Human canvas
Conrinticd from Page 25
Sea Tramp, where Randall works in the
evenings, is a “walk-ins” only shop that oper
ates into the wee hours. By contrast, Medusa
is open only afternoons and evenings, and
Fish does a consultation prior to setting an
appointment. In both shops, photos and
examples of the artist’s work are readily avail
able for viewing.
“I really think it’s important to check out
people’s portfolios,” Fish says, “and then if you
find a portfolio you like, talk to the artist and
see if you feel comfortable. It’s just like sex: You
have to feel comfortable saying no, and you
have to know that if you say no to someone,
that they’ll respect that.”
Both artists will do original designs, but
they have different ways of applying the design
to the skin. Randall freehand draws almost all
the art with a toothpick and ink, creating a
map directly onto the skin, whereas Fish will
draw the design onto a stencil and then trans
fer the image onto the skin. Once the actual
tattooing process starts, the tattoo gun breaks
the skin and deposits either black ink or col
ored dyes and pigments underneath it.
The most common question is, “Does it hurt?”
Randall laughs and says, “If they didn’t sting
a little bit, every wuss would have one and it
would hardly be worth getting at all.”
Still, the effect can be pleasant.
“The endorphin rush puts you in a wonder
ful place,” Randall says. “An endorphin rush
will make you feel like you feel when you’ve
been running a lot, laughing a lot, eating a lot
of chocolate or something else that probably
wouldn’t be proper to mention.”
Cost can vary, and larger tattoos can some
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Nori hw est
times take multiple visits. “Most shops in Port
land have like $50 or $60 minimums and usu
ally go by rhe hour,” Fish says. “Our shop’s
$100 an hour.”
Randall generally quotes a price for the job
upfront. “You can get a decent star or some Kanji
script for around $100. A nice monochrome por
trait will probably cost you about $200. It
depends on what you want, where on the body
you want it, the kind of day your artist is having
and whether or not it’s a dolphin.”
nce customers have their tattoo, they
walk out of the shops, sometimes never
to return.
“I’m proud of all the work 1 do, but at that
point I’m kind of a vehicle," Randall says.
“What the work is, it’s them. I just kind of help
them achieve what they wanted.”
Fish agrees. “As a tattooist I consider myself
a service worker. It’s like an illustration job. It
doesn’t represent me, so much as the person
that’s wearing it.”
According to Randall, “Tattoos are a time
marker. Something they’ll look at in years to
come and have a little glimpse of where they
were. The sounds, the smells and one step
along the path to the place where they are at
that time. Tattoos are magic, definitely.” jH
O
lnUniform.net will sponsor a TATTOO AND
PIERCING P arty — including best tattoo contest and
piercing demonstrations—from 9 p.m. to 2 am.
July 26 at the Eagle PDX and Club XES, 1300 W.
Bumside St. A $4 cover charge benefits Outside In.
M angels is a best-selling entertainment
author m Portland. He has two tattoos by Jacki
Randall and lusts after men with ink.
Queer-friendly body shops
Tattoos
Medusa Tattoo and Gallery
Tattooist: Fish
420 S.W. Washington St., Suite 202,
503-228-1008
Sea Tramp Tattixi
Tattooist: Jacki
207 S.E. Grand Ave., 503-231-9784
Atlas Tattoo
Tattooist: Jennifer
2935 N.E. Broadway, 503-281-7499
Atomic Art Tattoo Studio
Tattooist: London
1410 N. Alberta St, 503-284-6688
Piercings
Black Hole
Piercers: various
Eastside: 2946 N.E Glisan St.,
503-231-0712
Westside: 12550 S.W. First St, Beaverton,
503-672-9399
Captain Jack’s
Piercer: Jesse
4601 S.E Hawthorne Blvd., 503-236-8022
ANDY
Northwest
ÌN'ort Invest
Nfortlnvest
Optic Nerve Arts
Piercers: Tracy and Snakie (apprentice)
1829 N.E Alberta St, Suite 11,
503-287-0339
Adorn Body Art
Piercers: Desta and Dana
9217 S.E Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway,
503-292-7060
Expressions NW
Piercer: Kelly
4903 N.E St Johns Road, Vancouver,
Wash., 360-693-4339
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