I would have never imagined that this guy would end up getting a full biomechanical sleeve. He came to me with a request I hadn’t heard in almost fifteen years: he wanted a tribal design on his shoulder to cover up an old, very dark tattoo. To be honest, the request didn’t excite me at all, but he seemed really determined. So I suggested, “If I’m going to do a tribal, let me create something unique, an original design created by me.”
I showed him some innovative creations by other tattoo artists I admire, to give him an idea of the possibilities, but nothing I proposed interested him, he was stuck on the tribal designs of the 90s. So I took the time to sketch something out. However, coming up with tribal drafts is somewhat tricky, given the abstract and flat nature of the design. The only way to really judge a project like that is after it’s finished. After several attempts, I realized the best approach was to draw it directly on him.
From the Tribal Idea to the Drawing on SkinAfter various experiments, I wasn’t very satisfied, and noticing my frustration he asked if there was a style that excited me and could also cover that black spot on his shoulder. There weren’t many options that could adequately cover it. I showed him some of my biomech designs, and he was struck by one I created for a guy in 2020, who, due to the events that took place that year, had to give up on the tattoo. With some adjustments, not simple or quick ones, due to the typical insecurity of someone who has a few tattoos but has never adorned their body with true artwork, and after waiting almost two years for the laser removal of the old tattoo, we finally started working on the new piece.
Creating the Biomech TattooThe process took several sessions and was relatively challenging, especially to make the chiseled decorations on the metallic parts look believable. The final result is truly original and unique. Even though the writing on his inner forearm, which meant a lot to him and he didn’t want to cover or remove, despite my efforts to integrate it into the design, feels out of context to me. Still, compared to the black blotch he had before, this is an improvement he didn’t expect, and naturally, he’s thrilled about it, and that’s what matters.
Why Choose a Biomech Tattoo?This journey shows how a simple idea, like a tribal design to cover up an old tattoo, can evolve into a complex and custom biomechanical work of art. The client’s satisfaction and the uniqueness of the final result are what make every project special.
Do you want to know more about biomech tattoos? Here below you’ll find some info:
BIOMECHANICAL TATTOOS:Beyond Appearances!
THE MEANING OF BIOMECHANICAL TATTOOS
Here Below: images of the working process and the video of the healed tattoo
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This Italian guy, now living in Germany, had fallen in love with my biomechanical tattoos. Browsing through my collection, he was drawn to every design, but after some hesitation he found his favourite. One of the many biomech projects I’d already created and added to my “catalogue”, waiting to be removed once the right client came along.
Tailoring the Design: From Stencil to SkinI took his measurements and carefully adjusted the design, prepared the stencil and scheduled the appointments. For those who have to travel long distances, I always recommend doing two or three sessions in a row to cut travel costs and allow more time to complete large areas. His job, though, didn’t allow it, so he had to make quick day trips: a very early flight, I’d pick him up at the station, intense hours in the studio, then rush back to the airport to catch his return flight.
Challenges and Dedication in the ProcessThis pace kept me from working with the calm needed for major projects, especially towards the end of the sessions when I had to constantly keep an eye on the clock, but it was a fair trade-off to finish this masterpiece. The real effort, after all, was his, a commitment I can only admire. Unfortunately, a series of setbacks halted the work for a full year.
The Final Outcome: A Unique TattooWhen he finally returned, we managed two consecutive sessions. Enough to complete the piece, but not enough to photograph it fully healed. The photos posted here are from the last session, still fresh with ink. The result is a unique and original work, far from ordinary tattoos, blending my style with his dedication. It’s not just a design on skin: it’s the product of travel, sacrifice, and a shared passion.
I can only thank him and feel proud of the effort he put in to wear a piece of my art on his skin.
Below: images of the working process and a bideo of the final result
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This guy, captivated by my biomechanical tattoos, didn’t hesitate to travel all the way from Liguria to discuss his project in person, showing seriousness and determination, qualities I often see in people who are drawn to biomechs. We talked about his wishes, and before starting any design, I invited him to check out my private YouTube playlist, where I showcase my biomech projects animated on 3D arms to give clients a glimpse of the potential final result.
Choosing the Design: Uniqueness and CustomizationIf he found a design he liked, we could use it, then remove it from the playlist and my catalogue: for me, the uniqueness of a tattoo is an essential part of my philosophy. Since these are projects created without specific requests, I put my very best into them, though they’re open to slight tweaks to meet the client’s desires. At first, he liked them all. He took his time to watch them carefully and later got back to me with his favourite two.
A Colour Challenge: Biomech and Team SpiritHe asked which one would best suit a modification he cared about: adding the colours of his favourite football team. Although I’m not a football fan, I found it intriguing: I was already thinking of adding graphics inspired by race car liveries, so I told him to pick his favourite one. A few days later, he’d made his choice. But as I started working on it, I realized the liveries, instead of adding aggression or appeal, created a chaotic mess of colours that ruined the design’s harmony and readability.
The Solution: A Spectacular TattooI suggested a different approach. Given the almost “automotive” vibe of that biomech tattoo, why not incorporate the team’s colours and logo into a badge, like the ones on sport cars? He loved the idea. I developed the concept, and a few months later we started the project, completed in record time thanks to his determination: he powered through three two-day sessions, a true warrior. The final result is spectacular, unusual, and utterly original. Tattoos like this are rare, and I’m proud to say I created it!
Below: images of the working progress and a video of the final result
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A young guy from Bologna, a huge fan of the Saw horror franchise, wanted a tribute tattoo on his arm. Not being a fan of the genre myself, I asked him what he had in mind. He outlined the series’ theme, and we started with some online research, trying to pinpoint key characters and scenes. However, to turn his wishes into a concrete piece, I realized I’d have to watch the movies myself.
From Films to Design: Finding InspirationThough the genre wasn’t to my taste, I dove into the movies to grasp the essential elements. My screenwriting studies sometimes come in handy even for tattoos. Beyond the main characters and the iconic puppet, I noticed recurring details: the cassette tape labeled “play”, a key to disarm the torture devices, and a timer counting down before they spring into action.
A Puzzle Tattoo: Details and ColoursSince the victims have to solve puzzles to survive, I suggested framing the tattoo with a graphic element reminiscent of puzzle pieces. We then decided to add red accents to echo the franchise’s blood. Something was still missing for the inner forearm. After exploring several options without finding the right one, I spotted something in one of the movie posters that seemed perfect. The client approved, and with that we had all the necessary elements.
From Composition to Skin: A Unique WorkWhile watching the movies, I selected the best frames and later modified them to fit the tattoo. When I completed the composition, the client was thrilled with the result. The tattoo took five sessions of about three hours each, the maximum the client could endure. We could’ve finished earlier, but I never push clients beyond their limits.
Guaranteed OriginalityWhile I’m usually reluctant to reproduce public domain images, in this case it was unavoidable. Still, since I used specific movie frames, they are images that are hard to track down. It would take time and patience to find the same ones. Not to mention the edits I made, which make them almost impossible to copy.
Below: images fo the working process and a video of the final result
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This girl from Kenya, now living in Milan, saw the back I’d done for her friend (47-7-4K) and asked him to bring her to me for her project. Her idea was crystal clear—she had a photograph of a leopard she wanted to cover her entire back with.
When a Photo is InevitableIn cases like this, when someone wants something hyper-realistic, relying on photographs is inevitable; it makes no sense to recreate what already exists.
I suggested other approaches, other possibilities, but it was obvious she was in love with that photo, so I didn’t push further. Instead, I offered some tweaks to make the image more personal and give the tattoo some soul, so it wouldn’t look like a lifeless picture slapped onto her skin.
From a Small File to a Living TattooThe image she gave me was a digital file downloaded from her phone, small and low-resolution.
Working with contrasts, Gaussian filters, step-ups, and various refinements to fix the graininess and obtain a large, sharp enough image was a hell of a job. By comparison, adding negative-space vegetation and lowering the ears, which looked too far back (making me suspect it was AI-generated), was a walk in the park.
Tattooing on Black SkinShe initially wanted colour, but I advised against it. Having spent two months in Brixton, London, tattooing hundreds of people with dark complexions, I’d learned that colours don’t hold up well on dark skin, especially light colours. So I suggested sticking to blacks and greys, with a few white accents, which, no matter how dark the skin, if handled right, can still pop.
The work took just three sessions, fairly short ones, thanks to my experience and her skin tone that doesn’t allow for much technical virtuosity.
The result is a stunning back piece with a leopard in extreme close-up that looks alive, with two eyes that speak.
Here below you will find pictures and video of the working process, and a video with the final result, one month after healing.
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This biomech design was created in 2018 for a tutorial on my working method, commissioned by a well-known US company. It was designed for an arm and, being a tutorial that would be distributed worldwide, I poured all my technique into and devoted a lot of time to the project. Back then, it sparked a lot of interest, but no one asked to get it tattooed.
Adapting the DesignIn January 2021, a guy from Mantua contacted me, eager to get a biomechanical tattoo on his leg.
I showed him my collection of designs, and when he saw this one, he fell in love with it. I had to make some adjustments to adapt it to his leg, which was relatively simple: the buttock replaced the shoulder and the knee the elbow.
Challenges and Delays in the ProcessUnfortunately, he had a tattoo on his calf that interfered with the design. So we agreed to proceed with laser removal on the old tattoo and start working on the new one while he went through the process. Sadly, the project, in addition to relatively short sessions, suffered several slowdowns due to a string of unfortunate events: the client underwent surgery on his Achilles tendon after an injury, then faced a layoff, followed by a less lucrative new job, and finally a couple of car accidents. Half-joking, but not entirely, I suggested an exorcism or at least a priest’s blessing.
The Final Outcome: A Spectacular TattooLuckily, after all those setbacks, the work picked up again briskly. Too bad he waited until the final sessions to finish removing the old tattoo—something he could have done during the breaks—forcing me to wait several months before wrapping it up. Despite all these ups and downs, the final result is absolutely spectacular. Even if I don’t love mechanical elements in biomech designs as much anymore, I have to admit this is probably one of the best I’ve ever done. It was a slow, grueling process – over four years from start to finish – but as they say: the best things in life are the ones that demand the greatest sacrifice.
Here below you will find pictures and video of the working process, and a video with the final result, one month after healing.
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WarningThis is an informative article based on professional experience.It does not replace the opinion of a doctor or dermatologist; before tattooing over moles or other skin conditions, consult a dermatologist.The author is not responsible for decisions made without medical advice.
“Can you tattoo over moles?” is a recurring question. After over 30 years of experience with tattoos, I can say it depends from case to case. Most moles are harmless, others require a bit of attention. Below are some pieces of information that may be useful to help you clarify your ideas.
Not All Skin Spots Are MolesBefore tattooing, it’s important to distinguish the marks on the skin.
Many are completely harmless, they should be checked if they show: irregularities, asymmetry, jagged edges, colour variations, or a diameter greater than 6 mm. In such cases, it would be advisable to monitor them and evaluate whether it’s possible to proceed or not with a dermatologist.
WHAT IS A TATTOO AND POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONSA tattoo is considered minor surgery and consists in introducing different kinds of pigments into the skin. To remove it it’s necessary to recur to surgery. One may be or may become allergic to…
How to Plan a Tattoo with MolesIf the area to be tattooed has moles, especially if they can’t be tattooed, it might be necessary to create a design that can incorporate them. In small tattoos, for example, the mole can become the center of a flower, the eye of a cat, or other graphic alternatives to be studied case by case.
Large tattoos offer more room for maneuver, depending on the number of moles. For instance, in the picture below, I studied the tattoo design so as to exclude the moles, without interrupting the integrity and harmony of the design and respecting the areas to be avoided.
Example of a large tattoo that excludes moles without losing harmony.In this other tattoo (unfortunately never completed), I strategically used the light areas of the clouds to exclude the numerous moles present.
Clear spaces to avoid moles.One final example had an unexpected solution. This nurse had a large raised mole at the center of the cat’s eye, which was obviously avoided. She showed the finished tattoo to the dermatologist in her department: “It’s a shame to ruin such a beautiful tattoo” she said, “Tattoo it anyway, don’t worry.” She came back, we completed the tattoo, and everything went smoothly.
Mole avoided, then tattooed upon medical advice.
Things to Consider Before Tattooing MolesMoles can change over time, but with light colours they remain visible. Even with slightly darker colours, the dermatoscope keeps them under control. Therefore, in the case of problematic moles, it’s better to avoid large dark areas that would hide them from the dermatologist.
Dermatoscope.And if a mole has been removed? On this topic, some dermatologists advise against tattooing over the scar, fearing recurrences; others, like for the client in the photo below, consider it safe. It’s always preferable not to do anything without the dermatologist’s prior opinion.
The Importance of a Dermatologist Before TattooingIf you have many moles, or moles you consider problematic in the area you want to tattoo, a dermatological visit is advisable. Get a mapping done: you’ll know which moles to avoid, and the artist can create your design with more peace of mind.
WHY DO WE GET TATTOOED? A Journey into the World of TattoosLet’s explore the deep meaning and millennia-old roots of the practice of tattooing. From ancient cultures to modern individual expression, we’ll discover the motivations that drive people to…
How to Protect the Tattoo (and Moles) AfterWith or without moles, a tattoo must be protected from sunlight to prevent the colours from fading and losing their brilliance. Even more so if moles are present. An SPF 50 cream can be useful, but remember it needs to be applied every two hours. Therefore, especially on the arms, a UV-protective sleeve is better: it costs little, you can find it online, and it protects the tattoo all day without greasing or clogging pores.
TATTOOS IN SUMMER: Care and ProtectionFind out how to take care of your tattoo during the summer.Are you planning on getting a tattoo or already have one?In this article, we will explore the risks of getting tattooed in the summer…
ConclusionTattooing over moles requires attention and planning. Mapping the moles will allow the design to be planned strategically, avoiding problematic moles and still having a work of art worthy of the name. If you’re ready to turn your idea into a work of art, contact me.
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ATTENZIONEThis article isn’t medical advice, but a critical take on a study linking tattoos to lymphoma.It doesn’t replace professional consultation. The data mentioned herein is public and verifiable; opinions are entirely personal.
In recent weeks, the media have bombarded the public with alarmist headlines claiming that tattoos increase the risk of malignant lymphoma. The story has been hyped up to an absurd degree for clickbait, often with journalists not even bothering to read the study. A closer look at the document – available here (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00228-1/fulltext) – reveals a research effort riddled with holes and contradictions, incapable of proving anything substantial. This article breaks down the claims point by point, showing why there’s no reason to let these shaky conclusions scare you.
What is this study about?Published in eClinicalMedicine (part of The Lancet), the study is titled “Tattoos as a risk factor for malignant lymphoma: a population-based case-control study”. It’s based on a retrospective survey: a group of people with lymphoma and a control group without lymphoma were asked about tattoos. The findings suggest that those with tattoos have a 21% higher risk of lymphoma. At first glance, that might sound serious, but one just has to dig a little deeper to notice that correlation doesn’t mean causation. Claiming two things happen together doesn’t prove one causes the other – it’s like saying most Italians who crash their cars drank coffee (9 out of 10, if not more), so coffee must cause accidents. Ridiculous, right?
Point 1: Correlation isn’t causation and speculative languageAn association isn’t proof of causation. The study found a slightly higher percentage of tattooed individuals among lymphoma cases, but that doesn’t mean tattoos are the cause. Other factors – like smoking, drinking, or lifestyle – weren’t properly accounted for. Plus, the text is littered with vague, speculative terms: “might”, “suggests”, “we hypothesize” pop up everywhere. For instance: “further epidemiological research is urgently needed to establish causality” and “causality cannot be conferred from a single epidemiological study and more research is needed”. If causality isn’t proven, why publish something that stirs up panic?
Point 2: Contradictions and unproven assumptionsThe inconsistencies in the data are glaring. The study states: “We found no evidence of an increased risk with a larger total tattooed body surface area”, yet it adds: “We observed the highest risk of lymphoma in individuals with tattoos smaller than a palm of the hand.” It’s an obvious contradiction: if tattoos were dangerous, a larger surface area should mean more risk, not less. Yet they find the opposite, with no explanation why. It’s a baseless hypothesis: if ink were truly toxic, the more introduced into the skin, the greater the risk should be. Instead, it reads: “It seems intuitive that a larger tattooed body surface area would infer a greater health risk than a small tattoo; however, we found no supporting evidence for this in our study.” “It seems intuitive”? Science doesn’t run on intuition—it runs on facts. The text is riddled with guesswork: “It can be assumed that solid-state material is deposited in lymph nodes” and “It seems reasonable to assume that the risk of exposure misclassification would be the same in cases and controls.” Assuming isn’t proving. Look at reality: tattoos have been everywhere for decades, and among lymphoma patients, there are tattooed people, often with small tattoos, now commonplace. That proves nothing, except that the study clutches at random correlations without rhyme or reason.
Tatto InfoA DIAMOND IS NOT FOREVER! A TATTOO IS!Those who are about to get a tattoo always have a number of questions.
Here below you will find some fundamental and pretty exhaustive information that hopefully will help you avoid making the most common mistakes, they will make us save time and will make our meeting more productive.
Even those who are not new to tattoos will probably find some interesting info.
Read More –>
Point 3: Very small risk and more guessworkEven assuming that tattoos increase the risk by 21%, lymphoma remains a very rare disease (18,6 cases per 100,000 people per year in the US, standardized, American Cancer Society 2025). A 21% increase on this base means going to about 22 cases per 100,000, a small, practically negligible rise, especially since the study doesn’t prove any causality due to tattoos. Yet the study offers no solid proof, admitting as much with lines like: “lymphoma risk was highest in individuals with less than two years between their first tattoo and the index year… the risk decreased… but seemed to increase again”. “Seemed”? Does the risk come and go at random? More vague statements follow: “there is an ongoing discourse about whether tattoos are linked to neoplasms”, “since tattoo inks are heterogeneous chemical mixtures, this was not possible in the present study”, “the toxicokinetics of tattoo ink is a poorly studied area warranting attention”. In short: there’s no hard data, just speculation.
Point 4: Laser removal, metals in needles and other absurditiesAnother shaky claim involves laser tattoo removal. The study notes: “an intriguing finding was that laser treatment for tattoo removal modified the exposure effect and yielded a substantially higher risk estimate”. “Intriguing”? There’s no real evidence, just “estimates” – statistical guesses from questionnaires, not chemical or biological analysis of lymph nodes or ink. It’s a hypothesis, not a fact. Then there’s this gem: “needles may release metals such as nickel and chromium into the skin”. Seriously? There’s zero proof, just another baseless guess. Tattoo needles have been made of surgical steel – a safe material used in medical tools like scalpels and implants – for at least 20-30 years. These aren’t sewing needles scavenged from grandma’s drawer! Sure, a 0.3mm needle might wear down slightly, but the idea it releases dangerous particles is pure fiction. Finally: “there has been a global increase in malignant lymphoma incidence that remains largely unexplained”. If it’s unexplained, why blame tattoos instead of pollution, industrial food, or mass injections?
COVER-UPS & REMOVALSAlthough there are still people who struggle to accept them and job sectors where it’s not advisable to have any visible ones, it is undeniable that, compared to the past, in the last couple of decades tattoo has become a common and acceptable practice.
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Point 5: Practical experienceSince 2000, tattoos have taken off (millions tattooed), but lymphomas? Down. From 19.6 per 100,000 in 2000 to 18.6 in 2021—no rise in twenty years. If tattoos were a risk, the numbers would speak for themselves, not with “it seems”.
Note: Incidence trend 2000-2021.
SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
ConclusionTattoos done by professionals with quality inks and proper hygiene are safe. Studies like this, brimming with guesswork and lacking evidence, seem more about grabbing attention than advancing science. It’s not uncommon for research groups, possibly funded by public or private money, to churn out flimsy papers to justify their existence – think about studies on whether pigeons recognize Picasso paintings or if toast always lands jam-side down. There’s nothing funny about it, one has to wonder why this nonsense is even being published. If you have any doubts about tattoos or want to get one, request a consultation to turn your idea into art, without letting baseless scare stories hold you back.
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This is a question I’m often asked by those who want to transform a negative memory into a work of art. If you have a scar and are wondering whether it can be tattooed, the answer is yes. However, there are key factors to consider to achieve the best possible result.
Types of Scars and Associated Challenges Scars can come from various situations:
Each scar has unique characteristics that influence the tattooing process and its final result.
What About Stretch Marks?Like scars, stretch marks present challenges for tattooing. They are caused by the breakdown of the skin’s elastic fibers and can vary in depth, colour, and texture. Newer stretch marks, which appear reddish or purplish, are more difficult to tattoo because the skin is still undergoing changes. Older stretch marks, which have turned whitish, tend to have an uneven texture and less elasticity, which can affect ink distribution. As with scars, an experienced tattoo artist can use specific techniques to minimize irregularities and achieve the best possible result.
The Technical Challenges of Tattooing Scars Tattooing over a scar is not the same as working on intact skin. Here are some of the difficulties:
Despite these challenges, an experienced tattoo artist can successfully work on scars, using the right techniques and, if necessary, performing multiple sessions to avoid excessive stress on the skin.
Tips for Tattooing a Scar * Opt for dynamic designs: It’s best to choose flowing designs, such as floral patterns, dragons, or other detailed subjects. This helps mask the irregularities of the scar. * Avoid large areas of solid colour: Uniform colour blocks, like tribal tattoos or flat shading, may highlight the scar rather than conceal it. * Listen to your tattoo artist: A skilled professional will guide you in selecting the best design to cover the scar while respecting the technical limitations of scarred skin.
A Real Example: Transforming a Traumatic Memory One case I remember well involved a guy who had survived a severe assault, leaving him with scars that constantly reminded him of the event. Together, we designed a full-sleeve piece called Rebirth, using a dynamic black-and-gray pattern. Thanks to this solution, the scars became nearly invisible, turning a painful reminder into a symbol of resilience and renewal.
RINASCITA – Restoring SerenityWhen Carlo Di Napoli asked me to cover the scars on his arm, I could never have imagined connecting with a figure sadly famous for newsworthy events.
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Can A Tattoo on A Scar Be Laser Removed? If a scar tattoo is poorly executed, laser removal is an option. However, it’s important to note that laser treatment is often more painful than the tattoo itself. Removing a tattoo from scarred skin can be particularly uncomfortable, which is why choosing an experienced tattoo artist from the start is essential to avoid the need for removal.
Should You Consult a Doctor Before Tattooing a Scar? If your scar is very large, irregular, or has unusual characteristics, and you’re unsure whether tattooing it is safe, consulting a doctor might be a good idea. Some doctors may advise against it out of caution or personal opinions. In that case, ask questions and seek clarifications. If their response doesn’t convince you, consider seeking a second opinion to ensure the scar is suitable for tattooing and that the process won’t cause complications.
ConclusionsScars can be tattooed, but each case is unique and requires personalized evaluation. If you have a scar and want to cover it with a tattoo, contact me to schedule a consultation—I’d be happy to guide you and help transform it into a unique work of art that brings you peace of mind.
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There is no specific age limit, but there are some rules to follow. According to Italian law, minors under 16 years old cannot get a tattoo. From 16 to 18 years old, parental consent is required, but in my studio: I DO NOT tattoo minors! No exceptions.
Are there age-related considerations for getting a tattoo?Yes, there are other factors to consider. As we age, our skin tends to become thinner. Older people who want a large tattoo should consider undergoing a greater number of short sessions to avoid damaging the skin.
Why is it not recommended to get a tattoo at 16?At 16, you’re too young. You lack many life experiences, and during adolescence, passions are volatile and may change quickly. When getting your first tattoo, especially if you don’t have a deep understanding of the tattoo world, you tend to choose small and superficial designs. Furthermore, parental influence, often from parents who don’t fully understand tattoos, can affect your choice, pushing you to make a decision that doesn’t truly feel like your own, with the risk of regretting it later.
WHAT IS A TATTOO AND POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONSA tattoo is considered minor surgery and consists in introducing different kinds of pigments into the skin. To remove it it’s necessary to recur to surgery. One may be or may become allergic to…
Is a teenage tattoo just a whim?Often, yes. At that age, people want to get tattooed to assert their independence, feel rebellious, or seem older than they really are. This can lead to poor decisions. In my experience, all the people who got tattooed at a young age with their parents’ consent later regretted it. Many of them, dissatisfied with their choices, returned to cover the tattoo with something bigger and more meaningful.
Did you ever get a tattoo when you were young?Yes, I tattooed myself at 14-15 years old using a sewing needle and ink. A really stupid decision! But it was 1982/83, a completely different world compared to today. If I could go back in time with the experience I have now, I wouldn’t do it again. And I wouldn’t do many other tattoos I impulsively got at that time, driven by excitement, which I later had to remove with laser. But don’t get me wrong: today, with the experience I’ve gained, I would tattoo myself more, but I would do it better, with a much more conscious approach.
BIOMECHANICAL TATTOOS:Beyond Appearances!Exploring the extraordinary aesthetics of Biomechanical tattoos.Biomechanical tattoos offer a unique and fascinating visual experience. In this article, we will delve into the origins, meaning of…
Are young people today more aware of tattoos?Today, young people have a clearer understanding of what a tattoo is compared to us in the 80s, when we often didn’t even know what we were doing. Today, thanks to the internet, TV shows, and tattoo magazines, young people are more informed about tattoos. However, it is important to use this awareness to carefully consider the choice of getting a tattoo, which is permanent and should be made with the maturity that can only be achieved in adulthood.
Why should you wait until you’re an adult to get a tattoo?Full physical and psychological development happens around the age of 21. Getting a tattoo is a permanent choice that should be made when you are truly mature and aware. At 16, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you: you probably haven’t experienced significant things, like an important relationship or life-changing travels. Moreover, at 16-17 the body is still developing, and a tattoo done at this age could distort over time due to physical changes. Therefore, it’s better to wait until adulthood when you’re more mature and ready to make a truly conscious decision.
Conclusions:If you are truly determined to get a tattoo, wait, reflect, take the time to understand what you truly like, explore the available styles, and see what can be done on your skin. Educate yourself, read, and explore online. The time to get your tattoo will come.
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A tattoo is considered minor surgery and consists in introducing different kinds of pigments into the skin. To remove it it’s necessary to recur to surgery. One may be or may become allergic to pigments or metals.
RestrictionsIt is not possible to tattoo on skin that has an ongoing inflammatory process and on moles.
In order to get a tattoo, you must not: suffer from heart disease, epilepsy, have a Pacemaker, be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, have physical or mental impediments which may affect your health and the decision to get a tattoo. Moreover, tattoos are not carried out on pregnant women and those who show signs of transmissible diseases such as tuberculosis, scabies, syphilis, gonorrhea, smallpox, measles, rubella, etc. If in doubt you must present a medical certificate.
If you are a donor you cannot donate for 12 months from the date of the tattoo.
Organs InvolvedSKIN: a tattoo is a wound, even if superficial.
ADRENAL GLANDS: they will produce adrenaline, its production increases blood pressure, the ability of muscles to work and the amplitude of breathing, allowing the body to react to external situations of anxiety or concern.
BRAIN: as a normal reaction to pain, it will produce endorphins, morphine-like substances which play a key role in reducing pain sensitivity. Therefore, when the tattoo is over it will be normal to feel a little tired, especially after a long session.
Potential complicationsPotential complications resulting from tattooing reported in literature are relatively rare, considering its current popularity and diffusion.
We certify that:
• Needles, tubes and ink cups are sterile and disposable.
• The working area is sterile and hygienically suitable.
• All equipment and supplies are highly professional.
• All colours are certified and completely suitable for use.
Colours MSDSColours used in this studio are hypoallergenic and are accompanied by MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets).
Due to the large amount of documentation it’s not possible to provide each customer with a printed copy of these data sheets.
By clicking on the link below you will be able to download a compressed file containing all the MSDS of the colours and stencil application fluids used in this studio.
Colours_MSDS.zip
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The post WHAT IS A TATTOO AND POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This young guy contacted me wanting to turn his arm into a homage to the famous cartoon series Dragon Ball. I knew absolutely nothing about this series, apart from the fact that it was an Anime.
The client had brought several reference images, but none of them were suitable for a tattoo, and the quality of the drawings was rather poor. When you watch a cartoon, you get caught up in the story and emotions without paying much attention to the actual quality of the drawings, and that was exactly the case here.
I spoke with him to understand which characters were important in the series and, above all, which ones were most meaningful to him.
After selecting the key characters, we began a thorough search to find the right images.
Forced ChoicesDespite my experience with comic books, Anime style is very far from my own. Trying to redraw them in a personal way would have risked completely distorting the style. In this case, using public domain images was inevitable. Thanks to his guidance and my aesthetic sense, refined over decades of work, we managed to find the right images. To give the artwork coherence and separate the characters, I decided to use lightning bolts, which apparently play an important and recurring role in the cartoon.
Final AdditionsI took his arm measurements and took the necessary time to develop the composition, making the needed adjustments. The measurements seemed accurate enough, but during the process I realized there was still a bit of empty space around the elbow. Filling it in only with lightning bolts seemed like a waste. Not knowing what element would make sense with the rest of the theme, the client opted for the sphere with stars, a fundamental element in the saga.
Smooth ProcessThe process went smoothly. The client had enough endurance to allow me to focus on one subject per session, except for the character on the shoulder, which was too big to complete in a single sitting. Despite being an unusual theme compared to my usual work, I find the final result to be very impactful.
Here below you will find pictures of the working process and a video with the final result, one month after healing.
The post DRAGON BALL
Color Tattoo Sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This biomech sleeve is one of the most unusual I have ever created. The client contacted me for a steampunk-style sleeve. During our meeting, he specified that he wanted a biomechanical-steampunk design. The request caught me off guard, so I delved deeper. I discovered that he didn’t have very clear ideas, but he wanted to include a cat, a plague doctor mask, and many gears in the design. I immediately discarded the idea of filling the arm with gears, as it would have made the piece monotonous and extremely slow to execute with precision.
Creative ProposalsI avoided overly simplistic solutions, such as 19th-century robotic structures, proposing a mechanism that recalled the steam engines of the 19th century, inspired by the photos I had taken at automobile museums, focusing on the oldest engines.
He liked the design right away, from the very first sketches, so I didn’t need to make any changes. In fact, he was enthusiastic about every new proposal, even when I suggested adding textures that conveyed a sense of wear to make the tattoo more realistic and fascinating. These details would require more time to complete, but he wasn’t concerned about that.
Dynamism and OriginalityThe stroke of genius, in my opinion, was the representation of the cat. Initially, I had imagined it facing forward and static, but then I decided to have it leaning out of the cockpit, as if it were operating the machinery below, adding dynamism to the design.
The work was challenging, but the final result is among the most original I have created.
Protecting the TattooUnfortunately, when it came time to take pictures of the healed tattoo, the client had a tanned arm. A tattoo must always be protected, preferably with a sleeve, especially during the summer months! Fortunately, he returned in the autumn, when the tan had faded, and I was finally able to take pictures and shoot a video without the colour alteration caused by the tan.
In conclusion, this sleeve represents a perfect example of how different styles can blend to create something unique and extraordinary. It is one of my favourite projects, not only for its originality but also for the creative challenge it represented.
Below, you can see the stages of the process and videos of the creation of the design and the fully healed tattoo.
The post BIOMECH STEAMPUNK
Color Tattoo Sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This realistic tattoo was designed to include a series of significant symbols for the client, tied to difficult experiences he has faced but prefers not to share. The theme was simple, with classic elements common to many tattoos: roses, a flying dove, a woman and a clock.
CompositionThe roses, positioned on the forearm, symbolize regained serenity. The flying dove, in the client’s personal vision, represents the desire for freedom rather than peace. The female figure embodies the importance of the feminine universe in his life and the desire for beauty. Additionally, the falling blindfold, similar to another work I created in 2013 (link), where the blindfold over the eyes had multiple complex meanings. Here, however, the falling blindfold symbolizes a person finally seeing situations to which they had long been blind, representing an awakening.
AdditionsFinally, the clock was added at my suggestion to bring dynamism to the forearm, which otherwise risked being monotonous with just the roses. Initially, it was planned for the inner forearm, but the client preferred to move it to the outer forearm.
Personally, I thought there were too many roses, but after a thorough discussion, I accepted the client’s choice.
At the end of the project, the client asked me to add some glass shards, which I placed at the base around the wrist.
For him, these shards represent breaking free from a sort of glass bubble in which he felt trapped and from which he managed to escape.
TimelineThe design, being a realistic one with classic elements, did not require extensive research and was completed quickly. Apart from the placement of the clock, I immediately understood the client’s desires, including the type of face and hairstyle for the woman.
The execution on skin was also relatively quick, requiring only four sessions, basically one for each subject.
Below you can find images of the stages of processing and a video of the tattoo more than a month after the last session.
The post NEW VISION
Black and Grey Tattoo Sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This leg tattoo was created for a client who, dissatisfied with the tattoos previously done by another tattoo artist, searched online for a new artist. After seeing my work, he fell in love with it and decided to contact me.
Project ExtensionInitially, he wanted to complete a sleeve. He already had a tattoo wrapped around his forearm and asked me to finish the rest of the arm in my style. Later, drawn to my biomechanical tattoos, he expressed the desire to cover his entire leg with one of my biomech designs.
The ChoiceWith a variety of biomechanical tattoo designs created out of passion and intended for clients interested in this style, I showed him my catalog. Since these designs were created without a specific client in mind, they were all subject to modification. Each biomech tattoo is unique, and once chosen, it is removed from my catalog to ensure exclusivity, as every tattoo must be absolutely unique and personal. Despite his indecision among many options he was drawn to, he managed to find one that impressed him more than the others.
THE MEANING OF BIOMECHANICAL TATTOOS
The ProcessThe design he chose had been created in different colour variants and was intended for either an arm or leg. After adapting the design to fit the dimensions of the client’s leg, we began the process. Despite the considerable size (a leg is roughly the size of two backs), the work proceeded relatively quickly.
The client, afraid of feeling pain, chose to use an anaesthetic cream.
A brief additional session was necessary to fill in a couple of areas that had been left empty in the initial design.
The final result is exceptional, and the client is thrilled. A biomech tattoo on the leg stands out for its originality and visual impact, making it truly unique.
Below, you’ll find the various stages of processing and a video of the final result.
The post FLØ-R1 – Biomech Leg Sleeve Tattoo appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A biomech tattoo, similar to a project I completed in 2016: Hell Roots, and once again, history has repeated itself.
RecurrencesThis client, inspired by the movie Terminator, wanted something classic. If we were talking about software, we would call it obsolete, meaning that tattoos of this kind have been done countless times since the nineties.
DesignThe project, done freehand, aimed to reproduce tears in the skin with mechanical parts emerging from them. The idea was to create a tear starting from the shoulder, wrapping around the arm, and reaching the inner forearm. It was clear to me that the result would be unbalanced, but the client was so convinced of his idea that he initially didn’t want to listen to my advice.
Advice Worth Listening ToOnly after completing the first part of the tattoo did he realize that the chosen design left a feeling of emptiness on the outer arm. Luckily, he accepted my advice, allowing me to complete the tattoo with an addition that made it much more balanced and pleasing to the eye.
Process and ResultThe realization took longer than expected, both due to the brevity of the sessions, mostly spent chatting 😅, and the time gap between sessions.
Below you can find images of the process and the final result two months after the last session.
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The tattoo this young guy wanted was of a dragon wrapped around his leg, with a paddle between its paws, accompanied by roses and water. This artwork is a tribute to his mother, who, during her battle with breast cancer, found solace in participating in a “Dragonboat” competition, where boats are adorned with dragon heads on the prow. The paddle and water symbolize this sport, while roses were his mother’s favourite flowers.
Evolution of an IdeaTo merge these elements into a cohesive and artistic image, I decided to have the roses suspended in the air, drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese tattoos adorned with cherry blossoms. Although roses don’t fall like cherry blossoms, I allowed myself some artistic license. For the water, I suggested placing it at the base of the tattoo, giving the impression that the dragon is emerging from the water, with splashes following the natural movement of an emerging animal.
The Dragon and the PaddleA large paddle between the dragon’s paws would have made the image caricatured. Therefore, I suggested adding a necklace around the dragon’s neck with a paddle-shaped pendant. This addition not only added meaning without being excessive but also made the dragon somewhat more feminine, as a homage to his mother. Lastly, we needed to decide on the setting. I don’t recall if the idea of the moon was mine or the client’s, but I used it by placing it behind the dragon’s muzzle to enhance the drama and contrast of the design.
The SessionsFor the tattooing process, I began with basic lines on the calf, then added shading. I later outlined the lines on the entire leg, and in the following sessions continued to work on shading.
The process was completed in six sessions, followed by a brief session for some touch-ups on the inner calf area.
Unfortunately, due to the long distance, I couldn’t take pictures and film the fully healed tattoo. However, except for those last touch-ups, in the pictures and videos I do have the tattoo had healed for over a month, and in the lower part, for over seven months.
Below you can find pictures of the process and videos of the creation of the design and the completed tattoo.
The post WATER DRAGON – full leg sleeve black and grey tattoo appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The story of this tattoo began in 2015 when a client commissioned a back piece. Unfortunately, worried about being unable to endure the pain, he decided to back out. So the design remained available for other potential clients.
Everyone Wants It, No One Takes ItI shared the design on social media to attract potential clients. Occasionally, someone was drawn to this artwork, but never enough to follow through. After all, a tattoo, especially a large one, is a very personal choice, and finding someone with the same taste of another isn’t easy. Thus, the design hung in my studio for years: many noticed and appreciated it, but no one found it suitable for their taste.
Lucky CasesThis tattoo found its owner almost by chance. A young guy, who had seen some caricatures I had created for various Facebook groups, contacted me to commission one as a gift for a colleague. When he came to pick up the caricature we started talking about tattoos. He intended to get tattooed but thought he had to find a pre-made design (as many unfortunately do) to then have it tattooed by the nearest “needle photocopier”. I explained that this approach was wrong and that he should find someone capable of creating a unique design for him, based on his personal desires and meanings. I illustrated my working method, and he decided to schedule an appointment to discuss his tattoo.
Love at First SightDuring the appointment, we evaluated various ideas and proposals. At one point, I invited him to approach the wall where I hang the projects in progress, to show him the difference between the size of a back piece and that of an arm. It was then that he saw the design and fell in love with it instantly. Being his first tattoo, he took a couple of days to think it over, but the spark had ignited, and as I predicted, he confirmed his choice.
Honestly, I had lost hope of finding a client interested in that design, but after nine years of waiting, it finally found its “owner.”
Below you can find images and videos of the process and final result.
The post ANGAELUS – Full back black and grey tattoo appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This black and grey tattoo was requested by a client I had tattooed a few years ago. It’s always satisfying when a client returns, but I must admit that his request surprised me this time. I’m used to unusual requests, even horror tattoos or those with dark references, but in this case, it was an explicitly satanic tattoo. His idea included a demon, the face of a woman surrounded by flames, and an inverted cross on the forearm. The only subject missing was something for the inner arm, and given the theme, I suggested an altar with a pentacle rose window behind it. My proposal was enthusiastically accepted.
Fire is not black and greyRegarding the woman surrounded by flames, I explained that it wouldn’t work in black and grey because the effect of the flames would be lost. I showed him some colour images with flames and converted them to black and grey to demonstrate my point. This was enough to make him understand that it wasn’t a good idea.
I suggested some alternatives, including: the face of the woman surrounded by satanic hands, encircled by thorns, or inside a mouth full of sharp teeth. He opted for this last idea.
The Inverted CrossHowever, there remained the issue of the black inverted cross on the forearm. This choice didn’t convince me for two reasons: first, being the most exposed part of the arm, a constantly visible inverted cross seemed too strong a statement (although, depending on the position of the arm, the cross could appear upright). Second, since the tattoo was in a realistic style, a simple black cross without decorations seemed like an artistic waste to me.
For this reason, I suggested representing it as a wound emanating light, like a sort of genetic mutation.
Unfortunately, this solution didn’t work out as we had hoped. Reflecting on how to improve the design, I realized that the only element missing in this satanic theme was the goat. So, I suggested adding a goat with an inverted cross on its forehead.
A Biomech DemonWhen it came to the demon, I suggested focusing primarily on the head, proposing that the horns also extend onto the chest and back. This choice allowed me to fill the entire arm with the demon’s figure, giving me the opportunity to add numerous details. I wanted to create an unusual and unsettling image, rich in organic elements.
During the creative process, I let myself be inspired, and some details in the demon’s head may evoke a biomechanical theme. Nonetheless, the final result remains undeniably original, just as I intended.
A WarriorHe liked the idea and I completed the design. The execution of the tattoo was relatively quick. During my career, I’ve noticed a change in clients’ pain tolerance. Initially, those who wanted a tattoo were willing to endure many hours of work to finish it quickly. Over time, this tolerance has decreased considerably. Fortunately, this was not the case with this client. He showed a pain tolerance that I had not seen in years, allowing me to complete the sleeve in just three sessions, plus a brief session for some final touch-ups.
Although I don’t share the chosen theme, I cannot deny the originality and satisfaction with the finished result, as unsettling as it is 😅
Below are photos of the process and videos of the design and finished tattoo.
The post THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST – Black and grey horror tattoo sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Throughout my career, I’ve created some tattoos that have enjoyed considerable success. They have been shared on various blogs, web portals, and specialized magazines. Many of them, over the years, have given way to more recent work.
However, one tattoo in particular continues to strike a chord with new clients, even ten years after its creation. I still receive requests from people from every corner of the world who ask me to send them the drawing to get it tattooed (unfortunately, lots of people still don’t understand that there are tattoo artists who create original designs rather than simply copying pre-packaged material downloaded from the internet). This highly successful tattoo is Doomsday Clock.
Skulls, what a passion!One of my clients, who is a big fan of skulls, turned to me inspired by that very tattoo. He wanted something similar, but as I always do when someone refers to my previous work, I clarified that I would create something new and unique drawing inspiration from the previous one.
His request for a cross on the arm and as many skulls as possible on the forearm led me to imagine a sort of mountain of skulls with a cross planted on top. As for the inner arm, I don’t remember if the idea of adding the figure of death was mine or his, but given those elements, it seemed only natural to complete the scene with a grey sky to make the scene even more gloomy.
Unexpected ChallengesToo bad the work had to end just below the shoulder due to a pre-existing tattoo. I pointed out that that 8 ball with the “Harley Davidson” lettering would be in stark contrast with the new tattoo, but he seemed unconcerned and somewhat resignedly said, “It’s there now.”
The creation of the design was pretty quick, although, caught up in the impatience to see it completed, I focused more on the general atmosphere than on the details. Therefore, I decided to redraw it a second time, prioritizing precision at the expense of the atmosphere already created in the previous drawing.
An Unfinished Work The process was rather quick, and in three sessions the sleeve was completed. I thought I had finished, but shortly after taking pictures of the healed tattoo I received a message from the client, who had realized his old tattoo was horrible compared to the new one and wanted to cover it.
We discussed several options and, remaining faithful to the black and grey style, we opted for something very dark. Given his passion for skulls, we decided to add another hooded skull on the shoulder, although I found it somewhat redundant.
Once again, the work seemed finished, but the client decided to add yet another tattoo with the same theme on the chest, but I will talk about this in another article.
Below you can find images of the process and a video showing the creation of the design and the healed tattoo.
The post HARVESTER OF SORROW – Black and grey tattoo sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The encounter with this client from Emilia happened entirely by chance. On Instagram, thinking I was answering to another user, I accidentally sent him the details to contact me and schedule an appointment to discuss the project. Upon seeing my message and having long desired a biomechanical tattoo, he seized the opportunity and contacted me to discuss his project.
Original designChoice of SubjectThe choice of subject for his tattoo was pretty simple: he wanted a biomech tattoo.
I showed him some of my work, and after discussing the technical aspects related to the realization and schedule, I directed him to a private playlist on YouTube where I collect all the biomechanical projects I’ve done and are still available. After evaluating various designs, he found one that particularly appealed to him. That design was created the previous year for another guy who, for personal reasons, had decided to abandon the project. Therefore, there was no need to create a new design, but some modifications still needed to be made.
Modified designModifying a DesignThe project was originally designed for the arm of a much bigger and muscular person, so I had to eliminate some parts and tighten others to adapt the design to the new client’s arm. Additionally, the shoulder design, which I had used for another biomech tattoo, needed to be changed. Finding the right design wasn’t easy: initially, he wanted to incorporate a car clutch, but the design didn’t work. We unsuccessfully tried several solutions until he suggested incorporating an aircraft turbine, a perfect and functional idea for the design.
Finally, he asked me to create the tattoo in black and white (he found the colour design beautiful but he didn’t feel ready for colour). I suggested keeping the highlights inside the structure nonetheless, and he accepted this compromise.
The sessions went smoothly, thanks to his good endurance, but they still required some effort given the amount of detail.
I can’t deny that I would have preferred to create this biomech tattoo in colour, but it has its charm even in black and white.
This work will also be included in the book I’m working on for my 30-year career anniversary. To stay updated on the book’s release, subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media.
Below you can find pictures of the working process and a video showing the final result one month after healing.
The post 0X1-D3 – Biomechanical Tattoo appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client wanted a full sleeve biomechanical tattoo, on which I would have had carte blanche. Not a bad project, or at least it seemed so, because he had a different style in mind from mine. He wanted me to draw inspiration from the style of other biomechanical tattoo artists.
Usually, one approaches an artist because they appreciate their unique style, not to imitate someone else’s, however admirable it may be. This can lead to disappointing results: either a poor imitation or something that neither reflects your style nor that of the artist you want to be inspired by.
In this case, I believe the result is closer to the second scenario. The biomechanical tattoo, while not fully reflecting my style, also doesn’t mirror that of the artists the client had mentioned as reference.
Ultimately, as often happens with less experienced clients for large-scale works, the client seemed a bit uncertain, and his goal wasn’t to influence me but rather to convey ideas he struggled to articulate verbally.
At the core of his request was the desire to have a sort of tribute to H.R. Giger, which was enough to give me the enthusiasm to accept this challenge.
The final result, despite deviating from my usual style for biomechanical tattoos, is still original and performs its role excellently. Giger’s influence is certainly more evident than that of the artists the client had mentioned, whose works I evaluated only to forget about them immediately afterward 😄
I allowed myself to get involved in the design process without using references, which, in the end, is the best thing an artist can do when creating something as unique and abstract as a biomechanical tattoo.
This biomechanical tattoo forced me to step out of my comfort zone, pushing me to experiment with approaches different from the usual and to create a definitely original piece, much appreciated by the client who wears it with pride. The same pride with which I will showcase it in my portfolio and in the book I am preparing, which will be available for purchase in 2025, coinciding with the anniversary of my 30-year career in the tattoo world.
To stay updated on the book release, subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on my social media 😉
Below, you can see images and videos of the work process and the tattoo fully healed for over a month.
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The Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP Tribal Edition was a project I worked on in 2004. I never imagined it would generate such great interest among enthusiasts of this iconic Nintendo console. Recently, one of them contacted me for an interview, eager to learn more about my collaboration with Leo Burnett on the creation of the Game Boy Tribal. From this conversation, they produced a video summarizing our discussions, albeit with some inaccuracies. I am happy to share this experience with you.
By the way, when asked if I have tattooed any famous individuals, I can proudly say that I have tattooed Super Mario 😁
The post ABOUT THE GAME BOY TRIBAL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
When Carlo Di Napoli asked me to cover the scars on his arm, I could never have imagined connecting with a figure sadly famous for newsworthy events. Carlo, a railway worker, had been the victim of a tragic machete attack in 2015, facing the risk of losing his arm due to that violent act.
He shared his story, the lived drama, the physical and, above all, psychological pain. I felt his torment for the wounds, the surgery, the lack of full arm mobility, and the concern for his newborn daughter at the time of the assault. The strength to face this dramatic situation stemmed from his determination to protect his family.
During our meetings and working sessions, listening to his stories, I admit I had to restrain tears more than once. I felt the responsibility to offer Carlo some peace through my work.
Some Carlo’ scarsFrom Scars to SymbolsThe goal was to tattoo the entire arm, “erasing” the scars he could no longer bear. Carlo had a clear idea for his tattoo, including Anubis, the Egyptian ferryman of souls, breaking a clock to symbolize that at the moment of the assault, time seemed to stand still but simultaneously, it was “not his time.” Additionally, a scarab, representing rebirth in Egyptian culture.
I proposed some changes to his idea: an imposing Anubis above an exploding clock. For the scarab, instead of an Egyptian symbol, I suggested portraying some in flight amidst the clouds, amplifying the symbolic atmosphere and making the design more dynamic. To further emphasize the theme of rebirth on the inside of the forearm, I suggested a man rising from the water, not only a symbol of life but also of catharsis. Carlo enthusiastically embraced the idea.
Final TouchTo deepen the meaning, I suggested a frame around Anubis, adorned with inscriptions converted into hieroglyphics. Despite uncertainty about the accuracy of the conversion done through a website, we both accepted the idea as a meaningful element for the tattoo.
The work was a complex endeavor, considering the sensitivity of the affected areas and the intricacies of muscle and nerve reconstruction. Additionally, challenges arose from irregular skin and stiffness due to post-traumatic stress.
Embracing RebirthI am happy to know that Carlo can now look at his arm without seeing the scars that tormented him. This project has become one of those that will stay in my heart for a long time. I thank Carlo for choosing me, giving me the opportunity to help him realize his desire. The gratitude I feel is immense, and I am glad to have returned some serenity to him.
Below are the stages of the work in images and video.
The post RINASCITA – Restoring Serenity appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
When I have some free time, I love to exercise my creativity through drawings that extend beyond the realm of tattoos. Caricatures present an excellent opportunity: although relatively quick to create, they require considerable technique and attention to detail to make the subject recognizable. Every year, Caricatures Resolution compiles a list of characters to portray, one each day throughout the month of January. Below are all the caricatures made in January 2024. The characters, in order of appearance, are: Billie Ellish, Henry Cavill, Lucy Liu, Usain Bolt, Taylor Swifth, Timothée Chlament, Weeknd, Diana Ross, Stepehen King, Gigi Hadid, Donald Glover, Rami Malek, Katharine Hepburn, Naomi Campbell, Leo Messi, Idris Elba, Adam Driver, Reese Witherspoon, Nina Simone, Elliot Page, Elvis Presley, Yoko Ono, Octavia Spencer, Rosario Dawson, Nelson Mandela, Ariana Grande, Eric Cantona, audrey Hepburn, Nicki Minaj, Jenna Ortega, Albert Einstein.
Click here to see last year’s caricatures.
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Let’s explore the deep meaning and millennia-old roots of the practice of tattooing. From ancient cultures to modern individual expression, we’ll discover the motivations that drive people to modify their bodies with tattoos.
The Stigmatization of TattoosMany human activities have accompanied us for centuries, evolving and changing, while others went into decline, such as human sacrifices or witch hunts. Some superstitions, although having lost their gruesome aspect, still carry social biases that lead to the marginalization of certain individuals or social groups.
Tattoos have often found themselves in this “ghetto”, considered, at different stages of Western history, as a barbaric practice. Initially, it was part of a cultural struggle between the Greco-Roman Empire and the populations it sought to assimilate.
What better way to undermine a population’s culture from its roots?
This phenomenon also occurred here in Italy, the cradle of civilization, art, architecture, mathematics, astronomy… Yet, since the post-war period, a reshaping of civil and social consciousness began, turning us into a population inclined towards foreign cultures. Perhaps the younger generation is rediscovering its roots, but my generation knows all too well what this infatuation with foreign cultures is, bordering on self-racism.
So, the struggle between the Empire and the extra-Empire also passed through the stigmatization of tattoos.
An attitude that, centuries later, still persists, denying its importance. Consider, for example, the opening pages of Fulvio Tassi’s book “The Renaissance of Tattoos“, which frames tattoos as symptoms of the crisis in the Western world, as a form of barbarism! Although, looking at the excess of horrendous tattoos in circulation, it’s easy to understand the author’s perspective.
As if there were no continuity between the earliest cave paintings and the masterpieces of the Renaissance, extending to contemporary art. We can argue about the peaks and abysses produced in art, but art and the desire to tattoo oneself have been documented since the Paleolithic era, accompanying us for millennia in all populations, with different connotations: religious, affiliative, social status, up to the present day, where in the West, tattoos seem to have lost their sacredness, probably because the sense of sacredness of one’s body has been lost, a result of the consumerism where everything is perceived as disposable, even things that are not.
Not surprisingly, there are millions of people who regret their tattoos (in Italy, it’s estimated to be 60%, and statistics in the rest of the West are not that different), a result of decisions taken lightly. This is also related to the last 1000 years, when tattooing, in the Western world but not only, was relegated to the most marginal layers of society. However, this is a topic we will address in another article.
So, to answer the title: why do we get tattooed?
Why have we been modifying our bodies since the beginning of recorded history?
The topic is obviously complex and cannot have a single answer.
(Courtesy Marius Amarie)
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Tattoos in Cultural ContextIn some tribes, tattoos are tied to magical-religious rituals, in others to a declaration of belonging to specific social classes, in others, it’s linked to acquired maturity or certain stages of individual growth, in others, it’s a form of protection, in some cases, it serves a military purpose, to intimidate the enemy or declare one’s status, up to one’s religious affiliation.
(Moko – Maori facial tattoo)From their origins, tattoos carry a sort of sacredness and were not a free practice like today. It was reserved to specific individuals, with specific symbols and/or stages of life. Not to mention mourning-related tattoos, a tradition so ancient that it’s even mentioned in the Bible, and considering that the Bible derives from even older Sumerian tablets, it speaks volumes about the ancientness of tattooing.
But even though today we are free to tattoo ourselves however and as much as we want, tattooing hasn’t completely lost that sort of sacredness. Just ask anyone with a tattoo, even the most horrible and badly done one, and you’ll hear hours of explanations about its meanings, not necessarily intelligent or fascinating, but they make us perceive the desire to fill it with meaning and therefore with sacredness.
Modifying one’s body impacts how people define themselves and how they present or are perceived by others. It expresses the will to affirm that we are or can be something more than our body: “I am not just what mother nature made me, but I can be something else, and I can decide.”
These modifications can be done in an isoformic way, enhancing the body, or disformic, introducing lines and shapes that don’t naturally belong to it.
(Tattoo by ©Jerry Magni – 2022)Tattoo as a Declaration of IdentityToday, with tattoos, it seems like people want to proclaim ownership of their bodies and individuality against the dictates that society imposes from childhood.
In this desire to assert ownership of our bodies, it’s not strange that at the beginning of what we could call the Western tattoo renaissance, it was fashionable to tattoo one’s name or initials, a somewhat childish way of asserting ownership, like when we went to kindergarten and our moms embroidered our initials or names on our belongings so that we could recognize them and simultaneously decree ownership. Or tattooing one’s date of birth as if to declare, “I was born, therefore I exist”.
It goes to the extent of allowing co-ownership, sharing one’s body with someone else, tattooing the names, initials, or birthdates of parents, lovers, fiancé(e)s, spouses, etc. A kind of surrender, an admission of total subordination to someone else and therefore strongly discouraged.
These aspects recall an interesting speech by philosopher Alan Watts, pointing out the perception of self as a separate entity from the body: When referring to oneself, the body is defined as “this is my body” and not “I am this body.” The body is part of the self, but not the self; I am not necessarily my body, or rather, I am something more.
Therefore, as it’s part of human nature to desire to change the world around us, it’s natural to want to do so starting from what is closest to us, the body, the shell of the self. Intervening with the means we culturally and economically have.
In the modern Western tattoo culture, there are various reasons that drive this practice. Some want to express their identity publicly, while others prefer to keep it private. Today, the trend is more towards the public display of self through tattoos. Tattoos often tend not to be an artwork expressing something in itself, but rather become an excuse to talk about oneself, a connection between the tattooed person and the questions that may arise about the tattoo. Sometimes, the person talks about their tattoo even before being asked any questions.
(Tattoo by ©Jerry Magni – 2018)
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A Link with the PastYet, it can’t be denied that both stylistic and unconscious reasons for getting tattooed have not completely lost their connection with the past. Even today, as decades, if not centuries or perhaps millennia ago, there are amulet tattoos, indelible talismans tattooed in the hope or belief that they can protect us against misfortune; sacred symbols declaring one’s religious faith; eagles, lions, dragons, or other majestic animals, with the belief of acquiring their power. Or even cuter animals, floral themes, or typically feminine graphics to make one’s body more elegant and delicate or to express one’s sensitivity. Not to exclude a sort of masochism, a demonstration of strength and resistance.
(Tattoo by © Jerry Magni – 2022)Not to mention the invasion of old-school or traditional tattoos, which evidently imitate old styles mainly associated with convicts or sailors, as if tattoos were precisely what distinguished the most marginal or vile classes of society for a thousand years.
A sort of revenge that, unfortunately, neglects the artistic and technical possibilities achieved by the art of tattooing in recent decades. Often, the choice of this style is related to ignorance of the potential offered by this art or pure and simple homologation.
In the Western context, many aspects are linked to social validation. It’s undeniable that the openness to tattoos by the masses is linked to the acceptance of the phenomenon. Thirty or forty years ago, no one, except for a rebel, soldier, or convict, would have thought of getting a tattoo, while today many people choose to do so because it’s considered acceptable. On the quality of what they tattoo, a whole other chapter opens, on which it’s perhaps better to gloss over 😅
(tattoo from the web)There is undoubtedly a certain degree of conformity, to feel part of an increasingly vast group of tattooed people. In these cases, the quality of the tattoo doesn’t matter much; what matters is having a tattoo to show, not to feel excluded from a society where the non-tattooed seem rarer than the tattooed.
After all, tattoo culture and its renaissance are a story we are writing and living right now. Only in recent years are there individuals who decide to tattoo something big, beautiful, and challenging right away. Until just over or under a decade ago, people approached tattoos gradually, starting with small tattoos, enlarging and amplifying their expectations gradually, making many mistakes in the process. Not surprisingly, the laser removal business is booming.
(Tattoo laser removal)And even though we are now experiencing a true renaissance of tattoos, with increasingly attractive and elaborate artistic styles, with meanings that are also very complex, the desires that drive people to decorate their bodies do not deviate much from the deep underlying motivations of tattoos from a few decades or a few centuries ago, probably not that different from the motivations that drove humans to draw on their bodies since the dawn of time, at least until some tribes decided to institutionalize such practice.
(Tattoo by ©Jerry Magni – 2022)ConclusionSo, why do we get tattooed? The answers are multiple and varied, just like the human race. At its core, there is almost certainly the all-too-human need to permanently impact what surrounds it, a desire for immortality, to create something that outlives it, and in this desire, it starts with what is closest, one’s body.
There is something immutable in the tattoo, the will to stop time, to leave an indelible mark.
An ancient and modern way of expressing one’s identity, of leaving a lasting mark in the flow of life. Motivations can vary widely.
Regardless of the different perspectives and opinions on the practice of tattoos, it remains an intriguing social and cultural phenomenon that continues to evolve. Whether it is a form of art, a statement, or a manifestation of individuality, tattoos persist over time as a unique and indelible testimony to the many facets of the human experience.
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STEP by STEP
Some of my most elaborated works explained step by step.
0X1-D3 – Biomechanical Tattoo02/04/2024
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7R1-BU7-3 xenoforms – Biomechanical Tattoo23/03/2024
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RINASCITA – Restoring Serenity15/03/2024
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DEATH – Cover-up03/05/2023
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After exploring the aesthetics and evolution of Biomechanical tattoos in the previous article, we will now delve into the complexity of their meaning. We will explore different interpretations and the deep significance of these fascinating tattoos.
The Future on SkinIn the 1970s, science fiction rapidly captivated popular culture thanks to TV series like UFO, Space: 1999, Star Trek, and characters like Grendizer, Steel Jeeg, Mazinger or Gundam, just to name a few. They shaped the cultural landscape of the time, influencing those who, like me, were kids back then.
Characters from Grendizer Ufo RobotHowever, the decisive moment was the encounter with the art of H.R. Giger. His unique work, capable of transporting us to alien and often disturbing worlds, captured my imagination, even though the path to creating biomech tattoos was anything but straightforward.
Alien by H.R. GigerSchool commitments first and work later, combined with the limited availability of reference material in the late 80s and throughout the 90s (a time when the internet was still in its infancy and very different from today), made it difficult to delve into this passion. Furthermore, in the 90s, the tattoos people asked for were predominantly tribal and small in size, delaying my ability to create biomech tattoos by almost a decade, which initially leaned towards the robotic, a trend that continues today.
work in progress of a tattoo by Jerry MagniBiomechanical Art Beyond the RoboticRobotic tattoos have now forcefully entered the realm of biomech tattoos, often being called simply “biomechanical,” but this is almost a misnomer, especially after the evolution of recent decades. Biomech tattoos, eventually and not necessarily, create a fusion between the organic and the mechanical. It’s an art that goes beyond mere mechanical representation and, as we saw in the previous article, is not limited to that alone.
Biomech tattoos, especially in their relatively abstract form, give life to alien, vegetal, animal, and even imaginary mechanical figures. These elements merge to create unknown worlds that fascinate and astound the viewer’s eye.
B10-4L13N ©Jerry Magni
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The Depth of MeaningIn the world of tattoos, where meaning often takes on greater importance than the quality of the tattoo itself, it’s certainly interesting to try to understand the meanings behind biomechanical tattoos.
The meaning of biomech tattoos varies widely. Each individual attributes different meanings to them, influenced by their own experience and personality. For example, the desire to own a Ferrari may represent the quest for intense emotions for some people, while for others, it may be a symbol of social status or aesthetic affirmation. Motivations are multiple and nuanced, and the same goes for biomech tattoos and beyond.
Depending on the chosen style within this artistic genre, motivations can be very different. In my experience, those who opt for a typically robotic or specific mechanical part biomechanical tattoo often do so to express their love for the world of engines or mechanics in general. Others, on the other hand, choose this style to evoke a sense of power inspired by cybernetic characters in movies. These are just examples; the spectrum of possibilities is certainly broader.
Terminator T-800We can hypothesize that those who choose a biomechanical tattoo with vegetal forms may want to express their love for nature, those who choose forms reminiscent of crustaceans may want to manifest their desire to feel resilient, and those who choose alien or space-like forms may be telling us they have a particular attraction to mystery, which, upon closer inspection, biomech tattoos are associated with in all their forms.
Not to mention all the hidden meanings that can be inserted into a biomech tattoo, more or less visible symbols, words, codes, colours, and so on.
Detail of a biomech tattoo by ©Jerry MagniThe Hidden Meaning behind the MetalPersonally, I’ve never worried about attributing a meaning to biomech tattoos, especially in recent years. A tattoo doesn’t necessarily have to have a meaning, although it is certainly an added bonus if it does.
The most important aspect is that the tattoo is visually appealing and harmonious with the body. When I look at a sunset, a beautiful landscape, or a beautiful girl, I don’t need a meaning to appreciate them.
However, one of the most interesting exercises for an artist, and not only, is to understand why we like something. In this investigation, I’ve always focused on the technical and aesthetic aspect, until, during a conversation with one of my clients, specifically about biomechanical tattoos, I delved much deeper into my research.
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Beyond Aesthetics: Art That Touches the SoulTattoos are given all possible and imaginable meanings, sometimes even limiting or trivial, but a human being is much more complex, constantly evolving, a tangle of emotions, feelings, ideas, and concepts that change over time, sometimes even completely overturning. Not to mention external and internal influences. Therefore, I find it reductive to encapsulate one’s essence in one of the many meanings: hope, family, love for a person, etc.
F4C-1L3 Project for a biomech tattoo sleeve ©Jerry MagniBiomechanical tattoos, like my recent works, which incorporate interweaving shapes and surfaces, geometric elements, and contrasts between hard and soft surfaces, fully represent the complexity of the human being. They represent the tangle of emotions, rationality and, through empty spaces from which deep lights emerge, also the fusion between matter and spirituality. In this sense, they become the perfect representation of human complexity, both from a technical and symbolic point of view, surpassing in meaning all other tattoo styles.
It is as if the intricate designs and mechanical details represent a kind of tangle of the human soul, with all its emotions, intuitions, and experiences.
M3C-HL4-DY Project for a biomech tattoo sleeve ©Jerry MagniThis is why I believe that these tattoos are a representation not only of our material aspect but also of our spiritual dimension. Each person is a universe of thoughts, feelings, and connections with the world, and biomech tattoos beautifully capture this complexity.
Tribal Tattoos of the FutureWe can consider biomechanical tattoos as the modern evolution of tribal tattoos. While ancient tribes developed an aesthetic and spiritual language through their tribal tattoos, biomech tattoos do something similar but integrate Western art techniques such as perspective, chiaroscuro, realism, and surrealism. Not to mention the valuable contribution of the contrasts and flow of the Japanese school, developed over seven centuries, which has enriched all genres of tattooing.
FLØ-R4 Project for a biomech tattoo sleeve ©Jerry MagniThe Mystery of Biomechanical Tattoos UnveiledSo biomechanical tattoos go beyond aesthetics and rationalization, reaching the unconscious in a complete way.
In conclusion, the deepest reason that drives people to want a biomech tattoo is probably the awareness of their own complexity. They find it limiting to attribute a defined or definitive meaning to such a multifaceted and profound work of art.
It took me more than thirty years, but I finally understood why biomechanical tattoos are so popular, even among those who would never get one 😄
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BIOMECHANICAL TATTOO GALLERYSome of my latest biomech tattoos
0X1-D3 – Biomechanical Tattoo02/04/2024
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7R1-BU7-3 xenoforms – Biomechanical Tattoo23/03/2024
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THE INTRUDER. Biomechanical Full black and grey tattoo sleeve23/09/2022
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UNF-1N1-5H3-D Biomechanical Tattoo Sleeve19/07/2022
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C0R0NAV1RU5 – Bio-Organic09/08/2021
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VULSA BRACTAE – Bioorganic Tattoo05/08/2021
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MECHEART04/02/2019
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K7ULU01/02/2019
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POST NUCLEAR17/02/2014
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Beyond Appearances! appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Find out how to take care of your tattoo during the summer. Are you planning on getting a tattoo or […]
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A loyal clientAfter a sleeve, a calf, a thigh portrait, and an addition to an old tattoo, this loyal client decided to have me create a back piece as well.
As always, his idea was very clear: Death with an hourglass and a lamp in its hands.
I wasn’t entirely convinced about the idea of Death holding two similar objects, so I suggested combining the two objects by making the hourglass with luminous sand. This way the illustration would be more harmonious and interesting.
My suggestion was accepted, and all that was left to do was to create the design.
However, the work presented a couple of limitations, a cover-up of an old tattoo on the right scapula and a writing that the client wanted to keep. The old tattoo didn’t worry me too much; it was very old and faded, so I could easily camouflage it under Death’s hood.
As for the writing, I have to admit that the idea of incorporating it didn’t excite me, but despite that, by surrounding it with the design and enriching it with a contrasting outline with the palette used for the design, I managed to make it harmonious.
Large needlesI honestly thought that the work would have taken way longer than was actually necessary. The size of the design, the limited amount of details, and the large areas tattooed with needles ranging from 35 to 49 mag certainly accelerated the process.
The Forgotten SpiderOnce the design was completed, the client asked to add a spider, but unless it was a giant one in the foreground, which would have completely changed the design, it didn’t make sense. It would have been too small and I couldn’t find a coherent placement in any area of the design. Therefore, the idea was put aside, but only until the completion of the back.
In fact, there was a detail of the old tattoo on the side that we hadn’t thought about. What better opportunity to dust off the spider and use it to cover that detail? I took measurements and by strategically managing the shapes I created the design.
Different timesIf the back was completed in record time, the same cannot be said for the spider on the side. I don’t exclude that if the area had been less painful or if the anesthetic cream had worked better, I could have completed that tattoo in one session, but this was not the case. Too much pain and too much twitching, so we divided the work into two sessions.
Despite this slowdown, the work turned out well and unique, also thanks to the clear ideas that this guy always has regarding the subjects for his tattoos.
Below you can find images and a video of the working process.
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An elaborate project.This guy had an ambitious plan: tell a story through a tattoo starting from the left arm, continuing across the back, and ending on the right arm. The story, summarized in an extremely concise way, narrates the escape from a very difficult time, ultimately culminating in peace. It was a huge and exciting project, but I suggested he focus on one section at a time. The creation of a sleeve or back piece takes time. Waiting to continue with the other parts of the “story”, the idea could have the potential to evolve and change direction over time.
Furthermore, I suggested he dedicate the back to the phase he deemed most important for the project, instead of following a linear sequence. The back allows for an overview of the entire work that the arms cannot offer, making the project even more meaningful and engaging.
Critical phaseAfter clarifying these points, he decided to dedicate the first part of the project to the most critical phase of his “story”. Discussing with him and evaluating his preferences, I suggested a sort of monster with tentacles, among which small demons roam, trying to prevent the protagonist from escaping this dark well, a representation of absolute evil. He liked the idea, so all that was left was to move to the drawing board.
As I always do, I started with a quick sketch and shared the progress with him at each step to ensure that the direction taken was to his liking.
Long tripIt’s always a great satisfaction when a client decides to take a long trip for my art, and I will never stop thanking those who travel long distances to allow me to work on their projects.
Given the distance, to optimize time, he decided to do the first two sessions in a row, but he preferred to separate the following ones due to the pain and to maintain the necessary lucidity in order to face the return trip. Two or three days of tattooing are tiring, so it’s not ideal to drive when being too tired.
WaitingUnfortunately, the great distance didn’t allow me to do the final check-up session and take pictures of the healed tattoo. During such a large project, at each session, I have the opportunity to touch up, if necessary, the work done in the previous session. For this reason, I always offer a free final session to make any necessary touch-ups and take the opportunity to take pictures and make a video of the finished work.
Understandably, my client didn’t feel like facing a 10-hour drive for this, but if he keeps faithful to his project, I imagine that after he assimilates this first phase, I will have the opportunity to make any necessary touch-ups and take pictures and videos when we carry on with the work.
Therefore, the video and photos below are from the last session, with obvious redness and the black ink being slightly heavier than it will become after healing.
Therefore, the video and photos you see below are related to the last session, with obvious redness and the black ink being slightly heavier than it will become after healing.
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A rejected projectWhen I received this guy’s e-mail, I was surprised by the amount of details he provided to explain his decision to get a Dark Souls video game character (Gwyndolin) as his first tattoo. However, after evaluating the project, I realized it was a terrible idea for a number of reasons. First of all, the client wanted the full-body character on his arm, which would have resulted in a very small and unappealing size. In addition to that, the character wears a mask with long radial spikes, which would have forced me to further reduce the details and leave too much empty space on the arm. In short, it would have been a “cheap tattoo decal” 😀
FixationsThe client had a precise idea of the tattoo he wanted, but he was unaware of the actual limitations of tattoo art and of the long-term consequences. With a little patience, I explained to him all the project’s limitations, and we eventually found a compromise by using another character from the same video game (Aldrich), which, although having similar characteristics, is more manageable and suitable for the size he wanted.
The drawingThe creation of the design wasn’t simple. The client was very enthusiastic about the project, but after each step, he showed confusion and requested modifications. This made the creation of the drawing longer and more tiring, causing the time spent discussing the project to exceed that spent at the drawing table. Therefore, I put myself in the shoes of a mere executor, temporarily putting aside my creativity, in order to create something that would satisfy the client. Finally, after numerous iterations, I managed to create a design he liked.
The tattooAll that was left was to translate the work on skin, but, as it often happens with people who get tattooed for the first time, his anxiety and concern for the final result were evident. It’s understandable. I patiently explained that the work would be as close as possible to the drawing, but it would be impossible to make it exactly like what he saw on the computer. Skin is not a backlit screen, and this results in differences in the rendering of the drawing. After clarifying these issues, we proceeded with the work, divided into two sessions, the first dedicated to black and grey and the second to colour.
The result below is at the end of the second session. There’s also a video of the design process and the final result.
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For his first tattoo, this guy wanted an alien eye that would come out in the center of his chest. During the first conversation, I tried to understand the effect he wanted: a clean cut, or flesh and skin torn with splashes of blood, or a sort of mutation that would open up his chest. We chose the latter option, showing the eye without blood. The alien eye was inspired by the typical rectangular pupil of goats and octopuses.
The tattoo was quite fast but quite painful, as the sternum is one of the most painful areas to get tattooed.
In the photo and video, you can see the tattoo healed for over 5 months, after a few small touch-ups.
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Affordable TattooThis girl had a dream of a colourful and detailed half sleeve tattoo, but unfortunately, her limited budget didn’t allow her to achieve her project.
We examined her ideas and focused on the essential elements that had to be present in the work, while always keeping the budget under control.
The result is this skull surrounded by gladioli and azaleas, a unique work that represents the best of her ideas, created at an affordable price.
Here you can see the photo and video taken over a month after healing.
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Sweet MemoriesTranslating a parent’s memories and teachings into a single image is almost impossible, especially shortly after their loss, when the mind becomes a volcano of memories and emotions that are difficult to control.
The client initially wanted a rose, his mother’s favourite flower, and a small writing in her memory. However, I advised him to delve deeper and find a particular lesson or memory that could make the tattoo more personal.
After a quick chat, he focused on the passion for reading that his mother had instilled in him.
As a result, the idea of having the rose grow from the book seemed like the most natural choice.
This small tattoo is not able to summarize all the feelings associated with the mother, but it’s a nice way to remember her and I am happy to have been the creator of this important memory.
Here You can se the photo and a video over a month after healing.
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Almost a second jobOne could say that the starting point of my career was when, still a student, I made some money at town fairs making caricatures.
Later on I dusted off this skill on more than one occasion, but I’ve never dedicated myself to this activity as in this last period.
Almost by chance, I joined a couple of Facebook groups where every week they submit a subject to be caricatured. A good way to keep in practice and why not, build an alternative portfolio over time.
From there I got to Caricature Resolution, a group that holds a month-long challenge event every January listing 31 subjects to be caricatured and uploaded by the end of the month.
I decided to join the challenge with the intention of experimenting different styles. A great way to practice, experiment, or a simple warm-up exercise before starting the day’s work. They go from very detailed to more stylized, with processing times ranging from a few dozen minutes to 4 hours of work.
Staying motivated wasn’t easy, also because I have to admit that I didn’t know many of the celebrities proposed this year and some were definitely not so interesting in my opinion.
But I did it and I’m proud of my “experiments”, which you can find in the gallery below 😀
Let me know which one you like best in the comments 😉
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Passions and adolescenceI generally try to avoid copying other artists’ photographs and work, no matter if they are from a completely different industry than tattoos, as in this case.
But when I got this guy’s request: the reproduction of Iron Maiden‘s “Live After Death” album cover, both because of his determination and because of the very nature of the request, I felt like when you are asked for a portrait, the shield of a football team or a flag. There is no way of making your own version, that’s that.
Seeing how confident and determined he was, I didn’t try to discuss the possibility of creating something new and unique based on his passion for Metal music and/or other aspects of tattooing.
I accepted the project without discussing it further, partly for the reasons listed above, partly because I spent my adolescence listening to Iron Maiden and drawing Eddie in all its variations, therefore it seemed like a nice tribute to the band, to the art of Derek Riggs and to my teenage passions, thus losing sight of the basic principles that I have set for myself for my working method.
During the process, I started to think that taking the job without further discussion had been a bad idea.
How much more fun for me and fulfilling for the client would it have been if I had made a completely new version of Eddie?
But the work had begun and there was no turning back.
Errors of evaluationI admit I took this job a little lightly. After a quick look at the drawing, I was convinced I could do it in a session or two.
Only the day before the appointment, when I started preparing the stencil, did I notice the infinite amount of detail in this illustration.
A work that would have deserved a full back due of its complexity.
The original was made on canvas or cardboard, certainly in a size at least two or three times bigger than the print, while I had to do it in a smaller size, without being able to make use of overlays and all the tricks that can be used on cardboard or canvas but not on skin.
I found myself practically tattooing the entire piece with line needles only, and the two sessions I had planned became four.
Although this time I’ve broken my own ethical rules, I believe that the tribute to Iron Maiden and Derek Riggs is well done 🙂
Below are the processing steps and the video of the tattoo one month after the last session and healing.
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This tattoo was very simple.A couple of weeks earlier a guy had asked me to cover up an old tattoo on his shoulder, among the many ideas the only suitable one for that cover-up was a galleon.However, once the project was developed, the client decided to give up and opt for laser removal in order to then get a tattoo that excited him more.So the project remained in the drawer until this other guy asked for a galleon.A few tweaks here and there, a size adjustment, and it was ready to be tattooed.The picture and video were taken one month after healing.
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A classic themeDragons are one of the most common themes for tattoos, being able to propose it in a unique and original way each and every time is actually not as complicated as it seems. Being a fantastical creature it can be reinterpreted in endless ways, with long or curved horns, single or multiple, with snake scales, rock scales, with or without wings, with a long and serpentine body or stocky and canine, in short the only limit is the imagination, at least when one draws for oneself, it can be a little more challenging when one has to meet the requests of a client and translate on paper something that corresponds to his feelings and emotions in relation to the subject.
It was originally supposed to be a flying dragon with spread out wings. Although I had found a suitable perspective and setting, without excessively sacrificing the size of the dragon, we decided to discard that idea and opted for a dragon resting on top of a mountain.
It had to be huge, and the only way to give an idea of its impressive size was to place a human figure beside it, hence the knight on the left side.
Irony of the titleI intentionally made the knight tiny, and the client immediately liked the idea.
Looking at the drawing and noticing the difference in size between the knight and the dragon, I remember thinking about the absurdity and arrogance of such a tiny being, who still thinks he can fight an animal the size of a skyscraper.
It pretty much sums up the madness of mankind and the spirit that enabled it to achieve the unthinkable by challenging nature.
But despite this reflection on the indomitable human spirit, I still wanted to give the work an ironic tone, hence the intention to at least make the dragon look a little surprised by that tiny insect that thinks it can scare him.
The title was therefore born along the process and I consider it integral part of the work even if it’s not part of the tattoo.
A matter of toneThis guy’s skin is slightly amber-toned and although it doesn’t affect the work too much, it made the gap between the skin and the colour of the outline less noticeable, so I suggested adding inner shadows around the hexagons to simulate a sort of 3D effect and make the work stand out more, which worked very well.
The process was smooth and constant, even if it was sometimes slowed down by too much chit-chat 😀
Below you can find pictures of the working process and videos of the drawing and tattoo with my comments.
The last picture and video were taken two months after full healing.
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Tattoo of a sexy little devil based on the reinterpretation of a design I did about 15 years ago. I would have added a background to give it more depth and make it pop out a bit more but the client didn’t like the idea. It’s a bit sad, anyway, I must say i’m very satisfied with the result. Here’s the picture and video one month after healing.
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Video and Photo Foto of this night owl were taken a little bit more than a month after healing.
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A Restoration work for this Tutankhamun 10 years old. I would like to take some pics and video after healing, but I suppose it will not happen since this guy lives quite far away from my studio.
The post ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESTORATION appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
An ancient storyI tattooed this guy approximately seventeen years ago, at the time it looked like a good Gothic tattoo. There had been some naive choices on my part, mostly I wasn’t yet fully aware of how a tattoo changes over time.
After so many years, and because of weight changes, the tattoo had suffered and was no longer as appealing as it seemed almost twenty years ago, without mentioning the technical and stylistic evolution I’ve had over the years, both personally and professionally.
So a couple of years ago he asked me to re-work that tattoo to bring it to new splendor, an idea that for various reasons fell into oblivion.
He recently contacted me with the same idea, but after discussing and evaluating my latest biomech work he agreed to do a cover-up.
The old tattoo had somewhat faded so there was no need to undergo laser removal.
After evaluating several of my biomech designs he chose the one he liked best and which in my opinion would be more appropriate for a cover-up.
Having no intention of tattooing his entire arm (my ready-made projects are basically all designed as full-sleeves or backs) we chose a design that could be “split” without losing fluidity and harmony, including a couple of changes in order to insert a numeric code that had particular value for him.
All that was left to do was take measurements and transfer it on skin.
Limited pain toleranceUnfortunately, his pain tolerance was not the best (there seems to have been a drastic drop in pain tolerance lately) so we had to spread the work over more sessions than planned.
Apart from this, everything went smoothly without major problems except for a long break between the first and last sessions.
Now that the tattoo is complete, this guy is thinking about expanding it down to his wrist.
I suggested he get the entire sleeve but some people need to “digest” their tattooed body one piece at a time.
It’s always best to plan a large tattoo right from the very start rather than finding a way to expand it later, but if and when we’ll continue it won’t be much of a problem, I’m sure I will be able to expand it in the best possible way.
Below are pictures of the working process and a video of the tattoo more than a month after healing.
The post MU7-471-0 Half Biomech sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Kim Jung Gi was a great Korean artist famous for his drawings alla prima, that means he was able to create its art without references or the need of previous sketches. He usually creates its works with an ink brush pen.
Having recently discovered the Facebook group Caricature Showdown 3000, and being this week dedicated to this artist who died just a few days ago, I decided to participate.
Please help me win the caricature of the week with a like on my design, you can find the link below👇🏻☺️
https://bit.ly/3CMycbX
The post KIM JUNG GI appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A sudden changeThe initial request was for a full sleeve dedicated to the Greek god Ares. Before the preliminary meeting, I took the time to read about this mythological figure on Wikipedia and with great surprise I learned that it is anything but positive, on the contrary, it’s definitely a negative figure. Quoting from the first lines: “He embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war but can also personify sheer brutality and bloodlust“.
During the preliminary meeting I asked the client why he wanted something so negative on him, realizing that he obviously didn’t have much information on this mythological figure. In addition, on his inner forearm he already had an old tattoo he had no intention of covering-up or removing and that could in no way be integrated harmoniously into a mythological themed sleeve. As if that weren’t enough, it was a very dark old tattoo on the shoulder that would have made everything even more difficult and disharmonious.
After the first evaluations, the client suddenly changed his mind and from the mythological figure he moved on to a totally different theme: a space landscape.
At this point all that remained was to look for beautiful images to manipulate and create something unique.
Since the preliminary meeting took place via video-conference, evaluating images and ideas would have been quite difficult and would have taken a long time. Therefore we said goodbye agreeing to exchange interesting images that could meet both our tastes.
Quick and easy offline choiceAfter exchanging images and providing me with his arm measurements, I selected the images I preferred and after a little manipulation and assembly I created three or four alternatives, also taking into consideration the tattoo to be covered. After that we chose the most suitable one that we both liked.
All that remained was to schedule the sessions and transfer the project to skin.
It was a relatively simple project, being an almost abstract landscape it didn’t require much effort, it was a matter of reproducing lights and shades in the best possible way without the precision required by a drawing with architectural or anatomical elements.
In four short sessions I was able to finish the work and make the old tattoo on the shoulder completely disappear.
A somewhat unusual but definitely fascinating work.
Below are the processing steps and the picture and video of the healed tattoo one month after the last session.
The post SPACE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
After the “Cucumber Gang” I couldn’t do also a caricature of prominent figures of the new small parties running for the 2022 Italian elections.
Due to limited time available I decided to create it in a simpler style that anyway well matches these parties that, compared to others, have limited funds.
It’s not a case that I chose the Armata Brancaleone as inspiration.
The post ARMATA BRANCALEONE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A biomech started from afarThe story of this biomech sleeve starts long ago, about 9 years ago.
This client had a pretty bad tattoo on his shoulder blade he wanted to cover up.
I didn’t have much room for action as he didn’t want to go too far beyond the size of the previous tattoo. The only viable option was a small biomech, nothing particularly attractive but definitely better than the old one.
Soon after, probably having digested my remarks, he came back asking for a lion on the shoulder, half Biomech and half realistic. The Biomech half was going to connect to the cover-up done shortly before.
Unfortunately, as it often happens, instead of thinking about the project as a whole, he decided to proceed bit by bit. So he ended up in the studio a few weeks, or months, later asking to expand the tattoo to mid-arm with a biomech!
Honestly I found the lion completely incongruent with a biomech (hence the title of the work) but at that point there was nothing I could do but continue, and it seemed like it finished there.
Unusual entries
Now, after almost 9 years, the guy is back with the intention of completing the Biomech sleeve.
He gave me carte blanche but he had a couple of requests that in my opinion had nothing to do with biomechs and that I saw as limitations. He wanted at all costs that I insert a clock with his daughter’s time of birth and a compass. I tried to dissuade him but with no luck.
In addition to these limitations, I had to try and create a design that was consistent with what I had done many years ago, which was neither impossible nor too demanding but still required a little effort considering I had to detach myself from my current style.
I sketched some ideas on paper and made the freehand drawing directly on his skin, exactly as I did the first time, in order to somehow connect with myself at the time.
Now that the sleeve is completed I must admit that the clock and compass are not so out of place, which makes me think I’ve done a great job.
Below you can see pictures of the working process, including pictures I took 8 years ago.
In the most recent pictures you can see the retouches I made to the upper part of the tattoo to refresh the shading and make everything more homogeneous.
The post THE INTRUDER. Full black and grey tattoo sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
During the summer break I had fun working on this group caricature about some of the most prominent Italian politicians of the moment 😂
I don’t think I have to explain the meaning of the cucumber. That’s all, let the images speak for themselves 😁
The post THE CUCUMBER GANG appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The post UNF-1N1-5H3-D (ex 4U7-0M4) unfinished biomech sleeve appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Revolutionize an idea This guy’s design for his first tattoo was based on a Japanese cosmogony goddess, more specifically a […]
The post GUANYN KANNON appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The originality of the obvious The contrast between good and evil is a recurring theme in tattoos and, despite an […]
The post GOOD IN EVIL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Name and portfolio When clients claim to have contacted me because they has been following my work for years it’s […]
The post ASAGI KOI FISH appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Interview I gave to this new podcast intended for young tattoo artist but interesting also for seasoned tattoo artists. An […]
The post THE APPRENTICESHIP DIARY – Interview appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Inspired by a drawing I did more than 30 years ago back when I was a student, where, by […]
The post APOCALIPSE GATES appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
During lockdown I promised myself to draw every day and work on personal projects, among various ideas there were also […]
The post LANCIA STRATOS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein belong to the so-called Universal Monsters universe, figures who are now part of the […]
The post FRANKIE and his BRIDE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Lockdown continues and so do my designs. This time I wanted to practice on shiny surfaces and reflections. And what […]
The post LATEX PIN-UP appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The coronavirus lockdown took me almost 20 years back in time, when I spent days and days in solitude developing […]
The post SEXY NURSE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
As the lockdown due to Covid-19 continued in mid-April, I continued to experiment with new biomechs. Inspired by my previous […]
The post PR0D170R – Biomech Project appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
During a holiday in 2011, among the many random sketches I made, there was one I was particularly happy with […]
The post C-19 Double Bass Player appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
As the lockdown due to Covid-19 continues, I took the time to experiment with something different than usual. I don’t […]
The post 737H- Biomech Project appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Wishes come true I am fortunate to have the universe as an ally. In fact, when I make a wish, […]
The post GEOMETRIX appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
An Atalanta tattoo is a very common request in Bergamo. Over the course of my career I have often found […]
The post BERGAMO ALTA appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
On the occasion of the Cat Festival, held at Villa Castelbarco in Vaprio d’Adda, I held a small painting exhibition […]
The post CATS FESTIVAL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The Gold Coin Tree In 2010 I made this ink drawing inspired by one I had made a few years […]
The post THE FIELD OF MIRACLES appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The cycle of life in a carved tattoo In the 90s Celtic tattoos were fairly widespread, more in the rest […]
The post GOOD WOLF BAD WOLF appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
In late March (2019) I was interviewed by Radio Lombardia for a radio show about new trends: fashion, design, tattoos, […]
The post RADIO LOMBARDIA appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I have wanted to do a dragon that had the pattern of a car tyre instead of scales for quite […]
The post BIOMECH DRAGON appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
About a couple of years ago I had this idea for a drawing, a miserable king playing chess, with a […]
The post CHECK MATE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Based on the feedback for 3rd Millenia Tattoo Design series, I created this a new tutorial: 3rd Dimension Tattoo Design. […]
The post 3RD DIMENSION TATTOO DESIGN appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
It’s been a while since I last worked on one of my cats and every time I get the chance […]
The post TENDER ROARS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
After almost two years of studying and experimenting with my Biomechs and with 3D models, which have also given place […]
The post QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Biomechs would require large areas, a full arm, half a leg or even a full back. But this client wanted […]
The post MECHEART appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A black and grey tattoo back piece. Working in small steps is not the best way to create memorable tattoos. […]
The post WARRIORS TIME appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Skulls, ace of spades, roses and clocks are recurring themes, time that passes, passion and a memento mori. This tattoo, […]
The post PIECE OF MIND appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The title of this piece should be pretty explicit, at least for those familiar with H. P. Lovecraft‘s story. The […]
The post K7ULU appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
It’s always an honor and a great satisfaction to have clients travel for one of my pieces, like this girl […]
The post FLOURISH appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Compasses are one of the most common subjects together with clocks. Some need to remember that time passes and others […]
The post COMPASSES appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
At the beginning of my career as a comic artist (in the early 90s) I illustrated the covers of a […]
The post HELL AWAITS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Each time I share one of my biomech projects I get the same questions: How did you do it? What […]
The post 3rd Millenia Tattoo Design appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
In the tattoo industry Filip Leu is a name that speaks for itself, and if you don’t know who he […]
The post LAZINESS IS A DRUG
Interview with Filip Leu appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Melvin Tay is a tattoo artist from Singapore who specializes in Chinese Oriental abstract, he’s also a dear friend of mine. […]
The post FOLLOW YOUR HEART
Interview with Melvin Tay appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This girl had a Chinese character tattoo, one of those fashionable things from a few years ago, and obviously she […]
The post MAD NURSE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The meanings behind this piece are obscure to me. Apart from the clear meaning of the phoenix and some other […]
The post PHOENIX ON THE CLOCK appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Compared to the rest of Europe and the US, in Italy tattoo culture spread itself fairly late. Gian Maurizio […]
The post AN ITALIAN TATTOO ICON
Interview with Gian Maurizio Fercioni appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Markus Lenhard, also known as Lux Altera, is a tattoo artist who works in Berlin. In the tattoo industry, […]
The post BE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR DISCOMFORT
Interview with Markus Lenhard appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Today’s work is a tribute to this girl’s father, who chose a blue-bellied sparrow-like the colour of her father’s eyes. […]
The post IN LOVING MEMORY appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
One of the things that gives me a lot of satisfaction is when a client asks me for a subject […]
The post CHARON appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A cliché I’ve encountered in many countries I’ve visited and that concerns tattoo artists is that, apparently, “they are too […]
The post Tattoo Artist,
Are You Too Full of Yourself? appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This project, due to the client’s pregnancy, was kept on hold for almost two years. The idea was that of […]
The post ORIGAMI appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The person who asked for this design was inspired by another work of mine: … And Justice for All. But, […]
The post JUSTICE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’ve been painting my friends’ T-shirts and mine since I was a kid. This went on for years and today, […]
The post OFFICINA INFERNO appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The initial aim of this work, started in May 2013, was to do a biomechanical on the shoulder blade that […]
The post OBSESSION
Freehand appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This design took hours upon hours of work. An ambitious and unique project that will make whoever ends up wearing […]
The post AVAILABLE DESIGN appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The initial idea for this work was that of making the entire design revolve around a flame, originating from the […]
The post BIOMECH LOOKING FOR AN OWNER appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Back in 2009 I did a couple of pencil drawings where I wanted to depict the influence that a woman […]
The post GOOD & EVIL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This hyper-technological samurai mask was initially designed as the foreground of a geisha holding a dagger in front of her […]
The post TECHMAZ appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A client of mine had asked me for a dragon. While I was sketching and trying out various options I […]
The post ZIRQUICKZ CATCHES HIS FIRST PREY appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Caricature for my friends’ birthday.
The post CARICATURE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
About 10/15 years ago I saw some wings placed in this same exact way, the way the wings came to […]
The post FLYING AWAY appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A lovely surprise came through my letterbox today. In an envelope I found the latest issue of Tattoo Energy featuring […]
The post Tattoo Energy #105 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client wanted a reproduction of Larme d’Or (also known as Freyja’s Tears), a painting by Anne Marie Zilberman erroneously […]
The post FREYJA’S TEARS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Among my Christmas presents there was this award for Best Portrait Artist of 2016 from TrueArtists.com. An unexpected and surprising […]
The post BEST 2016 PORTRAIT ARTIST AWARD
TrueArtists.com appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A couple of short animations created in 1999 and in 2001 with Macromedia Flash 4. They were both conceived as […]
The post ALFA ROMEO INTROS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Between 2000 and 2001 I made a short film for a competition that unfortunately ended up being canceled. The aim […]
The post PARALLEL UNIVERSES appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Between 1999 and 2003 my main occupation was that of web designer, in particular I was involved with animated intros […]
The post JMD appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Lately I’ve decided to convert some video animations I did over 15 years ago, when my main occupation was that […]
The post AD IMAGE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
One of the things I dislike the most is fixing somebody else’s work but sometimes, no matter how hard I […]
The post RE-TIGER appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
What the client wanted to represent in this piece were the four elements (earth, water, air and fire) and his […]
The post TURMOIL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client was fascinated by Dragon Lady and wanted the exact same tattoo. He obviously didn’t have a clear understanding […]
The post GODDESS OF DRAGONS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client wanted a Trash Polka geisha. Trash Polka isn’t really my thing but if well executed it can be […]
The post MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Who said that Japanese tattoos must necessarily represent flowers, dragons and samurais? 😀 Japanese iconography is full of inspiration and […]
The post HARLOCK + GRENDIZER appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
A couple of my pieces have been included in TrueArtists.com’s article Must See Sleeves. A big thank you to the […]
The post MUST SEE SLEEVES appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client wanted to get a wolf, a tree, water and flowers. However, what she had in mind was something […]
The post TREE WOLF appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Today I got the chance to take some pictures and do a short video of a piece I finished over […]
The post DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
a year later appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Very nice article about tattoos parents dedicate to their children. One of my tattoos is among them. I’m proud of […]
The post Thethings.com appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Also this year, you can find me in the Italian Tattoo Artists Yearbook.
The post 2016 YEARBOOK appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Today I found out that my work has been featured in an article by TrueArtists.com. My “Doomsday Clock” piece is […]
The post 25 TOP BLACK AND GREY TATTOOS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Some of my work has been published in this issue of Skin Shots, one of the best selling tattoo magazines […]
The post SKIN SHOTS 105 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’m greatly honored to have my work published in this issue of Skeen Deep (one of the best selling tattoo […]
The post SKIN DEEP 263 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Who said I’m not doing small pieces? 😀
The post 10 p.m. GALLEON appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’m honored to have been interviewed by EMP Italia. Please find here below an English subtitled version of the interview […]
The post EMP ITALIA appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This customer’s ideas were a little confused, he initially wanted a fight scene between Superman and Dragon Ball, but the […]
The post JOKER NZ appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
During my Guest spot in Singapore this guy asked for an “Old School” tiger. An unusual request considering that I […]
The post THUNDERCAT TIGER appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Once again I’ve been featured in TrueArtists.com’s blog. This time my work has been included among the best back pieces. […]
The post BACK PIECES THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SPEECHLESS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
You can find me in Annuario Tatuatori Italiani 2015.
The post YEARBOOK 2015 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The creation of my paintings is so personal and analogic that I rarely remember to share my work online. This […]
The post ASCENT appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This is the title of TrueArtists.com’s article that featured one of my pieces. It’s always nice when your work is […]
The post INCREDIBLE COLOR TATTOOS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This Fan Art started out as a sketch to test and organize my digital brushes, but I found myself immersed […]
The post JOKER
The Best Villain in Town appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
All or most tattoo artists have started and/or start their career fulfilling all the requests made by clients, until the […]
The post A FEW WORDS ON LETTERINGS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I did this piece for my cousin in memory of his mother. She wanted to get a rose tattoo but […]
The post ALWAYS WITH ME appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The client’s initial idea was to do a biomechanical on his entire leg. A work that I would have done […]
The post DEVIL’S PEAK appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This guy showed up with a picture of a Medusa tattoo downloaded from the internet. Those who are familiar with […]
The post MEDUSA appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
In a post written about a year ago I pointed out how the size of a tattoo is important for […]
The post THE IMPORTANCE OF A THEME appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Honored to be interviewed by the online magazine skin-artists.com.
The post SKIN-ARTISTS.COM appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
It seems that in the United States 36% of teenagers between 18 and 25 and 40% of those between 25 […]
The post COVER-UPS & REMOVALS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Honestly I don’t remember the exact origins of this drawing, I remember that the client wanted a drawing that covered […]
The post ROCK ‘N’ ROLL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Being interviewed is already an honor and a reason of pride, but if the interview is conducted by Inkedmag.com honor […]
The post INKEDMAG.COM appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This work, that I started with a little skepticism, is definitely one of the most unusual pieces I’ve done I […]
The post ABSTRACTION appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This woman tried laser removal on an old ugly tattoo done about 20 years ago, but the pain was unbearable […]
The post FREEHAND COVER-UP appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This cover-up has finally been completed. Covering what was underneath wasn’t that hard considering the size of the old tattoo. […]
The post ROCK DRAGON
cover-up appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
To be honest, I don’t exactly recall the meaning of this tattoo. It probably had something to do with the […]
The post EQUILIBRIUM appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client wanted something involving her family. Swallows are a symbol of family and loyalty, so these represent her two […]
The post FAMILY TRIBUTE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Sometimes I get lucky and get the chance to take pictures of my healed work a few months after its […]
The post POST NUCLEAR appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
From time to time, work schedule permitting, I like to enroll in classes and/or seminars about drawing, art, tattoos etc. […]
The post STUDYING BISLEY appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’m proud and honored to be featured on the first issue of the online magazine “Beneath the Skin”. Click here […]
The post BENEATH THE SKIN appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This guy from Las Vegas wanted Archangel Michael on his arm. He showed up with a print of the classical […]
The post MICHAEL ARCHANGEL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’ve been interviewed by X-PRESSION magazine (November 2013). Click here to read the interview.
The post X-PRESSION appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This client initially wanted a mermaid with a llion cub but before he had even finished explaining his idea I […]
The post SWEET JUNGLE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The client wanted some flowers and butterflies, she brought reference images that were more than questionable. When she realized that […]
The post POLLINATION appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The client wanted a “memento mori”, he already had some elements in mind and in the course of the conversation […]
The post MEMENTO MORI appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
You can find me in Annuario Tatuatori Italiani 2013.
The post YEARBOOK 2013 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The Joker is one of my favourite subjects to draw, so I was thrilled when Kai told me that a […]
The post JOKER appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Those who know me know that, besides not appreciating letterings, I don’t like imitating the work of others. But when […]
The post STAR & SCRIPTS appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Premises I started tattooing at the early age of 14 in a completely irresponsible manner. I was a young kid […]
The post TATTOO AGING appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I had to travel to Norway to find out that the Scandinavian Tattoo Magazine covered my work in 4 pages […]
The post SCANDINAVIAN TATTOO MAGAZINE #118 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
It’s been a while since I last tattooed a belly and I had forgotten how challenging and difficult it is […]
The post COVER-UP
freehand appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I don’t consider myself a portrait artist, I rarely do copies of photographs and when it happens I have to […]
The post PORTRAIT appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I really like it when I have the chance to see some of my works healed after months.
The post BASS & ROSES appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The way in which tattoos are chosen is mysterious sometimes. This client had a booking to get a geisha tattooed […]
The post WHITE RABBIT appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
In case I have to make a copy I usually prefer or suggest when it’s possible, to use personal images […]
The post TUTANKHAMON appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Hope to have the chance to take a better pic when healed.
The post FOLGORE appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Also this year I’m on Annuario Tatuatori Italiani 2012.
The post YEARBOOK 2012 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I think it’s incomplete without the background I did in the design, but the customer didn’t want it and I wasn’t […]
The post BIOMECH BULL appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
During the 4th Florence tattoo convention I was briefly interviewed. check it out, if you’re good in italian 🙂
The post TATTOO ART PLANET appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’m very happy to be featured by this website: patternprintsjournal.com click here to read the article.
The post PATTERNPRINTSJOURNAL.COM appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I’m very happy to be featured in this enormous italian book about body modifications.
The post ARTE DEL XXI° SECOLO appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Today I discovered lot of my tattoos published on Skin Shots #76. It’s always a pleasure to know that my […]
The post Skin Shots #76 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
This phoenix was close to be finished in the first sitting but you can’t ask to your client to go […]
The post PHOENIX appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Another of my KATZ. This one is really agressive and to her owner it represent a sort of protection against […]
The post RODOLFO
Super Kat appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
One of my flash is shown at page 54 of the new Skin Deep issue
The post SKIN DEEP # 202 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Find me inside at page 46 and 52. Thank you guys 🙂
The post SKIN DEEP #201 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
I would have liked to work on it a few more hours but the budget was low.
The post Darth Maul appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Also this year I’m on Annuario Tatuatori Italiani 2011.
The post YEARBOOK 2011 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
You can find some of my works on Tattoo Flash Collection.
The post TATTOO FLASH COLLECTION appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Find me in the Annuario Tatuatori Italiani 2010
The post YEARBOOK 2010 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
The last year I discovered many of my tattoos on the Slovak magazine Tattoo Index. This year I found it […]
The post TATTOO INDEX appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
At the end of the year I have been interviewed by the local video channel Video Star for a TV […]
The post INTERVIEWED BY VIDEO STAR appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Find me in Annuario Tatuatori Italiani 2009.
The post YEARBOOK 2009 appeared first on Jerry Magni Tattoo Artist.
Short article on my tattoos and my paintings on the Italian magazine Tattoo Italia #11 (feb 2009). Thank you guys.
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Tattoo Index is a Slovak magazine I learnt of by chance when I was doing a Guest Spot in Cyprus […]
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Over the last few days I have found myself in the unusual role of advertising consultant for the new 2007 […]
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Gold Award of the Art Directors Club Italiano for the Game Boy Tribal Edition which I did the drawings.
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The Dutch magazine Spiderama, published an enthusiastic article about my 5pider design.
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The vintage car magazine Grace wrote a nice review about the website I did for the Club Alfa Romeo Duetto: […]
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My drawings decorate Nintendo’s Game Boy Tribal Edition. It will be commercialized worldwide. The European launch in expected on 18th […]
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Duetto’s Race is finally online. A simple game I created for my friends at Club Alfa Romeo Duetto. An enjoyable […]
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The italian magazine Kollection & Toys published a nice review about the website I did for Pic-Nic.
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The website Caltanet.it review my online comic I did in collaboration with Noah Johnson.
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My new illustrated book Triskell is out. In this book you can find over 200 b/w drawings about this ancient […]
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A special issue of Idea Tattoo dedicated to bracelets drawn by me.
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My erotic comic Tattoo Studio, already published by Selen, has now also been published by Penthouse Comix 🙂
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In Selen issue no. 38, now on the newsstands, you will find my erotic comic entitled Tattoo Studio.
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The magazine Idea Tattoo dedicates me an entire issue (#10 Lug 1996) publishing hundreds of my drawings and an interview.
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Here begins my adventure with the monthly fashion and trends magazine Tendence Europe. The collaboration involves the creation of an […]
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