Flash, the inspirational sheets of tattoo art that adorn the walls of tattoo shops from Brooklyn to Berlin. Basically a collection of potential tattoo images to attract customers, flash is used as both decoration and a resource. Some artists copy a flash item—a simple heart with a banner, for example—exactly like it appears on the sheet. Others use flash as a starting point, like the tattoo I have from Bob Roberts. I remember wanting a tattoo that represented "love lost. I thought a skull would be appropriate. Maybe with a banner that read, "Gone Forever," or some other melodramatic, tattoo-type sentiment. "How about ditching the banner idea and doing something like the one on the wall," said Bob, as he pointed to a piece of skull flash, one with hearts for eyes. "Perfect," I said, and Bob worked out a custom piece based on but not duplicating the hearts-for-eyes design.

Chuck Eldridge tattooed me with a hula girl playing the ukulele that is an almost line-by-line copy of a piece of Sailor Jerry Collins flash. Flash used as a template.

Aaron Bell of Slave to the Needle uses flash as a homework assignment. Each week he holds a kind of technique workshop for his artists. Among other things, they focus in on a particular graphic design, like a dragon or a chrysanthemum, and everyone paints up a flash sheet to share at the next meeting. In this way, flash is a learning tool.

Mike Skiver, on the other hand, collects flash. I can still see the look on his face when I ran into him the day after he had quite unpredictably discovered one hundred and fifty sheets of original Bert Grimm flash from the '50s. To Mike, flash was a serendipitous treasure.

Tattoo legend Zeke Owen used to tell newbies that, if they wanted to improve their drawing skills, they should get some tracing paper and copy exactly the sheets of flash from world-class artists. And going back to Bob Roberts, years ago I remember him giving his daughter, Ava, sheets of line-drawing flash and having her color them in. For both Bob and Zeke, flash is an aid for mastering basic skills.

So, however you plan to use it, here's a special issue that's just right for every budding artist, seasoned pro and dedicated collector. Next month, it's back to the regular format with artist profiles, convention coverage, tattoo road trips, your favorite columns, hundreds of tattoo photos, pretty girls, hunky guys and, as usual, lots of colorful surprises.

Until then…

Bob Baxter
Editor in Chief

baxter@skin&ink.com
www.skinandink.com