Martin brings home new silverware

A big congratulations to Martin for winning "Best Female Small" at the Needle Gangsters convention this weekend.

Cat`s leaving

We unfortunately have to announce the leaving of our resident unicorn fanatic receptionist Cat.
Cat has made the difficult decision to leave us to go and care for her mum full time, we have all really enjoyed cat working with us over the last couple of years and we wish her all the very best for the future. Filling Cats boots as front of house/receptionist is Lindz(below) why not stop by the studio and say Hi,

Martins Convention plans

As you all know Martin is a regular convention worker and he already has a list of those he is booked for this year. If you are interested/fancy getting tattooed by Martin at any of the following conventions please do not hesitate to contact Martin or the studio

New Year New Room!!

Over the festive period Kai has been working his butt off to create a new Laser and Piercing room! It has been a pretty hefty project but the new room gives him plenty of room to swing his chair around. The project is nearly complete and we shall share photos with you when all is done and dusted (literally dusted, there has been a lot of dust)

Alex in Total Tattoo

It has been a great start to the New Year seeing a lovely article in Total Tattoo Magazine that includes Flaming Gun artist Alex Bach and a selection of his work. The article itself being the story behind Jay following in his fathers footsteps and getting a traditional Eagle tattoo on his chest much like his Dad. An awesome read and some great work by Alex

Tis the Season

We just want to say a MASSIVE Merry Christmas and Happy new year to you all! We also want to thank all of our awesome customers for all your support in 2015, we hope to see you again in the New Year

1st convention, 1st win for Doug

Doug Fawkes, one of our resident tattoo artists, attended his first tattoo convention this weekend and picked up the award for Best Dotwork with Sniffers Geometric Dotwork Chest/torso piece. With Xed le Head being in attendance this Category held some stiff competition and was quite the prestigious award. Everyone here at Flaming Gun would like to wish Doug and Sniffer a massive Congratulations on their well deserved win.

Julie gets an eyeful as a Judge at Norwich

After years of taking part in conventions and winning numerous awards, Julie was awarded a place on the Judges panel at the weekends Norwich Body Art Festival. With an array of awesome tattoos in all different styles it's safe to say Julie saw more than she bargained for but had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend

Think Before You Ink

So, here at Flaming Gun we are launching a new campaign for everyone to Think BEFORE They Ink!

Tattooing itself has changed dramatically over hundreds of years, including a very noticeable difference within the last few decades. Tattooing is an art form and tattooists are seen more as artists these days. More and more people are getting “inked” and it is becoming more acceptable within society. However, don’t be fooled because there are still situations people encounter where tattoos are not considered appropriate or acceptable. Many Careers can be affected by certain tattoos and/or their placement.

There is a broad history of tattoos from across the world. Most people will only relate early tattooing to Sailors, Whores, Gangsters and Prisoners however this was not always the case. In the early 1900’s it was actually more popular with those of a higher class and royalty. The oldest finding of tattooed human skin was discovered on the upper lip of a Chinchorro culture mummy from South America. This dates back to approximately 6000 BC., and the oldest direct evidence for tattooing in Europe, is the body of Ötzi the Iceman. This dates back from the late 4th millennium BC. According to surviving accounts, many Central and Northern European tribes were covered in tattoos. These were elaborate, war-inspired, black or dark blue woad designs. Although these may have been painted markings rather then actual tattoos. To some in the Philippines tattoos had magical qualities or were a form of rank or accomplishment. In some cultures tattoos were considered a form of healing because of their placement. In Japan, when the Samurai were stripped of their armour they adopted tattoos as a means of replacing their armour. The Samurai, after being forced into hiding then formed the fraternal order of the Yakuza. This was in fact was seen as a high honour, which is not the image of modern times.

These are only a few examples of tattooing being used throughout history but that have deep symbolism and meaning that is often not even considered by many potential clients in modern day tattoos. Tattooing these days can be so personal I think it is important to understand what you are getting. For example Chinese symbols, a popular fashion, do you actually know what it says? Is it “Love” or “Noodles”? Japanese Tattoos: Why as an 18 year old are you suddenly getting a traditional Japanese Dragon and Koi on your leg? Do you know the story behind the Dragon and Koi? Does is have meaning to you or do you just think it’s an awesome looking fish? Don’t get me wrong I don’t think every tattoo needs to have meaning, at the end of the day it is art that we can just appreciate for what it is, however certain elements or tattoos should involve a little bit of research. When we talk about what a “Bad” tattoo is, we are looking at the details of a piece, the sharpness of the lines, shading in its correct place, composition, fit and flow of a design and whether its wearer is actually happy with their tattoo. Unfortunately there is a new form of internet bullying, with websites and social media pages dedicated to name, shame and point fingers. Why are so many people still unhappy with their tattoos when we have so much information at our fingertips? Whose fault is it? Is it down to the client for not putting in the time and effort to researching a design? Or the tattooist for taking the money and doing what is asked of them?

So many people these days rush in to getting a tattoo purely for the fact they think it’s cool or they got drunk on holiday and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Realistically, although there are forms of tattoo removal these days, a tattoo should be permanent and therefore well thought out. The standards of tattooing available these days are so high and yet so many are quick to decline quality over price or waiting times. Generally speaking, if your chosen artist has a long waiting list, it’s because they are THAT good! Sadly, Tattoo equipment is so readily available to purchase on the internet these days, anyone can get hold of a tattoo gun and find their first victim. And yes, I mean to say Victim. Tattooing ANYONE under the age of 18 IS ILLEGAL. Tattooing without the correct license or on un-registered premises IS ILLEGAL! However its still happens. And still so many people are unaware of these laws! Please people, keep in mind things are illegal for a reason! Needles and equipment HAVE to be sterilised and premises should be clean. Without these basic practices you are opening yourself up to all sorts of trouble like blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis B and HIV.  We still have young people coming in for Laser removal with the same old story “Oh my mate got a tattoo gun of Ebay and they only charged me £10 for this sleeve. They did it in the Kitchen but it’s really bad and I got a nasty infection and I want to get rid of it”. Another popular one is “I got this tattoo done on my hand and now they won’t consider me for the job I really want”.  This also stems back to my previous comments about tattoos becoming more acceptable in society. If you plan on getting visible tattoos please think outside the box, further into the future. Consider how your new tattoo will influence your career, or potential career, and also to an extent how people will view you within society. There are plenty of areas of the body that can be easily covered if you get tattooed. Laser is great but it is not a magic wand. Tattoos are permanent and removal is painful and if the tattoo was done poorly, scarred or unregistered ink was used you may not be able to remove it at all.

Tattoos can be wonderful, beautiful things if you go about getting one the right way first time. When thinking about getting a tattoo please take care. Look at the quality of an artists work. They should have a portfolio of tattoos and art that THEY have done readily available for you to have a look at. Remember, quality is more important then price. Tattoos are a privilege, not a necessity, and should be treated as such. Ensure you are entirely certain about the tattoo design you are after, as changing your mind after you’ve started is very difficult. When you are looking for a studio, do not be afraid to ask to see the licenses for both the Artists, and the Premises. A professional studio would be more then happy to oblige. Look for cleanliness and Hygiene. As mentioned before, breaking the skin can cause an array of nasty stuff if things aren’t kept clean and sterile. Find a studio with nice, polite staff that will look at your best interests and offer good advice on tattoos and their aftercare. Also, if you meet people and you like the way their tattoos have been done, ask them for a recommendation. The most important thing is you are well prepared and well educated before you dive in to the world of ink and proceed safely.

In conclusion, tattoos can be incredible works of art that can be appreciated and enjoyed for a lifetime. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly but when you’ve made the right choices, with the correct information, the satisfaction can be endless. So remember guys, Good Tattoos are not Cheap, and Cheap Tattoos are not Good!

Think Before You Ink!

Norwich Tattoo Convention

We are pleased to announce that Julie and Doug will be working Norwich Body Art Festival on 15th & 16th of August. There will be lots of amazing artwork to see and epic people to meet. If you're heading down don't forget to pop over and say "Hi"
If you are interested in getting tattooed at the convention or just wish for further details please do not hesitate to contact the studio!

Custom ~ Classic Car & Bike Show - Wheeley

Flaming Gun Are proud to sponsor this awesome Car and Bike show held in Wheeley, Essex. Lots to see and do, and plenty of lovely people to meet and talk to. We even had the chance to meet up with the guys from 117 Racing who took Julie out in the race outfit for a spin. Lots of fun had by all.

117 Racing

Flaming Gun Tattoo Studio are proud to announce we are now sponsoring Peter Thomas and Ben Blythe of 117 Racing. Peter and his lovely wife Claire have been customers of Flaming Gun for many years. After hard work and determination Peter has recently gone from being passenger to rider and is currently working his way up the scoreboard! We want to wish him lots of luck and success. If you would like to see him in action check out their facebook page for race details

Unleashed on the Road!

We would like to say a MASSIVE congratulations to our long standing artist Martin on passing his Driving Test! Watch out world he is coming to get ya! Beep Beep!

New Babies!!!!

With the biggest smiles we would like to wish the HUGEST Congratulations to Doug (Flaming Gun Family Member) and his beautiful wife Nic on the birth of their Identical Twin Boys.
Reuben (6lb 7oz) and Isaac (6lb 6 oz). Lots of love and best wishes!

We Welcome a New Tattoo Artist

So on Saturday 14th March 2015 we welcomed a new Artist to the team: Alex Bach.
Alex has been tattooing for Four years now and is with us on Fridays and Saturdays. His inspiration stems from the likes of Sailor Jerry and his love of Old School Tattoos.
Alex loves to tattoo in the Tradition style but also likes a bit of black work. In his spare time he enjoys painting new bits of flash for his portfolio and busting some moves on his BMX. Check out some of his work on our facebook page.