The updated address for Oceanic Tatua can be found here: oceanictatau.comThis is a long review, but getting a tattoo is a long process and deciding where to get one should also be a long and well thou... Read More
The updated address for Oceanic Tatua can be found here: oceanictatau.comThis is a long review, but getting a tattoo is a long process and deciding where to get one should also be a long and well thought out process. People don't regret tattoos; they regret bad tattoos. Careful planning and research will prevent regret. Tattoos are becoming more and more popular in the United States and the world, but it is their esoteric quality that makes up a large part of its appeal. Getting a great tattoo will set yours apart from others. All the tools and resources for this research are available online. Here is the story of my process. Last year I searched for a tattoo artist to work on a sleeve for my left arm. The subject matter was a relatively obscure Asian reference, and not part of the vocabulary of most tattooists working in the United States or Asia. I found a French artist working in California, who was one of the few artists familiar with this family of design motifs. The distance between Sacramento and Somerville made it necessary to do perhaps more work than would generally be suggested in two sessions over two days, totaling 12 hours. The healing was not optimal, but still the tattoo was so well designed by the artist that its overall appearance maintained it's aesthetic value and its place as a "great tattoo". That much tattooing was indeed a rite of passage and I'm proud of myself for bearing it, but I wouldn't do that shit again, if I had a choice. That paragraph was meant to underscore my determination in getting the right tattoo and what I was willing to do to get it, after what was literally a global search for the right artist. Other artists that I looked at included: Jondix, Tomas Tomas and Thomas Hooper as well as other lesser known, but skilled artists. My main problem, at the end of the day, was geography. Beyond New York, the northeastern United States has many good tattoo artists, but not many that practiced the level of blackwork tattoo that I was looking for. Trevor Marshall, in NH, is at that level.After a trip to Southeast Asia, I was able to obtain the references that I needed to continue my journey into what the tattoo artist Jondix refers to as "Holy Trauma." Trevor studied the references for two weeks and I put aside my instinctive desire to help with the planning. I am an art director by trade, and work at a very high level for a globally recognized industry-leading brand creating advertising and video pieces. My professional history is relevant here, because Trevor is not cheap; but it is very true that you always get what you pay for. I am also a formally trained graphic designer and an able documentary photographer, and as of late, an amateur tattoo critic :). That being said, I put my leg in Trevor's hands; I was determined to give minimal input. Trevor will certainly work with you, but keep in mind that he knows better than you do, and that he has your best interests in mind.In my young career as an art director, I have worked with many great talents, but the ones that have been most influential to me are, for a lack of a better term, of a respectable age. Trevor was doing this shit when a "sleeve" was still just a part of a shirt, and it really shows. Trevor is known for drawing directly on the skin, a nerve-wracking process when the client himself is so used to rounds and rounds of edits and re-dos in his own work. But it might as well been drafted using Adobe illustrator; I could see that he was using manual and internal guides, rules, grids, and using visual balance (the "eye-ball method") to compensate for mathematical balance, because as he explained, "the human body is not symmetrical." When I saw the completed drawing, I was immediately satisfied. For almost three hours I: 1. Failed my attempts at rhythmic breathing techniques 2. Was unsuccessful at implementing my Buddhist upbringing in a real life situation. And 3. Fell short of trying to analyze and rationalize the pain away. It was mad rugged, son. Mad rugged. But when I stood up in front of the mirror, I was immediately doing some mental financial planning. This was only the start. I can't wait to see this through! The stroke of the outline is so sharp and dramatic, that you could almost cut your finger running your hand over it. The turns look as if they were made with a Bézier curve. Based on his portfolio, the fill will be just as impressive. He may not remember this, but almost fifteen years ago, when I was a blue-haired 18-year-old raver, he tattooed my right shoulder. The shading on that piece is still a solid jet black, solid evidence of the lasting permanence of Trevor's work. I recommend Trevor highly for his high level of artistry and craft that he performs in a clean and modern studio in the beautiful city of Portsmouth New Hampshire.Also: I suggest that you grab a meal here streetfood360.com before your tattoo. I find that a good meal a tattoo helps with the process. Read Less