Carl Hallowell Blog | Traditional Japanese Irezumi & Tebori Tattoos

Mikiri, The Japanese background

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On June 14, 2015

Japanese tattooing is king. In the tattoo above, you see Mikiri, a Japanese tattoo background pattern that is an essential part of traditional Japanese tattoo design. It spreads across the body like water and like the wind it so often depicts. It is vast, large, and limitless like the void. It is challenging, deep, and […]

East and West: A Tattoo Story

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On June 2, 2015

Traditional Japanese Tattoo Sleeve Slowly, I prepare my station for the tattoo to be done today. There is only this tattoo, there is only now. The future is nonexistent, the past is void. There is no hurry, there is no pain. There are only the materials to be prepared. Stainless steel needles and rich, thick […]

Horimono from the Bottom Up

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On May 22, 2015

The Road To Irezumi Tattoos Mr. C is back. Come to find out his pilgrimage to irezumi was not made by accident. The road that brought him here was paved by meditation, manga, and anime. Not to mention photos he had seen here and there of the beautiful horimono worn by the Japanese. Does not […]

Sumi Irezumi: A Japanese Tattoo

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On May 9, 2015

Japanese Leg Tattoo Well, well… Four hours in the tattoo artist’s chair can tend to pass by like a dream, with the correct mind settled beforehand. Some have no fear, some have no weakness. Some struggle to regain their breath, and then are able to “climb the hill” of continuing their tattoo again. Zahm conquers […]

Sumi-E

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On May 7, 2015

Today i will begin anew. Today i will embark on the “journey of a thousand ri”. Today has loomed on my horizon like a vast city of gold, just out of reach, but there in plain sight. I have performed my purifications, I have bolstered up my studies. I have attempted to correct the mind, […]

Sujibori, or Outline Stage

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On April 25, 2015

The Tora And Snake This young man here came in with the right idea. I am very lucky he came to me. Or perhaps I deserved it. Or karma led to this chance meeting. Or the tattoo gods presided over the realm we walked that night. Either way, here we are, and there is nothing […]

Established 1995

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On April 8, 2015

Before the Sailor Jerry books came out, before the Tattoo tv shows, before the internet, and cell phones, before computers were everywhere, before credit card scanners, before the revival of the rotary tattoo machine, before a tattoo color kit included ten shades of green, before the tattoo internet chatrooms made trade secrets public, before there were ten tattoo magazines, before the death of the […]

Keepers of the Light

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On April 1, 2015

Join me as we head underground into the catacombs past what you thought you knew, leaving familiarity behind for a sense of adventure and allowing the doors of perception to open. True reality can become apparent. Rows and rows of designs, these are the archetypes. Which one will you be today? – Miike Ness… The […]

Sleeve of Water

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On March 9, 2015

Traditional Tattoo Designs Didn’t take Jessica too many trips up to D-Town to get this bad boy wrapped up B. That’s because of the hours and hours she sits each session she comes to town. Did you hear the story of Bodhidharma’s tattoo? The Medusa tattoo who’s wearer had turned to stone? The Sailor who […]

One Shot Tattoo

Posted by Carl Hallowell
On February 7, 2015

The Ryu Japanese Leg Tattoo Dig the strength it must’ve taken Ess to finish this large tattoo piece in one session. Life goes by quickly, jump on it. Wait a month to heal? No Thanks! Hammer it out, I am the anvil. She was resolved beforehand. Is this not the teaching of the ages? In […]

Articles