Inked Talk

We just have to chat about Kat Von D’s new show opener don’t we? Yes indeed we do! LA Ink premiered last night on TLC and it was a great show if you ask me. But first off, let me get this out in the open…Kat is not only a talented artist but she’s simply gorgeous! And inked ta boot! Can you say luv? Ehem…well then…ok.

The show starts off with Kat inflicting some pain on actor/musician Eric Balfour. If you ask me, the tat would have looked totally awesome in color but she did a fantastic job with the black and gray regardless. Here is a video of that session so you can be the judge.

Corey does a great circular dragon tattoo on a client and Heather creates one of her signature Pin Ups. But Kim’s piece really made me go “wow” as the colors against the perfect skin tone were just spectacular! The piece was influenced by the client’s recent divorce but I’d say the tattoo is probably one of the best things that came out of it. Have a look see…

You can read more on the show over at Reality Ink where the folks there lay out a great review and go into more detail about the tattoos and the client/artist relations. Head over and check it out HERE

Over-all, again I think it was a great premiere and I am anxious to see where the show heads from here. I’ll keep you all posted here and we can discuss the upcoming shows in detail as the season progresses.

Until next time in the chair, may your tats be healthy and meaningful!

Eric Balfour., Kat Von D, LA Ink, tattoos, Eric Balfour, TLC

Hey all! It’s here! The new hot tattoo show everyone’s been waiting for. Kat Von D’s new show “L.A. Ink” premieres today, August 7th on TLC. She has come home to L.A. and has lined up some top artists for her new tattoo shop. Be sure to head on over to the LA INK page to get more information, video sneak peaks, see Kat’s tats and even some cool tattoo games and wallpaper!

And of course, tune in to TLC tonight at 10 to see her opener! Don’t know about you but I’m excited!

Kat Von D, LA Ink, TLC, TV, tattoos, tattoo shows, premieres

Each Sunday, we will be exploring a new celebrity’s artwork. We can discuss the quality of the piece, what we think it may mean to the celeb and if it actually fits the person’s character. Today I’d like to start out with one of my favorite “bad girls” Christina Ricci. I happen to love her style and attitude and I think she plays a wonderful bad girl. Perhaps it’s natural? First item up for bids: ( I love the Price is Right! )

Now, I’m not very religious but this is sexy regardless. That is, of course, because it’s on her hip and she’s in a bikini but hey, give a guy a break here. I do know that she is a Christian so perhaps this is a symbol of her faith amongst all of her sinful cinematic portrayals.

She has yet another tat that can be Christian related. Aslan the Lion from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It is well known that Aslan was a metaphore for Jesus as written by the author, C. S. Lewis but that’s not really what it means to Christina. Here is what the tat means to her in her own words:

“It’s Aslan, the lion from The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. It’s a symbol of my hellish childhood. I struggled through my oppressive teenage years and when I turned 18 I escaped. Like Aslan I was finally free.”

This I can totally believe. The lion on her right shoulder is very simple yet very recognizable as the lion from the book. I like the simplicity over that of a more detailed lion to be honest.The below photo is of a fairy on her right wrist. The pic is not that good but I have seen others that were close-ups (that I cannot seem to find again to save my life!) that showed it as a cute little fairy in black and gray.

And finally, I was able to dig up a shot of Ricci as she is getting her lower backpiece. It looks like a floral design of some sort but really cannot make it out as it is fresh and still a bit “wet” you might say.

She really has some contrasting pieces but that term really does fit her well. I don’t think I could picture Christina Ricci without tattoos and certainly not without something contrasting. How about you?

The folks over at The Vanishing Tattoo have some great blurbs about these tattoos and may help us decipher what the pieces might mean to Christina. Click on these links to learn more about her tattoo selections: LION; Fairy Tattoos; Religious Tattoos

Until next week, may your ink be colorful and healthy!

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe., C. S. Lewis, tattoos, celebrity tattoos, Christina Ricci, Lion tatoos, fairy tattoos, back pieces, religious tattoos

I was asked if I would show off some of my artwork by a fellow blogger. I thought it may be a good idea to post them here so you folks could get to know your author a bit more. So, I’ll post a few here and there and of course tell you about them and what they mean to me too. I’ll start with my right forearm:

This is on the top of my forearm and it all started with the Chinese lettering that says “Music.” ( And yes I did have it verified that it does say what it’s supposed to. ) Back when I was in the Navy and in a band, my guitarist and I were getting tats but being the ethical Navy dudes we were, we told ourselves that we’d never get anything below the elbow. Heh, I started it off on a whim and got the Chinese on my forearm and he said screw it and got the exact same thing. So somewhere in Illinois there is a fantastic guitar player with the same Chinese on his arm. Jack? Are you there? I took it a bit further and had the rest added around the lettering. I had done a favor for an artist and friend and to return the favor, he completed what you see surrounding the lettering…all free hand. He drew nothing on me and I was very impressed. I look back and think that it was pretty risky!

This piece is on the bottom of my forearm and works itself into the piece above. It is actually artwork from one of the cards in the card game called Magic: The Gathering. Called Living Wall, it was drawn by Anson Maddix and I just loved the piece. So three sittings of three hours later, I had it on my arm and also in a tattoo mag somewhere! The reason it took so long to complete was that there is a lot of blood-line shading in the tat. If you are unfamiliar with that technique, it is where the artist takes the gun with no ink on it and makes a line on your skin. The blood then comes up to that line and the artist uses it to shade off of with color. The result is a lot of fantastic shaded areas with no real outlines and it’s just smooth. I’m very proud of this piece and it’s certainly my favorite. I’d link to the shop where I got it but it no longer exits. It was called Excalibur Tattoo in Pensacola, Florida at the time.

That is my right forearm so far. I’d like to fill in the empty spaces with some wash of sort to tie it all together and of course continue on up the arm. What do you think? Drop a comment and let me know what you like or dislike. And don’t worry, you can’t offend me!

Next time we’ll take a look at my left arm. Until then, may your tats be colorful and healthy!

tattoos, arm pieces, Living Wall, Magic The Gathering, Anson, Pensacola

I will be posting some fun tat facts every Friday that are interesting and that may spark some good discussion. So with no further wait, here is our first Friday Fun Facts entry:

Among Americans with tattoos, 34% said having a tattoo has made them feel sexier. Interestingly, more tattooed females (42%) feel this way than males (25%).

Additionally, those with tattoos said that having a tattoo has made them feel more rebellious (29%) while others said a tattoo makes them feel more attractive (26%). But tattoos apparently won’t do much for your intelligence or your physique, as few Americans reported that tattoos make them feel more intelligent (5%), more healthy (4%), or more athletic (3%).

Well, let’s ask the panel. How do you feel about having a tattoo? How does being tattooed empower you? Think they make you more attractive or intelligent? Think they make the opposite sex more attractive or intelligent? I’m curious so drop by and comment about what you think.

Until next time, send brownies! ( no nuts )

Tattoos, Inked, sexy, attractive, intelligent

If I had $300 dollars I would buy________.

What would you buy with $300? Or even $200 or $100? Now is your chance to find out! Comment on any 451 Press site during the month of August and you could win! Three comments will be chosen at random to win a cash prize of $300, $200 or $100. The more you comment the more chances you have to win.

So start reading and let those fingers fly.

One of the most common questions I get regarding my tattoos is if it was painful to get them. At this point I usually toss the question back in their court by asking them how they would feel if we took a needle and jabbed it in and out of their skin at about three thousand times a minute. Their face turns quite pale right about then and I’m never sure if it’s from the thought of being punctured or that they realized the silly question they just asked.

Yes, tattoos do hurt. And some more than most. I think the most painful for me was on my shin. There is very little meat there and I am willing to bet that if I were to remove the skin in that area, the tattoo would be on my bone also. Over at 43things you can see a very interesting chart that shows the pain levels of different places of the body. Any of these ring a bell with any of you?

Different people experience different levels of pain as well. I distinctly remember watching two of my friends getting their back pieces done on the same day. One was crushing a coke can in his hand while sweat poured from his forehead and he turned almost as red as the ink being injected. All the while, my other friend was barely flinching and having a normal conversation without even the slightest infliction in his voice.

To this day, friend number one has and wears a ball cap that says “Yes! It hurts!” What it comes down to is that no matter how painful the tat, it is very worth it. The artwork and conversation are what they are all about after all. If there ever was anything that can fit into the pain is pleasure category I’d have to say that tattoos are it. So think about this the next time you feel those words about to slip from your mouth when talking to someone that’s sleeved. You may as well ask a new mother if that birth was painful!

Let’s hear about yours. Did they hurt? What part of the body is it on?

Well here I am in the chair for the first time. Not for my first tat of course but for my first blog post here at Inked Talk. See, I will be your new slinger of ink-filled news and information and I’m eager to take you along on a journey of all things tattoo.

I have been an avid ink recipient for some 10 years now and I have a true appreciation for the art itself. I am simply intrigued by those who tattoo and those who get them. Here I intend to discuss tattoo news, information on getting tattoos, hot new artists, modern and classic tattoo trends and everything in between. And of course I’ll include some great colorful eye candy and we’ll even peek at celebrities who have gone under the gun. This will be an informational yet entertaining ride for sure!

So bookmark me, grab your favorite frosty beverage and tune in every day for our own convention of pain and pleasure with a bit of my color to top it all off! Oh and please feel free to comment and share your thoughts, ideas and opinions and I love brownies….no nuts!