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The Raddest Sci-Fi Tattoos in Richmond

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In 2015, Richmond was the third most tattooed city in the country. Over the past few years, over a dozen shops have cropped up along Broad Street and judging from looking around VCU’s campus and basically any bar in Richmond, body art is something that will always be a part of the city’s culture.

With so many well done, beautiful tattoos around me and so many talented artists in a 20-mile range, I was curious what are some of their favorite tattoos. But, since that would probably be a hard one to narrow down, I decided to scale it back to a particular type: science fiction. From Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and “Altered Carbon,” box office hits like “Blade Runner 2049” and the reboot of the “Alien” franchise to HBO’s “Westworld,” the genre has seen a resurgence in the last few years, so one wonders if it has spread into Richmond’s ever-growing tattoo scene. RVA Mag asked five local artists about the best sci-fi tattoos they’ve ever done. And let’s just our findings were “out there.” 

Abel Killian, Lucky 13 Tattoo

“I did a UFO beaming into the brain of a man, and it said that ‘I want to be leaving’,” said Killian. “As a custom drawing, I was just feeling kind of spacey that day. I think there’s a lot of aspects of sci-fi that are neat, you can do a lot with.”

Matt Brotka, Revenant Studio

“This tattoo’s probably about seven or eight years old, now,” said Brotka. “It was a culmination of a lot of things. Stylistically, why I was first interested in the tattoo world in the nineties, and bringing it to today with such matter of a movie and something I could physically pull off as a tattoo.”

Erin Chance, Unkindness Art

“We started it four years ago and [my client and I] still haven’t finished it because we both have very busy schedules,” said Chance. “It’s a neck to knee back piece of this cyber woman hiding behind a brick wall while Cthulu destroys a city around it. We’re getting really close to being done with it, but it’s not quite done.”

Teresa Sharpe, Unkindness Art

“I think the one that really changed the game and got me doing more space-related tattoos was the space sleeve with pixels on the hand,” said Sharpe. “[My client] just wanted space-themed, so it allowed me to really take control and create something fun.”

Chris Jenkins, Loose Screw Tattoo

“My favorite sci-fi piece that I’ve done is Rick Sanchez [of Rick and Morty],” said Jenkins. “It’s just fun. I think that show sends a ‘grand scheme’ message. It’s funny, but it’s also heavy.”

This was just a small fraction of the undeniable art walking up and down the streets of the River City. As more tattoos start steering away from more traditional art and toward more pop culture based work, it is only time before Sailor Moon and Princess Leia become the new pin-up tattoos of yore.

Hundreds of Richmonders lined up for $13 tattoos on Friday the 13th

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It’s a long-standing tradition at Richmond’s tattoo shops, but what makes someone wait in line for a $13 tattoo?

Customers lined up by All-For-One, one of many shops along with Lucky 13 offering specials on Friday the 13th

“It’s really about the community,” one heavily-tattooed visitor tells me. She skipped work to be here, and asks that I not include her photo or name. “I told my boss my car broke down. I thought I’d just be late, but now that I’m here I don’t want to leave.”

I’ve joined her in front of All-For-One Tattoo, next to my office, drawn by the festive atmosphere. Two blocks up Broad, patrons stand in a long line at Lucky 13; here, they get deli-counter style numbers and join a sidewalk party with cardboard cutout photo stands and giant Jenga. Others go to Grace Park for cornhole and the frisbee game Kan Jam. Many are tattoo enthusiasts who follow their favorite artists around; others are first-timers, not sure what they’ll get, and excited for their first tattoo.

Patrons played giant Jenga while they waited

For many, it was all about the price. Michael NaStall got his third tattoo, a small black widow design. “Thirteen dollar tattoo,” he responded when asked why he attended. No, it didn’t hurt, and yes, he’ll come back for the next tattoo. He enjoyed a cigarette and left by motorcycle after answering my rookie questions.

Some tattoos were almost ubiquitous; I saw many versions of a horseshoe design bearing the words “Good Luck”, either in black ink or color for $31 pre-tip.

This was the most popular of the designs

Richmonder Billy Wisner has other tattoos, but it was his first time at this event. “I’ll be back next year,” he said, happy with a full-color horseshoe, dyed a rare dark shade of green unique to one artist at All-For-One.

Full-color version; the darker green dye in this one is an uncommon hue

Chris Ralph, a friend of the shop who volunteered for the event, let me photograph his left arm, which began with a small $13 bird tattoo several years ago, which developed into a full-sleeve.

Many $13 tattoos were the foundation for larger, more extensive designs; the True Love bird started Ralph’s sleeve

Carson Creery added to her extensive tattoo collection. “I have 7 or 8 Friday 13 tattoos, and 27 or 28 tattoos in total,” she said, peeling back the bandage to show her new tattoos, which were two flowers and a horseshoe.

These two flowers came to $40 with tip

Kyle and Derrick were first-timers, brought by their friend Creery. They said the pain was unremarkable. “I expected a lot more,” said Kyle, who always wanted tattoos but described his attendance as impulsive.

“It hurt more pulling this tape off,” Derrick said, referring to the bandage covering the devil-themed comedy/tragedy mask design he received for $13.

Patricia Paredes had three tattoos already, but this was her first Friday the 13th tattoo. She paid a lot more for her other flash tattoos in Northern Virginia. “I’ve never seen an event like this until I came here for VCU,” she said.  “I like the simplicity of the flash work, and it’s a good price.”

There’s a little friendly pressure at the event, with one woman refusing to let me photograph her tattoo unless I get in line too. “Don’t you think it would make your article more authentic?” she asks, citing my lack of tattoos. Although my mother has tattoos, including one to mark my birth, and my father had several, I don’t have any. I have no idea what I’d get, or where, or if I’d even like having one.

She had a good point, and if I was a little more impulsive, I would have signed up. I didn’t, but if I was going to get one, it would have been here, surrounded by this open-minded and friendly community.

Amidst A Growing Number Of RVA Tattoo Shops, Lucky 13 Stands Out

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Over the past few years, over a dozen tattoo shops have cropped up throughout the growing Broad Street pocket and its surrounding areas — from high-end boutique shops to budget tattoo joints, members of the Richmond tattoo scene are increasingly rubbing elbows.

You might expect that all this competition would be bad for business, but Lucky 13 Tattoo Shop, the largest tattoo shop in Richmond, has been more than successful at keeping its head above water. The secret? Good service, fair prices and humility.

Tattoo by Dana Carlson

“Things haven’t really changed over the past 15 years,” Brad Buehrle, owner of Lucky 13, said. “We were busy back then, and we’re busy now. We just treat people good and give them fair prices, and they just come back over and over again.”

Buehrle’s dedication to customer service is maintained by his staff. Many of the artists he works with today have worked at Lucky 13 since the day it opened its doors in 2003.

Dana Carlson, a tattoo artist, has worked with Lucky 13 for three years. “We’re a big shop with a lot of personalities,” she said. “It can be a very loud, vibrant environment at times — you can always expect witty banter and good music. We pair clients with artists not only by style preference, but also by personality.

“It’s important to be comfortable while getting a tattoo — you are so close to your artist in that moment. We offer really great customer service. You’re going to get a little bit of sarcasm, some spunk, and we’re going to put you with somebody who’s going to deliver what you want.”

By Dana Carlson

Luxury tattoo shops may be growing in popularity, but Lucky 13’s goals remain the same.

“Something special about Richmond is that we have these incredible, high-end boutique tattoo shops where you walk in and spend $1800 on a tattoo,” Carlson said. “But there are also really good, quality artists at lower price points. You can still get a good tattoo, and great customer service for just 100 bucks.”

Originally from California, Buehrle opened his shop with a mission to spread good vibes throughout the tattoo scene, and keep things new and vibrant.

“Back 10, 15 years ago, everyone who walked into a tattoo shop had a shitty attitude,” Buehrle said. “I wanted my tattoo shop to have good vibes, and for people to have fun. Richmond isn’t quite as diverse as California, but it’s a great city. What brought me here is that everyone was tattooing the exact same stuff, and I wanted to change that. We’re all working towards getting there, and we’re having a good time.“

Buehrle has tattooed all around the world, but he remains humble.

“I’ve tattooed around the world, three or four times, and it’s all the same,” he said. “I wouldn’t say Richmond has a better or worse tattoo scene than other cities. At the end of the day, I’m just a tattoo artist.”

According to Buehrle, his staff consists of a variety of tattoo artists and showcases many talents. From portrait artists to colorists to those who have studied traditional japanese tattooing, Lucky 13 prides itself on its versatility.

Tattoo by Brad Buehrle

“You can get a traditional tattoo, or one of the little pinterest tattoos that you bring in off the internet,” Carlson said. “We have a lot of choices. There’s somebody for everybody.”

With regular clients, new clients and those who come from all over the country to get a tattoo at Lucky 13, the staff has seen its fair share of odd, and meaningful requests.

“I did a decapitated Hello Kitty, with its guts hanging out, on a lady’s foot once,” Buehrle said. “I’ve been doing this shit for 25 years, I’ve seen it all.”

Carlson emphasized, however, that as a tattoo artist she tries not to interfere with other people’s ideas, even if the meaning of a tattoo may not be clear to her.

“It’s not our job to tell people what to get on their bodies,” she said. “It’s our job to educate them about their ideas, so that the tattoos can last longer and look professional. Essentially, our job is to make people happy. Sometimes people come in with really off the wall ideas, and it’s our job to make it work.”

When I asked Buehrle what the most meaningful tattoo he’d drawn was, he was hesitant to choose one. Eventually, he told me about an 87-year-old lady who comes into the shop every year on her birthday to get a new tattoo.

“This little 87-year-old lady came in and got the same tattoo her husband had gotten during World War II,” he said. “He had died. She wanted the same tattoo of a hula girl he’d had, and I managed to find the original drawing of his tattoo. She’s got about five or six tattoos now.”

RVA Tattoo & Arts Festival celebrates 25 years with 150 artists, muralists and more this weekend

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Tattoos and street art are undeniably Richmond to the point that we should erect a monument of a giant paintbrush on Monument Avenue. As of 2015, the city was the third most tattooed place in the country and has become apart of our culture just as street art is starting to. With the fascination and popularity of body ink, it only makes sense there be a place for artists, fans, and tatooed citizens alike to converge and celebrate the art of ink. 

This weekend will mark the 25th Anniversary of the Richmond Tattoo and Art Festival, bringing over 150 internationally known and local tattoo artists, 14 celebrity tattoo artists and muralists to the area for live tattooing, workshops, demos, along with competitions, performances, music and more.

The annual convention was started and previously led by Cj Starkey and Nate Drew, but for the last two years, Carytown’s Loose Screw Tattoo owner Jesse Smith and Kenny Brown of Jack Brown’s Tattoo Revival have served at the helm selecting artists to make this festival bigger and better than the last. 

“We’re still trying to get the base up, this year we’re more focused on trying to put together the best show we can,” said Smith, who has been adorning people’s bodies with art for 20 years.  “Me and my team have put 110 percent into this fucking convention, I want people to know this is passion for all of us.”

Artwork: Jesse Smith

Returning the festival to its original location of the Doubletree, formerly the Holiday Inn, is one of the changes being made under Smith and Brown. The spot has a rich history within the  local tattoo community and it predates the festival itself as it used to be an informal meeting area for a Tattoo club back in 1988 with local tattoo legends such as Grandpa Groovy, one of the men responsible for removing stigmas about tattoos by helping to bring about tattoo regulations to Richmond.

With an expected 4,000-5,000 attendees, up from 2,800 at last year, and over 30 vendors including Kulture, Velocity Comics, 3d Central Printing, Eternal Ink and Goatocado, it continues to be one of Richmond’s most popular for tattoo fans and fellow artists alike.

“My goal is to eventually turn this into one of the biggest art events on the east coast,” said Smith.

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Big names in the tattoo field expected to attend are artists from Spike’s TV series Ink Master such as Tatu Baby and Christian Buckingham, along with tattooers from Ink Master Angels, Tattoo Nightmares Miami, and VH1’s Black Ink Crew.

 “As far as the public is concerned, We have a lot of guys from the Ink Master show and we also got my friend Melody Mitchell,(a street artist) from the Black Ink crew. We have a bunch of TV celebrities that are going to be there,” said Smith.  

Richmond’s own Mitchell Canter from Heroes and Ghosts Tattoo as well as Loose Screw’s Jason Stephan will be attending. Fellow Richmond tattoo shops Black Rabbit Tatoo, Two Pillars Tatoo, and River City Tattoo will also be at the convention. Click this link to request an appointment from any of the artists before the festival. 

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Artist: Charles Berger of Two Pillars Tattoo

Most artists that were selected were hand-picked by the team. “Talent, we based it off of reputation, we base it off of personality…Sometimes you a have really awesome artist that are assholes and then you got artists who aren’t as good as them but, really cool and easy to work with,” said Smith on this year’s lineup. “I want to have good people at the show, good people, and good personalities getting all of those is a tough package.”

Body ink might be the main attraction, but street art is also a big part of the RVA Tattoo & Arts Festival. The show with feature 10 different street artist coming out and painting on 6×6 canvases and that will be sold to the public. Colorblind street artist, Toobz Muir and surrealist master Ekundayo (artists of one of my favorite murals in RVA) will be two of the 10 taggers. All of the proceeds will be given to Art 180, a local non-profit involved in inspiring youth through art.

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“Professional Purveyor of Good Times” and Richmond’s Best Burlesque Performer, Deanna Danger, will return this year to host the 2nd Annual Miss Pin Up Competition. First place will receive a cash prize, a crown, a sash and some goodies as well as the glory of the “Miss Pinup RVA” title. Boom Boom Basics Burlesque & Performing Arts Studio will also be wooing peering eyes with their burlesque and variety show.

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The RVA Beard League will also be out there recruiting new bearded members and will host a contest of their own. The attendee with the gnarliest beard and/or mustache will win a $200 certificate to Loose Screw Tattoo. No criteria is given for the competition, but I can only speculate it won’t be too different from the league’s own Mid-Atlantic Beard and Stache Championships. 

While you’re checking out all the dope ink and chatting with artists make sure you check out the freak side-side attraction that is the air-sex competition. Participants simulate sexual acts in an improv comedy style to their choice of music and it’s pretty much one of the greatest performances you will ever see. You can read more on the air sex championships in our coverafe here.

“I’m not gonna say it’s a must-see, but something I’m definitely interested in seeing is the air sex competition,” said Smith.

Fitting the vibe of the entire show, there will be the 4’8 Ozzy Osbourne impersonator, Little Ozzy. The dead will rise again as going on 40 years together horror punk band, The Undead will play. Left Cross, Mistaker and Cody Spicer will also grace the festival with their tunes and a fire performance will be delivered courtesy of Party Liberation Front.

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Tattoo competitions will be spread throughout the weekend, from awards based on best of size to the best of the weekend, best color, best black and gray, and a kids tattoo competition; allowing the little ones to get their taste at becoming a master inker.

The 25th RVA Tattoo & Arts Festival will take place this Fri. Sept., 29 through Oct. 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Midlothian, located at
1021 Koger Center Boulevard. Tickets range from $20(Friday & Sunday) to $35(3-day pass), and you can grab yours here.

Photos courtesy of Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival and Jesse Smith