abees

on me, by Chad Koeplinger.

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

on me, by Chad Koeplinger.

on me, by Chad Koeplinger.

on me, by Chad Koeplinger.

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

Again, looks like conn but no where as good. I wouldn't get one.

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

Hadn't seen a thread for this?.. saw the page yesterday on facebook, can't wait to see it - https://www.facebook.com/TattooNationMovie
"New Feature Documentary Film, Coming October 2012
Tattoos used to be a sign of rebellion. A middle finger salute to the rest of the world. Outlaw bikers got tattoos. Sailors on leave in Singapore got tattoos. Lifers in the joint got tattoos.
Now, your mother’s got a butterfly on her ankle and your kid’s sporting a tramp stamp. What happened? How did tattoos go from the renegade, readymade, carney cartoons inked as fast as possible to the art form they’ve become today?
That transformation is the subject of the new documentary film, TATTOO NATION.
TATTOO NATION tells how a few incarcerated but very talented Chicano artists changed the world of ink forever. It follows three tattoo pioneers, Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism revolutionized the world of ink.
In 1975, Cartwright and Rudy boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community. They hired a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.
Freddy Negrete became the first professional Chicano artist employed by a mainstream tattoo parlor - a tattoo parlor that was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles.
For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film. Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.
Their victories brought international recognition to the uniquely American approach known as “Black & Grey”. The world of tattoo, and the way we regard tattoo, was forever changed."

on me, by Chad Koeplinger.

Ahh yeah nice one thats it, the white ink has settled in now so looks a lot more subtle. I also took my copy of his book over there hoping he would sign it for me, he asked me to leave it with him a few days so i did, when i came back to collect it he had done this for me, as you can see i was pretty happy with it haha. Such a nice bloke.

While you can nab any of the series of Tattootime books , over any I own these are the ones I'd be least inclined to part with .They are like magic each time I look I seem to pick something new up .

Maybe, I havent got one since December.

If you're gonna put your art out there for the public to see, and it bites someone else's style so hard don't be shocked when people say something about it.
I'm not saying Cleen sucks. I'm saying his shit looks like he's been looking at a few too many Conn prints, and, his work is also not as good as Conn's.
Go to google image search and type in Chris Conn tattoo, then type in Chris Cleen and you should be able to see what I mean.
That's my opinion. I know others who feel the same, I know others who don't. Decide for yourself.
And as far as people not being here to defend themselves, you'd be surprised who reads this forum but doesn't have an account or post. I've received messages from people before about something I've said here, for all we know both Cleen and Conn read this shit.

I'm going to politely disagree, Stefan-
If we can say that 'Tattooers are artists who can charge $500 an hour" than we can be art critics and say "Chris Cleen's stuff isn't nearly as nice".
I think his stuff is derivative and muddy. I'm sure he's a perfectly nice guy. But you don't get to fly the banner of 'artist' if you don't want to have your stuff reviewed by the buying public.

I can only speculate, but I would imagine the last thing he would want to do is be booked out of the year right away. Charging $500 bucks an hour, narrows it down to people who are really serious about it and see what an opportunity it is. Also charging more could allow him to not take as many appointments at first and get back into it at his own pace. I can totally understand a person thinking $500 is too much, but coming up with the extra $200 bucks an hour seems like a simple obstacle considering before this announcement he was done tattooing forever.

Stell

One of the better and probably most famous prison tattoos out there:

got an email back. sweeeet

Juan puente just broke the news on instagram that Chris Conn is tattooing again. He's working in LA and can be booked by emailing [email protected]
Stoked!!!!!

Here is my Chad Koeplinger Tibetan Skull:

hope this is ok to post, i took a picture from a page in 'outlaw biker tattoo revue' from the early 90's that i bought online some months ago.. tattoo by Ed Hardy.