http://forum.ink-trails.com/index.php?automodule=blog Community Blog List Syndication Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:10:47 -0700 feedback@ink-trails.com (Ink Trails Tattoo Forum) IP.Blog 60
So I'm starting this little blog cause well I can and it'll be nice to post blog about tattooing in a place that will actually understand it. First off let me say that I tend to jump around in my thoughts kind of jump around a little in these things so you have to read the whole thing to understand it lol. Now on to the show!

My name is Alison and I've been tattooing for just over a year now but didn't start really getting into practicing until 8 months ago. I've always loved tattoos and after I got my first one at 18 I was addicted and now have over 30, although not all of them are finished lol. Hey it's a pain in the ass to tattoo yourself. The support I've gotten from my girlfriend has really helped me come along in my work. I started off doing it the old fashioned way, with a sewing needle and indian ink lol. Yeah I know but really how many of us did that at one point in time. Anywho, I only did that for a couple of my tattoos before I got tired of the pain, sucked it up and bought a machine kit from ebay. I got lucky and got a really decent one that a tattoo shop in ohio makes themselves. It's a nice little 10 coil starter machine and I can't wait to upgrade and get a light weight spaulding.

Right now I'm working on getting all of my tattoos finished. Some I have to go back and touch up as I learn more but my most resent ones look good. I had 3 on my arm that I tied together with a lotus flower and japanese style clouds. I just did the lines, no shading yet but I'm going to get to that in a couple weeks. I'll post pics on here as I get them done but you can see some of my earlier stuff on my myspace page: myspace.com/allycat_tattoos.

Anyway, I just wanted to do a quick little intro. I'll post more later.

Bye Bye!!

Alison]]> Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:49:59 -0700 Anyways, since my last post I have:

- temporarily changed departments at work to give me a break from all the shite going on there and have been MUCH happier both at work and at home
- applied to permanently work in this new area (still waiting to hear the result of my application but the word so far is that I should do ok)
- bought an EIKON green monster shader
- bought a FORGIVEN liner - amazing what a difference good equipment makes
- done some more drawing - now using A3 sized paper instead of A4 with the view to putting all my work into a nice A3 portfolio folder

- tattooed my husband's leg : I did a montage of the southpark characters (Kyle, Cartman, Stan and Kenny) standing around a sign that says 'South Park'. It's on his thigh and probably about 10cm by 10cm big.Probably a bit ambitious doing such a big thing and with lettering to boot for my 1st human tatt I know...but other than a little bit of overworking, and a few minor blowouts, I was happy with the experience I gained. Hubby is happy with the end result too. It did take me a long time to do the initial outline and I had a few issues with the screw holding the contact screw in place continually coming loose due to the vibrations of the machine, which meant the contact screw moved as soon as you tuned the machine and gave a dodgy running speed etc. But we managed to fix that thanks to advice on the forum about cutting up a rubber 'O' ring and shoving it in the problem screw to make it tighter, which worked. I've now done 3 sessions on this piece so far (outline, colour#1, colour#2) and have yet to fill the background of the sign that says 'southpark' but that will have to wait till some time in October (going overseas for a month and also have run out of disposable tubes)

- also tattooed myself! - I did a donald duck face on my thigh as my first self-tattoo. My hand was shaking something shocking at the thought of tattooing myself (did it while I was home alone, haha) but I thought it had turned out ok....that was until it was completely healed and I could see I hadn't gone deep enough in most of the lines - many were grey rather than black and really pale, thin and patchy. So I went over it again (this time using Kuro black ink instead of starbrite's tribal black ink) and conciously made an effort to go deeper. I sculpted quite a few lines and am hoping (fingers crossed!) that this time it will be ok. It's still in the process of scabbing up so I won't know for a few more days yet. I'll wait until after we get back from overseas to colour it I think. I had posted a picture of the original outline under the heading 'an old disney favourite' in the show and tell(?) section of the forum.

My plan for my tattooing ventures for the next few months will be this:
- buy more supplies after paying off a few debts when we get back from overseas
- finish hubby's leg
- finish my leg
- lot's more drawing for folio
- take folio around to more local shops for feedback and try and get my name out there a bit


Peace.
kaost.]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:43:51 -0700 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:20:33 -0700 Wholy fuck its that time already. Well to day is the first day of the rest of my life. I get to have a killer party and to top it all off a beautiful wife. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:22:32 -0700 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:56:27 -0700 Today may (or may not) be marked as a pivotal day in my destiny. Today may (or may not) one day be archived as a cataclysmic turnpoint in the history of the tattoo. Millenia from now people may (or may not) celebrate that though they have no idea on which day Leonardo first picked up a paintbrush, nor which day Andy Warhol first tasted Campbell's soup, they do still know that it was on this day that I first purchased two brass ten coil machines, a set of New World inks, and a whole lot of other bells, whistles, gizmos, gadgets and whoozamawhatsits that may (or may not) ultimately lead to my making a footprint on the age old art of the Tattoo.
All your pomplemousses shall quake in fear!!! Blee has been unleashed!!!!!!]]> Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:51:05 -0700
I am not forgetting about my duties on anything. I'm just taking a little time for myself to get life situated.
]]> Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:08:32 -0700 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:34:43 -0700 ]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:30:03 -0700
I don’t worry about competition with anyone else but myself. I want to do better then I did last week every single week. I just don’t understand why some people come back with perfect smooth solid lines while others come back with a piece I don’t even want to admit was mine?

Tattooing and running my shop is bringing me down. I just don’t know if I have the thick skin I need to have to tell people, “No, I can’t do that for free.” “Sorry, I can’t do a portrait in a space the size of a quarter, it just won’t turn out.” “You have to sit still if you want it to turn out.” “I can’t trade an old lawn mower for tattoo work.” “No, you can’t pay me later for the work I do today.”

I want someone to tell me to hang in there, it will be worth it, you’re doing a good job, but no one knows me so how could they. My family and friends try, but they don’t understand this job. I want another artist to look at my stuff and tell me if I should be attempting this at all. Maybe I’m thinking I have something that I don’t. It’s like the million little girls out there who dream of being Miss America or some top model, but they just don’t have what it takes. How do you know unless someone who knows tells you?]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:08:59 -0700