RichieMerritt.com

New Tattoo Alchemy Stickers...

Richie Merritt — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:07:06 +0000

There's a cool way to win a free tattoo with our new stickers. Stay tuned... we'll tell you how.

Musink • Tattoo + Music Festival • March 2 - 4 2012

Richie Merritt — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:23:36 +0000

I'll be tattooing at Musink (Tattoo Convention & Music Festival) in Orange County California with the Tattoo Alchemy Crew on March 2 through the 4th. Be sure to stop by the Tattoo Alchemy booth and say hi!

Center Ice @ The Glass • Ontario Reign Hockey (ECHL)

Richie Merritt — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:44:24 +0000

Laura and I went to the Ontario Reign hockey game last night and watched The Reign serve the Las Vegas Wranglers a 6-0 shut-out from the glass at center ice. Local 'AA' League Hockey at it's finest!

Eye of Wisdom • Blackwork Mandala Rosette

Richie Merritt — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 11:31:54 +0000

Trekell Fine Art Brushes • Hand Made in the USA

Richie Merritt — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 01:29:59 +0000

My new Trekell fine art brushes showed up today. Trekell is a local fine art paint brush maker here in Southern California, USA. If you want professional grade, handcrafted American quality tools for creating your paintings... these are it. These brushes are for my new works of oil paintings I'm working on. Avialable in early 2012.
For updates... Follow me and @TrekellBrushes on Twitter.

Traditional 'Seeing Rose' Flash Painting

Richie Merritt — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:49:48 +0000

Tattoo Flash: Traditional 'Seeing Rose' in Watercolor. See it in Full Color Here.
Richie Merritt ©2011

The Lost Art of Making Tattoo Needles

Richie Merritt — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:18:43 +0000

...at the workbench making/soldering tattoo needles. Making your own tattoo needles is pretty-much considered a lost art for tattooers these days. It used to be that every tattooer made their own needles—that was before tattoo suppliers started exploding on to the market. It wasn't really that long ago, I know tattooers that made all of their own needles up until just a few years ago. I think every tattooer should at-least know how to make/assemble his or her own tattoo needles. It's pretty-much a standard part of a traditional apprenticeship, but those are getting rare too these days. Also, I'm trying to only purchase American Made tattoo supplies and equipment, so, all the needles, needle bars and solder I'm using here are made in the USA.

Until the Sun Comes Up...

Richie Merritt — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:07:35 +0000

In my studio: If I'm not painting... Then I'm drawing. This is what I do late at night, and often into the early morning. I've always been a night owl.

At the Workbench...

Richie Merritt — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:05:51 +0000

Enjoying a pipe and a coffee at the workbench before a tattoo needle making session.
(The fine briar pipe is an Ascorti, handcrafted in Italy. The tobacco is GL Pease 'Piccadilly'. The coffee is my all-time favorite blend, organic Bolivian whole bean from Trader Joe's.)

An American Tradition

Richie Merritt — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:16:44 +0000

PHOTO by PEACHY
"Traditional tattooing doesn't mean staying stuck in the past, it means nurturing something that came way before you because you deeply hope it will continue after you. it's about being in the middle, not being at the end." -Dan Higgs