Friends 4eva

I wish i could say that this Sunday was just like any other Sunday spent at the shop with two of my favorite people, and not the Sunday before the Monday that i have been dreading for so long.
But it wasn't.
It was, and is, the day before Nick leaves us*, and while thinking about that sucks, sucks, sucks, we spent it just the way i'd hoped we would; hanging out at the shop and getting stupid tattoos together.

Before this, Nick hadn't been tattooed in about 7 years... no, really!

Aaaand, by the looks of it, he hadn't missed it much

  Viking?

 

A viking indeed!

So, Nick got the viking tattoo he'd been wanting for so long, but the party didn't stop there.

We needed buddy tattoos as well.

Of course we did.

Nick did the drawing and Allan did the stencil that was used on all three of us.

Magic.

 Nick went first

Next up was Allan (Nick is concentrating hard on trying to figure out Allans machine, and the whole "stencil" concept too)

I was the last one up

Well, what else could it be?

Happy nerds

As a special treat for Nicks clients, i hereby give you a video of your tormentor being tormented... you all earned it!

*I wanna say more on the subject, cause lots more needs to be said, but i think i'll leave it at that for now.
I wanna be able to stay in denial just a little longer.

Vladimir Ilich with BARS

Process: Phoenix.

Started off drawing some parts and REAL rough shapes.

I was using 19th century Hokusai paintings for inspiration.

Then when I had a layout I liked,

I enlarged it and made some rough stencils.

I drew everything else on with a pen.

January 2011 In Progress.

On the way...2 sets of designs for late spring...
12 sheets total.

More butt roses

I was just about to post something on my personal blog, when i realized that i didn't really have anything to blog about.
It's a real problem for me these days; either we get home super late and i'm too tired to blog, or nothing new and exciting really happened.
That's winter for you, i guess.
Just lots of work and lots of xbox playing.

But back to this blog, where i actually have a little update on a really cool piece.
Anne got another session on her... well, her ass, mostly, last week.
Still only lines, but now there are thicker lines, thinner lines and yeah, basically just a hell of a lot more lines.

The fanciest butt in town

Hopefully i'll have another update on this epic piece soon, so stay tuned!

the duet performed on the twins!!!

Their respective work are amazing, but once again they proved us that their duet work is another step beyond!!
Guy and Raf performed at AKA berlin those two identical tattoo on those beauts twins.

Just GRAND!!

Sad, but true

Today was Nicks last workday at Conspiracy Inc.
In like, ever.
I mean, it's not like he's never coming back to visit, he totally will, but as of today, he doesn't really work here anymore.
It's strange to think about, after all these years. Too strange really, so i actually prefer not to.

... and his last official piece here was a touch up too... what!?!

Check his blog to see all the finally finished pieces, and one shots, he's been working on for the last few months.

With cap

2 NEW SIGNATURE MODEL MACHINES BY GODOY MACHINES

The Javier Campos tattoo machine is available now.

This Peruvian artist is known for his incredible realistic color portraits as well as his black n grey work. To do this type of work, not only do you need artistic skill, an excellent machine helps too. This is a steel base with a small stainless upright support. No waste of space, all components fir perfectly into the housing frame base. These run so smoooth, so precise solid and are very sensitive. It comes loaded with our Godoy Machines round coil.

We have also just released the Scrappy Uno model machine. Mexico's finest portrait artist. His portraits have won him award after award. On an international level Scrappy is at the top. This machine is loaded with our Godoy Square coils model II, a sensitive and highly reactive coil mounted on our new screw tight tube vice steel base. Another priceless piece of machinery.

These are the BMW's of tattoo machines.

Eagle vs. Snake study #3

Bad Idea

second sheet for the barber shop. watercolor, she don't play.

one of two paintings done for the Belmont barbershop on Main street. 11" by 14"

More projects

Yesterday my parents drove in from the country with our new dark room.
Or, everything we're gonna need to put in it, that is. The room itself has yet to be built, but we're working on it.
And we're wondering why the shop is never gonna be finished?
Maybe we shouldn't.

I have no pictures of the back room, because it's a total mess, but i do have a picture of my new custom made granny blanket!

Angel tattoo

Process: Coleman Painting

Thought I post how I do one of those tribute sheets. 

I start with penciling out the outlines on a light table. I used to just use tracing paper and flip it over and then trace out the same drawing. Leaving a graphite residue, or transfer on the paper.
Only problem is I had a tendency to press too hard.

 
Same reason I don't use too hard a pencil, because it leaves grooves, and you know what happens when you change your mind in the inking part? You get grooves where you want your fades.
Looks bad. You end up just blacking out the grooves. From what I've found there is a lot of black in these paintings, but it's very important where it is.

Then I get my lining on. Start by dropping all pens. No sharpie in my humble opinion.

 

 I find Speedball to be a very good product for lining.

(Feel free to send me some free bottles anytime)

I learned to use a nib that doesn't waver too much.
Pointy tips = Calligraphy. I want the lines to be even. 

I screwed up when I erased it and got a smudge. I'll see if I can fix it with shading.

Use good brushes. It's a lot harder to paint with crappy brushes.
I use the Windsor & Newton Series 7.

So sometimes I do the black first, and other times I do it last.

Here I will do it first to show the process.

 

Sometimes at the end I go clean up the lines due to thick colors covering over,

but I usuallly leave them.

Now if I repeat every week, in ten years my stuff might be alright.

Maurice Richard

Maurice Richard, originally uploaded by Tattoo Union Vancouver.

Mes Glorieux.

More paintings from 2010

These are originally designed by other people, but I painted these versions. 

There were very little changes, usually just layout, or changing the flags.

All done with various watercolor types on paper, and outlined with a dip pen and India Ink.

Roughly 11 X 14.