In the past few years, there really hasn’t been any shortage of tattoo related television programmes, specials and documentary films. It seems that people are hungry for tattoo and that means that there is always going to be an audience for these sorts of productions. The problem is, not all tattoo productions are worth wasting your time on. I can honestly say that I’m relieved that the days of LA Ink are over and that other similar tattoo reality TV shows are dying out. I don’t have anything at all against making TV or film productions based on the lives of tattooers or their art, I just want it to always be about the tattooers and their art and not some absurd, made up gossip or blown out of proportion in-fighting that has nothing to do with tattoo.
Director Eric Schwartz’ documentary Tattoo Nation looks to find its focus on something of substance in tattoo: the lives of three pioneers; Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, and how their efforts helped to change tattoo forever. There’s also plenty of cameos from other tattoo legends like Mister Cartoon, Ed Hardy, Tim Hendricks and Mark Mahoney, to name but a few. Check out the trailer below and see what you think. LA Ink, it (thankfully) ain’t.