This collection of 200+ portraits of pierced, tattooed, and heavily body-modified people is a celebration by photographer Efrain John Gonzalez. In this colorful volume Gonzalez, as an artist, captures both the spirit of the many individuals and the rich uniqueness of their fantastic tattoos, piercings, brandings, cuttings, subdermal implants, and radical transformations. Many of the images of this great tattoo art and extreme individuals were photographed during the past decade during the New York City Tattoo Convention at the Roseland Ballroom. Gonzalez has a reputation as one of America's most prolific fetish documentarians, and he has traveled America to make images of people stretching their limits... and their skin. Much of his work was taken live at the moment it happened, and in places that aren't accessible for most people. Gonzalez seeks out truth in people and in this volume he shares it with the reader in a collection quite unlike anything else.

The unearthing of authentic celluloid acetate stencils, a project undertaken by Long Island tattoo shopowner and memorabilia collector Cliff White, continues. In this compilation, thousands more artifacts emerge from "deeper inside the trunk" and expose a sprawling collection from the late '50s and early '60s. These facsimiles, represented in their original color and tone, include timeless designs such as anchors and panthers; famous cartoon characters; wizards, unicorns, and leprechauns; cultural and historical symbols, from Marine Corps logos to Asian designs; and hundreds of other styles too numerous to mention here. Marks of original artists shine through in the leaves of this volume, revealing the etchings of rough craftsmen of a half century ago and evoking stories of weathered sailors and hardscrabble New Yorkers that veteran and young tattooists will appreciate. Fans of scrimshaw, folk art, and engraving will also consider this book a massive source of inspiration and awe.

Japanese folklore and modern American tattooing come together in this book of more than 100 sheets of tattoo flash designed to be drawn on the body in a single session. Exploring the rich history of Japanese ink drawings and making readily tattooable images were the priorities of this third book in the Classic Flash series. The artists applied themes and characters from Japanese mythology, such as yokai, to their traditional American aesthetic. Divided into three sections, one each for designs by the artists individually, and one with flash created collaboratively, the book features designs that have gradually more complicated backgrounds, or filler. Tattoo collectors and enthusiasts with an appreciation for manga, who may be intimidated by extremely complex Japanese tattoo designs, will revel in this colorful, whimsical collection of flash.

Here's a chance to ogle the women who paved the way, tattooing themselves and baring their chests when the "good girls" were wearing poodle skirts and heading off to sock hops. Imagine your grandma like this! These women lived counter-culture lives. This book exposes a culture that, even in 1982 when it was first released, was totally shocking. Now it returns as a tribute to the pioneers, the visionaries who saw their bodies as works of art, and were brave enough to share them with the rest of us.

One of the biggest challenges currently facing tattoo artists is to effectively tattoo dark skin. This book introduces tattoo artists to a different approach to tattoo art. Over the course of tattooing thousands of people of color, the author developed techniques and discovered tattoo patterns that best reflect his clients' cultures and communities, many of which are displayed here. Using 380 striking color photos of his work and a recounting of amazing experiences that led an artist involved in tattooing since the 1960s to discover techniques and applications that produce effective, clear tattoos on dark skin. This book is a grand introduction to tattooing dark skin and a fascinating resource.

Enjoy two thrilling tattoo-flash books! These two tomes rank among the best and most extravagant flashbooks that have ever been published. Edition Reuss, well-known and renowned for its collectors items, once again comes up with astounding heavy coffee-table books that set standards. "Tattoo Masters Flash Collection: Part 2" starts with an interview with tattooist and exceptional artist Filip Leu. The whole of the "Leu family clan" has contributed fantastic flash artwork. Another exciting interview with Piotr Wojciechowski, director of the "Polish Tattoo Museum", offers an interesting insight into the world of tattooing in eastern Europe. As a special highlight for the book he provided impressive historical flash-sheets from the pioneer days of tattooing! Names like "Sailor" Jerry Collins, Ray Emms, Milton Zeis, Ted Hamilton and Leonard St. Clair sound like music to the ears of tattoo aficionados music of days gone by. The extensive collection of flash that follows is unique! The illustrations and drawings have been made exclusively for this collection, and have been produced by contemporary tattoo artists who rank among the best in the world. Every artist presents his work in his own style. This explosion of fanciful crossover flash styles will make the any tattooist's heart beat faster. "Tattoo Masters Flash Collection: Part 2" includes works by Mouse Lopez, Espi, Leo Zulueta, Luke Atkinson, Dan Sinnes, Trojan, Felix Leu, Colin Dale, Filip Leu, Chee, Indio Reyes, Jess Yen, Tommy Cyklone Garcia, Naoki, Goethe Silva, Lucio Ramirez, Rick Clark, Krazy K, Olivier Julliand, Kurt Wiscombe, Bale Sineros, Ade Itameda, Chris Ayala, Andy Shou, Jean-Luc Navette, Brent McCown, Horitaka, Diego Garcia, Dimitri Hk, Paulo Manabe, Pepe Nueva York, Taku Oshima, Marcos Adame and many others.

This groundbreaking new book covers the basic techniques of electric tattooing in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step way. This is the perfect book to accompany the hands-on training the apprentice tattooer receives, and will be a welcomed reference in every tattoer's library. It covers sanitation concerns, preparation of the site, outlining, shading, and coloration. Bandaging and aftercare is also discussed. Each step is illustrated with a color photograph and a concise explanation.

Thirty hand-picked tattoo shops and the work of over one hundred artists are included in this book showcasing the blossoming body art communities in New Mexico and Arizona. Displayed are over 600 color photos of tattoo artistry. Trendsetting artists create a wide range of tattoo art in motifs as diverse as the men and women who receive and appreciate them. The artwork ranges from the small to the large. Classic black and white artistry and modern full color work are featured. Themes captured include natural scenes, animals and birds, flowers, nautical scenes and symbols, Oriental motifs from dragons to geishas, portraits of loved ones, religious art, Day of the Dead motifs, occult symbology, and much more. The artists and their shops are also featured. For anyone with an appreciation of tattoo artistry, this book is for you.

Tattoos, perhaps one of the oldest forms of communication or body art, have had and still have different meanings. From healing powers to the identification of criminals, through myths and different beliefs or simply as a form of identification and affirmation of group belonging, tattoos are one of the most characteristic means of expression associated with sailors, soldiers, organized crime, gangs or urban tribes, as well as being a form of body adornment and expression of a lifestyle, philosophy or many people's beliefs. By way of a clear, insightful text, this publication unveils the meaning of the tattoos that have lived on through the passage of time and that, even today, explain a lot about the person who wears them. After all, a tattoo is much more than a drawing on the skin; it's a declaration of intent. From drawings that date back to the dawn of civilization to contemporary designs, each tattoo has a hidden story that this book is eager to reveal.

A classic reborn, here is a book that opened new territory in 1979, revealing the bodies of those who patronized underground artists. The bodies of these tattooed men and women stand in testament to an ancient art, long forbidden in the West. This is a celebration of tattoo art, the artists, and the bold canvases who dance across these pages with unabashed joy in their beautifully adorned flesh. It is the story of the fight to legalize and legitimize an art undeniably beautiful in design, bold in color, and stamped indelibly upon God's own earthly temple.

'Rebecca Vincent is a genius. I'll be tattooed by no one else.' - Sali Hughes Tiny tattoos are big news. With celebrities showcasing them on social media (step forward Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin and Bella Hadid), micro tattoos are a major trend. This sourcebook of 1000 mini works of art, in a range of styles and carefully-organized subjects, is curated by talented tattooist and insta-star Rebecca Vincent. A source of inspiration for tattoo artists or for anyone browsing for a foray into ink.

This book focuses on the traditional (old school) style of tattooing and its ongoing impact on today's tattoo art. More than 300 stunning color photos are combined with tattoo artists' personal explanations of why they love to work in the traditional style, and the artistic challenges that it poses today. For the fifteen tattoo artists in this book, the essence of real and true tattooing is the traditional one: bold lines, simple motifs, black and red colors-tattoos built to last on the skin. From the early beginnings in the late 19th century among sailors, traditional tattoos have been developed further by today's tattoo artists. Neo-traditional, Americana, new school, old school-the names are many, but all have that single common heritage: they are based on the simple lines created on the sailors' skins many years ago.

A witty yet informative text, with lots of travel tips and pictures, focuses on the art of the tattoo that the authors found in this Pacific Island paradise.Join the adventure as these two take to the road at the very birthplace of Polynesian tattooing, beautiful Samoa. Armed with laptop and camera, Baxter and Clark documented their two-week odyssey from Apia to Saleapaga, and from thatched-roofed huts to the legendary mansion of Robert Louis Stevenson. The book displays this unspoiled home of turquoise reefs, volcanic beaches, misty green waterfalls, and vermilion sunsets, where hand-tapped tribal tattoos are still a normal form of body art and ritual.You will learn the local customs, meet legendary artists, and visit secluded beaches, including the secret coronation ceremony at Faleasela. White-knuckle surprises await you as Baxter and Clark take the back roads, eat fruit right off the tree, slog through rain forests, wade into coral-strewn tide pools, and suck up gallons of beer because it's not a good idea to drink the water. You will even learn to tie a lavalava so it won't fall off in the crosswalk!This entertaining trip to a jewel of the Pacific will confirm the belief that Polynesian life has it right, right down to the tattoos!

This big collection of 500 original patterns depicts all of today's most popular tattoo subjects. From best selling artist, author and designer Lora Irish comes the Great Book of Tattoo Designs, Revised Edition, an appealing and high quality collection of over 500 original tattoo patterns. Featuring an extensive variety of popular subjects including floral, fantasy, Celtic, pagan, gothic, sacred, oriental and mythical, this book provides any artist or individual searching for the right tattoo with an unlimited resource of designs. Each pattern can be used individually, in combination with others in the book, or as inspiration for creating new original art. This new edition of a classic resource provides limitless inspiration for personal expression. From dancing dragons and Aztec Indians to fairies and flowers, it makes the perfect companion for anyone with an interest in tattoos.

The Graphic Art of Tattoo Lettering is a visually led, comprehensive guide to designing and realizing hand-drawn letterforms in the most widely used contemporary tattoo styles. Each chapter constitutes an accessible overview to these key tattoo styles, including an account of the history, complexities and relevant sub-styles, interviews spotlighting leading practitioners, galleries of exemplary artists work, sketches, sketchbooks, finished designs and detailed how-to-design guides to allow readers to truly understand each style.

More than a step-by-step, technical handbook for professional and practising tattoo artists, The Graphic Art of Tattoo Lettering is also an informative introduction to both understanding tattoo styles, their history and context, and learning from them to inform other graphic arts. Touching on the role of lettering in tattooing, as well as considering the components of typographic tattoos, it offers an insight into how tattoo art intersects with other areas of design practice, including sign-making, furniture painting and scrimshaw.

Combining great book design with the inimitable expertise of a master tattoo artist, The Graphic Art of Tattoo Lettering is the ultimate guide for all with an interest or involvement in tattoo art, typography and calligraphy, and graphic design.

Meet twenty-six leading contemporary tattoo artists. Interviews and over 425 exciting color photos of their artwork, from tattoos to paintings, make this an invaluable tattoo resource. This is a viable contribution to tattoo history worldwide, containing insightful interviews with living legends like Don Ed Hardy, Doc Forest, Horiyoshi III, Paul Jeffries, Bo + Roberts, and Mike Malone. These tattoo pioneers shed light on the tattoo's evolution from a sub-cultural phenomenon to a mainstream trend, and explore tattooing as a "finer" art form. Their artwork runs the gamut, from full Japanese body suits to traditional Americana hearts and roses. Some of the best, established contemporary tattoo artists like Freddy Corbin, Theo Jak, Grime, Scott Sylvia, Chris Garver, and Horitomo are included, in addition to up-and-coming tattooers Jill Bonny, Scott Bryant, George Campise, Chris Conn, Paco Excel, Robert Hernandez, Eiland Hogan, Klem, Chad Koeplinger, Jason Kundell, Jason McAfee, Brent Patten, Juan Puente, and Jesse Tuesday. This single volume by tattoo artist Horitaka is compiled from over three years of writing for Tattoo Life magazine, and is a necessary reference for anyone interested in tattoo culture.

For both the experienced and aspiring tattoo artist, as well as creative tattoo customers, this book of inspirational examples of script and banner lettering in a wide range of styles is the ideal cheat sheet. Beginning with traditional handwriting, the book moves into more complex script styles. Discover a range of banners for application on the chest or back, in styles that look elegant and ornate, yet are designed to be natural and easy for artists to draw and apply. Tattoo collectors can choose from the many script samples to write a loved one's name and bring this book to the shop, where artists can make a tattoo that appears custom made. An assortment of classic, well-preserved matchboxes with decorative labels provides special, eclectic lettering ideas. Professionals as well as beginners working from the drawing board are guaranteed to take inspiration from this portable, convenient collection.

Micro Tattoos are a popular trend and have made the art of tattooing more accessible for many people. This book takes a closer look at them and shows the most beautiful small fineline tattoos from the best tattoo artists worldwide. It offers a handy alphabetical overview of the artists, a number of interviews with the most important practitioners, and personal recollections that tell the backstory of specific tattoos.

Innovative artist Spider Webb has brought the traditional art of tattooing into the modern age, elevating the primitive or folk art iconography into modern art with startling interpretations. 400 color and black and white tattoo flash, in two volumes, feature dragons and other mythological beasts, skulls, eagles, beautiful women, hearts, daggers, serpents, and tigers of the natural and supernatural worlds. Many tattoos may be seen as social and political commentary as well. Here is an opportunity to review a prolific artist's work that people from around the globe have been happy to bear as permanent expressions of their inner lives. This book will be treasured by all who enjoy tattoo art.

Trace the evolution of the Brooklyn tattooing scene's iconographic status with this rare look into the borough's gritty history. Long before hipsters called Brooklyn home, tattoo legends like Tony Polito, Mikey Perfetto, Marcus Pacheco, and Ronnie Dell Aquila set long-lasting trends from the '50s on, and gave young artists hope in this often unforgiving town. Peter Caruso visits over a dozen owners, artists, and customers, relating Brooklyn's 20th-century tattoo history through biographies of gritty, no-nonsense tattoo artists. Here, they get the attention they deserve as they focus on events that shaped their craft and style and what inspired them, as teenagers, to follow the path of this often thankless profession in New York's toughest borough. "Back in the day," artists didn't apprentice, but, like the men in this book, learned the ropes in basements and worked out of kitchens, sometimes experimenting with Asian and tribal styles, but always returning to the colorful, traditional, American tattooing Brooklyn is known for."

Princes and prisoners, sailors and criminals, showgirls and soldiers - all have submitted to the tattooist's art. Vintage Tattoos features over 500 retro designs of every style and subject matter, including nautical, patriotic, hearts and banners, circus, girls, animals, roses, daggers and symbols. Legendary rock journalist Carol Clerk's curation of the most iconic traditional ink designs also includes profiles of history's illustrious tattoo artists, as well as interviews with contemporary practitioners.

Picking up where Bushido: Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo left off, join Horiyuki as she studies the art of Japanese tattooing with Master Horiyoshi III. Jill "Horiyuki" Mandelbaum takes you on a very candid firsthand account of her exploratiion. Follow her through text and over 270 color photographs into the studios and home of Horiyoshi as well as the shrines and temples of Japan. Offering a bold, new, and very Western perspective to studying the Japanese tattoo, this book is a must have for anyone interested in tattoo arts and cross-cultural study. With a foreword by Takahiro "Horitaka" Kitamura, this book also features never before published photos of tattoos by Horiyoshi III.