6 Arts&ulture
Clackamas P
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008
D on ' t get inked drun
Continued from TATTOOING, Page 1
The art of tattooing has since
long progressed. Within the last few
decades it has experienced a cultural
embrace. Tattoos are no longer for
those in the seedy underbelly of soci
ety; their artistic qualities are now
accepted by people from all walks
of life.
What compels a person to get a
tattoo? For most, a tattoo represents
a significant person or time period.
For others, it signifies a mantra or
lifestyle.
• ‘I got mine because I am a
dancer and I sing,” said ASG Grant
Department Officer Jessica Henrikson
of her tattoo. ‘Tt’s a heart as a music
note.”
Choosing the right artist
When considering getting a tattoo,
the first step is to choose a shop and
an artist
Ask around. Most shops’ reputa
tions rely on word of mouth from
satisfied customers ... or disgruntled
ones.
Shops should follow the standards
of cleanliness.
According to Rose Guilfoyle,
an artist at Pussycat Tattoo on
McLoughlin Boulevard, the customer
has every right to ask the artist to pro
vide evidence of a clean workspace.
“You can ask your artist to set wp
in front of you so that you can see
packages being opened,” Guilfoyle
said.‘Tt is more than OK to ask to see
the sterilization area. It should look
clean and tidy and organized. You can
check with the State Board of Health
to see if the shop has had any issues
in the past.”
All of these things are good indica
tors that a shop is running a sanitary
operation.
When selecting an artist, look at
the styles of art at which he or she
excel Someone who is a phenomenal
portrait artist would probably not be
die best at doing a Japanese-style
tattoo.
“Be aware of the
type of work coming out
of the shop you pick,”
Guilfoyle said.
Willow, owner of
Two Chicks Tattooing
on 7th Street in Oregon
City, said, “Choosing
your artist is important.
You need to make a
personal connection and
feel comfortable with the
artist you choose.”
Art Instructor Dave
Andersen said about
selecting his artist “I
went to about 10 tattoo
shops, and I talked to
them about tattooing. I
saw their facilities. I talk
ed to them about their
background and saw the
tattoos they had done.
‘T just kind of fell in
love with Tim Jordan.
That’s how I met him. I
just went into his shop
(Star Tattoo), and I con
nected with him.”
Finding the right design
A good shop is willing to work
with a customer on the design of his
or her tattoo until he or she is satisfied,
but the customer must be willing to
give the artist some freedom as well.
‘T said, ‘This is kind ofyourpiece.
It’s on me, and I’m paying for it, and I
have a say, but it’s land of a collabora
tive here,”’ Andersen said. “So, I let
him have freedom on it, and I’m glad
I did. People go in and say, Tt has to
be exactly this and exactly that,’ but
what you do is, when you meet a tat
too artist, you trust them.
‘You learn who they are. You see
what they do. Then, you trust them.
Then, you give yourself to them and
say, ‘OK, I’m your canvas, but this
is what I want Go for it; I trust you.’
That’s what very important in my
opinion, about choosing an artist”
Know that if the design is intricate,
Photo by Andrea Simpson Clackamas Print
Clackamas student Emma Reynders shows off her tattoos, one of which
was done at Two Chicks Tattoo, located in Oregon City.
it will need to be large.
“The most common thj
hear from people about thei
too... is that they did it too
[it doesn’t] age very well”
said.
Trust the artist on the best
tattoo. They will know how it
up on fee chosen area of the I
Preparing for the big
Artists have a few sn
regarding how customers she
ically prepare to have a p
mark placed on their skin.
‘You need to understand
gic reactions can happen,
said, “and if you have all«]
this may not be for you.”
Guilfoyle said, ‘Tt’s a got
get a good night’s sleep. E
meal before you come in. 1
you’re well-rested and no
because we’ll walk you th
whole tiling.”
One common misconc
that an individual should go
beforehand.
Andersen said, “Most pei
old days would have too nt
and stumble into the first [s
came upon and say, Yeah,)
dancer on me!’ But the nil
strict in Oregon. I mean, yi
have any drugs in your sy
you cannot have any alcoh
system. There are reasons fit
Getting a tattoo is not a
to take lightly. But with m
shops that boast great artists,
matter of choosing the one!
for you.
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