While Attorney Albert Morse was representing cartoonists in the Bay Area, he noticed the similarity between cartoon characters and tattoo designs. Preliminary research turned up little information or photographs about the art of tattooing. Photographer Morse immediately saw the visual potential and begin his three years of research on tattooists and their art, culminating with the publication of 'The Tattooists.'

He compiled over 100 hours of taped interviews with 50 tattooists and photographed more than 100 American tattooists. He looked into the known history, collected designs and found many other interesting artifacts connected with tattooing.

Three years ago, Tim Svetly walked into Debra Cooper's tattoo shop and it changed his life forever. Stories of tigers, jet cars, speedboats, and of course, motorcycles -- and this was just the beginning. Tim reflects the story of a tattooed legend, doing whatever the hell he wanted, out of Gary, Indiana.

Meet twenty-six leading contemporary tattoo artists. Interviews and over 425 exciting color photos of their artwork, from tattoos to paintings, make this an invaluable tattoo resource.

This is a viable contribution to tattoo history worldwide, containing insightful interviews with living legends like Don Ed Hardy, Doc Forest, Horiyoshi III, Paul Jeffries, Bob Roberts, and Mike Malone.

These tattoo pioneers shed light on the tattoo’s evolution from a sub-cultural phenomenon to a mainstream trend, and explore tattooing as a “finer” art form. Their artwork runs the gamut, from full Japanese body suits to traditional Americana hearts and roses. Some of the best, established contemporary tattoo artists like Freddy Corbin, Theo Jak, Grime, Scott Sylvia, Chris Garver, and Horitomo are included, in addition to up-and-coming tattooers Jill Bonny, Scott Bryant, George Campise, Chris Conn, Paco Excel, Robert Hernandez, Eiland Hogan, Klem, Chad Koeplinger, Jason Kundell, Jason McAfee, Brent Patten, Juan Puente, and Jesse Tuesday.

This single volume by tattoo artist Horitaka is compiled from over three years of writing for Tattoo Life magazine, and is a necessary reference for anyone interested in tattoo culture.

• Full Color
• 160 pages
• Soft cover

Cataloging the legacy of the American punk rock pioneers Black Flag, this photo documentary uses stark, contrasting portraits to share the stories of the die-hard fans who wear the iconic four-barred logo tattooed on their skin. From doctors to homeless punks, stories range from the intensely personal to the absurd as each larger-than-life soul mugs for the camera.

Adding to the idea that mixed messages can come from one unifying design, each image is highlighted with a personal quotation, a name and bio, and a Black Flag favorites list. Captured during an extensive tour through the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, this collection serves as a visual testimony to the hyper-distilled mythology that the band is more prevalent now than when it was in service, and serves as a soundtrack for those living as self-imposed cultural outsiders.

Interviews with former members of the band, tattoo artists, photographers, and other relevant luminaries round out this ethnography and serve to spotlight Black Flag’s vicious live performances, forward-thinking work ethic, and indisputable reputation for acting as both champions and destroyers of the punk rock culture that they helped create.

Publication Date Feb. 2013

This book explores the grisly reality of Russian prisons and the people who inhabit them. Over 190 black and white and color photographs expose the different tattoos and their meanings, ranging from churches, crosses, Christs, Madonnas, military symbols, cats, dolphins, bears, hawks, and other startling images.

Documentary filmmaker Alix Lambert traveled around modern Russia to film these sinister environments, collected stories to identify the dying art of tattooing in Russian prisons, and detailed the lives of the heavily marked inmates, past and present. This fascinating, spine-tingling book provides an entirely new outlook on tattoos and what they can represent!

This book is an exploration into the unique continuity that exists in New York City between the past and present of the intriguing art form of tattooing. Here the electric tattoo machine was developed, and has had a unique influence in modern tattooing worldwide. The technical and artistic values that first coalesced here during the early 20th century now are intrinsic to the art form.
This creative process was pushed underground in the early 1960s when tattooing was banned in New York. After 35 years of marginalization, the city re-legalized tattooing in 1997 in response to the unprecedented surge in public enthusiasm and demand. Today, tattoo artists explore their trade as never before in the five boroughs of New York City; such rapid growth and change has put pressure on an art that continues to emphasize the values formalized over 100 years ago. Hundreds of color photos illustrate this fascinating text, which includes commentary from artists past and present.

Japanese men have been marked by tattoo artists for the past 300 years. Today’s urbane Japanese youth continue the tradition, proudly creating and wearing this ever changing art form.

Over 530 breathtaking color photos display a vast range of Japanese tattoos, from traditional full-body forms repleat with classical images steeped in symbolism, including Horimono, to modern One-Point style, heavily influenced by the cultures of the West.

The fascinating text provides a glimpse of Japan’s youth culture and recounts, through personal interviews, stories of Japanese masters of the tattoo art, including Senseis Horihide, Horiyoshi III, Horitoshi I, Horiyasu, and Horikoi. Readers will see some of the most intricate tattoo art in the world, while traveling through time from the 19th century Edo Floating World to the busy streets of modern Tokyo.