Things&Ink

October 15, 2019

Beautiful mastectomy tattoos

October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, one in seven women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month nearly 5,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer. We’re sharing some of the most empowering and beautiful mastectomy tattoos in order to do our bit in raising awareness.

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“Boobs are the tits. I appreciate every single one of these ladies soooo much. Being given over trust for such intimate tattoos is a huge honour and I think you’re all badass as fuck. I would absolutely love to do more things like this for all you other kick-ass bitches who’d be up for some boobage tattooing. Hit me up.”
Both tattoos by @justjentattoos

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“Healed photo of Kelly’s mastectomy scar cover. It was an honor to do this piece and a gift to be part of transforming Kelly’s scar into something beautiful. This tattoo was done @savedtattoo last November as part of the @personal.ink project. I always welcome projects involving covering surgical scars, self harm scars and any tattooing to help people heal and reclaim their bodies. Thank you, @craizydaizydezignz.”
By @karenglasstattoo

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“She wanted to leave the scar uncovered and reclaim her body with this tattoo.” By @roxx_____

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“This is for a lovely client. She had originally intended on having areola tattooing done so came in with surgeon created nipple reconstruction. But she said what the hell let’s do something fun instead!”
By @jenleeredtidetattoo

October 12, 2019

We love kewpies

Rose O_Neill 1907 Rose O’Neill ﬁrst illustrated Kewpie dolls to be featured in the Ladies’ Home Journal, and they swiftly became extremely popular. Born in Germany, their name derived from the word “Cupid”, for the Roman God of beauty.

Shortly after Rose was 19, she moved to New York city alone with only 60 drawings. Within three months, she had sold them all. She was shocked by their popularity. She began illustrating for children’s books and was highly successful, appearing in many popular publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Good Housekeeping. She drew over 700 cartoons for the humour magazine, Puck, which was a predominantly male-centric title at the time.

Her career was unparalleled and she truly demonstrated the traits of a strong woman. During her success, she sent her earnings home to her father, who converted their two-bedroom cabin in Missouri into a 14-room mansion. Rose also bought homes in New York, Connecticut and the Italian Isle of Capri. In a time where women could not even vote, she was truly supporting her family and allowing them to live a life they were not previously accustomed to.

Kewpie Postcard

Rose took inspiration for her work from many different areas of her life. Her Kewpie dolls came to her in a dream. Rose O’Neill had a dream of small little cherub-like elves jumping on her bed, one night in 1909. When she woke, she hurried to her drawing desk and sketched the ﬁrst Kewpie. From there, her love of the small Kewpie never faltered.

Tattoo by Kim Anh-Nguyen — Tattoo by Kim-Anh

Kewpies took their doll form in 1913, manufactured in Germany, designed by Joseph Dallas. They were ﬁve inches tall, with jointed arms, painted eyes and a distinctive moulded face. They became highly collectable, and in 1939 a Kewpie doll was entered into a time capsule in New York’s World Fair. Early dolls now raise thousands of dollars, and are highly collectable. But they were not only captured in celluloid and plastic; Kewpies were immortalised in colouring books, stationery, cups, plates and poems. More recently, they have been commonly eternalised in tattoos. Many artists now tattoo the dolls in many different outﬁts and styles, but always keeping to the distinct Kewpie characteristics Rose O’Neill designed.

Kewpies were popular in tattoo ﬂash around the time of their conception, but faded out by the 1950s, being seen as old-fashioned. Today, they are almost as famous in tattoo ﬂash as other bold traditional designs, such as the pin-up girl. Many artists are known for their amazing renditions of these cherub-like children, such as Kim-Anh Nguyen, Lauren Winzer and the late tattoo legend Mike Malone.

Kewpie necklace, by Bete Noire.

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October 10, 2019

LadiesLadies! Art Show 2019

LadiesLadies! Art Show

Opening reception and silent auction

Saturday, October 26, 2019, 8:00 – 10:00 p.m

Three Kings Tattoo, 343 E 10th St. New York, New York 10009

International female tattooers participate in benefit fundraiser for Planned Parenthood NYC

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The 6th installment of the groundbreaking LadiesLadies! Art Show, a female-only collective exhibit showcasing the fine art of international female tattooers, curated by Elvia Iannaccone Gezlev, a tattoo artist, author of “Ladies of tattooing” and photographer, whose work has appeared in numerous tattoo magazines and tattoo blogs, and Kate Archer, unapologetic artist and representative of the queer side of female tattooers.

The 2019 show will present a selection of art from cutting edge tattoo artists, some of them identifying as queer; they represent the changing landscape of inclusivity within modern-day tattooing. What was once a male-dominated industry has evolved thanks to female and LGBTQ artists, who are creating safe and creative spaces for people of all genders, identities, races and body types, to get tattooed. Together they keep the tradition alive and kicking!

50 artists are donating their art (originals and/or prints) to the fundraising event. Tattooers and artists include; Claudia DeSabe (who also designed this year poster art!), Sunny Buick, Anka Lavriv, Zoe Bean, Linn Aasne, Lara Scotton, Lorena Morato, Drew Linden, Rosie Evans, Kati Vaughn, Marina Inoue, Jen Carmean, Tara Zep, Tina Lugo, Baylen Levore, Karrie Arthurs, Michela Bottin, Kate Collins, Amy Shapiro, and Dawn Cooke.

October 3, 2019

Empowering mastectomy tattoo by Lianne Moule

Back in August, we spotted this absolutely stunning mastectomy tattoo by Lianne Moule, who works at Immortal Ink in Chelmsford, after she shared it on Instagram. So we got in touch with Lianne to find out more about the process, we’re sharing the story here to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Around four years ago, Liz was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer: sarcoma. The type and size of the cancer dictated that Liz’s only real option was a mastectomy with delayed reconstruction. The process must have taken a huge amount of strength and courage but I’m so grateful she allowed me to be a small part of her inspiring journey.

“Having never had a tattoo in her life, I am awe-inspired that she found me to request a mastectomy cover-up. Liz emailed the studio and told us about her situation and what she wanted to do. When I met Liz for her first consultation, she was very nervous. But she bravely told me her story. When she was diagnosed and told she would lose her breast, she was overrun by emotions. She even said to the consultant that she would rather die than lose her breast. She was aware that even though it seemed a dramatic reaction, her emotions were all over the place and she genuinely felt that. All of a sudden, she was aware of the fact that she felt her breasts gave her femininity, she questioned whether or not she would be able to love her body afterwards.

“Liz told me that throughout every stage of her diagnosis, surgery and aftercare, she was given so much support by the different departments – every team would explain what would be happening to her body and what the options were for her in the future. She decided to go ahead with a nipple graft onto the reconstructed breast, but at this point in the surgeries, she still didn’t know what she wanted to do with her body.

“When Liz was looking at the option of getting tattooed nipples, she came across some pictures of some flowers over mastectomy scars. Liz told me many times that she would never have had a tattoo if it hadn’t been for this journey she has been through. When Liz’s breast was taken away, it was replaced with what she calls ‘a lump of flesh’ – she said it never felt like her breast. With these feelings, Liz said she wanted to make it ‘her own’. Having a beautiful picture on it would make it finally hers, after having many operations without choice, she could finally make a decision to do what she wanted with it.

“Every time I tattoo a breast cancer survivor, it is always about reclaiming their body. It’s the decision that they get to finally make about their own body, to get closure of their experience. Having their bodies cut and poked and prodded and tested without really having a choice, it’s empowering to finally make a decision.

“Liz’s tattoo is one of my favourite pieces of artwork, she looks beautiful and I really hope she feels it. It’s detailed and colourful and I forever hope it gives her confidence.”

Research shows that one in seven women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some stage in their lifetime. October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is so so important to check your breasts (if you need help with this head to coppafeel.org).

October 2, 2019

London Tattoo Convention: Street Style

We adore tattoo conventions: everyone united by their passion under one roof, that buzz of tattoo needles and endless inked skin. We love stopping people to have a chat to find out more about their style and what they love about tattoos. Here’s who we chatted to at the London Tattoo Convention…

“This is my first ever tattoo and my first time at a tattoo convention. I went to Borneo for my 60th birthday, and this is to commemorate that trip. My friend had a tattoo done by the artist, and I loved it and I knew my first tattoo had to be done by the same artist, their work is just so different. I love my orangutan, it is even better than I imagined! And it didn’t take long, six hours in just two sessions. The artist is LA based artist, so I got it finished here today.” Tracey Judge

Tattoo by @ivanatattooart

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Bio chemist, from United States
“My back piece took one year to complete, in around 11 sessions, and I sat for about ten hours each time. I am filling a space on my arm today, at London Tattoo Convention. Last week I was in Germany for another convention with Russ (the artist) to show off his work. I’m a scientist, I’m trying to progress my career right now and would rather not have my name online. I do not want to be weaponised for my tattoos, in my field of work, not until I am high up enough to hire or fire the people who would use my tattoo against me – I won’t reveal my tattoos until I am in the postion of power. My job involves designing vaccines, and running grad schemes, it’s really full-on, like my life has been lately. Getting tattooed, the whole process of it and enduring pain, is my way of coping with stress. It helps me to navigate through my trauma, like a rite of passage through the years of marriage and school, and recovery. I am owning that!”

Tattoo by @russabbott

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“I am a friend of Rose Hardy, and am helping her at the convention this weekend. When I’m not helping Rose, I am a master stylist and educator at ARROJO in New York. I love my hand tattoos, the details that Rose put into them too.”
@tinachacha

Neck and hand tattoos by Rose Hardy

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@adelebrydges and @noyau_noyau
Adele creates gorgeous erotic objects in her London studio, and this year is her first time exhibiting at the convention. Her heart tattoo was done by CJ at East Side Ink in New York.

“As a leather worker, I take take photos of hands all the time, I work with my hands. My Instagram is filled with hands, hands holding my pieces and and tools. I want to cover myself in hand tattoos – I just want to be touched and touch everything.” @noyau_noyau
Hand tattoos by @jenzietattoo

It has been another wonderful year at the London Tattoo Convention, see you at the next one.