Tattoos Art From Artist: tattoo ideas

Showing posts with label tattoo ideas. Show all posts

Monday, April 25, 2011

Cultivating Faith for my Ceramic Tattoo Art Business...

Posted by

Matthew S. Kennedy with www.tootallspottery.com Ceramic Tattoo Art

Phone: (805)-765-1113

e-mail: tootallspottery@yahoo.com

Please Also Visit

Tattoo Art Gallery.com

Memorial Tattoo Urns.com

I have been working on my cultivation of faith for the last couple years starting my own ceramic tattoo business and taking educated risks. When I say educated risks I mean to take the best possible course of action that I think God would have me take each day. It has totally worked for me. It has worked even better since I have been being my "Authentic Self" and not trying to fit in any particular mold of what people think I should be. I have turned down jobs in this economy while on unemployment the last 6 months because they didn't fit in with my plan of designing my life the way I see it and being true to my dream of living in the Central Coast, etc... I received my last paycheck from EDD about 5 days ago. I am actually happy that it has come to an end because I am ready for the next phase of my development. They say in the program - If you are painstaking about this phase of your development you will be amazed before you are half way through. I have known this to be true for myself and seen this in so many others lives as I observe the "God Shots" or "Miracles" happen in myself and other peoples lives. The only thing is you have to be willing and take some positive ACTION. I now have 10 days to find a job or I will be in risk of loosing everything that I have worked for the last 10 months (not the first time I have been here). I have lost my art studio before and had to re-build because of some bad choices I have made and just life shit before, so I am willing to lose everything again and continue on the path God wants me to and learn the things I need to. Things don't make you happy I have totally leaned that. I will never give up this dream of mine. I have almost (I am still shitting my pants) - total and complete faith that I will be taken to a much higher place than I am right now very soon. It is actually exciting for me to be in this spot now because I have tried my best and I am just waiting for the next cool thing to happen in my life. See the cool thing is when you do your best that you don't have to have any regrets and this enables you to have so much more faith, that is what I have learned. I am doing different things expecting different results and it is fun and exciting to see what is next. I keep hearing Nikki Sixx say "don't sell out" and that has helped me stay true to everything. Fear is at the root of a lot of our problems in life.... So anyone reading this follow the fucken Blog so you can see the next cool thing that happens in my crazy life...

I will write the passage from Daily Reflections that has helped me and really hit home the last couple of weeks below:

Cultivating Faith

"I don't think we can do anything very well in this world unless we practice it. And I don't believe we do AA to well unless we practice it... We should practice... Acquiring the spirit of service. We should attempt to acquire some faith, which isn't easily done, especially for the person who has always been very materialistic, following the standards of society today. But I think faith can be acquired; It can be acquired slowly; it has to be cultivated. That was not easy for me, and I assume that it is difficult for everyone else..."

Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, PP. 307-08

Fear is often the force that prevents me from acquiring and cultivating the power of faith. Fear blocks my appreciation of beauty, tolerance, forgiveness, service, and serenity.

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My new "Jungle Theme" Tattoo... It is a good start much more pain to come soon... I sat for about 3 hours for this outline and shading and I need to sit again for another 3+ hours to add the color in. I will eventually get both my arms done and my back. The arms will be a 3/4 sleeve so I can wear a dress shirt and work.

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This is the Humming bird tribal vase that I made to give away at the "Contacts and Coffee" meeting I attend every Friday at 8:00AM. It is a great bunch of local business people that get together weekly to network.

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This is the dragon Wall Hanging that I made recently. It is a new technique that I have been working on. It has bits of clear glass that I sprinkled around the dragon, airbrushed a red ink over the whole thing, cleaned the glass with Dremel and the black ice glaze and then sprayed with a gloss lacquer. Sorry the video kinda sucks..

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

TooTall's Update!

Posted by

Matthew S. Kennedy with www.tootallspottery.com Ceramic Tattoo Art

Phone: (805)-765-1113

e-mail: tootallspottery@yahoo.com

Please Also Visit

Tattoo Art Gallery.com

Memorial Tattoo Urns.com

I love my friends cat she is so cute she was on my bike this morning so I had to take the action picture... Kat (my friend) told me about this awesome SEO group that meets on every Thursday here in Santa Barbara at 5:30PM by the pier, here is the link if you are interetsed in advertising your website: http://www.thesearchenginepros.com/

I am so excited to have my little Ceramic Tattoo Biz pick up a bit this month.. I made some $ and like doing art for a living.. It is nice to be in this point with all my equipment finally paid for and ready to start kicking some major ass with the biz. I had a great day yesterday - I am so excited I put my first $20.00 down on an artist at 805 Ink on State Street, real nice studio – classy and also an art gallery not your normal tattoo shop. Chad Westmorland is starting on a drawing for my new tattoo and the start of my full arm sleeve. We should get started this weekend sometime. I am going through a complete transformation! This is the next step in my vision for my dream. I bought a new wordrobe, I naird my back (very smoooooth and not easy to do yourself haha) going to loose about 20 -25 pounds, tanning every day (on my beach rock spot), will be working on some killer pieces for some major players in the Tattoo industry and will deliver them this month or next and I don't know, whatever else I can fucken think of haha... feels really good living my dreams and just having faith and fun.. Chad is drawing me a Japanese Tiger on a rock with some Cherry blossoms and wind that will sweep around my current tattoo. I will be adding Japanese styles and a colorful jungle theme for both of my arms and back. I will have a large elephant that my Grandfather drew on my back. I can’t wait to get some really good pieces I am proud of to take to a convention, maybe get on TV, etc… It will be really good to get inside the mind of someone in the industry too. I need that for the business and to get my name out. I made a sale yesterday for $500.00 so I said hey, I need to get started on the next level of the business and get some ink on me.. I am excited can you tell… Life is good!

The beach spot I love to go to and meditate. I sit or lay on top of the rock and meditate and tan. Life is a bitch..

The Elephant my Grandfather "Popo" Drew in 1975 when I was 4 years old.

Some of Chad's Tattoo Artwork:

P.S. I just missed Nikki Sixx book signing in LA yesterday FUCK! I could have given him his vase man.. Oh well I will catch up with him. He put the vase I made for him on his site here: It is under the art section..

I saw a very cool video of Nikki being interviewed on Good Day LA here

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Vince Villalvalzo Interview

Posted by

Matthew S. Kennedy with www.tootallspottery.com Ceramic Tattoo Art

Phone: (805)-765-1113

e-mail: tootallspottery@yahoo.com

Please Also Visit

Tattoo Art Gallery.com

Memorial Tattoo Urns.com

Vince Villalvalzo Interview
by Tattoo Masters Magazine UK
Posted by All Or Nothing Tattoo

As a young boy I had always taken interest in the arts; two arts in particular, the art of Lion taming and the art of tattooing. In 2005 I was determined to pursue my dreams, and since Michigan was having a shortage of sparkly costumes and untamed Lions; I decided to look into tattooing.

When I was a teenager I always had a fascination with tattoos, getting my first one when I was only 15-years-old (which is not something I recommend.) The fascination did not stop there. I began collecting tattoo magazines at a young age, and was intrigued by the various displays of artwork, this added to my heightened interest in the tattoo world.

Ten years after getting my first tattoo I decided to get my first professional one, from Chico in Allen Park, Michigan. This experience re-ignited my interest in tattoos, and Chico inspired me to take a chance at a new career. I spent many years as an interior commercial painter, and occasionally got the chance to do some really cool mural work; which made the job much more fun. After awhile all I could think about while I was painting, was tattooing.

The thoughts of tattooing started to take over, and I was finally given the opportunity in 2005 to apprentice under Mark and John Madigan at Fat Brothers Tattoos in Highland, Michigan. The next thing I knew my days of painting walls were far behind and I was on my way to becoming America’s Next Top Model. I mean, ugh… a full-time tattoo artist. I continued to push myself as an artist and began to take different approaches to tattooing. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. I had always admired the quality of work that the artists of All or Nothing Tattoo produced, and could have only hoped to work alongside such amazing artists. So when the opportunity came, I packed up my things and headed down to Georgia. I began working here at All or Nothing in October of 2008, and the learning process is continuously evolving. I get to work with awesome artist’s every day and constantly strive to improve myself in every which way. I am grateful for this experience and I am really excited to be here.

Vince Villalvalzo Interview
by Tattoo Masters Magazine UK

Describe yourself in 140 characters twitter style.

I'm a simple kind of guy, a family man. I love food, art, concerts and movies. I like a good, cold beer, and I love my job!

How long have you been tattooing?

I have been tattooing for 4 1/2 years now.

How long have you been with ALL OR NOTHING?

I have been working at All Or Nothing for a year and a half now, and it has been one of the most amazing experiences in every aspect. I'm excited to be able to work with such an amazing group of artists.

Where DID you live before coming to Atlanta?

I lived in Waterford, Michigan. It's a beautiful place!

How did you come to ALL OR NOTHING, tell us the story!?!

About five years ago, I worked in a small shop named Fat Brothers in the town of Highland, Michigan; located 40 miles north of Detroit, where I did my apprenticeship under Mark and John Madigan. After a couple years of tattooing and becoming a little more comfortable with my work, I decided to start doing guest spots. The first one was at a shop in Miami, and that gave me a little bit of experience. Shortly after coming back home, my good friend John and I were at work, and I was checking out the All Or Nothing site, which I had been doing a lot even before I started tattooing (because their art blew my mind). I saw this topic that talked about taking some guest artists. At first, I was hesitant to send a message but, I figured it can't hurt to send my portfolio, so I did. In my mind, the chances of getting a response were slim to none. Once I sent my work and contact info I closed my email and forgot about it. I didn't tell anyone that I sent my link in case nothing happened. Two weeks later, I got a call from the shop manager at the time, Dave Tedder, which blew my mind! He was offering a guest spot at the very shop I had been admiring for quite some time. I didn't care that the invite came with a bit of short notice. I got my sh*t together and flew to Ga. I spent four of the most intense days of my career tattooing there. It was a dream come true! I didn't have much time for anything since I tattooed my a$$ off every day; it was great. Once I got back to Michigan, I was still high from that rush, and was happy because, I landed that spot. It was a big accomplishment in itself. Little did I know two weeks later I would get the call that would change my life in a radical way for the best. It was Dave Tedder, again, offering me a full-time position. I took a month to get my sh*t together, I loaded my truck with everything I could fit in it, and drove myself down to Georgia, and the rest is history.

What brought you to move to Atlanta to work at ALL OR NOTHING?

It was mostly my desire to excel and grow as an artist. The thought of working with artists, that you respect and look up to, will definitely take you as far as 800 miles from home to be where you are meant to be; so here I am.

What is your favorite type of tattooing to do?

I love a mixture of styles; neo-realistic illustrative, if that works as a description.. I like smooth blends, no lines, bold lines, and texture. Basically, when my clients give me enough freedom, I will just draw something up, tattoo it my way, and so far all my clients are happy with the results.

What machines do you use? How many do you set up for a substantial session?
I have all kinds of them but, right now my daily drivers are my Martini and Joey Desormeaux machines. I like to have four machines, that way I have everything I may need right there.

What type of needles & groupings do you prefer? How did you come to start using them?

I mainly use nine mags, 13 mags, three, five and nine rounds.

Is Brandon really a psychopath to work for?

Brandon is one of the most driven people I have ever met. He has a great understanding of the business and tattooing, and I have learned a great deal of both from him.

What has changed about your tattooing since you first walked in the front door of ALL OR NOTHING?

Everything. It has enabled me to grow tremendously as an artist; it has opened my eyes to new and endless possibilities, and I have been able to continuously learn new things.

Everyone that comes arrives at different times, so the list of artists is always in flux. Who have YOU worked with, gotten tattooed by, met or gotten to watch work since coming to ALL OR NOTHING? And how did any of that affect you and your art.

When I began working at All or Nothing, I was excited to meet all of the artists, but aside from Brandon, there was another artist that I had always looked up to and was excited to meet. That artist was Chris Vennekamp. I had the opportunity to work with Chris and he taught me a lot. I was able to do a few collaborations with him and learned a great deal. I have also been fortunate enough to learn from and work with Brandon Bond, Dave Tedder, Short Parker, Tim Orth, Jace Masula, Chris Birdsong, Matt Dunlap, John Lloyd, Tony Mancia, Jason Adkins and Sam Hinson.

What other type of art do you produce? Paintings, video, flash, graphics etc?

I love working with black pastel, oils, and acrylics.

Was there ever a time when you realized you had figured this out or had an "art epiphany" about your own growth as a tattooer?

I have a new "art epiphany" every day. I believe that one can never stop learning or growing as an artist. I am constantly learning new things and continuously striving to push myself.

What kind of inks do you use?

I use eternal, starbrite, national black (which is one of the blackest in my opinion) and a couple of millennium colors.

What is it like to work with so many artists from all over every day?

It is amazing. There is a ridiculous amount of talent under one roof and we constantly feed off each other. It constantly pushes me to improve myself.

What types of tattoos would you LIKE to do, like if you could start
doing any specific style a lot, what would it be?
I am actually doing what I enjoy doing at the moment. I like a lot of variety, anything that presents a challenge and allows me to explore different techniques.

Tell me about your kids (if you've got any?)

I have a beautiful 10 year-old daughter. She is amazing in every aspect and loves art as well. It is wonderful because we can draw and paint together.

What do you love about tattooing the most?
I love that there is no dress code, I get to meet new people every day, work in a super relaxed environment and most importantly, I am able to make a living doing what I love to do most; tattoo.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Latest Tattoos of this wonderful day!

Posted by

Matthew S. Kennedy with www.tootallspottery.com Ceramic Tattoo Art

Phone: (805)-765-1113

e-mail: tootallspottery@yahoo.com

Please Also Visit

Tattoo Art Gallery.com

Memorial Tattoo Urns.com

Saturday, February 26, 2011

New Tribal Vase by TooTall's Pottery

Posted by

Matthew S. Kennedy with www.tootallspottery.com Ceramic Tattoo Art

Phone: (805)-765-1113

e-mail: tootallspottery@yahoo.com

Please Also Visit

Tattoo Art Gallery.com

Memorial Tattoo Urns.com

New Ceramic Tattoo Vase by TooTall
This vase was pretty awesome to make. I made it for a new friend of mine. It has my signature "Black Ice" glaze and red ink in the tattoo tribal trail. Let me know what you guys think?