THE G R EAT BOOKS ON THE A R T OF TATTOOING www.tattoolife.com
THE G R EAT BOOKS ON THE AR T OF TATTOOING
zy From the margins of society to the temples of art, the tattoo boasts a long and fascinating history that can be traced back over 4000 years. In more recent times, tattoos adorned the bodies of sailors, circus performers, criminals, and other social outcasts. Once considered a back-alley art form, in the 1990s ink art became the vogue of the counterculture. By the new millennium tattoo and body art entered the mainstream as a form of self-expression and style. Today, tattoo artists are recognized as fine artists, and the tattoo-related arts are considered a well-established art form studied and celebrated by leading museums, galleries and art institutions.
The books published in our catalogue are a tribute to this art form. The styles range from the traditional and vernacular to the sacred and innovative. Each volume is crafted with meticulous attention and in collaboration with premier tattoo artists from around the world. The artwork is often commissioned exclusively for the publication, and all of the books are “art object books� with a limited print-run between 1000 and 2000 copies.
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S P I D ER• M U R P H Y’S TATTOO FLASH This visually stunning book presents a remarkable collection of tattoo flash produced by the legendary Northern California studio, Spider Murphy’s.
Featuring over 100 sheets of traditional American tattoo iconography designed by the highly-skilled tattoo artists of the famous California studio. The volume is a collection of and a tribute to the classical drawing sheets known as “flash” that adorn the walls of tattoo shops to display the artist’s “goods.” From the reinterpretation of old school designs which bolstered the ideal of masculine patriotism and virility—military iconography,
maritime emblems, flags, exotic women—to bold designs of flowers, snakes and skulls, the book takes us on a fascinating journey through the popular imagery of post-war America. Spider Murphy’s Tattoo opened its doors in 1996, and is world renowned for their classic and timeless approach to tattooing. The artists include Theo Mindell, Bryan Randolph, Matt Howse, Stuart Cripwell, Paul Anthony Dobleman, Heather Bailey.
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Specifications
• Lavish collector’s edition.
Trim size: 15 x 11 ½” (38 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 224 Illustrations: 110 colour plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: clothbound with gold embossing ISBN: 978-88-97845-08-9 Price: € 130,00
• Detailed visual documentation in full-colour high-quality reproductions. • A resource for tattooists, a collector’s item for tattoo enthusiasts, and pure visual inspiration for artists, illustrators, professional and would-be fashion and graphic designers.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/spider.aspx
T H E T R A D I T I O N A L FOLDER Edited by Miki Vialetto A tribute to the traditional style tattoo interpreted by 60 remarkable contemporary tattoo artists, including Don Ed Hardy, Chris Garver, Grime, Paco Excel, Alex Binnie.
The term “traditional” is used here to signify something that recalls a “bond.” When we look at the representations collected in this book, thanks to the contributions of some of the world’s finest artists of the traditional style, there is a bond with the images that we observe. The remarkable artists featured have all in their own
singular style represented the traditional style, drawing an endless alphabet of designs and combinations of images with a strong visual impact. The sheets depict America through its many icons and reveal a colourful world that takes on the shape of hearts, daggers, pin ups, and religious symbols.
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Specifications
• A limited and collector’s edition.
Trim size: 15 ¾ x 23 ½” (40 x 60 cm) Pages: 67 loose-leaf sheets Illustrations: 65 colour plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Black cloth folder, silk-screened in silver on both sides ISBN: 978-88-97845-00-3 Price: € 200,00
• The book itself is an object of art. • An overview and resource of mid-20th century American popular iconography. • A tattoo hall-of-fame line-up from Don Ed Hardy to Titine Leu to Chris O’Donnel.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_traditional.aspx
WA L K I N TATTOOS Phil Sims A captivating collection of flash that celebrates American tattoo culture through the work of a pioneer and one of the finest tattooists of the past century.
Phil Sims represents the essence of the American “street” tattoo, the vital and authentic core that remains eternal in its motifs and iconographic power. Walk in tattoos is a tribute to this vitality, to this art form, which withstands the test of time because it continually reflects the spirit of the times. The apparently simple yet profound images tell real stories that
address love, pain, success, failure, life and death. Divided into topics, the book offers a broad overview of those real stories that Phil Sims put onto skin with unparalleled mastery. His artistic production covers a time period of nearly 40 years from the 1970s to the present.
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Specifications
• Classic tattoo-shop flash designs from the Godfather of Tattooing.
Trim size: 16 ½ x 11 ½” (42 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 300 Illustrations: 150 colour plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Sprial-bound ISBN: 978-88-97845-01-0 Price: € 130,00
• A great resource as it includes every traditional design along with some of the most authentic Chicano-style Gangsta flash and beautiful retro western Japanese. • Popular imagery from the last 4 decades (in which tattoo art has undergone dramatic transformations) will inspire fashion designers, artists, curators, and illustrators alike.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_walk.aspx
SKULLS Filip Leu A striking and vast range of skull drawings by the Swiss master tattoo artist, Filip Leu.
The skull is a subject matter that boasts so many representations that it can be compared to the letter “A” of the western alphabet. Its symbolism takes on various forms in art, literature, religion, and across different cultures. The skull also has a specific role and identity in tattoo art. From Tibetan skulls to hooded reapers to dragon skeletons, this book contains almost every type of skull imaginable with over 300 unique and expressive ink-drawn sketches and tattoo designs, all done by the hand of master tattoo artist, Filip Leu. Leu’s explorations and interpretations of the skull (with extraordinary drawings of Tibetan and Asian skulls) reflect the recent renaissance
in popular culture (from music to street fashion) of this iconic cultural symbol. Filip Leu (b. 1967, Paris) is a third-generation artist and secondgeneration tattooer. Together with his parents he created "The Leu Family's Family Iron Studio and Museum" in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1982. After travelling extensively as a child and living in Goa, he began tattooing full-time at the age of 15. In 2001, he co-founded the Art Fusion Experiment, a group presenting tattoo artists as fine artists. He has created collaborative painting performances in places such as the Palazzo Ducale, Genoa, the National Arts Club, N.Y.C., Alex Grey's Microcosm Gallery, N.Y.C., and HR Giger Museum, Gruyère, Switzerland.
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Specifications
• The skull is one of the most recognizable symbols of today's
Trim size: 8 ¼ x 11 ½” (21 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 108 Illustrations: 47 b/w plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Clothbound with silk-screened cover and slipcase ISBN: 978-88-97845-06-5 Price: € 120,00
contemporary visual culture. • Reinterpreted by artists, illustrators and designers, it has become one of the most iconic cultural symbols of our time (from high couture to street fashion to contemporary art to tattoos). • Innovator and pioneer of ink art, Filip Leu is one of the world’s foremost master tattoo artists. • Limited signed and numbered edition. • Features a silk-screened cloth hardcover in a slipcase.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/skulls.aspx
HO R I H I DE A tour-de-force of Japanese tattoo art by the world-renowned artist, Horihide.
Horihide (Hideo Kakimoto) is one of the leading exponents of “Horimono,” or the traditional Japanese tattoo, and is unanimously considered a reference point for modern tattoo-artists. His style takes inspiration from the traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e prints and most of his subjects are a re-interpretation of the prints adapted to the human body. The extraordinary expressive power of his works combined with a singular formal elegance make him a true master of Japanese tattoo art. A master able to combine tradition and modernity in a synergy of rare aesthetic beauty.
This lavish limited edition brings together Horihide’s exceptional work produced over the artist’s 60-year career. A must have for fans of Hirohide and Japanese tattoo art, as well as anyone interested in Japanese culture, fashion, design and its venerable iconography. Horihide (Hideo Kakimoto) was born in Setagaya, Japan in 1929. A self-taught artist he began tattooing at the age of 22. In his 60-year career he has had an immense influence over western tattoo artists, and has tattooed over 500 bodysuits (back, arms, buttocks, and thighs).
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Specifications
• Japan has always possessed an irresistible fascination for the West.
Trim size: 11 ½ x 16 ½” (29.7 x 42 cm) Pages: 128 Illustrations: 120 colour plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Cloth and silk-screened cover with slipcase ISBN: 978-88-97845-04-1 Price: € 150,00
From the pop art of Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara to the subcultures of manga and anime to tattoo art, Japan continues to boast a visual culture that is international in appeal yet uniquely Japanese. • With a long-standing and revered tattoo culture, Japanese tattoos and traditional Japanese tattoo designs have become immensely popular in the West. • This limited edition of 1000 numbered copies is also the first monograph in the English language dedicated to Hirohide. • Beautifully produced artist book with high-quality production values and embellishments, including an embossed satin cover and slipcase.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_horihide.aspx
1000 O R I E N TA L TAT TO O D E S I G N
( Vo l u m e 2 )
Tas, Jondix, and Rinzing This gorgeous book explores the elusive world of traditional Asian tattooing.
Tattoo art is so deeply rooted in Asian iconography that many consider Asia to be the true cradle of tattoo culture. In this volume three of the finest European representatives of the genre pay tribute to this millenary tradition. The book takes us on a fascinating journey throughout Asia in 1000 complex and bold
designs from Hindu deities to Burmese skeletons to Tibetan mandalas to geometrical Buddhist symbols. An excellent resource book and tool for tattoo artists who want to reference this influential tradition.
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Specifications
• This collection of Asian imagery features some of today's most
Trim size: 11 ½ x 16 ½” (29.7 x 42 cm) Pages: 272 Illustrations: 130 b/w plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Hardcover ISBN: 978-88-97845-05-8 Price: € 130,00
popular body art designs. • Asian philosophy, religion, and Asian tattoo art are experiencing a moment of great popularity and interest in the West. • The heavy and high quality paper stock and the high production values make this the ultimate reference in Asian tattoo design. • The book is certain to fascinate anyone with an interest in tattoo art, Asian culture and iconography.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_oriental02.aspx
F L A S H : T h e Art O f T h e M a r k I I Edited by Miki Vialetto A deluxe limited-edition survey of contemporary flash commissioned exclusively for the publication by some of the world’s finest tattoo artists.
As a follow-up to the first acclaimed book, Flash: The Art of the Mark I, this second volume delves into the new subjects, styles, and innovations, which, due to the growing demand and number of enthusiasts, continue to flourish in the tattoo world. The variety of the remarkable designs featured in the book casts a wide net. The Japanese school is represented by masters such as Horiyoshi III and Shige, as well as by the artists who brought their
styles to the West, including Filip Leu and Horitaka. The Tibetan symbols of Rinzing and Jondix are an interesting counterpoint to the cinema-like realism of Robert Hernandez and Jeff Gogué, as well as to the traditional old-school art which count on the incredible skills of Brad Fink, Brad Patten and Eli Quinters. What these great artists have in common is their ongoing research and creativity in producing permanent signs of a rare intensity.
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Specifications
• Deluxe limited edition of 1000 numbered copies. Includes a hand-
Trim size: 11 ½ x 16 ½” (29.7 x 42 cm) Pages: 144 Illustrations: 222 colour plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Cloth and silk-screened cover with slipcase ISBN: 978-88-97845-03-4 Price: € 200,00
screened skull on the title page. • The first volume, Flash: The Art of the Mark I, which is out of print, is considered a rare collector’s item. This sequel volume is a key collection for any tattoo practitioner or appreciator. • Exclusive and never before published material commissioned specifically for the volume. • The wide selection of popular iconography makes this a perfect companion book and resource for anyone interested in street culture, fashion, design, art, and illustration.
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LOW R I D E R TATTOO FLASH Jose Lopez, Adrian “Spider” Castrejon, Tattoo Tony
Straight from the streets of California, a powerful book of Chicano flash from the award-winning Los Angeles studio, Lowrider Tattoo.
This deluxe volume of Cholo-style tattoo flash presents three of the world's premier Chicano tattoo artists: Jose Lopez, Adrian “Spider” Castrejon, and Tattoo Tony. The striking black and grey fine line drawings based on the traditional iconography of Chicano culture take their themes from those of ancient Mayan, Inca and Aztec
art and offer a distinctive and recognizable look. The undisputed protagonists of these works are also drawn from the classic Chicano imagery of women, rifles, jokers, clowns, cars, lettering, religious motifs, all in the Lowrider signature style. A powerful book which features one of the most interesting cross-cultural tattoo genres.
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Specifications
• This book offers an interesting insight into the essence of Chicano
Trim size: 15 x 11 ½” (38 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 192 Illustrations: 93 b/w plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Perfect bound volume ISBN: 978-88-97845-07-2 Price: € 130,00
tattoo art and culture. • A visual essay on the aesthetics of Chicano popular culture. • Superb drawings by one of the most lauded tattoo artists in the US. • Designed for an audience interested in the artistic expression of Chicano culture as well as tattoo art and iconography.
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F ro m t h e ST R EET WITH LOVE Boog The subject matter is who I am: it’s ghetto, it’s urban, it’s raw, it’s beautiful imagery from the streets with love. – Boog
Ladies, clowns, guns, cars, dollar signs: the wild world of Chicano style tattoo seen by the legendary street artist, Boog. This long-awaited book takes you on a journey through 1000 explosive black-and-white and color designs of tattoo flash by the master of the American Chicano-style tattoo. Sexy and armed ladies, street life in a hot melting pot that becomes the setting of gangsta rap, a noir film set in a land filled with strong emotions. The volume
includes the artist’s most recent drawings as well as his classics. It also features his famous script, making the book a complete reference not only for the Chicano-style, but for custom lettering as well. Boog is a Mexican-American tattoo artist based in Dallas. He has been tattooing since the age of 14 and is known to many as the King of Script. His twenty-two years of tattooing have taken him on a journey from the streets to inking some of the stars of today.
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Specifications
• The powerful Chicano street-tough look continues to become
Trim size: 16 ½ x 11 ½” (42 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 304 Illustrations: 139 duotone and 11 colour plates (each sheet contains multiple drawings) Binding: Sprial-bound ISBN: 978-88-97845-02-7 Price: € 130,00
incorporated as a matter of pride in the fast-growing American Hispanic culture and, as reported by The New York Times, is now part of “the fashion vernacular of non-Latinos as well.” • Boog’s style conjures a myriad of Mexican iconography, religious themes, demented clowns, lettering, and a meaningful caricature of urban street life. • An inspiration for tattoo artists, steet artists, fashionistas, and anyone with an interest in Chicano culture.
more info or shop on-line at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_boog.aspx
SOLD OUT more info at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_wooden.aspx
more info at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_flash02.aspx
T H E WOODEN FOLDE R
FLAS H : T he A r t O f T he M a rk I
Edited by Miki Vialetto
Edited by Miki Vialetto
A limited edition dedicated to the elegance of the Asian style.
The evolution of tattoos seen through exclusive and never before published flash.
A collection of 53 sheets made by the finest tattooists in the world features popular symbols of the Japanese, Tibetan, Burmese, Thai and Balinese styles.
The volume brings together commissioned drawings by some of the world’s finest tattoo artists. The result is a precious testimony: a milestone in the history of the tattoo.
Specifications
Specifications
Trim size: 15 ¾ x 27 ½” (40 x 70 cm) Pages: 53 loose-leaf sheets Illustrations: 50 colour plates Binding: silk-screened wooden folder and unbound sheets Price: € 270,00
Trim size: 11 ½ x 16 ½” (29.7 x 42 cm) Pages: 74 Illustrations: 202 colour plates Binding: Clothbound with silk-screened cover and slipcase Price: € 260,00
more info at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_dragons_02.aspx http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_dragons_01.aspx
more info at: http://www.tattoolife.com/books/book_oriental.aspx
1000 OR IENTAL TATTOO DESIGN (Vol. 1)
Dr AG O N I
Tas, Jondix, and Rinzing. Introduction by Alex Binnie
Filip Leu
The most complete graphic dictionary of the Oriental style to date created by three of the most accomplished contemporary interpreters of Asian tattoos.
A lavish volume including 150 sheets filled with drawings, symbols and icons from the Japanese, Tibetan, Thai, Burmese, and Indian styles. Together they form a complex dance of design possibilities.
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Dr AG O N II
Spotlighting forty-five magnificent plates of the mythical monster all drawn in ink.
Dragons are a predominant symbol in tattooing, and over the past twenty years Swiss artist, Filip Leu, has painted and tattooed many. His dynamic designs reveal an innovative approach to the more traditional style.
Specifications Specifications Trim size: 16 ½ x 11 ½” (42 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 300 Illustrations: 148 b/w plates Binding: Spiral bound Price: € 90,00
Trim size: 8 ¼ x 11 ½” (21 x 29.7 cm) Pages: 96 Illustrations: 45 b/w plates Binding: Clothbound with silk-screened cover and slipcase Price: € 120,00
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