Jaesun’s One Year Anniversary!!

Jaesun just celebrated his 1 year anniversary here in Salem!! He has created some beautiful tattoos since he’s joined us and we wanted to share a few that we just added to his Portfolio, click the link to see more of his work!!  We are so excited to have him as part of our crew!

 

Alice in Wonderland Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

Alice in Wonderland Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

 

Death Eater Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

Death Eater Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

 

Ariel Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

J. Scott Campbell Ariel Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan- Work in Progress

 

Celtic Knotwork Owl by Jaesun Duggan

Celtic Knotwork Owl by Jaesun Duggan

 

Stained Glass Owl by Jaesun Duggan

Owl Stained Glass Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

 

Rose and Clock Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

Rose and Clock Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan

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.

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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!?

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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.

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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!

Recent Works from Sharonn

As usual, Sharonn has been a busy woman. Here are a couple of peeks into what she's been working on these days.

This tiny barn owl was a walk-in that Sharonn was able to fit in at the end of her day. She doesn't usually have extra time, but the client happened to come in at the perfect moment!

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The beginnings of this pretty lady is on the back of one of Sharonn's good friends. It suites her perfectly! Of course, since most of you don't know her, you'll simply have to take our word on this.

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And here are the beginnings of pretty lady #2. She's a little more modest than pretty lady #1, but equally swoonable.

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Sharonn is booking out until the end of May right now, but she is available for consults before then. Give us a call at 978.744.9393 to set something up with her!

Welcome Paul Martinez to Witch City Ink!

We have been searching far and wide for an artist to join our shop after PJ's departure. We are very selective when it comes to the artists we want here at our shop, but we finally found someone! Let us introduce you to Paul Martinez, who we have stolen away from the vast wilderness of Vermont.

Paul has been tattooing for about twenty years in various locations on the east coast, and has a degree in graphic design. He can tattoo any style, but like the other Witch City artists, prefers custom work with his own stylistic touches. Here are a couple of examples of his work, and be sure to take a look at his portfolio for more.

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Oh, and did we mention that the guy can also paint! Check it out:

If you would like to book an appointment with Paul, please call the shop at 978.744.9393.

In Progress from Natan: Phoenix Sleeve

As usual, Natan has a lot of in progress pieces happening. John, a Salem local and business owner, came in for his first session last week. The phoenix was a long outlining session, and he sat like a champ! Natan tattoos a lot of phoenixes, but this is the first one to cover an entire arm in a while. We’re looking forward to seeing this progress in future sessions. Of course, more pics will follow!

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With the Boston Tattoo Convention less than six months away, Natan’s schedule is getting fuller. If you need to schedule an appointment with him to continue an existing piece or start something new, we recommend doing so as soon as you can! Give us a call at 978.744.9393, and we’ll get you in his calendar.

Blackwork by Sharonn

We tend to learn a lot from our returning clients. After that many sessions and hours in the chair, you can't help but bond with them and exchange stories. Many of our returning clients become our friends, and we are always happy to see them walk through the door. And every so often, one of them has a big, big story. Damien is one of these clients. This is a little different than our usual blog post, as we are often very vague about our clients, but we've been given the okay to go ahead and share a bit here, because we want to encourage research of a story that we feel is important.

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Damien and his wife Lorri recently relocated to Salem, and as a result, most of the city is now familiar with the West Memphis Three. A controversial topic to some, but a bit of research makes it pretty clear that there are large flaws in the judicial system. We'll keep this to a minimum here at the WCI blog, but we do encourage checking out Damien's books, and the film West of Memphis (which had a successful sold out screening Friday night at the Salem Film Fest, and has a second sold out screening tomorrow).

He found his way into Witch City Ink, and connected with Sharonn straight away. She has tattooed a few pieces on him, most recent being the back piece above, and matching tattoos on him and Lorri (who is just as much of a beam of light as he is). In fact, Sharonn had the interesting experience of tattooing Damien's “prosperity” piece while he was being interviewed for Boston Magazine.

sharonn_damienlorri

Thank you, Damien and Lorri, for sharing your stories with us. You've taught us a thing or two about humanity and perseverance, and we wish you all the best.

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!

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

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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

Recent Works by Natan

Here are a few smaller pieces, recently completed by Natan.

Firstly, a brightly colored lotus blossom and lettering. “Amor fati” is a Latin phrase loosely translating to “love of fate” or “love of one’s fate.”

Second, a Tibetan double dorje. In Tibetan the word dorje means “indestructible.” The dorje is a spiritual weapon used to banish non-truths and bring in the truth. The dorje is often used in a Tibetan Buddhist ritual, where it is twirled in order to bring in truth.

Third, which perhaps shouldn’t be categorized as a “smaller work,” is a bright shamrock surrounded by traditional elements (such as a clipper ship and swallow) in black and grey.

Natan has limited December availability before he sets off to Japan, and his January is already filling up quickly. If you would like to book an appointment with him, give a call at 978.744.9393.