Johnny Smith just returned back home from the Oregon Tattoo Convention with a shiny first place trophy for best realistic tattoo! Originally from Oregon, Johnny often heads back that way for conventions, painting workshops, seminars, and to catch up with friends. You can check out his award-winning perfume bottle tattoo below, which features some of Johnny’s signature realist moves such as minimal line work, soft and smooth color blends, bright color highlights, and a realistic manipulation of light and shadow as they fall across the forms.

Johnny is currently accepting appointments for custom work at Lightwave Tattoos Tuesdays through Sundays. To book your time today, give us a call at 781.233.1780.

1st Place- Best Realistic Tattoo

Best Realistic

humming bird lilly cover up

Artist: Jay Ski

Subject : Hummingbird / Lily Coverup

Medium : Color Cover up

Jay Ski had a client come to Lightwave to cover up an existing name she had on her chest. Jay Ski takes great pride in being able to take a tattoo that the client is unhappy with and turn it into something they are in love with. This is a great example of a way to get rid of an ex’s name. Keeping a tattoo busy is an awesome way to cover an unwanted tattoo, it takes the viewers eye away from looking at what was previously there. To book your time with Jay Ski for a cover up or any other project you might have give Lightwave a call 781-233-1780

Last Thursday, Natan was invited to participate in a discussion of Massachusetts tattooing at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Boston. The forum coincided with the ICA’s exhibit of the work of famed Mexican tattooist, Dr. Lakra and touched upon the history, legalization, and changing social climate of tattooing in Boston and it’s outlying areas.

Lakra’s work will be on display at the museum through September 6th and the audio files from Natan’s discussion (On Pins and Needles: Tattooing in Massachusetts) are currently available for free download from the ICA’s website. Head on over to check out some selections from Dr. Lakra’s exhibit, learn more about the show, and hear what Natan had to say about tattooing.

Thank you to the ICA and Dr. Lakra for inviting Natan, as well as the rest of his staff, to come down and participate in such a great event!

_lightwave tattoos

We are pleased to announce that Lightwave Tattoos will now, once again, be open on Sundays and Mondays! Everyone’s favorite purveyor of organic, ornamental, and culturally inspired tattoo work, Xstina, will be holding down the fort on both days so just stop on by to book up your time with her today!

See you in the shop!

_lightwave tattoos
lightwavetattoos@gmail.com
781.233.1780

Henna style Peacock belly dancer tattoo

Jay recently finished up this big ram’s skull chest piece on one of his repeat clients here at Lightwave. His client had requested something related to his zodiac sign, but really left the majority of the design up to Jay. This piece is mostly grounded in the bold and bright traditional style that characterizes much of ’ski’s work while still implying a realistic weight and dimension to the skull. If you have any ideas for any traditional work or other custom pieces, make sure to give Jay a call in the shop at 781.233.1780 to book up your time today!

chest panel of ram skull and roses

_lightwave tattoos
lightwavetattoos@gmail.com
781.233.1780

Join us at the Boston Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 for the first year of Rock Your Ink: A Tattoo and Body Art Showcase!!! This free public event will highlight a variety of great Massachusetts tattoo studios. Read more about the event below and make sure to join us for what promises to be a good time!

ROCK YOUR INK: Tattoo & Body Art Showcase

Venue:
Hard Rock Cafe
22-24 Clinton St.
Boston, MA 02109

Date:
4/13/2010

Time:
06:00 PM

Cost:
Free

Age:
18+

Description:
Join us for
Rock Your Ink
Hard Rock Cafe Boston’s 1st annual Tattoo & Body Art Showcase
Tuesday, April 13th @ 6:00pm
Ages 18+
No cover

View the work of talented tattoo artists from around New England and chat with representatives from:

Boston Tattoo Convention
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Tattoo – Chicopee, MA
Ink Jam Tattoo Studio – Arlington, MA
Mass Ink Custom Tattooing – East Bridgewater, MA
Off the Map Tattoo – Easthampton, MA
Out of the Dark World Tattoo & Gallery – Worcester, MA
Stingray Body Art – Allston, MA
TattooNOW.com
Unholy Grail Tattoo Inc – Worcester, MA
Visions Tattoo, Piercing & Art Gallery – Medway, MA
Witch City Ink – Salem, MA

Enter for a chance to win cool prizes and enjoy complimentary appetizers for the first hour, provided by Hard Rock Cafe.

For more information about attending or participating,
please contact Ashley at 617-424-7625
or ashley_gonyaw@hardrock.com.

Click on the following link to check out the Hard Rock Cafe site and learn more about the upcoming event:
http://www.hardrock.com/Locations/Cafes3/events.aspx?LocationID=101&MIBenumID=3&EventID=41625

Telephone:
+1-617-424-7625
Address:
We’ve Moved! Our new address is:
Hard Rock Cafe Boston
22-24 Clinton St.
Boston, MA 02109

Join us over the long Labor Day weekend for the 9th Annual Boston Tattoo Convention on September 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th 2010!! This year, we are proud to present our new location with the finest accommodations Boston has to offer; the Boston Back Bay Sheraton Hotel. We hope to see you in September for an unparalled value of FOUR FULL DAYS!

Registration for artist, shop, and vendor booths is now open and available in advance in order to guarantee your spot for this coming year. Click on the link below to download our .pdf form or head over to www.bostontattooconvention.com for more information.

See you in Boston!

btc-2010-reg-form

Owner and artist, Natan Alexander, was recently featured on an episode of Channel Five Chronicle about local artists. Click the link below to check out Natan’s feature on the show and to gain some perspective on the artistry of tattooing!

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/21920655/

Natan is always interested in beginning new custom projects and working with new people so make sure to give us a call (781.233.1780) or stop on by the shop (184 Broadway, Route 1, Saugus, MA) to book out your time today!

Artist : Jay Ski
Subject : Dragon Tattoo
Medium: Full Color, Japanese, Based on Flash by Tony Ciavarro

A client came into Lightwave Tattoos in Saugus Ma. to get a dragon tattoo. Jay Ski started with the face and neck ripping out of the skin. We will be doing more in sessions, adding a body and arms to it. Jay Ski is known for his traditional and realism tattoos but he can tackle anything in between!!!!!!

Don’t forget, owner and artist Natan will be featured on TONIGHT’S (Wed. Dec. 9th) Channel 5 Chronicle as part of their feature on local artists! Tune in at 7:30 p.m. tonight to hear Natan’s perspective on the artistry of tattooing.

Here’s what Chronicle has to say about the program:

They see the world more intensely than the rest of us. And the visions they share expand our knowledge and enjoyment of everything around us. On this episode, we profile some local artists who are making their mark, including a man whose murals define the public landscape and another who uses the human body as his canvas.

For more information on Natan’s work or to book some tattoo time, give us a ring (978.744.9393), send us an email (witchcityink@gmail.com), or just stop on by the shop (186-3 Essex St., Salem, MA)!