Best/ Worst Tattoo Magazines?

[gougetheeyes]

Ha, I didn't know the protocol, and while I'd been somewhat careful as what to say, figured best to warn people. I would like to reiterate, though, that Alex Guest is a topnotch dude and since leaving has gone on to start Tattoo Revolution which seems pretty legit. Have the first two issues, pretty nice! Also, those first issues of Tattoo Master were pretty decent and had some good content/interviews -- just the publisher/way things were run is where I had the problem. (Hell, I wrote for the last issue before the "walk-out.")

[gougetheeyes]

And it's not like I'm beholden to anyone, so let the bridges burn..

[Mel Noir]

Haha no way- I wrote for the last issue, too! I'm going to hunt out my copy and read what you wrote. Actually, I'm sure I already knew this and just forgot about it.

Anyway, Alex really is a great guy, I'd back that statement up in a heart beat. To be honest, we may not know the protocol as this has never really come up before on LST, but I've seen other forums that make our replies look totally fine, so I think we're okay!

By the way, has anyone read the new Total Tattoo yet? WHERE IS SALLY?! :(

[RoryQ]

Very interesting to get the back story guys- I had no idea. Thanks.

As far as the absence of Sally goes - I figured she was just away on hols and there was a guest editor, but perhaps not?

First thing i noticed about this month's mag is that I knew the girl on the cover from doing front of house at The Family Business.

[Mel Noir]

It's no worries man, that website is pretty informative. There's other stuff going on too, but I think whoever updates that website probably doesn't want to put up things they have no solid proof of.

Yeah I'm hoping she's just on her holiday or something like that. I think there'd be a bigger deal made of it if she left. They could have put something there though to explain for us nosy bitches!

Haha, it's always weird when you know the girl on the cover, I think. :P

[Stewart Robson]

So if we don't care about being constructive and we're not holding back...

I'm sorry, but I don't buy into the who Stuart Mears bashing crap. I think that was a way for Tattoo Revolution magazine to find it's niche as a supposed 'ethical publication' based on 'my enemy's enemy is my friend'.

Yeah, he is a shitty publisher. He keeps asking me to work his conventions. I've had a conversation face to face with him about what I thought of his magazines, conventions and ethics. I smiled and shook his hand. I was polite, he was polite. He likes what he does - being a publisher. He's a nice guy, face-to-face but he doesn't have a clue about tattooing.

I would say the same for Neil Dalleywater. Except he doesn't have the balls to deal with complaints personally. He put me through to his receptionist when I had a problem with him.

At least Stuart had the salt to speak to me about my concerns and has been in touch since.

But aside from that, Skin Deep was shit anyway. The editor was shit and it was full of spelling errors and freaky goth chicks, 'modern primitives' and shitty tattooers (for the most part). The editorial slant was mostly towards freakishness and "I hate it when people don't accept me for who I am" or tattoos-that-don't-look-like-tattoos bullshit. I have only had short dealings with Alex via email - at least he can spell.

It did take at least a year and a HUGE popularity backlash for anyone to 'walk out' of Jazz Publishing.

When I wrote the 'shit list' Skin Deep came to mind. Tattoo Revolution isn't much better, if at all. Tattoo Master was, and is, a joke. A UK attempt at being Tattoo Artist Magazine, but without tattooers writing or doing interviews. Which made it more of a misguided apprentice bible than anything useful. There is more to a magazine than it's publisher. What about the writers, editor, photographers and other contributors? At a cursory glance the only thing I could ever like in Skin Deep was Al Overdrive's articles.

So that leaves Tattoo Life/Energy, Total Tattoo and Tattoo Artist Magazine who aren't snakes in the grass. Oh Yeah, Tattoo Burst from Japan is great.

I guess that doesn't help the whole 'who to work for/with' thing. I'm sure you'll find your way.

(Sorry to anyone outside of the UK who has no clue what the hell we're talking about.)

[gougetheeyes]

You can be as brutally honest as you want!

The thing I will say about Tattoo Master is that I did appreciate the attempts at longer, more in depth interviews -- though I do admit there were a couple missteps on their end (for example: since this is trade only, you can share all your technical secrets! Or, we're actually only going to publish a few pages on King's Ave! ..woops). But it did seem like there was an effort being made. I don't know about the popularity backlash, I live in the US, but I was clued into something fishy when I approached someone about doing something with them and they were pretty adamant about having nothing to do with Jazz. But I did one thing for them, and dealt with Alex and have no complaints on that end. Mears, I've never spoken to, just know of all the fallout that seems to follow and it seems to have affected people pretty negatively and pretty consistently.

Tattoo Revolution, same look, they pack a lot in, still looks better than most. THough I'd rather buy TAM, Tattoo Life or Total Tattoo. But yes, absolutely, TAM sets the bar and is far and away my favorite. Few things I enjoy more than being able to sit and take time reading through it. Meaty.

[Mel Noir]

You guys are braver than I am about being brutally honest, haha. With some people, if you say a bad word about them, people give you a whole load of shit. The fact I'm trying to choose my words carefully probably says enough to you two who'll know what I'm talking about.

When it comes to Skin Deep vs Tattoo Revolution, though, I just tune out. I can't be bothered with things like that, really. A lot of these people who are going on about ethics in general ONLY attack Stuart Mears, when in fact, there are loads of other people out there who are making loads of money from tattooing without caring and probably doing an even worse job. I often wonder why Stuart Mears is the only name that's brought up most of the time. Do people have something to gain from making him the villain? I don't know. I just want to keep out of it when people talk like that, haha.

I never really liked Skin Deep anyway, for pretty much the same reasons as you guys. The new editor isn't much better with spelling and mistakes, either. Tattoo Master was a little better, but like you said, there aren't enough tattooers writing in it for it to be taken seriously. I do wonder why articles like those by Pat and myself were put in Tattoo Master instead of Skin Deep. I guess we weren't "wacky" enough or didn't write about colour realism enough for it to go out to everyone. ;)

A mate of mine has a whole load of TAM magazines for me to read when I visit his studio- really excited to have a read of them (even if that's slightly geeky, haha). I think I may have some ideas that Tattoo Life and Total Tattoo might like, so I think I'll approach them with something very soon. The magazine I've been doing some work for has some really cool ideas too, for how a tattoo magazine should be, so hope isn't all lost, haha.

Oh, but here's something cool- I have been asked to ghostwrite for a book by a tattoo artist! I can't say anything yet, but I thought you guys in particular may be interested to know that. Very excited.

[abees]

full of spelling errors and freaky goth chicks, 'modern primitives' and shitty tattooers (for the most part). The editorial slant was mostly towards freakishness and "I hate it when people don't accept me for who I am" or tattoos-that-don't-look-like-tattoos bullshit.

yep, this is why i almost never buy tattoo magazines..

[Petri Aspvik]

I like Tattoo Life and I think it is the best market tattoo magazine out there. The history articles are nice. Even thou I havent bought one in years :P

[Mel Noir]

Yeah I really like the history articles in Tattoo Life as well, Petri! To be honest, I'll approach writing anything with enthusiasm, but the three things I really love are history stuff, symbols and meanings that tattooers seem to use (not in a "this is what my tattoo means", Miami Ink way, haha. Symbols just interest me) and great tattoos that look cool for life, haha.

[gougetheeyes]

Oh, but here's something cool- I have been asked to ghostwrite for a book by a tattoo artist! I can't say anything yet, but I thought you guys in particular may be interested to know that. Very excited.

So uh... congratulations?!

[Mel Noir]

Haha, thanks man. :) I know no one will be exactly excited about it until they know it's not a shitty tattooer, but I thought I might as well add this in here, haha :P

[RoryQ]

Well, I see our own Mel Noir has gotten her name on the front page of this month's Total Tattoo magazine... Mentioned on their facebook page as their 'new columnist'.

Well done Mel - look forward to reading what you've got to say...!

(Looks like there's also an interview with Filip Leu this month ... Sweet)

[RoryQ]

Just got a copy of this. Well Done - full page article. Last Sparrow Tattoo gets a mention as well.

[Lochlan]

shazam, thanks for the mention. See if I can find it....

[RoryQ]

If you can't I'll mail you my copy - I'm done with it... How's that for service...

[Henrik]

Just ordered a copy of the latest issue, can't wait! :)