Tattoo Videos

Tattoo Videos (DVDs)

There are a variety of tattoo videos out there, available to do everything from help you with your art to entertain you. There are also DVDs available that you can play in your shop as either a way of setting the tone for your shop (and letting your customers know what they’re in for) or for entertaining them while they wait to see an artist. Here’s a breakdown of different types of tattoo videos.                 

How-To Tattoo Videos

The reality is no video is going to get you to become an expert tattoo artist: that takes practice and an apprenticeship under a skilled mentor. However, if you’re already an experienced artist looking to pick up new technique, then a how-to video can be a good primer for you. While there are no shortages of videos out there, finding quality ones can be a challenge. Your best bet is to look for videos made by reputable tattoo artists that are designed for fellow artists.

Tattoo artists tend to be protective of their knowledge, and they want to know that their hard-won experience is going to fellow professionals who will be able take their knowledge and apply it—not hack scratchers who will probably misapply whatever they are able to understand. By the same token, don’t even bother looking for free online videos. Whatever you manage to find will probably be vague to the point of uselessness.

Tattoo-themed videos to play in your shop

Obviously, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is getting a lot of play right now, but despite the name, tattoos don’t really feature that heavily in the video—either in the original Swedish or the American remake. Here are some more relevant tattoo-themed movies for you to play in your shop to entertain customers who are waiting.

1. Memento. In this movie, the protagonist is a man who can’t make new memories; all he knows is that someone killed his wife. In order to keep track of his progress in tracking down the killer, he tattoos messages to himself on his body, beginning with, “John G. Raped and Murdered My Wife.” It’s an innovative movie, and tattoos play a heavy role in the film.

2. The Illustrated Man. This 1969 science fiction film features a man whose entire body is covered in tattoos. The titular character searches for the woman who inked him; meanwhile, those who look closely at his tattoos experience the futuristic tale they describe. 

3. Irezumi – The Spirit of Tattoo. This titillating Japanese film from 1983 loses something through the subtitles, but it is about a Tokyo secretary who spends two years getting her back tattooed in order to please her lover. There is a distinct S&M thread running through it that may appeal to certain tattoo shops.

4. Signatures of the Soul (1987). This documentary, hosted by Peter Fonda,  discusses the Western history of tattooing.

5. Tattoo. This German thriller features a detective on the trail of a serial killer who’s murdering tattooed victims—particularly those inked by a Japanese artist.