Stacie Michelle

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Tattooed Wrestlers: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The amount of tattooed wrestlers have grown significantly in the past 15 years, on par with society.

While wrestlers are real-life superheroes, throwing themselves around the ring, they’re not immune from bad tattoos. For some, money and fame can’t buy sense.

To the wrestling fans out there, learn from the mistakes of these wrestlers. Hopefully wrestlers, too, will learn to forgo following the trends and get their tattoos from reputable artists. But, for now, let’s just point and laugh at their misfortune.

I’m sure everyone remembers how trendy the thick black lines of tribal tattoos was back 7-10 years ago. I’m sure this is a fad many wrestlers would rather soon forget.

Some of the wrestlers who fell victim to the tribal tattoo trend include: Batista, Randy Orton, Wade Barrett, amongst many others.

Check out their awful tribal tattoos below






Randy Orton and Wade Barrett have since had extra work added to their tribal tattoos, but they're not fooling anyone. We all know the tribal is still there.


One wrestler, now actor, with decent tribal work is the The Rock. His tattoo is traditional Samoan style, which tell the story of his life through patterns and symbols. Being of Samoan heritage the tattoo holds great meaning unlike that of many others with tribal ink.



The Undertaker, in recent memory, was for many years the most heavily tattooed main event calibre wrestler. In the 90s tattoos were still seen as something criminals or thugs had, so it tied in well with his evil character. He had Sara (his former wife’s name) tattooed on his neck, only to have it removed a few years later when they divorced. A reminder to think long and hard about what you get tattooed on your skin.




I think the most tragic of them all are the leather-skinned (from years of tanning sun damage) male wrestlers who have decided to jump on the tattoo bandwagon. Hulk Hogan and Scott Steiner are prime examples of this; mid-life crisis, anyone?

Check out their tattoos:
Hulk Hogan
 


Scott Steiner
Their tattoos face irreparable damage if they continue their tanning regimes.

Edit: Fast forward to 2016 and it appears one bad tattoo just wasn't enough for Scott Steiner. Here's what he looks like now.






But the title of worst tattoos has to go to Angelina Love. I don’t know which artists tattooed her or how much she paid, but her ink is just plain bad. Bad placement, horrible shading, shaky line work; nothing good can be said about her tattoos. Take a look:





My favourite tattooed wrestler? Hands down, CM Punk



He has full sleeves and a chest piece, a mixture of traditional work (my favourite style), skulls and several tattoos that only he and his friends/family know the true meaning behind. The quality of his tattoos far exceeds that of any wrestler. It pays to have friends who are such talented tattoo artists


And remember “Good ink ain’t cheap and cheap ink ain’t good.”

Monday, December 7, 2015

Gift Ideas For Tattooed Book Worms

What do you get the tattooed book worms in your life when the holidays roll around? Books about tattoos, of course. Here are a few suggestions to help make your Christmas shopping a little less stressful. 


 Inked - Carey Hart

MY REVIEW HERE


Tattoo Super Models - Christian Saint


High Voltage Tattoo - Kat Von D



The Tattoo Chronicles - Kat Von D



Go Big or Go Home: Taking Risks in Life, Love and Tattooing - Kat Von D



Wabori: Traditional Japanese Tattoo - Manami Okazaki 


The Mammoth Book of Tattoos - Lal Hardy



The World Atlas of Tattoo - Anna Felicity Friedman 



Juxtapoz Tattoo




Black & Grey Tattoo: 3 Volume Book Set - Marisa Kakoulas

MY REVIEW HERE


Adult colouring books are quite popular, and there are even tattoo related ones available.


The Tattoo Colouring Book - Megamunden


The Tattoo Colouring Book - Beverley Lawson


All of the books mentioned are available online from Book Depository (I don't receive commission from any sales) which offers free worldwide shipping, but they may be available elsewhere, like Amazon or other book stores.

But, if you do order from Book Depository, check out their Christmas FAQ page to ensure you place your order for guaranteed pre-Christmas delivery. 




One last gift idea is a 12 month subscription to Inked Australia/NZ magazine (available in Australia only).  Each month your loved one will receive a new Inked magazine, with the subscription including 8 issues of Inked Australia/NZ magazine, 4 issues of Inked Girls, and 2 issues of Inked Artists.