Custom Tattoos For Everyone

Tattoos are everywhere!

David Beckham, Sprint’s new spokesperson

From retired international soccer star David Beckham’s campaign with Sprint to new stories of tattooed celebrities popping up[ every day (seriously, a Google search of Tattoo News and you’ll see mention of Kendall Jenner, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, & Shia LeBouf all sporting new ink this week (8/10-14/2015), tattoos are going mainstream like wildfire!

Open up Instagram and there are constantly photos trending of tattoo conventions, custom tattoo work, tattoo flash sheets & art, as well as new, fresh tattoos all over the feed. Is this a new age of tattoo acceptance?  Or like everything else, is this just a trend where this is what’s popular?

It’s probably a little bit of both. Hopefully, acceptance and tolerance prevails during the next wave for getting inked isn’t so popular.

AND no matter the case, we always practice great tattooing and tolerance of people from all across the board at our Waikiki tattoo studio.  We’re open 7 days a week, rain or shine, though it’s mostly shine in Hawaii, especially this hot ass Summer!  Our team has a diverse background and is led by Tattoo Adam, who has tattooed for over 20 years.

Tattoo Adam, always honing the craft, shares some study sketches that he carves time to continue his growth

Adam’s worked with some of the best of the years and has helped to grow many aspiring tattoo artists in the time as well.  His clientele ranges from everyday folk to ones sharing headlines with the folks mentioned above.

Whoever you are, we just want you to have an awesome custom tattooing experience at our tattoo shop in Waikiki!

We are 434 Tattoo! Let’s ink ya!

Tattoos and Social Change

In a recent blog, we introduced you, awesome Readers(!!!), to Prince Vallar, who tattooed the wealthy and upper class in Scotland.  Tattoos and the different places they have occupied amidst popular opinion are about as fluctuating as the tide!

It was reported in a recent article found online that the attitudes about tattoos are changing, at least among the people in Afghanistan.  One of the residual effects of the war there this past decade had was an influx of Western culture.

Whether that’s bad or good is relative to what your own values are, but it’s cool to hear that more people are getting tattoos in Afghanistan these days.  Though tattoo parlors are still illegal in Afghanistan (it can get you arrested and imprisoned!), many people get them anyway and can be seen sporting them in public, which years ago, wouldn’t have happened, and if it did, you can bet there would have been a punishment to fit the crime!

It’s positive to see that the trade we ply is getting more acceptance in pockets around the world! Hopefully, some day tattoo shops will be legalized because there can be some great health risks that come with untrained homemade tattoos.

We are equally hopeful that one of these days, people will not be so judgmental of body modification but that remains to be seen…

At our tattoo studio in Waikiki, 434 Tattoo, it’s all legal, and all good.  Our team of talented tattoo artists are licensed by the Hawaii State Department of Health and are current with safe standards from back in the day to new advances along the way.  Come on down to 434 Ena Road for a consultation and we’ll be happy to ink you without you feeling like you have to keep it on the down low

Aloha!

434 Tattoo
Custom Tattooing LLC.

Directions:
434 Ena Road
Honolulu, Hawaii
96815

Contact:
mailto: adamsiehr@gmail.com
1-808-391-8287

What is the Most Painful Tattoo?

“When people asks if it hurts, I tell them that it doesn’t hurt me.” ~ Tattoo Adam jokes

For a variety of reason, people often ask the question:

What is the most painful place to get a tattoo?

Answers to this question will vary per person because each person is unique and have a differing threshold for pain in the body.  Despite that, there are a few areas that you can bet will be painful…

Anywhere that hits the bone

Tattoos that hit the bone can be painful because there isn’t much ‘meat’ or skin to pad the impact of the needles from the tattoo machine.  It’s pretty much just a bunch of nerve endings bundled up without much around it to absorb the impact and feeling of the machine as it does its job.  So when people say that it really hurt on the extremities like a foot tattoo or tattoos on fingers, now you know they aren’t kidding!

Inner areas

Inner Thigh Tattoos or Inner Arm tattoos tend to be a bit painful and we can’t really tell you why.  A best guesstimate is that these are naturally the more sensitive and less exposed areas of the body and as a result, receive less touch period, so any touch, in particular, that of the needle can be pretty intense for the recipient.

Back up

There are differing views on what part of the back hurts the most as some people can’t take the spine, others the kidneys, others yet the shoulder area.  This seems to be one of those that just depends on the person.  One thing is certain, most people can agree that the bottom of the back canvas aka butt tattoos tend to hurt alot even though there is alot of padding there.

How about a rib or two?

Ribcage tattoos suck.  Enough written.

The skull

And we aren’t talking about Skull tattoos (though those are cool!), we are talking about getting a tattoo on your skull, so either shaving that head or getting one over your bald areas.  These are known to hurt.  Karl ‘Doubledown’ Juthans, who apprenticed under Tattoo Adam and is one of our Waikiki Tattoo Shop Ohana, can attest to that!  See below:

Face tattoos:

Did you say the face?  Yes.  Facial Tattoos are quite a common Polynesian Tattoo Style and many have shared that this hurts quite a bit.  Read more about tattooing the face here.  If it means something to you great, if not, think about it!

Getting Personal:

Getting personalized tattoos of your Lover’s name can be painful later on and cause a cover-up later perhaps.  Getting tattooed in personal, private areas can be even more painful if you catch our drift…

Whatever it is, whether your face, your bottom, your private areas, getting a tattoo hurts in places that don’t hurt as much as those sensitive spots of the body, so just be advised.  It is a beautiful experience but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its moments…  But fear not as we will be sure to give you the best in service and take the best care of you at our Waikiki Tattoo shop, 434 Tattoo.

Adam Siehr, President and Proud Owner
434 Tattoo
Custom Tattooing LLC.

Directions:
434 Ena Road
Honolulu, Hawaii
96815

Contact:
mailto: adamsiehr@gmail.com
1-808-391-8287

Tattoo the World Wednesday

First out we’d like to shout out to all of our friends and clients who walk into 434 Tattoo our Waikiki tattoo shop from around the World!

Mahalo (Thank You) as we say here in Hawaii!

From all the Australians in Hawaii to  those in Americans in the Armed Services to the Japanese tourists to everyone, and everyone else from Canada to Timbuktu to Argentina and more, all of you are awesome and we are happy to be here as a custom tattoo shop in Hawaii to serve you and all your tattoo needs, from the free consultation to putting on the ink, to sending you home with tattoo after-care.  Whatever your need, we got you covered (in ink)!

You are very welcome to bring the whole family in for a family tattoo session and more!  In fact it is very common for family members to get tattoos together, not just biological families, even work families, as this year we’ve been fortunate to have a crew working here at Pearl Harbor frequent the hallowed halls of our Waikiki tattoo studio.  Big shout out to Julio/Andre/Jordan/whatever it is that they’re calling you Buddy!

What can we say but that we’re family-oriented.  From Tattoo Adam and Arlita Siehr to their son, Andrew Siehr (the Future Tattoo Andrew), family is a value for us and Hawaii, where as you may have learned in Lilo and Stitch, Ohana means family and that means no one gets left behind!  We may even have done some Disney tattoos along the way too…

As we noted, your consultation is free, so please feel free to schedule a time to sit down and talk with us about your idea!  Walk-ins are also always welcome and we’ll do the best to accommodate any and all who come through our doors because we’re all family on this planet at least, and definitely when the aliens show up will we feel even more like family!

See you at 434 Ena Road.

434 Tattoo
Custom Tattooing LLC.

Directions:
434 Ena Road
Honolulu, Hawaii
96815

Contact:
mailto: adamsiehr@gmail.com
1-808-391-8287

Where to get a Tattoo in Hawaii… 434 Tattoo

Go where the Champ goes…

To the Owner of our Waikiki Tattoo Parlor, Tattoo Adam and the 434 Tattoo Shop at 434 Ena Road in Hawaii.

Open 7 days a week, 10a – 10p, our talented Hawaii tattooists know just how to take care of you and get you taken care of in a safe, efficient manner!

Adam himself has just over two decades of experience in the custom tattoo game and our Tattoo Studio in Waikiki has multiple Best Studio Awards over the past few years.

You better believe: The Champ is Here!

See you at 434 Tattoo!

Tattooed in Hawaii Q & A: How Safe are the Inks?

There is a question that comes up from time to time and it is logical why people would ask it:

How safe are the inks?

For newcomers getting tattooed in Hawaii (or wherever for that matter), safety is a very reasonable concern.  Our Honolulu Tattoo Artists undergo extensive training, testing, are both certified and licensed by the State of Hawaii Department of Health, and are more than willing to answer any questions about safety or any questions about your new tattoo for that matter.

Which brings us back to the issue of how safe is tattoo ink?

Today, tattoo ink is very safe because there are expiration dates, all ingredients are listed on the newer inks, and companies keep track of each batch.  For example,Eternal Tattoo Supply, is sure to have a lot number in addition to the previously mentioned items that are listed.  All ingredients in the ink are required to be approved by the Health Administration and meet safety standards in accordance with various laws.

This wasnʻt always the case though, as ink formerly had Mercury in it.  In time, people had reactions to the Mercury and things have since changed.

One other thing that has changed relating to ink: in the past, Custom Tattoo Artists could by bags of powder and mix their own inks.  If you mixed your ink properly, it could last you a lifetime!  Supply companies wised up along the way and realized they could make more money by selling only the ink it would seem.

Thank you for your questions and concerns about tattooing and safety.  Be sure to visit us online and in the shop for any other concerns and to learn more about the custom tattoo process!  Our tattoo studio in Waikiki is located at 434 Ena Road and we are open 7 days a week from 10a to 10p by appointment but walk-ins are always welcome!

Adam Siehr, President and Proud Owner
434 Tattoo
Custom Tattooing LLC.

Directions:
434 Ena Road
Honolulu, Hawaii
96815

Contact:
mailto:adamsiehr@gmail.com
1-808-391-8287

Tattoos in Hawaii: Free Touch Ups For Life

One of Tattoo Adam‘s first customers in Hawaii, back when he helped build the walls at another Waikiki Tattoo studio Tattoolicious, stopped in recently to get a little touch up work done. The image below is a before shot of a tiki tattoo of Ku.

This tattoo was done about 12 years ago, with the sun being the greatest enemy of a tattoo, and the weather as beautiful as it is in Hawaii, it is easy to understand how this may have faded. But fear not, it is not guaranteed that your new ink, that you sat however long for, will fade, so long as you keep it covered and use sunscreen while out in the sun. Here is one look after the touchups:

“The higher the SPF the better (to protect your new tattoo).” According to Adam, when it comes to taking care of a tattoo. When you get tattooed in Honolulu with any of our Hawaii Tattoo artists at 434 Tattoo, consultations are free and touchups are also free for life. This customer liked the touchups so much he even decided to pay extra to get some color to go with it! Here is one more shot of after Tattoo Adam did what he does best:

We are open 7 days a week from 10a to 10p and our award winning staff is here to give you the best in service in the island!

Tattoos in Hawaii: 434 Tattoo Updates

For those of you looking for a tattoo in Waikiki, look no further!  We are 434 Tattoo and our Honolulu Tattoo studio has all that you need to get tattooed in Hawaii.

We have four talented Hawaii tattooists, led by Tattoo Adam, Owner of our fine establishment, and who has two decades of experience.  We are in the process of adding a back portion and expansion of our studio to better accommodate and service our clientele, which has ranged from tattooed celebrities like T-Pain, tattooed by Marko Livingston, and Mike Tyson, inked by Adam, himself, to the everyday celebrities like you, who we love the most for keeping us going strong and making us the number one custom tattooing studio in Honolulu three years and counting!

Be sure to check us out at our official 434 Tattoo Website, where you can learn more about each of our team, as well as purchase official merchandise and get a Gift Certificate where you can get discounts on tattoos in Hawaii.  We offer the best in Honolulu Tattoo deals, so stay tuned!

Also be sure to Like us on Facebook here and there as well as follow our family on Instagr.am:

@tattooadam, @markotattoos, @doubledownhawaii, @jmaw808

For pics from our Waikiki tattoo shop, custom tattoos, and more!

With that, itʻs back to the beat and buzz of the Tattoo Machine, until next time…

 

Adam Siehr, President and Proud Owner
434 Tattoo
Custom Tattooing LLC.

Directions:
434 Ena Road
Honolulu, Hawaii
96815

Contact:
mailto:adamsiehr@gmail.com
1-808-391-8287

434 Tattoo on Location: Hawaii Tattoo Convention

The First Tattoo Convention in Hawaii took place last weekend and local, mainland, as well as international tattooists and tattoo enthusiasts gathered to partake in the festivities. From live tattoo booths to tattoo contests, clothing to cars, even seminars were popping off, this event had a little bit of everything.

Held in Hawaii’s Blaisdell Arena, the 434 Tattoo Ohana, went down to see what the hype was all about. We tried to head down at 600p HST but we kept having people walk in who were looking to get tattooed in Waikiki. At about 930p, we closed shop and made our way down.

From this Editor’s perspective, the venue was huge and laid out very well. Having attended numerous events from car shows, Old Super Brawl fight cards even WWE wrestling back when it still was the WWF, the organizer’s of the event did a pretty good job of for lack of a better word organizing it.

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One of the coolest things to see was live traditional Polynesian tattooing session (pictured below). Hawaii is in Polynesia and tattooing has been a large part of the Hawaiian culture ever since, ever since as Fokai likes to say.

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An LA tattoo artist, who is well-reviewed and getting a lot of online buzz, ‘Norm Will Rise’, was in the house as well demonstrating his unique brand of lettering and style. If you look for his Instagr.am you may or may not even find a couple graffiti tagsthat he did while out here.

You don’t have to go to LA though for your ink, just stay on the island and look to get tattooed in Honolulu. Our multi-time award winning studio, 434 Tattoo, led by Tattoo Adam have got you all covered…

With ink!