2019 Is Going To Be Amazing

Happy New Year from Witch City Ink! Everyone here at the shop is looking forward to this new year with excitement as we enter our next decade of serving this historic city. In the next few months we’ll have lots of great news to share about fresh art, new retail offerings, tattoo conventions, guest artists, and lots more. Make sure to follow @witchcityink on Instagram to stay current with all the beautiful things happening here!

 

COMING UP:

February 2019

All of our artists will be attending the 21st Annual Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention in February! There are still some appointment openings left, so if you’d like to get tattooed there please contact your artist of choice directly or feel free to email us here at witchcityink@gmail.com. It’s always a great time had by all!

March 2019

As you may know, Witch City Ink has been producing the Boston Tattoo Convention each year for nearly two decades. While some of us our some of us are busy running the event, many of our artists tattoo all weekend as well! Jaesun Duggan, Larry Allen, Kayleigh Kerr, and Theresa Wall Duggan are now booking convention appointments for March, so get in touch if you’d like to make some magic happen in Boston this spring!

May 2018: What’s New @ Witch City Ink!

We are welcoming this sunny weather with wide open arms, and we have lots of updates to share about Witch City Ink! After the excitement of running the Seventeenth Annual Boston Tattoo Convention last month, we are going full speed ahead toward a busy summer season. From beautifying our interior, to offering new magickal items for sale, to welcoming a talented new artist into the fold, there are lots of new things to share…

INSIDE THE SHOP:

Here at Witch City Ink we have been enjoying the ongoing process of updating our beautiful space here in downtown Salem. You may notice a few changes next time you visit, like the fact that our beloved human skeleton Boris has a gorgeous new home! There is art everywhere you look, and we are proud to continue making the atmosphere more and more representative of the exceptional work happening within our four walls. First and foremost, tattooing is an art, and we want our space to reflect a respect and appreciation for this idea. How do you decorate a temple that is devoted the decoration of own our bodily temples? With a lot of beautiful, meaningful, and intriguing art! Many curiosities in our shop are a tiny bit of the evidence of a lifetime of travel & creation on the part of our owner Natan Alexander. If you can catch him in a rare free moment, he may tell you some tales of the places he’s been and the knowledge he has gained. It is really something special to be able to have a space devoted the appreciation of art in all its forms. If you haven’t been in for a while, or have never been, it is definitely time to come by the next time you are in Salem!

 

 

 

NEW PRODUCTS: SPIRITUS ARCANUM

We are pleased to announce the arrival of a new line of magickal items from Spiritus Arcanum that are all handcrafted right here in Salem, MA! There are apothecary oils for all sort of purposes, vials of dedicated incense, and Hexentaschen (protective witch bags & necklaces), along with some beautiful animal skulls and many other items. Mercury Retrograde Oil? We’ll take a couple dozen of those, please! Most items start around $12, so come by and peruse this unique selection.

  

  

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

In June we’ll be hosting guest artist Kevin Shattuck from Iconic Ink in the shop from June 14th-17th! Check out his work on Instagram under @iconicinkkevin! He is welcoming booking for his Salem dates through call or text at 774-766-0280.

In July we’ll be bringing a little Witch City magic to the Granite State! Our talented tattoo artists are excited to attend great year at the Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo in Manchester, NH running July 20th –July 23rd.

In September we’ll be hosting guest artist Master Bangkok Ajarn Ohr and Bangkok Ink from Thailand September 8th-11th. He specializes in Sak Yant, a traditional Thai form of handpoked tattooing performed & blessed in ceremonial style by a monk.

Right after that we’ll be running our next tattoo event, the Third Annual Massachusetts Tattoo Convention at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA, which happens the weekend of September 14th-16th, 2018! It’s going to be a great time, so come get tattooed, check out some cool vendors, and take in some unique entertainment. We hope to see you there!

Tis The Season…

k-witch-hatNo, not THAT season… its finally Fall and the Halloween season officially kicks off next weekend!  One of the reasons we love being in Salem, MA is this amazing time of year, filled with witches and bats and so much more.  We love to see our yearly halloween clientele, and love to meet new halloween-loving folks visiting the Witch City!

We do, however, want to remind everyone that, if you have an appointment with one of our artists, please be sure to give yourself PLENTY oscreen-shot-2016-09-25-at-2-26-38-pmf extra time to get into the city and find parking.  It can be a real nightmare this time of year, especially on the weekends.  We hate when clients lose time on their appointment because they are running late due to traffic problems, so be sure to plan in advance for the delay, especially the closer we get to Halloween weekend.

If you are visiting the Witch CIty this season and will only be here for a few days, we definitely recommend you call or contact us through the website to prebook your tattoo appointmentscreen-shot-2016-09-25-at-2-28-24-pmt, even for something really small, because we book up quickly on the weekends especially, and if you want to come in for a walk-in, come in early in the day to grab a spot.  We also have a lot more availability for walk-ins during weekdays.

Please don’t hesitate to call the studio at
978-744-9393 if you have any questions about getting tattooed at Witch City Ink!

 

Steve still has openings for the Massachusetts Tattoo Convention

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Steve Gillespie still has a few openings left at the upcoming Massachusetts Tattoo Convention at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA!  Call the studio at 978-744-9393 or email witchcityink@gmail.com via the Contact Form with inquiries!

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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!

Philly convention

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!

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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.  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.

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And finally, we will, as always be at the Boston Tattoo Convention, which is April 8th through 10th this year.  Steve and Jaesun will be taking appointments all weekend.  Call the studio to book. 978-744-9393 or email us to get a conversation started.  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: amandamarie@dolly-rot.com

Phone: 516-528-8203

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Natan Travel Notice- PA & MD

Philly convention

Natan will be attending the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention February 12-14th in Pennsylvania.  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!

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Natan will also be doing a guest spot at Timebomb Tattoos & Curiosities in Maryland the week after the convention.  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.

Holiday Hours

During the holiday season, our hours change a bit so our artists and front desk staff can
spend time with their friends and families.

We will be closing at 2pm on Sunday Dec. 20th,
and will be closed on Dec. 25th and Jan. 1st.

We still have a lot of availability for walk-ins and appointments with Steve and Jaesun the week before Christmas and the week between the holidays, so if you’ve been putting it off,
now’s the time to come in and get your new tattoo!!

While you’re at it, stop by and grab a Gift Certificate for your
favorite tattoo enthusiast and come in together!!

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

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

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.  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.  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.  Now you can book an appointment!  When you’re booking think about what your schedule will be like for a few days after getting tattooed.  If it is a larger tattoo, you might want to plan it so you have a day or two to recover.  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.  Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn more!!

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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?  Fall and Winter tend to be the best seasons for tattoo collectors to get inked.  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.

NatanRoseSleeve

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!?

SteveLegSleve

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.

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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.

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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!  See our artist’s portfolios to find the one who’ll be a match for you!

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).

new opus flyer

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.