the best different tattoo design: May 2010

As a kid, I always knew my grandfather, Harry Robinson, was a print-maker. I didn't really understand what that meant until I found myself pursuing a degree in graphic design years later. By that time I was already tattooing and knew it was what I would be doing for the rest of my life, but for some reason getting that degree was important. The way I learned to manipulate type and images was so different than what he did. Everything I did and knew was digital, on a computer. I worked with fonts. He made his own type. Actually poured the lead.

Harry (in the middle)

I took a letterpress class the other day and this is one of the Vandercooks at the studio. I love the container that says "Various Tools".

I took this picture during my letterpress class. I'm pretty sure the press in the background (you can barely see it) is the same as the one that's pictured with the man on the right above this photo.

My mom grew up in his studio. She talked about skating on the concrete floors and the big machines and their noises. I couldn't appreciate that memory as much as a child as I do now. I sure wish I could dive into these photos I've dug out and hang out with them, watch them work. Harry was a pretty special man and printmaking was only a small part of the long life he lived. A navy man, a mailman, a musician, woodworker, loving father, married 3 times (that I know of), a photographer, artist, he lived to be 93 and loved email and his digital camera and his treadmill. And he made a wicked pizzelle. Yum!!

Harry and his violin

Harry and my mom in the shop

I found this when I was looking for the picture of Harry with his press. Sadly for me these photos are of my older sister and not me. I didn't realize he still had the shop at this point in time. I thought it was long gone before us. I think my mom is pregnant with me in the bottom right. I want that chair my sister's sitting on.

One of Harry's illustrations. It makes me think of the older tattoo photos you'll see of girls in their undies posing for a picture of their new ankle tattoo. ha!

um. ahem. Isaac posing for an ankle shot? eh....

I showed my grandfather my tattoo portfolio years ago. He loved the tattoos and asked his wife (# 3) if he could get one. He called them "epidermal engravings". I put that on one of my first business cards. She said no, by the way.

His first wife, Helen, my mom's mom. I never met her but judging by all these pictures I've been looking through tonight, it's her warbly knees I see when I look in the mirror.

Helen and Harry

I owe so much of who I am today to him. And as I use his tools (that all wreak of mothballs) for my own printmaking projects I feel closer to him. And I miss him very much.

And when I find pictures like this in his photo albums, of women who are not any of my grandmothers (my mom is going to kill me for posting this! ha...sorry!), I feel a connection I can't deny and wonder if I'd be doing what I do today if it weren't for him. I'm so curious about this woman! He lived in Huntington Beach at this time, I think early/mid 70s maybe? Anybody have any idea who might have done these tattoos? The flowers look like something Iggy would do.

By the way:

Iggy tattooing Isaac

Iggy and Isaac

Iggy

Holly (session 2)

Holly (in progress)

Holly (finished!)

Holly

Jason

Aaron

Erik

Cris

See you next time. xxxooo

Lots of action around the shop as usual. Cris went to New York and worked at Saved Tattoo again. We've got Hanna Sandstrom guest spotting for a few weeks. This week we've also got Ben Viamontes from Albuquerque, NM from the 11th - 13th. (You can contact them personally or call the shop if you'd like to book an appointment with them). Jason and Aaron did some tattooing at The City Underground event at Fort Mason. We've done some fun tattoos at the shop, and judging by these pictures I'm about to show you, pet portraits surrounded by flowers is all the rage. That's good for us because that makes for a fun tattoo.

I'm completely distracted by Under the Sea playing on my TV right now. Wow. It's fantastic. Gotta go. Enjoy the photos...