John Portik, of Niagara Falls, has been fined by the health department after 8 cases of skin infection (one being MRSA) were traced back to tattoos performed by him. Although he claims to have worked in a shop, the owners of Hardcore deny having ever heard of him - let alone employed him - and he did most of his tattooing via tattoo parties and in people's homes. His tattooing equipment has been confiscated and he's been told to stop tattooing, but anyone who has received a tattoo from John Portik since 2001 should be tested for blood disease since his methods of sanitation cannot be verified.

More Information:

Tattoo Clients Urged to be Tested

MRSA and Tattoos: What Are the Risks?

Are Tattoo Parties Safe?

There aren't many artists I would feature here that are as green as Tim Phelps, but there aren't a lot of new artists with the prodigious skill he has, either. Hailing from a small town near Nashville, Tennessee, Tim Phelps is already one of the country's most skilled portrait artists, both in black and color ink. With more and more artists like him on the rise, the level of competition and the speed of the industry's evolution is astounding. Quoting one of his favorite artists - none other than the cheerfully eccentric painter, Bob Ross - Tim knows that the way to beat the competition is to learn from them. This humble and down-to-earth demeanor is quickly pushing out the wanna-be-rockstars many of us are so tired of in this business.

Last August, Joshua Trobaugh - owner of Mr. Tank's Tattoos in Denver, CO Read more...

"I have a small Egyptian related tattoo on my upper back and I want to add things to it...more hieroglyphs to it like a wall and to the sides I'll add Anubis and Bastet (two Egyptian deities). This will then be a pretty large tattoo, covering half of my back. But, on my lower back, I want to have a fairy. Both the Egyptian culture and fairies are very very important to me, but do you think they will not look good, seeing as they're such different things? I am concerned about aesthetics, I don't wanna have a back that looks funny." - estefmg

Dog Keeps Licking Tattoo
"I got a large tattoo on my wrist touched up a few days ago. That night I noticed my puppy was attracted to it. I thought it was just because it smelled all sterile and what not. But yesterday, she did it again, and tried to lick it. She is a licker, she really enjoys licking me but has never tried to lick my wrist, one of my friends pointed out that dogs do tend to lick their wounds, and I figured that makes sense. I thought it was pretty cute (I stopped her), but I was wondering if anyone else had ever had this happen to them?" - wallflower1687

Are you ever tempted to cover your body art, just so you don't have to deal with stupid people? A recent experience at the grocery store annoyed me so much, it almost makes me want to wear turtleneck sweaters in summertime.

As I was entering the grocery store, in a bit of a rush, this woman on her way out points at me and my tattoos and tells me she likes them. I politely say thank you and start to turn and be on my way, and this is where it gets ugly. She asks me to hang on, reaches out and grabs my arm, pulling it closer to her for a better look. Then, she hollers at her friend, who has already exited the store, to come back and look at my tattoos. The friend, pregnant and now puffing on a cigarette, tells her no. Fortunately, the woman releases my arm, but after screaming a few choice words at her friend and the kids making circles around both of us, she asks me how much my tattoo cost. Taken aback, I said, "Well, my artist charges $75 an...." and at this point, she's not even listening to me. She's cussing at the kids and her friend is cussing at her and I finally take my leave. I catch the eye of the door greeter and we both share an incredulous grin.

Apparently, this woman never learned the basic rules of etiquette when dealing with strangers with tattoos. So, in case any of you know someone guilty of the same thing, or if you just want to have a copy of "Da Rules" handy in such a situation, feel free to print out the following list!

1. Don't touch! Touching a total stranger is bad etiquette anyway - why do people feel the right to ignore this particular manner when people are tattooed?

2. Ask if I'm busy! I am many times in a hurry and I really don't appreciate it when people expect me to stop and chat about my ink and have no regard for the fact that I may not have time to kill.

3. Don't call your friends over for a look. I am not your personal freak show. I find it extremely rude when people start yelling, "Come here and look at this girl's tattoo!"

4. Do not ask how much my tattoo cost! That is absolutely none of your business. You can, however, ask how much my artist charges per hour.

5. Don't stop me, touch me, call your friends over, ask me questions and then ignore me when I try to answer you! If you don't intend to listen to the answer, then don't ask.

Got a similar story to share? Leave a comment below or email me at tattoo.guide@about.com.

Time is running out to make plans attend the 6th annual Hell City Tattoo Festival in Columbus, Ohio. Many local hotels are booked full and this fun-filled weekend starts in just 18 days! With over 130 artists on board, 75 booths, live entertainment and even fun stuff for the littlest hellions, the Hell City festival promises to be an excellent way to spend the weekend! (I'm even ignoring the Finger 11 concert also happening in Columbus on the night of the 17th - sorry guys, have to catch you another time!)

"So a friend of mine got inked a few days ago. The ink looked awful and was sooooo crooked. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to be mean since he loved his ink, and I asked where he got it done. He said at this shop called YB Normal??? I was like hmmm I never heard of it. Then I checked out the site and realized why lol....They offer a tattoo school! With a course description. I couldn't believe it. I went to check it out since it's close to me and the place is extremely dirty and the work that comes out of there is just plain awful. I don't understand why ppl go to these places. I wish they were more educated on the subject of tattooing." - Dante's Mama

Paris (Ontario) Tattoo Shop Robbed, Ransacked
Inklinations, run by Gail and Frank Gilicze, was robbed and ransacked earlier this week. All of their equipment was stolen, and many items were left smashed. The shop has been temporarily shut down while waiting for replacement equipment, but should be back in business soon. The robbery has been a devastating blow to the Giliczes, but they are determined to move forward.

Hawaii Artists Victorious in Deregulation Case
After having their livelihoods threatened by a state consideration to de-regulate the body art industry (in order to allow tattooing at conventions held on the islands, without visiting artists having to be licensed and certified under local law), artists decried the proposed bill, citing the damage that could be caused by unlicensed tattooing. Fortunately, they won - for now. The bill is up for reconsideration in a year.

For most of us, Pat Fish needs no introductions. She's world-renowned for her specific talent in the area of Celtic and Irish tattoos. Her personal connection with Irish culture and knowledge of its symbolism, as well as her steady hand and talented artistry, make her a top choice for anyone wanting a Celtic tattoo. I was greatly honored when she accepted my invitation to be featured here on this site, and I enjoyed getting to know a little more about the lady behind the machine - I know you will, too!

Question:
Hello. I was reading up about the migration & rejection process. It happened to me when I got my belly button pierced. I now want a tattoo, but I am scared that my body will "reject" that too. Is that possible?

Answer:
Good question! But that's not likely to happen. Piercings tend to reject on a regular basis and the same people that have piercings reject won't have any trouble at all with a tattoo. It's the foreign object of the jewelry that seems to cause the body to decide it doesn't like and want to push it out, but the body doesn't seem to consider ink a foreign object. The only times I've ever heard of anyone "rejecting" a tattoo was because they were taking a certain kind of medication that didn't react well with getting a tattoo - if you have any concerns about vitamins or medications you're taking, discuss those with your artist. Otherwise, you should be just fine.