The best time of year to get tattooed!

Did you know that most professional tattoo artists would agree that we are entering the best time of the year to get tattooed?  Fall and Winter tend to be the best seasons for tattoo collectors to get inked.  While most people think about getting tattooed in the spring and summer, when they want to show off their artwork and when they are seeing inspiring pieces on others, these are generally not great times to actually get work done.

NatanRoseSleeve

Here’s beautiful skull and rose sleeve done by Natan!

 

In the spring and summer, we all want to shed the layers we’re stuck wearing all winter and go play at the beach in minimal clothes.  Unfortunately the sun, sand and water can negatively impact your tattoos healing process.  Skin is fragile during healing, which can take weeks, and exposing it to the sun increases the likelihood of the color fading and your tattoo not healing properly.  We recommend keeping your tattoo covered until its fully healed, which can take up to a month for the initial healing process and up to three months for it to be considered completely healed (with a new layer of skin covering the tattoo).  Ocean, pool and pond water contain many kinds of bacteria and other micro-organisms that can damage your tattoo, causing staph and other infections, and the chemicals found in treated water like pools and Jacuzzis can negatively effect your healing process, so avoiding these situations is imperative to healing your tattoo, and who wants to stay out of the water for half the summer!?

SteveLegSleve

This tropical looking japanese leg sleeve was done by Steve!

 

Because all these factors have to be taken into account in the spring and summer, it is often recommended using the fall and winter to add to your tattoo collection!  In the winter you don’t have to worry about sun exposure, and you get to keep your new piece hidden while it goes through the most awkward stages of the healing process, because you’re probably going to be covered with many layers of clothing anyway.  You also don’t have to worry about the not hitting the beach for weeks after you get tattooed, since you are unlikely to be heading there anyway (unless of course you’re a fan of those Polar Bear Dips in the ocean!).  Winter also tends to be a slower time of year for walk-ins, and because the majority of the population only thinks about getting tattooed in the summer, schedules tend to be lighter, which means you can probably book an appointment much quicker with an artist in the fall and winter.

JaeLanternFalcon

Jae created this intricate celtic knotwork piece as part of his “Lantern” series!

 

A few things to keep in mind, when you get tattooed in the colder months-  Plan to wear looser layers for the first couple weeks after your tattoo.  Some collectors find that their tattoos get more irritated if they are wearing a number of tighter layers, this can lead to additional scabbing, so you want to make sure your tattoo has some room to breathe.  Also remember to plan your tattoos around your vacations- if you are heading to a tropical location, having a fresh tattoo will prevent you from enjoying all the benefits of paradise, the same way it would impact you during the summer.  Lastly, fall and winter tend to be times when our immune systems are taxed and people tend to get colds and the flu, so if you’re sick, you may want to reconsider getting work done.  If your immune system is stressed, your tattoo could take longer to heal and be more prone to infection during the process.  In addition to this, your tattoo artist probably doesn’t want to be exposed to your illness.

wheat

Cassy made this beautiful but simple piece!

So, if you’ve been considering starting on a new piece of ink, now’s the time to book your consult, come in and talk to your favorite artist and get on the schedule during the best time of year to get tattooed!  See our artist’s portfolios to find the one who’ll be a match for you!

Tattoo Night at Opus, May 25th

On Sunday, May 25th – that’s right, Memorial Day weekend – we’ll all be at Opus for Tattoo Night. What is this, you ask? MUSIC, drinks, best and worst tattoo contests, our art on the walls, Miss Boston Ink 2012, Sailor Jerry pin up girls, a fun photo booth, themed VIP bar upstairs, PRIZES, AND you get to hang out with your favorite tattoo artists.

Tattoo contest prizes: A morning after brunch package from Opus, Witch City Ink gift certificate, tickets to the Boston Tattoo Convention, and a basket of premium Sailor Jerry swag.

Door prize (you’re automatically entered with your ticket!): Witch City Ink t-shirt, Witch City Ink gift certificate, a pair of tickets to the Boston Tattoo Convention, Sailor Jerry swag, and an Around the World gift card (good for a free appetizers at all Serenitee restaurants).

new opus flyer

Tickets are $20 in advance – $25 at the door, which will get you entrance to the entire event, a signature cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvres. You can also purchase them now at Opus, Witch City Ink, or by clicking this link.

Let’s Talk About Love

We DO love you here at Witch City Ink, but don’t worry, this post isn’t about that. The fantastic Front Street Coffeehouse here in Salem, in conjunction with Mike’s Museum has organized a month long silent auction at Front Street. From February 1st til the 28th, you can check out and bid on art from a bunch of artists, including our own Sharonn, Steve, and Cassandra.

The best part? 100% of proceeds from the show will go to HAWC, which provides services and support to victims of domestic violence who reside on Massachusetts’ North Shore. You can check out the event page on facebook right here.

We didn’t get Sharonn to take photos of her works, but we’ll try to snag some while they’re hanging on the walls. In the meantime, you’ll have to head over to see how gorgeous they are in person.

Steve’s two pieces:
steve_kiss steve_love

And Cassandra’s:
when you leave when you dont

In Progress from Sharonn and Steve

Although the flu has been beating up everyone in the shop and several of our clients, Sharonn and Steve have been quite busy. (This is a good time to point out that if you're sick, please, please do not come get tattooed — we'll happily reschedule you!) Here are two pieces that Steve has started recently, and one from Sharonn that's a couple of sessions in.

First, hummingbirds and peonies that extend from a client's hip to shoulder blade. We can't wait to see this one colored!

steve_hummingbird_session1

Try not to think less of Steve for this next one. Don't worry, he is still 100% loyal to Boston. We promise.

steve_yankees

Sharonn is in the midst of working on this archangel back piece on one of our favorite smartass clients (we say this in the most loving way). Less traditional than the usual archangel Michael imagery, the face was modeled after someone.. unexpected. We're not sure if we're allowed to give away the secret here, though.

sharonn_nate

Stipple Work by Steve

“Stippling is the creation of a pattern simulating varying degrees of solidity or shading by using small dots. Such a pattern may occur in nature and these effects are frequently emulated by artists.

[…] This is similar to – but distinct – from pointillism, which uses dots of different colours to simulate blended colors.”

And stippling is one of Steve's favorite things these days. Check out this half-sleeve below. Like it? Want something in this style? Give the shop a call, and we'll get you in for a consult! 978.744.9393

Steve in Inked Magazine, and a Few BTC Pics!

It's officially October, which means Salem is becoming busier by the day. Our weekends in particular are filling up fast, and our schedules are full of wonderful clients traveling to Salem for the Halloween festivities — we even have some returning from previous years of visits, which makes us feel pretty damn special. If you'd like to be tattooed by one of our lovely artists this month, we recommend giving us a call to book your appointment as soon as possible! 978.744.9393

In other news, we recently had the October 2012 issue of Inked Magazine delivered to the shop. We opened it up to find none other than our own Mr. Gillespie. Note: This piece has since been finished, and had color added.

We've also been going through a ton of photos from the Boston Tattoo Convention recently, and have found some of our artists and clients! You can see more photos from the show right here


Jenny during a quiet moment at one of our booths.
Photo by Iggy Barskov.


Jenny in another moment of focus! By the way, have you checked out her work yet?
Photo by Tong Mangklarat.


Natan with the winner of the Miss Boston Ink Beauty Contest.
Photo by Iggy Barskov.


We were very fortunate to have a lot of our clients at the show. John is the proud owner of this back piece by Sharonn.
Photo by Arthur Newberg.

Lastly, Sharonn has been fancying up the shop window for the holiday. Here's a peek! Fun fact: She painted this skull herself!

New Work from Steve

Steve continues to be busy, and is currently booked out for about 3 weeks, with scattered openings on certain days. Here are a couple of pictures that we snagged from him.

Celtic continues to be popular around these parts, and Steve’s attention to detail makes him fantastic at all of the interwoven intricacies.

And he was really excited about the start of this Alice in Wonderland piece. While researching references for it, he came across this dodo, and tattooing it on someone is now on his tattoo bucket list. That’s a hint to all you readers! *wink-wink*

Things are busy busy busy here, especially with the Boston Tattoo Convention fast approaching, so get in touch with us soon to set up your next appointment! 978.744.9393

Dog Portrait by Steve

Who says there’s an age cap on getting your first tattoo? This client was incredibly fun, describing her dog Dempsey as the “love of her life.” A pet portrait is a great first tattoo, and oh, and did we mention that the client is 70 years old? And definitely one of the most energetic and healthy 70 year olds that we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

New from Steve: Animals, Animals, Animals

Truth time: These tattoos were not easy ones. They’re a great idea — animals within animals (but not in a creepy everything-devouring-everything sort of way). But there is a LOT of time-consuming detail within each one. Actually, there was initially supposed to be three outlines done in this sitting, but time unfortunately ran out, so a flounder will be placed on the inner bicep when the client comes in for her next session.

And guess what else? The turtle is actually a coverup. The lines alone are a good start, so the tattoo below should be completely hidden once the color is put in! More pics will be on the way as these pieces progress.