NIKKO HURTADO’S FIRST SOLO ART GALLERY “RENATI”

Copro Gallery presents artist Nikko Hurtados’ first solo art exhibition “Renati”. Nikko’s brand new body of work focuses on his talents as a fine artist with works on wood and paper. Nikko has become one of the forerunners in color portraiture tattoo work and has elevated himself into the upper echelons of the tattoo industry to earn himself a number of awards and admirers along the way. This exhibition represents a rebirth and new direction for his artistic skills as a painter and fine artist hence the title Renati which is latin for Reborn.

 Born in 1981 in San Fernando Valley, California where he was raised by both his parents Nikko’s uncles and grandfather all sported their own homemade tattoos. Displaying his artistic talent from an early age, he would draw pictures of cartoon characters and give them to female classmates in an effort to get their attention. From junior high forward he attended art classes in school where he learned to draw professionally and then went on to attend ‘The Art Center of Pasadena’.

 Fortunately for the tattoo industry, a friend of Nikkos’ opened up his own studio and invited Nikko to come and learn how to tattoo, giving him his start in the tattoo business. After a long stint working out of Ignition Tattoo in Apple Valley, Nikko began making plans to open his own studio ‘Black Anchor Collective’ in Hesperia, California which opened its doors in early 2010. 

Nikko ‘s tattoo work is instantly recognizable as his own due to his ability to blend his personal style into every stunningly realistic portrait. Working with portraits of the stars of film and television as well as personal portraits of family and loved ones, he is able to capture that magic that seems to make his tattoos come alive. Using an incredible color palette he can create a perfectly realistic flesh tone for his tattoos and can change the texture of his designs at will. With his talents of creating beautiful art on peoples skin Nikko is using those same artistic skills to create paintings and drawings that will hang on collectors walls. “Renati” will be his first major foray into this field of art so DON’T MISS IT!

First Ever Animated Tattoo – By K.A.R.L.

Taking Tattooing to the next level. The worlds first animated Tattoo.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f3qv2dSXQXk

Western Division Tattoo: Little article about A Tattoo I did on my boy Daniel

We unexpectedly ran into Danny this weekend at the NHRA Winternationals. We were doing our thing when he walked up and noticed a W sticker on the KROQ van. He spoke right up. “Hey, you guys have any of these stickers? I’ll trade you one for a tattoo.

“OK, we’ll take the bait. Whatcha got?

He pulled up his pant leg and lo and behold a killer Western Div logo, one of the cleanest we’ve seen. Danny says his plans are to fill in the open space with some SoCal landmarks. We can’t wait to see the finished product.

Danny was the Bob Marley day festival back in ‘09 and came across the KROQ booth. He swooped one of their last W stickers and instantly fell in love with the logo. Little did he know that his friend Steven Sandoval, a tattoo artist, also had a sticker. When they met up one afternoon they realized they were both rockin’ the sticker; Danny on his car and Steven in his tattoo shop. According to Danny, he told Steven to prep the ink.

“Either put the sticker down or tattoo it on me, one or the other.” 

When asked what the tattoo meant to him, Danny said, “I’m in love with the The California lifestyle. I don’t think I could ever live anywhere else.” It unifies the whole SoCal area. I’ve got family in the North and South and this brings them all together.

http://www.westerndivision.com/2011/02/27/ontarios-danny-flores-is-represtin-western-division/

WORLD WIDE TATTOO CONFERENCE SEMINARS

Major International Tattoo Conference coming up ! The project WWTC (WorldWideTattooConference) was conceived in 2011 by Alex De Pase. The original idea was to get together different talented tattoists in an itinerant multicultural context who would travel around the world, stopping over in significant European and American spots to share and offer their expertise and personal views of their work to the global tattoo community.The project came to life in October 2011, when the first WWTC was held in Rome. The artists involved were: Nick Baxter, Jeff Gogue, Alex De Pase and Boris, sided by the tattoo marketing expert Gabe Ripley. It was a great success and attendees were enthusiastic about the experience they had had the opportunity to share.Then it was the turn of Chicago in April 2012 with Nick Baxter, Bob Tyrrell, Jeff Gogue, Boris, Guy Aitchison and Alex De Pase and its WWTC was even more successful than Rome: 250 guests rallied from all over the world to assist at the best tattoo seminars ever put together in recent times. The WWTC project was just the right stuff and it had to go on….The third edition took place in September 2012 at the Tobacco Dock in London, just before the 8th International London Tattoo Convention took off. This time the venue was different: the WWTC was hosted by a Tattoo Convention, in the same rooms that would have been crammed with astonishing tattoists a couple of days later. The London WWTC was rougher and wilder, but the most positive expectations were met for the third time. Lots of European young tattoo artists flocked to the Tobacco Dock buildings and were impressed by the sense of cohesion and belonging to a global community of people who want to share their knowledge without any barrier and where limits or dishomogeneous levels do not exist. The masters Bob Tyrell, Joe Capobianco, Boris, Nikko Hurtado, Stephane Chaudesaigues and Alex De Pase and the apprentices are just members of the same family and everybody is there to take their turn.At the Boston tattoo Conference the relators were: GUY AITCHISON _ BOB TYRRELL _ NICK BAXTER _ NIKKO HURTADO _ JEFF Gogue and ALEX DE PASENex conference, in the 2014 will be in ItalyBy joining the travelling WWTC, you will:- become familiar with the techniques and tricks used by many appreciated tattooists- be provided with different visions of the tattoo as a work of art in different styles- learn how to adjust your style and improve your performance- share your knowledge and ask questions to the artists during the discussion panels- submit pictures of your work to be assessed and evaluated by the artists during the criticism corner- take part in the WWTC award- be an active party in improving dialogue and communication among the global tattoo community- meet in person the best tattooists you’ve always looked up to as a model- have fun and be overjoyed by the sense of overwhelming familiarityDO NOT MISS IT!
http://www.worldwidetattooconference.com

ALEX DE PASE TATTOO: The Art of Tattooing, Portraits and Realistic Stuff

Alex De Pase is a tattoo artist born in in Grado, Italy.At 14, Alex was introduced to tattooing through a friend that learned the art in prison and start tattooing with a bic pen and home made needles.After more than 20 yeras he has become one of the Realistic movement’s known exponents with the intent to propagandize the idea of Art of Tattooing instead a simple practice.De Pase was included in the 2009 Dream Team Tattooing’s Best of the Best which showcased the outstanding tattoo artists of the year and in the 2011 the Magazine “Rebel Ink” included Alex in the 25 Most Wanted Tattoo Artist.Alex De Pase is the organizer of the World Wide Tattoo Conference, the first traveling event focused on the diffusion of the tattoo techniques and philosophy to move the tattoo comunity to new levels.Alex De Pase is a member of the jury of The Chaudesaigues Award 2013 together with the amazing artists Shane O’Neill, Nikko Hurtado and Mike DeVries.

Alex De Pase has taught Tattoo Techniques at ENAIP Friuli Venezia Giulia.He had done seminars at the Paradise Tattoo Gathering (USA) and at the World Wide Tattoo Conference in Rome, Chicago and London.In the 2012 Alex has teached at CLAAI FORM, training, promotion, study and research organization.

MIKE DEVRIES: Amazing Tattoo Artist

In the words of Mike DeVries
Born and raised in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley. I recieved my first tattoo when I was 16 years old. That event opened the window to a whole new world for me. I’ve always been into art, I’ve loved everything about it! I always had a fondness for the realism style and would explore tattoo magazines during my early years, amazed at the portraiture work done by some of the great black and grey artists. I started tattooing professionally in 2003. As I progressed as a tattoo artist I soon realized that I found my niche with color realism. Constantly refining and polishing this craft  keeps me extremely busy and motivated to climb to the next level. A glimpse through my portfolio reveals my preference for wildlife and portrait tattoos. Although realism is the style I’m technically “known for,” I do enjoy tattooing other styles and incorporating different aspects in my work to keep things fresh and interesting.In addition to owning and operating MD Tattoo Studio in Northridge, California, and Memento Publishing, where we market, publish and sell books that encompass a passion for the artistic lifestyle. I also keep busy as co-owner of Stencil Stuff, which is a company that offers Stencil Stuff and Spray Stuff, products that aid artists in achieving better tattoo results. The solutions are used by thousands of tattoo artists every day and I hope are a positive attribute to the tattoo industry. I am honored to be an award-winning artist, garnering approximately 130 awards in the first seven years that I have been tattooing. And the accomplishment I am most proud of is being happily married to my beautiful wife Serena, and a father to our awesome son, Kyle. 

The UK’s Biggest Tattoo Convention – Doncaster Racecourse, 11th – 13th October 2013 | Tattoo Jam

Not long to go now! Being held this year the 11th and 13th October 2013, Tattoo Jam is the most exciting, most anticipated and most talked about Tattoo event of the year. It’s run professionally by the publishers of Skin Deep,Skin Shots International, Tattoo Master Magazines, Tattoo Vixens, The Tattoo Bible, Tattoo Dynamite bookazines and event organisers of the first convention of the year Tattoo Freeze, the recently aquired Manchester Tattoo Show and the brand new London convention The Great British Tattoo Show.Once again Tattoo Jam is taking place in Doncaster, UK at Doncaster Racecourse. The venue provides 5 floors of great convention space at the very highest standards.With 300+ working artists, a day devoted specifically to those in the industry (ARTIST friDAY), FREE seminars & workshops, the Tattoo Masters’ Ball, trade stands, vendors and lots of live entertainment, Tattoo Jam is an unmissable event for anyone with an interest in ink. The Tattoo Master’s Ball this year has a theme of “TWISTED DISNEY” and the efforts made for our infamous fancy dress competitions are something to behold!We are now confirming artists, vendors, traders and entertainment for this year’s great event in October and we look forward to welcoming you all there for another memorable weekend!If you want to be part of something a little different this autumn, come join us for a mischievous weekend at the races. You will not be disappointed…See you there!

http://www.tattoojam.com/