Featured Tattoo Articles & Stories from Bound By Ink

Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

Photos are a unique art form; they represent a visual moment in time while doubling as tunnels that connect the captured image to the beholder in a way that transcends time, space, religion, race, color, or creed. In the same vein, tattoos can be considered even more intriguing, as the commitment is a much more painful and personal process followed by immediate permanency. Tattoos are the gateway to one’s soul and as each piece showcases triumph, tribulations, and sometimes tragedy, it also reflects an in-depth philosophy and world perspective on anything such as relationships with one’s better half or tales of one’s neighborhood. Bound By Ink is proud to connect these two spiritual art forms in a way that attempts to do justice to the visual majesty, and regardless of how you interpret the photos or the tattoos, they are much like dreams in the simple fact that they act as windows to the soul. Each photograph in this issue tells a unique tale, connecting with our readers on different levels of consciousness; whether you appreciate these images for their sheer artistry or their mystical composition, the artwork here shares no common ground — aside from the fact that they’re all printed on paper. With that said, we’ve compiled some of the best photos we’ve orchestrated and assembled a limited edition look book which further promotes the unadulterated vivaciousness of tattoo culture. With a visual history comes a clearer future.

In closing we’d also like to send out a special thanks to Andy Hartmark for his creative and compositional prowess when it comes to photography. To say that a picture speaks a thousand words is truly an understatement when it comes to his work, but in the same breath he’s the creative power that separates a snapshot from a photograph. Much respect and admiration goes out to Andy from our entire staff.

Respectfully,
John Jarasa

Saturday night’s toast to the one-year anniversary of The Honorable Society took place in West Hollywood, California, and it certainly did not disappoint. The sterling guest list of movers and shakers, accomplished artists, and some special celebrity attendees spent a good part of the evening rubbing elbows, socializing, and talking tattoos, as well as Bound By Ink. To help lift spirits, patrons were treated to energy drinks supplied by Dr. V’s and spirits supplied by Tequila Avion and St. Germain. All of the artists at the event were congenial and never apprehensive, especially Marco Cerritelli, the host of the event and owner of The Honorable Society. If you have never been to The Honorable Society, you owe it to yourself to visit or just stop by. The place is no joke.

Mark Mahoney kicked off St. Patrick’s Day in the grandest of fashion by releasing a new ink collaboration he developed with Intenze. The new ink, appropriately called Shamrock Green, was limited to only 50 hand-crafted sets and even better was the packaging from which they came in. The Irish whiskey–inspired bottles were packaged in handcrafted wooden boxes and if that weren’t enough to impress, then the list of tastemakers and industry elite would have. Guests at the event were treated with nothing but genuine hospitality and care; once the meet and greet came to an end, the party carried on over at The Whisky in West Hollywood, California. In all, it was a kick ass get together that lived up to the name and reputation built by the legendary Mark Mahoney and the rest of the crew at the Shamrock Social Club.

If you live an organic lifestyle and your old Powell Peralta deck just isn’t going to cut it on the wall of your art-deco–themed loft, then check out these longboards from the master craftsmen at Loyal Dean. Using premium woods like mahogany, oak and walnut, the artisans at Loyal Dean have crafted one of the coolest modes of transportation, which doubles up as both a great conversation piece and art. Each board is organically designed and crafted based upon what wood they happen to be using at the time. The result is a thin, flexible, and artfully cambered deck, which makes for a cush ride. So if you’re looking to save a few dollars and shed a few pounds then why not try one on for size. Besides, they’re greener than the tree they came from and a whole lot cooler than some of these hybrids you see on the road. See you on the streets.

The 8th Annual Ink-N-Iron festival was nothing short of spectacular. People from all over the globe congregated and celebrated their love of custom hot rods and tattoo culture; once you stepped foot onto the playground, you were instantly taken back in time to when gorgeous pinup models, cool cats rockin’ Pompadours, and the sickest hot rods on earth reigned supreme. The Queen Mary played host to 280 of the world’s best and iconic tattoo artists from 30 states and 25 countries spread over three machine-buzzing levels inside the legendary ship. In short, Ink-N-Iron is the show to attend if you want to see amazing artists and killer hot rods. The entire event itself was a task to take in all at once yet absolutely breathtaking. We can’t wait for next year!

“Sugar and spice and everything nice; that’s what little girls are made of.” Starting from birth, the traditional model of a woman is sculpted and molded into the demure Donna Reed–version of a housewife. Cooking, cleaning, supporting her husband and raising her kids is all a woman is supposed to do in this dated model of feminine expectations. Well Suzy Homewrecker is certainly not one for tradition. Unless of course that tradition is the culture and sport of the roller derby; a long lost ’70s spectacle that pitted beautiful women against one another in a glamorous and dangerous competition to separate the best from the rest. “It’s like rugby on skates,” Suzy says matter-of-factly. “There’s no tripping, no hitting, no punching, and no hand grabbing, so there are actual rules.” While there are rules, there are also injuries; Suzy herself has suffered a broken bone in her hand and a dislocated shoulder, the latter stemming from a postgame night out on the town. The roller derby track isn’t the only place this courageous woman sees blood and guts; she’s worked in phlebotomy and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s of science in the hopes of being accepted into a program to become a pathologist’s assistant. “That’s the ultimate goal for me, but it’s a lot of work. You have to have the same working knowledge of the human body as a physician.”