Jason Lee

Not trying to claim all designs are original, so some may look familiar. just using this as a learning experience. all are hand painted, acrylic on bristol board. had a lot of fun doing this...plan on doing a set of originals now.

had someone ask for some flash, so I've been working on getting a small set put together. It's pretty time consuming to hand paint it all, but its the only option i can afford for the time being, and I like the look it gives it. At the very least it keeps me busy and I'll have some cool stuff to hang on my walls when I'm done. It has definitely helped me get excited about drawing and painting again, and I feel like the painting is helping my tattooing technique, even if i'm not getting to tattoo often right now.

Nate capps at booneville tattoo & co.

thanks, will do. I draw when i get tired of surfing all the social sites...there isnt a following for this shop yet, so im trying to spend the winter networking and letting people know we are here, so by the time spring gets here i can be super busy.

just had to put this out there. need to help create some buzz out there for the new shop Booneville Tattoo & Company. Check us out at boonevilletattoo.com, or /boone.ville.18 on fb. Add us as a friend, like us, share with your friends, and help us get noticed. Thanks in advance to all those that help us out, feel free to let me know if you would like us to do the same for you.

I'd like to, but unfortunately I'm the only one here. Pranking yourself sucks... But i do have some good ideas for the guys that need some new ways to torture...eh, help train their apprentice.

I just wanted to say as a tattoo artist i wish there were more people like you out there. kudos to you

I dont want to give the impression that there are no good artists in the area, just that im new to the area and havent had a chance to find any. with that said, if anyone knows of good artists around des moines, pls let me know.

So we had a walk in tonite. If that gives you any indication of how slow it can be here. I actually notice, and mention the fact that someone walked into the shop. The upside of that, he seemed cool and should come back to get some work. I say should because i have been burned in the past too many times to count. But its better than no one coming in, a slim chance of getting to tattoo is better than no chance at all. I only have a little time left here tonite. The boredom of sitting here alone has helped in my creativity and production. I have the time to daydream all the twisted little images i like to draw combined with the time to actually draw them. Find the positive, right? I truly believe the short time I've been up here has helped me with my art, now just to find people to put it on. Think next time i come across a little extra money I'm buying some paint and canvas, or heavy board. Put my boredom to good use, produce something i can sell for next to nothing...what do you think? Oh yeah...I'm open to using this blog for just about anything, so if you have a question or comment feel free to hit me up with it. Maybe I'll make the next one about whats the best way to make a spit wad...

thanks for the heads up, i messaged her, hopefully she will know some people...

are any of these guys in iowa? or anywhere near des moines?

I've been reading through the different forums on this page and have to say i like what i see. There are a lot of pages out there to choose from, and it took me a long time to find this one. Glad i found it. so anyways, thought id start a blog on here, just to throw some stuff out there about myself, maybe somebody will check it out someday. My name's nate, but i get called a lot of other things, like the biggest ninja you know. For a guy standing 6'5", weighing in at 315, i guess im surprisingly sneaky. i suppose most people dont think a guy my size can move quietly, but im constantly surprising people. I am pretty random with my thought process, so dont be shocked with the sudden topic change, im a little a.d.d. with the way my mind works, hard to stay on one topic long. I sit at the shop for hours on end with no one to talk to for the most part, so i think i will start throwing out my random subjects out for the rest of the world...least im gonna try for awhile. hopefully someone will decide to chat back so i dont have to feel like im arguing with the voices in my head. random thought, id like to do a marvel piece, maybe a sleeve or a chest plate. anyone up to do that?

i think it may have to do with the area the school is in as well. I've been asked to come speak to my daughters gifted class to give a presentation on tattooing, both modern day and the various histories of it as well. this was a room full of 6th graders, and they had some very intelligent questions, not at all what you would expect walking into the room. I enjoyed the experience and i believe the kids got something out of it, other than tattoos are cool and i should go get one tomorrow. I believe the censorship that school is using is only going to harm those kids in the long run. tattooing would come a long way if more people were educated about what makes a professional tattoo worth waiting for. thats just my opinion tho...

Guess I'll take a turn at this, name's nate, but i've been called everything under the sun. I've been told by my friends im the biggest ninja they know. Grew up in bfe missouri, left home at 17. bounced around till i ended up outside of kcmo, where i joined the navy. spent my time there, did a deployment, came back home to bfe to drive truck over the road. quit that to have more home time, and started working as a cnc machine operator. moved on to working as a corrections officer in a private holding facility. Then back to driving truck, this time for a road construction company. decided after getting laid off for the winter to pursue an apprenticeship, which i was lucky enough to get the same month. traveled to panama city area in florida for spring break and worked as at the front desk overnites for a motel on the strip. came back to kc to finish up my apprenticeship and started working as a tattoo artist in kc. moved outside of kc about 50 miles on the promise of better work during the slow season which didnt pan out. Now im working in a new shop outside of des moines, hoping to turn this into one hell of a classy shop that i can make a living at. also hoping to meet new friends/artists, and new clients if possible while im at it.

just to put my two cents in, I am what you would consider lightly tattooed for a tattoo artist, but as an artist that has seen what is available out there, i dont want to fill my canvas with joe shmoe nobodies that do half ass work, which seems to be the majority of the people im surrounded by. I dont work in a busy shop, i dont have buttloads of money, i devote my time to my shop instead of working a side job, and i live in the midwest without the time or funds to travel. Someday i hope to change some of that but in the meantime im more than happy to be lightly tattooed. That just gives me the space to get stuff done when i get to start going to conventions and meeting some of my tattoo heroes. And on a side note, not trying to say the midwest doesnt have some good artists, just none within a short drive that i know of, and i have no funds to pay any of them anyways.

this is true, Im talking specifically about the people doing sessions to fill up half their body with something they thought looked cool in a magazine. most people getting tattooed once in their lifetime think about that decision before they put ink on their body. It means something to them. And a majority of people that get that one little piece often come back for more. I can understand someone loving the idea of getting a galaxy scene, or a garden full of flowers and butterflies, or a hand drawn custom tribal sleeve. im talking about the people that throw 40 or 50 hours into getting something they thought 2 minutes about getting. Its frustrating to me.

congrats to dan for being well informed. I personally cant stand racism, but to hate on a symbol for what you view it as is wrong. if you dont want to do the tattoo, then dont. but you shouldnt hate on the symbol, it was around long before one crazy asshole used it to promote hate and intolerance.