We had a Scarwars reunion at this year’s APP Conference, bringing together artists who’ve worked at the various events- Efix, Jesse, Brian, Shawn, Ron, Wayde, John, Monte and Ryan. Always good to see old friends!

“There’s a random painted highway
And a muzzle of bees
My sleeves have come unstitched
From climbing your tree “-Wilco

This is Tim’s (previously featured) three year old tree cutting by Brian Decker; the shading technique produced really impressive texture. Tim has this to say:

” I didn’t aggravate it much at all during healing, and only kept it covered for about 5 or 6 days. I wanted a subtle scar, and I got one.”

Continue after the jump for fresh and healing photos.

Fresh Cutting.

At three months.

We’re still months away from my visit to Efix in Quebec City; months to plan, make travel arrangements and most importantly save bail money. So as much as I’d like to wish him a Happy Birthday in person, it’ll just have to wait.

In lieu of a birthday spanking… Happy Birthday, buddy. Have a poutine on me!

Canada’s own Jesse Villemaire filled the time between appointments at the first SW event back in 2005 by shooting pictures. I just came across a whole bunch of them and I’ll be cherry picking the best for future blog updates. (Thanks Jesse)

Tonight’s update is a non work-safe update featuring a pubic cutting by PBA’s Ryan Ouellette on our friend Joolie. Click through for uncensored images.

Today is my good friend David Bruehl’s birthday. I love David like family and he’s always there for me when I need him.; as a friend, mentor, student, partner in Talladega Nights chicanery, tattooist and Scarwars tshirts designer. I’m being kept warm right this second by a hoodie with art he drew up for me. Beat that!

So happy birthday David. Hope it treats you well!

To visit Mr. Bruehl’s tattoo portfolio, click here.
To read an interview I conducted with him, click here.

Claire and I were wandering around yesterday and found one of the getcut.org stickers (featuring art by David Bruehl) on the back of a sign. I haven’t dropped a lot of these in Philly, so I have no idea who threw it up, but it was still awesome to see.

We’ll be putting out a new sticker soon. I have a few of these left if anyone wants a few. Contact me.

I could church up this entry and try to talk about how liberating it was for Vampy to do this piece topless; how Gillstrap wasn’t wearing a shirt either and that anatomically, there’s no difference. Instead I’ll say that Vampy is a great sport and cutting topless is fun.

I stole this from my friend Ammre.

John started this piece at Xanadont (my humble South Philadelphia estate) with the koi and added the cherry blossoms at SW3. The piece features cross-hatch shading and was photographed by Atom Moore.

Tattoo iconography is fairly common in scarification design choices, but scarification is not tattooing. (obviously)
I’ve seen a lot of posts recently on tattoo blogs/message boards referencing the scarwars.net site, saying that they don’t like tattooing being associated with scarification. I’m sure it further confuses things when the designs are based in tattoo art. I guess we should be flattered; I remember when the tattoo community wanted nothing to do with body piercing; piercers being threatened at Dave Yurkew’s Texas tattoo convention in the late seventies, tattoo magazines distancing themselves from piercing/modification content. It’s come full circle (Steve Haworth did Enigma’s first generation horns at the 20th anniversary of Dave’s convention back in 1995, on the convention floor; Tattoo Savage has been in print for almost two decades) so I guess it’s expected that scarification, sharing the same graphic nature of tattooing, is an easy target for people who feel that what they do is ok but what we do is “gross mutilation” (they seemed to be particularly humored by someone saying that they wished they could scar like Sam) so… yeah. That’s that.

It will be a slow process to get scarification accepted in the body art community… but we’re doing what we can.

I’m whipping up a website exclusive shirt/book combo that will be available late October 2009; incredibly low print runs (books will be around ten copies, shirts will be around 25 printed) available only through pre-order.

The book is from the same small printer that’s created the Modprom SW book (limited to two copies) and the APP exclusive (limited to 10 copies) and will feature tons of fun photos from the three SW events. Hardcover, 11.25″ wide and 8.75″ high with twenty double sided pages and a wrap around cover. (which is currently the AC/DC inspired text cover but is subject to change)

The shirt is going to be a “baller variant” reprint of the classic Hearts with Scalpel design by Dave Gillstrap done in metallic gold, silver and copper.

Book + Shirt combo: Limited to ten sets and available in small-xl at $66.60 shipped in the US. For other sizes/destinations inquire about price.

Shirt alone: Limited to 15 shirts and available for $25 in small-xl with shipping within the US. For other sizes/destinations inquire about price.

Contact me at shawn@scarwars.net for payment information.

Photo by Allen Falkner

Ryan did this Biomechanical piece at the first SW event in Philadelphia. I’m told that some workplaces block scarwars.net due to “violent” content. Something makes me think it’s pieces like this that they’re talking about?
I can see how flesh removal could give someone the heebie-jeebies, but at least I didn’t post a photo of the scraps. Today.