http://www.alexheizer.com/ personal blog of Alex Heizer en http://www.alexheizer.com/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.alexheizer.com/ 18 16 personal blog of Alex Heizer TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:34:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////presenting_handwritten_blog_posts/ I realised that as a result of using my computer so much for even the simplest of note-taking, my... Art Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:34:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////the_pursuit_of_artistic_excellence/ I've mentioned before about the people who come in to Skin Deep with work that needs to be fixed or... Art People Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:40:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////tips_for_after_you_get_a_new_tattoo/ Now that you've taken my advice in my last 2 posts and used all the tips to get a great new tattoo,...

Friend them and make the connection

Leave them a comment to let them know how you like their work (just use the comment field at the end of this or any of my blog posts!)

Send them an email with suggestions on what you liked about the entire experience and things that could help improve the experience the next time

Send them a photo of the work they did for you now that it's healed. An artist loves to see their creations "In The Wild" and a photo is something they can share with others on their site

Send them a comment or email that they can use as a testimonial on their website

6. If the website has a newsletter or announcements sign-up, then sign-up! That way the shop can connect back with you and thank you for being a customer by sending out coupons or discounts, or event announcements like in-store promotions or conventions the artist will be attending. 7. If for some reason your tattoo doesn't satisfy you, come back into the shop and talk it over with the artist. There are many reasons why a tattoo can heal with some light spots, and not all of them involve bad work on the part of the artist. These include variations in the skin, bumping it hard while it's healing, clothing rubbing against it as it heals, some diseases and medications, etc. A professional artist will stand behind their work and give you the touch-ups you need to make sure your tattoo looks fantastic for the rest of your life at no extra charge to you. If an artist tries to charge you for a touch-up to the work they did, walk out of that shop and find a quality shop that will stand behind the work they create. In order to make sure you're happy with the touch-up, wait until the tattoo is completely healed first (usually 2-4 weeks). This will allow the artist to see the tattoo clearly and touch up all the places that need it, all at once. All in all, getting a tattoo should be a positive experience and doesn't have to end when the artist puts on the bandage. If you know of any other ways the experience can be made better, let me know!]]> People Work Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:00:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////tips_for_getting_a_new_tattoo_part_2/ Here are some more tips to help you have a great experience the next time you go for a tattoo. 1....

Think about your interests. If you've been a hairdresser for 20 years or watch sports religiously (or even attend a religion religiously!) then that could be a good place to begin thinking about something meaningful that you would want to carry around for the rest of your life.

Wanting a memorial for a family member or friend? The easy solution is their name with a cherub, an angel, a rose, a heart, etc. But to really make it special think of something that signifies what they mean to you. I've had a customer ask for a Janis Joplin portrait because their dad was a huge Janis fan. Recently I put a character from a band's album cover on a friend because he remembers seeing his dad's records sitting out all the time. This makes it more personal and yet at the same time something that if you choose not to explain it to someone, then it's something you don't have to share.

Think about your past. Remember how much fun you had on that vacation to Florida in 3rd grade that you still think about all the time because you got to pet a killer whale. Recall the scents and sounds and excitement of attending the first game of your favorite pro team.

Think about names. Really think about names. A lot of people think that nothing says "I Love You" like getting a boy/girlfriend or recent husband/wife's name in the middle of your bicep. While this works for a small percentage of people, the reality is most people end up regretting it down the road for one reason or another. Even if the name is for a child or parent, often a more special tattoo would be something which is more representative of that person (see the above paragraph regarding memorials). For the same price as a name you can often get something small and more meaningful. Not that you shouldn't get a name if you decide that it's right for you. It's just that in my 20 years' experience, I have heard a lot of stories explaining why people have gotten the names that I was in the process of covering with new pieces.

Hello Kitty. I've seen all sorts of Hello Kitty variations, from a zombie, to a bat, to Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper. The real point is, be creative -- you don't have to stick to something you see everywhere. Change it up, have fun with it, and make it something unique to you.

7. TIP! There are two good reasons that it's a very nice thing for you to give a tip to your artist. The first reason is that unless they are the owner, all tattoo artists only receive a percentage of the cost of the tattoo. The percentage varies from shop to shop (typically around 50%), but the artist will never receive the entire cost you pay for the work done. But they will get to keep the entire tip. The second reason is that giving a tip to your artist is a sign of respect for giving something to you that you can enjoy the rest of your life. As I mentioned before, a good artist will offer a price for the tattoo that is reasonable based on not only what they feel the work is worth, but also with consideration of lots of other factors. If they care about their work they may offer a small adjustment if they become aware that the customer really would like something special but wasn't blessed with a financial windfall. They may also give a military or referral discount (which I do both!). In any case, a tip is a small token that you not only recognize that the quoted cost is in line with the worth of the tattoo, but that you appreciate the quality of the work and the caring your artist put into creating it especially for you. 8. Give a genuine compliment to your artist if you think they did a good job. It's sort of like an emotional tip, and if it's genuine, it can make the artist's entire week! With a little forethought and some creativity, it's not difficult to come up with something that is cool, beautiful and fits you perfectly. As an artist, I always look more forward to drawing up something unique that only you will have instead of something that a thousand other impatient people have in their skin. Even if it means you walk out tonight and come back next week for something ten times as awesome.  And, isn't it worth it to be the one to receive a tattoo that's ten times as awesome? ]]> Art People Work Sun, 30 May 2010 18:02:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////tips_for_getting_a_new_tattoo_part_1/ When getting a tattoo, there are a lot of things people do to prepare for it. Sometimes they do...

How many years' experience do they have? Even if you like the work in their portfolio, if they are still a new artist there is a lot of experience you get from doing the job for years compared to months. There is a big difference between doing a dozen nice pieces over the span of 3 months and doing hundreds of nice pieces over the span of 20 years. 

How many places have they've worked (or, what can they tell you of their work history)? While a young artist who has worked in 10 shops already may indicate that the artist is hard to work with and is kicked out of a lot of places (or has bad judgement and gets him/herself INTO a lot of bad places), good artists soak up experiences better than a Sham-WOW. Working in a lot of different environments teaches an artist to try new things, develop new skills, interact with different types of people who have varied skin qualities and design aesthetics.

What is their work ethic? When you talk to them is price the first thing they mention, or do they listen to you about what you want? Do they ask you questions about other things you're into on a daily basis, and what is important to you in your life? Are they proud of the various pieces in their portfolio and have a story about the person who received the work? Do they get excited about other artists who have nothing to do with tattoos? Regardless of their level of experience, someone who cares about the work they do will be able to give you a much nicer experience.

How did they learn to tattoo? There are now schools which offer a 2-week course in learning tattoo. I had been drawing for 20 years before I began tattooing (my whole life!) I had picked up and tried almost every material for creating art by then, including acrylic and oil paints, pencils, pastels and an airbrush. I can tell you honestly that a tattoo machine is different than any other tool and even a good artist needs time to adapt to it and learn how to use it properly. By that, I mean a blind monkey could learn in about 5 minutes how to make a permanent mark in skin using a tattoo machine but it takes months to learn to use it to make lines consistently and to fill in large areas solidly without chewing up the skin. It takes years to acquire the experience to make a quality tattoo every time. Anyone who is worth getting a tattoo from will be honest about this, so if you go to someone who believes they are qualified to guarantee you quality work each time after practicing only two weeks then you'll be going to someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

How do they feel about their materials? Do they use cheap equipment, or do they understand that using high-quality materials will give the best results? 

Is their station clean and well-maintained? The care they put into their work area is an indication of the care they'll put into their work.

Is the artist clean and well-maintained? The care they put into their cleanliness and appearance is an indication of the care they will put into the cleanliness and appearance of your tattoo. If you expect professional results then the artist should be professional.

Look for more tips soon in Part 2!]]> Art People Work Fri, 28 May 2010 21:31:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////making_a_good_cover_up/ A lot of times I will get someone in here wanting some cover-up work, or at the least, recoloring a... Art People Work Tue, 25 May 2010 14:52:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////now_at_skin_deep_tattoo_in_rogersville_mo/ For the past 2 months, I've been managing a new tattoo shop located in Rogersville, Missouri, named...
Being in a small town outside of Springfield allows me to have some advantages over the shops located inside the city. First, the local tattoo fans are very enthusiastic that there's finally a shop right in town. This gives the shop great energy right off the bat whenever someone comes in. Second, being outside the city itself allows us to provide awesome work but considering the low overhead, our prices are more reasonable. Third, people around here have an impression of the Springfield shops as far as attitude and quality. They come into our shop without any preconceptions which makes it easier to show them what we're all about and build their trust and loyalty. Summer is coming and people have been scheduling appointments, so it looks like I have a very fun summer ahead of me! If you would like to schedule an appointment or just come in and check out the shop, we're located at the corner of Highway 60 & VV in Rogersville, right next to Hardee's. Our phone number is (417) 753-9055. We're open noon-9pm Tuesday - Saturday.]]> Work Sat, 08 May 2010 06:40:00 -0500 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////keeping_inspired_drawing_a_day/ Keeping inspired is really important for an artist. Although I haven't been posting my Drawing a...
Since the purpose of my New Year's Resolution is to keep creative and keep moving, learning and growing in a positive direction, sometimes being creative doesn't mean it has to be an actual drawing each day. The big thing is to intentionally do something each day which helps my drawing, staying conscious of how the "something" helps me grow as an artist, and how learning or doing whatever it is contributes to getting to my goal as an artist. 

For as long as I can remember, origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, fascinated me. The idea that a simple flat square of paper could be transformed in seconds into a recognizable representation of something else gave me an almost magical feeling. One of the first things I remember doing with origami was in 1984 when I heard the story of  Sadako Sasaki of Hiroshima, who tried to stave off her death from radiation sickness by making one thousand origami cranes. Her classmates and other friends finished them for her after her death. I had learned at one time how to make a crane, and the story inspired me to begin making 1000 cranes as a symbolic way to wish for the end to the Cold War, which was escalating rapidly at the time. This year, one of the book stores had an origami-a-day kit which contains 365 sheets of origami paper and instructions to make something new each day. Doing this got me interested in other designs that I hadn't done yet, so one of my Drawing a Day things was a samurai helmet, shown here. 

Looking for origami projects (which led me to the samurai helmet) also led me to napkin folding instructions, to help make a table setting more elegant or festive when using cloth napkins. We have some cloth napkins here, but no iron or starch, so I practiced a few designs but the best one of the bunch was this Bird of Paradise motif. It could still use some ironing and starch, but it looks great just as it is.

The third Drawing a Day drawing I'm posting comes from another book store kit to help you learn Chinese watercolor painting. Watercolor has never been my strong suit, and the delicate tones and free movement that traditional Chinese watercolors display have always inspired me. I thought, if I could finally learn even a small fraction of the technique for capturing the feel and atmosphere of a traditional Chinese watercolor, I will be a much better artist and be able to convey more of my artistic vision to people seeing my work. So, this last photo is of a koi fish swimming in a stream in front of mountains. This is a bad composition, but it's actually two practice paintings on the same piece of paper. I just thought each turned out very well for me, and I did them at the same time, and it doesn't look that bad to have a koi swimming in a stream with mountains in the background. ]]> Drawing a Day Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:54:00 -0600 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////january_9_11_can_your_blackberry_do_this/ This manga drawing was done on my iPhone, using the Layers app. Although it took me 3 days to do, I...
It also fit within my philosophy of making sure that if you create something, you make it the best you can accomplish if you are going to do it in the first place. It's not the best piece I have ever created, but I learned a lot about using a new digital medium and in that way I did the best that I could on it given the restraints.

Hope you like it, and I hope it inspires you to look at something new and see the potential rather than the limitations. ]]> Drawing a Day Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:34:00 -0600 http://www.alexheizer.com/blog/post/archive////january_8_iphone_painting_drawing_a_day/ This drawing is posted a day late. I wasn't able to use my computer yesterday but I did create...
Drawing on an iPhone takes a different technique. I managed to develop a technique which gave me good results, using a combination of brushes, erasers and color sampling.  For the subject, I took my inspiration from the artist Yuehui Tang, a contemporary artist whose work I love. I hope you like this one. ]]> Drawing a Day Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:23:00 -0600