he word TATTOO MASTER's is more than fitting in the case of legendary tattooers, artists and historians Horiyoshi III & Ed Hardy. Without them japanese tattooing might be only curious footnote in art books in the western society. There shouldnt be a tattoo artist or collector out there who doesnt acknowledge the impact they have had. They are like a doppelganger. A mirror of the same person. Almoust a failry tail told to children after tattoo convetions. They ARE modern tattooing and tattooing in general.
Dave Fox www.evilballs.com
Dave has revolutionized japanese tattooing in my humble opinnion. Its unbelievably hard to take something that has existed for hundreds of years and give it a new life, while still honoring the past. I mean, just think about it. The style of japanese tattooing has stayed pretty much unchanged for generations and generations. So to someone to change the formula, they have to be one Crazy. Talented. Mother. Fucker. Like Shaft on crack.
He takes history and rewrites it and while he does it, he actually creates a NEW chapter on its rich history. And most importanly he makes it accessible for the younger generations who have been raised in the world of punk rock, comic book's and sarcastically fucked up humour. He creates something completely new but still without a doupt you can recognize the picture. How many artists do that, regardless of genre?
Filip Leu
Grown men have been known to whimper when they have heard that they cant get tattooed by Filip. And that is no suprise. Propably one of THE MOST INFLUENTAL tattoo artists ever. He is astonishingly fast. I have seen a full backpiece done by him that took only 14hours and I just gasp and shake my head when ever I see it (the picture number 3). He is proapbly one of the most imitated tattoo artists, when it comes to style, in the world. He is the forefather of the new breed of tattoo artists and still continues to be one of the most innovative ones after tattooing for almoust 30years. If tattoo artists have someone they want to get tattooed by, Filip is in the top of that list. He also is a spectacular fine artists and one of THE artists to show how tattooing is a art form.
Kore Flatmo www.plurabella.com
Sometimes, less is more. I think to appreciate Kore's work you have to let go all your prejudices. When I first saw his tattoos I didn't know what to expect. I just stumbled on to his site and I was in shock. I felt the same when you see a really beautiful woman and you just cant compehend it. First you feel astonished that something like that exists. Then you feel almoust anger when you cant have it, touch it, feel it. And then you are just left in a state of confusion mixed with child like wonder and exitment. Its like you would be born again when you see his work. When he mixes B&G with color, it looks and feel's like they would be there own beings. Like they wouldnt be colors at all. It seems just so fucking amazing that it hurts.
Dana Helmuth www.solidstatetattoo.com
Dana is perhaps the most femine styled artist in this list. His tattoos are almoust cool in a way, peppy and delicately shy. Color cyan seems to make a apperance many times and it gives his tattoos a certain vibe. They are almoust erotic in a way. Also a certain papery quality makes them recognizable and completely Dan. Also you can sense deep respect for japanese culture in them. They are very silent and calm. Beautiful. Caring. Poetic. And really dynamic. I feel at peace when im looking at them.
Shige www.yellowblaze.net
The modern tattoo master who has brought tattooing as a art form even higher. In the modern world where people need more and more to be astonished, Shige does that. He makes the body sing and dance. His tattoos look like paintings. He does it so well that it would suprise me greatly if people in the fine art world wont also be floored by the beauty, flow and complexity of the designs. When tattooing needs to be recognized as a fine art, having artists like Shige is more than neccecary. And if it is possible to do so, he has mabe japanese art even more beautiful. Now, it's almoust realistic.
Grime www.grimemonster.com
One of few new artist who also has created a style of his own. If Daves's tattoos are more Rat Fink inspired, then Grime is like a mix of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman and schizofrenic graffiti villain, El Grimo! He was one of the few who brought graffiti in tattooing and actually did it well. Besides the explosivness you can feel danger in his tattoos. The whole aura around him is like he would be one of the ghosts from Yoshitoshi old tales. Maybe he is, because he does respect and love japanese tattooing like his life depended on it. But still he has pushed the art of tattooing and continues to do so. Im positive that from 100years from now people will tell tails of the mighty Grime who thought he would change tattooing, but found out that tattooing infact changed him.
The horror... the horror
Sabado www.lovesabado.com
Japanese peoples and there ultra america influenced culture is evident in the work of Sabado. But he still keep the childish, grinning and little pervert feel of japanese anime and kabuki in his work, thus making it unique and powerfull. If american artist try to do japanese tattoos then it was only a matter of time when japanese try to do american tattoos. And luckily Sabado has chosen to do so because his designs are wild, weird and totally, absolutely, no doupt, fully, 100% GAY.
Dave Fox www.evilballs.com
Dave has revolutionized japanese tattooing in my humble opinnion. Its unbelievably hard to take something that has existed for hundreds of years and give it a new life, while still honoring the past. I mean, just think about it. The style of japanese tattooing has stayed pretty much unchanged for generations and generations. So to someone to change the formula, they have to be one Crazy. Talented. Mother. Fucker. Like Shaft on crack.
He takes history and rewrites it and while he does it, he actually creates a NEW chapter on its rich history. And most importanly he makes it accessible for the younger generations who have been raised in the world of punk rock, comic book's and sarcastically fucked up humour. He creates something completely new but still without a doupt you can recognize the picture. How many artists do that, regardless of genre?
Filip Leu
Grown men have been known to whimper when they have heard that they cant get tattooed by Filip. And that is no suprise. Propably one of THE MOST INFLUENTAL tattoo artists ever. He is astonishingly fast. I have seen a full backpiece done by him that took only 14hours and I just gasp and shake my head when ever I see it (the picture number 3). He is proapbly one of the most imitated tattoo artists, when it comes to style, in the world. He is the forefather of the new breed of tattoo artists and still continues to be one of the most innovative ones after tattooing for almoust 30years. If tattoo artists have someone they want to get tattooed by, Filip is in the top of that list. He also is a spectacular fine artists and one of THE artists to show how tattooing is a art form.
Kore Flatmo www.plurabella.com
Sometimes, less is more. I think to appreciate Kore's work you have to let go all your prejudices. When I first saw his tattoos I didn't know what to expect. I just stumbled on to his site and I was in shock. I felt the same when you see a really beautiful woman and you just cant compehend it. First you feel astonished that something like that exists. Then you feel almoust anger when you cant have it, touch it, feel it. And then you are just left in a state of confusion mixed with child like wonder and exitment. Its like you would be born again when you see his work. When he mixes B&G with color, it looks and feel's like they would be there own beings. Like they wouldnt be colors at all. It seems just so fucking amazing that it hurts.
Dana Helmuth www.solidstatetattoo.com
Dana is perhaps the most femine styled artist in this list. His tattoos are almoust cool in a way, peppy and delicately shy. Color cyan seems to make a apperance many times and it gives his tattoos a certain vibe. They are almoust erotic in a way. Also a certain papery quality makes them recognizable and completely Dan. Also you can sense deep respect for japanese culture in them. They are very silent and calm. Beautiful. Caring. Poetic. And really dynamic. I feel at peace when im looking at them.
Shige www.yellowblaze.net
The modern tattoo master who has brought tattooing as a art form even higher. In the modern world where people need more and more to be astonished, Shige does that. He makes the body sing and dance. His tattoos look like paintings. He does it so well that it would suprise me greatly if people in the fine art world wont also be floored by the beauty, flow and complexity of the designs. When tattooing needs to be recognized as a fine art, having artists like Shige is more than neccecary. And if it is possible to do so, he has mabe japanese art even more beautiful. Now, it's almoust realistic.
Grime www.grimemonster.com
One of few new artist who also has created a style of his own. If Daves's tattoos are more Rat Fink inspired, then Grime is like a mix of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman and schizofrenic graffiti villain, El Grimo! He was one of the few who brought graffiti in tattooing and actually did it well. Besides the explosivness you can feel danger in his tattoos. The whole aura around him is like he would be one of the ghosts from Yoshitoshi old tales. Maybe he is, because he does respect and love japanese tattooing like his life depended on it. But still he has pushed the art of tattooing and continues to do so. Im positive that from 100years from now people will tell tails of the mighty Grime who thought he would change tattooing, but found out that tattooing infact changed him.
The horror... the horror
Sabado www.lovesabado.com
Japanese peoples and there ultra america influenced culture is evident in the work of Sabado. But he still keep the childish, grinning and little pervert feel of japanese anime and kabuki in his work, thus making it unique and powerfull. If american artist try to do japanese tattoos then it was only a matter of time when japanese try to do american tattoos. And luckily Sabado has chosen to do so because his designs are wild, weird and totally, absolutely, no doupt, fully, 100% GAY.
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