There ‘s always room to impress me with a “through the neck” tattoo. I love the colors used in these gypsy snake.

Tattoo by Xam the Spaniard at The Family Business in London, UK

Keeping up with Joe Ellis on Instagram (@joeellistattooer) always means I’ll see something new and good. He’s definitely killing it.

Tattoo by Joe Ellis at Cock A Snook in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

I completely respect that some tattooers are more into the internet than others–but man, sometimes it’s hard to track down accurate information about artists. Especially when they don’t have a website! Case in point: Mark Poole. (Though he does have a Facebook group…) which is where I found this list of conventions he’ll be at in 2012:

• Liverpool Tattoo Convention-4th-6th May 2012
• Bolton Tattoo Bazaar- 7th -8th July 2012
• Manchester Tattoo Convention-4th-5th August 2012
• Tattoo Jam-12th-14th October 2012
• Tattoo Camp-23rd-26th November 2012

It’s no girl in an animal hood, but I suspect you can all make do.

Tattoo by Shaun Bailey at Cock A Snook Tattoo Studio in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

As Kevin’s mentioned in previous entries, we’re always curious about the story behind a tattoo–though in no way do we think a piece requires one to be considered “good”.

So, here we go. The story of the art brut tattoo below, as taken from the Expanded Eye blog:

New piece depicting the plight of indigenous tribes in the Amazon. Amazonia houses one-third of the Earth’s plant and animal species and produces one-fifth of all its fresh water, as well as being home to 400 distinct indigenous groups who depend on the rainforest for their physical and cultural survival. Each day 100 living species become extinct and at current rates of deforestation, it is estimated that by 2020 nearly 50% of what we know as the “Lungs of the Earth” will be destroyed. We are losing this irreplaceable source at an alarming rate, with devastating repercussions for the entire planet. With global deforestation contributing to 20–25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, the Brazilian government show their disgusting disregard for humanity with the construction of the Belo Monte monster dam which will generate enormous quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2, whilst flooding 400km of standing forest and forcing 40,000 people from their homes. Coupled with dirty energy company Chevron’s decades spent deliberately dumping billions of gallons of toxic wastewater into rivers and streams, spilling millions of gallons of crude oil, poisoning the communities and causing one of the worst environmental disasters in history, it is imperative that we fight to abolish ecocide and protect the rights of the indigenous peoples and our global treasure’s fragile ecosystem before it’s too late.

Tattoo by Kev James at Expanded Eye in London, UK
(Currently kicking it at Needles Side in France)