South Africa Tattooist Creates Stunning, Soulful Artworks
The decision to get a tattoo is a hard one - and finding a design you like enough to keep forever is even tougher.
But people are now flocking to a tattoo artist who inks from his imagination there and then - no sketchpad in sight.
The astonishing methods of aptly-named tattooist Jay Freestyle, who is based in Amsterdam, results in stunning, soulful artworks, which last forever on the skin.
His ethereal inkings appear meticulously planned but Jay's floating shadows, thick and thin lines, accurate proportions and expert colour blending are a product of improvisation.
The South African tattoo artist, 29, makes his designs up as he goes along while he is working on his clients.
Inspired by traditional painting techniques such as watercolour and liquid ink, he brings in modern and graphic elements.
His motto reads: 'Give me a piece of your skin and I'll give you a piece of my soul' which sums up his way of work.
People try to come to Jay with extremely detailed ideas, but after talking it through and hearing his extreme knowledge about aesthetics, placement, colouring, size and symbolism; almost all turn around and say: 'Go for it, I trust you blindly' - and he never disappoints.
He regularly tattoos first timers who feel no fear and fully trust in his respect and understanding of his clients' wishes.
Jay grew up in a conservative Chinese family in Johannesburg and emigrated to Amsterdam more than 10 years ago where he has been living and working ever since.
He's entirely self-taught and his techniques and style are unconventional.
The spontaneity of his tattoos is what makes every single one so unique. Breaking away from existing boundaries, the final artwork is always a great surprise to the client.
'Most describe my style as watercolor, and it definitely holds elements of such, but personally it is more,' says Jay.
'I prefer to combine various styles, such as geometrical shapes and pointillism, while at the same time mixing realism with abstract, but at the end it all depends on the client.'
Learning from past experiences, travelling worldwide, and fostering his skills as a painter, Jay constantly exposes himself to the influence from top artists from around the world.
Always eager to learn something new, he emerged as a broadly skilled tattooist. But Jay is now narrowing down his focus and developing a more graphical styleand feel to his work.
He's building on his trademark and talent of using simple imagery and bringing it to life through an avant-garde, abstract ink style.
'Not everyone wants my style,' he says
'Usually from the first couple of minutes of talking to someone, I can see if they want 'my style' or if they want me to do something realistic or traditional.
'Normally when I'm abroad people ask much more for my style; whereas here in the Netherlands most know me for a variety of styles I've developed and done over the past years; Japanese, Black and Grey, Realism, Neo-Traditional - you name it.'
Dare YOU get one of Jay's tattoos done without knowing how it would turn out?
Bored with body art? Tattooed TEETH allow people to display their devotion to a favorite football team or loved one on their crowns
Tooth tattoos are an emerging trend as people seek to decorate their mouths with images of their favorite things including the logo of their football team, a cartoon character or a message to a loved one.
Tattoos can't yet be applied to healthy teeth, but for patients requiring a crown, a tooth tattoo becomes a viable option and compared to body art is considerably cheaper and less painful.
A dental stain tattoo costs between $75 and $200 and is no more painful than having a more typical crown fitted.
Although tooth art is experiencing a surge in popularity, the technique isn't new.
The Suburbia Dental Laboratory in Bloomfield, Connecticut, made its first tattooed crown almost 20 years ago, when a customer asked for an image of a corvette to be added to a crown.
The process involves a dentist taking an impression of the tooth where the crown is to be fitted.
The tooth mold is then sent to somewhere like the dental lab where the design is added and the crown is fired in an oven at 212 degrees.
Dentist Steven Landman with Ellington Dental Associates in Connecticut has done everything from Grateful Dead to Harley-Davidson logos and patient initials over the past ten years.
He even has his own tooth art - a drawing done by his daughter of her and her two brothers.
One of Landman's satisfied customers is Tim Miller, who told WFSB that he opted for a shamrock in honor of his wife's Irish heritage.
'I thought about tattoos in the past but let's face it, everyone has a tattoo and it's no longer cool or unique. So that's why I went ahead and got the tooth,' said Miller.
A tooth tattoo doesn't damage your teeth and can be left in place for years, just like traditional porcelain crowns.
sources:[http://en.twwtn.com/Bignews/68064.html]
But people are now flocking to a tattoo artist who inks from his imagination there and then - no sketchpad in sight.
The astonishing methods of aptly-named tattooist Jay Freestyle, who is based in Amsterdam, results in stunning, soulful artworks, which last forever on the skin.
His ethereal inkings appear meticulously planned but Jay's floating shadows, thick and thin lines, accurate proportions and expert colour blending are a product of improvisation.
The South African tattoo artist, 29, makes his designs up as he goes along while he is working on his clients.
Inspired by traditional painting techniques such as watercolour and liquid ink, he brings in modern and graphic elements.
His motto reads: 'Give me a piece of your skin and I'll give you a piece of my soul' which sums up his way of work.
People try to come to Jay with extremely detailed ideas, but after talking it through and hearing his extreme knowledge about aesthetics, placement, colouring, size and symbolism; almost all turn around and say: 'Go for it, I trust you blindly' - and he never disappoints.
He regularly tattoos first timers who feel no fear and fully trust in his respect and understanding of his clients' wishes.
Jay grew up in a conservative Chinese family in Johannesburg and emigrated to Amsterdam more than 10 years ago where he has been living and working ever since.
He's entirely self-taught and his techniques and style are unconventional.
The spontaneity of his tattoos is what makes every single one so unique. Breaking away from existing boundaries, the final artwork is always a great surprise to the client.
'Most describe my style as watercolor, and it definitely holds elements of such, but personally it is more,' says Jay.
'I prefer to combine various styles, such as geometrical shapes and pointillism, while at the same time mixing realism with abstract, but at the end it all depends on the client.'
Learning from past experiences, travelling worldwide, and fostering his skills as a painter, Jay constantly exposes himself to the influence from top artists from around the world.
Always eager to learn something new, he emerged as a broadly skilled tattooist. But Jay is now narrowing down his focus and developing a more graphical styleand feel to his work.
He's building on his trademark and talent of using simple imagery and bringing it to life through an avant-garde, abstract ink style.
'Not everyone wants my style,' he says
'Usually from the first couple of minutes of talking to someone, I can see if they want 'my style' or if they want me to do something realistic or traditional.
'Normally when I'm abroad people ask much more for my style; whereas here in the Netherlands most know me for a variety of styles I've developed and done over the past years; Japanese, Black and Grey, Realism, Neo-Traditional - you name it.'
Dare YOU get one of Jay's tattoos done without knowing how it would turn out?
Bored with body art? Tattooed TEETH allow people to display their devotion to a favorite football team or loved one on their crowns
Tooth tattoos are an emerging trend as people seek to decorate their mouths with images of their favorite things including the logo of their football team, a cartoon character or a message to a loved one.
Tattoos can't yet be applied to healthy teeth, but for patients requiring a crown, a tooth tattoo becomes a viable option and compared to body art is considerably cheaper and less painful.
A dental stain tattoo costs between $75 and $200 and is no more painful than having a more typical crown fitted.
Although tooth art is experiencing a surge in popularity, the technique isn't new.
The Suburbia Dental Laboratory in Bloomfield, Connecticut, made its first tattooed crown almost 20 years ago, when a customer asked for an image of a corvette to be added to a crown.
The process involves a dentist taking an impression of the tooth where the crown is to be fitted.
The tooth mold is then sent to somewhere like the dental lab where the design is added and the crown is fired in an oven at 212 degrees.
Dentist Steven Landman with Ellington Dental Associates in Connecticut has done everything from Grateful Dead to Harley-Davidson logos and patient initials over the past ten years.
He even has his own tooth art - a drawing done by his daughter of her and her two brothers.
One of Landman's satisfied customers is Tim Miller, who told WFSB that he opted for a shamrock in honor of his wife's Irish heritage.
'I thought about tattoos in the past but let's face it, everyone has a tattoo and it's no longer cool or unique. So that's why I went ahead and got the tooth,' said Miller.
A tooth tattoo doesn't damage your teeth and can be left in place for years, just like traditional porcelain crowns.
sources:[http://en.twwtn.com/Bignews/68064.html]
