|
|
|
|
|
|
Articles previously published by Skin & Ink Magazine. All rights reserved by Author. No material is to be copied, distributed or used in any form without the written permission of Brad M. Bucklin - © 1999
TATTOOS IN CINEMA
by: Brad M. Bucklin
2468 words
Who can forget the menacing evil that Robert Mitchum portrayed in "Night of the Hunter" with his knuckles tattooed, one hand with LOVE and the other with HATE. It was an image that inspired many copycats through the years both on and off the screen, including the "Blues Brothers" where the characters played by John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd had their names tattooed on their knuckles ala Robert Mitchum. Robert Dinero's character in the remake of "Cape Fear", could have been just another guy when he first approached the daughter played by Juliette Lewis, until he took his shirt off and revealed a body covered in eerie and sinister tattoos which heightened the audiences fascination and fear of the character. Tattoos have long been a symbol of non-conformity, of rebellion, and of evil in motion pictures. The tattoo has often been used to create in the audience an impression of someone that is on the edge and out of the main stream. "Most tattoo's are depicted on bad people." says Gill "The Drill" Montie, one of two renowned tattoo artists who specialize in theatrical tattoo application for the motion picture industry. This negative and sinister image was most likely derived from the American gang and prison cultures, but it is the image that the mainstream population associates with them. When a television show or movie portrays gang life, in order to be authentic, tattoos have to be visible because they are part of that culture. Lets face it, if we as an audience, saw a movie taking place in a modern prison and everyone looked like the clean cut and likeable Burt Lancaster in Birdman of Alcatraz, we just wouldn't buy it in this day and age.
While tattoos have often played supporting roles in film and television by defining a character, or as part of the local color, they have been increasingly serving less villainous roles and becoming essential plot points. In "Waterworld" the tattooed map to dry land on a little girls back causes Dennis Hopper's character to kidnap the girl and Kevin Costner to then have to go and rescue her, which for anyone who saw the film, was the entire plot. More recently, in "Ransom", a tattoo on a characters neck, helps the audience identify them as one of the kidnappers. Also, in an episode of "Tales From The Crypt" a particularly interesting twist is used where a tattooist, played by the rapper Heavy D, has the ability to create tattoos that have special powers. When the bad guy kills a girl, her face appears in the tattooists work and literally gets under his skin, obtaining her revenge. Other movies with that feature or use tattoos include; "The Phoenix" (1992) where E.Z. Rider tattoos Jamie Summers in competition. Double Exposure (1987) where two photographers turn sleuth after taking a picture of a tattooed blonde. "The Jigsaw Murders" (1989), more sleuthing when a police detective and a doctor solve a gruesome mystery with a puzzle and tattoo as clues. "Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders" (1989) tattooed corpses lead a detective to a Los Angeles night club. "Raising Arizona" with Nicholas Gage who finds out that he has the same Woody Woodpecker tattoo on his arm as the villain. "Romper Stomper" (1993) a skinhead love story. "Sonny Boy" (1990) about a demented a wild child, a brute, and his hairy tattooed wife. "Tattoo Chase"(1989) where an heir has 60 days to find a treasure-map tattooed on one of his father's global girlfriends. Everything from art films like "Bound" to major mega hits like "Lethal Weapon" and the "Batman" movies have used tattoos
As far as I can tell, the use of tattoos as part of a movie's plot dates back only forty years or so to the early 1950's with the film "The Tattooed Stranger", where a New York police detective tracks down a killer using a tattoo as the major clue. Before then there were, of course, tattoos on sailors and soldiers in World War II flicks, (notably, Ray Walston's ship on his chest in South Pacific), but once again they usually had nothing to do with the story line.
Films where tattoos have played a central role, include documentaries such as "Charles Gatewood's Tattoo San Francisco" with its limited production quality, and "Signatures of the Soul, Tattooing" where Peter Fonda explores the social history of tattooing both primitive and modern. Although available to the general public these two movies were more for the tattoo enthusiasts consumption, containing interviews and examples of practitioners from the Pacific Islands, California, and Japan. The first movie that comes to my mind when the subject of tattoos in the movies is discussed has to be "The Illustrated Man" with Rod Steiger. This chilling adaptation of Ray Bradbury's book, depicts a man who is totally covered with tattoos. Any person who gazes at the tattoos long enough sees their fate in them, and it is often not very pretty. This movie was a ground breaker in more ways than one, as we shall see. Then there was "Tattoo" with Maude Adams and Bruce Dern. Dern, an obsessed tattoo artists, abducts a professional model tattoos her entire body, they make love and she kills him.
Foreign films represent tattoos as part of complex, ancient, and rich cultures. They can be at the center of the film as in the beautiful 1985 Japanese film "Irezumi" or "Spirit of Tattoo." This film represents a cultural, and artistic cycle, where a young woman consents to her lover's wish to have her tattooed, thereby fulfilling a cycle of life, earth, and death. Or tattoos can represent a vanishing past as they do in "Once Were Warriors", another foreign film hailed by critics, featuring authentic Maori tattoos.
In American films tattoos are being used more than ever before, although still mostly supporting a characters personality, unlike in the past, the characters aren't necessarily bad people. They may be rebellious and edgy, but they are representing more and more of mainstream society. Freddie Negrete, another highly respected tattoo artist working in films, has experienced the shift of acceptance. "Now I tattoo everybody, housewives, businessmen... " he says, "Not just gangsters." Freddie knows about what he speaks, having started tattooing gangsters in his East Los Angeles neighborhood at the age of twelve. He ended up in prison doing tattoos with a homemade machine, and learning from Ed Hardy the "Pope" of tattooing. When asked if tattoos in the movies have influenced the culture and people's desire to get tattoos, both Freddie and Gill say no. But then again, tattoos in film is a relatively new phenomenon and they both agree that the publicity, good old advertising, does not hurt. More and more people are identifying with the media stars that wear tattoos because they too want to express their rebellious side.
An even newer phenomenon than featuring tattoos in movies, is the use of actual tattoo artists. Tattooists such as Howie the Hand and Izedor Selzer were used to create the designs and illustrations for tattoos in the 70's but it wasn't until the early nineties when both Gill Montie and Freddie Negrete started their theatrical tattooing career's, that tattooist's worked directly on the actors. This was mainly due to strict Union rules which did not allow any non-union artist on the set. As a consultant, the tattoo artist usually created their designs on paper, which were then applied to the actor by make-up artists. On the Taylor Hackford film "Bound by Honor" (Blood In, Blood Out) Freddie and Gill were hired to create numerous realistic prison and gangster tattoos. "I had to duplicate the sleeves for Ron Young, the singer for Little Caesar. The process took four days from start to finish and I consider it my finest work." offers Gill. It was on this film that they were both introduced to Fred Blau, the Emmy award winning make-up artist who did "The Illustrated Man."
"We taught and learned from each other." Freddie said about his relationship with Fred on the movie. Since then they have worked on numerous projects together including the upcoming "Batman and Robin" and "Connair". "He is the best freehand artists I have ever seen." says Fred Blau of Freddie. "He just takes the ideas in his head and puts them down on skin."
Going into this article I was under the impression that a theatrical tattoo was a fragile and very temporary thing and according to Fred Blau they used to be so, but not anymore. Fred Blau has been a make-up artist for over thirty-three years, along with his professional credits he possesses a vast knowledge of cosmetic formulation and application. His Reel Creations products have become the standard for theatrical tattoo application.
Unlike Gill Montie, who, when asked the process for making a temporary tattoo, replied that it was a trade secret and... "if I told you, I'd have to kill you", Fred was much more forthcoming. "The secret is in the formulation of the ink." He then went on to describe how they used to apply tattoo's in the "old days" by making a rubber stamp and stamping it directly on the arm with the ink that was provided. The make-up artist would then use a grease pencil to touch it up and make it sharper. "The inks were usually purple and didn't look very realistic."
In Fred's early years he was assigned to work on "The Illustrated Man" which was the first time a full body panel was to be produced for a film. "Nobody knew how to do the tattoo, then Mike Hancock, an apprentice make-up artist, came up with a silk screen template process, while Gordon Bau, the head of Make-up for Warner Brothers, came up with the ink to do the stencils. We would apply all the liners to the body and then fill in the colors with a brush." It took twelve hours to do the whole suit. Rod Steiger had to wear the tattoo for two days, but they would have to do closeups first thing in the morning right after they finished applying the tattoo and before the it started to fade and smear.
Early in 1981, Fred contracted to do the movie "Tattoo" starring Bruce Dern and Maude Adams. With the process of creating massive body suits already solved, inks that would last more than one day were still a challenge. "After considerable trial and error, we finally invented the inks that were not only true in color compared to real tattoos but they also had remarkable longevity on the skin." The inks were easily removed and determined cosmetically safe for the skin after many tests. Fred boasts that to this day there have been absolutely no negative effects.
In order to create the tattoos for Dern and Adams, full body casts and fiberglass molds were made of both actors. The designs were drawn onto the molds and silk screens created which were then applied to the actor. They produced 187 pieces for Bruce Dern alone. This was termed the "Wet Process" and used for full body suits, torsos, full arms and legs, etc. A second application method called the "Dry Process" involves using special ink that is printed on porous paper then reactivated with a developer and transferred to the skin. This is the process used in consumer body art kits, commonly called appliques, or ink transfers.
Still another method of creating the effect of tattoos on film is the application of body makeup. In the Movie "Tattoo" the character played by Bruce Dern is hired to put body paint on models for a photo shoot, the actual process was used where, instead of using the special inks developed for theatrical tattoos, opaque acrylics are hand painted onto the body. This makes for a bright and well defined illustration. Watch for the upcoming "Batman & Robin" where you will see this process utilized.
Aside from creating illustrations, body make-up can be used to change skin color and "grunge" actors up. In "Waterworld" for example, Dennis Hopper's character and all his followers wore body make-up and were sprayed with dark waterproof inks to give the impression that they were splattered with oil and had been in the sun for a long time. The waterproof inks had a good workout since some of the actors spent a good deal of time in the water.
On the flip side of applying and creating fantastic illustrations on the human form for the camera, is hiding those self same works of art. On "Baywatch" it is essential that a lot of skin is visible. If an actor has a tattoo or tattoos it would be inappropriate for the character to have them showing. A special cover-up ink has been developed by Fred Blau and his associates, that matches the skin tone and temporarily obliterates their tattoos. A form of this cover-up material may be available for public use soon, to hide all sorts of blemishes, including acne in teenagers.
We must not forget that under all the special paint or incredible body panels are actors who must endure the process. When asked what he thought the difference was between using skin as a background for his art and other surfaces, Gill Montie replied; "Well, like canvas don't whine and snivel, and it don't ask to go to the bathroom." Mostly though actors are pretty good about getting tattooed for their roles. "They're used to sitting for hours..." say Gill. Just like putting on a costume or finding a particular mannerism, a tattoo can help transform the actor into the character. "Sometimes, an actor likes the design so much that they go out and get the actual tattoo." Fred Blau adds.
Whether or not tattoos in the movies have influenced society is still up in the air, but it is certain that the artistry and complexity of tattoos in society must be represented authentically on film. Ever since the legendary Spider Web began creating tattoos as fine art, the number of people with tattoos has increased tremendously. This means that the film audience is far more educated and adept at spotting something that does not represent the art form. Another reason actual tattooists are being used in movies, is that they have done their homework, they have studied the many traditions of tattooing from ancient Indian cultures to the modern day Yakuza.
As the film industry continues to refine their 'high-tech' cameras, lenses, lighting, etc. so the process of realistically portraying the ever more complex tattoo designs must improve and the use of tattooists as consultants becomes more essential. As they say, if you are going to do something, do it right, go to the source.
Tattooing has been around a long time, that is no news to you, the esteemed readers of Skin & Ink, but for almost as long there has also been the art of removing tattoo's. I can hear the collective groan go up throughout the land, why is this guy writing an article about tattoo removal in a tattoo magazine? One reason is that I was asked to do it; but the most important reason is that just maybe, at some point in each of your illustrated lives, you may find a tat that doesn't live up to your high standards, what do you do then? You could opt for a classy cover-up, and there are many gifted artists who appear within these pages that specialize in taking the unsophisticated or shoddy work of others and turning them into masterpieces. Or you could have it removed. According to the artists I spoke with there is virtually nothing that can't be covered up except for a brand new tattoo, one that is welted and has not completely healed. Tom Lam from Silver Lake Tattoos was up to my challenge when I asked how he would cover up a large black tribal tat. He told me he would first cover over the black with white for a couple of months, then he would tattoo over that. Naturally, a tattoo artist who does cover ups is going to opt for that over removal every time, it's their business after all. So why get one removed?
I found the number one reason was acceptance into a mainstream, corporate world, where the beautiful neck piece wouldn't go over too well in the company's board room. This is especially true of former gang members or others who have completely changed their life style.
Other popular reasons are - a change in relationship and angry parents. It's hard to transform Lucy into Patricia no matter how you look at it, and what is a parent to do with their rebellious child when they have a skull and cross bones emblazoned on their soft adolescent skin.
Perhaps it was something done on the spur of the moment or is just in the wrong place. Toni Massimo, who you will hear more about later in this article, said that she thought the leopard she had done above her breast would be covered by her bra or halter top but it was placed too high and she was uncomfortable with it.
I am sure there are many other reasons but let's not dwell on the why, let's get down to the how?
On speaking with Chuck Eldridge, a frequent contributor to these pages, I discovered that the Chikasaw Indians used green corn juice which they would rub into the tattoo of an undeserving tribe member and, basically, remove the top layers of skin and the tattoo along with them. Man, that's gotta hurt.
This method is called Dermabrasion and is considered the lowest form of tattoo removal. The same results are obtained today with caustic acids, sal abrasion - sanding with salt, or using, you guessed it, actual sandpaper. Still, this method is only somewhat effective since the tattoo ink is usually too deep within the skin to be removed entirely this way. Dermabrasion causes severe and often traumatic scarring which is far worse than any, even the worst, tattoo. So why would anyone put themselves through that torture? Unfortunately, until recently, it was the only choice available and still remains an option as a low-cost, low-tech alternative. Local anesthesia is required, personally, I would rather have them put me out all the way.
The next, and just as painful method of removal, is called Staged Excision. It is really out and out plastic surgery. Well, what would you call cutting away the tattooed portion of the skin a small portion at a time? This method can cause severe scarring, and even be ineffective with homemade tattoos because the ink is usually too deep in the skin. While doctors can do amazing things with surgery these days it can still be wildly expensive.
Ok, this next procedure is by far the most bizarre.
Tissue Expansion involves putting a balloon under the skin, then inflating it with a saline solution, allowing the skin to stretch. Once the skin has been expanded enough the tattoo is cut out (sounds like staged excision to me) then the newly stretched skin is used to cover the excised flesh.
This method is more popular for smaller tattoos (I can't imagine why?). There have been reports that lumps of extra skin grow back after the procedure and has caused a "Quasimodo" effect on at least one unlucky soul.
The final "low tech" removal option is another, more modern, form of dermabrasion. The Tannic Acid method was discovered by Variot G. Mouveau in 1888 and involves the destruction of the skin layers through the application of tannic acid and silver nitrate. Tannic acid is injected under the skin and the wound is taped. Then 7 to 10 days later it is removed. This method is more effective on the amateur tattoos than the professional ones because it goes into the deeper layers of the skin. Tannic Acid has been known to cause liver necrosis, but no adverse effects seemed to result in using it for the removal of tattoos.
By far the most modern, widely publicized, and accepted method of removing tattoos today is with Laser technology.
In order to do it right and to understand how tattoos can be removed by laser, a brief history of the technology is in order.
Laser means - "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation." this is kind of misleading because the light generated by a laser is special rather than the ordinary light that comes from our light bulbs or the sun. You see ordinary light travels in all directions at once while laser light is concentrated and harmonious, that means all the little light particles travel side by side with one another. By concentrating this light the resulting beams can be powerful enough to burn through steel or it's energy can be directed to "read" information as in a Laser Disc.
Now, bare with me this is important stuff, ordinary light is a collection of all colors, but laser light is normally just one color. This is significant because different substances absorb different frequencies of light, this goes for colored tattoo inks as well.
The most essential thing to know is that there are different kinds of lasers depending on the materials used to create the light and they all have their advantages and disadvantages based on how they effect different color inks in the skin.
Back in the 1980's the first laser to be used in the successful removal of tattoos was the CO2 Laser. While it removed the tattoo ink it also caused significant scarring. This could be reduced using the superpulsed mode, don't ask what that means other than it decreases the amount of contact the laser has with the skin, so in turn, scarring is diminished. This became the preferred method because it completely removed the tattoo pigment in one sitting.
How does the laser actually do that, you ask? Well, I'll tell you, it's through vaporization. No, not like the Klingon death ray - more like the instantaneous conversion of water molecules in the skin into gas. These layers of skin disappear in a puff of smoke, exposing the lower layer not unlike dermabrasion. This is followed by the selected removal, or scraping away, of individual pigment masses under a microscope.
The thing about CO2 lasers is that certain precautions need to be taken, like removing all combustible material from the room. Having a smoke evacuator is a good idea too, no matter what kind of laser you use, since the plumes of smoke given off by the procedure may be infectious.
CO2 lasers obviously use CO2 to create the laser light, how do they do that? If you really want to know I'll tell you.
When an atom is bombarded with energy an electron is knocked into a higher state of excitement. Then the electron falls back to it's initial state, generating the energy that was responsible for knocking it up in the first place. This occurs naturally in every day life and is called spontaneous emission. Now, we are still talking about atoms and electrons here, not some vicarious sexual encounter that you had last night, although there do seem to be similarities between the two.
What lasers do is to use a flashlamp to excite as many atoms as it can so there are not many left at the ground state; this is called popular inversion. So popular inversion and stimulated emission go hand in hand; the amplification of light can't happen without them.
These stimulated particles are passed through a medium, it could be a ruby crystal or other substance, they then encounter mirrors which bounce the photons back and forth in straight, parallel lines which in turn makes other atoms excited. Are you excited yet? The resulting coherent light is then emitted from one of the mirrors and directed towards whatever one wants to blast, I mean work on.
This same effect can be achieved by chemical reactions, discharges in gases like CO2, and the recombination emission in semiconducting materials.
Because lasers emit a continuous beam of light, dermatologists did not have control over the duration of time that the skin was exposed to the laser, this in turn made scarring an inevitability. The lasers were not fast enough and could not deliver a pulse short enough to eliminate scarring, until that is, R.W. Hellworth invented the Q-switch.
Basically the Q-switch works like the shutter on a camera. The flashlamp releases light into the laser chamber, the chamber prevents atoms from returning to their ground state. When the power has reached its peak the Q-switch dumps the energy in short pulses of very high intensity light which allows for more power and more control.
Use of the Q-Switching laser in tattoo removal was pioneered by W.H. Reid and his associates. One of the drawbacks to lasers in the past was the ghosting effect where the laser would damage surrounding tissue and leave a mark in the shape of the former tattoo. The idea behind using the Q-Switching laser was to heat only the specific pigments of tattoo ink without damaging the surrounding tissue. In order to do this the wavelength of the laser light must match the absorption spectrum of the ink. The heat of the laser breaks the pigment into particles small enough to allow their removal.
Okay, so now we are getting real high tech which means things become a little more complicated. It also means that there are infinitely better ways of saving your hide when removing a tattoo then the bad old days of rubbing acid or plant juice into your skin.
With the modern day use of a wide spectrum of colored tattoo inks using the Q-Switching technology means matching up the right kind of laser with the colors to be removed.
The Ruby laser is often the laser of choice among dermatologists because it is effective and relatively painless. This type absorbs green and black colors the best, but it also absorbs Melanin (the skins natural color) and because of this lightening of the skin may occur which is of major concern to those people with darker pigmentation. Although usually the bodies natural healing mechanisms will eventually take over and bring the skin color back to normal, it may take a while.
Drawbacks to the Ruby laser include the fact that it does not work well on lighter colors, especially yellow and red. According to Geza, owner and operator of Image Lasers in Orange County, removing pastels, aqua marines, and any light color is all but impossible.
However, the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet or Nd:YAG laser gives off a green light and is very effective in removing red ink, while not as effective on black and green. Since this laser has a larger wavelength it penetrates deeper into the skin and scatters less collagen, which usually causes the laser light to be ineffective at certain depths. It produces almost no lightening of the skin but has been known to change its texture.
The higher pulse rate of the Nd:YAG also helps speed up the treatment process, offers less post-operative pain, and shorter healing times.
Side effects common to the above mentioned lasers include breaking of the skin, bleeding, and tissue splatter. Sounds real appealing, but there is one more option and that is the Alexandrite Laser. With this type of laser the above rather gruesome sounding side effects don't happen at therapeutic levels, and since the laser beam is delivered through a fiber optic cable it gives a more harmogeneous effect. Aside from that, the Alexandrite laser offers the same results as a Ruby laser.
According to my source on the internet, allergic reactions can also occur from the materials used to work on various colors; especially mercury (used for red), manganese (purples), chromium (greens), cobalt (blues), and cadmium (yellows).
Alright, so some rather painful side effects can occur. There are, however, other dangers that I would be remiss if I didn't mention, such as instead of removing the tattoo the whole process might make it darker and irreversible. If you are trying to remove flesh-colored, red, tan, and white inks you are particularly at risk due to what is believed to be a reaction and conversion of ferric oxide to ferrous oxide. That certainly would make me think twice, but the truth is that a large majority of people going through the process have little or no trouble.
I thought it would be appropriate to speak with some medical professionals and get a first hand account of someone going through the process of getting a tattoo removed. I enlisted the help of two doctors who perform tattoo removals; Dr. Richard P. Kaplan, a Board Certified Dermatologist, Skin Pathologist, Immunologist who is in charge of the Dermatology Consult Service at UCLA, and Dr. Steven Popkow of the TLC Skin Laser Center who was trained by Mitchell Goldman, the author of the textbook on laser dermatology, both doctors practice in Los Angeles, California.
While Doctor Kaplan uses the Ruby Laser and Doctor Popkow uses an Nd: YAG, they both follow the same initial procedure. After consulting with the patient to discuss the type of tattoo, it's location and if there are any colors involved, they do a test spot. This is to identify if there are any allergic reactions and give the person getting the procedure an idea of both the pain level and scarring potential.
"With the Laser there is minimal healing - there is pain but it is a tolerable discomfort." Dr. Kaplan offered. Some say that the pain associated with the procedure is like snapping a rubber band against your skin or little drops of hot wax.
Toni Massimo, a client of Dr. Popkow, is presently going through the procedure to remove a leopard tattoo just above her breast. "I would say that the pain during the first treatment was equal to getting the tattoo in the first place. It was sore for three to four weeks, then there was the itch factor, that lasted longer." Toni said that with each subsequent treatment the pain was less. Still, an anesthetic cream called EMLA, was applied to her skin and kept there for one to two hours prior to the treatment. "The longer the better," Toni said. "Once I was in a hurry and I had the cream on for an hour or less, when he started working on me I said, Whoa - I couldn't take it."
In most cases a professional tattoo is easier to remove than an amateur one because the ink is more evenly distributed and closer to the surface, but a lot also depends on the kind of laser being used. It usually takes four to six sessions to remove the tattoo completely, but once again, there are many factors involved and in each case the doctor needs to evaluate the situation. Although the sessions last about fifteen minutes apiece, the healing associated with it takes many weeks. "In order to determine when I would get the procedures I had to figure in the healing time which meant not doing strenuous exercise or limiting social engagements." Toni quipped. "That's one of the reasons it has taken me almost two years."
Another factor in the decision to get a tattoo removed may be cost. While Toni was lucky to initially be included in a test group, most sessions range in price from $100.00 to $500.00. Of course that's much better than the $10,000 it cost just four years ago. Since then the improvement in technology has reduced the cost of the lasers; plus doctors often lease or share their machines. Yet, Geza, from Image Lasers, revealed that most of the cost for tattoo removal still is connected to the price of the equipment. "The actual procedure itself involves turning on the laser, setting it to the appropriate wavelength, and applying it to the skin." He indicated that many of the physicians he has dealt with let their nurses actually do the procedure.
Of the Doctors I spoke with, each told me that they personally did the work, and just about everyone agrees that removing a tattoo should be done by a Dermatologist or specially trained physician. It goes without saying that anyone considering having a tattoo removed should research their options and talk with the professionals to get more than one opinion.
New methods, equipment, and products are constantly emerging, so the safety and relative ease of tattoo removal is improving dramatically. Lasers with the capability of generating more than one wavelength, like the Photoderm, Paragon, and Rainbow systems from Lynton Lasers, are a reality. A company called ImmuDyne, manufactures a yeast extract called Nayad which activates the immune system to promote healing. There are also studies being performed to see how stimulating macrophages to engulf dye particles and draw them to local lymph systems might eliminate all of the patients tattoos. Now that's scary, getting your own body to eat your tattoos...brrr.
With the growing popularity of tattoos it is only logical that the business
of their removal is growing as well. But to avoid the trials and tribulations
of such a procedures you should consider carefully your choice of artist,
design, and placement. Even then, keep an accurate record of the colors
and inks used, just in case in some unforseen future you want it removed.
Over 5,000 years ago Egypt offered a gift to what is now known as India. The gift was a plant called Henna or lawsonia inermis, an evergreen bush whose crushed leaves and stems are known for their ability to color any substance they are applied to, most intriguingly human skin. For centuries, even long before our present Judeo-Christian society, people in the mid-east and india have utilized the plant to beautify their hands and feet before special occasions such as weddings and holidays. Both men and women have been traditionally decorated with henna, but for the woman, the tradition was more than just about beauty. After they were wed a new bride did not have to do housework, or serve their new husband, for as long as the henna designs lasted on their skin. Naturally, the best henna and the most effective mixtures were developed to make the color last for as long as possible, and for centuries the traditional art form remained confined to a small region of the east were these traditions flourished.
Recently there has been a virtual flood of interest in the ancient art of Mehndi, as it is called. "The popularity of tattoos has been instrumental in firing the interest." says Carine Fabius of Galerie Lakaye in Los Angeles. "People in the West are much more into decorating their bodies now than they have been in the past." Corine is one of the founders and owners of the galerie, which, until a short six months ago, showed only Caribbean art. "I am continually amazed at the growing popularity among a wide range of people from freaks to businessmen."
While the art of Mehndi has been around for centuries its introduction to the United States was fairly recent. How it was introduced depends on who you talk to; a woman from New York is said to have "discovered" the art form on holiday. Matty Jankowski, a multi-media artist in New York, investigated unusual and traditional body art forms for his clients and was introduced to Mehndi by women from India. Most likely the real story lies with people such as Amen Ra, a native Ethiopian, owner of 13BC in Los Angeles and strong influence in the art form on the west coast. "It's part of my family tradition and cultural history. In New York the media got a hold of it and it blossomed from there." says Amen Ra. "But I have been doing it for over a year at my shop in Berkeley." A recent article in Los Angeles Magazine featured Galerie Lakaye, and it brought an overwhelming response.
The art has also taken off in the United Kingdom from where Dylan, a tattoo and Mehndi artist, was kind enough to respond to my e-mail query. He indicated that many of his clients come in to have a henna tattoo done to gauge other peoples reactions; "If their friends and family don't disown them in the first week they usually come back and get it, or something similar, done for real." Corine confirms that it is true for her clients as well. "Mothers bring in their children who have declared they are going to get a tattoo. Mehndi is a compromise that the parents can live with." Dylan also says that a lot of people keep coming back because they love the concept of being tattooed they just don't want the pain. "There is also a tendency to under do it - it doesn't hurt and it's going to disappear in three weeks, so a person can be far more adventurous than they would with a real tattoo." Dylan's general rule of thumb is to ask the client how big they want it and then suggest they see it double that size. "About half actually listen and agree that it looks better in the scale I suggested."
Corine showed me pictures of people with real tattoos that used the henna to extend or modify their permanent designs. They might also get something in henna themed for a club or party, something that would not be very clever on a permanent basis, such as a big back piece to go with a backless dress, or a design on the head after having it shaved.
Initially tattooists got a bit worried that with the growing popularity of henna, people would only want those instead of the real deal. But their fears were soon put to rest. "The best thing about henna, from an artists point of view," indicates Dylan. "is we don't have to do coverups. When tattooing you usually know whether the customer will like it or whether or not they will be back. With henna it just doesn't matter. If you don't like it, it'll go away on its own." But there are other limitations as well; it is, after all, temporary and while traditionally, hands and feet were the only areas of the body decorated by henna, now backs, legs, arms, heads have all been included; still, the chest and face cannot be done. "The skin on those areas of the body exfoliate too quickly," says Corine. "That means the skin is too thin and does not hold the color." Skin conditions also have a lot to do with the depth of color and quality of the finished design. Coolness, warmth, the natural color of a persons skin all represent factors that are unpredictable.
The traditional Mehndi ceremony starts with powdering the dried henna leaves/stems, and sifting the powder to remove foreign substances. Then eucalyptus oil and lemon juice is mixed with the henna to form a paste. This mixture is allowed to stand for several hours, after which the henna is applied with a stick of ivory, sandlewood, or, since this is the end of the twentieth century, a plastic squeeze bottle. Once the concoction begins to dry on the skin it is repeatedly re-moistened with sugar and lemon juice. This process is to keep the henna slightly moist while it is left on the skin for five hours, or overnight, as Corine suggests. The henna is then scraped off the skin, and presto the design is visible and will continue to develop and darken over the next eight to ten hours.
There are many different formulas for mixing henna, some of which are easily accessible over the internet, while others are mysterious recipes handed down from generation to generation and their secrets zealously guarded.
The way in which a henna paste is made will determine the depth of "color". "Black" henna produces a faint gray haze on the skin, "Brown" henna is close to the color of most white people's natural skin tone and would be useless on people with darker skin. "Red" henna is the most common, and gives a reddish-brown tint. "We have developed a wide range of colors." says Amen Ra of 13BC in Los Angeles. "Purple, blue, green, turquoise, and white are all made from natural ingredients." These colors are popular with people who already have tattoos and want to try out a design.
Traditional designs are complex and intricate patterns that often have religious or spiritual meaning. These days, however, whatever is the vogue in regular tattooing is fair game; this includes all sorts of Celtic, traditional Japanese, and tribal designs.
The whole process is very time consuming and most westerners are too impatient to sit for hours, so special pre-packaged henna paste has been developed that only needs to stay on the skin for an hour. The results are usually not as spectacular and don't last as long. Amen Ra cautions that in order to make the fast drying henna, turpentine is usually used which is a poison and bad for the skin.
Henna is known to be a soothing skin conditioning and healing agent with a pleasant earthy smell and its powder can usually be obtained from herb, health food stores or even beauty supply shops. Ethnic Indian or African shops may also carry it. Quality varies and it is essential that it be fresh, henna has about a three day shelf life, after that the caliber of the results declines.
Mixing of the paste and its application can be a formidable project that would include much trial and error. The pigment in the henna is absorbed by the skin fairly rapidly so it would be wrong to think that you can just wipe the paste off and re-do your work until you get it right. That is why it is suggested anyone interested in having Mehndi done go to a tattoo or body art specialist who knows what they are doing. They can usually work from specific pictures, designs, or concepts and transfer them onto the skin. Prices for the work vary depending on the size of the design and how much henna is used, usually ranging from $20 on up. While there are tattoo shops that also do henna, there are also places that do henna and not tattoos. Because of its increasing popularity you might be able to find body art shops that do Mehndi in the phone book. Or you can call around to tattoo and piercing parlors to ask if they also do henna work. Here in Los Angeles there is Galerie Lakaye on third street and 13BC on Melrose. In the Berkeley area you can have Mehndi done at Allah's Sacred Earth, the only all natural body decoration shop in the United States.
While Mehndi has been around for over 5,000 years, its beautiful, soothing
ritual is being rediscovered by people of all types and inclinations. Whether
one uses it to test out designs before making them permanent, or just wants
to have a temporary and painless way to decorate their body, it is a growing
phenomenon for the beginning of the new millennium.
For most people tattoos are adornments, symbols, or statements about the individual. To have a colorful Koi fish going up one arm and a snarling leopard going down the other, may give the wearer a sense of pride in the canvas of their skin. They may be welcomed into a fraternity of their peers, or shunned by those with preconceived ideas about anyone who would mark their bodies in such a manner.
When I was first presented with the idea of doing an article on Cosmetic Tattooing I wondered just how much one could say about the application of permanent eyebrows and lipstick. How it would relate to people who have chosen to mark their bodies in an endless array of pictures and designs.
I was immediately struck, however, by the ability of both kinds of tattooing to make a difference in a persons life. Granted a line of black under a persons eye is certainly not the same as a dragon across the back, but both can have a profound effect.
For whatever reason a person has a tattoo, they expect it will be a positive addition to who they are.
Whether cosmetic tattooing, or permanent cosmetics as it is referred to, grew out of regular tattooing or vice-versa is still up for debate, but it is a documented fact that women in Asia who lost their eyebrows would use the carbon from burned matches, mix it with water, and apply the mixture to their skin using sewing needles.
In Japan most of the gangster molls would have their eyebrows done by their underground tattoo artists. Articles from the late 1800's and pictures from the 1920's indicate that cosmetic tattooing has been around in the United States longer than originally thought, but it really wasn't until the early 1980's when female tattoo artists began getting requests to do eyebrows from their patrons that the process gained recognition.
While Asian women cosmetic tattoo artists started using modern tattoo inks and equipment some, like Mary Yamaki, prefer to use the old fashion method over the machine. For her it is an issue of control, of having a direct connection between the needle and the skin.
Many cosmetic tattoo artists use the standard coil gun to do their work, although there is also a device called the "pen" that was developed especially for cosmetic tattooing. The pen is a rotary tool that pokes the skin instead of pounding and cutting it as the gun does. The result is that the tattoo is not as deep in the epidermal layer and has the tendency to fade or discolor more easily.
For the cosmetic tattooist power is an issue. "It really depends on what the person is doing and the conditions under which they are doing it as to what method they use." says Gina Rickimora, a cosmetic tattoo artists in the Southern California area. "The manual method is least powerful, the rotary is second most powerful, and then the regular coil gun is the most powerful."
Skin conditions are one major determining factor when choosing a method, and also the pain threshold of the subject has a lot to do with it. While all methods are uncomfortable (you can't go poking and cutting skin without expecting some pain), the tattoo pen offers less trauma. Scar tissue is tough and when an artist encounters it there is only one alternative and that is power.
Each individual though, usually has their own preference and a lot of that has to do with the way they were taught. Just as Mary Yamaki prefers the traditional method, Gina is used to using the pen.
Who does Cosmetic Tattooing? Most tattoo artists stay away from it. After all once you have done a multicolored peacock on someone, scratching in little lines of black just doesn't hold much appeal. Most Cosmetic Tattoists come from the field of cosmetology and especially electrolysis. An Electrologist is used to working with machines and on peoples skin so it is a natural progression.
Not long ago an Opthemologist named Dr. Angres started doing eyeliner in his office using anesthetics. He must have seen the potential for business, and for making a buck, so he developed a special device and tried to patent the tattoing process. The machine was expensive and painful, thereby making anesthesia necessary, even having to put the person to sleep in some cases, and transforming the process of getting eyeliner tattoos into a full blown medical procedure. The medical field made a big deal out of it; Dr. Angres tried selling his machine to other doctors and make Cosmetic Tattooist pay him for the right to do "his" procedure.
Dr. Angres has since lost his medical license due to other issues, but is still trying, unsuccessfully, to get Cosmetic Tattooist to pay him royalties every time they do a procedure.
The Doctor Angres situation brought up a rather delicate issue regarding what kind of training or certification is necessary; None, is the definitive answer. Much like the regular tattoo industry there are no government regulations or certification needed to be a Cosmetic Tattooist, so that means anyone can pick up a gun or a pen and go to work. However, there are a growing number of private associations that do certify and try to establish certain guidelines regarding their members and the industry.
First of all, they refer to cosmetic tattooing as micro-pigmentation, or micro dermal pigmentation, or permanent micro-pigmentation. The upshot is that they put color under the skin. There is the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP) which strives to educate it's members and the public in proper criteria for those who do micro-pigmentation procedures.
"I have seen and had to correct the work of those who have taken the 'three day' certification courses." says Susan Church C.C.P.C. a former board member of the SPCP and nationally recognized educator, lecturer and practitioner. "We try to discourage such courses because they just don't prepare the individual properly. A period of apprenticeship is needed to acquire the skills necessary to match pigmentation, making sure that red lips don't turn purple, and so on."
The highly publicized aspects of permanent cosmetics and what the public generally hears about, are the celebrities who have their eyebrows done, their lips enhanced, or beauty marks added. To most people it would seem a vanity issue and there are certainly enough opinions on the subject both pro and con. But that's not really what it's about. The average person is likely to have a procedure for numerous reasons. An active woman who does a lot of traveling, swimming, camping, may want it done because of the convenience. Men also use the procedure to obtain thicker eyebrows, to mask the effects of balding or to camouflage scars. Older women with poor eyesight and unsteady hands benefit tremendously, as do the handicapped, and even those who may be allergic to regular make-up products. Whatever the procedure, permanent color can create a polished look or something subtle and natural. Since the procedure is indelible many women choose to do something natural and dress it up with traditional make-up when needed. But the most meaningful use of the process is reserved for those who have had surgical procedures, burn victims, or anyone whose life has been inexorably altered by a disfigurement.
Cover-up is nothing new, traditional tattooists have been used to create colorful designs and illustrations to cover blemishes and scars. However, these days it can go much farther than that; Tina Bafaro, a traditional tattoo artist, is presently creating a halter top for a woman who wants to cover up recent radical surgery. Cosmetic tattooists are often called to utilize their skills and special techniques specifically for creating the illusion of areolas and nipples after breast reconstruction surgery, however, the most profound use of this technology is Corrective Pigment Camouflage (CPC).
Dr. Francis Cook MacGregor, a research scientist and member of the rehabilitation team at New York University Medical Center, states in an article by Susan Church; "In our culture, the way one looks makes a difference in the response one gets. It is this fact that defines one's identity because it defines the reaction of others."
Since the eyes are the first most noticed feature of the face, seconded only by the mouth, those two areas are naturally the first to be enhanced, but CPC goes beyond just vanity. For someone who has had extensive reconstructive surgery on a disfigured face the Corrective Pigment Camouflage may represent at least a partial return to the accepted norm, and improve personal self esteem tremendously.
In burn victims the scar tissue is discolored which makes the damaged area more pronounced. This is due to the alteration or destruction of natural pigments called melanins. Melanin is comprised of molecules which are capable of reflecting color.
Color is caused by the reflection of light on skin, which genetically includes certain melanocytes that produce melanin. Brown and black skin is caused by Neurometanin and yellow or red skin people have Phomelanin. Melanin includes chemicals such as carotene, most noticeably present in such foods as carrots, pumpkins, etc. and causes the yellow-orange color in the skin. Then there is oxygenated hemoglobin that determines red, and finally deoxygenated hemoglobin which incorporates blue. It is simple to see the effects of these chemicals. If you hold your breath for a long time you will turn blue or purple because you have cut off the oxygen and changed oxygenated hemoglobin to the deoxygenated kind. If someone turns red, that means they have increased their oxygen intake.
Differences in skin color are determines by the intensity of pigmentation (melanin production).
Susan Church explains that: " While basic undertones of our skin do not change, certain conditions may affect the appearance...such as a recent illness, changes in diet, medication, fatigue, excess smoking and alcohol consumption along with the use of self-tanning creams, tanning beds and natural sun tanning."
In the regular tattooing process, patch and sensitivity tests are often employed before the artists goes to work, to make sure the client does not have any adverse reactions to the inks or the procedure. In CPC it is more complicated then that. Skin tones have to be matched since color is very important in making the area look as normal as possible. For accurate results the sensitivity and patch tests should be done 4 to 8 weeks prior to the first application. Several tests are recommended and colors need to be modified accordingly. Then pigment is placed under the epidermis so it can be sloughed off within a few weeks if it is not correct.
"It's a long process." continues Ms Church, "Using the right color for the right person is essential - a blue person can't use a blue base or they will come out blue."
It is because of the extensive preparation process, that proper training is needed when doing CPC.
Once the client is ready, a coil machine is used to apply the color. Being more powerful it will penetrate the scar tissue, and achieve a smoother, more consistent application. This is best achieved with needle groups of 14 rounds and 6 flats.
A surprise added benefit of the procedure for burn victims is how it tends to break down and relax scar tissue through the repeated perforations, making the skin more supple and bringing the blood supply back to the area.
Since CPC is done primarily on burn victims who are under a doctors care, the procedures are often performed in their offices, and can be included as part of a reconstructive process right from the start.
Sensitivity varies from hardly any to extremely sensitive; for this reason it is often a good idea to have a physician present who can administer anesthesia if necessary.
"I do all my burn clients pro-bono" says Susan Church."It's more about making a difference in heir lives than making money. When they come to me they are often suicidal, but when I am done they have regained a sense of self esteem that is so rewarding."
She goes on to talk about one particular case, a Russian girl who had been flown to the Shriner's Hospital in San Francisco. She had undergone numerous surgeries on her burned body and was brought to Ms. Church for permanent eyebrows. At first she was apprehensive and afraid of the machine, the smells of the office, everything - but once she saw the results she was so proud.
I personally spoke with Maria Patterson a burn survivor who works with the Alicia Ruch Burn Foundation. Maria had been burned over 90% of her body at age 4. Her willingness to share her story and explain how much the procedures meant to her was inspiring. Since she was burned at such a young age her body did not develop normally. She wanted to have her breasts done and although the treatment was painful for her it meant so much to feel like a whole woman. "I went out and bought a negligee for the first time, and even though my husband said it didn't matter if I had the procedures or not, it mattered to me...and it improved our intimacy."
Still, for most burn survivors it is very difficult to go through the pain of the cosmetic procedures after enduring the pain of numerous surgeries.
For those who have made the decision to have permanent cosmetics there are a few guidelines that the SCPC suggests you follow: Before choosing a permanent cosmetic technician go for an interview at their office. Ask about their background and whether they keep up with continuing education and new advances in the area. Find out if they belong to any associations that offer more than a two day course. Evaluate the cleanliness of the office and determine if they use heat sterilization on their equipment. It is perfectly appropriate to ask to see photographs of their work.
Explain to the technician what you want done and then listen to their ideas. Did they listen to you? Can you communicate effectively with them?
Naturally the best way to find a qualified person is to be referred by someone you trust and who has already used their services. This way you have first hand results that you can see.
Don't choose a technician based on price. The old adage applies here more than ever, "you get what you pay for." Price usually indicates training and sterilization methods, so If you want to take the risk of having purple lips for the rest of your life then go with the cheapest.
Prices average between $250 for eyebrows to $450 for eyeliner (top and bottom) and $500 for lip coloring.
While a person who chooses to have a traditional tattoo adorn their body and another elects to have their eyebrows or lips enhanced, the procedures are essentially the same. They are close relatives, close but not equal. It is doubtful that a woman who has had her eyebrows done could say that she belongs to the fraternity of the tattooed. Even though the reaction from the unmarked remains pretty much the same. They rarely approve.
Still, it can be said that either procedure changes the lives of those who have them, whether it improves their self-esteem, as in the case of burn survivors, or makes their family scatter to the four winds when they see a dragon peek out from a shirt collar.
If you would like to find out more about Micro-Pigmentation and having Permanent Cosmetics done, here are a few resources.
Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals - Susan Preston (415) 885-1331
Susan Church C.C.P.C. - (714) 775-3767
Mary Yamaki - (213) 651- 0202
Gina Rickimora - (818) 240-2460