Updated: Mar 25, 2023
Hello speakeasy readers!
Today is the 24th of march 2023. If you're from L.A. you already know the type of non sense we've been putting up with from the weather. Now From inside the storm clouds, we'll take another deep dive into the shallow end on a topic that actually interests me personally. The origins of tattooing in southern California.
Los Angeles has been a center of American culture for some time. One industry that is not an exception is the tattoo market. From its beginnings in the late 19th century
to the thriving industry it is today, the history of tattooing in Los Angeles is long and fascinating. Today we will explore a few key figures in the origins, rise to prominence, and current state of tattooing in Los Angeles. We might not hit every single topic, but I think the artists I've chosen to write about are the most pivotal. Understanding this historical context will reveal the profound impact that L.A. has had on our industry in the United States and globally.
In 1891, Charles Wagner opened the first tattoo shop in Los Angeles, kicking off the city's long-standing tattooing tradition. Wagner fought as a sailor in the American Navy.
After learning about traditional Japanese
tattooing, he decided to venture into business for himself. Soon after, a slew of other tattoo artists descended upon Los Angeles. By 1900, the city had at least a dozen ink shops.
Most tattoo customers were sailors and soldiers initially, but by the 1920s, the trend caught on. This was primarily the result of the "Roaring Twenties,"
a time of profound social and economic change in the United States. Increased freedom and disposable income made tattooing more accessible, and the practice quickly evolved into a symbol of autonomy and rebellion. Celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Clark Gable openly flaunting their ink only increased tattoo popularity in the L.A. area. Getting inked became more mainstream and, therefore, more common.
Outer Limits Tattoo’s Long Beach location is the oldest continuously operated tattoo shop in the United States and the second oldest in the world. Its 88 year history is trailblazing, crossed by countless legendary tattoo artists.
The shop is the last remaining business in the original historic area of Long Beach called The Pike. Bert Grimm bought the studio and dubbed the parlor BERT GRIMM'S WORLD FAMOUS TATTOO STUDIO.
Bert was a super well-known, yet reclusive tattoo artist who had shops in Oregon and St. Louis before settling in Long Beach, California. He's considered one of the founding fathers of the American Traditional style. He was famous for his large scale tattoo work like full back pieces, sleeves, and even full body suits.
While researching this and putting some pieces together, I found out that Don Ed Hardy was born in Costa Mesa, CA. He was a student of Sailor Jerry and that led to him studying tattooing in Japan in 1973, with the Japanese classical master Horihide.
He became recognized for merging Japanese tattoo aesthetics/techniques into his American style work. When Ed was about 10 or 11, he frequented 22 Chestnut Place, aka Bert Grimm's on The Pike. Grimm said, "Well, when you're 15, I'll teach you to tattoo." "So I learned how to draw, but then I drifted off to other things. I started stand-up surfing and my life took a different direction. And then I got really serious about art when I turned 16 and realized it was my destiny."- ed hardy
Now let's introduce Mark Mahoney. He worked on The Pike from 1980-1984. Currently, he owns the Shamrock Social Club on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Mahoney started his tattoo career in Boston in 1977 (when tattooing was illegal). He was a pivotal force during the 1980s black and grey movement, and tattooed some of Hollywood's biggest names. He has always been attracted to the idea that tattoos are "art for people"
which i think translates to, art for the everyday person. He is most known for his black and grey work, and images of religious icons, old school collages, girls, bombs, and guns.
Tattoos are insanely popular in Los Angeles today. It is no secret that this city is home to some of the world's most famous tattoo artists, and their careers thrive. The city is home to over 500 tattoo shops, many catering to clients with specific tattoo tastes. Additionally, the city hosts the L.A. Ink Expo and other internationally renowned tattoo conventions, which attract tens of thousands of visitors. Even more convincing is that many famous people flaunt their tattoos publicly, making them a common form of creative expression and self-expression in the Los Angeles area.
As early as the late 19th century, Los Angeles was a hub for vibrant tattoo culture. Since then, it has become a central economic hub and is home to some of the world's most renowned tattoo artists. The fact that Los Angeles is known for tattoo-related conventions and events further proves the city's importance. Because of this influence, tattooing has exploded in popularity. Now people from all over the world travel to the city's famous tattoo parlors to get tattooed. Thanks to its long history, diverse culture, and thriving ink scene, Los Angeles will maintain a pivotal position in the tattoo industry for the foreseeable future.
Updated: Feb 6, 2024
Tattoo Styles
Peter Hernandez
Hello Speakeasy readers, Peter from Los Angeles back today and we are diving into different styles of tattoos, but first let's take a quick history lesson on where we come from as artists. For as long as culture and society has existed within humans, there has been body modification. It's eerie how almost all of our ancients cultures practiced a form of art we still do to this day. Writing this I found out that tattoos are at least 8000 years old. The oldest known human tattoo preserved upon his mummified skin is a Bronze Age man dubbed “Ötzi iceman”. He was found in a glacier of the Alps between Italy and Austria.
In japan, it is believed that tattooing ones skin dates back to the Paleolithic era. The first records of tattoos were found in 5000 B.C., during the Jomon period, on clay figurines depicting designs on the face and body pictures of japanese dolls.
Tattooed mummies can be found in Egypt. This infrared image shows the male mummy known as Gebelein Man. On his arm, you can see his tattoos.
5,000-year-old mummies have tattooed images of sheep and bulls.
In our own history In the United States, technological advances in machinery, design, and color led to a unique, all-American, mass-produced form of tattoo. Martin Hildebrandt set up a permanent tattoo shop in New York City in 1846 and began a tradition by tattooing sailors and military servicemen from both sides of the Civil War.
They could get different tattoos, including skulls, anchors, and snakes, in the belief that they could protect them from the dangers of the sea. A New York City tattoo artist, Samuel O'Reilly, was granted a patent for the first tattooing machine in 1891. By adapting Thomas Edison's design for an electric pen, O'Reilly created a tattoo machine with a reciprocating motor that powered a needle, which was faster and less painful than previous hand methods.
Due to the popularity of tattoos in the mid-1900s, the Americans in the general public started experimenting and branching out from the typical skulls and anchors to more art forms. This is when new styles of tattoos began to emerge, including the American traditional styles that are commonly used today. Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, a famous tattooist, is said to be the pioneer of modern tattooing style, which involves bold lines and vibrant colors.
Generally speaking in 2023, i'd say that when we look back on tattoos from our time period I think it’ll be the absurdly precise Neo traditional realism tattoos that’ll define us. there is a vast array of genres so I'm limiting this blog to 3 styles of tattooing.
Neo-traditional tattoos are similar to traditional tattoos but tend to have more complex color palettes and more variation in line weight. The subject matter for this tattoo style is also more varied and there are beautiful examples of Neo-traditional animals, people, and plant life. Blayne Meszko of hushanesthetic.com describes Neo-traditional tattoo designs as "bold, dark outlines and illustrative looks". There is a feeling of subtle dimension and the use of saturated colors. This dimension is not a 3D type of tattoo, yet they contain lines that vary in weight. This style of tattoo art consists of an illustrated look. They expand on the traditional American tattoo style by providing a broader color palette and depth and dimension.
If you’re a fan of statement ink, this style might be just what you need. Neo-traditional tattoos are generally larger, and are perfect for covering the arm,
leg, or torso areas because their brighter colors make a statement.
Apart from Neo-traditional tattoo styles, there are others, including black and grey. Originally black-and-grey is sometimes referred to as "jailhouse" or "joint style" and is thought to have originated in prisons; they resorted to using guitar strings for needles and used cigarette ashes or pen ink to produce tattoos.
In the modern day, black and grey tattoos are one of the most popular styles and cover any subject matter. Traditional black and grey tattoos are known also as old school tattoos. They are defined by heavy outlines and minimal shading and a blend of boldness and intricacy that often carry nautical themes (ships, anchors, lighthouses, compasses with flowers, knives, sea creatures, message in a bottle etc). Black and grey traditional tattoo flash is common in many tattoo parlors, to help clients visualize an already existing tattoo design on the walls of the tattoo studio or in binders at the front desk.
Jose Torres, a prominent black and grey artist describes photorealism tattoos; "elaborate and meticulous depictions of real people and situations with truth and accuracy to their actual image."
The art movement that birthed realism began in France in the 1840s, in response and rejection of the subject matter of the Romantic Art Movement which focused on exotic, emotional, and dramatic representations. Realism tattoos seek to create an image that is representative of exactly what the human eye sees, without doctoring the image or exaggerating any aspect of the person or subject.When done well, black and grey realism tattoos are the exact representation of the subject, scenery, photograph, drawing or painting from which they are inspired.
The last style of tattoo that I will touch on, is watercolor.
Watercolor tattoos were popularized by artists acting out of defiance toward the traditions of the tattoo industry. Brooklyn-based artist Amanda Wachob took the art of tattooing in an entirely new direction in the last 10 years, pioneering a technique that has now become known as watercolor tattoos. Even just 10-15 years ago, the majority of tattoo shops across the United States specialized in old school, American Traditional designs. I remember this happening and how crazy it was for someone to think out of the box. It just seems so obviously great. Like the fine art that has inspired its stylistic creation, watercolor tattoos are usually beautiful, organic, and graceful plays of color that use the skin as a canvas.
Rather newly founded, the trend has since seen a lift due to artists that continue to push the aesthetic, methods, and concepts to new heights of ingenuity.
Prominent Los Angeles tattoo artist SUNNY MA 彫浄 has a beautiful style and emotion inspiring imagery. It perfectly encapsulates the tropes and staples of watercolor while still pushing the boundaries of what a person can do on the skin. Depth, color, and culture are beautifully crafted to perfection and really drives home the phrase fine are on skin.
there are so many different styles and sub genres of tattooing that trying to research them all is a collegiate task best left to the professionals. i am but a humble artist. new-traditional, watercolor and black and grey are only a snap shot of what's out there. i encourage every one interested to see how far down the rabbit hole with a style that you can go and maybe you might even think of something new. it is a really exciting time to be a tattoo artist. i look forward to sharing more of these thoughts with you next week. i can't wait actually. I've hyperlinked all the sources and i hope you check them out for yourself.
till next time my fellow apes.
peter hernandez
Good Morning SPEAKEASY Readers! Hope everyone had a great week.
For me this is my 2nd week in the apprenticeship and I am still full of nerves, excitement, and eagerness to learn the trade. Also it’s insane to me that part of this experience is getting to write this blog every week. I am really enjoying the process of learning new information in the tattoo world and getting to share my take with you. I will acknowledge though that writing like this is a muscle I haven’t exercised in a while. After the 100th time of rereading my last blog entry I kind of noticed I didn’t quite explain what I was talking about. There was a lot of passion and no substance, so let’s get into it and dig a bit deeper on the subject of Ai filters and tattoos.
Artificial intelligence tattoos. What are they? Are they just as good as a real person drawing your custom tattoo design? Or better? And the big one that I wonder, is it a threat to local artists or our industry as a whole? Many questions and fears arise when this topic comes up.
So what is artificial intelligence? AI, In its simplest sense, refers to the ability of a computer performing tasks that are similar to that of human learning and decision making. One of the ways we use AI is in the form of an online generator where you can input keywords to produce art of any theme, subject matter, and even in the style of many iconic artists of not only tattooing, but all mediums of art across the board.
One such example is https://www.shutterstock.com who says,
“Imagine anything! Then type it into the search bar. Click Generate.”
Well i want to generate the snowman Olaf from Frozen melting in an
Maurits Cornelis Escher painting.
Alright… well maybe that was too much since it didn’t fully understand the context of my prompt.
Let’s take another stab and make it more simple, this time I just want it to generate Olaf.
Ok closer, but still not quite right. Well, at the very least let’s see if we can get
Olaf melting.
Ok definitely better, but as you can see just asking the generator to come up with a single specific idea with a particular style is troublesome, but it’s not impossible or improbable. Let me show you another generator with more specificity to tattoos. https://www.tattoosai.com/app
I want a black cat with a witch hat
Now these last ones weren’t bad, i’ll leave it to you to fully explore on your own. Personally I find them intriguing and I myself am indifferent to them. In my opinion there’s definitely not an ai generator that can give you the auteur experience of consulting a seasoned professional on putting Olaf melting on your bicep.
I am new to the tattoo industry and that being said I’m seeing Ai art from afar since I’m still only in the infancy of my apprenticeship and maybe in the future i’ll feel more strongly one way or the other on them.
I spent a good deal of time inputing different styles of tattoos into the generator. Throughout the whole experience I didn’t find one that I felt held up against an experienced professional tattoo artist. I also don’t find it uncool for a tattoo artist to put an AI generated art piece onto a clients skin. While in some ways it can feel threatening to our tattoo world, it can also be used as a useful tool in the tattoo world….. but who knows, these small little insignificant things may turn out to be Skynet the AOL dial up version.
In conclusion, The growth of artificial intelligence has been challenging this industry just as the technology has overtaken other sectors. The fact that there are AI-generated tattoos that can mimic the works of tattoo artists and even produce higher-quality results comes as a threat to some in our industry. This has been an ongoing trend in Los Angeles. The credibility that artists used to enjoy due to their fine work is being replaced by technology. The Tattoo artists in this city have therefore been conflicted on how to proceed. That is, whether to embrace the AI generated tattoos or to boycott the new technology and continue their artistry in the traditional form as before.
Speakeasy Tattoo, is one of the many tattoo shops in the city who have seen this coming Over the past decade. Scott Glazier has been able to build a reputation for his ability to produce high-quality tattoos. What is to become of such an artist who prides himself on honesty, dignity, and commitment in his process? On the one hand, he could decide to evolve with time and incorporate the AI-generated tattoos into his work, but that would mean that the one thing that was special about his art stops being special. Additionally, the AI tattoos would mean more people will be able to do with ease the craft he has been crafting for a decade now.
My final conclusion to all of this is that Art is human. Ai is like a parrot repeating a word back to you. You can’t have a real conversation with a bird, we don’t wonder if the parrot understands us. It’s an animal in a cage. We are free. I would say that if I wanted a tattoo, I wouldn’t leave it up to chance that my AI generated image is going to be exactly what I wanted. I would go get EXACTLY what I wanted. Plain and simple.
Until then my fellow apes.
Peter Michael Hernandez