder that when severe can prevent people from being able to swallow at all–for years.  But it wasn’t until he took his two daughters to get their ears pierced–and noticed the woman behind the counter with piercings in her nose, eyebrow, and even cleavage–that he realized how to do it, and a device to manually open and close the esophagus was born.  Described as one of the world’s first medicinal body piercings, the experimental device works by pulling on a tiny metal pin extending out of the skin of the patient’s neck to move the larynx forward and open the esophagus.

“By attaching a tiny titanium rod to a postage stamp-sized plate that we’ve sewn into the neck cartilage, we’ve enabled our patient to safely and without pain pull on the device to move his larynx forward and open the esophagus to allow food and liquid to pass,” Belafsky says. “It’s the first time a person has been able to manually control the entryway to the esophagus.”

Looking closely at the implant you can see they’ve externally threaded the top so the gold colored cap will screw onto it.  It also looks like the cap has a loop on the top, which I’d assume is for a string to assist in pulling open the esophagus.

When it comes to charity drives, we’ve seen quite a few when it comes to tattoo/piercing drives.  This week we have one that is pretty much in line with all the others, and one that is taking things a step further.

Artists working at 281 Tattoo Studio in Edinburg, TX are hoping a toy drive will be able to help out a children’s charity.  Bring in a toy valued at over $25 and you’ll get a free tattoo.

Over in England, Fay Walker is trying something different when it comes to a tattoo charity drive.

“TATTOO Girl” Fay Walker has been inundated with donations after her plan to ink names on the soles of her feet was revealed.  The 27-year-old has been stopped in the street and was given £200 just hours after the Leader reported on her plans to permanently tattoo 50 names on to her size-three feet for charity.

There are still places up for grab on the soles of Faye’s ticklish feet and she is hoping for more bids – as long as they are not rude words.  She said: “I have decided I am going to wait until after Christmas to have the tattoos done and let people get it out of the way and I’m going to have it done in mid-January.  “I have already sold a foot’s worth, 25 names.”

There are still spots up for sale, and Fay’s contact information is posted in the article if you want to have her get your name (or something else) tattooed on her feet.

I normally only cut+paste a small portion of an article just to you the highlights, but this article from December 3rd, 1899 is just too good to trim down.

The present rage among Eastern girls is to have their arms tattooed. A girl at Newport last summer appeared on the bathing beach with bare arms, of course, and on the dimpled flesh was a dainty tattooed design. Since then scores have followed her example.

The girls say when in evening dress they can wear long gloves, and even if the glove is removed a pretty tattooed mark is rather an addition than otherwise. A dainty blue anchor, a shamrock leaf, a heart or arrow, or even a copy of one’s pet dog is a favorite design.

The Hindu used to be the master hand at tattoo work, but his methods were rather harsh. He jabbed the needle in a quarter of an inch with no compunction, and after five minutes most people had to give up and rest. At present in New York there are several girls who make a good living tattooing. They sponge the spot on the arm with cocaine and then, when all feeling has departed, they rapidly use the little needle, and the patient does not suffer in the least.

At present the shamrock done in green is the favorite design, but the American flag is also a popular mark.

Over 100 years later, and I’m still coming across stories written almost exactly like this.

A good example, this article talking about the latest trend:  stretching your earlobes.  Since it’s Friday and almost the end of the work day, why don’t you grab a drink before reading this article.  Then, take a sip every time the author uses the term “gauge” in place of “stretch”.   (Warning: If you’re drinking alcohol you may end up drunk by the end of it)  Here’s a small sample.

People stretch their earlobes for a variety of reasons, Burnidge said. Some like the aesthetics of gauges and the ability for self-expression, while others like the primitive look of them.Western junior Canaan Folk-Reinke has been gauging her earlobes since she was a sophomore in high school. She currently wears 00g, or 10 millimeter gauges.

My apologies if you get alcohol poisoning.

When it comes to discussing the risks involved in getting a tattoo, most articles focus on cross-contamination and unsterilized equipment.  What is often neglected is the risks inherent in some types of inks.  The interesting part of this story is that it is coming from a vegetarian news site, which focuses on the fact that some tattoo inks are not vegan friendly.

Black pigments, derived from kerosene soot and burned animal bones, are considered to pose minimal health risks…that isif you don’t mind walking around with charred critter remains under your skin for an indefinite period of time. While you can even try your hand at making your own DIY black pigment using India ink from an art store, be forewarned that while many modern versions are made with burned wood and/or resin, some are still made with bones…so read the label.

Now I’m not saying that all inks are bad, so don’t shoot me if you think the writer of the article is in the wrong about any of their claims.

Finally, it’s time for the celebrity round-up.  This week there is actually a somewhat interesting story buried within the madness that is celebrity news.

British singer Kerry Katona has opened up in an interview as to why she got her children’s names tattooed on her wrists.  It seems that she’s continually struggled with self-harm and cutting problems so she got the tattoos to remind herself that she has to take care of her children.

Of course with every thoughtful story about a celebrity, there are 100 ones about useless crap.

While Kerry’s wrist tattoo is a coping mechanism to help with her issues, The Jersey Shore “star” Angelina’s wrist tattoo is because she felt that the editing on the show made her look bad.  I’ve seen Jersey Shore.  If the editing was intended to make her look bad, then why wasn’t there any editing to make the others look good?

While I’ll admit to having seen Jersey Shore, I can honestly say I’ve never heard of this next person before in my entire life.  Supposedly there’s a show called Teen Mom, and one of the moms on the show recently had her kid taken away by child services.  She has since gotten her child back, but not before getting a portrait of her daughter on her stomach.

Fans of Inception will likely recognize Tom Hardy from his role in the film.  Do yourself a favor and check out Bronson, Hardy is brilliant in it.  Hardy himself is no stranger to getting tattooed and this week he went out while on the set of his latest film and got himself a new one.

I may have a small man-crush on him

The 33-year-old actor recently added a Union Jack tattoo on his upper left chest when he popped into the shop, one of his favorite local hangouts while he’s been filming This Means War.

In the final story of the day, while it isn’t really celebrity news, thefrisky.com has put together a collection of the ten best Golden Girls tattoos.  I’d have to say #6 and #9 are my favorites.

And thus concludes our broadcasting day here at ModBlog.  Remember to send in any links you find to news stories from around the world.

Have a great weekend everyone, and good luck getting everything on your shopping lists.