Carl Hallowell Blog | Traditional Japanese Irezumi & Tebori Tattoos

Wonder How Much Do You Tip A Tattoo Artist

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On July 27, 2018

True Tattoo People: Who Are They?

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On June 22, 2018

Tattoo People Give Off An Energy Tattoo people, it struck me the other day, have that lust for life you just dont encounter in everyone you meet. Down at city hall, down there at the bank, in the halls of your school- they dont all have that energy, that hunger. Those wide eyes, looking for […]

The Best Tattoo Artist in Dallas

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On May 25, 2018

I have shifted the focus of my column this month to include a very well respected artist from outside the tattoo industry. I took the opportunity to interview him last year when he came in for a traditional tattoo from me. I had planned on asking him five quick questions, and was going to call […]

What Is A Traditional Tattoo?

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On May 21, 2018

A Traditional Tattoo is a tattoo that has a history, a past, a precedent. Traditional tattoos are now known by this name because they were handed down to us by our forefathers. These are the designs that have been used in American tattooing since the invention of the electric tattoo machine in 1891. What Were […]

Stepping Back To Look At Traditional Tattooing

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On April 26, 2018

You know, taking a step back from anything for a little while always seems to have the effect of renewing the way I approach it. There is strength in consistency, and yet, there is an undeniable energy in change. I suppose in many ways I have always been afraid of change. But as I delve […]

The Best Tattoo Artist in Dallas

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On March 20, 2018

One Of The Smartest Men In Tattooing I used to call him “The second smartest man in Tattooing.” I mean, hey, no one can be smarter than Scott “Welt” Harrison. Well, maybe Hardy. Yeah, Hardy’s probably the smartest. Alright! So our hero has been demoted, but number three out of three hundred thousand ain’t nothin […]

Necessary Constructive Criticism Drives Tattoo Artists

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On March 8, 2018

Criticism Is Necessary For A Tattoo Artist Is it weak to define yourself by saying what it is that you are not? Is it negative, in its very essence, to explain things this way? Probably so. Probably weak. Definitely negative. But here it goes anyway! Constructive criticism is needed in the tattoo world right now, […]

Meet the True Tattoo Artist

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On February 22, 2018

Can’t believe I’ve been a Dallas tattoo artist 23 years now. Sometimes it just amazes me- that’s over 8000 days. Yep, tattoo artists can do math, especially percentage-based math, as we give a percentage of what we do every day to the shop we work for. That is why we accept tips in the tattoo […]

The Best Tattoo Artist in Dallas

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On February 8, 2018

We are all at a different point in the path of becoming tattooed. We come across fellow travelers on this path, those who are at a similar spot in their journey towards the tattoo. The bonds we form here are very often very deep. The visceral experience of seeing or getting tattooed makes this almost […]

Joe Haasch: Best Tattoo Artist in Dallas

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On January 25, 2018

As in any of the art forms, there really is no “best” tattooist. The great tattoo artist from the 20th century, Paul Rogers summed it up by saying- allow me to paraphrase, “Tattooing is a few great guys sitting atop a middle layer of competent artists, sitting atop a sprawling mass of more bad tattooist […]

Articles