Mr. Cleen

[gougetheeyes]

Cris Cleen fucking works. I know some of you have tattoos from Cris..

http://vimeo.com/27647687

[jade1955]

I realy like this guys work. His erotic art prints are something else.

[blessedmatter]

Barf. Pretty contrived. Those walking shots are a joke. All these videos are just looking like commercials.

[Petri Aspvik]

If Mad Men had a tattoo artist, it would be Cris.

Btw. I was 100% certain that the music was by Suicide!?

[blessedmatter]

[hogg]

I like some of his tattoos and none of his posturing.

[Kev]

As someone with a tattoo from Cris, I can assure you the guy is super professional and an all-around nice guy. He has a genuine love for the craft and a desire to push further with his art and reference research. I think all of this shows in his work.

[ShawnPorter]

I'm sure he's a nice guy, and the tattoos are well done... I just feel like it's some sort of meta-hipsterism. The ironic mustache taken to a new, higher level.

Then again, I think the tattooers who dress like they're 1950s greasers are silly too, so maybe I just have an issue with people who try to hard to dress the part.

[ShawnPorter]

I'm really not trying to be a dick; It's hard to tell sometimes (even for me, I'm a dick enough that I sometimes have to pause and think it through to see if it's on purpose or not) but I really am not trying to throw some dude who I don't know under the bus.

[Shannon Shirley]

where are we going ? looking at the past so much feels so depressing. Im sure Cris is a nice person, but i found this vid very depressing. Retro everything seems so frightening, is the future that bleak? when i was a teen my dad would get kinda irritated at retro rockabilly, now i get it.

[ShawnPorter]

I don't mind the imagery; his style is his style and it's no less valid than someone who's biting on Cholo work when they're from the burbs- you do the work you like, it's none of my business. For me it's the whole wearing spats and riding a penny farthing thing. (which I'm not saying Chris does.... but it'll happen. Sometime soon. Hipster tattooers with handlebar mustaches, riding penny farthings and wearing monocles)

[Iwar]

I really like his tattoos and paintings. I was trying to book an appointment with him, but he told me he would have moved to NY and Saved Tattoo by the time I was going unfortunately. I think he comes of like a nice fella, and he makes really cool tattoos. I thought the video was cool and well worth a watch. Don't really get why blessedmatter seems so negative about Cris and the video.

[gougetheeyes]

I don't mind the imagery; his style is his style and it's no less valid than someone who's biting on Cholo work when they're from the burbs- you do the work you like, it's none of my business. For me it's the whole wearing spats and riding a penny farthing thing. (which I'm not saying Chris does.... but it'll happen. Sometime soon. Hipster tattooers with handlebar mustaches, riding penny farthings and wearing monocles)

I definitely understand that reaction. I can appreciate where he's coming from though, since he's genuinely interested in things of a certain era. If you like hunting, you line your walls with antlers. If you like cars, your place might be filled with vintage metal signs. ..if you like tattoos, you're covered in tattoos but other people might think, "Who does that guy think he is?"

Maybe the gag reflex lies more with the presentation in the video. It seems like it's tough to make a little video like this and not come off as a little self-aggrandizing.

Haven't met the guy, but I doubt he's riding around on an old boneshaker with a handlebar mustache. Those types are the kind I view as the "ironic hipster" types, but he just seems like a normal dude who likes an older aesthetic and I can appreciate that. I like his tattoos and just wanted to share.

Thank you and goodnight.

[blessedmatter]

American culture is in a super dangerous spot right now. Watered down, androgynous, over exposed, whored out, etc, etc. I have ZERO TIME for people who can't just be themselves.

His work is ok, he's probably a nice guy, but I'd rather get tattooed by someone who doesn't give a fuck about what they're wearing.

Contrived motherfuckers all over the place these days.

[gougetheeyes]

I don't mind the imagery; his style is his style and it's no less valid than someone who's biting on Cholo work when they're from the burbs- you do the work you like, it's none of my business. For me it's the whole wearing spats and riding a penny farthing thing. (which I'm not saying Chris does.... but it'll happen. Sometime soon. Hipster tattooers with handlebar mustaches, riding penny farthings and wearing monocles)

Ha, don't worry dude, I didn't take offense.

[gougetheeyes]

American culture is in a super dangerous spot right now. Watered down, androgynous, over exposed, whored out, etc, etc. I have ZERO TIME for people who can't just be themselves.

His work is ok, he's probably a nice guy, but I'd rather get tattooed by someone who doesn't give a fuck about what they're wearing.

Contrived motherfuckers all over the place these days.

But why is it contrived? Does everyone need an ipad and Nikes? I prefer Levi's and Dickies to cargo shorts from Old Navy. I like white t-shirts and black t-shirts and I get nice haircuts -- does that make me contrived?

[blessedmatter]

Also, I'd be more concerned if we all agreed on everything. How boring.

[blessedmatter]

But why is it contrived? Does everyone need an ipad and Nikes? I prefer Levi's and Dickies to cargo shorts from Old Navy. I like white t-shirts and black t-shirts and I get nice haircuts -- does that make me contrived?

Well did he make the video?

Frankly, his whole image is contrived. "I want to be this guy, so this is how I think he would be..."

[gougetheeyes]

I just don't get why you think it's not genuine. By that logic, you could find fault with anyone's image.

If I was in a video wearing a Fred Perry shirt and happened to have on my Docs, would the reaction be, "Who does this asshole think he is, trying to act like some skinhead, what a prick, our society is in trouble?"

[Avery Taylor]

My feeling is that this thread should be dropped.

[blessedmatter]

I mean, it's my opinion and I could theoretically be wrong, but if he wants to do old tattoos, wants his shop to look old, and wants to appear olde timey, then he is artificially creating an image. It's not candid or natural.

As for you, I don't know you. You didn't advertise your lifestyle on the internet to me. Had you, then you would have to accept potential criticism. Is that not fair?

[gougetheeyes]

My feeling is that this thread should be dropped.

Fair enough. Shoulda just dropped it. If you like the tattoos/video great, if not, also great.

[blessedmatter]

If this thread is deleted then the terrorists have won.

[dooktruck]

i have a tattoo from cris he is a nice dude. he made me talk about old stuff from the turn of the century the whole time i was getting tattooed though.....jk.

i don't really give a shit how he dresses.

[kylegrey]

Hes probably just in the wrong country at the wrong time -dude even made his vid at the same time as Tattoo Age and Gypsy Gentleman.