Tattoo me - rough around the edges; yet a most wonderfully unique piece of art!

  While being incarcerated I've discovered that I have a talent for drawing. I'm (considered) an excellent artist. It's no wonder the jump to tattooing was not very far and has become another hidden talent where my passion allows me the ability to excel. There's just something about putting a permanent piece of art on someone's skin that I enjoy immensely. To realize for the rest of their lives they will be representing me and my talents is very fulfilling. I've found that I'm especially good at realism such as portraits and animals, but have become well versed in just about all genres - prison, urban and traditional art. 

I feel my ability to mimic anything I see to exact detail sets me apart from other artist/tattooist. There really isn't anything i can't do, even with the limited supply's I have access to.       

"How do you tattoo in prison?" you ask. Well, we are able to buy beard trimmers and electric razors. The motors in these devices are perfect for tats. We also use the small motors in CD players as well as ones salvaged from pencil sharpeners and computers. 

There are tons of different ways to make a tattoo gun - this is how I make mine;

I take a toothbrush, put if over a flame and bend it into a 90 degree angle. I use this as the frame. Then I hook a motor on top with tape or rubber bands. This makes a nice solid frame. For the barrel i cut an ordinary Bic inkpen down and use rubber bands to attach it to the bottom side of the frame. I remove the small ball from the neb of the pen which in turn becomes my tip. 

The needles I use are usually the springs out of ink pens. Once again I use a flame to heat them and stretch them straight. To sharpen them I make a sharpening pad with either sandpaper or a flat rock. It just depends on what is available. To attach my needles to the motor I make an "offset". There is a small short shaft that comes out of all the motors. This is the rotating shaft or drive shaft, whichever you want to call it. I then melt a small bit of plastic to this shaft at the same time taking a paperclip that has been shortened to about 1/3rd. of an inch long, heat it and press it into the plastic. Then I twist the end of my spring into an eye, kinda like that of a sewing needle, so the paperclip when threaded through the eye makes the needle go up and down. 

For the power source I use the adapter that is used to charge my tablet. I will take a pair of earbuds, cut the earbuds off and wire the ends to my power cord on one end, with the other wired to the motor. Ink? Well we don't have access to "street ink", not on a regular basis anyway. I've used street ink a lot over the years and would rather make my own. I feel the ink I make is actually better. That is a whole other process that I will gladly discuss in a later post.

Being a Tattooist has made my stay in the "Grey-bar Motel" a lot more at ease and peaceful. After all, tattoos are a big part of prison life. So I'm in good standing with everyone as a whole. There is a certain respect awarded to me being "the tattoo guy". After all, everyone wants to be on the good side of the guy doing their tats. I also get to meet a lot of people, hear their stories - their upbringing, opinions, and perspectives. It has allowed me to become sociable in a segregated community. A lot of guys in here become very antisocial over time. I'm the exact opposite. The older I get, the more contact I look for.

Overall it has been a catalyst for me becoming a better and more well-rounded man. I'm not near as judgemental as I used to be. It has allowed me to keep some type of empathy for those around me. Tattooing is one of my escapes from the monotony of being in here. It's nice to focus on something positive, watch it take shape as it progresses from paper to skin to ultimately becoming a unique piece of art. The same can be said of drawing. I think when it comes to drawing I enjoy the rough sketches more than actual refined drawings. Kinda like me I guess. Rough around the edges. A good foundation with a lot of overall potential.