Disengagement via Shaping Light

January 14, 2020 By Thomas Hooper in 2020, Art, Photography, Tattooing. Tags: film photography, Inspiration, life, space, tattooing, Tattoos, thomas hooper, thomashooper Leave a comment

A rose from my garden, Hasselblad 500cm Ilford sfx 200.

The beginning of this year has been one of creativity introspection, I made a rash decision on the 1st of January to not post any tattoos on my main Instagram ( I may have started a new one that’s private for now as I attempt to do one abstract painting a day for the whole year…… more on that later) and try my best to disengage from any interaction on the platform for a while, instead turning that time into drawing and reading.

Creativity is the Key to surviving 2020!

The Secret Life of a Rock, Hasselblad 500cm Ilford sfx 200.

My good friend David Hines recommended this book towards the end of last year and it is providing a wonderful insight into the way I look at pictures, wether it is something I am photographing or a drawing/painting I am creating.

I now find myself wanting to capture more of my tattooing on film, below are some images from the last few months, thank you for reading through and taking a look at the photographs.

A portrait of Carl Brunson, an inspiring and talented painter I am very fortunate to tattoo.

Carl Brunson Koni Omega Rapid M Fuji POrtra 800-1

A visit from an old friend and client.

Emmanuel, tattooed at Saved Brooklyn 2009-2012. Hassleblad 500cm on Fuji Portra 800 pushes one stop.

Stepped back into the ring with an old friend.

Kyle Hasselblad 500cm january 2019 sfx 200 Thomas hooper

Getting close to the finish line with a wonderful client.

hasselblad tattoo pics dec 19 Thomas Hooper

Hasselblad 500cm with Fuji Portra pushed 1 stop.

Joel Miller has been a client since 2005 and I’m honored we get to continue this journey here in ATX as he now lives local!

Joel 35mm in 120mm tattoo pics dec 2019 Thomas Hooper

Joel 35mm with 120mm spool adapters in Hasselblad Super Wide C on Ilford Delta 400 pushed 2 stops, shot full Negative to cover sprockets holes.

A recurring favorite Michael waters with the start of his legs.

Michael Waters Hasselblad super wide c Thomas Hooper

Starting Michael Waters legs, Hasselblad Super Wide C on Ilford 3200.

Michae’s healed back, Hasselblad Super Wide C on Ilford 3200.

Daniel 4 x 5 large format photo Thomas Hooper Tattooing

Daniel, the day after we finished his back.

Justin Timid Steps Thomas Hooper Tattooing

Justin, Crown Graphic 4×5 Ilford 100 Delta.

And as a little foot note, today my good friend Dennis Mcnett AKA @Wolfbat dropped by the studio today and gifted me this set of woodblock printing tools and materials as he will be teaching me some of his amazing craft, more info on that as it progresses!

Thank you Dennis and thank YOU for taking the time to look at my work.

X Thomas.

Twenty Years

January 7, 2020 By Thomas Hooper in Friends, Tattooing., Thomas Hooper Tags: 20 years, Family, Inspiration, life, mars, new decade, space, tattooing, thankyou, thomas hooper, twenty years Leave a comment

First off, a little late but, happy new year and welcome to the new decade, blessings to all and I hope that we all continue to grow and fulfill our ability to be the best humans we can.

Today marks Twenty Years of tattooing for me, exactly to this day I tattooed myself for the first time at Good Karma tattooing in Eastbourne UK under the guidance of my mentor and friend Jim Macairt.

I have kept the original sketch, stencil and mildly blood soaked bandage in this frame since that year two decades ago.

I am eternally grateful for the opportunities that tattooing has affording me and will continue to commit myself to being the best tattooist and person I can be.

Thank you to everyone who has helped me on my journey.

Yesterday I coincidentally received this care package from Jim –

Some raw castings and components from Jim’s tattoo machines he builds and a Om Mani crew neck sweatshirt from Jim’s Merch he makes under Zen not Zen.

https://zennotzen.bigcartel.com

With gratitude, Thomas.

A slow crawl through chaos to find order.

November 27, 2019 By Thomas Hooper in body suit, Tattooing. Tags: Art, body suit, bodysuit, dot work tattoo, dot work., dotwork, Hexagon, hexahedron, hooper, hooperselectric, mandala, patterns, space, tattoo, tattooing, tessellation, Thomas, thomas hooper, Thomas Hooper Tattooing, thomashooper, thomashooperart, thomashoopertattooing Leave a comment

Creating art is something that I have found to be a necessary way to feel at peace and ease with myself and my surroundings, creating art and ornamental decoration for the human body is a complete privilege and a total honor. It is something I constantly marvel at, it feels magical and is a totally surreal occupation for both the artist and canvas. Ted has been coming to get tattooed by me since 2012, we started at Saved tattoo in Brooklyn and continued in Austin Texas, at Rock of Ages, he is one of only a few customers who only get tattooed by me, a stoic and kind man who has constantly followed through, completing each stage of his body suit with a keen integrity. His level of commitment traveling from Port Perry in Canada to get tattooed is nothing short of incredible. As we round the corner to the final stages with only one session left on his legs and his sleeves to start and complete, I wanted to take a moment to thank him and share some images of our last two sessions that we just finished up this week whilst I was guesting at Saved Tattoo.

Thank you Ted for sticking with it on this journey, I really can’t put into words how grateful I am.

The Honor of Commitment

November 14, 2019 By Thomas Hooper in 2019, Tattooing. Tags: back piece tattoo, hooper, hooperselectric, horse skull, Inspiration, life, more please, progress, skull, skull back piece, skull back piece tattoo, skull tattoo, space, sun, tattooing, Thomas, thomas hooper, wolf skull Leave a comment

@michaelwaters_atx started his lower legs today so I got some photos of his healed back and thighs, very proud of this one and humbled by Michaels commitment and trust he’s given me with his back. If you are looking to get work by me I am currently giving preference to customers looking for large work, full backs and fronts. I know this is a huge commitment in time and money and I truly appreciate the kind of undertaking that this is, thank you everyone that enquires about getting tattooed I wish I could accommodate everyone.

Waters - Healed as fuck -2 Waters - Healed as fuck -5 Waters - Healed as fuck -6 Waters - Healed as fuck -7 Waters - Healed as fuck -8 Waters - Healed as fuck -9 Waters - Healed as fuck -11 Waters - Healed as fuck -12 Waters - Healed as fuck -13 Waters - Healed as fuck -14 Waters - Healed as fuck -15 Waters - Healed as fuck -16 Waters - Healed as fuck -17

JBXTH I II III IV

May 4, 2019 By Thomas Hooper in Art Tags: Abstract Forms, Art, art show, converge, deathwishinc, exhibition, fullbleed, geometry, Hexagon, hexahedron, Jacob Bannon, live screen printing, mandala, painting, patterns, printmaking, prints, Residual Self Image, skull, skulls, space, tattoo, tattooing, Tattoos, tessellation, thomas hooper, thomas hooper painting, Thomas Hooper Tattooing, thomashooper, thomashooperart, thomashoopertattooing Leave a comment

The first print in the JBXTH Series is available via the Burlesque of North America website.

https://burlesquedesign.com/collections/jacob-bannon-x-thomas-hooper

Last month I had the honor of collaborating again with my old friend and peer Jacob Bannon on a new print series called JBXTH.

Each print was made live at Full Bleed Exhibition last month in the Netherlands. A total of 100 hand painted were created alongside 80 mono printed backgrounds.

Embellished and mono printed 15×22” & 16×20″ prints, silkscreened and mono printed live at @fullbleedexhibition by @gemma_monostereo & @benbrlsq, each print in the series is an edition of 25/15 respectively.

These were available at the exhibition all weekend in April, and now the prints we set aside for online sales will be placed available consecutively in the coming weeks on the @brlsq website, starting this Tuesday with JBXTH I.