Elbow Tattoo's by Manawa Tapu

February 25, 2021 Thomas Mcmillan

Tristan Marler, also known as Manawa Tapu, has carved a name for himself as an intricate and detailed Ta Moko and Blackwork tattoo artist in Auckland.

Tristan is of Te Rarawa descent, from the Hokianga in the far North. He is trained in Whakairo Rakau (traditional wood carving), graduating from Te Puia National School of Carving. He has been blending his knowledge of carving and Maori art over to the art of Tattooing.

Tristan specializes in Ta Moko, Blackwork, pattern work, geometric and dot-work tattoo styles.

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Check out these incredible elbow pieces he has been creating recently.

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If you’re interested in collecting your own piece from Tristan, please get in touch via email.

info@sunsettattoo.co.nz

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Sunset Tattoo is the home of some of New Zealand’s most celebrated tattooists, and located on Cross Street of Central Auckland, just behind iconic Karangahape Road (K Road). We specialise in timeless, professional tattoo styles such as Japanese, Maori, America/western traditional and black work. With a friendly team, a gorgeous studio and decades of knowledge we would love to help you with your next tattoo project. For more information, get in touch with us.

CONTACT:

www.sunsettattoo.co.nz

info@sunsettattoo.co.nz

(+649)3763423

Thinking about getting your first tattoo? Here's everything you need to know!

February 19, 2021 Thomas Mcmillan

So, you’ve decided you want a tattoo but not sure of the process or how to approach the situation?

Let me (hopefully) answer all of your burning questions!

Step 1: Whats your idea?

It’s as simple as that. Once you’ve settled on an idea and have a vision for your first tattoo, it’s time to find a studio or artist who can help bring that idea to life. Getting familiar with a range of styles of tattooing can help you narrow down what you do and don’t like. This is super important because it is going to be on your body forever! Sometimes this process can take you a bit of time to come to a clear idea, but it’s worth the wait! You don’t want to rush this step and end up regretting your tattoo later. Laser tattoo removal has become more accessible with better technology, but trust me, it hurts 10 times more!

I suggest browsing on Instagram and Pinterest for ideas and inspo. Follow people who are leaders in their style. You don’t want to copy someone else’s idea, but figuring out what you do and don’t like will help you get your dream tattoo!

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American/ Western Traditional ‘Mum’ Heart by Milky

Once you have a good idea of the style (ie. American/ Western Traditional, Black work, Traditional Japanese etc) and the subject matter (your idea), then it’s time to find a studio and more specifically an artist who specialises in that style to help bring it to life.

We have a range of incredibly talented artists at our studio who specialise in a wide variety of styles. On our Artist Profile Page you can find an example of our artists work. This is another great place to find inspiration, as well as the artists instagram page (as they are updated more frequently).

So now you’ve decided on a subject/ design idea and you’ve chosen your artist or studio to bring it to life.

What’s next?

Get in touch! We have a handy contact page on our website you can fill out with all the details we need to get the ball rolling. The most important things to include are your contact information, design idea, size/ placement and if you have a preference for artist. If you didn’t make it as far as choosing an artist, I can always help with that, and pair you with the right artist for your design.

If you have a straight forward, clear idea and you’ve chosen the artist for the job, we can typically book you in straight away for your tattoo, but if you want to come into the studio and meet your artist before booking in, I can arrange a free consultation for you. This is a great time to ask any questions you have and figure out exactly what you want. Our artists are respectful and professional so no question is a bad one and we are all here to help ensure you have the best experience getting tattooed!

After your consultation, if you’re ready to go ahead with the booking, we can find a date and time that works for you to get you booked in! To secure a booking, we take a $100-$200 non-refundable deposit. This deposit will go towards the final price on the day of your booking. Our deposits are non-refundable to protect the artist from last minute cancellations and no-shows. We also have a 5 day rescheduling policy, so we strongly recommend you only make a booking you can 100% attend. (We know that life happens as well, we are only human, so if anything urgent comes up, just let us know as soon as possible).

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Now that your booking has been made and deposit paid, the countdown is on to the date of your appointment. There’s a few tips and tricks you can do on the day before/ day of your appointment to ensure you have the best experience!

Here are my recommendations:

Do yourself, and the artist a massive favour of laying off the beers the night before your appointment. This will ensure you’re feeling your best and alcohol is also a blood thinner, so it makes it harder for the artist to do their job.
Make sure you get a really good night sleep and have a mean feed before your appointment. Getting tattooed on an empty stomach feels like shit and is just harder to get through!
Bring sugary snacks and drinks to your appointment. These little hits of sugar help with your energy levels and can be a real life-saver on the day.
Wear comfy clothes. There’s no point in being uncomfortable while you’re already in pain for a couple of hours getting tattooed.
Lastly, turn up on time and ask any questions you may have.

Nerves are completely normal, especially for a first tattoo. Let the artist know if you have any concerns, want to try a different placement or want a 5 minute breather. We tattoo first-timers every week so we are here to help every step of the way.

I hope this has helped answer any questions you may have about the process involved in getting tattooed. If there’s anything I missed, please feel free to get in touch and I will be more than happy to help!

As always, for all bookings and enquiries, please email info@sunsettattoo.co.nz

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CONTACT:

www.sunsettattoo.co.nz

info@sunsettattoo.co.nz

(+649)3763423

Hakutaku and Baku Sleeves by TomTom

February 11, 2021 Thomas Mcmillan

TomTom recently completed this set of sleeves for his client Phill.

The left sleeve features a Baku, Hanya, Sakura (Cherry Blossoms), waterbars and waves.

According to Japanese folklore, Baku are supernatural beings that are said to devour nightmares. They are also known as ‘The Dream Eater” . Legend has it, that the Baku is said to devour nightmares, and if he isn’t satisfied, may also devour one’s hopes and dreams. They were created using the spare pieces that were left over when the gods finished creating all other animals, typically depicted with a bear’s body, an elephant’s nose, a tiger’s feet, an oxen tail, and rhinoceros eyes.

With their origins in Chinese Folklore, the Baku later appeared in Japanese folklore between the 14 th and 15 th centuries, in what was known as the Muromachi period.

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The right sleeve features a Hakutaku, Oni, Sakura, wind bars and clouds.
Hakutaku are extremely good omens and symbols of good luck. Hakutaku can speak human languages, and are highly knowledgeable about all things in creation. Because of its incredible knowledge of the various kinds of yokai and monsters, they are used as good luck charms and as wards against evil spirits, disease, and other yokai. Because the Hakutaku knows all, it was believed that evil yokai would stay away from him.