Adam McDade
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Navigating Terrain

22/10/2018

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The format of the blog thus far has been mostly explanatory of the functional processes employed during my tattoo apprenticeship experience. The entries have been written in a heavily descriptive format of the steps taken in the conduct employed. This format of writing is potentially of value to the PhD research that is being undertaken, however requires a level of attention to detail that may not allow for the level of up-keep and post frequency that is desired. The explanation of the early stages of the apprenticeship are useful and informative, however are beyond the scope of inclusion to the PhD research due to the 40000-word limitation on practice-led study.
 
Since the previous post in April 2018, many advancements in the apprenticeship process have been made. The most recent blog post was an account of activity of tattooing fruit skin that was actually conducted in September/October 2017, however since that time multiple tattoos on actual skin have been carried out (72, at the time of writing in October 2018).  In order to keep the blog functioning as an up-to-date account of the apprenticeship to professional tattooist transition, and of the evolution of the research as it unfolds, an alternative approach to writing must be approached.
 
By keeping the posts created in the same time period in which what is being described and considered, a more organic and thus accurate sense of the research journey is made visible. The posts that are to follow are intended to function as a format of dissemination of developing themes of inquiry from my PhD research, that are reflections of my ongoing studio practice.
 
The purpose of the research is to utilise my embeddedness as an apprentice tattooist with a design background to elucidate on and explore the process of cultural production of contemporary Western tattooing.  The methodology of my research is shown in the below diagram – included in this post to give an indication of what the future narrative of the blog may look like.
Picture
The following text is taken from the methodology section of my most recent annual monitoring report, serving as documentation of the way in which the research is currently being conducted and shaped. During the academic year of 2018/19, the primary focus of the research is to focus on tattooing practice, in order to both improve professional skill, and to understand the process of cultural production greater, thus allowing for the implementation of design skills in professional conduct.

A contextual overview of contemporary Western tattooing is necessary in order to position the research within the field. This includes reviewing the existing literature to discover areas lacking in clarity of understanding that may be pursued. The literature review is continuing to be conducted throughout the research process. Context has also been provided through taxonomizing stylistic approaches to tattooing, categorizing the name of each style in relation to its antecedent style. This is in order to document cultural history and to provide context from a visual and design perspective to contemporary Western tattooing, that the literature review highlights to be absent.

Understanding on the process of cultural production of tattooing is lacking (Lane, 2014). This includes what tools are utilised to create marks of varying visual properties of tattoos, such as ‘liners’ or ‘magnums’, in addition to the process of client consultation, through to design formation, stencil, and actual tattoo. A disciplinary audit of the functioning of tattooing is necessary in order to provide a basis for practical investigation. Methods commonly employed by tattooists for self-promotion (such as the sharing of work on social networking websites, tattoo convention attendance, and guest-artist appearances) would also be recorded in order to document cultural history.

The contextual overview will also be informed by an autoethnographic approach due to my embeddedness within Triplesix Studios as a designer who is working as a tattooist. As stated by Méndez (2013, p.280), “autoethnography allows researchers to draw on their own experiences to understand a particular phenomenon or culture”. Observations or ‘fieldwork’ of the process of cultural production will be documented in order to discover where introducing methods known from design practice may be appropriate in tattooing practice and provide insights that have been demonstrated to be lacking in literature.

Phase 1 of the research provides understanding of context – phase 2 aims to expand on the findings to investigate tattooing as creative medium, using reflective practice and autoethnography. Reflective practice can be understood in accordance to the ideas of Schön; that the practitioner “...may reflect on the tacit norms and appreciations that underlie a judgment, or on the strategies and theories implicit in a pattern of behavior” (1984, p.3).

Tattoos created would be evaluated through the documentation of its concept through to finished article in the form of writings, photographs, and presentation of methods used to create the design (visual journaling). A dated document of each tattoo created is also being maintained for reflective purposes. This process of visual journaling addresses the gap in knowledge, while also providing a basis for tattooing as both practice, and praxis (utilising knowledge gained from phase 1).

After gaining authentic understanding of industry processes and confidence in tattooing, alternative models of practice would then be investigated in keeping with methods known as a designer. This would correspond with the processes identified for creativity by Mace and Ward (2002, p.184) who state that in order to enrich, expand, and develop a project an artist “engages in a process of idea development and extension through exploring the intricacies of that concept, building up a richness of form and content” (2002, p. 184). Implementing methods from design practice in tattooing is a means of investigating how contemporary Western tattooing may be enriched.

In order to disseminate findings, multiple conference attendances will be made as the research unfolds, presenting emergent themes appropriate to the topic of the conference. An audio discussion of findings may also be published using the medium of podcasting – an emergent platform that (much like tattooing) engages a vast audience demographic, both socially and geographically. An online blog that has been started prior to the research will be carried out parallel to the research, and publications in both academic and tattoo-specialist outlets (such as ‘Total Tattoo’ or ‘Skin Deep’ magazine) will be sought. In addition to a thesis, a non-academic book that documents the research process will be created, with a non-specialist publisher being pursued.
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This is in acknowledgement of the popularity of the research topic in contemporary Western culture, but also an effort to create a format that places tattooing within the more appropriate category of art and design publications, as opposed to specialist interest. Utilising such methods and disseminating the findings in such a way contributes to the presentation of notion as tattoo’s as a medium, providing a strong basis for the enrichment to both understanding and practice that the research aims to deliver.
While PhD theses exist that utilise practice within the methodology in creative disciplines such as glass (Song, 2014), illustration (Hoogslag, 2015), or calligraphy (Ling, 2008), contemporary Western tattooing is yet to be examined by such means. The research will implement practice as a method in a way that is comparable to existing practice-based methodologies such as those listed. 

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Hoogslag, J. (2015) On the persistence of a modest medium : the role of editorial illustration in print and online media. Ph.D. Royal College of Art. Available at: http:// researchonline.rca.ac.uk/1696/ (Accessed: 3 January 2018). 
Lane, D. C. (2014) ‘Tat’s All Folks: An Analysis of Tattoo Literature: Tat’s All Folks’, Sociology Compass, 8(4), pp. 398–410. doi: 10.1111/soc4.12142. 

Ling, M. (2008) Calligraphy across boundaries. Ph.D. University of Sunderland. Available at: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/2929/ (Accessed: 3 January 2018). 

Mace, M.-A. and Ward, T. (2002) ‘Modeling the Creative Process: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Creativity in the Domain of Art Making’, Creativity Research Journal, 14(2), pp. 179–192. doi: 10.1207/S15326934CRJ1402_5. 

Méndez, M. (2013) ‘Autoethnography as a research method: Advantages, limitations and criticisms’, Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 15(2), pp. 279–287. 

Song, M. J. (2014) Mechanisms of in-betweenness : through visual experiences of glass. Ph.D. Royal College of Art. Available at: http://researchonline.rca.ac.uk/1657/ (Accessed: 3 January 2018).

Tani, A. (2013) Multi-dimensional line-drawing with glass through a development of lampworking. Ph.D. University of Sunderland. Available at: http://sure.sunder- land.ac.uk/5030/ (Accessed: 3 January 2018).

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Colour Packing and Script

22/2/2018

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While tattooing Fake skin as explained in the previous post, other exercises where conducted also. The days as an apprentice at the studio tend to be organised so that Fridays involve drawing, and Saturdays tattooing. The following exercises have been conducted as part of the 'drawing days'.

Colour Packing
The imagery shown is part of a task set with the purpose of gaining understanding and technique with what is known in tattooing as ‘colour packing’. Colour packing is the term giving to the process of inserting pigment into the skin to saturate the surface area with ink so that there is no negative space showing through.


The task was to draw a few pages of small squares, and colour them in using a tight circular motion repeatedly until they became fully saturated. The purpose of the task was the process - the motion created with the coloured pencil is transferable to a tattoo machine. When saturating an area using colour pencil, the stroke may be back and forth, however when tattooing, this motion would cause damage to the skin. This could result in discomfort for the person being tattooed, and more damage than necessary to the surface, thus a lower quality tattoo as a result.

It was initially difficult to achieve much tone on the paper, due to the quality of the lead of the pencil. After changing to a higher quality pencil, the effectiveness was increased, and gradations where then able to be explored through repeating the cir- cular motion on some areas of the square more than others. Though the conventional method with traditional media would have been to pres harder to increase pigment, in tattooing gradation would be created by attempting to keep a consistent pressure but working faster for areas intended to be lighter.
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The reason less ink is inserted into the skin is because the machine is repeatedly moving the needle up and down in relation to amount of volts that are running through it (controllable by the power supply). A faster hand motion means that less ink is inserted into the skin, thus a gradation of tone may occur. This was considered and replicated when completing this exercise, with gradation created by a faster moving hand rather than applied pressure. 



Script

The imagery shown here is a sample of the practical research produced as part of a task set in order to gain knowledge on how to create script and lettering. Script and lettering is common subject matter within tattooing, however many tattooists will use a computer generated font and simply make a transfer from the printed word. This form of lettering tattoo is often completed by the most junior member of the team, as it is often understood as the least desirable to tattoo and least artistically challenging. Tattooing script is almost seen as a right of passage into a tattooing career.

As Triplesix Studios are an establishment with a range of artists with a variety of specialisms, a number of artists approach script with a sense of pride and importance comparable to that of a calligrapher or sign writer. As my position within the studio is that of an apprentice, it is understood that I will be executing many of the lettering tattoo’s in the early stages of my career. My mentors set me the task of drawing script manually is order to provide me with the tools needed to create script that adhered to the standards of design that is prominent within the studio.

The process was broken down into steps by one of the artists, Dan Hartley. Two parallel straight lines where drawn, with a gap of approximately 2 inches. 2 lines where then drawn above and below, with a gap around 50% of the size. The lines acted as structural frameworks for the lettering, with the original lines as the prima- ry guidelines. Small slanted ovals where then drawn within the primary lines, which would act as the basis for lower-case letters. Larger ovals that reached the top of the secondary line and bottom of the primary lines where drawn as the basis for capital letters. These guidelines could take whatever shape necessary to accommodate for the area that would be hypothetically tattooed upon.

It was advised to approach each letter as a shape, and ‘draw’ the script, rather than write it. It was suggested to begin with the stem of letters (such as ‘b’ and ‘p’) that fit within the guidelines, to keep the remainder of the letter shapes consistent in size, as they would be produced inside the ovals. Letters such as ‘y’ where kept consistent throughout the use of bottom guidelines, though it was pointed out that the guides should not dictate the visual, but inform. Once a word had been drawn, more decorative elements could be added and to strengthen the visual elements of piece and make it more conventionally interesting as a tattoo. The image included that depicts orange pencil is a scan of the demonstration produced by Dan, with the remaining images showing a number of my attempts. The larger image also depicts the beginning of my attempted adaptation of calligraphy into ‘tattoo-able’ lettering, referencing the work of Manny Ling as a basis of exploration. 

The task gave me an insight into the process of production of script, allowing for skills development that would make a traditionally undesirable task engaging as a designer. 



Adam McDade

Illustrator, Tattoo Apprentice, and PhD Research Student

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    Beyond the Epidermis: Research Blog

    A document of my experience working as a tattooist at Triplesix Studios, while also serving as a platform for my AHRC NPIF funded research as a PhD student in Design at the University of Sunderland.

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