Electric Tattoos by Neal D. Koch

Trippy wizard sleeve

2011-07-17T09:29:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Thomas Hooper on this one. I used his book of skulls for the reference.

Best,
~N

Zombie Jean

2011-07-02T13:39:00.001-07:00

Best,
~N

Snap crackle pop... That's the sound of my hip joints.

2011-05-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

Just received word from the doc that I will be needing surgery on both of my hips to fix the problem that has caused me almost daily pain for about a year now. The process begins in August, so up until that point I will be clamping down on appointments. I don't plan on starting any large projects, and anyone that is still waiting for me to finish work on them will get priority. The reason for this is the surgery has a six month recovery time, and I will be unable to work for at least a portion of that time.

Also, after I have recovered I will no longer be working at the Cowpök. This has been in the works for awhile. I will be moving down to Georgia for a period of time to pursue a Master's degree in illustration. I will most likely be tattooing while I am down there, but where, I can't say yet.

Best,
~N

And done

2011-05-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

Brutalizing ribs

2011-05-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Kaitlin gets down with rib tattoos. She's so tough she'll eat a corkscrew and poop out a nail.

The guardian

2011-05-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

This is Derek. He's a young man getting awesome tattoos, as opposed to young men getting horrible tattoos from somebody's kitchen. Seriously, what's up with that?

2011-04-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here's some other new and not so new stuff. I think Sean is still upset with me for tattooing his butt for something like three hours.

2011-04-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Been awhile. Here's some stuff I've been doing.

2011-02-01T08:37:00.001-08:00

I'll be reducing my hours at the shop effective next week. Between a new puppy and trying to finish my application for the Master's program at SCAD, I simply need more time at home. I will be at the shop Fridays through Sundays, and Tuesdays.

Cheers,
~Neal

www.tattoosbyneal.com

2011-01-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

My website, www.tattoosbyneal.com went live today. Thanks to Sarah and everyone at the Martin Group who put time and energy into making it happen.

Lowridin'

2011-01-13T23:10:00.000-08:00

While my sister and I were in Japan, we were interviewed by Lowrider magazine about the hats we both designed for New Era Cap. I wish I had a translation of the page, but alas I do not. Still, very cool!

Like it never even happened.

2011-01-10T17:45:00.000-08:00

Off to a great start.

2011-01-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

(He's laughing at Kaitlyn's unfinished stomach tattoo.)

Stateside

2010-12-22T08:22:00.000-08:00

I'll be back in the USA in a little over 24 hours. My appointment book is back open and I eagerly await your emails and/or calls. Happy Holidays, everyone. Can't wait to get back to work.

Meanwhile, here's a couple great photos from a Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple, respectively.

Nazis can eat shit. Swastikas are interesting and awesome and 15 years of white dudes being assholes will not change that.

These are not ribbons. They are thousands of paper cranes strung together. Devotion.

This blog...

2010-12-06T05:25:00.001-08:00

http://hanzismatter.blogspot.com/

...is why I don't like doing tattoos in a language I don't speak or write. Ever.

Those of you who do have japanese or chinese characters, do you dare submit your tattoo?

Nippon!

2010-11-28T14:05:00.001-08:00

Been in Tokyo a little less than two days now. I've discovered that, so long as you're polite and have memorized a short list of greetings and polite words, you're pretty much fine. And don't forget the bowing. I've also learned that people are fairly cautious around white guys with tattoos and shaved heads. Go figure.

It's been weird seeing a bunch of examples of real-life things that I am only familiar with through drawings and wood block paintings. The shinto temple I visited yesterday and the lotus blossoms I saw on the way to it come to mind. This place really is bananas in the best way possible.

Today we're heading to Tokyo Disney. My sister and I have sort of an unhealthy love affair with the pseudo-socialist empire that is the house that Walt built, so naturally we have to see its Japanese cousin. I am quite excited.

~N

2010-11-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Just an added note, if anyone would like to repost the picture of the hat on their own social networking site, along with my info (name, website) and where the hat was stolen (NYC), I'd appreciate it. I'm not going to bring the hammer down or encourage any sort of recourse about the theft, I'd just like to somehow get it back into the right hands. I made that hat for people to enjoy, not for someone to steal/wear/sell. A reward for the hat's safe return is not out of the question.

Thievery!

2010-11-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

The hat that I posted a picture of earlier was stolen. I'm torn between being really bummed and being flattered.
In a way, I guess I should thank whoever took it, because now I'll just make another one that's even better. But on the other hand, fuck you for being a thief.

Aaaaaaaanyway... Japan in a couple days. Maybe they won't steal stuff I make.

Out of body experience

2010-11-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

Nothing will make you feel the weight of time like a five hour session. Glad we knocked this baby out before I went to Nippon.

Tokyo-bound 2

2010-11-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

The russian doll is several months old and aging pretty well so far. The purple ribbon, on the other hand, is fresh. I've said before that I don't particularly like working with purple, but this tattoo went very smoothly, and in an awkward spot too!

I really like how this one turned out.

The story behind this one is sort of heartwarming.

Tokyo-bound

2010-11-19T09:24:00.001-08:00

I'll be leaving for Japan soon, so I thought I take some time and post a few things that I've been meaning to get up here.

Firstly, here's a cap that I designed for New Era. This isn't going to be mass-produced or anything. It's for the company's 90th anniversary.

Neat, huh?

Keeping with the theme, here's Sean's back coming along nicely.

More coming up.

Stand Alone Complex

2010-10-28T02:26:00.000-07:00

I had a slow day at the shop and decided to wrangle together one of those fancy time-lapse videos of me drawing something. Major Kusanagi, for those not familiar, is one awesome cybernetic broad of Ghost in the Shell fame. I used to be very big into manga and anime. I still am, but more selectively. I want to get one of those special cameras specifically for doing these and set it up for tattooing. Wouldn't that be fun? I can't quite wrap my head around getting a proper link here, so copy and paste this warlock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BkoLVnlgJQ

~N

All the single ladies' heads.

2010-09-29T02:43:00.000-07:00

2010-09-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here's some new stuff. Some of it (all of it) so new that it's shiny.

Yikes

2010-08-29T03:28:00.001-07:00

It's been a minute and a half since I posted here, hm? Thankfully, it's been because of too much activity as of late. Took a trip down to Savannah, GA to see my sister, and also secured a guest spot at James Lemons' shop, Stranded Tattoo, which will be going down in the first week of October. Then I hopped over the Easthampton, MA to visit and get tattooed by Eva Jean, a classy dame that a learned a great deal from when I was starting to tattoo. She's good people.

Finally, I've gotten around to getting the necessary ducks in order for my new website, which should be going live pretty soon.

And, of course, I've been tattooing. I had the very exciting task today of beginning a traditional Japanese backpiece with a huge 8 hour lining session. It was quite an ordeal. New pictures coming soon.

...and somethin' evil's lurkin' in the daa-a-a-ark.

2010-07-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

First session. Three hours.

Aquatic Leg Sleeve Session 2

2010-07-11T21:15:00.000-07:00

I'll send an SOS to the world.

2010-07-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

A sailor's grave.

2010-07-09T17:02:00.001-07:00

Adding water at some point in the future.

Butterskulls

2010-06-29T00:46:00.000-07:00

Butterfly is done. Skull, not quite.

Hey, does anyone remember that song 'Butterfly' by that numetal band Crazy Town? That song was terrible. Good riddance.

(The Life) Aquatic leg sleeve.

2010-06-12T16:55:00.001-07:00

The Broodwich

2010-06-11T17:42:00.001-07:00

The most evil sandwich ever created. Forged in darkness from wheat harvested in hell's half acre. Baked by Beelzebub. Slathered with mayonnaise beaten from the evil eggs of dark chicken force-fed to dogs by the hands of a one eyed mad man. Cheese boiled from the rancid teat of fanged cow. Layered with 666 separate meats from an animal which has MAGGOTS FOR BLOOD!

And lettuce.

Holy cow

2010-06-07T16:28:00.001-07:00

Skull

2010-05-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Watercolor, ink, and tea (for the staining) on paper.

I'm not sure why this photo insists on orienting itself that way. Tried to fix it, but you'll just have to turn you computer screen.

Thigh-brids.

2010-05-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hybrids.

2010-05-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

Raven coverup. To be continued.

2010-04-26T01:56:00.000-07:00

Used a rotary. 'Twas fun.

More flower power

2010-04-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

After (In progress. Original artist unknown)

2010-04-22T21:58:00.001-07:00

Before

2010-04-22T21:56:00.001-07:00

Spider-sleeve is tingling

2010-04-13T02:01:00.001-07:00

The finished Spidey was done by Mikael from Renaissance a few years ago. The rest is and will be done by yours truly. Good stuff.

Blue Eyes

2010-03-28T02:28:00.001-07:00

Putting out the call

2010-03-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

I've begun to do a few large paintings with the intention of eventually putting them on people. I would like to be doing more large-scale tattooing projects, and pieces designed solely out of my own skull, so I'm encouraging people to write to my email and call The Cowpok if you'd be at all interested. I'll post scans or photos of the paintings here when I am finished with them, so you can determine for yourself if you'd like to wear them.

Go big or go home, people!

~N

Peaches come from a can.

2010-02-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Purple Reign

2010-02-20T09:18:00.001-08:00

People seem to love things lined in purple. It's a shame that, to me anyway, dark purple is a real pain in the ass to line with.

Flat black

2010-02-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

Black on black on black. These kinds of tattoos are winning most of my affection, lately. Unless they're tribal.

I really need a better camera.

2010-02-02T23:43:00.000-08:00

Buffalo soldiers.

2010-01-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

I love it when friends have tattoo ideas that force me to try things I haven't seen very often in mainstream tattooing. Thanks Mike D.

...And sometimes they're not.

2010-01-09T23:46:00.001-08:00

Black outlines: Sometimes they're overrated.

2010-01-09T14:32:00.001-08:00

Predasus Mark 3

2009-12-18T22:52:00.000-08:00

On an added note, Avatar made me wish so badly that I wasn't scared to death of all of these glow-in-the-dark and glow-under-blacklight inks. I simply don't trust the stuff. Anyone have any info that would lead me to believe that they aren't dangerous? By info, I mean scientific study.

Back to Avatar though, man, did the human race ever get screwed on cool shit that evolution could grace us with. Bio-luminescence is radical.

Predasus Mark 2

2009-12-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

Getting patriotic

2009-11-23T22:33:00.000-08:00

The Predasus

2009-11-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Julia for photos, and to Maggie for actually getting this, and the DF board for propagating the meme. And to my parents for letting me watch Predator at a completely inappropriate age.

Coloring commences soon. More photos to follow.

2009-10-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Let's keep the flower theme going. Some sort of realism (I don't think blue roses actually exist, do they?) and some more of the illustrative stuff.

For some reason, I really enjoy doing flowers. They're very forgiving, no matter what style you intend on doing them in, and they're a great addition to any tattoo idea. Flowers get an A+ in my book.

~N