Momma's Angels

This piece I created for a Marine;'s wife. Her name is Jessica and she came up with the concept to have her sons foot prints hidden within angel wings. The foot print on the left is her son Lucas and the foot print on the right is her son Luis. I really liked the idea and was excited to create a unique way of incorporating the angel wings and baby foot print concept togethr. So here it is ...check it out!!

Rebuilding My Mickey Sharpz Micro-Dial

A challenge!! I love them!! Learning the art of tooning your tattoo machine is definitely something not all tattoo artists perfect in their career! For me I finally feel very confident to say I can take my machine fully apart, guts and all, and rebuild that bad girl back to life and running smoother clearer and stronger than ever!! So I'll share with you my experience because it was pretty bad ass and I learned some new things I loved!!

My Mickey Sharpz is a special machine to me considering it is a legendary piece of equipment that 99.9% of the greats own!! The day some guy walked into the tattoo shop selling a grip of tattoo gear trying to raise up enough money for his new wheels to get him down to San Diego...I SCORED!! My teacher, Franco said "If you dont buy that machine, I will! Here's $75! Ill pay for half of it!" So I did and luckily now own my first Mickey Sharpz Micro Dial, one of the best liner machines you can buy, and I scooped on it for the bargain price of $150 bucks!! YEA!!

Ok Ok!! So I started lining with this machine, I loved its strength and solid lines! Eventually it started running hot, really hot!! So I decided it was time to rebuild my Mickey! I ordered from Mickey Sharpz U.S.A. all the parts I would need!! I bought myself new coils 8 wrap, a bits bag, and a spring replacement armature bar tool kit! Once my gear arrived in the mail I took my machine apart completely! Washed the frame with soap and water, then stripped it with Tar-Nex! After it was fully stripped I took it to the polishing wheel and finished it off by polishing down all surfaces leaving my frame raw metal and looking brand new.

The fun starts now! I arrive into the shop with the help and guidance of my knuckle heads Robby Dobb and Murdock! They said "Girl go to Home Depot and buy yourself a torch and 3 in 1 oil." ( ok lil joke....the night before I couldn't buy a book of matches from the liquor store without my ID...but that day I bought a torch from Home Depot....NOO probolem!!) So Robby Dob shows me how to torch my frame then drop it in the 3 in 1 oil! This process puts a protective hardened layer over the frame. This process helps keep the electric current stronger and solid within the frame, it also helps to keep the frame clean and easier to sterilize. Changing the raw metal finish to a burnt rainbow. I repeated this process then allowed the frame to cool for 45 minutes.

Now the rebuild can begin! Starting with my new coils! Lining everything up to the perfect distance is the most important part of rebuilding a machine. Correct distance and gaps are your differences between a shader and a liner, the differences between a machine that stops dead and a machine that's heart beats strong and solid! I have been gifted to take the teachings from well experienced tattoo artists that I work with at the Orange County InkHouse. Every artist has a preference to how they toon or build their machines. It is up to you as an individual to learn from a qualified tattooer. Point is....WARNING!! Don't try this at home!! It's a craft to be respected and handed down from one skilled artists to another!!

Smokin Mobster

Check out this piece I drew up of a smokin mobster!

Mind, Body, and Spirit

This piece is based upon the clients specific explanations of the mind body and spirit being protected within the circle of God. Outside this circle lurks the good and bad of the world that may temp the spirit. The bird represents the bad of the world, and the tiger represents the good of the world, This was an interesting design to work on because I was given nothing but a few words and from those words I created an interesting design. It flows well and also gives off the feelings expressed.

Nude Angel

This is one of the pinups I designed! Taken from my drawing done in 2009 I created this quiet angel as a tattoo piece for a client of mine. When hired to create a pinup I love full freedom, any suggestions are always welcome as i enjoy creating a piece as unique as possible for all of my clients!!

Cal's Pinup

So if your a stranger to my work you may not know that I love the art of the Pinup! Ok Wow....whats a Pinup?? Really?? Naa its all good...some people don't know what a pinup is!! It was given its name in the 40s by artists such as my favorites, Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas. Soldiers would paint their air plains in World War II with "Pistol Packin Momma's" and later pinups became popular amongst motorcycle riders! I found my love for the pinup while painting motorcycles, later my love grew as I learned more about my favorite pinup artists including the artist known as Olivia. This pirate pinup is a unique piece for me. Its is a tattoo that walks with a young Marine. His name is Calvin and he is marked to leave for Afghanistan this October, he says to me he's proud to have this strong women on his side! I find that when a man marks his plain, his motorcycle, or even his body with a pinup for it to be the hugest complement a man could give a woman. A pinup is to honor a woman's most wonderful parts whether it be her beauty, her personality, or even her strength, it is to me one of the greatest forms of art!