Although certainly not a new concept, the use of typography (lettering) in tattoo designs has exploded in popularity over the past decade or so. Shelley Jackson's "Skin" Project, Ineradicable Stain, is a movement that has been in progress since 2003. Jackson, a previously published author, decided for her next book to put out a call for volunteers who would tattoo the manuscript on their skin, one word per participant. The novel will not be published anywhere in book form, but will be known only to the volunteers who will each receive one copy upon completion. The term completion, however, is up for interpretation. When Jackson first launched her website and proposed the idea, she stated that if not enough volunteers came forward to complete the first (and only) edition, then the incomplete version would be considered definitive. The words are assigned to volunteers at random, depending on the order in which potential participants sign a release form. The assigned word may be any size but must be tattooed in black ink in a classic book font. The word may be placed anywhere on the human body as long as the volunteer did not receive a word which names a body part. In this case, he or she can tattoo the word anywhere EXCEPT on that body part. (For example, the word "hand" can not be tattooed directly on one's hand.)

She also explains on her website that the participants are not carriers of the text, but are the words themselves, the embodiment of a concept. Any procedure that would later seek to cover up or remove the ink would be considered to alter the work and change the meaning, but only the actual death of words would remove them from the text. Jackson went so far as to say she would make an attempt to attend the funerals of her words. Sounds self-righteous? Perhaps it is, and maybe it seems as though Jackson is removing the autocracy and agency from her participants -- but that hasn't stopped 2,095 volunteers from coming forward.

Here are some examples from Shelley Jackson's SKIN project, along with a few others who are using the art of writing to convey a message best expressed in words rather than images.


By : Jaclyn Popola

Many people are unable to grow as a person because they simply do not know how. Finding the proper advice can be hard as well. That is where the following article comes in. You are going to be given advice that you can use, in order to help your personal development goals.

Use mistakes as growing points. Everyone is going to make mistakes from time to time, whether serious or very minor. Either way you go, you have to understand that these mistakes are sometimes inevitable, and the best thing you can do is learn and grow from these mistakes, using them to propel yourself forward instead of letting them hold you back in frustration and discouragement.

Get plenty of rest. A good night's sleep will not only ward off illnesses, but will also make sure that your mind is crisp and ready for the daily tasks that lay ahead of you. Not getting enough sleep can make you irritable and cranky, and it can literally hinder everything that you do. Don't skimp on the beauty sleep.

Admit your low-level in the universe. Admitting that you do not know all is the beginning of opening your mind, heart and spirit to the rest of the world. Each of us is but a speck in the whole universe, and we each have so much to learn, understand, know and improve.

Learn how to moderate your activities. Self control is an early lesson in personal development, and it can be one of the most difficult to learn. There are many things in your life that can harm your overall health like smoking, excessive drinking and overeating. Learn how to moderate these bad habits or even kick them completely. By succeeding you are giving yourself more time on the planet to achieve your personal development.

When trying to work on your personal development, it is important to have support. Every athlete has a coach right beside them; they would never try and go at it alone. Think of personal development as your sport, and make sure you have a trained professional guiding you along the way.

In order to create a serene environment for yourself you need to take steps to organize your home. Many people start off their day poorly because they are not able to find their keys or their phone in the morning. Taking the time to place those items in a designated spot can help you start your day off well and thus create a better day for yourself.

A great personal development tip is to be sure you regenerate your body on a regular basis. You should exercise your body to gain strength, endurance, and stamina. These characteristics are what allow your body to regenerate itself. Therefore, you should aim to exercise regularly for those aspects, not for vain reasons.

As stated at the beginning of the article, learning what you can do to help yourself grow as a person can be the key to starting the growth process. The article above gave you valuable advice to help you achieve your goal of becoming the person that you would like to be.

Why do so many people inject ink into their skin at considerable cost and with much discomfort? Why would any rational being want to indelibly mar their otherwise pristine bodies? And why, knowing the inevitable ravages of age, would they want to inflict self-imposed discolored blemishes anywhere on their extremities?

If not for my wimpy squeamishness, I could see getting a tattoo image that represents something near and dear. I cannot say what the allure is, but the tattoo as a personal statement appeals to me on some deep level. Akin to soldiers wearing medals and fruit-salad over their hearts, tattoos symbolize accomplishment -- if only endurance of the vibrating needle. Still, I am terrified by needles of any kind (even sewing), and pain is not a favorite either. So unless forced by evil powers to do so, I am not likely to have a permanent tattoo. But a temporary one? Well, that's a thought.

And now thanks to Tattly, a new line of temporary designer tattoos, I see the possibility of body decoration in my future.

Tattly is a venture by Tina Roth Eisenberg, the designer and design blogger known as Swiss Miss. A native of Switzerland, her site and Twitter feed are followed by thousands of young designers, and her curated "Creative Mornings" talks by known and up-and-coming industry professionals are extremely well attended. With such a targeted audience, she is in the perfect entrepreneurial trajectory for making and selling design-things, of which temporary tattoos are high on her latest list.


What triggered this venture occurred when her five-year old-daughter, Ella. would come home with temporary tattoos. They would "send a shiver down my spine," Eisenberg told me. "Cheaply designed, clip-art graphics, bad typography, you get the idea. I found myself complaining about them, over and over and realized that I can either continue complaining about it or change it."

As a consequence, she reached out to designers she admires, presented them with the idea of designing for "skin" and, within a day, had dozens of submissions in her email inbox. "My idea was welcomed with a lot of excitement," she reported, "I knew I was on to something." From idea to launch of site, it only took two months. Now she's making a profit.

Although Eisenberg acknowledges there is silly element to this, it is also fulfilling a curious, indeed primal, need both to make and wear. Even I have been wearing one for a few weeks that says "MAMA" set in a swirling swash type (designed by my wife, Louise Fili).

Each week, Eisenberg issues four new designs. "We have lots of designs in the pipeline as is and don't really accept submissions," she noted. "We might change that. People really, really want to send in submissions."

When I made a passing comment that Tattly was a novelty item -- a designer's version of the pet rock -- Eisenberg was quick to to take umbrage: "I think of it more like an accessory. Accessories change, adapt to the times and fashion trends. So do we." Okay, granted that Tattly is an accessory, would people wear temporary tats?

"Why do people wear bracelets or fancy hats? It's a form of self-expression," Eisenberg explained. "Plus, temporary tattoos let commitment-phobes toy with the idea of having a tattoo. Some of our folks just want to freak their parents out. I personally just want to feed my inner child."

Is this a sideline or an entrepreneurial stepping stone? "It's just the way I function," Eisenberg concludes, hinting that she needs to get back to work. "I see something that I want to fix and I do it. I am a maker at heart. I coudn't find the right office environment so I created it. I couldn't find the right to-do app, so I made my own. I wanted a more accessible conference-like event, so I created one. My daughter wore ugly temporary tattoos, so I started Tattly. I am just a very pragmatic person."

Tatty is a pragmatic way for neophytes to test the tattoo scene. Problem is, so far mine has been difficult to wash off.


By : theatlantic

Positive thinking can help you improve on your self and it will have a more positive impact on your lifestyle. This article contains many useful techniques that you can incorporate into your life so that you can improve your character.

Instead of bragging about how many things you've earned in your life, try to ask other people about what they've earned in their life and what they're proud of. This allows you to discover some of the great things that people around you are capable of accomplishing, which helps you to respect others by giving you insight into their character.

Remembering to listen is as important as speaking your mind. This truth applies even more to those who are making a concentrated effort to develop themselves on a personal level. Always listen to yourself when you are talking to yourself. Listening to your inner voice can help you understand what it is that you want, because it is hard to get what you want when you don't understand what you need.

Conduct yourself with wisdom and modesty as you go through life. Learn from your daily experiences, and recognize what you are not able to change about the circumstances that are present in your life. Keeping yourself humble and modest will keep you within what you can handle. Wisdom learned from the past can enable to you improve your decisions in the future.

Go with a friend to see a movie you enjoy. You will be out and about but not have to socialize as much. You can use the trip as an opportunity to become accustomed to the company of others.

Regardless of what your needs are and how you decide to pursue them, there is one thing that is absolutely crucial. You must actively engage in life rather than sitting on the sidelines. Active participation in everyday matters is the only way to be alive in the world.

Pick up a pen and paper, and write yourself a positive letter. Write a list of each of your good points and attributes on an index card. Carry it with you, and refer to it when necessary. Make a video of yourself reading it and watch it as often as you need. What's the point?

You should always strive to be the best in your area. Passion leads to greatness, so be sure to be passionate. You can never be as good as you could be at one single thing but you can try to be the best you can be in what you are interested in. Always attempt to boost your worth in the field you work in, then enjoy what it does for your self-esteem.

This article should have given you ideas that can help you change many parts of your character, personality and outlook on life, so that you can live a better lifestyle. By using these tips as your guideline, you can begin your personal development journey and place your best foot forward during your transition to a higher quality of life.

Washable body art offers children the opportunity to express their creativity and personality without the long-term effects of a permanent tattoo. The different types of washable tattoos for children depend on the amount of money that parents want to spend, the patience of the child and how long the tattoo has to last. However, no matter what kind of tattoo you choose washable for your child, you are sure to enjoy the temporary art.

Transfer Temporary Tattoos
Transfer temporary tattoos are an inexpensive option for parents washable tattoo. Typically, temporary transfer tattoos consist of an image printed on the back of a thin paper. When water is gently applied to the paper after it has been pressed against the skin, the image is transferred onto the skin. Once the paper is off, the children stay with a colorful picture that will last for about three to five days, if not purposely washed before.

Henna Tattoos
Henna tattoos are a safe option for children temporary body art. Originally done as a South Asian tradition, henna tattoos designs consist drawn on the body with a paste created from leaves of the henna plant. Professionally prepared henna tattoos can range from simple symbols to intricate designs and usually will stay in the skin for a few days to a few weeks depending on the frequency and vigor of washing.

Airbrush Tattoos
Tattoo airbrush tattoos offer an aspect of real life that is safe for children and easy to remove. To complete an airbrush tattoo, artists stencil press a tattoo on the arm of the child. Once the template is instead filled with an airbrush paint safety for the skin are used to fill the open areas and to create a realistic appearance tattoo. When the template is removed, children are left with a temporary tattoo that will remain on the skin for one to five days.

Marker Tattoos
Washable markers of an inexpensive and quick for the kids to sport a temporary tattoo. Using washable markers for kids, designs can be drawn anywhere on the body and easy to wash with a mild soap and warm water. However, if you decide to use this method, it may be important to establish the ground rules for the use of markers in creating tattoo temptation to limit children to go overboard.


By : olympusvc

Temporary transfer tattoos are growing increasingly popular with young and fashion-conscious people, for it provides them with the opportunity to be confident, cosmopolitan and uninhibited without having to engage in the lifelong commitment of a permanent tattoo. Event coordinators and party planners alike rely on our temporary body art to provide the most cutting edge entertainment value. From small, intimate gatherings to large-scale festivities, the process of temporary transfer tattooing can act as a unique way to distinguish your event from the average, run-of-the-mill gathering. With proper care, an airbrush tattoo will adhere to the skin for about one week - even with exposure to water. Application of alcohol will allow the wearer to easily remove their tattoo in the event that they'd like a change, or simply no longer desire their current design.

Picasso Manufactures Transfer Tattoo, Water Transfers, Tattoo Transfers, Water Transfer Tattoo, Custom Temporary Tattoo, Tattoo Designs, Temporary Tatoo, Logo Tattoo, Glow in the Dark tattoos, UV Tatoo, Night Glow Tattooo, Fashion Tattoos, Quality Temporary Tattoo, Personalized Transfer Tattoos, Skin Transfers, Temp Tatts, Fake Body Tattoo, Logo Transfer Tattoos, Temporary Transfer Tattooo, Rub ons, black & Color Tatoo, Custom Transfer Tattoos & Promotional Tattoo in various tattoo designs & tattoo ideas like Star, Celtic, Tribal, Halloween, Lower back tattoos, Chinese Tattoos & other hot tattoo designs etc .

Temporary Body Tattoos could be called as a step ahead in Bindis. They were created to express the eternal desire and bring beauty into every day life through these sizzling tattoos. These can give you a glamorous and exotic look to anybody's persona. There is a different design for every mood and every occasion. The best thing is they are affordable, clinically tested & temporary.

We can provide a wide and extensive range of temporary transfer tattoos covering the whole spectrum of colors. Picasso Tattoos can a wide range of temporary tattoo whether in traditional black, one color or multicolored, silver, gold or a metallic color of your choice or Glow in Dark. In the right hands and venue, these can generate an incredible amount of revenue. Designer or Custom Transfer Tattoos are always a winner at theme parks, beach resorts, clubs and parties worldwide... wherever folks are out for a good time!

Picasso Water Transfers are available in black, silver, golden, radium (UV tattoos) and in different colors. Any design that you can see in our online catalogue can be available in any color of your demand. . We are exporting these beautiful body / skin tattoos to countries like USA, Canada, London ( UK ), Australia, Brasil (Brazil) , New Zealand, Latvia, France, Hungry, Dubai ( U.A.E.), Germany, rest of the Europe and many other parts of world.



By : picassoexports

Deciding to better yourself is a great goal to set. Personal development - the art of making more out of yourself - can be an enriching, highly rewarding process. It does not require an all-encompassing master plan, either. You can kick off a personal development routine (or improve your existing one) with a few simple ideas like these:

With personal development it is important to realize how you compare to the rest of the world in terms of importance. This is crucial because in order to grow, in order to realize how little you know, and how much there is to learn, you need to first establish where you stand with the rest of the world.

If you have both a doctor and a therapist, make sure that they are on the same page. Your doctor and your therapist do not necessarily have to communicate with each other. You might; however, want to keep one abreast of what the other is doing with you. It can avoid later confusion and complication.

With personal development, make sure that you embrace change no matter how much difficulty it may cause you. This is important because the world is always changing and when you accept change you accept all of the inevitability in this life. You need to be aware of ways you might need to change and actions you will have to take to do so.

If you want to better yourself, you should make sure you have an excellent coach who will be a mentor for you. Having a top-notch coach is essential to have because he or she will push you through the rough patches that you have and ultimately lead you to success.

Sometimes it is much too complicated to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. If you are baffled by that you should try mapping out what you want to do with the next five years. That should be much less taxing to figure out.

Empower yourself to better handle conflicts by identifying phrases, people, and ideas that trigger a negative emotional response in your head. By familiarizing yourself with these instigators, you can train yourself to avoid simply shutting down and becoming overly defensive. Preventing these behaviors makes you more prepared to constructively work with the other side to reach a compromise.

If you are turning to self help remedies to help out with your depression, a great tip is to make an effort to enrich your relationship with family and friends. Often times, your life will feel more fulfilled when you have strong connections with many people and this is a great way to accomplish that.

While the path to your personal development goals might be long, it need not be arduous. Keeping your eyes peeled for new personal development ideas is always a good idea. You may run into more handy tips like the ones in this article that can get you to your goals faster - or at least keep the journey to them from getting dull.

There are a lot of reasons for possibly wanting a tattoo removed – the positive element of tattoo removal is that you are no longer burdened with a tattoo you seriously regret. If a tattoo is holding you back from getting a job you want or keeps you from attaining goals you have set for yourself, a little pain and scarring may be worth it to you. If you have a gang-related tattoo and are no longer associating yourself with that gang or any gang (good for you!), it would be in your best interests to have it removed. If you have a tattoo that symbolizes hate or prejudice, I hope that you will decide that it is time to let it go. If you are wearing a tattoo of a past love and now you have a new special person in your life, it would be unkind to your new love NOT to get rid of the old tattoo.
If you have a tattoo that you wish to have partially or completely removed, you should first consider your options and decide which method might be best for you.

Laser Removal
Today, lasers are the most common method of tattoo removal. They work by targeting the ink with pulses of highly concentrated light that break the ink into tiny fragments, which are then cleared away the your own immune system. However, this isn’t all done with just one treatment. The more treatments you have, the more the laser can penetrate to destroy the ink. But, the more treatments you have, the more damage you do to your skin, causing painful blisters and scabs that can eventually lead to scarring. Experts in removal therapy say that technology has advanced to the point where scarring is minimal, sometimes non-existant, but this can vary depending on the situation.
On top of being physically painful (it has been described as feeling like being splattered with hot grease), laser removal can be painful to your wallet as well. Depending on your tattoo, you may need anywhere from 1-10 sessions, each costing in the range of $250-$850 per session. A large, professional tattoo in color could cost thousands of dollars to remove, and the effectiveness of the removal still isn’t guaranteed.

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy
Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, or IPL, is a dermal enhancer currently being used in some spas. Instead of laser light, it uses high intensity light in pretty much the same manner. A gel is applied to the skin and then a wand is used to emit pulses of light onto the skin area being treated. This method is said to be less painful and more effective than traditional laser therapy, but there are many tattoo removal experts who do not recommend IPL. Even if it does work a little better, the bad news is that it also carries a heftier price tag – one clinic offering a price of $10 per pulse. Depending on how many pulses per session your tattoo requires, this could add up to a significant amount of money.

Other Medical Methods
There are other methods of tattoo removal, but most of them are so painful and ineffective that laser removal replaced them as soon as it became available. These other methods include dermabrasion, which would actually “sand” away the top layer of skin through abrasive friction. Another method is excision, where the tattoo would be cut away and the skin sewn back together. These methods have proved to cause much damage to the skin and result in severe scarring, and are only used today in extreme cases where laser surgery is not an option.

Do-It-Yourself Cream Removals
I have not personally tested any of the at-home cream removal methods I have seen advertised – even the ones that appear right here on this website. Honestly, I would not expect a whole lot from them. However, the Tattoo Removal Institute (which I am suspicious of being connected with Tat B Gone, but I can’t prove it yet) states that they have tested a few of these products, and found a couple of them to live up to their claims. According to their research, both TatBGone and Tattoo-OFF did show significant fading of the tattoos without any pain or damage to the skin. I am still very skeptical, but if you really need a tattoo removed and don’t have the money for surgery, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try one or both of these products. It’s not chump change, though – a 2 month supply of Tat B Gone is $125, and it takes several months to get the desired results, according to the Tattoo Removal Institute. A 2 month supply of Tattoo-OFF is $116.95. So, it isn’t inexpensive by any means, but certainly a lot more affordable than laser surgery. But before you shell out any money for these products, you might want to read some of the comments that have been sent in by people who have tried them.


By : Karen L. Hudson

Personal development is a way to improve who you are as a person, both mentally and emotionally, and to improve the life that you lead. Achieving your own personal development goals requires educating yourself on all of the different tactics that are used so that you can determine which ones work and which ones do not. Read the following article to learn some good personal development advice to get you started on the right track.

Quit worrying so much. Worrying is really imagining things that are not there, and why worry about something that hasn't happened? Worry isn't productive. Instead, determine the worst that could happen and prepare to address that situation should it arise. This makes you feel prepared for the worst while still being able to focus on the best things in your life.

Read good articles about personal development. Many of the best-selling books offer page after page of useful, and possibly life-changing, ideas and insight. Always check serious reviews of a book before you buy it because some books are very poorly written.

Create a written pep talk for yourself. Take a small sheet of paper and write down every positive attribute you possess. Put this list up on a wall, or carry it with you. Make a video of yourself reading it and watch it as often as you need. The reason to watch the video or read the postcard as often as possible is to remind yourself of how wonderful you think you are.

A great personal development tip is to be kind to your body. If your body is telling you that you are hungry, thirsty, etc., then you should work to correct that problem immediately. You need a healthy body to serve you for years to come. Ignoring those needs may cause your body to ignore you.

Unless you take care of yourself, you won't be able to care for anyone else. Whether you're just starting your personal development plan or are well down the road and regardless of whether you're succeeding or failing, you have to set aside time for yourself to rest, relax, and regroup.

Learn things that people that are successful are doing; use them in your own life. Start with a couple habits and then practice them until they're permanent parts of your life. You should keep it up for at least 21 days to make it a habit.

Comfort shopping is not a good idea. Shopping to make yourself feel better will only result in high bills, more stress and excess possessions that clutter your home and your life.

Focus on your true character and personality rather than your superficial appearance. Clothes and looks are no reflection of the true personality of person. Your personality is what will prevail in your life. Focus on improving your character instead of your external appearance.

So, as you can see, a great way to improve your life and learn more about yourself is through personal development. If you want to make advances in personal development, you need to understand what strategies will or will not be effective. By putting into practice the advice offered in this article, you will be well on your way to improving your life!

Thinking about removing that tattoo of your ex-girlfriend’s name from your arm?

While lovers come and go, tattoos are intended to be permanent. But as more consumers get tattoos, there are also more people eager to get rid of them.

Roughly one in four adult Americans has at least one tattoo — and 17 percent are considering getting rid of theirs, according to a survey published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Now, one company has found a way to make tattoo inks that, while still permanent, are also easily removed. The company, Freedom-2 LLC, will make the special ink available next year.

This new type of ink is injected into the skin in the same way as conventional tattoo inks. However, it is only permanent in the skin until the owner changes his or her mind. With a single pass of a laser, tattoos composed of this special ink can be safely and fully removed.

The new technology is the result of a combined effort by a team of scientists from Harvard Medical School and Duke University.

Removal of Conventional Tattoos Time-Consuming and Costly

Conventional tattoos are typically removed with laser technology. However, laser treatments are costly and time-consuming, and complete removal is sometimes not possible.

“Conventional tattoo removal takes multiple visits,” said Dr. Charles Taylor, director of Khosrow Momtaz Phototherapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Professional tattoo artists use heavy metals in their tattoo inks. For example, blacks have iron, blues have cobalt. Heavy metals are fairly resistant to current laser technology.”

And certain characteristics of the tattoo can also affect how difficult removal will be. Dr. Sandy Tsao, associate program director for procedural dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said the type of ink that is used, along with the age of the tattoo and the skill level of the artist involved, can play an important role.

“These three factors determine how many treatments the patient will require and the eventual cost,” Tsao said. “On average, a professional tattoo requires about eight to ten sessions, spaced six to eight weeks apart. The average cost per treatment ranges from $250 to $400.”

This means the tattoo that might have cost you a couple of hundred bucks to get will require a few thousand dollars to remove.

Aside from the time and money required for conventional tattoo removal, there are a number of well-known risks associated with the laser tattoo removal procedure itself.

“The treatments can be painful, and they generally require a topical anesthetic,” said Tsao.

During the period immediately following laser tattoo removal, some of the expected side effects include scabbing and crusting, which can last between a week and ten days, Tsao said.

“The biggest risk is having a permanent loss of your normal pigmentation, almost similar to having a negative impression of the tattoo image on the skin,” she said. “Tattoo removal can also lead to scar formation, sometimes.

“There is an increased possibility of scarring if the tattoo is located on the ankle or the upper back because these are scar-prone areas.”

‘Smart Pigment’ Allows for Targeted Destruction

Unlike the conventional counterparts, the company says that its new ink is specifically designed to be removed by a laser.



By : APRIL ARMSTRONG, M.D.