The Tattoo Wars: Miami Ink Vs. La Ink

Kat von D and Ami James never really saw eye to eye in that inking reality TV series Miami Ink. So, it was hardly surprising to audiences when Kat packed up her bags, left Ami’s shop, and moved back to Los Angeles. It was not surprising either when Kat was offered to have her own spinoff of this reality TV show when she opened her own tattoo shop on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. That reality TV spinoff is none other than LA Ink.

Similarities between the Two Reality TV Shows

Is LA Ink just a carbon copy of Miami Ink? Do they have the same kind of business going on, just in different locations? LA Ink, being a spinoff of Miami Ink, does have similarities with its parent reality TV program in that it aims to demystify the idea of getting a tattoo and disproving whatever myths and misconceptions the public may have over tattoos. Just like with Miami Ink, viewers of LA Ink get to see Kat and her crew in action, taking in clients, discussing with them the tattoo designs they want and offering suggestions whenever improvements to the original design are needed, and then getting the actual tattoos done on their clients.

Where the Similarities End

But format is where the similarity ends. Many fans of both reality TV shows were quick to note that LA Ink has more to it than what Miami Ink had. For one, the location of Kat’s shop is close to Hollywood, and so it attracts more recognizable celebrity clientele. Of course Miami Ink had its own celebrity clients, but the LA Ink crew’s clients had more star power, simply because they come from Hollywood. Notable guest appearances in LA Ink included Tom Green, Ja Rule, Eve and Jared Leto.

Another notable difference between Miami Ink and LA Ink is Kat von D’s unique touch in tattooing. Perhaps now that Kat no longer had to deal with Ami’s constant scrutiny back when she was still with Miami Ink, she was able to shine on her own. It became more and more obvious to fans of both reality TV shows that the tattoo designs Kat and her crew worked on were more stellar in quality and aesthetics than those made by Ami and his group.

It has been proven that LA Ink is a lot better than Miami Ink anyway. The ratings of LA Ink on its first season premier were the highest that the TLC channel got in all its history for a reality TV series. Also, on December of 2007, LA Ink was pitted against Miami Ink and the other spinoff London Ink as to which show is popular, has the best employees and has the best artwork. Which emerged as the winner? It was none other than LA Ink.

Kat von D made an absolutely right decision to leave the guys at Miami Ink. LA Ink is really a stellar deal.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/the-tattoo-wars-miami-ink-vs-la-ink-363982.html

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Tattoo Art For The DIY Crowd

With popular culture's recent interest in tattoo arts, it's no surprise that the web has been inundated with various tattoo related sites. Perform a search in Google, and you'll be amazed by variety of results. Some sites function as an introduction to a tattoo artist or studio, while there are some that gleam the web for pictures and stories surrounding tattoo culture. Other sites are merely portals hoping to make a quick buck off tattoo flash. However in my search, I happened to stumble across a tattoo blog that dares to offer the chronicle of two brothers learning to tattoo themselves. This should be good.

"Ink Trails" is a journal of two brothers, Jason and David who set out to learn how to tattoo while documenting the entire process. The blog starts out with the simple premise that one need not have a desire to tattoo professionally to work within the medium. According to comments posted on the site, a traditional tattoo apprenticeship can be very difficult to find, and can require the student to spend years working as a lackey before ever laying the needle to skin. Tattoo artists tend to be very territorial, as teaching an eager student their hard earned skills can create instant competition and are a liability to their main source of income. There is also those that see tattooing as a trade and therefore expect those interested in learning to be wholly committed to learning the craft as tradition has prescribed. If TLC's Miami Ink is any indication, the job of an apprentice can consist of little more than moping floors and answering phones for years before they are entrusted with the knowledge of the trade.

While the first few posts on the site document the trials of finding out what supplies they will need and how to operate the equipment, it's the posts of their work that provide the most interesting reads. Filled with stories, pictures, and even video clips of each tattoo, Jason (the main author) documents the mistakes made and lessons learned with earnest voice and a remarkable clarity. One of their first tattoos on a friend even shows a video clip of the exact moment when David fudges a line! While I'm glad it wasn't me, it's this kind of unflinching honesty that makes the site stand out from so many other sites trying to capitalize on the upsurge in popularity.

Surprisingly, in a little over three months, the work featured on the site has improved dramatically. Many of the new completed pieces actually have a rough, yet stylized traditional quality to them. Of the most recent, David finished a sailor tattoo based on a traditional flash design that looks authentic. They seem to be getting increasingly more comfortable with the tools and their work speaks to this fact.

While the brothers caution that they are not in the business of teaching anyone the right way to tattoo, they sure offer enough information to get the newcomer started. For any body interested in learning to tattoo, or just understanding more about what goes into the tattooing process, this site is an invaluable resource. Keep up the good work, fellas! I'll definitely be a regular reader.

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