Japanese 'The great thing about Japanese tattoos.‘ says Charlotte Brettle. owner of Venus Flytrap studio in Edinburgh. ‘is that they are dOSrgned to fit the person.‘ Charlotte specialises in custom work based on Japanese art. geisha girls and flowers and she sees herself creating something personal for the wearer. Japanese work is popular today. particularly among women. as it shows off a softer side to the tattoo process. In Japan. the people still have a difficult relationship wrth the practice of tattooing. Full-body tattoomg. which the Japanese are famed for. has long been associated wrth the mafia. and though youngsters in Japan flirt with tattoo culture. there is a stigma attached and tattooed people are often banned from public arenas like swimming pools. Head to Venus Flytrap for Custom made Japanese tatts. or check out Kaya Tattoo studio in Glasgow.
These artists give us the lowdown on tattoos.
everything from triba/ trends to how you start Charting those inky memories.
When did tattoo art become your vocation? 'I got my first tattoo 20 years ago and it was so painful I said I'd never go back. One week later I was getting more work done and I've been tattooing ever since. I'm self taught and I Just love my work to death.‘
David Hall, Southside Ink, Glasgow
Custom
The upsurge in interest surrounding tattoo art in recent years means demand is glO‘J/ilig for more
‘.'.'o'r< obi. :,-' (irriiil trusrir anti
personalised designs and patterns.
[dwil‘riirg't's .'
Red 1 to? a'ir: Brut;- tattoos ."
ethos too.
"the tattoo market is saturated l.". Cover-Ups morbid. horrific images. so custom 1"":..gl‘ tattoos an.- t-1<:::".l tattoos offer something else. s;<>irir:-t?'i."gr ::;;'~wvtii‘er‘t:;. '.’lt1-“‘:.".l» a '\ beautiful and I think that's xcs, armst. tic-son a' l‘ . l- t' u : valuable] says Marcus Mti(:/\t‘tlr‘-::‘.'.. of titer ' :ciis :t'it‘ltftl. l :tilift'! .'.."ll« :1 Old tOWlt tattoos 8. Body l’ieiciog. ‘ ,' ‘r ::s trurt' w. ' l:%'. t? t .1 son": Marcus has a background in illustrator: ar‘ 1 i o '( i .i \ a 1(10 1 it
and believes tattoos are attordaole ‘roii it
works of art for eyenrone. 'l no number of parlours specialising in this area .s
glO‘Nlllt} duickly. Custom lot: in (Siasgox';
Why do you work with tattoos?
‘I love the mystique of
it. It's a lot
more regulated now but there are no college courses Or anything. You have to find yOur own way.’
Paul Hamilton, Kaya, Glasgow
Why do people still want tattoos?
‘lt makes people feel
good about themselves. It's also a great conversation starter. but it's not a good idea if it's for fashion,
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David McKinley, Archangel Tattoos, Glasgow
Can someone have too many tattoos?
'| tt‘n'lk ti; a way of living your (lieg‘ir"s;. tattoos (:a'i ritake people happy. It is rioriitafiy quit-o |ll(t|‘.”i(1tl(ll li‘(:()l.‘i() who con» to us and :t is a real irrecti‘ri of miritls.‘
Nathalie Tome, OTT, Edinburgh
What’s the most bizarre tattoo you’ve ever been asked to do? ‘Sorileorit: asked for "l lummtis is
1)( >88”)
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exert to black skrr‘ 1.; not scar'cd or dar' Jilin-it. It}
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Haul McKiri‘ei. of r\rr:iia";;-::-. lattice, '
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to rt'tratt‘: :1 'it‘:'.'. til)? a
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THE INK KEEPERS
(11220».le 1'”
Charlotte Brettle, Venus Flytrap, Edinburgh
Is it true better with the pain than men?
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Kris Leather, Tiki Monkey, Edinburgh
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I Anjy Pani’s Archangel Tattoos
Unit 1. Argyle Shopping Market, 221 5733
I Archangel Tattoo & Piercing
243 Maryhill Road. 333 1717
I The Artful Dodger Tattoo & Piercing Studio
(Sd Main Road. Condorrat. 01236 728032
I Body Line Tattoos & Piercings Studio
5 DiXOri Street. 248 4966
I Cherryblossom Tattoos
18 Minard Road. 649 5974
I Creative Art Tattoo Studio 81 St Georges Road. 354 0474 I Custom Inc.
1060 Argyle Street. 249 9949
I Kaya Tattoos
1 13 [)umbarton Road. 339 6171 I lnkzone
41 l-‘ziirmeloan Road, Rutherglen . 04 7 8770
I lrezumi
25 Dov-ranhill Street. Partick. 342 4008
I Johnny’s Tattoo Studio 5-7 Mcl arlane Street. 553 1209 I Southside Ink Tattoo Studio 0?. Battlefield Road. 632 5372
I Terry’s Tattoo Studio
23 Chisholm Street. 552 5740
I Tongue-n-Cheek
Unit 26-28 Calderwood Square. East Kilbride. 01355 590532
I Tribe 2 Tattoos
1 Bank Street. 337 19/10
I Tribe 4 Tattoos
15 Bath Street. 332 5355
I Valhalla Inks
76 Main Street. Kilsyth. 01236 822602
EDINBURGH
I Ace Tattoo Studio
130 Gorgie Road. 337 673
I Bill’s Tattoo Studio
'73 Elm How. 556 5954
I Blue Tiger Tattoo
225 Leith Walk. 555 0009
I Boneyard Tattoo
177 Constitution Street, 467 7011 I Old Town Tattoos, Blackfrrars Street. 556 03/15
I Red Hot 8: Blue Tattoo 13 Bretigham Place. 477 7753 I Studio 13
0 Jeffrey Street. 558 2974
I Tattoosupplies.Uk
9 —-l 1 tiast l‘ountarn'oridge. 229 3/09
I Tiki Monkey Tattoos
90 Dairy Road. 3116 8857
I Tribal Body Art
248 Canongate. 558 9019
I Tribe Tattoo 8. Piercing 117 West Nicolson Street. 622 7220
I Tribe 3 Tattoo Studios Cockburn Street. 622 4554 I Venus Flytrap Tattoo
50 Candlemaker Row. 220 4971
i'i .‘ ' THE LIST 119