Greg James (tattoo artist) explained

Greg James is a well-known tattoo artist.^[1] Greg's tattoo designs and original artwork have appeared in magazines, books, documentaries, and at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Career

At the age of fourteen, Greg began drawing flash for his brother, Tennessee Dave, and eventually apprenticed with him in 1976.^[2] From single-needle black-and-gray work to classic Americana tattoos and ultimately the large, custom Japanese artwork for which he has become well-known, Greg tattooed continuously in Los Angeles (on Main Street in downtown L.A. and also the Pike, in Long Beach) for nine years as he continued to hone his craft.

Sunset Strip

"I wanted to do superlative work. So, I made a choice. I would either quit tattooing or try to get in with Cliff Raven at Sunset Strip Tattoo. Cliff hired me. That's the beginning of the story."

In 1985, Greg joined Sunset Strip Tattoo in Hollywood. Originally opened by Lyle Tuttle in the 1960s, the shop was then owned by Cliff Raven and subsequently Robert Benedetti, pioneers and innovators in the Japanese style of tattooing.

For over twenty-five years, Greg played a large part in building the stature of the legendary studio, becoming "the real star at Sunset … the tattoo artist's tattooer."^[3]

During his almost forty-year career, Greg has also apprenticed numerous other tattoo artists, including Chris Clemence of Montauk Tattoo,^[4] Eric Blair^[5] of Subculture Tattoo and Dollar Bill of Sunset Strip Tattoo.

Notable Clients

• Kirk Alley, owner of Eleven Eleven Tattoo^[6]
• Pat Badger, of Extreme^[7]
• Frankie Banali, of Quiet Riot^[7]
• Nuno Bettencourt, of Extreme^[7]
• Bobby Blotzer, of Ratt^[7]
• Chris Cashmore, owner of Tattoo Power, Canberra, Australia^[8]
• John Corabi, of Mötley Crüe^[9]
• Mark Dektor, director^[10]
• Sarah Michelle Gellar, actress^[11]
• Pauly Greenwood, Drummer^[12]
• Tracii Guns, of L. A. Guns^[7]
• Horicho, Japanese Tattoo Master^[13]
• Johhny Hollywood, owner of 13 Roses Tattoo Parlour^[14]
• Jesse James, West Coast Choppers^[11]
• Joan Jett^[7]
• Tommy Lee, of Mötley Crüe
• Oliver Leiber, musician and producer^[7]
• Mick Mars, of Mötley Crüe
• Vince Neil, of Mötley Crüe
• Keith Nelson, of Buckcherry^[7]
• Ozzy Osbourne^[7]
• Ashley Purdy, of Black Veil Brides^[15]
• Denise Richards^[7]
• Charlie Sheen^[7]
• Nikki Sixx, of Mötley Crüe
• Rick Stratton, makeup/special effects artist^[16]
• Joshua Todd, of Buckcherry^[7]
• Léa Vendetta, owner of Léa's Lounge^[17]
• Nick Poliansky, real estate mogul

Conventions

• Great Northwest Tattoo Convention
• Hollywood Park Tattoo Invitational^[18]
• Musink Tattoo Convention
• National Tattoo Association Convention^[19]
• New York City Tattoo Convention
• Tattoo Body Art Expo^[20]
• Tokyo Tattoo Convention^[21]

Tattoos Deluxe

In September 2012, Greg opened his own tattoo studio, Tattoos Deluxe, in Sherman Oaks, CA (formerly Subculture Tattoo).^[22] Over time, Greg has emerged as a thoughtful and moderate spokesman for tattooing.^[23] Despite being at the top of the industry and known worldwide,^[3] Greg has also earned a reputation as "a genuinely nice guy",^{[11] [24]} "quiet, modest and understated",^[25] "…one of the nicest people I've ever met, and his work is truly amazing."^[10]

Of tattooing, Greg says that "So much of what we do is really a personal thing between two people. It's not about the art so much, or the craft, or being the cool guy."^[26] "Tattooing to me is like welding. You have to lay the lines down. You're using tools. It [the tattoo] should look like it's always been there. Like it's part of your body."^[27] "You know, the average person today thinks tattoo artists nowadays are rock stars. But we go through a lot. We really put a lot effort, time, and communication into what we do. And it's permanent. You can't tear it up and throw it away when you're done with it. All these tattoos that I've done for thirty years--I carry those around in my head with me."^[28]

Documentaries

• Skin Deep: Sunset Strip Tattoo^[28]
• Tattoo! Beauty, Art, and Pain on the Discovery Channel.^{[11] [16] [29]}
• Tattooed by Brandon Green, an independent film currently in production by Evergreenimages.^[27]

Featured Artwork

• Greg hand-painted a custom bass for Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe after tattooing the band while on tour with them. It's installed as Memorabilia in the Hard Rock Cafe of Tampa, Florida.^[30]
• Guitar Pick Guard artwork for The Illustrated Note.
• The Tattoo Encyclopedia: A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo (with Terisa Green, published by Simon & Schuster, 2003) - Greg illustrated hundreds of tattoo designs for this popular book, sold globally in four languages with 50,000 copies in print. It is perennially an Amazon Top 100 bestseller in Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Art.^[31]
• Skin & Ink Magazine (2003 - 2005) - Featured column "What Tattoos Mean" with Dr. Green.^[32]
• Ink: The Not-Just-Skin-Deep Guide to Getting a Tattoo (published by Penguin, 2005) - Contributing tattoo artist.^[33]
• Tattoo Savage Magazine - Black Veil Brides: Day of the Dead^[34]
• Tattoo Magazine - The Art of Greg James.^[35]
• Tattoo Planet Magazine^[36]

External links

• 13 Roses Tattoo
• Greg James, Facebook
• Kirk Alley's Eleven Eleven
• Léa Vendetta
• Pauly Greenwood
• Sunset Strip Tattoo
• Tattoos Deluxe
• Tattoos Deluxe, Facebook
• Tattoo Power
• Terisa Green TheTotalTattoo.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: 101 Most Influential People in Tattoo . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006004916/http://tattooroadtrip.com/101-most-influential-people-in-tattoo-51-60/ . 2012-10-06 . dead .
2. Web site: Chronological Crue - Views - Mr. Cre Tattoo. ozemail.com.au.
3. Web site: Marisa DiMattia's Guide to Getting Inked in LA - Gridskipper. gridskipper.com.
4. Web site: Post . James Lane . 2023-06-04 . Chris Clemence To Open Montauk Tattoo • James Lane Post • Hamptons Culture & Lifestyle Magazine . 2023-11-17 . James Lane Post . en-US.
5. http://subculturetattoo.com/bioEric.htm Eric Blair Bio
6. Web site: Artist of the Month - May. bodyartweb.com.
7. HRH The Official Magazine of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Summer/Fall 2004
8. Web site: Tattoo Guide. 4 May 2015. tattoo-guide-europa.de. 26 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120423122635/http://www.tattoo-guide-europa.de/in-chris.html. 23 April 2012. dead.
9. Web site: John Corabi – The UNION Asylum Interview - Book Reviews & Editing by Elizabeth A. White - Crime Fiction, Thriller, Noir. elizabethawhite.com.
10. Tattoo Magazine, December 2012, Issue 280
11. Web site: Greg James. tattoosymbol.com. 2012-09-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20120925214322/http://www.tattoosymbol.com/greg.html. 2012-09-25. dead.
12. Pauly Greenwood @ Sunset Strip Tattoo Hollywood. 21 February 2012. YouTube.
13. Web site: Horisho Mindscape Tattoo, Japan. Big Tattoo Planet.
14. Web site: Untitled Document. skinink.com. 2012-09-26. https://archive.today/20130202075357/http://www.skinink.com/archives/0410/feature.html. 2013-02-02. dead.
15. Web site: The Purdy Doll. adella-music. blog.cz.
16. Greg James on Tattoo! Beauty, Art, and Pain. 4 October 2012. YouTube.
17. Web site: Léa Vendetta. Big Tattoo Planet.
18. Hollywood park tattoo invitational 6/28/11 Greg James presented by hollywood keith tv. 7 October 2011. YouTube.
19. Web site: Artist List - Official National Tattoo Association Website. nationaltattooassociation.com.
20. Web site: Tattoo Body Art Expo Hall of Fame . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120922175814/http://www.bodyartexpo.com/HALLOFFAME.PHP . 2012-09-22 . dead .
21. Web site: Erika Stanley Bio - Erika Stanley's Art & Tattoos. erikastanleyarts.com.
22. Web site: Greg James' Tattoos Deluxe. tattoosdeluxe.com.
23. Web site: FilmOasis: Company Bio. filmoasis.com.
24. Web site: ANCIENT ART OF THE JAPANESE TEBORI TATTOO MASTERS - INK IN HARMONY. The Selvedge Yard.
25. Web site: Russell Mitchell - Exile Ink. Big Tattoo Planet.
26. SUNSET STRIP TATTOO. 2 February 2009. YouTube.
27. TATTOOED the Trailer. Vimeo.
28. Greg James of Tattoos Deluxe in Sherman Oaks, CA.. 3 October 2012. YouTube.
29. Web site: Film Oasis . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130321193103/http://www.filmoasis.com/about.html . 2013-03-21 . dead .
30. Web site: Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe / Sixx: A.M. : "Famous tattoo artist Greg James hand painted this bass for me. It now hangs at Hard Rock in Tampa." #Gibs… - Pinterest. 28 April 2012. Pinterest.
31. Web site: The Tattoo Encyclopedia: A Guide to Choosing Your Tattoo: Terisa Green: 9780743223294: Amazon.com: Books. amazon.com.
32. Web site: Contents September 2004. skinink.com. 2012-09-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20080829102340/http://www.skinink.com/old/Past_Issues/2004_Past_Issues/September2004/Contents_September_2004/body_contents_september_2004.html. 2008-08-29. dead.
33. Web site: Ink at TattooSymbol.com . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120817150608/http://www.tattoosymbol.com/books/book-ink.html . 2012-08-17 . dead .
34. http://breakawayradio.ca/post/26390688779/tattoo-savage-magazine Breakaway Radio, Tattoo Savage Magazine
35. Web site: TATTOO Magazine March 2000 No. 127 (World's largest selling tattoo magazine, Sunset Strip Ink, The art of Greg James, Crowe & Dwyer's premier tattoo party, Tattoos by Erick Lynch): Billy Tinney: Amazon.com: Books. amazon.com.
36. Web site: TATTOO PLANET Magazine September 1999 (The Worldwide Atomic Tattoo Magazine, Dr. Lakra, Mario Teli, Greg James, Giancario Capra): Robert Butcher: Amazon.com: Books. amazon.com.