Honolulu Tattoo Exhibit

Recently we shared our discoveries from the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Tattoo Exhibit. There was so much cool stuff to see, great paintings, giant photographs, and more of Custom Tattoos and from some of the greatest Hawaii Tattooists and Tattoo artists of all time.

Here are a few more shots that didn’t make it off the cutting room floor but are too good not to share with all of you!

Okay, so the Elephant God Ganesha sculpture is not tattoo related but a great many tattoos have been done over the years by fans of the Hindu Lord who helps in removing and creating obstacles in our lives so that we are always in the right place at the right time. So we got to gives props where it is due!

This picture could have been its own blog! Look at all the great info about tattoo history served up all in one. There was too much cool stuff to not do something with this shot.

Here is some more info about that traditional implements used in Polynesian Tattoos and check this out:

This traditional scene is similar to the ‘stories’ told in the Japanese Tattoos found on many people around the world and something that Tattoo Adam and the Homies at our Waikiki, Hawaii Tattoo Studio, 434 Tattoo.

So there you have the outtakes from our recent showing of the HMoA Tattoo exhibit. If you missed the exhibit itself, at least it is immortalized uncut, unedited here. That’s how much we love y’all! Strictly for our homies!

Come down for your free consultation and let’s get some ink on you… Our Honolulu Tattoo Shop is open 12/7 from 10a to 10p. Hope to see ya!

Corrupt Cops and Tattoos

Recently in the news, a number of police officers in California were questioned because in addition to getting their division logo tattooed, some of them allegedly added bullets to mark the number of people they killed in the field.  The part that was alarming was this type of behavior was encouraged and the extra markings were like right of passage for the officers.  This is still being investigated and it’s been hard to locate further information about it despite it not being the first time, police and tattoos have been in the news before.

People often associate tattoos with criminals or corruption for one reason or another.  With Cops stories like the one above and the following it’s no wonder custom tattoos get a bad rap…

The Rampart Scandal

Los Angeles, California.

The City of Angels.  Well back in the 1990’s, some of city’s Fallen Angels wore blue and we’re not talking about LA’s famous Crips.  We’re talking about another gang, the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums or CRASH anti-gang unit of the Los Angeles Police Department, Rampart Division.

CRASH officers not only collected their paychecks from taxpayers, a few of them even collected money from incarcerated Hip-Hop Industry Head, Suge Knight, known for being a bad mofo and their were even a few officers involved in the Drive-By shooting of the late Rapper, the Notorious B.I.G.

One of the caught cops, in an ironic twist, ending up being the Narc and Narc’ed out other officers, a total of 70 accused, of which 58 were found guilty of wrong-doing and charged.  The popular TV Show, The Shield, and the landmark video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas features elements inspired by the CRASH cats.

Those in Rampart embodied and embraced a pretty hard culture and a right of passage was to wear the tattoo of the unit logo: a skull with a cowboy hat, circled by a Poker “Dead Man’s Hand,” all Aces and Eights.

Kinda sends chills to think those who are paid to protect and serve might be breaking the law.  Sounds a bit like the politicians…

While innocent until proven guilty, hopefully light will be shed on other corruption taking place out there.

Until the next time, this is your favorite Hawaii Tattoo Shop, 434 Tattoo, reporting.

 

Tattoos in the Arts – Honolulu Museum of Art

The Honolulu Museum of Art, formerly the Academy of Art, has a limited Tattoo exhibit going down this Summer on Oahu. The exhibit has paintings, tattoo flash, machines, and more about the history of tattooing, well known Hawaii tattooists like Mike Ledger, and more to take in for the tattoo collector, enthusiast, and anyone interested in and who appreciates artwork original in general.

These are just a few pics and accompanying words but we highly encourage you to make your way down and check it out! The HMoA team did a great job highlighting unique stories of this historic tradition.

These tattoo machines were used to line, shade, and create by some of the biggest amongst the Old School Americana Tattooists including Brooklyn Joe, Mike Malone, and a Hawaii Tattoo Artist you may have heard of, Sailor Jerry.

This note:

Was written by Sailor Jerry himself and tells the tale that many of us have had to experience flack because of how some other people feel about tattoos because of limiting beliefs. I think we can agree and give a shout to the OG Tattooist: Well said Sailor, Sir, well said!

This Hikeshi Hanten, or Japanese ‘Fireman’s Jacket’ is what old school Firefighters would wear into battle against the flames! This is actually the inside of the jacket and as you an see, it is intricately decorated in the fashion one may see on a bodysuit.

And this pic below, has a significance to the roots of Hawaiian style tattoos and is of traditional tools used in different parts of Polynesia:

The exhibit labeled them as a tattoo combs! Makes the idea of the machine more pleasant for some reason…

This last shot isn’t a tattoo but is a shout out to our Honolulu Tattoo Shop owner, Tattoo Adam, who is known for his Custom Asian tattoos including koi and carp tattoos. A long time tattooist, you can find Adam at 434 Tattoo most days of the week doing what this exhibit celebrates: custom tattooing!

We hope to see you soon! Aloha from the 434 Ohana!

Hawaii Tattoo Updates / Tattoo Deals, Stories, & More!

Andy’s A Bad Ass

Andy may get a good ribbing every now and again from the guys at our Waikiki Tattoo studio, but make no mistake, the soft-spoken, friendly cat from Cali is a bad-ass! Not because he owns a motorcycle though that is pretty cool… And not because he is a member of a Motorcycle Club, Brethren’s Creed, which some would say is really cool as well…

Andy’s bad because he is getting his roll on!

Not like raver roll, we’re talking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu rolling and grappling. Andy ‘may or may not’ have lived the lifestyle of an MMA fighter and coach back in the day in California. I write may or may not because see ‘soft-spoken’ above and well he doesn’t go around telling people about it. It just comes up, especially when he’s on the mat!

“I don’t like to talk about it.” Andy.

Despite his prowess on the mat and in the cage, he was bested though recently here at 434 Tattoo in Verbal Jiu-Jitsu when a homeless man asked if Andy could see him…

Oh the crazies!

In Other News…

Marko’s finishing up the tag he has been working on for a new Food Truck coming to a street corner or two near you! Stay tuned and we’ll be sure to let you know when this ‘Food Joint’ is up and running. But you’ll probably see it based on the awesome designs by Marko.

Tattoo Adam is back, live, and direct busting out the finest in custom tattoos and busy since his trip to the Philippines. A cool sidenote, Horioshi III, legendary Japanese tattooist, who Adam’s back piece is by, is featured in the newest issue of Hawaii’s 808 Ink Magazine on stands in Barnes and Nobles for sure and some other fine establishments selling such publications. Go out and learn about the Legend!

With that, keep on, keepin’ on and stay tuned for the best in Hawaii Tattoo Deals and Discounts.

Old Tattoos, New Tattoos, First Tattoos, Your Tattoos

This gentlemen pictured with Tattoo Adam in our Waikiki Tattoo Shop, 434 Tattoo, has an interesting story behind his Journey into Tattoos…

In Hawaii, from “all over” the World and currently the US, the man is a bit of mystery to say the least. This writer met him as Jordan, then learned his name was not Jordan, but actually Julio, THEN found out that his name was actually Andre…

His friends didn’t even know his name!

Jordan/Julio/Andre first stepped foot on the hallowed ground of our Hawaii Tattoo studio in February of 2012. In the four months since, he has logged nearly 20 (at this writing probably well over) sessions in that short period of time. The most curious part of this story is that the man of many names, with now many different custom tattoos, got his first tattoo with us… at the age of 54.

Mysterious, random stories aside, the moral of this story: it is never too late to get your first tattoo! We recently had another gentlemen come in to get his first professional work done ever since the homemade pieces he had put on from his friends in a garage back in high school. And he was 65! It made his son laugh because he grew hearing don’t ever get a tattoo because his father didn’t like his homemade work.

Whatever your story, your meaning, your timing, you are more than welcome with the good guys here at 434! Come down for your free consultation. We are open 7 days a week from 10a – 10p and hope to see ya soon!

Those Water Color Memories

Crazy time of year, sometimes a recap is necessary because so much happens in a short time! For example, The President was here during APEC and our President went to the Philippines. Seems like just yesterday APEC was being announced and Adam shared he was leaving.

Take the shot above, which showcases Tattoo Adam’s work on a client. It was taken a year ago for a Hawaii Tattoo Magazine 808 Ink which we await to see more issues of, particularly with the Tattoo Convention coming soon…

to Honolulu near you… (Note:use your movie theater trailer voice for extra effects)

Another memory is the fact, not fiction, you best believe our conviction at being the best, is legit because we won another award as Honolulu’s Best Custom Tattooing Studio !

All we can say is that our Honolulu Tattoo Shop works hard all year and has been running full steam ahead, guns blazing, engines roaring with the intensity that is the Summer Tattoo season! Many tourists looking for tattoos in Hawaii come back each year to 434 Tattoo to add to their growing collections and enjoy some time in Paradise, of which we are happy to help with and grateful to have such a high volume of people coming in for tattoos in Waikiki!

Speaking of which, looks like it is time for another one! Until the next episode…

434 Tattoo in the News

Image is from Honolulu Street Pulse and Photographer Tony Grillo

Waikiki Tattoo shop, 434 Tattoo, is no newcomer to the news.  Our multiple award winning Honolulu  custom tattoo studio just got another shout as one of our Ohana and Hawaii Tattoo Artist Marko Livingston was recently featured featured in Honolulu Street Pulse’s Tats and Tanlines on May 25, 2012!

Marko sports ink from artists around the world and you can catch this great shot as well as some other shots here.

Fact:  Marko’s Uncle is a well-known photographer, Tony Grillo, and “Uncle Tony” shot these and has some other great shots featuring 434 as a backdrop.

And in case you didn’t hear it…

Tattoo Adam is back in the building.  Adam hit the ground, tattoo machine in hand, and has been busy inking friends, newcomers, and more!

“My first tattoo back was a custom koi half-sleeve and I took it as a good sign to be back in the Flow!” He commented when asked how it felt to be back on the grind!

Congrats Marko and welcome back to the Boss.  Have a good one from your Homies who bring the real pain!