Scarification by Bruno

I think this might be the first cutting we’ve featured by my friend Bruno; and it hopefully won’t be the last.
You can see more of his work/get in contact with him through his his website.

Rose Cutting by John Joyce

I have a bunch of new work by John Joyce that’s going to be posted over the next several days; tonight’s post is of a traditional style rose cutting. I’m going to be heading up to Mr. Joyce’s for a cutting in the next few weeks, so perhaps we’ll also have a video update!

Healed Cutting by Brian Decker

A few weeks ago we featured an amazing fresh cutting by Brian Decker; clean lines, simple design and great placement. I just checked up on his blog and found a healed photo.

Healed photos are all too infrequently sent to the artist; tattooists, piercers, scarification and modification artists all have the same complaints. So let this be a reminder- when your work heals, snap a photo and send it to your artist. They’d appreciate it. (and so would we!)

Facial Cutting by Efix Roy

I was leaving the house to try a new restaurant (Adsum, Philadelphia) that offers Foie Gras poutine, and I stumbled upon this cutting done by Quebec City’s own Efix Roy. Efix and I have a lot of things in common; scarification, good times, body modification, cured meats…. but the two things that hold our friendship together as strongly as glue are Foie Gras & Poutine.

So is this all a coincidence? I think not.

Great job, Efix!

In 1998 Keith Alexander did my first “shared” cutting. Nothing complex, even for the time. A simple XX111 on my wrist at the end of a whirlwind trip to NYC. After the last line was cut, he made two “bloodprints” by pressing paper towels to the cutting; one for me to take home and one for him to keep. Keith often made prints for his portfolio; each of us still with him in spirit (and blood) long after the cutting healed. He considered it much more personal than a photograph; a living connection to the people who wore his art.

Inspired by Spider Webb’s X1000 concept, he made our prints a little different than normal; 23 XX111s.
When I noticed the ghost of a twenty fourth 23 on one of the two prints, I asked Keith if he wanted to redo it. “Nah, I’ll just keep the good one. You can have the fuckup”. Always the asshole, but what can you do.

Keith Alexander- November 23, 1963 – July 11, 2005

You can never go wrong with a cutting by Wayde Dunn. I had already called it a day when I came across this photo; having updated several other blogs and finally settled down to watch Richard Pryor in THE TOY I had no plans to update the Scarblog. But what the hell. It’s been too long since I’ve featured new work by Big Red.

You can contact Wayde via WaydeDunn.com.

tiana cuttng

I field a few questions a week from folks looking to learn how to “do” scarification. While it may be easier to just cut/paste a form letter, I generally respond with a (admittedly standard) treatise on how to get envolved in the community and how to earn your way into learning proper technique.

Needless to say, most people respond with a curt “well, no one will apprentice me, so I’m just going to learn it on my own” message. The greater truth is this; you’re probably NOT going to find an apprenticeship for cutting/branding. Sure, there are classes to purchase take, but to really get an education, the best way to do it is to show artists that you respect that you’re worth their time. By not expecting anything to be handed to you. By doing the right thing and by putting your heart where your mouth is.

That brings us to tonight’s update. My friend Tiana is in the process of learning scarification in what I consider the “right way”. Slowly, cautiously and under the eye(s) of established professionals. On a recent visit she told me that she was headed up to New Hampshire (while on vacation in Philadelphia) to do a collaborative piece with Ryan Ouellette. The piece was on a friend who could have easily gotten the work done back in the Bay Area. But Tiana chose to do the piece as a learning experience.

I guess for people who want the instant title of “scarification artist” on their business cards would consider driving from Philly to New Hampshire just to do a cutting under someone else’s tutelage a waste of time. It’s nice to see that there are some folks out there who still care about doing things the right way; and looking at the finished piece, clearly Tiana is one of them.

You can find Ryan at Precision Body Arts in New Hampshire.
You can find Tiana angry at me for putting her under a spotlight.

I love the juxtaposition of the anatomical heart and the more simplified tree design, courtesy of NY’s Brian Decker. Open, subtle cutting like this allows the body to form a consistant scar without overworking the skin. You can contact Mr. Decker via the PURE link in our blogroll.

Speaking of, if my calendar is correct, today is Brian’s birthday!
As of this year, Brian is officially old enough to run for President of the United States. Still makes him younger than me…. so happy birthday buddy!

Scarification can be a lengthy undertaking, particularly with cuttings that require flesh removal. To keep yourself from being worn down by the repetitive cut/peel/cut/peel process, you have to get creative. Like Brian and Wayde on this collaborative piece done at SW3. When life hands you lemons, make lemonaid. When life hands you strips of human flesh… make a tic tac toe board.

Back in February, Efix & Jesse collaborated on Gabriel’s birthday cutting… Efix just checked in with a healed photo.
It has the dubious pleasure of being the first image to go up with the new “theme” I installed over WordPress.

Not sure if I’m married to it, but change is usually never a bad thing!