Updated: Feb 6, 2024
Greeting Earthlings. My name's your, what's Sweeve?
Welcome back to another installment of "an apprentice rambles" here at Speakeasy Tattoo.
Blood!
As tattoo artists, we are literal slingers of blood.
Recently, I had to go through the Los Angeles County Bloodborne Pathogen class and certification test. Students learn what to do if there is blood exposure, what hazards are associated with working in an industry where you’re exposed to blood, and cross-contamination. This is something all legitimate tattoo artists must do in order to get a license to practice the art of tattooing and must annually repeat the process.
Tattooing is an invasive procedure and poses a risk to the customer and the artist to a range of pathogens from Hepatitis B to HIV.
This brings to mind some things that you, as a customer, should be aware of and to look for that are sure indications of whether or not a shop is reputable and whether or not you should trust a tattoo artist to stab you with needles.
One of the most obvious, especially in the times of COVID, is whether or not a tattoo artist is washing his or her hands. Seems obvious, right? You'd be surprised....
Look around. Is it clean? Or do you see a week's worth of grime on a cheap linoleum floor? Is the floor shag carpet? Good god tell me the floor isn't shag carpet! Tattoo furniture should not be made of cloth fabric. It needs to be a wipeable material like leather or synthetic leather to make the surface easy and quick to clean.
This image of Cap Coleman is one of my favorite images. A master and pioneer of Tattoo art in crisp detail in beautiful color. But! At the same time, this image gives me the heebie jeebies. What is especially interesting is the sign next to the sailor's arm that clearly states that all tattoos are done within safe and sanitary regulations, so the sanitary nature wasn't unknown at that point, but the level of precautions were a bit different....
Something else that seems like it should be obvious is gloves, but again, you'd be shocked. Not just in the days of Cap Coleman, but even today you can routinely see people proudly posting themselves on instagram, pinterest, ticktogram, twit tock, snappr or whatever social media nonsense you use, tattooing without gloves. Rubber gloves should be worn at any point the tattoo machine or tattoo artist is touching your skin. Any contact with the tattoo area should have a safety barrier between them at all times. It is not uncommon for a tattoo artist to take breaks during the process, but should switch to a new clean pair of rubber gloves each time. Depending on the size of your tattoo and the length of time it takes to complete, your tattoo artist will change gloves multiple times. Medical gloves should also be worn before tattooing starts if the artist is drawing or stenciling on your skin. If there is one thing about tattooing, it is that there is a LOT of waste. If your tattoo artist isn't filling up a safe waste bin with NUMEROUS gloves, you have some concerns to think about. Any time ANYTHING is touched that doesn't have a sanitary barrier, including ink bottles, phones, lights, gloves MUST be removed and changed out for a fresh pair.
It is not uncommon for a tattoo artist to have his or her station partially set-up before the time of your appointment. This is simply a time-saving measure in order to not waste the clients time with the laborious process of covering everything with sterile protection. With that said, however, a tattoo artist should NEVER have their needles set up prior to the client's presence. Long gone are the days of reusing needles (yes, it was once commonplace). Every needle is single use in a sealed, sterile package. If you, as the client, did not see the needle come out of a sealed sterile package, assume it isn't sterile and by all means feel free to ask that you can visually observe a new needle that DOES come from a sealed and sterile package.
When it comes to grips / tubes, many artists have switched over to single-use, disposable tubes. If this is the case, much like the needles, they should be opened in front of the client. With that said, many still use re-usable, stainless tubes and grips. In this case, these MUST be cleaned via autoclave. Every shop should have an autoclave in a separate "clean room" away from where tattoos are performed. If you wish, feel free to see the autoclave. Any reputable tattoo shop should have no problem showing that they are, in fact, a reputable and clean establishment.
You ever done time? You ever needed a lawyer? Ever been to a lawyer who doesn't have his degrees proudly displayed only to realize you might be in real danger of doing time for painting your pseudonym on a freeway overpass over the 101 at Mulholland? No? Oh....well.... pretend, I guess. Like any reputable lawyer, a reputable tattoo artist will have his or her credentials on display. These are the aforementioned blood borne pathogen certification as well as county registration.
Most of this might seem obvious and common sense and, frankly, it is! Any legit shop would consider all of this a no brainer but there is always someone's cousin who can "do it for cheaper in his kitchen." Do they have an autoclave? Are they inspected by the health department? Is their kitchen? Will we be seeing you a few months later looking for a coverup?
In short, use your senses. If something feels off, odds are it is. Don't hesitate to ask questions and if their answers are not to your satisfaction or if you are met with resistance, time to go.
Anyway, not the most interesting blog subject this week, but it is certainly important. It's your body. It's your safety. Dont let it slip!
That's all for this week.
Dont forget to change your clocks!
SWEEVE OUT!
"Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" -Alaska
Updated: Feb 3, 2024
Welcome back, comrades of Speakeasy Tattoo! How is everyone doing? Another windy week has blown by here at the shop. New plants have been planted. New succulents have been ....sucked? Anyway, here we are. As mentioned last week, we are sticking with the eastern theme. Eastern promises, if you will (I think I'm clever).
This week we head west from Japan into the heart of Russia. As with a lot of the Irezumi traditions we have discussed over the past few weeks, much of what one associates with Russian tattooing comes from the criminal underworld.
As with any culture, crime existed throughout history in Russia, but it was in the post-Revolution era of the 1920s and 30s that Russian organized crime really came into its own.
Much like their western counterparts, Russian criminal organizations followed strict structures and ranking. A caste system developed such of bosses and "thieves.", and with that a tattoo culture to define rank and reputation. Up until World War II, any tattoo could represent a professional criminal, the only exception being tattoos on sailors.
Being under the Gulag system, some laws which were implemented in the middle 1940s permitted short prison sentences to be given to those that were convicted of petty theft, labor discipline infractions, or even hooliganism. This led to increasing the prison population at the time after the Second World War.
A thief’s tattoos represents his “suit” (mast), which was his standing within the community of thieves and who had command other one another. All with coded meanings and could basically be a criminal's personal bio. Usually they could also indicate a thief's familial affiliation. Getting caught with wearing one of the tattoos of a “legitimate thief” without the bone fides to back it up could be punished by death or, if the prisoner is "lucky," would be forced to remove the tattoos themselves with less than sanitary or humane means. I suppose I should note that no, Russian prisoners didn't have access to laser removal systems.
In the post-war era, Nikita Khrushchev took an even more draconian approach to crime to the already brutal Soviet criminal justice system. Torture was not only legal but common-place. In turn, the "legitimate thieves" stepped up their brutality to match suit. Simple removal of an unearned tattoo was no longer an option. Rape and murder were usually the ultimate conclusion to the offender. Over the decades the escalation of violence within the Thieves caste system was so widespread and horrific that the leaders actually stepped in to quell the in-fighting. By 1970, fights were outlawed and disagreements had to be handled by leadership. Further, the fashionable nature of the criminal tattoos had spread out of control among younger inmates, making unearned tattoos difficult to police by leadership and along with the overall move to reduce violence, illegitimate tattoos were, in a sense, legalized amongst the criminals. By 1985, modern electric tattooing was becoming more and more possible in Russian society outside of the prison system, further diluting the once powerful and frightening association with these tattoos.
Like their western counterparts, Russian prison tattoos are almost exclusively black and grey iconography. Subject matter is wide ranging from Orthodox religious imagery to crude pornographic characters. While naturally execution varies from artist to artist, there was a definite style that took hold that is easily recognizable today; similar in aesthetic to American Traditional with an Orthodox Russian vibe to it.
One of the most shocking and surprisingly common themes is Nazi imagery. Seems anachronistic for Russians to so freely toss Nazi imagery around when one cosiders few people as a whole know the brutality of the Nazis directly than the people of Russia. In actuality, this imagery acts as a defiance of authority, not a belief in Nazism.
Other, more common imagery such as roses and skulls are commonplace but also hold significant meaning and can even be used in various combinations to convey different meanings.
Check out this dude. He wears his tattoos in almost a textbook fashion. A snake around the neck is a sign of drug addiction. Take special note of his shoulders as these are some of the most important tattoos he wears. The stars on the clavicles and epaulettes on the shoulders show that this inmate is a criminal authority. The Madonna and child is one of the most popular tattoos worn by criminals — there can be a number of meanings. It can symbolise loyalty to a criminal clan; it can mean the wearer believes the Mother of God will ward off evil; or it can indicate the wearer has been behind bars from an early age.
(source: bbc.com)
The example below of various finger "ring" tattoos shows just how complex the codes and go and how entire books have been dedicated to the subject. Far beyond the scope of this blog.
Today, while in the Russian prison system they still hold special meaning, the style and iconography of these tattoos has spread across the globe and most meaning has been diluted or even lost on people who get these tattoos today. Model Alysha Nett wears the high-ranking epaulettes of a criminal leader. One of the greatest (if not THE greatest) drag queens, Katya Zamolodchikova wears a number of classic prison symbols. And who can blame them? These are striking and unique images. Would you get one? Do you plan on any trips to Volgograd? Do you have long-sleeved shirts?
On that note, I think that is enough of your time this week. We are currently booking for Summer so get your submission while there is still time! Cases of COVID are down 70% but let's not get complacent! We are almost out of the woods but we aren't there yet! So keep safe, y'all!
Enjoy your weekend,
-Baron Sweeverton von Killjoy the 1st
Updated: Feb 3, 2024
Well. Here we are again. Hello. Is there anybody out there? Another week under our belts here at Speakeasy Tattoo, Los Angeles. Hope everyone had an uplifting and positive week. It's been a constant battle with the wind here at the parlor. Those Santa Anas are no joke!
So as promised last week, things have come to a head in our exploration of traditional Japanese imagery utilized in tattooing. We have explored various Yokai, but Irezumi (Japanese tattooing) is not limited to mythical deities and demons. Before getting too much further into this week's subject, let me give a warning: this you may have already noticed if you have read my earlier blogs regarding Irezumi, that Japanese traditions and mythology can tend to be a little gruesome (need I bring up little turtle demons that will pull you into a lake to rape and murder youi?). This week might be the most visually disturbing. So....yeah....."trigger" warning or whatever.
Nmakubi, What does that mean? To put it bluntly, it means "freshly severed head." So, there you have it. Needless to say, this can be a bit shocking and subsequently misunderstood to a casual viewer. And, on a surface level, this isn't wrong; much of Irezumi stems from the Yakuza (Japanese mafia), so naturally there is an element of shock value intended to create an aire of fear. However, as you may have already assumed by my tone, it goes beyond simple surface level shock value.
An important thing to keep in mind is our tendency to have western-centric views on things. In the west, it is a tendency to view death as singularly negative. Sure, you have the concepts of heaven and an eternal soul, but here on the solid, corporeal world, we still view death as tragic, albeit a part of the natural life cycle. And while not wholly the opposite with Japanese tradition (of course the death of a loved one is still incredibly sad) there is an element of romanticism of death in Japanese culture.
Namakubi has its origins in ancient Feudal Japan among the warrior-class. Samurai were expected, and expected themselves, to die at any time. It came with the job. Part of the Bushido code. In the case of a battle, it was tradition for the opposing force to gather the severed head of the fallen warriors and present them to the ruler. Sometimes they were presented in a pile, but often they were hung from trees. If the head was that of someone of greater importance, it was practice to give greater care to the presentation, often including ornate presentation cases.
So what does this represent? Naturally, as with the Samurai, the Yakuza leads a dangerous life. Death is expected at any moment. "His life is not his own." A Namakubi tattoo can serve as a reminder of the impermanence of life and death's ever-present nature. We all die, so relax and take the most joy out of life that we can.
Further, Namakubi can represent a symbol of courage and healthy fear. It is a misconception that a great warrior must be fearless. Fearlessness is recklessness. A fearless Samurai, just like a fearless soldier on the modern battlefield, while on the surface may seem to be the ultimate warrior, they put their own lives as well as the lives of their compatriots at risk without a healthy fear and respect for life. It is managing that fear. Respecting that fear. Understanding that fear and utilizing it to move forward that a warrior is most successful. The Namakubi is intentionally grisly and fear-inducing for this reason.
Further, a Namakubi can represent respect for one's enemies. And lastly, it would be disingenuous to imply that there wasn't an intimidation factor involved in a Namakubi. Not that one wishes to cross the Yakuza in general, but seeing a bloody severed head tattooed on an arm coming for you, you can't tell me that wont put a healthy dose of fear in you.
As all Irezumi, Namakubi is not the sole domain of the Yakuza today. In fact, it is one of the more common motifs in modern Japanese tattooing in the west. Is this something you would have tattooed on yourself? Do you have a healthy respect for life? Personally, I find them striking. There is a beauty in spite of the brutality. You can see an example of one of my Namakubi pictured here.
That's it for this week. Are you enjoying this weekly exploration of Irezumi and Yokai? It is a subject I absolutely love and could talk about endlessly. That said, should we venture west from Japan? Dare we enter the brutality of Soviet gulags and Russian criminal iconography? Do you have epaulettes on your shoulders??
I hope everyone has a great weekend. And remember, death is an inevitability so it is important to enjoy your life in the now and get that tattoo you have been thinking about. We are taking submissions for spring. Do you want a severed head? Why not?!
-SWEEVE OUT!