An introduction to getting a tattoo apprenticeship....

It seems that with the popularity of tattoos and the potential for high income, a lot of people want to become a tattoo artist. Many of them make the mistake of buying a kit and practicing on their friends, which is very dangerous. Many of these people never become truly successful at tattooing anyway, and never acquire the skills necessary to compete in this highly competitive business. If you're serious about becoming a skilled and competent artist, this is what you need to do as learning to be a tattoo artist is very hard and will take you anywhere up to 5 years and beyond! 

Here's How:

1. The first thing you need is raw talent. Someone who can't draw or colour inside the lines isn't going to be a good candidate for being a tattoo artist.
2. Then you need to hone your raw talent to develop talent into skill. Skill can come from fine art classes, working with a fellow artist, learning technique from books, or all of the above. On top of that, you need to practice, practice, practice.
3. Once you're a competent artist on paper, you'll need to build a portfolio. A portfolio is a case or binder containing examples of your art, to show your different skills.
4. The next thing you need is an apprenticeship. An apprentice is someone who learns a skill from someone else already skilled in the trade. An apprenticeship should be free, but some times they cost thousands of pounds. Either way, you will need to find a way to save or acquire the money needed for your training.
5. Then you need to find an apprenticeship - but not just any apprenticeship - you need to find the right one for you. One with a master you feel you can truly learn from - not someone just offering apprenticeships to make money. Getting an apprenticeship can be a challenge, so send your C.V. and perfect portfolio to the shops that produce work you admire and can learn from. Also there are tattoo forums such as http://www.bigtattooplanet.com/forums where people advertise for an apprentice. 
6. In addition to needing money for your apprenticeship, you will also need to be able to sustain yourself during training. Unless you are independently wealthy, you'll need to hold down a regular job at the same time you are serving your apprenticeship. You will not be earning money in the shop during your training.
7. Once you are an apprentice, you will learn many skills from your teacher, most of them having nothing to do with actual drawing. You will learn how to safely clean your equipment, how to operate a tattoo machine, how to adjust your power supply, how to protect yourself and your clients from disease, and last but not least - how to correctly apply a tattoo. This can take many months to learn completely.
8. During your time as an apprentice, you will continue to practice and hone your drawing skills. You are not limited to only gaining knowledge from your teacher - you may also have the opportunity to spend time learning from other artists as well. Getting tattooed is a good way to watch and learn the techniques of other master tattoo artists. Also there are many books and on line video's by some of the worlds best artists.
9. There's no formal graduation from an apprenticeship. Generally, the teacher decides when the student is ready to venture off on their own. Sometimes a contract was signed at the beginning of the apprenticeship, and the terms will vary. But as long as you are not under contract to continue for a certain length of time or prevented from working for a competing shop, you can decide to stretch your wings when you feel you have learnt all you can from your teacher.
10. No matter how long you apprentice or how long you tattoo, you never know it all. There is always more to learn, new techniques to adopt, new ways to enhance what has already been done. Never be satisfied with mediocrity, and never allow yourself to become egotistical.

    What You Need

• Talent and Skill
• A Portfolio
• Humility & Passion
• Money & a Regular Job
• Drive & Determination
• Persistance & Perseverence

I hope this was a bit informative and any advice you feel that i have missed please feel free to comment and add to the bottom of the page....

Look after your tattoo! Aftercare is up to you and will help your tattoo look good for LIFE!!!!

Kinky Ink Inkorperated

93 Battersea Rise, Clapham junction, Wandsworth, London, SW11 1HW

kinkyink@hotmail.com

02072233666

Tattoo Aftercare

Please note that these are guidelines only.

Your tattoo artist will cover your new tattoo with cling film, this step is to stop dirt, germs, air, etc... coming into contact with your new tattoo. You should keep your tattoo covered with cling film until the next morning. If you remove the cling film to shower or wash you should apply a new piece of cling film and more aftercare cream. Over the following week you should wash your tattoo daily and apply very thin layers of aftercare 2 to 3 times a day and re-applying a new layer of cling film over the top to protect the tattoo from contact with dirt, particles, etc....

When you remove the cling film the tattoo will appear "slimy" this is just extra platelets produced and excreted from the body to prevent it's new "wound". Gently wash the area with WARM water and ANTI-BACTERIAL soap, pat the area dry with a paper towel. You then need to apply aftercare cream to the tattoo 2 to 3 times per day, this will help protect the tattoo and promote healing (we recommend that our customers use BEPANTHEN http://www.bepanthen.co.uk). This minimises scabbing and can be purchased from most good chemists. Aftercare products specially designed for tattoos are also fine to use, but please look it up online as some work well for different skin types. Vaseline (and similar barrier creams) should be avoided as it restricts air from reaching the skin. Other harmful astringents and antiseptics such as TCP, Dettol, and perfumed lotions (that contain alcohol) should be avoided. Sudocreme is also inadvisable, as it is not easily absorbed into the skin.

Your tattoo will also begin to dry out and scabbing could occur. Scabbing should be kept to minimum as scabs can be damaged and cause pigment to drop out and cause scars. Thin layers of aftercare applied at regular intervals may help reduce this risk, depending on you immune system.

Do NOT soak you tattoo for prolonged periods of time, after a bathing pat the area dry or allow air to dry. Rubbing and picking your tattoo will ruin the design and sea your skin.

Please avoid exposing your tattoo to the sun or sun beds whilst it is healing. Also, after your tattoo is healed prolonged exposure will fade tattoos over time and will harm the skin.

Be aware that tattoos can become infected. Avoid anything dirty on your tattoo (including unwashed hands) while it is healing. Pets can cover your tattoo in hair, saliva, etc.... so ensure your tattoo is covered before handling any animals. If your tattoo does become dirty, wash immediately with antibacterial soap and pat dry and apply aftercare cream.

A tattoo can take 1-2 moths to fully heal. Although scabbing will disappear (with proper aftercare) within 5-7 days. The tattoo may still appear slightly faint or the skin may appear shiny and taut for up to a month after. Keep applying for your aftercare cream at least twice a day until the skin has fully healed.

Don't forget these important steps of tattoo aftercare and enjoy your new new tattoo.

www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing  

ATTENTION!!! When getting tattooed in KinkY Ink or tattoo hotspot , we explain the process of AFTERCARE TO YOU step by step . YOU are responsible for your tattoo , when you leave the shop.This picture is an example of a GOOD AFTERCARE PROCESS.

What Does Body Piercing Procedure Involve?

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The art of body piercing has taken off in a big way in recent years, and the basic ear, nose and navel repertoire of most studios has needed to expand to cover more exotic piercings. Here's a short guide to what piercing different body parts entails.

Ear

• Lobe the ear lobe piercing is often carried out with a gun, and it's unlikely that there will be much bleeding.
• Multiple and cartilage piercings the ear is cleaned and the positions marked. Piercings in the cartilage area can bleed for a few minutes. These are usually carried out using the piercing gun.

Alternative ear piercings on inner parts of the ear are usually done with a needle as they can be harder to reach. They are not suitable for everybody, so you'll need to ask your piercer for advice about whether you have enough cartilage in your chosen area to have it pierced.

Nose

Noses can be pierced through the nostril or septum. Your nose will be cleaned on the outside and inside, he position will be marked, and then small specialist clamps will be applied and your nose pierced with a needle.

The septum piercing can be extremely painful, and is carried out in pretty much the same way as a nostril piercing.

Eyebrow

If you have an eyebrow pierced, after cleaning you'll agree a position with your piercer, and then you'll be pierced with a needle. There's likely to be some bleeding but this should only last a few minutes. You can end up with some swelling or bruising that looks a bit like a black eye.

Tongue

A tongue is usually pierced from top to bottom through the centre, although the tongue web can also be pierced in some people. The piercer will use a clamp to make sure that the needle doesn't make contact with your teeth or gums. You can expect a few days of swelling with a tongue piercing and it can be sore afterwards.

Lips

The 'Madonna' is a very popular piercing, and is named after the famous beauty mark. It will be pierced off centre to one side of your mouth, and it's worth pointing out that if you remove the jewellery, you'll be left with scarring on your face.

A standard lower lip piercing can be anywhere along the lip, but it is usually done below the lip line and vertically central to your face. With lip piercings, you will be clamped into place while the piercer uses a needle to pierce the marked area. You can expect some bleeding.

Nipples

In the UK, if you're female you have to be over 16 to have a nipple pierced. Males don't have an age limit. The nipple has to be erect when pierced in order to position the piercing correctly. The piercing point is marked at the base of the nipple, where the nipple joins the areola. You will probably get some swelling with a nipple piercing, although it's not usually too severe.

Navel

The navel can be pierced at the top, bottom or side and the procedure is broadly the same for all. You'll be lying flat on your back, and a clamp will be applied to a small fold of skin so that the piercing is accurate. You can bleed for a few minutes after a navel piercing - and you'll have to wear a dressing over the wound to start with.

Genital piercings

• Female - women can have their clitoris, some areas of the vulva and clitoral hood pierced, but as with nipples, there are laws forbidding this in anyone under sixteen. If you have an intimate piercing you will obviously have to undress below the waist. They can be very tricky to align and mark, and once pierced, you will probably bleed for a few minutes. Women shouldn't have a piercing during their period.
• Male - men can be intimately pierced in several places - the head of the penis, foreskin, scrotum, and pubic area. These piercings heal quickly although there is likely to be some bleeding, and swelling may last for a few days.

Depending on how brave and experimental you're feeling, you can choose to have a piercing in one or many places, and most studios are now quite comfortable carrying out the more unusual piercing requests! Always ask the piercer's advice if you're unsure, and think very carefully.

https://www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing

Stop illegal tattooing....

HIV and hepatitis warning over illegal tattooists

 

 

Unlicensed tattooists face a prison sentence of up to two years

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• Met police ban on visible tattoos
• Bye-laws bill 'is beyond powers'

Illegal unlicensed tattoo parlours are putting customers at risk from HIV and hepatitis, council bosses in England and Wales have warned.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said such operators were more likely to use substandard equipment and conduct inadequate sterilisation techniques.
They were also less likely to check the person's age or medical history.
The LGA said unregulated tattooists were working in homes, garden sheds or pubs and clubs.
'Unscrupulous bid' The organisation said people were being lured away from reputable establishments by cheap deals - but there was an increased danger of contracting serious skin disorders, hepatitis or HIV.
Mehboob Khan, chairman of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: "Unlicensed tattooists and parlours continue to operate across the country in an unscrupulous bid to cash in on the growing popularity of body art.
"People looking for a cheap tattoo by using them run the real danger of picking up a serious infection such as hepatitis or HIV or permanent scarring from botched procedures that are often delivered by these dangerous imposters."
Mr Khan said people who took the risk could end up with a "disfigurement or life-changing health condition".
He added: "Anyone who is thinking of having a tattoo should do their research and use a registered tattooist.
'Unrelenting crackdown' "We would also encourage anyone who has visited an unregistered tattooist to seek medical advice from their GP and report the parlour to their local authority.
"Councils and the police will continue their unrelenting crackdown on these illegal parlours to continue shutting them down and bringing the perpetrators to justice."
Tattoo artist Kevin Paul told the BBC that anyone with tattoo equipment should have register with their local council and follow health and safety guidelines.
He said: "Some of the stories we've had are really bad. Like this girl - she had something on her foot.
"She thought it was a professional person who'd done it. He went far too deep. It swelled up and went really sore.
"She went back to get their advice after a week. They told her that that was normal. That's not normal. Two weeks down the line, it got that bad she could hardly walk on it. She went to hospital. They told her that if she'd have left it any longer she'd have lost her foot."
The LGA said there were more than 1,500 licensed tattoo parlours in the UK, with almost three in 10 people aged between 25 and 34 having at least one piece of the body art.
Unlicensed tattooists face a prison sentence of up to two years and unlimited fines, and local authorities can seize their equipment under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Getting a Tattoo Removed

You wouldn't be the first and you certainly won't be the last person to decide that perhaps a tattoo which was hastily done in your youth is now surplus to requirements.

It's possible to remove an unwanted tattoo, although some methods are more successful than others. A lot will depend on how big your tattoo is and where it is situated, as well as how it was done and the type of pigment that was used.

Who Can Remove a Tattoo?

The first thing to try is a visit to your GP to find out if you are eligible to have your tattoo removed on the NHS. It's unlikely that they will fund you, but some Health Authorities will make an exception in some cases. At the very least your doctor can give you some advice about what method is best for you, and you can ask him for a referral to a reputable cosmetic surgeon who could do the work.

You might see cheap tattoo removal advertised in the newspapers - it's never a good idea to go for the budget option for any cosmetic procedure. Find someone who is registered with the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) or the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons (BACS) and at least you'll know that you are in good hands. Ask questions - ask what options are available, find out the success rates for the different options, and find out how long the surgeon has been carrying out the procedure.The methods used to remove tattoos vary, some are favoured by different experts and some depend on the type of tattoo you want to get rid of.

https://www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing for 10+ years experience in tattoo removal

What Are The Main Methods?

Tattoos are usually removed in one of the following ways:

• Laser treatment Pulses of laser light are sent into the tattoos, using different intensities for different coloured pigments. The light passes through the top layer of the skin, and is then absorbed by pigment particles in the tattoo.
  The particles heat up and break into smaller pieces which are eliminated through the immune system. Laser treatment is easy and effective, and there is very little risk involved. It's possible that there could be some scarring or pigmentation afterwards, or occasionally the pigment can react with the laser, which results in a darker colour in the skin.
  
  Laser treatment only takes a few minutes but it can take a few treatments to complete, and it can cause some discomfort. Complete removal is unlikely, and the treatments can cost you hundreds of pounds.
• Dermabrasion This is where the skin is chemically treated to break up tissue and then the top layers of the skin, which contain the tattoo pigment, are rubbed away mechanically. This can sometimes lead to scarring, though.
• Vaporisation A carbon dioxide laser is used to remove the tattoo - and this can also lead to some scarring.

How Long Will it Take?

Removing tattoos usually takes place under local anaesthetic and with some sedation. It can often take several treatments to get the tattoo as light as you want it to be, and unless it's physically cut out, you can often see a faint residual image.

Tattoo Removal Creams

Don't waste your money on a cream that claims to remove your tattoos. Medical experts have dismissed the claims that an expensive cream can dissolve away a tattoo, and the Tattoo Club of Great Britain agrees.

Unfortunately, it's sad fact of life that a tattoo of your lover's name can last longer than the love itself, so you need to consider your options carefully before you set foot in a tattoo parlour!

Choosing a Reputable Tattoo Parlour or Shop

Seventy-five percent of the UK people who have tattoos end up wishing that they hadn't according to a study by the British Journal of Dermatology in 2003. Of course, many of these people might just have changed their mind afterwards, and there isn't much that anyone can do about indecisiveness.

If you are absolutely sure you want to have a tattoo, you're over 18, and you are looking for the place to do it for you, just keep the following guidelines in mind and you'll hopefully end up with a tat you can be proud of for years to come...

https://www.facebook.com/kinkyink.inkorporated 93 Battersea Rise, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 1HW.

Make Sure They are Registered!

Check that the person you want to tattoo you is registered and has an up to date health and safety certificate. This should give you some peace of mind. By law (the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, to be precise) anyone who carries out tattooing, must be registered with their local authority, who should visit their premises on a regular basis to make sure they are complying with the law. Never go to an unlicensed tattooist, that's just asking for trouble. Also look at the work they have already done and does this appeal to your requirements? Just because a studio is registered has no bearing on the quality of work they produce.

Health Concerns

To put your mind at rest, and to avoid any problems with the tattoo, the tattooist should ask whether you if you have had any of the following:

• any allergic reactions to latex, anaesthetics or sticking plasters
• any condition that might compromise your immune system (such as MS)
• heart disease or a pacemaker
• impetigo
• seizures, epileptic or otherwise
• high blood pressure
• haemophilia.

If you have any of those conditions, or have had them in the past, you'll be asked to get written authorisation from your GP before you're tattooed. All this information also has to be recorded.

Check The Hygiene

Are they displaying a health and safety certificate? They should be, so ask to see one if it's not immediately obvious. Look around and see if the place is clean and tidy...it should be spotlessly clean. Look out for:

• Are they wearing gloves? Visit the parlour before you have your tattoo and see if the artist(s) are wearing gloves to tattoo other clients - this is basic health and safety practice so if there are no gloves, give them a miss. Tattooing punctures your skin and leaves you prone to infection even if it's done with spotless hands and instruments - don't risk compromising your health.
• Needle safety every single needle must be brand-new, not cleaned or disinfected. Watch the artist throw old needles away and take new ones out to use on you. Dirty needles are a serious health risk, and could leave you with a chance of contracting HIV, hepatitis or tetanus.

Get Recommended

Get a recommendation. If you have friends with tattoos, it makes sense to ask them where they were done, and if they were happy. Check the Internet to see if there are any testimonials online. Visit the parlour and ask to see examples of previous work.

Reputable by Association

Are they a member of the Association of Professional Tattoo Artists, or the Tattoo Club of Great Britain? The Tattoo Club has a list of registered tattoo artists which they are happy to divulge.

A tattoo is a lifelong investment - costly to put right if you're not happy with the results. A little time researching the best place for you will pay dividends in the long term.

https://www.facebook.com/kinkyink.inkorporated 93 Battersea Rise, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 1HW.

The Law Relating to Body Piercing and Tattoos

Having a tattoo or a body piercing is a big decision, and in a lot of cases, a permanent one. Until recently, the laws applying to tattoos and body piercing were sketchy to say the least, and it could be hard to tell who was reputable and who to avoid.

What Laws Apply to Body Art?

The main areas of law that relate to body piercing and tattoos cover the health, safety and licensing of any premises that carries out 'cosmetic' skin piercing and permanent tattooing. These laws are:

• The Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA,1974)
• The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 ( recently amended by the Local Government Act 2003)
• Laws relating to Age and consent
• The Tattooing of Minors Act 1969
• Assault implications
• The Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act (1985)
• Anaesthetics - The Medicines Act (1968
• Legal exemptions affecting some special treatments.

Who has to be Registered?

All businesses that carry out ear piercing and permanent tattooing must be registered under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, and since 2004, local authorities also regulate salons and other businesses that carry out body piercing, and semi-permanent skin-colouring techniques such as micropigmentation, semi-permanent make-up or temporary tattoo services.Local authorities have the powers to inspect any premises that carry out piercing or tattooing, and make sure that they are observing local byelaws that relate to the hygiene of their premises, staff and equipment. 

All the gear but no idea...

The problem with this is that the local authority has to obligatorily grant a license and does not take into account the quality of the actual tattoo. This means that the studio can be very clean and obey all the necessary heath, safety and hygiene but the "artist" does not really need to have the required skills to tattoo correctly and safely. e.g. running the needle at the right depth, tuning the machine correctly, overworking the skin, not even begin able to draw! All of which ending up in the result being a badly executed tattoo and the customer walking away with an awful piece of art.

How Old Do I Have to Be?

There is no legal age of consent for body piercing, and so it's legal for someone under the age of 18 to have a piercing as long as they have consented to it. Children under the age of 16 can't legally consent to a genital (or in the case of girls, nipple) piercing, as it's considered to be indecent assault. There are no plans to introduce an age of consent for body piercing in any areas other than the genitals, although some local authorities have introduced recommendations about the ages at which a person can have specific body piercing's.

The Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 makes it illegal for anyone to tattoo you if you are under the age of 18 - although the offence is with the person who carries out the procedure, rather than the person who asks for the tattoo. New guidelines suggest that a tattoo artist should ask to see proof of age and record this before agreeing to tattoo you.

What Must I be Asked?

Before a piercing or tattoo is carried out, the studio should, by law, ask some important health questions, as well as making sure you have all the appropriate aftercare advice.

They should ask you about any allergies or health problems that may affect your tattoo or piercing, and they are also obliged to keep detailed records of this consultation for up to two years. This protects you as a client, as it makes sure that the piercer or tattoo artist knows in advance whether there are any issues that could lead to complications - or even be dangerous for you.

Aftercare Advice?

After you've been pierced, or your tattoo is complete, you should be given specific advice about what to expect, and how to look after your new artwork.

Local authorities will expect businesses to give out basic advice, mostly relating to hygiene, for example the time you can expect to wait before the wound is fully healed, how to keep the piercing or tattoo clean and dry and avoiding infection.

The laws have been tightened up considerably in recent years, following horror stories about underage tattoos and body piercing that has led to septicaemia. At least with the stricter regulations, you should be assured that anywhere you visit has been registered with and inspected by health and safety officers. If they aren't registered - leave well alone.

Tattoo studios, the law and the truth....

 I have had meetings with environmental health and other council members in Wandsworth and due to legislation they cannot refuse anyone being granted a license and it seems that now councils around the UK are actually considering handing out mobile licenses.

Also, studio's who obtain a license on the grounds that they meet good hygiene standards along with health and safety, but these are not enough as the studio may be clean but it can still be operated by "artists" that have no education into tattooing, even without the ability to draw in some cases.

We run a very clean and professional environment and we chose artists based on artistic and technical ability so our customers are provided with the best possible tattoo and we feel that this should be standard practice. If you think of it in this way, you wouldn't go to a restaurant that has an amazingly clean kitchen but the chef is the worst chef in the world and he uses reduced produce from the bottom shelf at the supermarket.

The other sad point is that planning in London needs proprietors to apply for Sui generic planning applications. This means we fall under the same category as sex shops, massage parlour’s, tanning shops, laundrettes, etc.... But we should fall under a more professional category as we perform a very technical and demanding practice. 

The problem we are facing now because of the huge demand and popularity of tattoos and the spotlight the media has placed on them we get business owners who fall under the Sui generic category are adding tattooing to their existing business and hiring very inexperienced artists, often whom have left their apprenticeship early and are trying to accelerate their earning ability or artists who are just not good at all and producing the "illegal home tattooist" quality, but in a business environment. Also, they are buying poor quality equipment shipped in from China and there are several cases in the media where counterfeit inks have been contaminated and needles that are not sterile.

Due to shows on TV people see that tattooing is very popular, profitable and think that it is something you can just pick up and do, but in actual fact even if you can put pencil to paper and create the most breathtaking art then its a whole other skill to be able to use a needle and ink to transfer that skill into beautiful tattoos on skin.

Everybody, please help the nation become informed on proper practice and guide them in the right direction to get good quality work with no risks attached. 

Choosing a professional body piercer....

Body Piercing - Choosing a Body Piercing Professional

Choose https://www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing for over 10 years experience

Body piercing is fashionable at the moment, and piercing is available in specialist studios as well as some hairdressing salons and tattoo parlours. If you've decided to take the leap and have a piercing, there are things you should look out for to make your experience one that you won't remember for all the wrong reasons.

Ask Around

Ask friends and family with piercings who they would recommend. Find out if they used a reputable piercer - and ask them whether they were told how to look after their piercing properly, or how to remove the jewellery. Research online; ask for testimonials and pictures of happy clients. Any decent studio will be more than happy to show these off!

Some local councils keep a register of their approved piercers, premises which have passed strict hygiene and safety standards, and are regularly inspected by health and safety officers. It's a good idea to contact your local council to find out if they have any approved piercer lists or schemes.

There are also professional piercing associations such as the Association of Modern Professional Piercers.

http://www.synapsebodypiercing.co.uk/stand/ampp/

If a studio belongs to the association, they must display the AMPP Clients Charter in their salon...and follow it.

Check The Place Out

A few days before having you have the piercing, drop in to the shop and have a good look around.

• Do the premises look clean, and have wipe-clean surfaces (including the floor?) Ask to see results of spore tests - tests run to make sure that the sterilising equipment is working properly.
• Are they wearing surgical gloves, and can you see that they are changing them between customers?
• Do piercers look clean and tidy? Do they wash their hands regularly, and are any cuts on their hands covered?
• Are they using single-use needles and throwing them away after each client? Are they using a gun? Avoid anywhere using a piercing gun, as they can't be sterilised properly, and they use so much force to drive the stud through skin, they can cause tissue damage.
• Are other instruments left in the autoclave (steriliser) while not in use?
• Ask lots of questions. Find out about their experience, how long they've been piercing and where they learned. Do they have any specialist qualifications? Ask advice about the most appropriate jewellery for your piercing - any experienced piercer will be able to recommend what's best, advise you about aftercare and explain the risks without any hesitation
• Ask for their aftercare sheet, and read it before you even have the piercing done! A good piercing studio should have a standard aftercare sheet. If it tells you to use hydrogen peroxide, for example, it could indicate that they are not keeping up with industry standards.

Why Hygiene is So Important

If you don't pay proper attention to hygiene, you could end up with hepatitis or even HIV, Some strains of hepatitis can live for up to eight hours on dirty instruments if left at normal room temperatures. You could also end up with a nasty bacterial infection if the studio isn't following proper hygiene rules, which can develop into septicaemia or toxic shock. Both can be fatal.

What You Can and Can't Do

There is no statutory age limit for ear or cosmetic piercing in England or Wales, but some London Boroughs do impose license conditions which relate to the age of the client.

Under English law, anyone under the age of 16 can't have a genital piercing, as genital piercing under 16 is actually classed as an indecent assault. The same applies to female breast piercings, although boys under 16 may have their nipples pierced.

Body piercing needn't be painful in the long term. With some careful research and common sense, you can have a piercing to be proud of with no problems.

https://www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing

The Correct Body Piercing Jewellery for Hygiene

You're going to have a piercing - you know where you want it, but what do you want to put in it? Here's a guide to the jewellery best suited for all areas.

Come to https://www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing for a large selection of body jewellery.

Ear Lobe

The ear piercing is by far the most popular type of body piercing, either a single lobe piercing, or multiple piercings in the rim. There are many different parts of the ear that can be pierced, depending on how adventurous you are.

Once the lobe is fully healed, you can hang anything you like from it - whether you have a penchant for hoops, chandeliers, or you're a diamond stud fan. When you have the initial piercing, though, the studio will probably suggest that it's done with a stud, or what's called a 'ball closure ring'. Some of the more unusual piercings (such as the 'Industrial') use a barbell, which stretches from one side of the ear to the other. The usual healing time for an ear piercing is five to six weeks.

Eyebrow

Eyebrows are usually pierced with a barbell or a ball closure ring, and these can be fitted in a selection of different designs and sizes. You can, have your eyebrow pierced in several different places, but the most common place is on the outer edge of the brow. This type of piercing can take six to eight weeks to fully heal.

Madonna, Lip and Labret piercings

Piercings on or near the lip will nearly always be done with a stud. Healing time is around six to eight weeks.

Nostril

Nose piercings are usually fitted with a stud, as this makes the piercing easier to clean while it's healing. Nose studs aren't the same as ear studs, and don't have butterfly clips to keep them in place - they are bent into a horseshoe shape inside the nose, which stops them falling out. Once the piercing has fully healed, the stud can be swapped for a ball closure ring. The nostril can take up to 12 weeks to heal.

Tongue

Although you might not think it, a tongue piercing is said to be one of the least painful piercings you can have - although the few days afterwards can be uncomfortable. Tongue piercings are usually done with a long barbell, as there is likely to be a fair amount of swelling. This can be changed down to a shorter one as the swelling goes down and the piercing heals. The healing process for a tongue piercing will take about three weeks, and there can be a few days on soft food as the swelling dies down.

Nipple

A nipple can be pierced several times, and it can be a vertical or a horizontal piercing. When a male nipple is pierced, it's usually done with a barbell, ball closure ring or a circular barbell, and the best choice for female nipples is a simple barbell, for comfort.A barbell is always used for a vertical piercing. Once the nipple is fully healed, after about 12 weeks, the barbell can be changed for whatever suits!

Navel (Belly Button)

Navel piercing is another really popular fashion statement, seen on models and pop stars everywhere! The most common form of navel piercing, the upper piercing, is usually best done with a bananabell (a jewelled navel bar) or a ball closure ring. If you have the ball closure ring to start with, some studios will suggest that you change after a few weeks to a bananabell. Although the piercing isn't healed at that stage, the bananabell sits much closer to the body so this reduces the risk of catching on clothing as the piercing heals and the swelling goes down. Healing takes around six months in some people but can take as long as a year.

Materials

Always ask your piercer for their recommendations about which types of metal are best for your piercing. Generally speaking, any metal you choose should be a type that's known not to react to body tissues - some precious metals and surgical implant materials work well.

Good Choices for Body Piercings

• 14k or 18k white or yellow gold
• Surgical implant stainless steel or titanium
• Niobium

Bad Choices

• Sterling silver - it oxidizes (tarnishes) when it comes into contact with body tissues.
• Plated gold - the plating can rub off and the exposed metal underneath can react with your body to cause irritation and infection.
• Poor quality steel.
• Any type of fake gold or base metal jewellery, which may corrode when exposed to bodily fluids.

It's important that you take your time to decide exactly what jewellery you would like to wear in your piercing, and you'll probably find that there is a huge range of designs and colours that make the decision a difficult one. Either way, you're likely to be wearing your choice for a good few weeks or months while the piercing heals so pick something that's going to keep you happy for the long term - and always ask your piercer for their recommendations if you're not sure.

https://www.facebook.com/mrwolfpiercing

Kinky Ink....

FEATURE: KINKY INK

March 21, 2012

Female proprietors are a rarity in the tattoo shop industry but owner of Kinky Ink and Tattoohotspot, Denise Farrugia, is not a woman to be discouraged by tradition. Denise opened her first studio roughly eight years ago, breaking the industry’s macho mould and has since revolutionised tattoo shop culture. We visited Denise and some of her trusty artists, who are more like family than employees at Tattoohotspot, the older shop of the two, in up-and-coming Tooting market. The friendly atmosphere of banter and high spirits seemed far from the surly veneer of so many tattoo shops in London. Ventsmag enjoyed a captivating chat with the businesswoman who is also a mother of four and Woman Support Worker, helping female street-sex workers. We learnt how this inspirational woman overcame desertion and prejudice to stray from industry norms and arrive at her success.

How did you come to own your first shop?

I met a guy who was a tattooist and we fell in love. He was working for a tight knit community. He wasn’t happy working at this studio, so when we got together, after a while I asked him if he would like for us to open our own studio and he said yes. So I got a bank loan and we opened our first studio. It was really hard as I had no experience in doing anything like that and now when I look back, he wasn’t really up for it as much as I believed and I did all the work to set everything up.

So that’s how I got all my experience of knowing how to set up the shop because of all of the paperwork and the planning applications, because you have to get special planning permission.

I knew that in this area it would really work because there wasn’t really anything nearby that could offer the quality of artistry that I knew we could deliver, and because I had lived here a long time, I knew a lot of people in the area, so I knew immediately that would bring us customers and it did. It really worked well. It was just a tiny, one man studio but it used to have a queue outside of people waiting and from there we expanded, we got a bigger studio and we had that studio for about a year. Within that time the guy that I was with left me and it was a choice of either shut down the studio and completely cut off that type of income or take the risk of going into business on my own and seeing how it goes. I wasn’t really linked into the tattoo world as such, like a lot of big people who are involved in that industry, until I met this guy I hadn’t really had any contact with the tattoo world.

Is there a tattoo industry scene in London?

Yea it’s a scene and being that I’m an owner of two studios, there are still prejudices because I’m not an artist and because I’m not a piercer and because I’m just a businesswoman, even though I can run the studio from top to bottom. The only thing I can’t do is tattoo and pierce but everything else I can do and I have a deep passion for, you still get people that will say things like ‘oh are you an artist?’ and the minute that I say no they sort of snub you. There are a lot of people in this industry who just get the studio because of the money but I’m really interested in everything my staff do. There are lots of studios that are just like sweat shops, they just get tattooists in there, especially nowadays because the popularity of tattoos has really peaked; now you can buy tattoo kits from eBay, you can turn on the television and watch Miami Ink, London Ink, so all of a sudden its become very popular and people have begun to see that you can earn money from it.

And that’s what a lot of the tattoo studios are like?

A lot nowadays because its become really popular. People aren’t as educated around tattooing. It’s an art and an industry and it’s about people that have learnt through experience of tattooing not by someone that just buys a tattoo gun from eBay and a set of inks and decides to be a tattooist because they can tattoo mum and dad on the wrist of their friends. That’s not a tattoo artist and the guys and girls I have working for me have experience of working within the industry for a long time, so they can produce good work and they can produce good art and people that know about tattoos will know what is good art and what is rubbish.

What has been the craziest tattoo request?

The craziest tattoo that I’ve seen being done in the shop was a new age traveller who was really anti-America and anti-Bush. On the back of his neck in great, big, thick, black letters he had ‘Fuck Bush’ – and that could have double meaning really.

What is your clientele like here?

Even though we have only just moved here, we have been here eight years but we have only just moved into this studio, already we are getting a different type of customer coming in; more trendy, middle class, looking to get more and more work which is really good. Customer’s who appreciate quality.

What’s your favorite/ most significant tattoo?

Here (taps thigh) because it has my name on it, my husband tattooed me. It means a lot.

Do you think Tattoos have a bad name, gang associations or arouse discrimination in this country?

Where I come from tattoos are bad. I was always brought up that women especially, they don’t have tattoos. I come from a very strict Catholic family and every time I go to my country where all my family is, in Malta, everyone knows who I am and my family’s embarrassed. I know they’re embarrassed, it’s only because of my tattoos, because in that country tattoos are perceived as not very nice, especially on women, so I cover up a lot when I go there.

It’s only in the last maybe ten years that its become popular in England for gang tattoos. I know obviously in America, Mexico, Venezuela places like that its been going for years. My husband is an ex gang member, he’s from LA, he’s Mexican, and he’s absolutely covered in tattoos. I think actually, whereas 5 years ago it was all black and grey and more gangster style stuff, now it’s moving more into new school old school which is traditional tattooing like full colour, sailor jerry and that kind of style.

Do you think the popularity of tattoos at the moment is a trend? Do you think tattooing will die?

Tattooing will never die, but the mainstream, popular fashionable tattooing of the moment will die. What is happening, what we see a lot of here, is lots of crap come in, home made tattoos, kids buy their stuff off eBay and they start tattooing each other at home. A girl came in yesterday and she had done her own arm and it was awful. It’s the accessibility of tattooing. Tattooing used to be quite underground, even the studios would never be like this. Tattoo studios would be closed, you wouldn’t be able to see in, so the intrigue was there still, it kept it underground. You wouldn’t know what was going on in the tattoo studios and it was always some big hairy biker who was tattooing and he was tattooing his mate. I like to keep the shops really open so people can see what’s going on. So it takes away the mysteriousness of it but also gives the person the opportunity to see how it’s done. To see that we’re working in a clean and sterile environment, that there are women working here now, if they want piercings they can be pierced by a woman instead of some big hairy man who wants to do a nipple piercing. Now the appropriate people want to come into a tattoo shop to get good work, to have the opportunity to see that they are going into an environment that is welcoming. I make sure that all my staff are able to talk to people properly, have conversations with them and allow people to have the opportunity to sit down and talk about what they really want because it’s really close to my heart to not just allow people to get exactly what they want when they walk into the shop on an inpulse moment. Because it might not be right for them. We give them the opportunity to think about it, talk about it, draw it for them, and make sure that they’re really happy with what they have got when they walk out the shop, because at the end of the day it’s about my reputation. I make sure that everybody that works for me gives that customer the time to really talk about and think about what they want before they get a tattoo.

What are your plans for the future?

Building up business. I want to be doing conventions by next year. I want to take my whole crew of artists and go and do conventions, which is quite a normal thing to do. The London Convention is held every year in October at Tobacco dock off the high way in East London. There’s another new convention that’s going to be run by a different variety of organisers which can make it more accessible for good studios to participate.

Words by Anya Paul

Photography by Etienne Bruce

Tattoo photo courtesy of Tattoohotspot

Kinky Ink, 93 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HW

Tattoohotspot, Broadway Market, Tooting High Street, London, SW17 ORJ