Under the needle
Tattooing increasing in popularity despite pain, former negative
image
By Susan Lee
Daily Bruin Contributor
Howie Umemoto’s anthropology class got under his skin, but not
in the conventional sense.
His assignment required him to explore a new experience, so
Umemoto, his partner and two friends trekked down Sunset Strip to
Tattoo Mania.
Umemoto had a Japanese character, about three inches by three
inches, etched into his right shoulder blade.
"It wasn’t just because of the project that I got a tattoo,"
said Umemoto, a first-year biochemistry student. "I’ve … wanted a
tattoo for three years, and it was just something I felt I could do
in college. It was a really good experience."
In recent years, tattoos have become less taboo as more and more
students have gone under the needle.
"It’s neat because people enter a clean canvas of flesh but exit
a walking piece of living art," said Marie Le, 26, while waiting to
get her second tattoo in Venice.
Le, who was in Los Angeles for a convention, said she just "felt
like adding more to my ankle."
In the past, the stereotype that only burly bikers who ride
Harley Davidsons get tattoos often attached a negative stigma to
this form of bodily art.
But Sunset Strip Tattoo manager Mike Benedetti felt that because
more highly visible people, such as movie stars and singers, have
gotten tattoos in recent years, it has helped change the belief
that tattoos are something to be shunned.
"You’ll find ignorance like that on almost every issue. Everyone
has their own opinions," Benedetti said. "This guy said to me ‘what
ugly legs’ (where some of his tattoos are located) and then I
walked down a block and this other person praised me on what great
tattoos I had."
Loretta Smith, who also has a tattoo, felt that older people
often make snap judgements when the see a tattoo.
"We’re not punks just because we get a tattoo," Smith said.
Upon entering any tattoo shop, walls covered in hundreds of
black-ink and colored designs tempt onlookers.
Even on a Sunday near 11 p.m., Tattoo Mania was still lit, and
small groups of people were clustered around at the drawings.
Meanwhile, inside Sunset Strip Tattoo, artist Chester wiped off
a customer’s shoulder blade and nonchalantly scanned it. Like many
other tattoo artists, he picked up his "tattoo machine," smiled and
began his newest work of art without a hint of hesitation.
Those who decide to take the plunge are first seated in what
looks like a dentist’s chair. They are then greeted with the tattoo
machine, which looks like a cross between a metal pen and a
needle.
"The hardest part about being a tattoo artist is calming a
person down enough to get through the tattoo," said Lisa Bernabe,
who has been a tattoo artist for seven years. "It’s hard to ‘hurt’
someone who’s a nice person, even for a little bit."
Benedetti described it as similar to a sewing needle. The actual
needle is one-sixty-fourth inches in diameter, about the width of a
business card, and enters the skin just enough to puncture the
surface – like the scratch of a cat, Chester explained. As the
needle penetrates the skin, colored ink pigment then falls into the
scratch.
Despite the fact that most pigments are hypoallergenic and have
been around for the past 25 years, they are not approved by the
Food and Drug Administration.
Most who have undergone the process said getting a tattoo is not
for the squeamish, since some degree of pain is always involved.
Also, most tattoo recipients don’t expect another consequence of
the tattooing process – bleeding.
Tattoo artists claimed that the level of pain is different for
each person, making it impossible to predict just how much it will
hurt.
"All I can say is that initially, it’s a deep stinging pain,"
Umemoto said. He was relieved when the tattoo was finished half an
hour later. Or as Umemoto summed it up, "it was good pain."
Others who have tattoos claimed that although it was initially
painful, after a few minutes they were able to get used to it.
"Even though it hurts at first, like the outline part, it
doesn’t after the first couple of minutes," said first-year student
Eric Matthews, but he added that he could "feel the needle going in
and out, kind of like an old handshaker buzzer."
Patience is another facet of the tattooing process. Although
most small colored tattoos take less than half an hour, Matthews
said his tattoo, a $200 six-inch Mickey Mouse on his left shoulder
blade, took the tattoo artist about an hour to complete.
And then there are those who are willing to withstand pain for
hours at a time. After four hours of lying prone on his stomach,
Detroit Lions wide receiver Johnnie Morton was only halfway through
getting his giant sun colored in.
"It is kind of enlightening, because you feel like you can
accomplish more after going through something tough like this,"
Morton said."Plus then (women) know you’ve been through some type
of pain and you can take it."
Because there is no certification required to be a tattoo
artist, most learn by apprenticeships in tattoo parlors.
Although he is now a tattoo artist, Chester first got a tattoo
because his wife wanted one for herself. Since that first tattoo,
he has added so many that he can not count how many tattoos cover
his body.
In fact, Chester became so interested in tattoos that he asked
if he could learn how to become a tattoo artist since "it looked
like there could be good money made in the business."
Seven years later, Chester said he has tattooed other people in
almost every place imaginable, although he advises against getting
tattoos on hands and feet because they generally don’t last.
"Tattoos are addicting," said Skeeter Grey of Palm Springs, who
has two tattoos on her arms. "You’ll keep coming back for
more."
Popular spots to tattoo include shoulders or biceps for men,
while women usually prefer to tattoo their ankles, shoulder blades,
butt or chest area, Chester said.
However, there are also those who choose to tattoo random spots.
At Sunset Strip Tattoo, Palm Springs resident Bob Weaver sat
quietly as a massive tattoo spanning his entire back was filled
with color.
In addition to this most recent body marking, Weaver also has
"HD" for Harley Davidson carved into his two top teeth and "Bad
Boy" tattooed across the inside of his lower lip, as well as
colorful tattoos canvassing both arms.
As the tattoo artist, James, wiped off the blood, Weaver looked
unfazed.
"I got my first tattoo in 1960," Weaver said, "An $8 wonder for
the Marine Corps."
Although the most popular tattoos in recent years have been suns
and roses, women often prefer floral designs and smaller tattoos,
while guys tend to like dragons and skulls in general, Chester
said.
People often opt for tattoos that hold special meaning for them.
Umemoto said his tattoo, which means healthy, strong and brave,
reminds him of his heritage and gives him Japanese pride.
"The idea of putting something related to heritage on my body
which symbolizes who I am and adds to my persona was appealing.
When I look at it, I feel proud," Umemoto said.
For Morton, the black panther sprawled across his shoulder is
meaningful because it is "real powerful, mysterious, strong and
sleek."
However, cost plays a large factor in deciding to receive a
tattoo. A small color rose design may cost as little as $50 while a
written name in black pigment might cost $25, depending on the
size. Chester advised never to get a name because the only way to
cover a name is to tattoo a bigger area than the existing one in
black.
"Seriously, I cover up more than I put on. Love makes people
stupid … while a name is cheap, it’s also expensive to cover up,"
Chester said. "Love isn’t always forever but a tattoo is."
While Matthews’ mom was "pretty cool and didn’t have a problem"
with his tattoo, Umemoto has yet to tell his parents.
"I plan to tell my parents, but it’s not good. It wasn’t a spur
of the moment decision because I had planned to do it, but it
probably won’t go over good with them," Umemoto said.
Before getting a tattoo, students should check for a clean and
friendly environment, and good artwork and pictures of work posted
for customers to see, Chester said.
Cindy Pudlicki, a nurse in the office of dermatologist Richard
Kaplan, also said it is important to make sure that the needles are
clean. Otherwise, the tattooee runs the risk of receiving an
infection from the needle – in addition to the risk of contracting
HIV or hepatitis.
Those who wish to get a tattoo also must be over 18. However,
only a dermatologist should remove a tattoo by laser surgery, a
medical procedure which can be costly.
"No matter what kind of tattoo or how big the tattoo, there will
always be a scar," Pudlicki said. "The hardest ones to remove are
colorful tattoos, depending on the pigment of the patient’s
skin."
Pudlicki said that as with all surgery, removing a tattoo has
minimal risk, adding that most people who come in are people who
have either outgrown their tattoo or want it removed for cosmetic
reasons.
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
Bob Weaver gets his entire back tattooed by Greg James. Weaver
makes an eight-hour trip from Palm Spring to have his tattoos done
by his favorite tattoo artist.
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
Lisa Bernabe, a tattoo artist for seven years, tattoos a sun on
Detroit NFL wide receiver Johnnie Morton.
PATRICK LAM/Daily Bruin
Grabbing a friend’s hand as tatoo artist Mike Benedetti tattoos
a dolphin is one way of dealing with pain.
Comments to webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu