When I was asked to write a weekly column for Suicide Girls, my immediate questions was, “About what?” Because, truly, I didn’t know what the fuck anyone reading this would want to hear from me.
“Anything,” they said.
Well, alright. But I’m pretty sure they didn’t mean How to Make and/or Buy Weapons Grade Narcotics: A Guide In Multiple Parts, which is what I wanted to write about. But court sucks, and you know it. So instead, I’m calling this “Things I Like That You Might Like Too.” It’s exactly what it says it is.
Missy recently posted something on SuicideGirls that got me thinking. She asked us to make videos of how SG has changed our lives, what it meant to us and how it has shaped our pasts and futures. Even though I am not a Suicide Girl (not for lack of trying!), I couldn’t help but think back on everything that SG has brought to my life…
I remember the first time I ran across SuicideGirls like it was yesterday. It was 2005, and I was at Newbury Comics, happily clutching some Tori Amos CD singles and a pair of fuzzy leopard dice to hang from my review mirror. A book caught my eye. There was a topless girl with tiny black pigtails, looking quite surly staring back at me from the cover. “She’s adorable,” I thought. The inside pages carried a strong statement, one that is captivating to alternative women of all ages, races and body types. Most of us have spent our entire lives feeling like we don’t belong. These girls looked like they didn’t fit in either. They were covered in tattoos, some had pink hair, others seemed to have more metal than skin – but in that, they were perfect. And naked. In front of everyone!
Research to find a suitable practitioner. Look up local artists, and ask around. If you happen to see someone that has a tattoo you are particularly fond of, ask them (politely) where they got it done.
Look at portfolios. Several different ones if you have to. Find someone with a style and personality that will mesh well with your own – especially if it’s your first.
Make an appointment, both for a consultation, and to get the actual work done. While walk-ins are convenient, if you have a more elaborate piece, respect the artist enough to give them time to work on it.
Be original.
Know what you want, and have several ideas about where you’d like the tattoo to go.
Make drawings (as long as you don’t have the art skills 5-year old) or find reference photos, as many as you think you’ll need to get across the concept/image you want.
Listen to the artist’s suggestions, and understand that they may say no to some of your ideas simply because they wouldn’t come out right or make a good tattoo.
Get something that means something personal to you, as long as it’s easy enough to convey. Getting a tree that twists into a lizard that has bird wings and a feathered mask may be the most sacred thing you could possibly think of in this world, but, really, how would that look? Weird, that’s how.
Bathe beforehand.
Bring something (non-alcoholic) to drink.
Let your artist know if you feel like you’re going to be sick and/or pass out. The last thing you want on your person is a big line going in the direction you fainted because you didn’t tell your artist you were about to black out.
Tip your tattoo artist. ALWAYS. Even if they’re your best friend. TIP THEM. It’s rude and offensive not to. As a rule, leave an extra 20%, unless it’s something minimal like $50-$60, then tip about $10. If it’s a HUGE piece that the artist works on for over 5 hours, then tip anywhere from 25 to 30%. (If the artist also happens to be your significant other and they won’t accept money, give them some extra good sex that night or something.)
I was not allowed to leave my recovery program until I was a “healthy” 120 lbs.
Tonight, the “Biggest Loser” was awarded $250,000 for being 117 lbs.
What the FUCK is wrong with this picture????”
(Anonymous blogger)
With the hypocritical and oppressive ‘beauty machine’ of America in full-swing, girls are getting “thinspiration” off food blogs and Pro-Ana sites; detouring off the deep end instead of finding their way into recovery. Even Portia de Rossi’s memoir Unbearable Lightness and the stick figures of Black Swan can serve as a “how to” for low self esteem. And this begs the question. Women – aren’t we just too dang valuable to level our self-worth by countable ribs?
Artist Cameron Stewart just posted this cool time-lapse video via his Twitter. It shows him working on Porter, the tech geek girl, who is one of the characters from the upcoming IDW four-issue SUICIDEGIRLS comic series. The clip, which is 2.5 X faster than real time, shows Cameron inking over pencil layouts done by David Hahn using a Wacom Cintiq 12WX and Manga Studio 4 EX.
SUICIDEGIRLS pits an awesome gang of beautiful, tattooed ladies against the deranged leader of a techno-religious cult, with lots of butt-kicking and witty banter. Issue #1 will hit stores in March.
Inspired by the positive feedback we’ve received from her Vehicle Maintenance 101 video posts, Shotgun Suicide is taking on bodywork of a more personal kind. In the first part of her new ongoing Body Mods 101 series, Shotgun Suicide takes you through the basics of getting a new tattoo, and aftercare for it.
