Good Morning Speakeasy Readers!
It’s going to be a mostly sunny weekend in Los Angeles, hope everyone has fun plans. Today I’m going to go over the history of Flash Tattoos.
I would say most people who walk into a Los Angeles tattoo shop are there for a custom design, but regardless it is also not uncommon in this city to see many tattoo artists advertise flash tattoos on their walls and binders. As described by Los Angeles tattoo artist , Miryam Lumpini "A flash tattoo is an image of the tattoo already colored in and drawn so that you can have an understanding of what you’re getting on your skin before you get a tattoo, a lot of tattoo studios have these so that you can pick and choose an already existing design if you can’t come up with a custom design that you want to get."
A lot of the times you see flash art, it is from another artist outside of the shop and in the American traditional style, but some shops will custom make their own designs across all different tattoo styles.
Flash tattoos have been around for a very long time. It all began in the 1920s in New York City. This time and era is one of the most influential times in tattoo history. In the 1920s, the Bowery neighborhood became the hub of tattoo culture and one of the main tattoo artists responsible for that is Lew Alberts who was known as "Lew the Jew".
Lew was a prominent American tattoo artist known for revolutionizing the tattoo industry during the early 20th century. He is considered one of the forefathers of modern tattooing in America. When Lew was teenager, he went to a technical school where he studied drawing and metalwork. Before Lew became a tattoo artist he worked as a wallpaper designer. Lew Alberts is credited with developing flash tattoos in the early 1900s, and he was instrumental in designing new tattoo machines, innovating tattoo art techniques, and popularizing the use of electric tattoo machines. Just like many things that happened in the past, there are a couple versions of how Lew got the idea for flash tattoos.
One version is that Lew enlisted in the Army in 1899 and fought during the Spanish-American War in the Philippines. While there, he learned of the art of tattoos and got tattooed while he was in the military. It is said that when Lew left the military, he was appalled by the lack of quality in tattoos designs and once he returned to the States he opened a tattoo shop in New York where he began to design tattoo flash.
The other story is that when Lew returned to the States, he was passing through Portland, Oregon and came across a drunken tattoo artist named Charlie Western. Lew bought up all of Western’s flash designs, and then took it back to New York and sold the designs as his own. Regardless of the true story, there is no denying that Lew was instrumental in popularizing flash tattoos and also creating amazing flash tattoo designs throughout his career.
Tattoo flash became an important part of the tattoo subculture. It allowed tattoo artists to showcase their unique styles and designs and provided inspiration for future tattoo artists. Today, tattoo flash remains a popular and important part of the tattoo industry and has evolved to encompass modern day influences such as movies, manga, comics, and more.
I'd say for many artist that creating a custom piece is the most exciting to work on, but as someone who is just getting started in the tattoo industry I think creating sheets of custom flash tattoo designs in my own style is a great way to introduce people to my art and give them ideas of what kind of custom design they might want from me in the future.
Flash tattoos really took the tattoo industry to a new level, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them. I hope you enjoyed this little snippet into the history of tattooing as much as I did.
Until next time my fellow apes,
Peter Hernandez
Good Morning Speakeasy Readers!
Hope you all enjoyed the sunny weather while it lasted, looks like it will be a cloudy week in Los Angeles. Personally I’m very eager for summer time to start.
Today’s topic is certainly an interesting one. Ever wish or think about having a super power? Maybe you want to fly, read minds, or my personal favorite get bit by a radioactive spider and gain enhanced strength, stamina, and agility along with shooting webs from your hands.
As for me, I grew up reading comics and thought about this all the time. While I don’t think I'll be encountering any radioactive spiders anytime soon, I did recently learn about some “super tattoos” that go beyond aesthetics. From the time that tattooing began, people have come a long way in advancing in the methods and technology. While things are already pretty great today with tattoo technology, there’s always a future and nothing truly stops growing. Here are some really cool new things that tattoos can do.
1. QR Codes
After the world was hit with the pandemic, our lives became a lot more digital, and one thing we began to consistently use is QR codes. From pulling up a restaurant menu, to paying a bill, QR codes have become something we consistently use. It shouldn’t be too surprising that at some point people would start getting QR codes tattooed on their skin just like people have done with barcodes. With a QR code tattoo, you can scan the tattoo with your phone and it can lead to whatever you want it to. A song, social media, some people even have it lead to their vaccine certificates. “Once, a client wanted to write a love letter for his girlfriend, so he got a romantic song they listened to together as a QR code,” said Vikas Malani, an India-based tattoo artist who runs a studio called Body Canvas. These types of tattoos are certainly cool and full of many possibilities, but there’s also a lot that can go wrong. For some people, their QR codes didn’t work once their tattoo was completed. A tattoo like this takes a lot of precision and must be perfect for it to be readable. There is also the issue of your tattoo aging and changing. This could cause your QR code to not read anymore. Another big issue is the page linked to your QR code could get deleted.
2. Soundwave Tattoos
Some tattoos already hold a lot of meaning for some, but with a soundwave tattoo you can take those meaningful tattoos to a whole other level. Imagine getting a tattoo dedicated to a loved one, but also being able to attach a recording of their voice to it as well. In 2018 a company called Skin Motion brought this aspect into the tattoo world. With a short audio snippet you can upload it to the Skin Motion app and then convert it to a soundwave image that the tattoo artist can use. Once that soundwave is tattooed you can scan your tattoo with the Skin Motion app and listen to it anytime. I think this is a really special way to give a meaningful tattoo another layer that’s on another level. I think as we become more and more a digital society, we will continue to see many other digital interactions with tattoos.
3. Disappearing Tattoos
For some it can be hard to commit to a tattoo, I mean it is permanent after all… well maybe not anymore. A company called Ephemeral Tattoo came up with a solution for those who keep going back and forth about getting a tattoo. This brand created an ink that will fade to nothing in 9-15 months. The process of getting the tattoo is still real as it is applied from the needle to the skin just like a permanent tattoo, but the reason this tattoo will fade is because the ink is biodegradable and bioabsorbable, medical grade, plant based ink that breaks down. Currently these tattoos are only available in black and white and have locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, and San Francisco. I’m not sure how I feel about this one, while I think it’s great that people can figure out if they want a tattoo or not, I also think this takes away from that thrill and excitement that goes into getting your first tattoo.
4. UV Exposure Tattoos
If you enjoy the sun shining down on your skin, this idea would indeed come in handy.
Carson Bruns, an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering with the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado is currently leading a team that is testing a tattoo ink that would warn you when you have gotten too much sun and need to reapply sunscreen. The way it works is the ink contains a dye that is invisible during periods of low or absent UV exposure, but turns blue when you've been under the sun's rays for too long. So if the tattoo is visible it’s time to reapply sunscreen or head indoors.
“I have always been interested in both art and science. My favorite type of art is tattooing and my favorite type of science is nanotechnology,” Bruns said. “When I had an opportunity to start a new research program, I thought it would be really fun and interesting to try and put the two together.” Bruns and his team hope this will help decrease skin cancer. I really like this idea and think it’s great tattoos can not only be a work of art, but a medical tool as well.
As we can see the future holds many possibilities, and tattoos can serve for more than the purpose of being a beautiful work of art.
I think it is definitely clear that the digital world is merging into the tattoo world and I think it’s amazing that tattoos can also serve some medical purposes as well. The one thing I put my foot down on for the future is robot tattoo artists. That’s a big NO for me! Let continue to leave the art up to us.
Until next time my fellow apes,
Peter Hernandez
Good Morning Speakeasy Readers!
Another bright and sunny day in Los Angeles, hope everyone has fun weekend plans!
This week I'm going to talk a little bit about the history of the tattoo machine, and common types of machines. As I have learned in some of my past historical blog posts, tattoos have been around for thousands of years. Whenever I look into the history of tattooing in different cultures or different centuries, I am also looking forward to learning about how different people throughout time and different parts of the world have creatively built tools to tattoo with. There have been so many versions of a tattoo tool, and today we now have the machine.
The first tattoo machine was invented in 1876 by Samuel O'Reilly. It was based on Thomas Edison's autographic printing pen, which was used for engraving hard surfaces like paper.
O'Reilly modified the pen to puncture the skin by replacing the needle with a tube and adding an ink reservoir. The machine operated by a foot pedal, which controlled a rotary device that drove the needles into the skin. This invention revolutionized the process of tattooing as it allowed for much more precise and controlled movements, and greatly reduced the risk of infection compared to the traditional methods of hand-tattooing.
O'Reilly's design became the standard for tattoo machines, with only minor modifications made over the years to improve performance and reduce noise. Today's modern tattoo machines still operate using the same basic principle as O'Reilly's original design. There are various types of tattoo machines in the market, and although they evolve and improve over time, the most common types include:
1. Coil Tattoo Machines: These machines use an electromagnetic coil mechanism to drive the tattoo needle. They typically have one or two coils and are the most traditional type used for lining and shading.
2. Rotary Tattoo Machines: These utilize an electric motor to move the needle. They are considered more versatile, quieter, and smoother compared to coil machines, making them popular for precise works like lining and shading.
3. Pneumatic Tattoo Machines: This type uses compressed air to move the needle. They are more modern, lightweight, and easily sterilized. However, they can be expensive and are not as widely used as coil or rotary machines.
4. Linear Rotary Tattoo Machines: A subtype of rotary machines, linear models facilitate smoother and more precise needle movements with adjustable stroke lengths, enabling greater control and precision during both lining and shading.
5. Cartridge Tattoo Machines: While not a distinct machine type, cartridge machines are built to use cartridge needles. These needles are contained in disposable housings, making for easier setup and cleanup. Both coil and rotary machines can be designed as cartridge machines.
Tattoo artists often have their preferences, and some might use a combination of these machines to achieve the desired results. Technological advancements continue to shape the tattoo industry, and newer machines will emerge over time.
Just as people all over the world and different points of time have always figured out new ways to be able to tattoo, we still have people today who do the same with limited materials. While not allowed, tattoos have been a common practice in prisons. I do not endorse or encourage illegal activities or making tattoo machines in prison, but it's important to know that inmates are quite resourceful, and have also found ways to build tattoo machines in prisons.
Prison tattoo machines are generally homemade and crude, put together from available materials. To understand the resourcefulness of inmates, here's an outline of how they might build a tattoo machine in prison:
1. Motor: Inmates usually salvage a small motor from items like cassette players, electric razors or even handmade designs using magnets and copper wire.
2. Power source: A power source is needed for the motor, and inmates typically use batteries from remotes, walkmans, or other electronic devices.
3. Needle: The most common makeshift needle comes from a staple, straightened paper clip, guitar string or a small pen spring. The needle has to be sterilized, which can be done by heating with a lighter, boiling in water, or using a disinfectant.
4. Barrel: The barrel is the part of the machine that holds the needle. This can be crafted from a variety of materials such as pen tubes, hollowed-out mechanical pencils, or even a piece of a plastic toothbrush handle.
5. Tube: This is another piece needed for holding the needle. Usually, inmates will use a hollowed pen, a straw, or a small plastic tube for this purpose.
6. Grip: A grip is needed for holding the machine comfortably. Improvised grips can be made from toothbrushes, pens, or other items made of plastic or rubber.
7. Frame: The frame holds everything together. Inmates may use materials such as a spoon, toothbrush, pieces of plastic or metal, and fastening them together using tapes, rubber bands, or threads.
8. Assembly: The motor, needle, barrel, tube, grip, and frame are all put together to create a functioning tattoo machine. The needle is attached to the motor using either an eraser, rubber bands, or small pieces of plastic.
As history has shown, tattoos aren’t going anywhere and people will always find a way to do it. It has become so ingrained in our culture as an art form and a way for people to honor their cultures or use for self expression. While we have come a long way with our machines and practices, you can’t help but to wonder what a tattoo machine would be like 100 years from now and beyond.
Tune in next week, while we take a look at tattoos and their possibilities in the future.
Until next time my fellow apes,
Peter Hernandez