scar artwork question

Khannie

So I've seen this a few times, most recently on "Mr. Echo" in Lost. He has a brilliant piece of artwork on his left arm, near the shoulder, and it's definitely textured. Basically it looks like it's done by scarring the skin in some way.

Could someone tell me what this is called? Also, how is it done? Would it be very painful? And (not meaning to sound racist) but would it look alright on a white person?

edibility

What you're talking about is scarification. There are various different ways it's done, all of which are painful, and permenant, moreso than a tatoo, as it obviously can't be laser treated. Cutting, branding, acid burning and chemicals are all used to scar the skin. It's something that view tattoo/bodymod artists will do unless you're positive you want it and have been thinking about it for a long time, and even then a lot won't. As far as I know there's no one in Ireland who offers it - some people may do it, but there's no one around who claims to be specialised in it (I could be wrong).


http://www.bmezine.com/scar/bme-scar.html < pictures (people of all skin colours) and articles detailing peoples experiences.

http://www.bmezine.com/scar/scar-faq.html < a good guide to it.

Khannie

Perfect. Thanks.

edibility

No problem. Out of curiosity, would you have a link to a pic of Mr. Echo? I don't watch Lost and couldn't find one showing his arm.

ugliest

Snakebite do scarification, check their books, they've done some really nice stuff, but it DOES take literally years to be able to get scars tattooed over, till they're completely healed+faded (as in your regular skin colour)+soft. (it can also take up to 2 years for the scar to raise properly)

-also they're really good bout it in there+wont do anything dangerous like cut off layers of skin (which would just be a really big open wound).

when they scarred me it was a branding+not as painful as some piercings ive had!

blahhh

Branding
- two different types = Strike branding and hyfricater branding
- Strike = Scarring made with a heated metal, the design is etched or welded on to the skin.
- Hyfricater = This uses small amounts of electricity to burn the skin

Cutting
-This techinque involves single line cutting (can be done in many different designs)

Skin Peels
-This involves cutting the outline and removing the centre.


info: http://www.byblair.com/

Khannie

edibility wrote:

No problem. Out of curiosity, would you have a link to a pic of Mr. Echo? I don't watch Lost and couldn't find one showing his arm.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I couldn't find a pic of his arm either. I've seen it a few times in the show though. Next time I see it I'll get an image of it for you.

Edit: Having looked around a bit, Echo's design is consistent with strike branding.

I'm giving this a fair bit of consideration atm. It's a big decision. For me, it's definitely preferable to a tattoo. I've always liked the idea of a tattoo, but could never find anything I'd be happy having on my body once I got a bit older.

Last edit:

I found a pic of his arm (it's actually spelled "eko"). It took about 40 minutes

Soo......actually it looks totally different to how I remember it. This looks very detailed, and much more like just a normal tattoo (though there is some texturing there)....I suppose it could be his other arm that I noticed.

edibility

That's cool, really distinctive looking. I'd really love to get something like that on my right shoulder (I'm currently working on a sleeve for my right arm and a brand wouldn't fit in with it at all) but atm it's on the back burner.

Khannie

So you reckon that it is a brand? It looks very detailed / clean lines for a brand to me (at least compared to the other brands I've seen pics of). I'll make a drawing of what I thought it looked like which I may get myself now that he doesn't have it.

Blub2k4

That looks like a typical tattoo on a black person to me.
The ink is less obvious than the scarring, black people are notoriously hard to tattoo apparently as they scar up a lot easier. This might explain the heavy scarring and the fact that the ink is less obvious under the black tinted dermis is why it is less obvious than under white skin.

Khannie

kk. I didn't think that there'd be that much scarring with a tattoo on black skin. Thanks.

I've mocked up an image of what I think I'd like to get done. I'm thinking that it would look best scarred + tattoo'd, but that it would still look fine as a scar if the tattoo weren't an option. I'm no photoshop expert....but this gets the general jist across. I'll probably wait a good while before getting it done. Just to be absolutely sure I actually want it.

Opinions welcome.

Blub2k4

Khannie wrote:

kk. I didn't think that there'd be that much scarring with a tattoo on black skin. Thanks.

I've mocked up an image of what I think I'd like to get done. I'm thinking that it would look best scarred + tattoo'd, but that it would still look fine as a scar if the tattoo weren't an option. I'm no photoshop expert....but this gets the general jist across. I'll probably wait a good while before getting it done. Just to be absolutely sure I actually want it.

Opinions welcome.

Have you looked much into the actual process?

If you want a nicely raised keloided scar you have to work hard at it, during healing you have to aggravate it as much as possible and slow the healing down to cause heavy scarring. This is normally done with a nailbrush in the shower in the mornings, you soften up the scab then scrub it off with a nail brush.
It'll take dedication to get a good result. Most of the work you see done isn't properly maintained in the aftercare and heals too cleanly and the scars are not keloided and turn out crap, just remember it's gonna take some determination and a lot of self-inflicted pain to get a decent result or else it's not really worth starting.

Khannie

Good to know. Thanks Blub. I'll bear that in mind before I embark on anything. I don't really mind pain, which is a good start I suppose. Certainly a bit of a scrub with a nailbrush doesn't sound the worst. How long are you talking for? A couple of weeks? More than a month?

Blub2k4

bedlam wrote:

It's dependent on the results you want for the scarring.

What he said, the slower you make it heal the better it'll come up. That said some people are prone to keloiding anyway so until you try maybe you wont know but be prepared for three-four weeks of it at least.

Here's a typically badly healed scarification, you can see it'll remain, but it's not raised.
http://www.bmezine.com/scar/A60704/high/bmepb300686.jpg

Here's one that this guy has put a bit of effort into, see how the scar is raised and rounded, that's keloiding, it's still very fresh and not the best one ever but he's done a lot more than the first one who possibly only had the work done then let it heal without much scrubbing.
http://www.bmezine.com/scar/A60704/high/bmepb298785.jpg

By the way these ones are skin removals, which in my opinion give the best results, when done and maintained properly.
Lukas Zpira is the man when it comes to this style of work, he does some really intricate and accurate work, it's a pity when the wearers dont always do it justice and finish the job he can only start.

Khannie

Thanks lads.

Khannie

Ok....apologies for resurrecting this thread....but I'm still interested in getting a scar done. I've read on here that there's a place in Stephens Green doing them. Anyone got any experience / pics?

I'm thinking the design I have below shouldn't be overly difficult. After researching a bit more, I'd want to get it done as a cutting rather than a brand. They seem to come out more "accurate" after healing. I'd love to go to France to get it done by Lukas Zpira, but tbh, the cost might be prohibitive.

Krieg

Khannie wrote: »

I've read on here that there's a place in Stephens Green doing them.

Celestial ring, Patrick does it

I have no experience yet. Still researching atm

jenizzle

Mark in V piercings (underneath Inkwell Tattoo) does scarification. Think he's charging €100 an hour depending on the piece and how its done.

Khannie

Asbad wrote: »

Celestial ring, Patrick does it

I have no experience yet. Still researching atm

Cheers. I've mailed them asking for pics of previous work.

Jenizzle: You know anyone who's gotten it done there? Any pics or anything like that?

Edit: feck it....I think I'll just call into them and talk to him myself if he's there. I (hopefully) have a fight coming up in 4 weeks, so I wouldn't want to get it done before that. My body has enough to put up with at the moment without trying to heal from cuts. I think this could be a nice christmas present from my lovely wife.

jenizzle

Khannie wrote: »

Cheers. I've mailed them asking for pics of previous work.

Jenizzle: You know anyone who's gotten it done there? Any pics or anything like that?

Edit: feck it....I think I'll just call into them and talk to him myself if he's there. I (hopefully) have a fight coming up in 4 weeks, so I wouldn't want to get it done before that. My body has enough to put up with at the moment without trying to heal from cuts. I think this could be a nice christmas present from my lovely wife.

I don't unfortunately! I just happen to have a pricelist in front of me You should go talk to him though, he used to work in Celestial Ring.

Khannie

Ok, nice one. Thanks. Just found their map in another thread. I'll drop in. It's not far from where I work.

edit: lol@rice krispy bun bribery in that thread.