BME: Body Modification Ezine

A tattooed person suspends from hooks, laying flat, one leg higher than the other. Their head is back, and they seem to be smiling, dark hair dangling like an anime character.

Celebrating body modification culture since 1994.

Category: ModBlog

  • Mandala in ink

    Written by

    Rob

    The art of a sand manadala is tied deeply to Buddhist spiritual beliefs.  As you can see in the video above, the time and dedication required to create a mandala takes years of study.  Each grain of sand is delicately placed to form a detailed image created in a geometrical design.  After taking a look at the following image sent in by Punktum, I immediately thought of the sand mandala.  (Click the picture to see the full sized image)

    punktum

    With the design being so geometrical and comprised of mainly dotwork, you can easily see where the comparison comes from.  The art of tattooing is no so dissimilar from the process involved in creating a sand mandala.  Yes one is a strictly religious and spiritual practice, but they both employ the usage of a fine material to create something larger.  While the monks use grains of sand, the tattoo artist uses small needles.  In both cases the smallest details matter, as each line and color must be placed in a specific location to create the overall design.  It was really difficult to select just one image of Punktum’s so here’s a second one, just to give you an idea of how detailed these designs are.

    spiral

    If you have some time, please check out the tribal and blackwork tattoo gallery today, you won’t be disappointed with what you find.

  • Cutting right to the point

    Written by

    Rob

    So earlier today we saw IAM: Arseniy Andersson playing chess with someone he had just suspended, now lets take a look at something else that he has done recently.

    With Dragon-Con finishing up yesterday, I thought it would be a good idea to throw some form of nerdy mod up here on ModBlog.  Of course I could have done the easy thing and found an image from the geek tattoo gallery, but I thought I should dig for something that is even geekier.  Sure enough, it didn’t take me too long to find something that I think probably falls into the realm of nerd.  Now the appeal of Dragon-Con is that it is the most “fan friendly” convention around.  People are encouraged to dress up at all times, and the parties can last all weekend long.  Think APP’s convention but with a little more spandex, and almost as many people dressed as Slave Leia.  Dragon-Con also caters to every form of nerd/geek/dork/whatever on the planet with workshops ranging from “Zombies vs. Unicorns” to “David Bowie: Loving the Alien” to “Hairstyles of the Tang Dynasty” and everything in between.  It’s probably the only place on the planet you’d find Batman sharing costume tips with a steampunk civil war veteran.

    I’m sure that of the people that attended, those who are tattooed probably sport something that relates to the object of their passions.  Now when it comes to fans of fantasy, nothing says “fantasy” more than elves.  I’m not talking about the little guys who make cookies, but the kind that roam the woods with their bows and pointed ears.  So what’s an elven fan to do when they really want to transform into one?  Well for starters, they could point their ears.  Now I’m not saying everyone with pointed ears is a fan of fantasy, but it’s safe to say of the devotees to the fantasy genre, those who are inclined to get a major modification done, will probably have their ears pointed.

    Thanks to Arseniy, this young lady was able to get her ears sculpted the way she wanted them.  Whether she’s a fan or not, her ears definitely fall into the category of elven.

    ears

    Now as to how he managed to sculpt her head to remove her face entirely, that’s a story for another day.  Although from what I understand, it was reversed due to some breathing difficulties.

  • Buried in your black heart

    Written by

    Rob

    I was thinking about saving this post for this week’s Friday Follow-up, but it’s such a great series of pics that I just couldn’t wait to share them.

    Copy sent in this photo of his hand implant procedure back in May.  The artist is Mike Knight from Velvet Grip Family, in Hollywood, CA.

    hand

    The rest of the photos of the procedure can be seen in the 3D-art implant gallery.  The question of course arises, well what does it look like healed?

    Thankfully Copy sent in a fully healed picture last week to share with everyone.  Keep on reading to check it out.

    heart

    You can see just how well the implant healed up, plus Copy’s blackwork really accentuates how the light hits his hand, making the heart stand out even more that it would without the tattoo.  I’m also a big fan of the simplicity of the photo, the contrast of the black against the wall, and the shadows created by the implant, really make the modifications the highlight of the photo.  There’s also the clash between the imagery, while the tattoos are dark and cover the surface, the heart is strong and is showing itself through the darkness, forcing its way into the light.

    No matter how deep something may be buried, if it is strong enough, it will rise up and push through anything in its way.  Feelings are a perfect example of that.  People supress their thoughts and feelings towards things and people all the time, yet eventually, often when it is least expected, those feelings can come rushing back.  These moments can easily overwhelm someone, to the point that in the moment nothing else matters.  It could be feelings of love towards someone, or anger towards another, I think where it is seen most is at a funeral.  The news of a loved one passing away is always painful, yet in the time between hearing the news and the funeral itself, life must continue on for those few days.  It’s difficult, but for most people it’s a necessity.  So when the day arrives, all those feelings of grief and sadness that someone has pushed aside to get through the days comes flooding back.  They’re finally able to release all of that emotion that had been building up, and they’re able to do it at a time they’re surrounded by people who are feeling the exact same way.  It is through these experiences that a person is able to come to terms with their own feelings and move forwards.  So while holding things in may be needed by people, eventually what is trapped inside will want to come out, it’s just a matter of time.

  • Fall into the season

    Written by

    Rob

    Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

    –Albert Camus

    Most people have a favorite season.  If you love skiing or snowboarding, winter may be your favorite.  Spring has always been thought of as a time of rebirth and new love, while summer is the domain of the the sun.  Then there are those of us who love the fall.  The days growing cooler as the nights get longer, but not so cold that you need to bundle up when you go for a walk.  The air becoming crisp and clean now that the humidity of august is behind us.  And of course, who can forget about the biggest visual reminder of the changing season, the leaves changing colour.

    I suppose it’s fitting that one of the first posts I make the day after Labour Day features some images uploaded over the weekend.  Labour Day is always summer’s last hurrah before the fall takes its hold.  It’s the last weekend for most kids before heading back to school, and it’s the last long weekend of the summer for adults to head out to the cottage to catch those last few moments on the lake.

    For the uploader of the following pics, Halfie, this tattoo really captures that transition from summer to fall.  Granted all the seasons can be seen as transitional, but when looking at the leaves, you can really see the changes happening right before your eyes.  The artist is Kyle Hoffman from A Brand New Tattoo in Eau Claire, WI, and the photographer was Paul Veit.

    fall1

    Keep on reading to see the rest of the leaves, and the colors they change into.

    fall2

    You can check out the rest of the images in the nature and wildlife gallery.

    Do you have a favorite season (or seasons)?  What makes that time of year special to you?

  • Checkmate

    Written by

    Rob

    A few months back Jen posted a picture that got more than a few mouths watering.  Well it turns out the young man in that image, IAM: Arseniy Andersson is so much more than a pretty face.  While we all appreciate his modelling pictures, back at home in St. Petersburg, Russia he is also known for being a piercer and performance artist.  I’m not entirely sure of the story behind these images, but from what I can tell Arseniy threw the hooks for what appears to be some form of photo/video shoot.

    checkmate1

    Of course the question is, was the chessboard part of the shoot, or was it just something being used to kill time?  Photos of suspensions always seem to capture such fantastic moments.  I suppose when you know the subject isn’t going to be going anywhere, the photographer can really set themselves up for a beautiful picture.  So while it may be a couple suspended tandem over a stream, or a good looking guy playing chess while in an abandoned warehouse, the opportunity for an interesting image is always present.

    Keep on reading to see a closeup of the man playing black.

    checkmate2

    If you want to check out more great images of people suspending, head on over to the suspension galleries and check them out.

    While you do that, here’s a question to ponder:  If you could do any activity while suspending, what would it be?

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