Stories we wear on our skin
Russian Lisa Smirnova creates beautiful hand embroidered pieces inspired by nature, tattoos and inspirational artists, including Frida Kahlo. Her embroideries look like they have been sketched rather than stitched and the muted and pastel tones add a dream like quality to her work.
Follow Lisa on Instagram for more art
Just like tattoos, the things people collect are personal and unique. Guest blogger Amber Bryce decided to explore the ties between the two by speaking with three toy collectors, to see what inspired their collections and how these in turn have inspired their tattoo choices…
“When I was a kid, I would daydream through every Saturday morning ballet class about finding the next thing to add to my collections. These ranged from Spice Girls photos for my fluorescent pink album, to sparkly Pokemon cards and miniature car models. Collecting has always helped my mind to focus in on something and block out the chaos of the world, creating soothing rhythms out of mundane objects.
Still to this day I can’t let go of my collection of Pokemon cards or Spice Girls photos. There’s just something about childhood nostalgias that’s so comforting and aesthetically inspiring. Perhaps this is why toy collecting in particular is so popular, as it allows people to hold onto the fleeting moments of growing up, and the joy such things brought us.
There’s also a very close connection between toy collecting and tattoos. Candy-coloured My Little Ponies, perfectly accessorized Barbies and the tall, bright hair of trolls all prove how the charismatic designs of our childhood toys make the perfect kitsch tattoos.
I spoke to three lovely Instagram ladies about their toy collections and which tattoo or tattoos these have inspired”:
Name: Jenna Greenwood Location: Bradford
I have always been a hoarder and collector ever since I was a child. A lot of the things I have from the 80s and 90s are my original toys that I could never seem to part with. When I was little my mum and dad would recall with joy a toy from their childhoods, and when questioned as to where it was or if they still had it, I would always get the same reply, they’d gotten ‘too old for it’. My brother and I used to be horrified at the thought of getting rid of our toys! I never wanted that to happen, so I stockpiled all my favourites. Now it’s a case of reclaiming my childhood and the simple things that used to bring me lots of happiness. The nostalgia now is lovely!
I only get tattoos of the things that have or do give me great pleasure, I think if it’s a captured happy memory I can never go off it or change my taste. With that in mind, my right thigh is dedicated to my childhood and the things I used to love, so as well as my troll tattoo, there is an emerald for one of my favourite films Return to Oz, a mood ring, a dodo (a childhood obsession) and seaside paraphernalia. It’s not finished yet, but I’m hoping to add a tamagotchi and an ever-lasting gobstopper soon to complete it!
Jody Dawber has done all the pieces on my childhood tattoo. I found her work through Instagram and knew as soon as I saw it she was the one for this piece. Her style is fun and colourful with a grown up twist and I just fell in love with her work as soon as I saw it!
In the future, I’d like to factor in something Sindy and Sylvanian Family related too, but I’m not sure where they’re going to go yet. I might have to start on the other thigh if I keep finding stuff in my parents loft!
Name: Andrea Taylor Location: Adelaide South Australia
I collect lots and lots of dolls! My main collection is of Barbie, though. I always loved Barbie as a little girl, and had so many of them, but when I was in my late teens I got rid of a bunch. About 4 years ago I realised this was a huge mistake and spent a lot of time making a list of which dolls I had had and tracking them down again. It sort of snowballed from there and I’ve ended up with a lot more than just recollecting my childhood dolls.
This has inspired my one and only tattoo, which is of an illustration of Crystal Barbie. It was done by Sarah K at Pink Flamingo Parlour. She already had it drawn up with some other 80s/90s nostalgia and I saw it on her feed so I got in touch after some prompting from friends. It was exactly what I had been envisioning when I thought of my perfect Barbie tattoo.
In the future I’d love to get a 60s Barbie heart on my other thigh as the 60s and 80s are my two favourite decades for Barbie, so I’d like to pay tribute to both of them.
Name: Jessica Reeves Location: London
I collect so many things! Right now I am actively collecting Nevalyashka dolls (Russian roly poly dolls), Sonny Angels, kewpie dolls, Blythe dolls and any vintage toy that catches my eye (usually something that squeaks or moves or plays music in some way). But I also have a pretty large collection of kitsch vintage ceramics – mainly cats and deer – that I have been collecting for about four years now. I haven’t added anything new to this collection for a while but the objects I already own bring me a lot of happiness! I am drawn to many of these objects for their nostalgic value but also their aesthetic just really appeals to me and I love to surround myself with things that make my environment an inspiring, relaxing and beautiful (to me) place to be.
I actually have a few tattoos inspired by my collections! On my left leg I have two fairly large homages to my collection of vintage ceramics. Both of these tattoos contain so many elements that I just adore – cats, deer, sweets and Pearl Jam lyrics! They are so personal to me and I adore them both. On my right leg I have a super-cute tattoo of a Nevalyashka doll, inspired by my ever growing collection of these vintage roly poly dolls and a tattoo of a kewpie doll covered in tattoos. My boyfriend has a matching kewpie, which also makes this tattoo extra-special.
Both the tattoos on my left leg are done by Amy Savage and I chose her for her beautiful use of colours and personality that she brings to the animal portraits she has done a lot of in the past. The roly poly doll is by Rachel Baldwin and I chose her for her awesome cartoon-like style. I love that my nevalyashka tattoo kind of looks like a sticker, it’s just so bold and perfect! The kewpie was done by Luke Kempton and I picked him because he can turn his hand to any idea and style, and he has made some rad tattoos on my boyfriend in the past.
I love how personal my tattoos inspired by my collections are and I don’t see that connection becoming any less powerful in the future. And as my collections evolve over time there always seems to be some new object to commemorate on my skin forever!
Sophie Elizabeth is a 24-year-old social media/SEO executive and part-time blogger from London. We chatted to Sophie about her love for films, her fashion style and reactions to her ink at work…
When did you start blogging, how did you get into it? I started blogging around three years ago and it was more just an outlet to improve my creative writing and share what I was interested in. It started out as a way for me to write film reviews and then I introduced the odd outfit post and it sort of just grew from there. The more I posted, the more people started to take notice and now here I am. I think at the time, I felt that there weren’t many bloggers out there (who I followed anyway) that really represented me and my style and so I figured I’d just create one myself.
What kinds of things do you blog about? My blog is essentially film and personal style although over the last year or so it’s progressed more in to London lifestyle, events, food and a bit of beauty also. It’s pretty much all the stuff I’m interested in and the random things I get up to.
How would you describe your style? I think my style changes like the wind – I tend to combine vintage inspirations with modern trends and I love all things 80’s and 90’s. I wear a lot of black (perhaps too much) and I love to play around with textures and prints.
What inspires you? For me, it’s totally film. Filmmakers, directors and other critics really inspire me to write and learn more. I love going to the cinema and, for me, it’s always been the experience and the nostalgic values that come with it. I think I’m also inspired by other tattooed women – I’m very much in awe of them a lot of the time. I have a major girl crush on Hannah Pixie Sykes.
Do you have a favourite designer/artist? My boyfriend is a designer and so I’m probably supposed to say him! I follow a lot of tattoo artists such as Claudia De Sabe, Matty Darienzo and Thomas Hooper – I think they’re probably among my favourites.
When did you get your first tattoo? Do you still love it? I got my first tattoo aged 16 and under age tattoos are never good tattoos. It was well done and by a good artist but it’s six stars on my stomach and very emo. I wouldn’t get rid of it though and I completely forget it’s even there now.
Tell us about your other tattoos? Most of my tattoos are traditional Navy inspired with thick, blown lines but I like to put a girly spin on it. Lots of flowers, animals and bright colours. I think my favourite is the Victorian lady on my thigh by artist Naomi Smith – I love the lines in her hair, the colours are amazing and how she’s got kind of a big nose. She’s perfectly imperfect.
Do you have any future tattoo plans? I’d love to get more in the future as I haven’t had any in a while – I have some plans to get some dot work or menhdi and I find myself really drawn to bold, black tattoos lately. I’d like to add more to my legs and maybe get some more film inspired pieces too.
Do you consider yourself a tattoo collector? I don’t think I ever set out to be but given the amount I now have, I imagine I am. I am running out of space now though so not sure how much longer the collection can go on for.
How did you get your current job? I worked in retail for about seven years, from turning 16 to finishing university, before finally making the move in to an agency environment. I applied as an Office Administrator originally, to get a foot in the door, but luckily I was able to work my way up very quickly.
Did you study, did you do work experience? I did my degree in Film Theory and Major Production and I don’t think I’d even heard of SEO or anything at that stage. I wasn’t 100% sure of what I wanted to do and had lots of experience but not necessarily in the correct fields. Luckily, because of my blog, I was able to use that as a sort of portfolio. I’m surprised how many doors it’s opened for me. If you can show you’ve done work off your own back and followed through with it then that’s good experience to have.
What reactions do your tattoos get at work? Do you cover them or show them off? When I first started I was terrified of having them on show in case someone said something or it upset the directors. Thankfully, after a few months I eased up and they didn’t care either way anyway although I don’t think they’d ever seen anything like me before. I have them out sometimes at work (especially when it’s unbearably hot in summer) and hide them for some clients but that’s my choice to do so. I think I’m very lucky to be in an agency that’s very laid back and embraces individuality. I know a lot of other corporate companies may not see it that way. I’ve always said that if they asked me to cover them, that’s fine – I’ll do that; but it also doesn’t affect my work performance.
Paul Clark initially trained as a tattooist before specialising in scalp micro pigmentation and works at Brandwood Clinic. We chatted to Paul about the processes behind his work and the clients he works with…
What is scalp micro pigmentation? Do you tattoo hair onto other parts of the body? Scalp Micro Pigmentation is a procedure that creates the appearance of hair using an insertion of ink and the micro-dermal level. It is (as the name suggests) mostly for the scalp but we also replicate facial hair -beards, stubble. This is particularly for alopecia but also for those who want the look of stubble without the work of keeping it trimmed or people whose natural stubble isn’t dark or thick enough.
We work with other technicians who are skilled in semi-permanent make-up for eyebrows and the like. Essentially we can offer the whole package.
How does it work? What is the process? How long does it take to heal? We insert a pigment into a shallow layer of the scalp, we use thousands of impressions randomly distributed in order to replicate the appearance of hair follicles. The end effect is an appearance of hair at its shortest, we regularly describe it as the ‘buzz cut’ look. When working with clients who have some hair it can add density to the thinner or thinning areas, something we’ve done with both women and men.
It’s a procedure that usually takes three sessions distributed over four weeks or more. Overall the healing process is five days from the last session, when the pigment size has reduced to appear ‘as hair’. It’s effectively healed when the pigment size matches the existing or previous hair follicles.
How do you match the colour? We have 70 different shade variations which get close to any hair colour. They are specifically mixed for each client. We use a special pigment which is totally organic, all plant based and suitable for vegans – very important to me as I am one!
What sorts of clients to you get? What do they ask for? Are they happy with the results? Most clients ask for a natural, realistic end-result that can’t be detected easily. They are seeking the appearance of hair. It can be all ages, I’ve treated a 15-year-old with alopecia and a 70-year-old guy wanting his hairline back. It’s many different walks-of-life: celebrities, armed forces, musicians, sportsmen. Essentially anyone who is image-conscious and doesn’t want to be bald.
It often takes a long time for people to come to the decision that they want this treatment, we frequently talk to people who are on a journey and coming to terms with their hair loss. Once they’ve had the treatment it restores a level of self-confidence, they’re liberated and feel extremely happy. It’s an incredibly rewarding role to have in someone’s life.
Can you tell us about your pioneering work? It’s a relatively new industry, the very first procedure was probably only a decade ago. I was the first ‘full-time’ practitioner and have helped to train a lot of the people working in the business world-wide. The first treatments were in the straight-looking, defined hairline style and this is still something that a lot of clients like. What I’ve tried to do over the years is to perfect a more natural looking hairline because people’s hair tends not to grow in razor-sharp lines.
One of my early clients was Simon Lane who’s been on an incredible journey of his own with scarring and hair transplants and the like. He trained as a practitioner and we’ve been close friends ever since.
Simon’s hair journey
Working together we experimented with a few different styles of hairline and definitions. We first introduced the broken hairline, moved onto the jagged and eventually the feathered look which is one of the most advanced procedures that can be performed.
When we started Brandwood Clinic we were keen to introduce a whole new method and spent a few months perfecting something we call the 3D Scatter Technique. It’s a way of working, particularly with clients who still have some hair, to deliver the most realistic appearance possible. It is the most sophisticated procedure available and, at present, we’re the only two practitioners who can perform it. We’re naturally proud of it, as it demonstrates a great leap forward for scalp micro pigmentation.
Can you tell us about where you work? Me and Simon are at Brandwood Clinic in Solihull where we see people from all over the UK and further afield. We have a client regularly flying from Ireland and a guy coming to see us from Spain in early 2016. The whole ethos behind the clinic is that we deliver a professional service in a comfortable and clean environment. Our aim is to improve the overall respectability of Scalp Micro Pigmentation, improve standards and work towards regulation of the industry.
Costs are variable depending on many factors – what level of hair density you have remaining, whether there are scars from hair transplants or other treatments and what look you are trying to achieve. We also ‘top-up’ a lot of previous clients and have updated some of them to the 3D Scatter appearance.
Treatments (over three sessions) can take up to twelve hours, an average cost for a completely new treatment is in the region of £3,000.
Can you tell us about your tattooing background? How long were you a tattooist? Where did you tattoo? I did a six month apprenticeship in Birmingham. I studied art and felt that this was a natural progression but then found an opportunity with scalp micro pigmentation that didn’t exist in traditional tattooing. It was a chance to really help people but also, eventually, use some of my knowledge of art and tattooing background.
I felt that I wanted to concentrate more on that and not jump between the two. I wanted to immerse myself in the technique of micro pigmentation and perfect it. Trying to tattoo at the same time would be confusing, they’re different disciplines. I’ve treated tattooists and they’ve always been blown away by the work, I always felt like it justified the decision I made. I’m very passionate about scalp micro pigmentation.
Can you tell us about your tattoos? I have quite a few tattoos, sleeve and chest area mainly and a recent one on my hand. Andy Cryztalz at Park Street Tattoo in Birmingham did the dot work and mandala on my hand, it’s a great piece. I also like Dawnii at Painted Lady who did my sleeve, Mike Philip at Immortal Ink did my chest, all great artists. In the new year I will be starting on my other arm!
We proudly present: The Things&Ink tattoo love story of the year! The wedding chapter… Two Christmases ago, we set ourselves the challenge to find the ultimate tattoo love story! And we did it… we found the amazing couple Roxanne & Greg (read more in previous blog posts)
And we headed over to Trinity Buoy Wharf weddings in East London earlier this year to join them on their very special wedding day… Photographed by Things&Ink Photographer Heather Shuker for Eclection Photography.
Take a look at some of the photos from their wonderful wedding day, including Sailor Jerry, of course… we’re so happy we could share the day with this stunning couple whose love just shines through.
A few days before the wedding, they also got their fingers tattooed by Alexis Camburn at her studio Two Snakes Tattoo in Hastings. Greg and Roxanne designed the ring/tattoo together. The star and the moon simply symbolising that they are each other’s moon and stars. The four dots represent Roxanne, Greg and their two cats (so cute!)…
“From the offset Heather put us at ease and made us feel relaxed and comfortable on and off camera,” said Roxanne and Greg about photographer Heather Shuker for Eclection Photography. “She captured the essence of our wedding perfectly and everyone who has seen our photos has been blown away by the great job she has done. What we especially liked was that the images are a great mix of relaxed formal and candid. Giving us snapshots of our guests celebrating with us as well as some amazing photos of us with family and friends. We cannot thank her enough for all the wonderful moments that she captured.”
“Our wedding was everything we’d hoped for and more. We were deeply touched with the help our friends and family gave us decorating the venue and doing the flowers. The day itself was amazing, everyone seemed to be enjoying it as much as we were, covering themselves in temporary tattoos, swigging rum from the bottle with us and tearing up the dance floor,” said Roxanne and Greg about their wonderful wedding day. “Looking back on the day, we can honestly say that we had the most colourful rainbow, rum fuelled, fiesta ever and to top it all off we were married and sharing this with the people most dear to us. We’d do it all again if we could but I’m not sure we or our guests could cope with that hangover!”
Check out more photos from the day on Facebook.