Ceramic Tattoo Art
My First tribal "Art Urn" - "Montana De Oro" Exotic Wood: Cocobolo 
I have blogged before that I got my art inspiration for putting tattoos onto pottery from watching the show Miami ink on TLC about 6 or so years ago. I went to Barnes and Noble last night (my monthly trip) to gain art inspiration and I looked at all the tattoo books/magazines. It is so fun and I was there for about 4 hours.. I also got to read a few books on water color. I have been thinking and designing for a long time about what my "artistic style" will be in the tattoo part of the industry for marketing purposes. I spoke to a real nice gal at
Skin Candy (I want to work with this Company) and she gave me some really good ideas for marketing. I will be making a piece for the owner and going down to LA in the next few weeks to see if I can get some support for my art. I think I finally have the style that will be mine and one that I can dive into and make some awesome ceramic tattoo art! It is a combination of "tribal" and "fantasy" tattoo art. I like to carve dragons, butterflies, I want to do some fairies, birds, snakes, etc... and for tribal I have a abstract concept I am putting together and will be working on today. My new art style will consist of the two themes and between "abstract" tattoo art and "themed" tattoo art.
- Hand Thrown Pottery (by me)
- Carving into the pottery with a v-tool when leather hard
- Using a tattoo machine when the clay is between wet and hard
- Filling in the tattoo markings with tattoo ink
- Using a black enamel for the outline of the carving
- Using water colors for the inside and outside of the carving directly onto the clay
- Using drill bits to place different size circles in just the right spots.
- a Specialty Glaze called "Black Ice" that is awesome - looks like a black mirror you can see yourself in it. and my usual clear crackle glaze.
- I will use a dark background with a light carving/color for the main them of the piece so it pops.
- Make an exotic wood lid and base for the piece to show off the natural beauty of the gorgeous exotic woods I use with my art.
People ask me why don't you have more tattoos? I will answer this by saying I have been trying to start my art business seriously for the last 5 years or so and in this process I have definitely been a "starving artist". I have had some cool people help me a lot along the way and I continue to have some great people support my dream of doing my art full time, I am very fortunate in that respect. I have a tribal (my business logo with my artist signature TT) on my right shoulder around a flying panther I got when I was 18. The flying panther was for the black 5 speed 1985 Fiero I had ( long 80's story) haha. Anyway, I plan on rewarding myself when the biz takes off with the best of the best tattoos from great tattoo artists around California. I will be putting some of the best art I have carved on my pottery on my body and I will also be putting some of my Grandfathers art work on me. I have a elephant drawing he did I want on my back. I love tattoos and will get lots of them when the $ hits but for now I am happy just respecting the art and learning all I can about the industry and the artists.
The shower and art inspiration: Ya, I am a freak - Let your freak flag fly, that's what I say - fuck it! I LOVE the shower and laying down and letting the water hit me for like a long time each day.. It is where I pray and meditate and where a lot of art inspiration actually comes to me. I found out about six months ago I can write my goals on the side of the shower with some Crayola washable markers and erase it with a sponge. This morning I had so many ideas hit me from my Barnes and Noble trip last night! Like I said I also pray and meditate in the shower and I got a rad idea of laminating my goals so I could read them in the shower each morning and night so I don't forget. It has really worked great and I totally recommend it to anyone... Ya, like I said I am a freak... What kind of freaky things do you guys do? Don't let me be the only freak in this blog - PLEASE! Someone fucking comment..
Me throwing pottery
Me in Dana point California
