We Have Moved to a new WEBSITE!!

Hey Everyone!! We have officially moved to a new WEBSITE!! Go to www.artisticinknashville.com to see our new website!! Many new changes are happening at Artistic Ink, so come and check us out!! Thanks for all of your support, and we hope to see you soon!!!

Exciting News from Artistic Ink!!

WE ARE MOVING TO A NEW WEBSITE!! DETAILS COMING SOON...STAY TUNED!!

Nautical Star

Adam's first tattoo with color! He sure was excited about getting some color today and I was happy to give it to him. This boy has been through a lot in his young life and he deserves a little bright spot in his life.
The question was asked during the application of this tattoo, "Why do people get stars tattooed on them?" Well, that is a very good question and the answer is probably as varied as there are people who get them! Traditionally however, stars were a favorite of sailors to remind them of the way home...or as a talisman to keep them from losing their way. That's what I've heard anyway and that's the story I'm sticking with!
Check back later and see what else is brewing at Greenbrier's best (and first) tattoo studio!

Evolution of a tattoo studio

Change comes to everything and everyone; change has now come to Artistic Ink Tattoo Studio. First off; we have a new artist! Everyone please come by and welcome Lee Richardson to the shop! Lee and I first worked together at Forever Yours in Lakewood, Tennessee. That's been a few years ago so don't go asking me when; you'll make me feel old!
Anyway, we both went our separate ways after we left that place and have bumped into each other from time to time but haven't been able to work together again until now.
This leads me to the other bit of change here in Greenbrier's best little tattoo studio; we are now piercing again! That's right folks! Piercing is back! Lee is a licensed piercer and does all of the standard piercings; however, don't ask for any of the exotic (pubic area) piercings. He would prefer to stay away from those (something about he's done enough of those for two lifetimes)!
So come on down to the shop and check out some piercing action!

What do tribal tattoos mean to you?

Some of you may recognize this image from the movie, Twilight; Eclipse. The main werewolf played by Taylor Lautner (my daughter's favorite) has this double wolf image tattooed on his arm if I remember correctly. Mind you, I haven't seen either of the movies nor have I read any of the books. But I digress.

If you look closely, you'll see that the young lady who got this tattoo changed a few small details to personalize the image for herself. The differences are minor and shouldn't be too difficult for you to find.

The image originally represents two wolves facing each other and are done in an Inuit or northwest coastal indian style. I'm sure you can say the dot surrounded by a circle between them could easily represent the full moon...this tattoo is on a werewolf after all.

You will also find, upon closer inspection, two zodiac symbols and a stylized veterinary caduceus are also between them. Including these symbols changes the ultimate meaning of the tattoo. While she certainly isn't a werewolf (not that I could tell), she does like wolves and obviously animals in general. She works in some capacity in the Veterinary business and is either a cancer or a gemini. Perhaps her significant other is one of these signs; perhaps she has two children and they are cancer and gemini. Things that make you say, "Hmmm..." If her children are represented by the zodiac signs why has she left no room for future children in her design?

Most interesting...

So, the design tells us something about the wearer; perhaps a little about her interests and her personal life. But it doesn't tell us everything. This is the beauty of tattoo...if you want to learn more you'll just have to ask her.

Cody's sleeve takes on a dark medevil turn with the addition of a fantasy dragon and mossy tree! Apparently, the images mean something to him as he had me add two skulls at the bottom...not some skulls but two skulls. Someone must have pissed our man off! Anyway, soon I will be adding more warriors and another dragon! Stay tuned to see more in the future.

morbid tale for a mortuary girl

Nicki (aka: Nicki-loo-hoo) is in the process of creating a lower leg piece that is themed to match her current interest in becoming a mortician! Apparently, she is a little creepy girl at heart!

She is currently in mortician's school and is loving it...and doing very well I might add...all while being a single mother and a full time employee! See, you can do anything you set your mind to! Your mother was right!

Anyway, Nicki has been a very loyal customer and has become a good friend. We wish her the very best in her endeavors and the best of luck with school (even though with her enthusiasm and love of the subject; she doesn't need it)!

Thanks, Nicki for choosing me and Greenbrier, Tennessee's first and best tattoo studio!

Fairy Pinup Angel

Today was Gaggle of Girls day at the shop! Genji was first up and this is the image she put together for her tattoo. She put it together from several sources including two different Vargas pinup girls. This piece is on her outer calf and took just a tad over two hours to do! She was a trooper and didn't complain at all; way to go Genji!

Let me tell ya; you've never tattooed until you've tattooed with a room full of giggling gals! What fun!

New tattoos and exercising

One of the questions I am often asked is, "How long should I wait to work out?" Typically, most exercise enthusiasts think they are going to have to forego their training for several days or maybe even a week! "Nnnoooooo!" they immediately think. Anything but that! Well my fellow weight lifting friends; fear not! You need not lose precious Globo Gym time due to your ink addiction!
Remember; there are some things you should be aware of and observe however. Here are a few...in no particular order and without regard for importance:
If you have a gym in your home feel free to work out anytime you wish after getting your tattoo. Take care doing any exercise that may place your new tattoo in contact with any abrasive surfaces. Word of warning: any surface that your fresh tattoo may rub against IS abrasive! Don't do it! In other words; if you have a new tattoo on your back you may not want to do the bench press for about a week. Back squats? Go right ahead. What's the difference? As long as the bar (when doing back squats) isn't touching your tattoo it can't abrade it. The bench when doing bench press may cause your tattoo to be squished and rubbed against the bench. This movement can cause the tattoo to bleed resulting in scabs and future loss of ink.
Well, what about movement? Can't that also cause your tattoo to ooze, weep or bleed? The answer is yes, it can. The difference here is that movement may squeeze some plasma out but it generally doesn't open the wound like sandpaper causing more damage to the skin (other than what the tattooists needles have already done)! Inner elbows and various creases of the body that are tattooed are exceptions to this rule; movement in these areas will likely cause the tattoo to weep excessively, dry, and crack open causing this cycle to repeat and therefore causing loss of ink.
This leads us to our next question: What if I don't have a gym in my home? What if I have to go to my local globo gym?
My first answer to that is, "I'm sorry."
My second is this; you may want to wait for two or more days before you work out again. Why? You want to give your skin time to pull itself together and stop weeping. Your body will be pushing blood through your newly opened skin and slowly trying to repair itself. Soon, the skin will pull itself together and blood cells will no longer be able to pass through the injured skin; but plasma will! And you will "weep" plasma for several hours after your tattoo is finished; sometimes it will continue overnight. So, what's the number one reason for not going to the globo gym for a day or two? Simple, people don't want to see you oozing pinkish/clear plasma down your arm or through your shirt at the gym! O00; that's gross!
Now for my word of warning about working out at your local gym directly after getting a fresh tattoo. Beware of the fungi and funk that people leave behind! Now, I know that we are all very careful and we wipe down the equipment we use with bleachy water and towels...don't we? Are you sure? What about Joe Blow who used that tricep arm/pull down thingy thirty minutes ago? Did he? What about Jane Ringworm who used that big ball sit up thingamadodger an hour ago?
That's right folks; not everyone is as careful as you are. Beware.
Now, as long as your tattoo doesn't come in contact with any of the equipment at the gym...you should be fine. Just be sure to wash your hands after you work out and before you apply any ointment to your tattoo.
Alright, let's recap. Working out will not hurt your tattoo as long as your new tattoo is not located on a part of your body that bends alot (inner and outer elbow or knee for example). Scraping your new tattoo between your body and a shirt and bench or other piece of equipment will damage your tattoo. Next, beware of funky equipment. Lastly, don't subject other people to your body fluids! If you are going to work out with a new tattoo please wait long enough for your skin to pull itself together and stop leaking!
My last piece of advice; stop working out at Globo Gyms! Find yourself a qualified CrossFit affiliate and get down to some real fun!
Peace Out!

Military, Law Enforcement, Emergency Personel Discounts

The hourly rate at Artistic Ink will be discounted 10% for active duty military, law enforcement, and emergency personel (ID required). This discount is offered and will be honored by Keith Groves; owner of Artistic Ink Tattoo Studio in thanks for all that you do to keep our country and our communities safe.
Once again; this is offered by Keith only and current ID is required. This discount is for a limited time and is subject to change at my whim. Please continue to check this site for updates, deletions and changes to this offer.
Artistic Ink; Greenbrier, Tennessee

Wind, fire and death

I added this on to Steve's tattoo today (Friday). My instructions were to fill the gap with "Wind, Fire and Death!" I'm not sure if I succeded in that regard; but, I sure do like the piece! I used a seven magnum for 98-99% of this tattoo. The only thing I used a liner on was the initial line work on the skull. After that I used the magnum only. I especially like the way the piece flows from wrist to elbow on the outside of his arm...perfect for when he's cruising down the road on that bike of his!

Cody's new beginning; warrior sleeve part I

My man Cody told me he wanted a warrior sleeve; so, here's the beginning! Soon there will be other warriors and misty landscape background and a tree with snake heads for branches! I don't know what it all means but I sure am looking forward to making it happen for him. This piece was fun to do and I can't wait to begin laying in the other pieces of this puzzle

Stay tuned fellow tattoo enthusiasts...more Viking carnage to come from Greenbrier's first and best tattoo studio.

New artist at the shop!

Artistic Ink is proud to welcome Lee Richardson to the shop! Lee and I have worked together ing the past and I am really looking forward to working with him again! We both started out at Forever Yours in Lakewood and then worked together a few years later at Body Language! Small world aint it? Anyway; come on down and say hello to Lee...and set yourself an appointment with him to really welcome him to Greenbrier's best little tattoo studio!

Deer skull tattoo

Can you guess what this fellow likes to do in his spare time? He just might be a hunter! I did this piece a few weeks ago and I really enjoyed doing it; those little knobby things in the antlers are actually kind of fun to do! I also enjoy the challenge of making the antlers appear real; they change texture as you move up from the base becoming gradually smoother until you reach the tips. This gradation helps give the antlers the appearance of depth.

So, if there are any more hunters out there and you are ready to make a bold statement about what you love to do...just drop by Greenbrier's first and best tattoo studio; Artistic Ink! I'll help make your tattoo dream come true!

Tattoo Artist Wanted

O.k. folks; you may have noticed a little bit of an absence from me. I'm sorry about that but things have been a little busy around here. I took a week off to visit my brother in Idaho with one of my daughters and when I returned I had surgery to repair a hernia! Lots of "no fun" there let me tell you.

Things here at the shop are also busy this time of year and there also are changes in the wind. So, let me put it out there that I am looking for a full-time, state of Tennessee licensed tattoo artist to fill a slot here in Greenbrier's Original Tattoo Studio! If anyone out there is interested or knows someone who may be interested please call me at the studio: 615-643-0989. Be sure to ask for Keith and be sure that you are currently licensed and have a portfolio to show me. I am not looking for an apprentice; rather, someone who is looking for a tattoo studio to call home!

There you have it folks! That's all for now...Next time I will try to have pics up of new and ongoing pieces. Until then....Peace be with you!

A pair of (unfinished) sugar skull beauties

This pair of ladies with painted faces were drawn by my client's friend. Jen brought them in, I prepared them for tattooing, and then we inked them. Jen's idea is to have this arm covered with black and grey images and then filling in the background with color; so, we'll see how that pans out. You'll notice that both of the girls have uncolored flowers in their hair; these will be colored later as well.

Stay tuned for more updates on Jen's arm at a later date.

Deer Skull and Antlers; First Tattoo

Vincent got his first tattoo today; a large, black and grey deer skull with full rack of antlers! Talk about taking the plunge! He even asked that the tips of the antlers peek just a little above the collar of a t-shirt; you know, a conversation starter!

Its always nice to work on someone who is excited about getting their ink and Vincent was one of these people! He arrived thirty minutes early with reference material, a deer skull with full rack, and a deer skull-cap with rack! That's what I'm talking about! On top of that, the deer that provided the skull he killed personally! And had buried the head to let nature and beetles clean the skull! Now that's dedication!

Thanks Vincent for a memorable tattoo experience; and thanks for choosing the best little tattoo studio in Greenbrier, Tennessee!

Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Festival; Part II of Some...

So, I'm tattooing a Predator head on my friend Jeff Sonn's ribs when...bam! Lights out! Personally, I find it very difficult to tattoo without electricity! I am a slave to its power! Without it I am nothing! Not to mention; its hard to see what you're doing without any lights! However, this is not true of everyone! One artist continued to tattoo! How? Without electricity? Without lights? Its true! He had a contraption (called a stylus) that held a cluster of needles. This allowed him to continue tattooing by hand poking! How did he see? A small group of people held their cell phones open and aimed at his subject; lighting his work area! Talk about ingenuity!

In the photo's above you see my man Jeff; bored out of his mind and also some other patrons milling around in the darkened ballroom; wandering from booth to booth trying in vain to see flash books and photo albums! It began to get warm inside...and boredom set in as you can see with the photo of Jeff...so; naturally, people began to wander outside to smoke, chat and get some air. That's all well and good; except that they were not allowed back in! Of course, this was done to keep the artist's belongings safe; but some found it irritating. I did not however; I simply sat and waited...for two hours!

Finally, the lights returned and the familiar buzz of machines making beauty resumed; much to the pain and delight of the clients. Putting needles to skin that is broken and raw....and has rested for two hours...is quite painful! But, everybody got through it and the day was still successful and fun; made even more interesting by this unfortunate loss of power.

Stay tuned for more adventures from your favorite little tattoo studio in Greenbrier, Tennessee; Artistic Ink!

Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Festival; part I of some.

Some of you may know already that we attended the Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Festival this past weekend at the Airport Marriott in Nashville, TN. Here you can see two of the shops favorite clients; the infamous "Will the Kill" and Nicki louhoo--sometimes called Nicki boohoo due to her crying fits when I tattoo her! Both of them are great clients and I'm lucky to also call them friends. The other pic is of our booth/work area...that's my back you see there as I work on a line drawing for my friend Jeff's Predator tattoo that we started that day. Stay tuned for more on that tattoo later!

Thank you to all who attended this year's show and made it successful for Wes and myself! We wouldn't be one of Nashville's best without you!

"Kill"; thanks for all the help with setup, teardown and everything else...you da bomb man!

Nicki; I'm contemplating that leg piece...can't wait!

Heritage Part II

Remember this one? Alright folks, did you figure out where this fellow is from? I mentioned he wasn't from this country and that this image would remind him of home. Well, his home is England and St. George is the patron saint of his home country.

"In 1940, when the civilian population of Britain was subjected to mass bombing by the Luftwaffe, King George V1 instituted the George Cross for 'acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger'. The award, which is second only to the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration, is usually given to civilians and can be given posthumously. The award consists of a silver cross. On one side is depicted St George slaying the dragon, with the inscription,'For Gallantry'; on the other appear the name of the holder and the date of the award. For lesser, but still outstanding acts of courage, the King created the George Medal. This also is a silver cross, with on one side the reigning monarch and on the other St George slaying the dragon. The island of Malta was awarded the George Cross for its heroism in resisting attack during World War 11. " From Brittania History: St. George by Michael Collins

Follow this link if you would like to read the full article about this legendary soldier and protector of the poor and defenseless.

http://www.britannia.com/history/stgeorge.html

Tattoo Convention

Alright folks it's here; the Full Moon Tattoo Festival and Horror convention starts today! We will be at the Airport Marriott from noon today through 6 p.m. Sunday tattooing our little hearts out and greeting as many people as possible. Come on out and check out the goings-on; there are plenty of things for you to see. Comic books galore, t-shirts, old posters, hard to find action figures, actors signing autographs, tattoo artists doing tattoos, tattoo contests, movie screenings! All kinds of things will be going on; so, come on out and enjoy!

Remember, it's all happening at the Airport Marriott off of Briley Parkway and Elm Hill Pike in Nashville, Tennessee! See you there!

Iwo Jima breast cancer awareness and family tribute tattoo.

This young man wanted to ink a tribute to his mother (who is a breast cancer survivor) and to his siblings and thought a great whimsical way to do that would be to have little toy green army men raising a pink, battle worn breast cancer ribbon Iwo Jima style! How cool is that? Anyway, you can see here the first and the final sessions. I'm quite pleased with the final result and I'm pretty sure he is too! His sister (who came from out of state to watch the final session) seemed suprised to learn that quality tattoo work could be found in such a small, out of the way town like Greenbrier, Tennessee!

Motorcycle Chain Tattoo

J.P. came in this week and we finished up his motorcycle chain on his wrist! Now, I let him know right off the rip that this was not my favorite subject matter; anything that is repetitive is never fun for me. I also informed him that I hated him; but only until the tattoo is finished! After that, we're cool!

Seriously though, this is the image he wanted and I was happy to make his vision come true. I also welcome the challenge and look forward to doing more work for J.P. in the future.

Remember folks; Greenbrier's best tattoo studio will be at the Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Festival from the 23rd through the 25th of this month at the Airport Marriott just off of Briley Parkway and Elm Hill Pike! Come by and see what kind of badass tattoos we're doing and check out what kind of wild people are getting them done!

A little about heritage...

Recently, I've been discussing various reasons for getting certain tattoos; from memorial portraits, to simply adorning the body beautiful. Well, here's one more for you; heritage. Can you tell me anything about this person simply by looking at this indelible image on his side? If you think about it hard I'm certain you can. Here's a hint for you; he aint from around here! He currently lives here (in the U.S.) with his wife (she is from here) and child. Well, think on it, and in a future blog I'll let you know where he is from and why this image is connected to the country he was born and raised in.

Until then, keep tuned into the tattoo community and remember that we will be working at the Full Moon Tattoo/Horror Convention from April 23rd through the 25th in Nashville, Tennessee at the Airport Marriott off Briley Parkway and Elm Hill Pike. We will be there from noon til midnight Friday and Saturday and noon til 5 or 6 Sunday. Be sure to come by, visit our table and say hello! There will be many bizarre, freaky, and delightfully entertaining people to see and mingle with! Also, new to the convention this year will be the one and only Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame! That's right! Dee mother-effin' Snider! There will also be some of the favorites from B-movie fame; Bill Moseley of The Devil's Rejects and Doug Bradley from Hellraiser to name just two! So come on out and see the sights!

Peace!

Choosing images for your tattoo

I did this piece on Marty Eubanks this past Monday for his "spiritual" arm. I thought I would use this piece as an example of choosing an image to have tattooed on your body.

In days gone by clients would walk into a tattoo parlor, look at the flash on the wall (usually hand drawn by the resident tattoo artist), choose a picture from said flash and then have the image inked into their skin. This practice still goes on today and many, if not most, tattoo establishments still have flash on their walls to this day. However, you as a client are not limited to picking from flash any more!

It is becoming more common with the ever growing popularity and easy to use thing we call the internet to find very interesting and tattooable images online! The availability of images out there is mind boggling; the only limitation is image size! Be sure that the piece you choose is as big as you can find; small grainy/pixilated pieces are next to useless! Also be sure that the image is legal for you to use. The idea is to find a piece or several pieces that are a general idea of what you are looking for and then find an artist who can draw that for you.

Image options are limitless; I've done tattoos from images found on t-shirts, boxer shorts, comic books, magazines, tile patterns, dollar bills, paintings...the list goes on and on. Keep your eyes open and don't be afraid to bring in your image and see if it is appropriate for a tattoo; chances are...it is!

Thanks again to Sensei Marty Eubanks for choosing me to bring his tattoo to life. I'm not exactly nearby and it takes a minute for him to make the drive to the Nashville area just to get a tattoo. I appreciate that!

Sometimes tattoos mean something...

I recently did this black and grey piece for my friend from World Champion Karate Academy, Sensei Marty Eubanks. His right upper arm will be devoted to the spiritual aspects of his life and will serve as a reminder of the path he has chosen as well as a reminder of the pain that we endure is nothing when compared to the pain Christ went through for our forgiveness. Hats off to Sensei Marty and thanks for the opportunity to bring this piece to life for you.

Sometimes our tattoos hold no meaning; they're simply pretty pieces of art on our bodies. There's nothing wrong with this...a good bit of my tattoos fit into this category. Sometimes; however, you simply have to put something on your body to jog a memory or commemorate a special event. Some people put their child's footprints on their body to display their pride in being a parent. Others have portraits of deceased loved ones to show their love and happy memories of that person. Marty chose to have his Savior tattooed on him to do the same; display his pride in Christ...but also to remind him that some have suffered much more than he has and also to remind him of the direction he has chosen in his life. He uses the tattoo as a conversation piece to help others who may be in the same types of situations he has found himself in over the years. I hope this tattoo will help him with his goals and I pray it helps him to help others in their time of need.

I am proud that Marty chose to make the trip to the Nashville area from Kentucky to get inked by little ol' me in Greenbrier, Tennessee. Thanks, Marty; it means a lot to me.

Jenn's Sacred Heart

I am humbled by the trust people place in me to not only do quality tattoos for them but also to choose the best placement for their tattoo. Jenn originally wanted a Sacred Heart tattoo on her chest; but, after checking out the available spot, I decided it would be best to place it elsewhere. Unfortunately, her breastbone was just too short for the piece to have the impact she wanted it to have; it would have been less than half as large as it is now. Luckily, she understood and after some discussion about other options, we decided on the inner forearm.

This piece was custom drawn on her arm with a ballpoint pen and is therefore a one of a kind piece...all for Jenn!

Thanks Jenn, for being such a great client and making the trip out to Greenbrier's best little tattoo studio for your work!

Spots added to custom orchid

Check it out everyone! The orchid has been spotted in Greenbrier! I sure am lucky to have such faithful, and trusting clientelle; probably the most faithful tattoo enthusiasts in the Nashville area! This tattoo was fun to do and this young lady and her friends were a joy to be around as well. Thank you all for making this tattoo session so pleasurable.

Mixed bag

As is common in this business, we have had our fair share of very busy weeks and very slow weeks. Its just the nature of the beast. Some people refer to it as "feast or famine"; I've certainly experienced both sides of that coin. It sometimes has to do with pay cycles and sometimes its just seasonal highs and lows.

Well, its no different here at Greenbrier's finest little tattoo studio. Yesterday, my first day back to work after a very busy week, was a zero income day. My appointments had to reschedule. During those periods of famine...this would be a devastating blow; financially and mentally. Not so yesterday; I was ready for a break! And what did I do with my free time? Not a damn thing! It was nice to be able to sit back, relax and not have to get it done. Now, am I wishing for more of these kinds of days? Absolutely not! Every now and then sprinkled in like cinnamon is just fine; but, I don't want it to become habitual!

So, today I did an add-on for Devon; a Colt .45 near her hip bone. I unfortunately didn't take any pics but I will be able to get one soon...I'll keep you posted.

Computer stuff

My computer is finally back in service! It had somewhere around 70 malware virus programs and some sort of virus that corrupted my operating system! But, everything is finally back in working order; and faster than it has worked in a very long time! Bonus! Anyway, this week has been slower than last week but that's to be expected during nice weather...as soon as I do another interesting piece I'll let you know. Until then; Peace Out!

Tall Pine In Greenbrier

Thursday, 4 Mar 10

I was visited by the infamous, larger than life, Nashville Electric Service lineman nicknamed "Tall Pine" today. He visited the shop to have a tattoo of a lineman done before he heads to the Lineman Rodeo in Nebraska next month. He feels confident that this piece will win the tattoo contest! I hope he's right!

I really enjoyed this one and look forward to adding some background at a later date. He's thinking of a stormy sky and maybe some lightning or electric sparks zipping around his head! Should be fun!

Orchids in Greenbrier!

The best little tattoo studio in Greenbrier, Tennessee has been busy lately! Thanks to all of you who have contributed to our success!

This orchid was done last week on a young lady's lower rib area (I call it the saddle). It is a totally custom piece that I drew for her...directly on her side with a bic ballpoint pen. It was much fun to do (I'm not sure how much fun it was for her...four hours is not always fun) and I'm looking forward to finishing it in a couple of weeks. We are going to add some spots to the flower and possibly some background color.

Stay tuned to see what happens!

Snow in Nashville?

Wow, can you believe it? Snow? In Nashville? Its true; 7 inches...or so says the weather man! Our front yard is a beautiful blanket of white. This is the first time I've seen this much coverage in years; its usually just spots of snow here and there punctuated by areas of ice!

This time I'm not sure how much ice there is; last night I heard the sleet coming down but I haven't been outside yet to see how nasty the ice is.

Needless to say, the shop has been closed until the roads clear up a bit. That's kind of a double edged sword...nice to have the day off, sucks to not make any money! That's the way life is though; gotta take the good with the bad.