| About the Author |
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| Like many young children, I too pasted temporary tattoos all over my body, imagining they were real. I always wanted three tattoos. A dragon, tiger,and snake. Growing up with the T.V. Show, "Kung-Fu", I love the branding of the dragon and tiger on actor David Carradine. I vowed to get a dragon tattoo after I became a black belt in the martial arts. At the time I was only ten and wasn't even in karate, yet. I spent most of my spare time drawing animals and nature with pencils and chalk. My medium at the time was paper, sidewalks, the basement walls, and the walls of my bedroom which didn't go over to good with my mother. After graduating high school I joined the family business of Installing glass. Within my first year I was making clocks out of mirrors, and creating fancy abstract designs out of mirror for the walls of upper end homes. Then I got the opportunity to try some glass etching. I needed to match a design that was on a broken piece of safety glass, for the entrance door of a local restaurant. There were no businesses in the area to offer glass etching that could help the restaurant match the design so both entrance doors would be the same. So I laid down a new piece of laminated safety glass on top of the old broken piece. Using clear contact paper for a resist, I cut out a template with a razor knife and peeled off the area to be sandblasted. After sandblasting I peeled off the rest of the contact paper and it was a perfect match. Whew, pulled that one off I thought to myself. Well it didn't take long and I was receiving calls to do glass etching on everything from cars, businesses, and homes. I only did art in my spare time and I was always busy. |
| I took up martial arts with my brother and was now on my way to a black belt, and that dragon tattoo I always wanted. Having opportunities along the way to get a tattoo, I held to my vow. I wanted my tattoo to mean something. It was to be an expression of who I am and what my life is about. I started studying Zen when I was thirteen and I added to my list of wants for tattoos. I knew a spiritual sign was to be a part of my future collection of body art as well. Finally, 4 years after I started my martial arts training, I attained my black belt. The mission was on, tattoo time. But who, and where? I seen a lot of different artists and wasn't impressed with my choices. Then one of my training buddies comes to the Dojo sporting a beautiful new tattoo and my first question was, who did that? Chris Page, {now with American Graffiti, Brighten, MI.}, did his tattoo, and I called immediately for an appointment. It was around a 30 day wait he was so busy. I gladly waited for my turn and when he was done, wow, I was impressed. It was a 2 hour drive and the entire way home I stared at this beautiful dragon on my forearm, telling my wife who went with me to hold my hand, I could do that, I could tattoo on people. It was several years later when I ordered pictures from a tattoo supply company that I thought would make cool glass etchings, and I received a catalog for equipment along with the pictures. I thought to myself, maybe I'll order some tools and start tattooing for a new hobby. By this time I now had 3 tattoos. My dragon that represented my black belt,an infinity sign made from 2 snakes on my thigh, and another dragon on my other forearm representing my 5 years as a black belt instructor. |
| The more I thought about doing tattoos, the stronger the urge to get started. Three banks later I received a loan for $1000.00 and ordered a tattoo kit and some extra supplies from Spaulding & Rogers tattoo supply. I read Huck Spaulding's A to Z tattooing in 2 days, put the machines together and started tattooing my leg. Their goes the idea of only wanting 3 tattoos. If I was going to make any major mistakes, I wanted them to be on me. Then I started tattooing my friends and their friends and so on. Since I have a long history in art, I had many friends wanting to be the first person to be tattooed by Jeffrey Lyle. I was impressed, even honored, but I urged them to let me get used to the tools first. Within 6 months I did 100 tattoos in my spare time. |
| I was so busy with my day job and tattooing after work, that I had no time for my wife and 2 children. I decided to take a huge risk and I quit my full time job and went looking for work in a tattoo parlor. I found a small shop that was very busy and was hired instantly and started working that day. My dream off making a living off my artwork was now unfolding before my eyes, and what a grand adventure! Now I get to share some of the wisdom from my experience with you, and that is very exciting for me. With my book, "Collecting Tattoos", I get to teach people things I wish I would have known, before I started my tattoo collection. I was fortunate to have found a great artist in the beginning, because I did know a little bit about the medical field, I took a year of nursing. I wanted to be in a clean professional parlor while I received my new tattoo. Now I want the same for you. I want to inform you of all the things I've learned along the way that will be of great benefit in helping you with choices concerning body art. I want to give you a heads-up on things you should know before checking out tattoo parlors, so you know what to look for, what to ask, and what to expect along the way. I've kept things short and simple, very easy to understand. I've also added some of my dull humor as well:) |
| As for my goals of the future, I still wish to express myself with other art forms such as airbrushing, and glass blowing. My time studying philosophy and religion has me thinking about possibly opening a spiritual center, where I can incorporate my talents of martial arts, philosophical discussions, and the expression of ourselves with body art, all under one roof. For now, I continue to tattoo and spend my spare time enjoying the beautiful country side here in northern Michigan. Thank you for your time, I hope this website and my book bring you good fortune in your quest for professional body art. Jeffrey Lyle |
| Collecting Tattoos.com |
