Question:
If your tattoo artist specializing in new skool and fat lines and would
be interested in working in a new "trendy" studio in Montreal,Quebec
with other tattooists of varying specialties,I'm willing to get a Canadian work visa for the right artist. please email Dane Caldwell.
Answer:
- you don't like tattoos? why is it sickening? you don't like graffiti style
tattoos? or do you think it's selling out and giving in to commercialism?
for the record, there are a number of tattoo artists who used to be or still
are active writers...the most notable being Seen, who has his own studio in
Bronx...and as for selling out, wouldn't you like the possibility of
supporting yourself with your art?
- No. actualy "trendy" stuff sucks. sucks bad and is annoying. You would
be a proponent of aiding graffiti in becoming trendy in an admited "trendy"
tatto shop. Ok. Hope you enjoy all the bettys that were into skateboarding
to shed thier carry-along skateboards and belly shirts, and get some graffiti
tattoos, khaki slacks, pumas, and a good graffiti tattoo. Ah now wouldnt that
be swell to have graffiti bettys....geee they are sooo pleasant to have
around. "Is that your skateboard? can i ride it? will you do a trick for me?
oh...your boxers are showing..heee hee" ok now translate that into "Is that
your piece? how did you do it? will you do a tattoo for me? can i try your
paint out? can i have your tag? will you do it in my notebook so i can show my
friends?"
Did i ever say selling out? Um.....no duh. Stop putting words in my mouth
and looking like a silly poster who cant understand what he is reading.
Would i like to support myself off art? Maybe, but i enjoy doing what i do for
a living, It is interesting and requires thought and intelligence..I can do
art as well. But i would prefer not to contribute to the "trendyization" of
graffiti...
If you think im generalizing and that this wont happen...dont be fooled.
It already is. Bettys exist in skateboarding, not that all girls in
skateboarding are betty, contrary there are man many good girlskateboarders,
however there are also many many many betty clones. Look around you, look at
the nearest skatepark, there are at least 5 bettys per town at the least
usualy 40 -100. Lots of cities in the US. lots more bettys. I personaly
dont enjoy thier presence in skateboarding, and would prefer not to see thier
presence in graffiti. it is already happening but there is no reason to
contribute to it, money isnt worth it. You want to make money off graffiti?
Do murals, canvases, magazines, something contructive and beneficial to
someone other than yourself. Youll get paid more and respected more anyways.
And he does "graffiti style tattoos" in his "trendy" shop? doubt it but i
could be wrong. Im sure his talents for art extend past graffiti.
If you think its ok, fine enjoy, go design "TAGart" stickers for
K-mart...im sure they be glad to let you make a living off it. Enjoy, and to
each his own, i didnt have to say you had to agree with me, I was simply
replying to a post, just like you did. Have fun, enjoy life, the usual.
- there's alot of graff writers out here that are doing tattoos... excel
awr from la , and Idiot have a tattoo shop here... wrath hs from oakland
works there too... also one of the original sj writers, aladdin wcf has
a tattoo shop.. grime was also working doing tats out here for a while
too, but now works at a shop in sf....
i havn't noticed any graffiti betties rocking wildstyles across their
back since these shops opened, when ive been there, the majority of the
tats they do on girls are just the normal shit.. a little rose or ferry or
something. whatever a regular / non writer tat artist would do...
my only beef with the whole thing is that none of the guys doing tattoos
are out bombing... yet they're marketing some graffiti type shit...
- I admit everyone and their moms are sporting tattoos now, but graffiti
style tats, no way. What is in right now is tribalism and all that black/white
shit. There aren't too many people around getting graff tats, and I think one
of the reasons is graffiti is writing, and many people are a bit awkward in
putting some writing on their skin in case they regret in some day. I know, a
piece is a different thing than a girlfriend's name on youre shoulder but it
comes close enough.
I don't think graff style tattoos would generate any kind of "bettyism". And if
they would, I suspect they'd be more tat betties than graff betties. Actually
I don't believe betties need to be worried about at all - graffiti is way too
criminal and underground to make outsiders get on your jock the way you just
described it. The outsiders don't care if you had to run from the cops to get
your art done, it doesn't concern them.
graffiti *style* may become a trend, or it may already be a trend, but it's
not the whole of graffiti. As long as graffiti stays illegal, it will be too
hard for the mainstream to swallow completely. We will never get the respect
from the society if we keep breaking it's rules. I don't if we need the
respect, or if graff should be legalized, but that's just the way it is.