Letter from the editor

Hey lovely readers,

Wow, what a crazy few months it has been. There’s been so much going on in the Things&Ink bubble. The new issue, which is out now, is number four, but it also marks one year of the magazine. It is incredible to think that this time last year, it didn’t exist in the beautiful physical form that it does now. And it’s the biggest, and most ambitious, issue to date – well, we couldn’t mark Things&Ink’s first birthday in any other way now, could we?

The best ideas always come after a bottle or two of Pinot, and that’s exactly how photographer Heather Shuker and I came up with the concept for The Art Issue – and, of course, with the help of art historian Doctor Matt Lodder. We have created a stunning photo feature, including recreations of iconic works of art with our very own tattoo twist – check out the issue to see which painting the legendary Lal Hardy posed in.

The issue covers tricky topics, such as tattoo etiquette (when does inspiration turn into copying?), and tattoos as art. We also spoke to artists who have had their own work used as tattoo inspiration. One of my personal highlights  is an interview with iconic artist Jack Vettriano, as I have been a huge fan of his work since my teenage years.

The Art Issue really is incredible thanks to all its talented contributors, and I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on a copy. It is definitely my favourite issue to date.

Also in case you missed it, I debated tattoos with Jeremy Paxman and Boris Johnson’s sister Rachel on Wednesday evening on Newsnight, it really was one of the most surreal nights of my life. Paxman was loving my Pre-Raphaelite leg by our cover star Tracy D, which also features in the latest issue.

Hope you all enjoy the issue as much as I have enjoyed editing it. And be sure to check out our website for all the latest deals.

Hope to see you all at the party for Under Her Skin at Atomica Gallery, it’s time to celebrate a truly special year.

Lots of love
Alice
xxxx

 

Things&Ink The Art Issue cover – Tracy D as Ophelia

The Art Issue front and back cover
Tracy D as Ophelia on Things&Ink The Art Issue

 

Issue 4 marks the one year anniversary of Things&Ink magazine, so we wanted to do something truly special with the cover. We decided to create our very own (tattooed) version of Millais’ iconic artwork, Ophelia, with tattoo artist Tracy D.

This was the most ambitious (and terrifying) shoot we have ever attempted, but I am sure you will agree that it was worth it, Tracy D looks hauntingly beautiful.

Check out The Art Issue, which goes on sale on Thursday, for more iconic painting recreations with our very own tattoo twist, along with art historical commentary from Doctor Matt Lodder.

Things&Ink magazine Tracy D Ophelia

 

Photographer: Heather Shuker, assisted by James Sheen-Stevens
Make-up: Keely Reichardt
Styling: Olivia Snape
Headress: Gypsy East
Hair: Eleanor Robyn
Cover design: James Gilyead

We’re so happy we can finally share this with you, as we keep getting so excited when we spot Ophelia on billboards, as part of Art Everywhere.

Ophelia Tate art everywhere

Visit thingsandink.com for more information.

Under Her Skin – a group exhibition celebrating one year of Things&Ink, in association with Atomica Gallery

Things&Ink and Atomica Gallery present:

UNDER HER SKIN

Celebrating one year of Things&Ink and launch of The Art Issue

Thursday 12th September – Monday 30th September 2013
Opening Party: Thursday 12th September
Atomica Gallery, Hackney Downs Studios, London

Under her skin exhibition

We’re super-excited to announce an exclusive exhibition, in association with our friends Atomica Gallery, in Hackney.

Under Her Skin marks one year of Things&Ink by bringing together a selection of today’s most talented artists for an exhibition celebrating modern female tattoo culture:

Amy Victoria Savage (Jayne Doe, Hornchurch UK)
Angelique Houtkamp (Salon Serpent, Amsterdam NL)
Charissa Gregson (Jolie Rouge, London UK)
Dominique Holmes (The Family Business, London UK)
Grace Neutral (Good Times, London UK)
Guen Douglas (Salon Serpent, Amsterdam NL)
Iris Lys (London UK & Paris FR)
Lucy Pryor (Into You, London UK)
Rachel Baldwin (Bold As Brass, Liverpool UK)
Rebecca Vincent (Nostalgia Traditional Tattooing, Leeds & The Circle, London UK)
Tracy D (King’s Cross Tattoo Parlour, London UK)
Vicky Morgan (Ghost House, Derby UK)

Under Her Skin will be exhibited during the London International Tattoo Convention 2013, which is being held at the Tobacco Dock in east London 27-29th September.

 

Under Her Skin opening event, sponsored by The Kraken Rum
Thursday 12th September, 6-9pm at Atomica Gallery
Complimentary drinks provided by The Kraken Rum
Please RSVP with names to rsvp@atomicagallery.com

Join the Facebook event: Under Her Skin

Grace Neutral tattoos the shard girls

Save the Arctic and get tattooed

I have been a fan of tattoo artist Grace Neutral for a while now, but her recent antics have made me love her even more.

Grace Neutral and the shard girls

Yesterday she had the pleasure of meeting the radical women who climbed the shard in London Bridge on a Greenpeace protest. They were protesting against Arctic drilling. The women spent 15 hours climbing to the top of the building, to fly a flag that said ‘Save the Arctic’. The police were waiting at the top to arrest the women.

grace and the shard girls
Grace and the Greenpeace protestors

 

Yesterday the six protestors were charged and released. And the first thing they did when they got out – they went to see Grace Neutral over at Good Times Tattoo to mark the occasion with a shard tattoo. Fucking awesome.

‘I felt honoured that I got to tattoo  a little memorial of their radical day,’ said Grace on Instagram. ‘It was fun to tattoo some hardened criminals, they were just so lovely.’

the shard tattoo
Handpoked shard tattoo

 

Two of the women have been tattooed so far, and a few more of them will at a later date. Absolutely love this story.

shard tattoo

Tattoo terminology – decoded by Salon Serpent tattoo parlour

Do you know your flash from your custom? Here’s a few tattoo terms defined by Angelique Houtkamp at Salon Serpent Tattoo in Amsterdam.

TERMINOLOGY

-FLASH is a number of designs, specifically made for tattoo purposes, placed together on a sheet of paper. Usually they are made in a set of multiple sheets. Meant to hang on the walls of tattoo shops, to be picked from by customers and tattooed. (not every painting by a tattoo artist is flash and sometimes even unsuitable, because not specifically made, to use as such)

-ONE-OFFS are drawings pre-made by a tattoo artists that are to be tattooed only once. Usually they are linedrawings to be colored and shaded while tattooed.

-CUSTOM DESIGNS are specifically made for one client, usually by their direction and specifications. To be used on that client only.

 

*NEVER take designs or tattoos from the internet, or anywhere else, and use them for your own tattoos, or anything else for that matter. They all have copyright. Buying flash though, will give your the right to use these for tattoos.