If you really want a true classic tattoo you'll have to go back in time, cross the pacific to honolulu and head over to Hotel Street. There you'll see the bright neon glow of 'Sailor Jerry's', the tattoo shop that put ink into skin of the fighting men for nearly 40 years. 

You'll notice that there aren't many tattoo artist out there like Norman Collins, or Sailor Jerry, around anymore. He was the father of old school tattooing. he was the best of the best. He was old school classic in every sense of the word.  The tough old sea dog stood by his work and stood up for himself earning him the legacy that is still felt in tattooing today. 

The time Jerry spent at sea became the over whelming influence on his life. The old sea-faring traditions of the sailor ways became subjects he celebrated in his work until death. The navy took Jerry across the pacific to places like china and japan. This journey sparked his lifelong interest in the Asian art and culture. Jerry was then deposited in Hawaii in the early 30's. The tropical feel of the islad felt like home for jerry. The constant flow of sailors through Hawaii's ports kept him connected to his beloved Navy while chinatown fed his fascination with over sea culture.

At first Sailor Jerry first started tattooing by hand poking needles into whoever was willing. As a teenager Jerry used whatever supplies he could find. In the 20's Jerry found himself in chicago where he met his first formal teacher, the infamous Gib 'Tatts' Thomas, who taught Jerry to use his first tattoo machine. This lesson in itself became part of Sailor Jerry's great mythology. 

Thomas actually took Jerry to a graveyard where a fellow tattooer worked the night shift. Jerry practiced on the dead corpses! now a days we use pig skin to practice on. However, when Thomas and friend let Jerry stay in a dark room with the corpse to practice, he grabbed the arm and just then the body sat upright. Thomas played a very spooky prank on this young apprentice. ha!

Paul Timman was born in Toledo, Ohio in 1972. He graduated the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1995, the year I was born, with a degree in sculptured glass. He started tattooing out of his apartment, after being talked into it by some friends, but soon out grew it and started tattooing for the Toledo tattoo company. 


By '97, Timman moved out west to work for some of the most famous tattoo parlors out there at sunset strip tattoo parlor in Hollywood. Since being out there he has had many famous clientel. He has also worked in and on many television shows as the artist and technical advisor. Such shows include, Big Love, Mad About You, and The Fairy Snapmother, which was a commercial for Slim Jim. He has also been seen on shows in the E! channel and other VH1 and MTV programs.  

Another very interesting fact about Paul Timmerman, he is a famous dinner wear designer. Fascinating huh? I've seen some of it while googleing his name and they're really cool! I actually want some cuz it's bad ass.  

Paul's tribal designs, hand painted tattoo work in movies and celebrity clients have made him one of the Giants in the industry.  "I knew that if I did my job well, I could bridge the gap between mainstream society and help to introduce tattooing into every day life -- without the process of getting tattooed," says Timman after launching his dinnerware line in 2008. And he did it. He is trying to bring every day average into the amazing world of art and creativity through tattoo designs

Anyone that meets this guy always has the same word in mind. Fun. Oliver is a fun guy and probably moves at around 100 miles a minuet. He finds fun in everything he does. I personally think that would make a great tattoo artist. I mean he is human so he has to have some stressful times. I get stressed out and I'm not even legitly legit yet!

He loves Friday the 13th. He always tattoos a 13 on someone whenever the calendar says to. Oliver is deffinatley a traditional style kind of guy. His lines are perfect. Even his new style stuff like angels in a back piece, he tried to make not too far off from an old school pin up. 

I love that he stays true to tattooing. Most people change their styles and are totally different from when they first started the art. Which, don't get me wrong, sometimes this is a good thing. For example I'm changing my style to fit more traditional tattooing. I used to be really big on cartoons and silly things. Now I'm drawing roses and skulls and juts normal things people would normally get tattooed. Okay, back to Oliver.

He has always drawn and painted. As soon as Peck knew what a tattoo was, he wanted one. His first tattoo was a moon and a star, badass right? ha. It was off of a skateboard logo so at the time he thought it was pretty cool. He has no cover ups or Lasering  tattoos. He doesn't believe in getting rid of a tattoo, which I totally agree with and would like to live to that. (other than my first tattoo was a crappy half sleeve done for fifty bucks, so yes I am in the process of covering this bad boy up. Ya get what ya pay for.) 

He works at elm street tattoo. him and a couple friends came together from different shops, and took over a shop that was going out of business. so it was a five way partnership. But as most shops go, people come and go and now it's just Peck, and one parter, dean williams. this is there 13th year in business.

Peck designs a lot of stuff for Vans and Warped tour. He has a few shoe designs. He is the 'vans man' which I like. That's about all I feel like saying about this amazing artist. Wanna learn more about him and other amazing artists? Well, that's what google is for :)