A well balanced Tattoo magazine.

I picked up Skin and Ink along with a few other tat mags as I do every month or so. I'm now 30 and I got my first, and so far only, tattoo shortly after I joined the Navy. (Don't freak, I was 22!:)

I have to say that I really like Skin & Ink, its got a great combination of articles and photos of quality tattoos. The articles are well thought out and interesting...many tat mags simply write articles about the artists life stories, which are interesting but unless the artist is in your locale or you can afford to travel to see them, don't always prove useful.

In this issue (May 00) There is an amazingly in depth article about religion and tattoos. They started with a quote from the Old Testament that states "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves" and then interviewed tattoo artists and even religious leadership of several religions and then published a VERY in depth and balanced article which gives the tattoo collector (as tattooed people sometimes call themselves) all of the information they would need to make an informed decision.

Something like this doesnt exactly fall in line with the sometimes poor view taken by the general public about tattoos!!

There is also an interesting article that purports to be a review of a tattoo convention in Samoa but the writer seems to have been so taken by the beauty of the place that it reads more like an ad for tourism...it worked, I want to visit this tropical island full of wonderfully friendly people.

They tend to be vocal in their opinions about poorly trained tattoo artists and have taken the editorial stance against accepting advertising for starter tattoo machines since anyone who has been properly trained should know where to get the proper material including the most important, sterilization equipment. They also are very good about giving alternate opinions...in this issue they print the letter and photos of a tattoo artist who is in prison and who uses homemade equipment since tattooing is illegal in prison. Even tho I completely agree with the absolute necessity of proper training and sterilization conditions, I have to admit the photos were of some really sweet work! I guess Skin & Ink thought so as well, or they wouldnt have published them :)

Before I sign off, I'd like to say that the photos are very high quality, good color saturation and great visibility of the tats...some mags that have no editorial content and are just pictures of tats have to settle for lower quality images in order to fill their pages, because of the high quality of the writing, they can afford to use only the best.

If you are looking for good information about tattoos and great pictures, this is what you are looking for!