Happy Solar Eclipse day! Here is a small selection of some sun and moon themed tattoos our artists have done. Enjoy the eclipse and safe viewing!
Category Archives: Natan Alexander
Black Friday Sale Returns!
Well, 2016 has been a fun one but I think we’re all grateful for the holidays and the start of a new year.  We are definitely grateful for everyone who has supported us this past year and are eager to give back! We want to show how much we appreciate your business and also your trust in creating beautiful pieces of art by having a very special sale this week: All of our Gift Certificates will be 20% off!!
We hope you will take advantage of this once-a-year special, to give the gift of beautiful body art to your friends, family, and of course yourself. Â Gift Certificates can be purchased online, in the studio and over the phone: 978.744.9393.
We are truly grateful for you all and hope you have a wonderful holiday season!!
Travel Notices, Visiting Artists and Conventions, oh my!
The late winter and early spring will be a busy time for us here, and we’ve got a bunch of important tidbits to share!
FIrst, Natan and Steve will be attending the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention over Valentines Day weekend.  The convention starts Friday February 12th and goes through Sunday!
To book either Natan or Steve for the convention, give us a call at the studio: 978-744-9393 or email us at witchcityink@gmail.com to get the ball rolling.
When Natan is done with the Philly Convention, he will be traveling to Maryland to do a guest spot at Time Bomb Tattoos and Curiosities. Â He’ll be there from Feb 16th through the 20th.
If you would like to book an appointment with him while he is there,
you can call the studio at: 978-744-9393.
And finally, we will, as always be at the Boston Tattoo Convention, which is April 8th through 10th this year. Â Steve and Jaesun will be taking appointments all weekend. Â Call the studio to book. 978-744-9393 or email us to get a conversation started. Â We will also be joined by visiting artist Amanda Marie, who will then be doing a guest spot here from April 11th through 17th.
Amanda got her start tattooing in New York about 6 years ago.  She loves to put her all into every tattoo she does, no matter how big or small.  Amanda values making an inviting atmosphere for her clients and loves to create unique, custom tattoos.
She currently works at Evermore Tattoo Company, Los Angeles, California.
To book an appointment with Amanda contact her directly.
Email:Â amandamarie@dolly-rot.com
Phone: 516-528-8203
Natan Travel Notice- PA & MD
Natan will be attending the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention February 12-14th in Pennsylvania. Â If you’re in the Philly area and want to get work done by Natan while he is at the convention, call the studio: 978-744-9393 or email us at witchcityink@gmail.com to book your appointment!
Natan will also be doing a guest spot at Timebomb Tattoos & Curiosities in Maryland the week after the convention. Â He still has availability in his schedule, so if you’re interested in getting a piece while he’s there, get in touch with us at here and we’ll get you set up.
Preparing For Your First Tattoo- Part 2
Dragon Sleeve by Natan Alexander
It’s Tattoo Time…
Okay, now it’s the day before your appointment!! I know you’re excited, but there are a few things you want to keep in mind so that your tattoo experience is the best that it can be!  First, make sure you get a really good night’s sleep the night before your appointment.  If you are well rested, you will be able to deal better with the stresses of the process.  Also, don’t drink heavily the night before; it makes you very sensitive to sensations and will prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.  Also, it sucks to get tattooed with a hangover and if you have thinned your blood with alcohol you could bleed out a lot of the ink your artist is attempting to put in!!
Its good to shower prior to your appointment, so you have fresh, clean skin; also, if you’ve got any hair in the area that you are getting tattooed, you can shave to prep the area, if you have a general idea of size and placement. Â If you aren’t comfortable with that, your artist will take care of it for you at the beginning of your appointment.
Make sure to stay hydrated the day of your appointment and to eat a good meal just beforehand. Â It is very important that your body has the energy to deal with the experience and you definitely want to give it more fuel than just chips or a quick snack. Â Bring plenty of water and a couple snacks with you, if you are booked for a longer appointment, as you may want to take a break mid-way through your appointment to give your body more fuel to work with.
It is very important to mentally prepare yourself, as well.  Everyone feels it differently, but it is at least irritating and at worst painful.  Depending on your pain threshold, the location of the tattoo and many other factors, you may feel it more or less than friends or family that you have spoken to about it.  It may be good to get yourself centered and grounded; some people prefer to really focus on the sensation itself, or may use meditation in order to overcome the pain.  Some people prefer to distract themselves from the sensation with music, movies or by talking with the artist or a friend.  Overall do what works best for you because everyone will deal with the experience differently.  You may want to psych yourself up a bit, so you can get your adrenaline going, which will help with pain management, but don’t psych yourself out and make yourself overly sensitive or second guess what you’re doing.
Traditional Ship and Anchor by Steve Gillespie
You’ve Made It Through!!
You did it! You’re tattoo session is complete and you made it!  Was it what you thought it would be? It wasn’t so bad, right? You may even have already started planning your next one!
So, now that you’re done, the most important thing is taking very good care of it! Â You have a large abrasion on your body and its going to take a bit of time to heal, and you have to make sure you do everything in your power to help it heal properly with the least amount of ink loss.
Your artist will probably have bandaged your tattoo at the end of your appointment, so you don’t leak lymph and blood and ink everywhere while your skin starts to clot. Â After a couple of hours, or when you are ready to wash it, remove the bandage and clean thoroughly. Â Sometimes its easiest to clean it in the shower, so if you have that option, use it. Â If the bandage has stuck to your skin, soak it with warm water first and it should peel off after a few minutes. Â There will be a lot of ink on the surface of your skin and on the bandage… don’t worry, it’s normal, your tattoo is not falling out! Â Using a fragrance free anti-bacterial liquid soap, wash your hands first, then your tattoo. Â You want to get all the lymph and blood off your skin, and you want it to feel smooth when you’re done washing it. Â The less material on the surface of your skin, the less of a scab will form. Â When you have thoroughly rinsed your tattoo, you can pat it dry with a clean paper towel or let it air dry.
The most important thing now, is to let it breathe! Â Let the air get at it and keep it clean and dry for the next few days. Â It is ideal to wash it 2-3 times a day as you can. Â If needed, you can apply the tiniest amount of fragrance free hand cream to it, to relieve tightness and to prevent cracking, but you never want your skin to feel damp or greasy.
It can up to 3 weeks for your skin to look healed after your tattoo, and it can take up to 3 months for your skin to completely regenerate and be considered fully healed.  During that time, make sure to keep it clean; if you work in a dirty environment or go to the gym or public places that have questionable surfaces, you might want to keep it covered with loose clothing, but generally you want it to be able to breathe.
Don’t pick or scratch at it! Â I know it itches, but don’t do it… if you must, slap it lightly (with a clean hand) until it stops itching. Â Also, if you pick off those scabs, you could be lifting ink up with it or you could scar your skin and mar the tattoo.
Protect it from the sun! Â For the first few weeks, you definitely want to keep it covered with clothing and not use sunscreen to protect it, as it could interfere with the healing process; after it has fully healed, you want to always at least have sunscreen on it to protect it from the sun. Â The sun is the tattoo-killer and will fade the color right out of your tattoo if you aren’t careful.
You also don’t want to submerge it in water during the first month or so. Â Showers are fine, baths are not. Â Also, beware of hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds and the ocean; there are chemicals and bacteria in all of these places that can adversely effect your tattoo while it is healing.
Taking care of your tattoo during the healing process and beyond will help to protect your investment and keep your tattoo looking beautiful for years to come. Â You didn’t go through all that pain to be stuck with a tattoo that is sub-par because you burned out the color or scratched off a scab and scarred it.
As always, if you aren’t sure about something, ask your artist!! Call the studio at 978-744-9393 and we will walk you through the process!!
Phoenix Arm Piece by Jaesun Duggan
Preparing for Your First Tattoo- Part 1
Getting a tattoo is a big decision, and not one to be made lightly.  If you have never been tattooed before, it can be a daunting process to begin.  There are a few things to know or to keep in mind when you start thinking about getting your first tattoo, which will make the experience less stressful and will help you to get a tattoo that you will love forever!
Flower Sleeve by Natan
In the Beginning…
The first thing to do when you have decided it is time to get tattooed, is to figure out what you want.  You may know exactly what you want to have permanently etched on your skin, you might have a vague idea (or ideas), or you may have no clue what you want.  If you know exactly what you want or if you have a vague idea, you need to start looking at what artist will be able to execute your tattoo in the style that you are looking for.  If you have no idea what you want tattooed, now is the time to figure it out.
Think about what is important to you; what types of art do you like?  Have you seen any tattoos that have made you swoon?  Do you want to do a tribute or memorial for a family member and if so, what do you associate with them?  Do you want to mark your religious or spiritual beliefs on your skin? Your cultural history?  These are some of the questions to ask yourself to get you started.  You are going to have to look at your tattoos the rest of your life, be sure that you have ink you want to be looking at!!
Now that you’ve figured out what you want, now is the time to pick the artist.  Do you have a particular style of tattoo that you are interested in?  Realism? Traditional? Illustrative? Black and Gray? Color? Start looking at artists’ portfolios; do you see similar styles of work to what you want?  If you want a tattoo that is mostly line-work, are their lines clean and precise?  If you are looking for color work, is their color solid and bright?  Do they specialize in the style of tattoo that you want?  While you might not see similar pieces in their portfolios, see if the qualities of the tattoos are ones that you are drawn to or match the types of tattoos that you prefer.
Alice in Wonderland Tattoo by Jaesun Duggan
Phase Two…
Once you have determined what artist you want to work with, set up a consultation appointment with them.  To prepare for you consult, do your research!!  Look in books, magazine and online for art and images that you like.  You don’t need to look at other tattoos to get ideas, look at all kinds of styles of art to find images that you can share with your artist to describe what you are looking to have done as a tattoo.  Look for images that you like the color palette of, the shape of x or y, the face of this and the body of that; this style of art, but that subject matter…. you get the idea.  But the more clear references you have, the easier it will be to tell your artist what you want.
During your consult, they will sit down with you and go over your design ideas, and figure out exactly what will work best for you; bring all your references and make sure to share what you like about each. You will also want to talk to them about placement and size, which you should mostly already have thought about. Â Try to be open minded during this conversation; while you might think a tattoo will work at a certain size or in a certain place, their experience might be different from your imagination. Â Some tattoos don’t heal well if they are done too small, some places might be harder to heal than others, and some designs might flow better with the shape of your body in certain locations compared to others. This is one of the most important parts of the process and it is very important to have clear communication with your artist and to let them know what is important to you and what you would be flexible about.
When you have gone over the idea, the artist will be able to give you a general idea of how much time it will take to tattoo and the cost. Â Now you can book an appointment! Â When you’re booking think about what your schedule will be like for a few days after getting tattooed. Â If it is a larger tattoo, you might want to plan it so you have a day or two to recover. Â Also, you won’t be able to go to the beach, swim in pools or use hot tubs for a few weeks after the tattoo, and you’ll have to be very careful of sun exposure, so if you’re going on vacation somewhere tropical, or have an event planned that would be effected by these kinds of limitations, you might want to hold off until afterwards.
Now that you’ve got your appointment set, you’ll need to prepare yourself to get tattooed and to take care of it while it’s healing. Â Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn more!!
Traditional Snake Tattoo by Steve Gillespie
The best time of year to get tattooed!
Did you know that most professional tattoo artists would agree that we are entering the best time of the year to get tattooed? Â Fall and Winter tend to be the best seasons for tattoo collectors to get inked. Â While most people think about getting tattooed in the spring and summer, when they want to show off their artwork and when they are seeing inspiring pieces on others, these are generally not great times to actually get work done.
Here’s beautiful skull and rose sleeve done by Natan!
In the spring and summer, we all want to shed the layers we’re stuck wearing all winter and go play at the beach in minimal clothes.  Unfortunately the sun, sand and water can negatively impact your tattoos healing process.  Skin is fragile during healing, which can take weeks, and exposing it to the sun increases the likelihood of the color fading and your tattoo not healing properly.  We recommend keeping your tattoo covered until its fully healed, which can take up to a month for the initial healing process and up to three months for it to be considered completely healed (with a new layer of skin covering the tattoo).  Ocean, pool and pond water contain many kinds of bacteria and other micro-organisms that can damage your tattoo, causing staph and other infections, and the chemicals found in treated water like pools and Jacuzzis can negatively effect your healing process, so avoiding these situations is imperative to healing your tattoo, and who wants to stay out of the water for half the summer!?
This tropical looking japanese leg sleeve was done by Steve!
Because all these factors have to be taken into account in the spring and summer, it is often recommended using the fall and winter to add to your tattoo collection!  In the winter you don’t have to worry about sun exposure, and you get to keep your new piece hidden while it goes through the most awkward stages of the healing process, because you’re probably going to be covered with many layers of clothing anyway.  You also don’t have to worry about the not hitting the beach for weeks after you get tattooed, since you are unlikely to be heading there anyway (unless of course you’re a fan of those Polar Bear Dips in the ocean!).  Winter also tends to be a slower time of year for walk-ins, and because the majority of the population only thinks about getting tattooed in the summer, schedules tend to be lighter, which means you can probably book an appointment much quicker with an artist in the fall and winter.
Jae created this intricate celtic knotwork piece as part of his “Lantern” series!
A few things to keep in mind, when you get tattooed in the colder months-  Plan to wear looser layers for the first couple weeks after your tattoo.  Some collectors find that their tattoos get more irritated if they are wearing a number of tighter layers, this can lead to additional scabbing, so you want to make sure your tattoo has some room to breathe.  Also remember to plan your tattoos around your vacations- if you are heading to a tropical location, having a fresh tattoo will prevent you from enjoying all the benefits of paradise, the same way it would impact you during the summer.  Lastly, fall and winter tend to be times when our immune systems are taxed and people tend to get colds and the flu, so if you’re sick, you may want to reconsider getting work done.  If your immune system is stressed, your tattoo could take longer to heal and be more prone to infection during the process.  In addition to this, your tattoo artist probably doesn’t want to be exposed to your illness.
Cassy made this beautiful but simple piece!
So, if you’ve been considering starting on a new piece of ink, now’s the time to book your consult, come in and talk to your favorite artist and get on the schedule during the best time of year to get tattooed! Â See our artist’s portfolios to find the one who’ll be a match for you!
Natan: Friday Availability at Tommy’s Tattoo Convention
Natan will be tattooing October 2-4 at Tommy’s Tattoo Convention, and still has availability for Friday. This is an awesome chance to be tattooed at a cool event. In progress pieces are preferred, but first sessions might be doable too. Email witchcityink@gmail.com if you’re interested!
And because we know you’re not just here for announcements, and you’d like to see some tattoos, here is a Ganesh in progress that Natan began last week. This is after only one session.
Be sure to follow Natan’s instagram, @natanink to keep up with what he’s working on as it happens!
Natan’s upcoming travel dates: Pittsburgh and Hartford
Firstly, say hello to our blog again! We’ve missed you, and missed getting to tell you about all of our goings on! Let’s jump right in:
After hosting the 14th annual Boston Tattoo Convention and then taking a much needed mini-break, Natan is back to creating tattoo magick at both of his shops, and has some exciting travel plans coming up in the very near future.
First is an adventure over to Artisan Tattoo in Pittsburgh, PA from September 8th-12th. This is a rare opportunity for his clients further down the east coast, who find Massachusetts to be a little too far out of reach.
Then he’ll be back in Salem and Saugus before he’ll be on the road again at Tommy’s Tattoo Convention in Hartford, CT the weekend of October 2nd-4th.
If you’re interested in being tattooed by Natan in either Pittsburgh or Hartford, please email witchcityink@gmail.com.
Tattoo Night at Opus, May 25th
On Sunday, May 25th – that’s right, Memorial Day weekend – we’ll all be at Opus for Tattoo Night. What is this, you ask? MUSIC, drinks, best and worst tattoo contests, our art on the walls, Miss Boston Ink 2012, Sailor Jerry pin up girls, a fun photo booth, themed VIP bar upstairs, PRIZES, AND you get to hang out with your favorite tattoo artists.
Tattoo contest prizes: A morning after brunch package from Opus, Witch City Ink gift certificate, tickets to the Boston Tattoo Convention, and a basket of premium Sailor Jerry swag.
Door prize (you’re automatically entered with your ticket!): Witch City Ink t-shirt, Witch City Ink gift certificate, a pair of tickets to the Boston Tattoo Convention, Sailor Jerry swag, and an Around the World gift card (good for a free appetizers at all Serenitee restaurants).
Tickets are $20 in advance – $25 at the door, which will get you entrance to the entire event, a signature cocktail and passed hors d’oeuvres. You can also purchase them now at Opus, Witch City Ink, or by clicking this link.