Posts

Posted on

Corpo Sancto Candles

An interview with Annelie Bystrom-Turner, 37, Hove, co-owner of Corpo Sancto, make-up artist and manager of Into You Brighton

Husband and wife candle making team

 

What is Corpo Sancto? Tell us more about the ethos and why you started the business.

Corpo Sancto is a Brighton-based husband and wife team who make artisan, eco friendly, biodegradable luxury rapeseed wax candles – scented and unscented – and a range of other products such as industrial candle holders and lamps.

It all started last Christmas almost by accident, I had made a couple of candelabras using reclaimed pipe bits and my husband was staring at the overpriced taper candles I had bought while drinking his morning coffee. “I could make them” he said and then announced that he was going to make candles, much to my annoyance. The rest is a bit of a blur now, we have been working non-stop ever since while juggling two other jobs each and two children, Chris is the drummer in Orange Goblin and tours extensively at times, which makes life even more hectic for me. Sometimes it feels like Corpo Sancto is our third child, we are very passionate about what we do.

What’s it like running a business with your husband? Are there arguments or do you always agree?

Working with your partner isn’t always easy and yes there are arguments, probably more so in the beginning when we were trying to establish the company identity. We still disagree from time to time and it can be terribly frustrating when you think your ideas are brilliant and your partner disagrees. Communicating in writing works well for us.

What is your background?

I’m a Swedish ex-pat and a freelance make-up artist by trade, I came to London in 2002 after having met Chris, and in 2006 we moved to Brighton after the birth of our first child.

Annelie Bystrom-Turner. New chest piece (not finished) by Jason Mosseri

 

And your connection to the tattoo world? Can you tell us about your own tattoos?

I got my first tattoo when I was 18, in Sweden, it’s now covered by a Japanese goddess by the late Jason Saga. I went to him in 2002 when he worked at Evil from the Needle for what I thought would be a fairly small cover up and ended up with a back piece. He left Evil from the Needle and started working at Into You, which is when my love affair with Into You started. I now manage Into You in Brighton three days a week.

Back by Jason Saga

 

Pretty much all my tattoos are from Into You artists: Back by Jason Saga · Arms by Jason Mosseri · Forearms by Jim macAirt · Fingers by Adam Sage · Snake & Eagle on legs by Jason Mosseri · Knee by Jack Newton · New, Unfinished chest piece by Jason Mosseri · Ribs by James Woodford · Feet by Lucy Pryor

Arms by Jason Mosseri
Forearms by Jim macAirt
Fingers & Behind ear by Adam Sage

 

What is your favourite Corpo Sancto candle and why?

My favourite scented candle is the Oriental Fire, it smells of incense and the Orient without being over powering, it’s a fresh yet musky scent.

What has the reaction to your candles been like at tattoo conventions and are you planning on attending more?

We did our first convention earlier this year, the Brighton Tattoo Convention 2015, which was a success, so we have just signed up to do the London Convention in September.

Any advice on how to the perfect candle scent?

Scent preference is a very personal thing, we try to cater for everybody, so in our nine scent range, there will probably be three scents you love, three scents everyone loves and two or three scents you’ll hate…

Corpo Sancto have very kindly offered a Biker Jacket candle to one lucky reader! To win: simply share a photo of the Biker Jacket candle on Instagram, follow @thingsandink and @corposancto, tell us why you want to win it and hashtag #corposanctocomp

Biker Jacket candle. ‘The manly scent of a worn, black leather jacket mixed with overtones of motor oil and 1000 miles of hard road.’

 

Posted on

You’re never too old to get some fresh ink

Great grandmother, Gwladys Wiliams, is the oldest person in the UK to go under the needle at the ripe old age of 94.  She got two hearts and the words ‘Leri & Nain forever’ tattooed on her arm, as a tribute to one of her great grandchildren, next to a bunch of daffodils, which she had tattooed on her arm seven years ago.


Gwladys has a total of 58 grand children, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She only became interested in tattoos in her later life. Her tattooist, Sascia Angel Marques, of Inkvasion in North Wales said that Gwladys was “hard as nails” and “hadn’t flinched once.”

Surrounded by pictures of her family in the comfort of her own home, Gwladys said that the tattoo had been surprisingly un-painful and said she was “happy” with the tattoo. When talking about why she wanted this tattoo as a tribute to her great grabddaughter: “I decided to have it done because I love her so much and I might not be here for so long.” Let’s hope this is a sign of more to come for Gwladys!

Posted on

Artifical Skin Book

Tattoo Artist Magazine has created a book of artificial skin for budding tattoo artists to practice on. Many apprentices use fruit, pig skin and their friends to hone their craft before moving onto paying customers.

The book aims to closely mimic real skin, giving artists a diary to document their progression. Although the artificial skin is not a perfect replica for real skin, it still allows artists a vital place to improve.

The Skin Book Project is not available for sale and it is uncertain whether it will be released to the public in the future.

Watch the short video below to see the book and tattooists in action:

Are you a tattoo apprentice or tattooist and would you  consider using the book to practice on?

Posted on

White Ink Tattoos

Our guest blogger is psychologist, freelance writer and creator of the blog Dream Electric, Ally Richards. In this post she is asking the question are white ink tattoos beautifully “barely there” or barely worth it? 

Tattoos entirely in white ink have become particularly popular. Part of the appeal may be their subtly for those unwilling to commit to a very visible piece. They’re discreet and often easily hidden. Celebrities such as Cara Delevigne and Rihanna now have them. 

An oft quoted criticism is the perceived pointlessness of getting a tattoo that isn’t especially visible or durable. My own interest developed after discovering images online of delicate, filigree-style designs that had an almost “secret” quality to them. I have other tattoos so I don’t personally see white as a “soft” option and like the scar-like quality of the ink, so I made plans to get my own.

Trying to find reliable information on white ink proved both challenging and discouraging. I was unable to find artists who advertised as being experienced in white ink. Artists told me it was a difficult job that they were reluctant to take on, that the design would fade and wasn’t worth the effort. I saw images of designs that barely showed up or had blurred into an off-colour smudge. Many articles on white ink frequently confuse it with images of UV tattoos and even scarification and warn customers off.

Eventually I took a studio recommendation and the artist assured me they had experience, although they weren’t able to show me any of their white work. The design was a lace heart, inspired by mandalas and also the doilies of a traditional cream tea. 

 I had read that the stencil ink can bleed in and discolouring the tattoo and was particularly concerned about this. A blood-line technique is often recommended. The artist was confident that their stencil was suitable.

As soon as the tattoo was finished a lilac colour was very evident, which I was assured would go away during healing. The colour did fade but a blueish tinge stuck to parts, giving a bruised colouring. The artist did a free touch-up on the bluest parts. This did decrease the blue, but it was not entirely removed.

Over a year has passed since and my tattoo still has several blueish patches. Positively, the white does show up on my very pale skin. It’s slightly raised in an appealing way. I apply sun cream to prevent it yellowing. One edge is becoming fainter and I have accepted that it will require future touching up to maintain its visibility. Though others usually only notice it when very close, my tattoo regularly receives very positive responses. People frequently tell me they love it and they’ve never seen one like it. Other artists have told me it is actually a particularly good example of white ink, which is some comfort.

I do however feel disappointed with the outcome. At this point I plan on letting the entire tattoo fade then getting it all retouched. Another possible option is going over in light blue for consistency. I still love the look of white ink but I would probably think twice about getting another, due to the unpredictability of the outcome.

Do you have a white ink tattoo of your own? Have you encountered the same problems as Ally? Comment below and let us know your experiences…