If the body is the temple, then tattoo artists and body piercers are modern-day Michelangelos.
Someone once asked me, “What if you meet the man of your dreams, but he’s put off by your piercings and tattoos and you lose him?”
My response was simple: “Well then he’s not the f*cking man of my dreams.”
When I started my apprenticeship at Everlast Tattoo the first thing my boss said to me was that many people love body modification… but I need to live it. For people like me, it’s a lifestyle… one with benefits but also ramifications. Tattoos and piercings attract serious attention… and not always of the positive sort. If you ask most people who’re rocking the ink and steel, we don’t give a damn what the rest of the world may think.
While some use it as a form of claiming their freedom or as a means of self-expression, others turn to it as a form of therapy or solace in a memorial piece… or just a reminder that they got wasted one night and got “I love Jelly Tots” permanently etched into their flesh. Everyone does it for their own reasons and, like music, body art has a way of connecting us.
The Pointy End
By Niki van den Heever
I’ve seen people from all walks of life make their nervous way into my piercing cubical: from teens to housewives, wannabe rockstars to lawyers. No matter how big or small the client, they’re all equal when faced with a girl holding a pair of clamps and a 14 gauge needle. It’s a very vulnerable moment of surrender for the client… like losing their virginity. Hell… even I become overwhelmed with fear and excitement every time I have something new done. But for the piercer, seeing those crunched-up faces light up once they see their new accessory is unlike anything I can describe. These people change right before your eyes and you watch them leave the shop with a newfound confidence.
Tattoos, piercings and other forms of body modification are much more advanced than what they used to be: not only in quality but in their meaning as well. Tattoos have become a recognised form of art, especially since the launch of reality TV shows like Miami Ink and LA Ink. Tattoo legends Corey Miller, Kat Von D. and Chris Garver have become luminaries in their field and they have shown the rest of the world just how beautiful and spiritual body modification can be… if done ‘correctly’.
So if you’ve been thinking about having something done, I say: “DO IT!!!” Don’t allow anyone to stop you from being who you want to be. So for the brave, here are some pointers:
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Always ask to see a portfolio first.
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Make sure that all equipment was sterilised with an Auto-Clave, apart from the needle, which you should ask to be opened in front of you.
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If you notice that latex gloves are NOT being used, run the F*CK out of the shop and find someone qualified to penetrate your skin.
Love your ink.
Picture: rebloggy.com/tatooted-couples