Aperture Science

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Rob

A wise woman once said, “we do what we must because we can.” While the woman may have been a homicidal computer bent on torturing and killing people, while promising cake for all, she does have a point. When it comes to what we do with our bodies, the sentiment rings true. We do what we must to ourselves because this is who we are, and we have the freedom to do what we can. There’s this inner drive to change our outwards appearance into what we feel it must look like, and thanks to practitioners all over the world, we can do what we need to do.

One of those practitioners, Sean Flinn from Stone Clover Artisan in Iola, WI, was able to give one young man exactly what he wanted.

aperture

The uploader (gonzofreelancer), is clearly passionate about photography. And thanks to Sean, he was able to do what he wanted in the way he wanted.

Playing with a corset

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Rob

So what do you do if you’re sitting at home with a big box of needles and a lot of string? Well if you’re like Mattoo here, you break out the camera and make yourself a corset on your arm.

corset

Over in the play piercing gallery you can see the steps that he took while crafting the corset, but to all the blood fans out there, he didn’t upload any after photos.

Based off the camera angles in all the photos, I think it’s safe to assume Mattoo did everything himself, which is pretty impressive considering there are over 20 points in the corset to pierce and weave with one hand.

So here’s your “what if” for the day. What would you do if you had a box of needles like the one in the picture, a large amount of string, and were by yourself?

Accentuating Beauty

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Rob

Occasionally I’ll get a message from someone requesting their image be posted about on ModBlog, but every once in a while I’ll get a note from someone requesting someone else’s photos be posted. Well, thanks to IAM: MoseZ, he was able to point out a couple of pictures in the galleries that I had skipped over.

IAM: Jay-Z has sent in quite a few images over the past couple of months, and each one is better than the last. This first image appeared in the galleries back in June, and it gives us a sneak peek at this beautiful woman.

closeup

What MoseZ pointed out, and what I agree with completely, is that her mods really accentuate her beauty. Aesthetically the piercings and tattoos seem like a natural extension of herself. So while she may have been attractive before getting tattooed and pierced, it seems like adding the mods is like putting the rest of the pieces back into place. An unfinished puzzle that needed completion. But of course, beauty is subjective. The things one person may see as attractive, another person may see as ugly. It all depends on our own personal perspectives in life to determine what we find pleasing to the eye. You may not agree with MoseZ and I in that her modifications accentuate what she already had, but what I think we can all agree on is that the piercings and tattoos are very well done, and she is comfortable with how she looks. Which is really the most important factor in all this. Sure people pass judgments on others all the time based on their appearance, but what matters most is how we feel about ourselves, and doing what we feel is important to our bodies to attain the external vision that we wish to project.

What do you think? Do modifications accentuate what is already there, or are they just a natural extension of a person, to be seen as part of the whole? Or do you think something else?

I’ve added a couple more images after the break which should give you an idea of how the rest of her looks.

Just at a glance I can see both stretched lobes and large gauge cartilage, large labret, medusa, septum and notstrils, and of course the facial tattoos. The man responsible for the medusa is IAM: Bhaileon aka Cheyne Truitt.

To protect the world from devastation…

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Rob

…to unite all peoples within our nation.

A few weeks back I featured an excellent scarification piece of a Pokemon by the name of Ninetails. After seeing so many people chiming in on their love of all things Pokemon, I knew it was only a matter of time that I’d see more Pokemon related images in the galleries. What I wasn’t expecting was this image sent in by IAM: Dead Filmaker.

pokeball

As the self-professed “biggest nerd ever!”, Dead Filmaker had these implants inserted underneath his Pokeball tattoos a mere 5 days before attending the 2010 National Pokemon Championships. I can only imagine how fun it must have been to have Brian insert the one closest to his wrist from an opening up by the elbow. Not seeing any other sutures I’m assuming that they were all done using the same point of entry.

Now I’ll admit I was never a huge fan of Pokemon, at least nowhere near as big a fan as Mr. Filmaker there, but I did enjoy the games and show. I only had the original gameboy game, so I never got to see Team Rocket appear in the games, but Jesse and James were easily the best thing about that show. It’s a shame they always failed so spectacularly, the show would have been so much better if they had won much more often and Ash and co. were the ones screwing up trying to get their Pokemon back.

You can check out more photos like this, including more work by Mr. Brian Decker, in the 3D implant gallery.

Fallout Love

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Rob

It’s always nice to see a couple happily in love. Of course with every relationship troubles can arise, it’s just how you deal with these that will get you through them. Being prepared also helps. Knowing each other well enough to get you through the toughest of challenges can make a relationship even stronger. I’m not talking about fights between the couple, although those would be included, I’m thinking of the big life problems that can arise, sometimes when they’re least expected. Loss of a job, unexpected pregnancy, nuclear fallout, basement getting flooded, car breaking down, and more are all the things life can throw at a couple at any time. This is why it’s always nice to appreciate the little things. Those little moments you share with your partner when the rest of the world doesn’t matter. Sometimes it could be something as simple as a shared love of something. Take this young couple, it’s obvious that they love each other, but they’re showing just how prepared they are for what life can throw at them, even if it’s a nuclear winter.

masks

So while we can all hope to not have to live through a scene from the Fallout series of video games, it’s nice to know that if the world is coming to an end, that the love these two have for each other will surely carry on. If anyone knows who the happy couple is, please let me know so I can give them the proper credit.

As for their tattoos, you can get a better look at them in the new skool tattoo gallery

Update: The photo is of IAM: NickFriederich and his lovely wife Chae. Head on over to Nick’s IAM page to take a look at the rest of the pictures from the photoshoot.

Guess What?

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Rob

It’s been a week since the last Guess What, and I know how much everyone loves them, so here’s a new one for today. Now this one is probably going to be easy to figure out because of the reflection in the picture.

guesswhat

Think you have a good idea of what it is? Keep reading to find out.

transscrotal

This obviously isn’t the biggest transscrotal we’ve seen on ModBlog, but Pek’s clever usage of the large gauge CBRs makes for some pretty decent looking photos. You can check out the rest of his project over in the transscrotal gallery in the Hard section of BMEzine.com. If you don’t have access to the Hard section, you can get yourself a membership right here. And if the Hard galleries aren’t your thing, you can still sign up for a free membership!

Mandala in ink

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Rob

The art of a sand manadala is tied deeply to Buddhist spiritual beliefs. As you can see in the video above, the time and dedication required to create a mandala takes years of study. Each grain of sand is delicately placed to form a detailed image created in a geometrical design. After taking a look at the following image sent in by Punktum, I immediately thought of the sand mandala. (Click the picture to see the full sized image)

With the design being so geometrical and comprised of mainly dotwork, you can easily see where the comparison comes from. The art of tattooing is no so dissimilar from the process involved in creating a sand mandala. Yes one is a strictly religious and spiritual practice, but they both employ the usage of a fine material to create something larger. While the monks use grains of sand, the tattoo artist uses small needles. In both cases the smallest details matter, as each line and color must be placed in a specific location to create the overall design. It was really difficult to select just one image of Punktum’s so here’s a second one, just to give you an idea of how detailed these designs are.

spiral

If you have some time, please check out the tribal and blackwork tattoo gallery today, you won’t be disappointed with what you find.

Cutting right to the point

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Rob

So earlier today we saw IAM: Arseniy Andersson playing chess with someone he had just suspended, now lets take a look at something else that he has done recently.

With Dragon-Con finishing up yesterday, I thought it would be a good idea to throw some form of nerdy mod up here on ModBlog. Of course I could have done the easy thing and found an image from the geek tattoo gallery, but I thought I should dig for something that is even geekier. Sure enough, it didn’t take me too long to find something that I think probably falls into the realm of nerd. Now the appeal of Dragon-Con is that it is the most “fan friendly” convention around. People are encouraged to dress up at all times, and the parties can last all weekend long. Think APP’s convention but with a little more spandex, and almost as many people dressed as Slave Leia. Dragon-Con also caters to every form of nerd/geek/dork/whatever on the planet with workshops ranging from “Zombies vs. Unicorns” to “David Bowie: Loving the Alien” to “Hairstyles of the Tang Dynasty” and everything in between. It’s probably the only place on the planet you’d find Batman sharing costume tips with a steampunk civil war veteran.

I’m sure that of the people that attended, those who are tattooed probably sport something that relates to the object of their passions. Now when it comes to fans of fantasy, nothing says “fantasy” more than elves. I’m not talking about the little guys who make cookies, but the kind that roam the woods with their bows and pointed ears. So what’s an elven fan to do when they really want to transform into one? Well for starters, they could point their ears. Now I’m not saying everyone with pointed ears is a fan of fantasy, but it’s safe to say of the devotees to the fantasy genre, those who are inclined to get a major modification done, will probably have their ears pointed.

Thanks to Arseniy, this young lady was able to get her ears sculpted the way she wanted them. Whether she’s a fan or not, her ears definitely fall into the category of elven.

ears

Now as to how he managed to sculpt her head to remove her face entirely, that’s a story for another day. Although from what I understand, it was reversed due to some breathing difficulties.

Buried in your black heart

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Rob

I was thinking about saving this post for this week’s Friday Follow-up, but it’s such a great series of pics that I just couldn’t wait to share them.

Copy sent in this photo of his hand implant procedure back in May. The artist is Mike Knight from Velvet Grip Family, in Hollywood, CA.

hand

The rest of the photos of the procedure can be seen in the 3D-art implant gallery. The question of course arises, well what does it look like healed?

Thankfully Copy sent in a fully healed picture last week to share with everyone. Keep on reading to check it out.

heart

You can see just how well the implant healed up, plus Copy’s blackwork really accentuates how the light hits his hand, making the heart stand out even more that it would without the tattoo. I’m also a big fan of the simplicity of the photo, the contrast of the black against the wall, and the shadows created by the implant, really make the modifications the highlight of the photo. There’s also the clash between the imagery, while the tattoos are dark and cover the surface, the heart is strong and is showing itself through the darkness, forcing its way into the light.

No matter how deep something may be buried, if it is strong enough, it will rise up and push through anything in its way. Feelings are a perfect example of that. People supress their thoughts and feelings towards things and people all the time, yet eventually, often when it is least expected, those feelings can come rushing back. These moments can easily overwhelm someone, to the point that in the moment nothing else matters. It could be feelings of love towards someone, or anger towards another, I think where it is seen most is at a funeral. The news of a loved one passing away is always painful, yet in the time between hearing the news and the funeral itself, life must continue on for those few days. It’s difficult, but for most people it’s a necessity. So when the day arrives, all those feelings of grief and sadness that someone has pushed aside to get through the days comes flooding back. They’re finally able to release all of that emotion that had been building up, and they’re able to do it at a time they’re surrounded by people who are feeling the exact same way. It is through these experiences that a person is able to come to terms with their own feelings and move forwards. So while holding things in may be needed by people, eventually what is trapped inside will want to come out, it’s just a matter of time.

Fall into the season

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Rob

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

–Albert Camus

Most people have a favorite season. If you love skiing or snowboarding, winter may be your favorite. Spring has always been thought of as a time of rebirth and new love, while summer is the domain of the the sun. Then there are those of us who love the fall. The days growing cooler as the nights get longer, but not so cold that you need to bundle up when you go for a walk. The air becoming crisp and clean now that the humidity of august is behind us. And of course, who can forget about the biggest visual reminder of the changing season, the leaves changing colour.

I suppose it’s fitting that one of the first posts I make the day after Labour Day features some images uploaded over the weekend. Labour Day is always summer’s last hurrah before the fall takes its hold. It’s the last weekend for most kids before heading back to school, and it’s the last long weekend of the summer for adults to head out to the cottage to catch those last few moments on the lake.

For the uploader of the following pics, Halfie, this tattoo really captures that transition from summer to fall. Granted all the seasons can be seen as transitional, but when looking at the leaves, you can really see the changes happening right before your eyes. The artist is Kyle Hoffman from A Brand New Tattoo in Eau Claire, WI, and the photographer was Paul Veit.

fall1

Keep on reading to see the rest of the leaves, and the colors they change into.

fall2

You can check out the rest of the images in the nature and wildlife gallery.

Do you have a favorite season (or seasons)? What makes that time of year special to you?