The Tattoo Sketchbook

The Sketchbook: 80 Unique Designs by the World's Finest Tattoo Artists
The artistic versatility of tattoo artists has frequently been overshadowed by the negativity that surrounds tattooing in general. Many tattoos are made by would-be artists who copy overused designs. A perfectly tattooed body requires the skills of a professional and talented artist, who creates a unique and personal design. These designs are often inspired by one or more of the various tattoo styles of Japanese, Maori or other tribal origin. The Sketchbook offers the reader a selection of 80 of these unique designs by well-known and less famous, but very promising, tattoo artists from around the world. Each artist was requested to create a sketch unrestrained by commercial demands and which reflects their own personal motivations.

The book is divided into two sections: the first comprises an explanation of how this collection was brought together, along with a brief illustrated overview of the history and various styles of tattooing. The second section is devoted to the artists, each sketch being accompanied by a biography and favorite quote.

The concept of this book was developed by Marco Bratt, a tattoo artist from The Netherlands, and his partner, German born lifestyle photographer Nancy Heimburger, who also wrote the introductory chapter.

Tattoo Road Trip: Two Weeks in Samoa

A witty yet informative book, with lots of travel tips and pictures, that focuses on the art of the tattoo that the authors found in this Pacific Island paradise.
Join the adventure as these two take to the road at the very birthplace of Polynesian tattooing, beautiful Samoa. Armed with laptop and camera, Baxter and Clark documented their two-week odyssey from Apia to Saleapaga, and from thatched-roofed huts to the legendary mansion of Robert Louis Stevenson. The book displays this unspoiled home of turquoise reefs, volcanic beaches, misty green waterfalls, and vermilion sunsets, where hand-tapped tribal tattoos are still a normal form of body art and ritual.

You will learn the local customs, meet legendary artists, and visit secluded beaches, including the secret coronation ceremony at Faleasela. White-knuckle surprises await you as Baxter and Clark take the back roads, eat fruit right off the tree, slog through rain forests, wade into coral-strewn tide pools, and suck up gallons of beer because it's not a good idea to drink the water. You will even learn to tie a lava lava so it won't fall off in the crosswalk! This entertaining trip to a jewel of the Pacific will confirm the belief that Polynesian life has it right, right down to the tattoos!

Tattoo Road Trip Two Weeks in Samoa