Tattoos and Piercings

It’s been a pretty amazing summer so far. The weather has been pretty good since as far back as April. Occasionally, we’ve had rain showers and thunderstorms, but much of the rain has actually fallen over night. The weather on the weekends has been great for the most part, perfect conditions to enjoy all the activities and festivals that the city has to offer. I decided earlier this year that I would be spending this summer in Toronto without any major travel assignments overseas. So this is my chance to focus on local explorations.

And the offerings are amazing: I already wrote detailed articles from my explorations at Toronto’s Doors Open architectural festival, my exciting day at the Dragonboat Festival on Toronto’s Islands, the Taste of Little Italy, Summerlicious – Toronto’s restaurant festival, the Celebrate Toronto Street Festival and Afrofest. There are simply not enough hours in the week to cover all my explorations since I have decided to head out and discover as many places and activities as possible right here in Toronto. Here is a little summary of some of the other activities I have participated in that I haven’t had a chance yet to talk about in detail.

On June 25, 2006 I headed out to Toronto’s Pride Parade, one of the biggest parades in Toronto, and one of the largest of its kind in the world. This year’s parade theme was “Fearless!” to indicate how far Toronto’s queer community has come and how far they still have to go. From its original roots as a protest event, Toronto’s Pride Parade today has become a real family affair with special events for families and children. The city has embraced this event and it has great support from the mayor, the police, various corporate sponsors and politicians from all political parties. The big events of Pride Week included the Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, Pride Awards and a Gala Dinner, the Dyke March as well as the dazzling Pride Parade. Seven entertainment stages provided entertainment with about 650 artists, the Community Fair included participants from a large variety of community groups, and the Marketplace enticed the crowd with merchandise, clothing, and various accessories and treats.

Then on July 14 and 15 not only did I attend a street festival, together with my team we actually participated in the Salsa on St. Clair Festival. This festival was held for the first time last year and attracted more than 200,000 participants in its first year. Telelatino, Canada’s Latin broadcasting network, developed the idea for this festival and organized a huge street party. This year the crowd was even bigger than in the first year.

We had a table together with Skills for Change, a local immigrant settlement agency with whom we collaborate frequently. To jointly promote our two organizations we were holding a draw to give away a one-week adventure trip along the Inca Trail in Peru. The trip itself will be provided by G.A.P Adventures, the flagship sponsor of our Travel Story Contest, and a leader in environmentally sustainable and socially conscious travel. Over two days we spent almost 20 hours in the sweltering sun, interacting with the crowd, and many hundreds of people wanted to get to get a chance to explore the mysteries of Peru.

In between these special events I have also had a chance to explore the city by bike and on inline skates. A couple of weeks ago I cycled out to the Scarborough Bluffs and spent some time in one of my favourite Toronto spots: the Rosetta McClain Gardens. This is a beautiful public garden with gorgeous flower beds and serene sitting areas, perched high above Lake Ontario with great vistas of this peaceful expanse of water.

From there I cycled east through a variety of parks abutting the Scarborough Bluffs which are essentially cliffs formed from eroded packed clay soil. They stretch for about 14 km along Lake Ontario in the east end of Toronto, and at their highest point they rise 65 meters above the water. The most interesting formations can be found around Bluffer’s Park, a large waterfront park featuring a sandy beach, picnic areas, walks, lookouts, and berths for over 500 boats.

Toronto, with its location right on Lake Ontario, is a haven for cyclists and water sports enthusiasts, and the waterfront has numerous extensive parks right on the shoreline that are ideal for picnics, sunbathing and relaxing by the water. The Martin Goodman Trail is a multi-purpose recreational trail with a length of about 22 km along Toronto’s Waterfront and gives inline skaters and bicyclists a chance to exercise and soak up the sun right next to the water. Last weekend I strapped on my rollerblades and explored the Waterfront Trail along Toronto’s West end in Etobicoke, and the nicely paved trail continues into Toronto’s neighbouring cities Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington.

But serene nature experiences not only await at the waterfront, the City has several other spots that allow you to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Last week I spent a couple of hours exploring Riverdale Farm, Toronto’s Necropolis and the surrounding Cabbagetown Neighbourhood. Riverdale Farm is actually an early 20th century farm that has been turned into a learning opportunity for urban dwellers that exposes them to farm animals and a rural environment. The peaceful park outside Riverdale Farm is a favourite destination for school groups and adults who relax under the shady trees and cool off in the public fountains.

Right next to Riverdale Farm is the Toronto Necropolis, one of Toronto’s oldest and most historic cemeteries. Dating back to the 1850s, it houses a collection of Victorian buildings and sculptures and is one of the most picturesque locations in the city. The recently restored cemetery entrance, chapel and office are fine examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture and the Necropolis is a favourite destination for photographers year-round.

Both Riverdale Farm and the Toronto Necropolis are surrounded by Cabbagetown, a historic neighbourhood with a very interesting history. The name “Cabbagetown” dates back to the mid 19th century, when Irish immigrants decided to plant unusually large cabbage patches on their front lawn. Cabbagetown has one of the largest and most impressive concentrations of Victorian architecture in all of North America. Local residents take great pride in their properties and embellish their homes with well-tended front and back gardens and the area is a magnificent location for a relaxing stroll.

So many other neighbourhoods beckon to be explored: I have spent some time at Harbourfront and recently took a walk through Toronto’s main Chinatown and the adjoining Kensington Market where exotic fruits and unusual foods can be purchased at reasonable prices. The sheer variety of Toronto’s neighbourhoods is mind-boggling and it feels like you are doing a virtual trip around the world by just walking a few blocks or hopping on the subway. I have made several forays into the Victorian serenity of Riverdale and the adjoining hustle and bustle of the Danforth, one of my favourite neighbourhood hangouts.

These past few days have been busy too. On Friday, my entire crew at the office and I went to a local Pakistani restaurant in Toronto’s Thorncliffe Park Neighbourhood. The entire neighbourhood is perched on a hill overlooking the Don Valley and was developed with numerous high-rise buildings in the 1950s and 1960s. Today Thorncliffe Park is one of the most densely populated and most multicultural neighbourhoods of Toronto with a large proportion of recent immigrants from Muslim countries. We had an absolutely delicious dinner with a selection of Pakistani dishes at Iqbal Restaurant. Several of my co-workers are from Pakistan and we have had a great introduction to Muslim foods and traditions. Toronto offers so many great opportunities for cross-cultural connections. We shared six different delicacies including chicken, lamb, beef and chick pea dishes and had a wonderful time sampling this varied cuisine.

After our truly delicious dinner all of us headed down to Queen Street East where the Beaches International Jazz Festival was being held. This festival is now in its 18th year, and has become a crowd favourite since its 1989 inception. We started at Woodbine and right away ran into our favourite: Dr. Draw, a highly energetic Moscow-born electric violinist surrounded by a team of dedicated musicians. This band produced a highly eclectic, unusual type of music with a diverse mixture of beats with modern and classical elements thrown in. In addition, Dr. Draw has a highly physical performance style and it makes you wonder how he plays the violin so well while jumping up and down. We saw several other rock and reggae bands, and a 3-person group named Johannes Linstead entertained us with virtuoso flamenco rhythms. Incidentally, this group won the Best World Album in 2004 and has top ten charting albums. In total the Beaches Jazz Festival featured over 30 performers in its StreetFest and ten headliners on the Main Stage.

I dropped by at the Beaches Jazz Festival again with two friends yesterday, and at the north end of Kew Gardens we saw Toronto’s Mayor David Miller being photographed with members of the crowd. Mayor Miller makes appearances at many community events and is very approachable. So we decided that we too would get our picture taken with Toronto’s mayor.

We then strolled over to the Main Stage and checked out some of the ecclectic clothing, jewellery and art on sale in the various booths that were located throughout Kew Gardens. People were getting henna tattoos, others were getting readings by psychics, and the majority of people were relaxing on the grass, enjoying the music. Some folks were also getting their surprisingly accurate portraits done…

On the Boardwalk we enjoyed the hot Spanish rhythms of Puente del Diablo before we checked out the action at the beach volleyball courts. One of my friends is a visitor from Austria, so this was her first introduction to Toronto while my other friend is a fairly recent immigrant who doesn’t yet know the city very well either. I quite enjoy taking new arrivals around the city, introducing them to all my favourite spots. As a city on a lake that looks like an ocean, the waterfront is a great attraction, and it’s a really cool place to hang out.

To explore more we then hopped into the car and decided to pay a visit to the Distillery District, a former distillery dating back to 1832. This complex encompasses more than 40 historic buildings that make up the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in all of North America. The Distillery District has been restored recently and has become one of Toronto’s hottest entertainment areas with its restaurants, cafes, galleries and artists’ studios, a brewery, theatres and retail outlets. Every Sunday the Distillery features a farmers market and numerous festivals draw huge crowds throughout the year.

Our “Introduction to Toronto” driving tour continued and I took my friends downtown on Front Street and showed them the Gooderham Building – Toronto’s own triangular Flatiron Building. Then we admired Old and New City Hall, the classical splendour of Osgoode Hall, the imposing Richardson Romanesque structure of Queens Park – seat of Ontario’s provincial government, and the Neo-Gothic splendour of the University of Toronto campus. After a brief tour through Chinatown we had a sneak peak at Little Italy and ended up for dinner in the picturesque Annex neighbourhood on Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina. Along the way we drove through Portuguese, Ethiopian and Korean neighbourhoods.

Finally we had a lovely dinner at the Country Style Hungarian Restaurant, a neighbourhood institution for decades, which impresses with its tasty authentic European meals, reasonable prices and huge portion sizes. All three of us enjoyed a Wiener Schnitzel and to top off a delicious meal we enjoyed “Palatschinken”, a mouth-watering dessert featuring a crepe filled with apricot jam.

Each one of these experiences deserves its own article, but there are just so many things to see and do in Toronto, I just can’t keep up with the stories. But I am hoping this little medley of stories will give you an idea of Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, culinary offerings, exciting festivals and things to do during a great long hot summer.

For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/toronto_hot_summer.htm

Susanne Pacher
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/hello-from-toronto-part-7-summer-in-to-positively-rocks-99037.html

First If your are thinking of expressing your self with a tattoo, don’t do anything stupid. Always have your tattoos done by approved tattoo artists. Before you choose an artist, look at some of his prior work.

Make sure you see your artist open the new needles before he begins work on your tattoo. You’ll have to see a doctor if you get an infection and you may have a unsightly scar instead of body art.

If you want the look without pain, you may use temporary tats that are applied to the skin, not under it. These will wash off in a week or 2. If you live near an Indian neighborhood ( Asian not native ) you could be capable of finding a henna artist.

While the needles don’t go really deep, they can hurt, particularly in delicate areas like the interior of the arm. Areas with less nerves, like the higher back hurt less, but it is’s still likely to be uncomfortable.

Picking out the art you need is one of the best things about getting a tat. You can select from offerings you artist shows you, or you can surf the web for new concepts. He will work from your print out and if he likes the design, your tattoo could join his display. If you do not see anything you like, ask your artist about a custom tattoo. He can make a drawing of the design and show it to you before you make your last decision.

Folks who work in retail sales, food service or in an office environment, should probably select a location that’s’s routinely covered by their work clothes.

Ask your artist about how long the tattoo will take. Small tats can usually be completed in one appointment. It has to be kept clean and dry.

Like any artist, an approved tattoo artist takes pride in his work and he wants you to be cheerful. He also does not need you to suffer any complications. He may ask if you have allergic reactions and before setting you up for the tattoo, he may do a patch test on your skin. Some folks might be allergic to the ink.

If you are dead set on getting some ink, select designs that you may like ten years from now. Don’t window shop for the lowest price. This isn’t the time to be bargain hunting. Tattoo removal needs to be done by a doctor with a laser and its really pricey. So choose fastidiously, your design and your artist will have a part in your future.

Noel Bailey

Tattoo choices abound at most tattoo parlors and you will find that it is very difficult to choose the right one for you. Careful thought should be given to the tattoo that you choose, simply because this is something that you will have for the rest of your life, unless you want to go through costly and painful tattoo removal. There are some ways that you do not want to choose a tattoo, however.

Don’t choose a tattoo when you are drunk. A tattoo chosen when you are drunk may not be something that you will appreciate the next morning when you are sober. Casper the Ghost may sound good when you have a little buzz going on, but it may not be the best choice for you to live with for the rest of your life. By choosing your tattoo when you are sober, you can better choose one that you will enjoy the rest of your life.

Don’t be pressured by your friends. Choose a tattoo on your own terms. Don’t be pressured by your friends. They are not the ones that will have to wake up with this tattoo on their body everyday. It may seem “cool” to have your girlfriend’s name on your body now, but what if you break up? By choosing a tattoo that is timeless, you can better assure that you will be satisfied with it for the rest of your life.

Don’t visit the first tattoo shop you see. Cheaper is not always better. You are placing quite a bit of trust in a person when you are allowing them to use a needle to create art on your body. Ask for references from people who have tattoos that you like the look of to find a trustworthy tattoo artist that you will be able to trust with your body. Visit a few tattoo shops that you are interested in and show them what tattoo you have in mind and get price quotes. In this way, you can know what to expect financially and you can see if you like the tattoo artist.

Safety first. When you are visiting the tattoo shop, be sure that you notice the cleanliness of the shop itself and the tattoo artists. You want to be sure that your tattoo is going to be given in a safe and sanitary manner and by watching them in action, you can evaluate their sanitation methods. Read up on sanitation practices, so that you know what should be done to keep you safe.

A tattoo is a decision that should be taken very seriously. Nothing is worse than choosing a tattoo on a whim and finding that it does not fit your personality later on down the road. Be sure that you put thought into your decision, so that it will not be something that you regret later. A tattoo should be an expression of what you are interested in and your personality. Be sure that you choose it carefully.

Danny Kevant
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/how-not-to-choose-a-tattoo-522320.html

Madrid is the best city in Spain to go shopping, but, you’ll need to know where to look.

The most known shopping street in madrid is Gran Via & Sol, where most of the biggest brands have their biggest stores in this area. Most prominent such as Zara, Mango, H&M to mention but a few are all here.

Vintage Finds

If you’re sick of walking down the street and recognizing everyone’s clothes as the latest H&M or Zara fashions, try seeking out some of Madrid’s funkier alternative shops. From vintage duds to resewn, these clothes and accessories will be sure to get you noticed, and not for because you’re wearing the same thing as the person behind you. Head to Malasaña for truly unique designs: Templo de Susu (c/Espiritu Santo, 1) is small but boats cool coats and jackets for guys as well as jeans and skirts for women. Prices are in the €15-100 range. Across the street is Retro City (c/ Corredera Alta de San Pablo, 4) which has a great selection of old t-shirts and Adidas apparel as well as great 80s-style dresses and cowboy boots. Or you can head to Lotta Vintage (C/ de Hernán Cortés 9) exclusively for women. Don’t miss their great range of hats, and be sure to check out the sale rack tucked away at the back.

If wearing someone’s old clothes isn’t your thing, try amazing handmade and original finds. Head to Corredera Alta de San Pablo to Naufrago and La Bonita, where there are some thrifty picks for clothing and accessories. Naufrago has everything from t-shirts and sweatshirts to skirts, jeans and wallets. If you’re willing to go for something a bit pricier, check out Lost People (c/Santa Bárbara, 6). Here you’ll find designs unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Spot something you like that’s not available in your size, and they’ll stitch it together for you on the spot.

Music-lover’s paradise

It’s not really a surprise that the area around the Teatro Real, Madrid’s opera house, is a very musical neighbourhood. Just north of the opera you’ll find secondhand and collectors’ record shops, while those to the south are the places to find musical instruments. El Flamenco Vive (C/ del Conde de Lemos 7) also known as El Tato is your first and last stop to get fitted in the art of flamenco. Along with guitars and drums, they stock dresses and shoes, all handmade and made-to-measure. Their own publishing house and record company are responsible for some of the many CDs, DVDs and books on sale in the shop. Alberto Martínez and his brother David have been running the business for 15 years. Their customers range from young tourists who leave with a few postcards, to flamenco professionals such as Tomatito, Paco de Lucía and Enrique Morente, who buy their gear from them. Don’t be intimidated; everyone is welcome – their only desire is to spread the culture of flamenco.

Mercado de Fuencarral

One of the main veins of the city that links north to south is calle Fuencarral, also known as the main setting for La Movida, the youth movement in the years after Franco’s death. It’s a shopper’s Mecca, with a combination of chain stores and boutiques. But the jewel of the street lies right in the middle, near metro Tribunal. El Mercado de Fuencarral is three floors of local vendors and artists with everything from handbags to shirts to tattoos and haircuts on offer. It’s a great place to scour the racks to find that one-of-a-kind concert tee or button as well as hand-painted Converse and Vans. Some of the stuff is way out there, but the selection is incredible and the sales during the summer and winter are hard to beat. Make sure to pick up some flyers near the door of all the latest concerts, underground clubs and special dance nights.

Shopping in Madrid can also be enjoyed by visiting small, specialized stores, and busy food markets. If you prefer the boutiques and specialty shops to department stores and supermarkets, then visit the different zones and take the time to explore the huge array of shops at your disposal. Our madrid shopping guide will point you in the right direction!

Nicholas Muyonjo
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/find-hidden-shopping-areas-in-madrid-712250.html

2008 has come and gone, many things have changed. We elected the 44th and first black president of the United States, the economy has sunk to a historical low, we’re all living in shacks and looking for new jobs. One thing hasn’t changed however and that is the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Yes indeed no matter how things change you can always count on the Sturgis Rally to lift your spirits. This year being the 69th is set for August 3rd – 9th. Are You Ready! Don’t count on the world stopping and waiting for you, it’s time to make your plans. Before we know it, August will be here and we’ll be right back in the middle of Main Street madness and partying mayhem, loving every minute of it!

Many of us begin planning for “next year” soon after leaving “this year”. The excitement and memories are hard to let go, new friends are made and old acquaintances are renewed, deciding to come back and do it all over again is a no brainer. Some folks will be coming for the first time, and others will just show up. No matter what group you fit, you are sure to make some wonderful memories, new friends and have a fantastic time.

The beauty of the Black Hills is breathtaking and the roads are pure joy for a biker. There are many places on this planet that offer this kind of riding but Western South Dakota in August is unbeatable. Incredible roads like Iron Mountain, Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon and the Wildlife Loop take you to amazing destinations. Rides to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte State Park, the Badlands and Devil’s Tower National Monument are truly incredible rides you are sure to enjoy. Highway 14A’s big, wide turns transport you to the infamous town of Deadwood and the mining town of Lead, and the awesome Highway 385 meanders past towns like Hill City, Silver City and Custer, all contained in the Black Hills National Forest. These rides are awe-inspiring and amazing and are a joy that will be remembered until the day you (insert own word or phrase here).

In addition to the roads and day trips there are many events: concerts, races, and bike shows, five blocks of Main Street bikes-only street vibe, the 7th Annual Mayor’s Ride, Michael Lichter’s annual exhibit, the 6th Annual World Championship of Custom Bike Building, free style stunters, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame, organized rides, the Limpnickie Lot, some pretty impressive watering holes, custom legends, blue skies, warm and sunny days. There are many other of motorcycle related events to keep participants occupied. Boss Hoss demo rides are featured throughout the event. Burnout competitions are popular with spectators and are offered a few times during the week at the Full Throttle Saloon. There are demos and exhibits throughout the day each day of the event and shows featuring custom bikes from around the country. There will also be many vendors on hand offering everything from motorcycle related merchandise to tattoos as well as great food and of course your favorite beverages are plentiful.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an experience of a lifetime, if you haven’t started your planning now is the time to begin. The town of Sturgis has a population of less than 7,000 so it is understandable that an event attracting over half a million bikers would create logistical problems with lodging concerns. If you are planning to attend, it is wise to make reservations for accommodations well in advance of your trip to ensure you can secure a room close to the main site of the rally. Below is a list of some great places where your sleeping accommodations can be made.

To find lodging in the Sturgis area go to:  http://www.blackhillsmotels.com/.

Camping is the most popular option for those attending the rally (mostly because there is not enough lodging for everyone), don’t sweat it though, some of the best parties are in the camp grounds! Nearby campgrounds include the following:

Big Rig RV Park: – features wireless Internet access and spacious lots of 60’ and 100’ close to the rally site.

Bulldog Campground: – features RV camping as well as cabins which accommodate 2-8 guests. This campground is located five miles from Sturgis and features nightly entertainment and happy hour as well as an onsite restaurant.

Creekside Campground: – located 4 miles from Sturgis, this campground features RV camping, tent camping as well as cabins. Highlights of the campground include an onsite store selling food and beverages and easy highway access.

Glencoe Camp Resort: – has been catering to Sturgis participants for over 20 years. This campground has over 160 acres of camping with ample shade. In 2006 they will unveil a 34 acre outdoor amphitheater which will feature live music all week long. A 24 hour restaurant is also onsite for the convenience of campers.

Hog Heaven Campground: – with over 150 acres of camping, this campground situated in the Black Hills is an ideal location for Sturgis participants. The campground is open from July 31st through Aug. 13th this year and will host live bands providing entertainment for guests.

Katmandu Campground: – features 250 RV sites, cabins and 50 acres of camping. Located just two miles from Sturgis, this location is convenient for participants. Highlighted amenities include laundry facilities and wireless Internet access.

Sturgis View Campground: – located only 1.5 miles from downtown Sturgis. This campground is famous for its spectacular views. Other highlights include RV camping, cabins and ample acreage for tent camping.

For more information about these accommodations do a web search using the respective venue name as the key phrase.

One Word of Caution
Don’t want to be a downer here but please be advised. An unfortunate aspect of Sturgis is the frequent occurrence of the disappearance of motorcycles.  Estimates indicate approximately a $250,000 worth of motorcycles are stolen each year. Considering today’s prices this is equivalent to 3 to 10 bikes or so. That’s not many considering there could be 200,000 bikes at the event. However if it’s your bike that gets stolen this fact will only make you feel worse. Motorcycles on the higher end of the price spectrum as well as custom bikes and show models are those most likely to be stolen, but all participants should take precautions to avoid becoming a victim.

There are many great websites available with complete event information and news to help you plan a great and enjoyable adventure. For more information about Sturgis 2009 do a web search on key phrase “Sturgis Motorcycle Rally”. 

Woody Longacre
http://www.articlesbase.com/motorcycles-articles/sturgis-2009-69th-annual-motorcycle-rally-755296.html

As tattoos become more popular these days, more and more people are getting tattoos or talking about getting one. This is great for the industry and even better for those who would like to get involved in the tattoo industry. But don’t think that becoming a professional tattoo artist is easy. There really isn’t any such thing as easy money by becoming a tattoo artist.

Many tattoo artist aspirants believe that purchasing a D.I.Y. tattoo kit from the advertisements of tattoo magazines is the starting point towards becoming a successful tattoo artist. Be aware that this equipment is of inferior quality and lacks precision. What next? Find a person to practice. And the result is dozens and dozens of people with awful tattoos and terrible scars and who will put you in their hate list forever. Furthermore, a true artist will be reluctant to take you under his wings because he is going to have a headache trying to guide you back on the right path.

The alternative is to pay a fee to a tattoo artist or shop to teach you the trade. So what is the type of fee to pay? As far as I know there are no reputable artists teaching you all he know for a fee. A true artist is not a true blooded businessman. If an artist is willing to teach you for a small fee, then consider this. Is he willing to part with all he knows for what you are paying? In one Asian country, the majority of tattoo shop websites advertise tattoo courses for a very small fee. But the problem is that after completing the course, you will have to come back for one refresher course then another and another. And I understand that after completion several such courses, you will not be able to tattoo properly. So the chances are you will be paying good money to some businessman who is just trying to make a fast buck.

So then, how to become a successful tattoo artist? For starters, you’ll need talent. You will never make it in the tattoo industry by tracing or stenciling, you will need to be able to draw great designs. To even get considered as a tattoo artist, a portfolio is needed. This will require you to draw lots of great designs to build up a portfolio. Your portfolio is proof that you have the skills that are needed to succeed in the industry. Without a portfolio, don’t even bother. I remember one South American guy asking me to train him to become a tattoo artist. And he said money is no problem. I told him that money is not an issue, just draw me a colored dragon and then a reaper. He came back after one week, and said he couldn’t draw a proper dragon or reaper. So end of story.

Once you have a portfolio to showcase your talents, you will need a mentor, someone who is willing to teach you the trade and share their secrets with you. Now this is the tricky thing, tattoo artists don’t like giving away their secrets. Simple reason is because many of them have been let down by their apprentices. Just take the case of my mentor. He has taken more than 20 people under his wings (all without any fee), but today only 3 of his graduates still “recognise” him as mentor. What happened to the rest? They have their own shops, but tell their customers that they can do the same quality of work as their mentor (also my mentor), but their prices are cheaper. So you know how much it hurts to be treated like my mentor? If you do find someone good, a real professional who is willing to tell you anything at all about the industry, then be grateful.

To train as a tattoo artist, you will need proper, high-quality equipment such as a precision tattoo machine, power supplies, shading equipment, needles, medical equipment and sanitation supplies. You will also need to know about cleanliness and what can and can’t be reused, as well as how to clean and sterilize your equipment. The popular professional tattoo artists are successful for a number of reasons, but mainly because they are clean and very talented.

You can succeed in the tattoo industry, but you will need to be talented, self-driven and dedicated. If you want to make lots of money as a tattoo artist, you are wasting your time. Become a tattoo artist because you love the art and love to create breath-taking pieces of body art. Be prepared to work for free and, most of all, if you get someone to stop and share a secret or two with you, take their advice. You will definitely need it.

What you do is you apprentice and work for a tattoo artist for very little pay. You do this so that he/she can take you under his/her wing and show you how to take your artistic skill and transfer it to the art that is called tattooing. If the master you’re apprenticing for is good, then along the way you’ll also learn about how to run a shop, what it takes to succeed, and what NOT to do…

How long does it take? Well…that depends on how fast you pick it up and how good your master is. It’s not uncommon for tattoo artists to apprentice for more than one artist in their careers…and each apprenticeship can last for several years.

This is not to discourage you…but the guys on Miami Ink didn’t just “decide” to become rock star tattoo artists one day. They scraped just to get by for many years before they became successful…and, chances are, you’ll have to, too.

Kelvin Eng
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-articles/how-to-be-a-professional-tattoo-artist-209088.html

I think it is pretty safe to say that the hardest decision that needs to made when one decides to get a tattoo is what to actually get a tattoo of. There is literally an endless amount of designs that you could choose from. The most important thing I feel is that you need to make sure whatever you decide will fit you the rest of your life. This is the time you sit down and rack your brain fors omething, which is literally easier said than done.

So I thought I would give a little insight on a few ideas people can think about when racking their brain of what to get a tattoo of. First of all I think you should think of something that you are okay living with the rest of your life. Also if you have made a big accomplishment in your life get a tattoo of that milestone. For example, it has became a tradition with Olympic athletes to get the Olympic rings tattooed on them before the leave the games to remind them of their accomplishment. So if you have accomplished something similar to that get a tattoo of that. Also this is more for the women, get a tattoo of your Zodiac sign. Once a Leo, Libra, Aries or whatever you are you will always be one, so that’s a pretty safe tattoo. Also getting a portrait done of a loved one is also a safe bet or even a pet. Lastly, be sure that you don’t go overboard and get a humongous tattoo of whatever you decide. Start out small and if everything works out and you think you can live with it and want to get another one than go bigger next time. But the first should be something a little more modest just to make sure you won’t regret it.

Your Tattoo Friend

Ashley

Ashley Ford
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-articles/what-should-your-tattoo-be-671864.html

Your company logo may be fantastic, but if it is not able to establish recognition in general, it can be of little help. When such is the case, it’s time to allow your logo take a giant stride- towards promotion! Logo promotion is one of the most effective methods to improve your brand image in the market. All you need is to adopt some unique techniques to make your presence felt throughout the world.

Prior to adopting the steps for logo promotion, you should remember to take certain things into consideration. Firstly, your logo has to compete with thousands of other logos that are equally vying to capture the attention of the people, especially the urban youth. Secondly, the onlookers’ eyes are exposed to almost over 3,000 logos or advertising messages everyday. As such, your logo should have the capacity to fight out all the stiff competitors off its way. Thirdly, the urban youth can recognize less than ten garden plants but can easily identify over 1,000 corporate logos. Fourthly, it is the urban youth that sets the trends for clothing, soft drinks, music or anything else. Keeping these points in mind, your logo promotion scheme should set its goal towards creating an urge among the people to buy your product. All successful advertising programs are targeted to make people want your product and so, your brand enhancement techniques should be directed to this very goal!

Different companies employ different methods to create universal brand awareness. The methods of distributing ink pens or key chains with imprinted company name or logo has become outdated. Instead, go for some enterprising or extraordinary feat! For instance, a giant advertising inflatable can hardly fail to capture attention. Their immense size makes them recognizable across busy roads, highways, parking lots, and hundreds of other public places. Reproduce a giant logo in exact detail as an individual blow-up advertising balloon. You can also choose from a variety of shapes and images, provided they complement your logo clarity as well as quality. Of late, we can observe another trend for advertising company logos. Many business firms are making use of the human body to grab a hold over the market. Cunning Stunts Communications, a marketing firm in the United Kingdom, hires students to display temporary tattoos of logos on their foreheads for at least three hours a day in public. Cleveland-based ad firm Marcus Thomas recently hired young Bostonians to shave tire tread into their hair to promote Dunlop Tires. Such gimmicks often work for new companies that are trying to carve a niche for themselves.

Once a company logo design gains popular recognition, it will consequently generate a greater demand for its goods and services. It is not possible to register sky-high popularity without adopting some really big tactics. So give free rein to your dreams and take a giant leap towards making your logo “really large”!

Suzanne
http://www.articlesbase.com/corporate-articles/its-your-logo-make-it-large-114397.html

When you have decided that you really want a tattoo and you know of a tattoo artist you might use then the next step is choosing on a tattoo design you like. From this time on is where the hard work starts. Looking for the tattoo shop is the easy part but deciding on what tattoo you want will take work. There are so many different kinds of tattoos to choose from it makes it pretty hard to find which tattoo design will be best.

It is a lot of fun searching through many different tattoos. The look of tattoo that you decide to go with will be your own personal preference but there are many different tattoos that are common more than others. For instance, a celtic cross tattoo is much more popular with a male than a red rose tattoo that is very popular with females.

Choosing colors for a tattoo design vary and all depend on what you like. Butterfly tattoo designs don’t necessarily have to be colorful, but can also be purple or brown as there are many different meanings with colors. Styles of the tattoo designs will change also depending on the type of body art.

A skull tattoo will tend to be in larger format with bold dark colors, while a dragon tattoo design will have many pieces and dark colors. A rose tattoo can be any different colors, shape and size.

Choosing a place on your body is part of the entire process. Your tattoo can be put anywhere on your body and some people will go overboard and place a tattoo in odd places such as; the top of the head, under the neck, on fingers, feet and many other places you can think of. What is popular for women might not be as popular for men, such as women love to have tattoos placed on the lower back, upper back or on the ankle, while men tend to have tattoos placed on the upper arm, shoulder or back. It is about style and person preference that matters. You can not go wrong with placing your tattoo, it doesn’t matter where you put it.

As you can see, the choice of tattoos are endless and finding the right tattoo for you may seem like a huge task but of course there are resources that you can use to look for your tattoo.

The internet can be a great place to start your research as there are websites related to tattoos all over the place. There are many galleries and pictures that you can look through to get a better idea of what tattoos are available. Most sites will try to sell you templates of designs, which might be of good to take to your tattoo artist.

If its too hard to find a unique tattoo on the Internet, you can always go to your tattoo artist and ask for a sketch of a tattoo that you may be thinking about. Having your tattoo artist do this will cost more but may be worth it in the long run since when a tattoo is put on it will cost much more to have it removed. Be sure to spend a lot of time looking for your tattoo and search through as many different designs as possible as it will help you make a decision.

Derek Cladek
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-articles/follow-these-steps-for-getting-a-new-tattoo-109212.html

Kids are eager to try anything that sounds risky, exotic or cool enough. The crucial issue for any parent is how to keep their children away from doing the kind of things that only adults with enough real life experience responsible for their actions should only do. Nevertheless, trying to keep kids from choosing the cool, yet dangerous pastime is very hard. There are things that kids shouldn’t try because it’s bad for their health and may hinder their natural growth – penis enlargement is one of them. Let me explain why.

While pre-pubescent, teens are still growing, both physically and emotionally. More time is needed before they can take a responsible decision about modifying their own body. Piercing or tattoos are the most common body modifications at this age and even these require some practical thinking because there is always a risk of infections or scarring even when everything goes well. Trying to force the body to grow before natural growth is a really bad idea. Nature must be allowed to finish the job before meddling with the results. This is the biggest reason why penis enlargement should not be tried by teens.

Supposing your penis looks rather small at the moment and you are really embarrassed about it. So what? You still have a couple of years of growing before you and pretty much anything can happen. If Britney Spears can have a growth spurt, you can have one too any time the body decides so. So, as you can see, there is no reason to decide that you’re too small and that you need some help to make things right. Before you can tell your permanent size, it’s unwise to try and mess with the penis because you might do more harm than good even if you mean well.

It doesn’t matter how careful you’re plans to be because it’s enough to screw up once really bad in order to ruin things. Messing with nature is something even grown-ups don’t recommend and with good reason. The consequences are nearly always unpredictable and good intentions cannot help you there. My advice is to wait and see what happens. By the time you’re 20 or so, you can be pretty sure that you’re done growing, even if you’ve been a bit slow in developing. That’s when you’ll know your final size and that’s when you can decide whether to pursue penis enlargement or not.

Another good idea is not to discount your own size. Being average might look small compared to other people, but it’s not. Be careful when you decide how many inches you want to add to your penis, because you might try too hard, be discouraged and give up later on. Therefore, you should take your time and not rush into a decision you might regret later. Let your body do its work and try enhancement only when you’re absolutely sure that nothing can go wrong.

MN Nikk
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/male-enlargement-and-prepubescence-136617.html