Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "american graffiti"

Sacramento Autorama

2011-02-15T07:34:12Z

Nothing like a beautiful sunny day in Sacramento and nothing like the Sacramento Autorama to make use of such a wonderful day. The Annual Sacramento Autorama turned 61 this year and the show continues to enjoy great popularity.

The title sponsor for the event was O’Reilly Auto Parts. Co-sponsors were Les Schwab Tires and Vintage Ford. Other sponsors were Meguiar’s, ARC Audio, Car Kulture Deluxe Magazine, Ol’ Skool Rodz, Hot Rod Hotline, Traditional Rod and Kulture, radio stations 98 Rock,96.9 Eagle and ESPN 1320. These sponsored helped the Sacramento Autorama hold another successful Autorama show.

This year’s theme for the show was Route 66, the route is also known as the “Mother Road” or the “Main Street of America”. Autorama had exhibits not only for autos but also for bicycles, motorcycles and boats at the Cal Expo event. This was an event for people of all ages and had something for everybody.

The Sacramento Autorama boasts being home to the longest running indoor car show in the world. The show began this Friday February 11 and ended on Sunday February 13. I attended the final show on Sunday.

Actors from American Graffiti were also on hand to sign autographs and talk to fans. Bo Hopkins, Candy Clarke and Paul LeMat were available to meet with visitors. Other entertainment during the weekend was provided by Lee Reherman “Hawk” from the American Gladiators, Deejay Carlos, the Sterling Silver Band, The Royal Deuces, Lil’ Mo and the Dynaflos, The Mighty Mojo Prophets and the Booze Bombs.

Many awards are given out in various categories. The best pinstripers from around the country worked on an assortment of projects brought to them from customers. Demos by well known artists including Mike Clines, Real Ralph, T-Bonez and TJ Pagano were conducted. Much of their work was done for donations that went towards a charity auction. Many art pieces that were auctioned off went to benefit the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

There were over 450 vehicles on display that competed for awards. The 2011 Builder of the year, Robbie Azevedo, of Pacific Coast Customs had an area that showcased his work.

On Saturday another 400 vehicles participated in the 5th Annual Autorama Drive-In. Radical custom and exotic car showcased vehicles were scattered in many of the Cal Expo buildings. Chopped, channeled, sectioned and chromed cars along with hot rods, pickups, motorcycles, street machines and muscle cars drew fans to this event from around California and the U.S.

Thousands of auto enthusiasts show up to this event every year and the show continues to expand. The event has been held at its current location since 1970. Cash prizes and magnificent trophies are up for grabs and were handed out in various automobile classifications. The show has been instrumental and giving Sacramento the title of the “Custom Capital of the World”. Today car customizing is a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States. The event has also been described as the Super Bowl of customizing.

Many of the vendors and customizing shops are located in Sacramento. Two building areas had audio and video customization vendors on hand to show off their gear. Some of the vehicles were equipped with audio gear that can rival small clubs in the area.

Food, drink and merchandize members you see during the State Fair were also on hand to give the event the State Fair feel. Most of the buildings at Cal Expo were used to showcase these beautiful machines.

The Sacramento Autorama continues to draw bigger audiences and recognition needs to go to the people that put the show together. A lot of work is needed to put this event together and make it as successful as it has become. Kudos to the Sacramento Autorama Show Staff that kept things moving smoothly throughout the weekend.

Looking for a tattoo in Midtown? Directory part one.

2010-08-13T03:49:05Z

After much deliberation, you have finally done it - you have decided to get a new tattoo. Maybe it's your first. Or perhaps you have been inked before but want to try a new place. Money saved, design or idea in place, only a business is left to choose.

Ask 10 friends, and you'll likely receive as many suggestions. A Google search of tattoo parlors in Sacramento only yields more discouraging results: 45 tattoo parlors, each with recommendations. Only through personal research will you be able to decide which establishment is the right fit for you. That is why The Sacramento Press has done the research for you.

We visited 14 Midtown establishments to speak with owners and artists, look through portfolios, check out the space and layout and get an overall "feel" for each one.

At each, we treated the visit as if we were getting a tattoo ourselves. We did all the research a customer would do, asked all the questions that are normally asked and put it all in one spot: right here.

In visiting each shop, we determined ratings for each, based on friendliness and atmosphere, and will provide the "ideal fit" between customers and parlors. Friendliness was evaluated based on discussions with artists and owners, specifically their willingness to help and provide feedback on designs and pricing. Atmosphere includes all details of the shop, including appearances from both outside and in, cleanliness, noise level, space, layout, design and overall comfort.

While trying to differentiate each shop, we uncovered many similarities between them. For example, each shop practices the same standard of safety precautions. Each uses an autoclave, a machine used to sterilize any tools that are used more than once.

Needles that come in contact with skin are single-service use, and unwrapped from their package just before tattooing begins. Customers can ask to see all of these items prior to being tattooed.

The tables and trays the tattoo gun is laid on are covered with Saran wrap to prevent the spread of germs, bacteria and possible skin cells. Most places will even put anything that goes on the wall (artwork, pictures, certificates and licenses) in frames to be even more cautious.

There are a few terms that are common to tattoo parlors that customers might want to familiarize themselves with.

"Flash" is any kind of colorful example on the wall, a design that is not shown in tattoo form. These are primarily the types of things you can pick off the wall.
"Traditional American" is described as "Sailor Jerry" World War II-type designs with bold outlines and dull colors,
"New Style" is more cartoon-like, brighter and with more flair.
"Traditional Japanese" includes characters, dragons, masks and koi fish.
Lastly, there are "black and gray" designs, which are likely to be the standard, very basic design you think of when imagining a tattoo, and portraits.

The process in each shop is the same as well. Customers can go in and pick something off the wall. Others will come in with a design in hand. Some will come in with a verbal and mental idea but require an artist's assistance to draw it up. In any case, once the design is chosen, the paperwork filled out, the tattooing process begins. Depending on design, the process can be very quick or take multiple hours. In some cases, multiple sessions are required.

A few basic requirements: Shops require customers to be at least 18 years old. No shop will tattoo anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the majority will refuse to do drug and gang symbols. Similarly, most shops will not tattoo designs on the knuckles and the face.

"We don't want to do anything that will lose you a job later," Tattoo the Body Embellished owner Court McIntyre said.

"I don't want to be responsible 10 years down the road when a kid has an old gang symbol, trying to go straight and gets killed over it," Timeless Tattoo owner Ezra McCabe said.

Once you know the requirements, the safety procedures (though you should absolutely still ask) and the process, all that is left is finding a place that is comfortable to you. Not only is a clean place desired, but one with friendly and helpful artists, willing to work with you and your design to make everything perfect and painless. Well, almost painless.

The following is part one (A-M) of The Sacramento Press' Midtown Tattoo Parlor Directory:

American Graffiti
1617 J St.
Noon-10 p.m. daily
$60 minimum/Charge by piece for small/$120 hourly for large

While American Graffiti can tattoo anything you ask for, the predominant design is American Traditional. The shop has been open for 21 years, recently moving from its 19th Street location of 19 years to its new home on J Street a year and a half ago. The shop employs four artists with between four and 10 years of experience, each of whom have traveled to festivals and competitions overseas.

"We get stoked when people come in for their first tattoo," shop manager Grimace Sherwood said. Typically, he said, people end up regretting getting a design too small and "no one regrets getting something too big."

Sherwood said the artists pride themselves in writing various styles of quality script, noting rules such as character spacing and size. The artists have traveled to Amsterdam, Prague and Germany to participate in tattoo festivals.

Exterior : Located on a busy section of J Street across from Hamburger Pattie's, missing the shop is harder than finding parking nearby. The building has a large open window in front, brightly displayed sign, vividly painted walls and a black and white checkered entryway.
Interior : The turquoise and red walls inside are brighter than the outside, but it will be the fake shark head and copious amounts of flash all over the walls you will notice first. The building is spacious, the tattoo station separated from the wait area by a deliberate entryway. Customers' friends can watch from the area or through the half-circle windows in the hall for a closer look.

Friendliness: B+
Atmosphere: A
Suited for: American Graffiti exudes professionalism, and professional experience is something Sherwood said customers will have to trust the artists with, as the artists may add small embellishments -- such as shading -- on the design without the customer's preapproval.

Bonehead
1017 24th St.
Sunday and Monday noon-6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
$60 minimum/Pricing by piece

Bonehead owner Troy Agid has been tattooing for 21 years, 15 of them here in Sacramento. Bonehead has called its new building home since April 2007. Currently, the shop employs six artists, including one apprentice, all of whom attempt to remain well rounded enough to suit anyone's needs.

"We're nice, we do good work and we're clean,"Agid said.

If selecting Bonehead, it's best to do your own design and character research in advance, and Agid also suggests going with original design and not picking something off the wall.

Exterior : Bonehead is located in a large-scale garage-like building with the name painted across the front. Both the building and sign are so large it's nearly impossible to miss.
Interior : Entering Bonehead, customers will find leather couches and chairs to the immediate right as well as a couple of candy and drink machines. The entryway room is very open, much like a lounge. The left and back walls are designed with "flash." What stands out is the vast amount of images containing drug, alcohol and gun references, a quantity not found in any other shop. Under the glass of the front counter a customer will be greeted with skulls, bones and various piercing materials. The tattooing takes place in the another room, which is just as big and spacious. The cleaning room is open to public view in the back corner. On the left lie at least a dozen bicycles waiting to be repaired. If being tattooed in one of the five stations on the open floor makes a customer nervous, there is one private room available.

Friendliness: B
Atmosphere: C+
Suited for: Bonehead is likely best-suited for younger generations or the more "hardcore" tattoo enthusiast, those not easily offended by the overwhelming amount of graphic images. It's not the type of place to take your mother.

Capital Ink
1021 Second St. (Downstairs)
Hours and prices unavailable

Five attempts at communication with Capital Ink went unanswered.

Exterior : Located in Old Sacramento on Second Street almost directly across from River City Tattoo, the shop is one daunting trip down a stairwell.
Interior : Through the door the space looks small at first. Immediately apparent is the copious amounts of examples, from poster-style flip catalogs hanging from the walls to portfolios on the glass counter top. The front space has one bright artificial light, causing the rest of the place to appear very dark. Looking through the doorway you can see two back areas, one well-lit that looks to be the drawing/office area for artists and another large room with furniture which can only presumed to be a waiting area near the tattoo station.

Photograph unavailable.

Friendliness: C- (Owner was unhelpful and chose not to participate)
Atmosphere: C- (Based only on the view from front room)
Suited for: Judging only what was seen, Capital seems best suited for only the most hardcore of tattoo enthusiasts or those directly referred.

Exotic Body
807 30th St.
Sunday through Thursday noon-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon-11p.m.
$60 minimum/Price varies by piece and artist

Tucked into its corner spot for 10 years, 20 total in Sacramento, Exotic Body employs five tattoo artists and two piercers. Exotic owner Mike Hare boasts of having diverse artists with the ability to cover a wide variety of styles.

"We have a personable, attitude-free shop," Hare said. "My advice is to find someone you are comfortable with and not switch for $10."

Exotic Body won "Best of Sacramento" award for tattoo businesses by the Sacramento News and Review in 2006 and the KCRA A-List in 2007 and 2008.

Exterior : From the outside, it fits right in with East Sacramento housing.
Interior : The inside layout may remind you of a dentist office. The space looks the same: mid-size waiting area, front counter "check-in," five rooms down the hall, separate from the waiting area. Each customer has the chance to be tattooed in the privacy of one of these unique rooms. The waiting room displays each of the accolades Exotic Body has received, as well as dozens of books and flip-through poster-style references. Loud rock music plays in the front, but is easy to ignore down the hall. Each individual room is designed differently with paintings, artwork and vibrant colors.

Friendliness: B-
Atmosphere: A-
Suited for: If you want award-winning work done in privacy, go here.

Forever
2418 16th St.
Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
$60 minimum/hourly if large, otherwise by piece

In its ninth year, renowned Forever Tattoo has six regular artists and continually features guest artists from all over the world. Forever artists currently have anywhere from 10 to 20 years of experience and each claim to be so well-rounded that any can tattoo in the styles of Traditional, Japanese, Black and Gray, Portraits and New Style.

"Don't settle," Justin Reinhardt of Forever suggests as a short and sweet piece of advice. Those new to the tattoo world should not settle on a shop, an artist, or getting inked at all if they are not 100 percent convinced and comfortable.

Artists at Forever have participated in festivals in England, Germany, Greece, Japan and Spain, some staying to work in shop overseas for months at a time.

"Our art speaks for itself. It may not be the cheapest, but it will be quality. This is our life; this is what we do," Reinhardt said.

Exterior : Across from Willie's Hamburgers and next to 16th Street Cafe lies Forever Tattoo. The cafe tables overlap the parlor's space, so it may appear as if there is always an overflow of customers.
Interior : Inside, a long and narrow path leads you to the front counter. On your left is a plethora of flash and previous articles featuring Forever's artists. A five-foot countertop scattered with portfolios runs down the center of the shop separating the work station from the wait area. The tattoo station is a chaotic mess of artwork: the walls designed with three or four noticeably large paintings of naked women, many more smaller paintings, graffiti and skateboards, all hung in dizzying fashion. Loud music blares overhead. The tattoo station is as long and narrow as the waiting area, able to seat at least five customers at a time. If you don't like the idea of getting tattooed in front of a large picture window, you won't want the first chair. The public eye can watch any of the other stations' customers get inked just as easily from inside, but from the opposite side of the counter. On three visits, midday and evening, middle of the week and weekend, Forever was always bustling.

Courtesy of Justin Reinhardt

Friendliness: B-
Atmosphere: B-
Suited for: If you are willing to spend extra money for quality renowned work, Forever is your spot. But don't expect the artists to ease your pre-tattoo jitters. They don't come off as friendly or talkative.

Monster Ink Tattoo
1126 19th St.
Noon-8 p.m. daily
$50 minimum/$100 hourly for large scale

Owner Tuan Tran is one of the two artists at Monster, both with 10 years of experience. Tran worked in Davis before opening his 19th Street location three years ago.

"We are definitely different," Tran said. "We're more laid-back and more hands-on."

Monster Ink is not an ordinary walk-in shop. There is not a lot of flash on the walls, and Tran said 90 percent of his customers come from referrals. Unlike other shops, Monster does not do a lot of traditional work.

"We do a lot of lowrider, Spanish influence and Japanese influence," Tran said. He also pointed out their Polynesian artwork, something he said no one else in the area specializes in.

Exterior : Located between J and L streets, the shop appears to be an apartment or loft at first glance. Monster is also one of the few places that has an actual sign, as opposed to graffiti.
Interior : Inside, even during the day, the establishment is very dark. Monster is small: a living-room style waiting area with couch and coffee table, a small seated tattoo station in the back of the same room and a larger private room through a doorway on the right. At Monster, there is no overwhelming smell, booming music or frenzied designs.

Friendliness: B
Atmosphere: B+
Suited for: Those who want specific designs with Polynesian and Spanish influence.

Part Two to follow.

Sac Convention Center gets inked

2009-06-21T03:58:48Z

Guns and needles took over the Sacramento Convention Center Friday.

Tattoo guns and needles, that is. The first day of the eighth annual Forever Tattoo’s All American Tattoo Festival kicked off the weekend with the best of the best in the ink industry, tattoo contests and circus-style side performer George the Giant.

Sponsored by Tatt life, Tattoo Energy and Budweiser, the festival gave ink fans the chance to peruse and purchase the work of more than 80 tattoo artists from not only the United States but as far as Sweden (Living All Tattoo), Greece (Nico Tattoo) and Italy (Cherry Tattoo).

“I usually go to the festivals in San Francisco, but this is the first year I’ve gone to one [in Sacramento]," festival-goer Zachary Bacon said. "They have a lot of great artists and I’m really impressed."

Some festival-goers had blank flesh canvases and others had mere inches of available space to tattoo. A few artists offered “festival” specials, knocking anywhere from $20 to $40 off their prices, and some charged several hundred dollars to customers, who more than willing to pay for their expertise.

Newly tattooed festival-goers have the opportunity to enter their pieces into contests, which will continue throughout the weekend. Friday’s contests included best sleeve and leg tattoos, and the recipients of the coffin-themed plaques (and bragging rights) were Samantha Schue and Matthew Kleinhauas (pictured).

The evening’s main attraction, besides fresh ink, was George the Giant, a stunt performer who starred in the movie Big Fish and was on “America’s Got Talent.” George stunned his captive audience by swallowing a sword, hammering a nail through his nose and inviting an audience member to walk on his face, which was resting sideways on a pile of broken glass.

In the center of all the action, an art showing that will remain through Sunday lined the aisle leading up to the stage. The tattoo-themed paintings were created by various local artists whowill be inking throughout the festival, including Sacramento’s American Graffiti and Folsom City Ink.

Tattoos weren’t the only things being hawked, however. Livermore’s Charlotte’s Web sold tattoo-inspired clothing and Belzel Books set up a tattoo book nook. Tattoo aftercare companies took the opportunity to boasts their products as well, with companies like Tattoo Genie and Tattoo Goo claiming faster and better healing.

Hells Angels Sacramento, whose many members are tattoo collectors, set up shop to sell their gear and promote their organization. Passion Parties representatives handed out free samples of their intimate party favors, and Nos energy drink supplied boosts to the crowd.

Tattoo fans of all ages roamed the convention center until the doors closed at 11 p.m., many preparing to return the next day and get inked.

The All American Tattoo Festival will continue through Sunday, June 21 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 at the box office, located in front of the Sacramento Convention Center.

For Saturday and Sunday's schedule, click here

All photos taken by Jonathan Mendick

All American Tattoo Festival this weekend

2009-06-18T05:31:08Z

Tattoo artists from across the country and around the world will join local tattoo artists in offering their inking services to Sacramento for the eighth year in a row at the annual All American Tattoo Festival this weekend. The festival begins Friday and will continue through Sunday at the Sacramento Convention Center.

The festival is organized in a joint effort between local promoter Alan Mahon and the owners of Sacramento's Forever Tattoo. Attendees can view over 100 art pieces, submissions of mainly paintings and drawings from the artists that won't include tattoo designs, on any of the three days of the festival, in addition to getting tattooed by world-renowned artists.

“Fifty to 60 percent of tattoo artists should not be tattooing anybody,” Mahon said. He explained that the festival provides tattoo-goers the opportunity to get a “better than average tattoo” by expert artists they normally don’t have access to, since many of them are overbooked or live in other parts of the country or the world.

Contests will be held each day for best tattoo pieces, in addition to special appearances by renowned sideshow art performer George the Giant. The festival will also host the worldwide debut of Shige, a book based on the life and work of world-renowned Japanese tattoo artist Shigenorii Wasaki. Both Wasaki and Horitaka, the author, will be tattooing at this year's festival.

Artists from local tattoo shops like American Graffiti, Modern Body Custom Tattoo, Monster Ink, Legacy and River City Tattoo will be stationed at the festival, in addition to the artists from Forever Tattoo.

Anyone wanting to get inked by unfamiliar or foreign artists can choose from a wide selection of tattooers from the West Coast, Texas, Missouri, Florida, New York, Japan, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Brent Patten, an organizer of the festival and co-owner of Forever Tattoo, pointed out that the festival offers more options than just needles. Attendees can get tattooed with the Japanese hand-painted method Tebori using a brass wand, or with a Tahitian method using a "tapping" stick.

"You get to see all these people from all around the world," Patten said. "You read about them in books, [and to] maybe get tattooed by them is really cool."

For several local artists, participating in this year's festival will be a first-time experience.

Steve Shippey, who has been tattooing for five years and specializes in horror realism, portrait and cartoon-inspired pieces, will tattoo for the first time at the festival along with Ronnie Grizard, on behalf of Sacramento's Modern Body.

Ten-year tattoo artist Tuan Tran will also participate for the first time on behalf of Monster Ink, a newer two-and-a-half-year old tattoo shop in Sacramento. Tran specializes in Japanese-style tattoos, along with realism and demon-inspired pieces.

Both Shippey and Tran expressed their excitement about the festival and an opportunity to meet other artists from around the world.

If there's anything to not look forward to, it's bargain hunters.

"Sometimes you get people who think that they can walk out with $20 in their pocket and get a three-hour piece for next to nothing," Shippey said.

For more information about tickets, schedule times, the artists and parking, visit this link.

Author's note: All photos courtesy of All American Tattoo festival.