Procedural photos continue after the break.
Abacrombie sent in these shots of a truly old-school tattoo experience at the home of Petelo Sula’Ape, a tattoo artist from Faleasiu, Samoa. The tattoo was done over about eight painful hours of tattooing in a single day. Several assistants helped by stretching the skin as Petelo hammered the tattoo in place using traditional tools in his open-air home — which was a good on account of all the smoking!
Comments
70 responses to “Hand-Tapped Samoan Tattoo Experience”
Hard out haha wonder if he watched The Tattooist? lol!
Hard out haha wonder if he watched The Tattooist? lol!
Props to this dude.
Props to this dude.
i’m jealous!
i’m jealous!
it turned out really beautifully – absolutely amazing.
and he has really well-groomed armpit hair!
it turned out really beautifully – absolutely amazing.
and he has really well-groomed armpit hair!
ha. I like that in the last picture when the man is spraying him down, he’s got a look of pure bliss.
ha. I like that in the last picture when the man is spraying him down, he’s got a look of pure bliss.
that is so beautiful
that is so beautiful
Love the design and that boy is beautiful!
Love the design and that boy is beautiful!
That is so cool! I hope to one day have a hand poked piece on me.
That is so cool! I hope to one day have a hand poked piece on me.
I agree with cyber_android, theres some major foxage going on up in that hut.
I agree with cyber_android, theres some major foxage going on up in that hut.
I love the guy in the red shorts facial expression…the tattoo looks beautiful.
I love the guy in the red shorts facial expression…the tattoo looks beautiful.
This guy is amazing.
This guy is amazing.
oh my goodness this is wonderful. i cannot express how much joy it brought me to look at those pictures. it’s an incredible piece, it looks so intense yet at the same time so completely natural. and the experience mustve been crazy..
oh my goodness this is wonderful. i cannot express how much joy it brought me to look at those pictures. it’s an incredible piece, it looks so intense yet at the same time so completely natural. and the experience mustve been crazy..
Wow this is beautiful, I couldnt imagine the pain. It looks so good.
Wow this is beautiful, I couldnt imagine the pain. It looks so good.
Yeah that last photo of him being sprayed does look like pure bliss. I remember when I had my ears done four times through the cartilage on each ear with the gun after, being sprayed was the greatest feeling on earth. I now have captive bead rings through all 18 of my ear piercings, I’ve been wondering if I should send in a photo but I don’t think it’s extreme enough. Any thoughts?
Yeah that last photo of him being sprayed does look like pure bliss. I remember when I had my ears done four times through the cartilage on each ear with the gun after, being sprayed was the greatest feeling on earth. I now have captive bead rings through all 18 of my ear piercings, I’ve been wondering if I should send in a photo but I don’t think it’s extreme enough. Any thoughts?
Really nice work. I am hoping to get some hand poked work done this spring on my leg. It should be fun.
to #1, I was thinking of The Tattooist as well. 🙂
Really nice work. I am hoping to get some hand poked work done this spring on my leg. It should be fun.
to #1, I was thinking of The Tattooist as well. 🙂
that shit really hurts!
that shit really hurts!
Wow! That looks amazing!
Wow! That looks amazing!
I had a pe’a done by Petelo and it was tough going. There was a bloody chicken nesting in a box in the roof of the Fale and all the local schoolkids came to point at my pasty white arse.
He had a white American woman working as an apprentice and over zealous Samoan cultural enforcer who dedicated a lot of her time to giving me unwanted lectures.
Great tattoo though, one day I’ll get it finished.
I had a pe’a done by Petelo and it was tough going. There was a bloody chicken nesting in a box in the roof of the Fale and all the local schoolkids came to point at my pasty white arse.
He had a white American woman working as an apprentice and over zealous Samoan cultural enforcer who dedicated a lot of her time to giving me unwanted lectures.
Great tattoo though, one day I’ll get it finished.
amazing.
amazing.
thats lovely, and from the looks, well earned 🙂
thats lovely, and from the looks, well earned 🙂
Owww dude right in the armpit!
Looks awesome though, must have been an amazing experience.
Owww dude right in the armpit!
Looks awesome though, must have been an amazing experience.
hehe cultural enforcers are great!
hehe cultural enforcers are great!
I am lovin’ these super frequent updates, props on the good work guys.
Also, I’ve always been curious, does anyone know if these have more staying power than modern techniques?
I am lovin’ these super frequent updates, props on the good work guys.
Also, I’ve always been curious, does anyone know if these have more staying power than modern techniques?
Pyrex – If anything they’d have less staying power because there might be additional scarring… But really, it makes very little difference assuming they’re using the same ink.
Pyrex – If anything they’d have less staying power because there might be additional scarring… But really, it makes very little difference assuming they’re using the same ink.
Kirsty (#14): Check out the main page for BME it’s not all about being extreme. if you’ve got a piercing, submit a picture. It might not make modblog but 18 ear piercings is more than enough to get your picture posted.
Well, once Shannon has managed to work his way through the massive backlog in any case. He’s been a busy dude lately.
Kirsty (#14): Check out the main page for BME it’s not all about being extreme. if you’ve got a piercing, submit a picture. It might not make modblog but 18 ear piercings is more than enough to get your picture posted.
Well, once Shannon has managed to work his way through the massive backlog in any case. He’s been a busy dude lately.