Jeff Johnson Books
Words from the author of Tattoo Machine

Tattoo Machine

November 12th 2009 in Tattoo Machine

Tattoo Machine by Jeff Johnson
“THE ATMOSPHERE CRASHES IN, a singular vibe refined by generations, part carnival midway and part hypermodern clinic, with a splash of a foreign bar from a fragment of a dream, all wrapped in a fragrant mélange of soap, solvents, and pheromones. It’s Saturday and the stereo blares an opera from the Met. A creepy German woman is going on about something, God knows what, but she’s clearly insane and has found her perfect venue at long last. Every square inch of the walls is covered in a dense riot of bright, twisting images. Everything is buzzing, the atmosphere charged to explode, like a claymore mine packed with acorns of magic.

In front of me this beautiful canvas sighs, indicating her willingness to proceed. There is a dimple in the swell of her hip. A lone freckle rides high on her side. These features will be my frame for the next few hours.”

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3 comments to...
“Tattoo Machine”
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Myra

Thanks for giving insight into the world of a tattoo artist. I found myself going through a spectrum of emotions.The jargon is educational and imaginative.

As a visual person, I was able to follow page-to-page.

Your experiences and stories make getting a tattoo a much more meaningful experience. I adore the book.

Thank you!


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Leif Hanson

This book has inspired me to follow my dreams and has made me think that there is more to life than computers and software that I design on a daily basis.
Now to go full circle back to my artistic roots of when I was younger, to do what I enjoy and live the life I gave up years ago when I close the chapter on my Photography carrier.
If you have not read the book read it for at least the entertainment factor. If you don’t read it for that, then read it for its amazing insight into life form the eyes of a guy who has truly sucked the marrow of life from the bone and not choked to death!
Thank you Jeff for your inspiration!


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Ariel Negra

This book blew my f*cking mind. From the first page to the last I was wholeheartedly captivated. It inspired me to continue my pursuit of multiple different art forms, and tattooing is at the top of the list. I am truly grateful for the insight that you have shared Jeff, for I am 21 and in all honesty I was rather naive to the tattoo world prior to this read. Perhaps one day I’ll graduate to the position of Trojan, and handle my shit like a “pussy eating swamp panther”… maybe even at Sea Tramp.
-Thanks Dude.




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Most tattoo artists prefer not to share the tricks and tales of their trade, but not Jeff Johnson. In his newly released memoir, Tattoo Machine, the Portland-based inkman shares some of the weirdest, wackiest and most disgusting details of his profession, from cleaning up after chudders (look it up) to the time he tattooed a [...]

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