Thursday, December 15, 2011

another cover up story

Hello! sorry for a bit lagging behind. We're currently working on our official website and our PC got crashed for almost few months, but we now got everything fixed and back to work, on fire! ;) If some people got confused about our double-blog, sorry! We found blogspot is easier to connect with, and since the stats in wordpress is also high, we try to keep up with both blogs :) Don't worry, it's still the same people, Dimas and Lois.

Anyway, this is another cover up work done by Dimas Praja in July. The client himself is one of our coming-back clients, especially in covering up, lol. Well, he got his first tattoo touched up by Dimas, too. Since then he showed up few times to get more works done, but he always choose the design few hours before he showed up at CarpeDiem TattooStudio. We have carefully told him something we all should know about tattoos - that it lasts forever - and he has to choose carefully, both the design and the tattooist. He worked well in some sittings with Dimas, but apparently his 'primal urge' to get tattooed every time he see something cool to get inked is stronger than what he should remember about being a bit picky.

The client spent his summer holiday back in his hometown and came over a 'reputable' tattoo shop in town. This time, he got a pair of...broken wings.

the wings were asymmetrical, with faded-everything: faded lines, faded shadings. 

The client's girlfriend said that he can't asleep for almost three days after the tattoo healed, then decided to fly straight back to Jogjakarta to pay us a visit. The picture above shown Dimas' sketch effort to fix the tattoo.


Then there it went, this was done in July. He then added another collection around August:


Around October, he showed up again with his brother - this time, it's his brother who wants to get tattooed. But he also sported his left half-sleeve which he 'regret', for now it's a half-sleeve done in dark grey and black, so there's nothing can be really done about that. hmm... don't we all should learn something from this kind of thing? :)

Monday, November 14, 2011

a simple anniversary

Our anniversary was on November 3, and it's the 4th :) we don't bother making invitations because this year we want it simple and silent. 'Four years' is a short time, compared to the so many other tattooists and established tattoo studios in our town, but we're still standing now, supporting each other and is willing to make art to the fullest every single day.

So many up and downs, positive and negative comments, and we can't say anything more than thank you, because it's all bring the best out of us. For all collectors, supporting friends, and most of all - family.

back in 2009 at Kimochi Fest, Duta Wacana Christian University, Yogyakarta.
in between henna tattoo sessions, these children from the next booth asked lots of things about tattoos.

in 2010, Dimas Praja got a chance to do tattoo at Fourspeed Metalwerks, Bandung.
Anyway, today is their anniversary. happy anniversary, Fourspeed Metalwerks! :)

in summer 2011 Dimas Praja got a chance to do some guest spots in some tattoo studios in Bali.

also in 2011, Dimas Praja got 2nd place for oriental category in Modern Tattoo Culture's tattoo war.
the event was held in Semarang. Here's a link about the event.

our simple celebration at the waiting room. Beer for the guys and orange juice for Lois and Bebe.
Lois made a pile of chocolate doughnuts. The guy in hat is mas Bejo (he was featured once here) which is now helping us a lot at the studio, and next to him is Rory, one of our avid collectors (his favorite is Japanese tattoos, which is one of Dimas' natural talent to design). Here is one of Rory's collections, tattooed by Dimas Praja

Now that we have two tattooists working, we need spare machines :)

and a lot of colors to keep the tattooists' creativity flowin'

Thank you collectors for trusting your skin to us, spreading the good words n everything.
Thank you CarpeDiem TattooStudio family to keep up the good work, pushing the art boundaries, n to keep up the standard :)
cheers!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Philosophy of Semar

Semar is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punakawan (wayang clowns), but is in fact divine and very wise. He is the dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java, and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the kotak (wayang set). He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form.

The name Semar is said to derive from the Javanese word samar ('dim, obscure, mysterious'). He is often referred to with the honorific, "Kyai Lurah Semar" (the venerable chief).

The philosophy of Semar calligraphy

Philosophy of Semar:
"Bojo sira arsa Mardi kamardikan, aja samar sumingkiring dur-kamurkan Mardika, ora kebanda ing kadonyan, ora samar marang bisane sirna durka murkamu"

which means the freedom of soul; a condition unconquered by lust and mortal life desire, to remain perfectly 'innocent' til death, to restrain temptation and convert it into a power towards perfection in life.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Legong dancer tattoo

Legong is a form of Balinese dance; a refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions.

At first, the client came to us, bringing a magazine with a pair of Legong dancer paintings on it. They are beautiful paintings, indeed, but in the picture, they're hanging on the wall decorating a cozy living room (yes, it's an interior design magazine). Imagine how small it is! To get more details on the dancer's flower crown and facial expression, we browsed through the web and find this beautiful photograph by Mr. Pius Lee

Eyeing (Legong Dance II), taken on May 30, 2009 by Mr Pius Lee, www.dailytravelphotos.com
Mr Pius Lee began his quest to backpack around the world in 2003. Travel and photography is two of his greatest passions. His website, www.dailytravelphotos.com contains his photography works during traveling, hopefully to relate the beauty and uniqueness of far-away countries that most viewers won't experience first hand.

We can support his cause this way (quoting from his website): "Daily Travel Photos is supported primarily by advertisements. To help ensure the site's survival, I request that you occasionally glance at the ads and clickonly on an advertisement that genuinely interests you. Clicking haphazardly on ads helps nobody in the long run. "


the Legong dancer tattoo, done by Dimas Praja
thanks Mr Pius Lee for the beautiful photograph as a great reference, and for visiting Indonesia, too! :)

Saturday, September 17, 2011

a tribal Jesus and a cover up

One day, this guy, Adip came to CarpeDiem TattooStudio to get a tribal Jesus tattoo on his left arm, with a “Luke 19:10″ lettering. At first we consider to put the verse too but he decided only to put the “Luke 19:10″.   This tattoo was done by Lois.


Luke 19:10 ("...For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”), done by Lois
After this tattoo was finished, he showed his other tattoo on his right arm. It’s a cross with a kinda bad 3D perspective and he wanted it covered up. Dimas then did the sketch to start the cover-up, turning it into a black lotus with skull.


the cross which wanted to be covered up, and the preliminary sketch by Dimas Praja

the final result of the cover up: a black lotus with skull, done by Dimas Praja
so, on the same day, Adip got two fresh tattoos, done by both tattooists we have at CarpeDiem TattooStudio. Hope to see him soon again!  :)

Saturday, September 10, 2011

The Lion of Judah tattoo

One day on June, we got Mr Marthin,  a guest from Jakarta, who already booked the slot to be tattooed by Dimas Praja a week before he came to Jogjakarta. He wanted a red lion, inside his ‘torn’ flesh. He also mentioned some letterings to be added, but hadn’t send the design until the day. It was Hebrew lettering, completed the Lion of Judah.


The Lion of Judah, done by Dimas Praja on Marthin Lumingkewas

The Hebrew lettering below the lion is ”yehochanan”, which means god’s grace or god’s favor (god’s supplication). After this was finished on his right arm, he wanted to add another lettering on his left arm as a pair for “yehochanan”. The other one is in Latin.

Semper Fidelis, the Latin for "Always Faithful", often shortened to 'Semper Fi'

Friday, August 12, 2011

Tibetan Skull tattoo

Tibetan skulls are getting more attention on tattoo designs, either for its macabre (yet beautiful) look in black-and-grey and color works, and for the meaning itself. 


It's also known as kapala (Sanskrit for "skull") or skullcup, it is made from a human skull used as a ritual implement (bowl) in both Hindu Tantra and Buddhist Tantra (Vajrayana). Especially in Tibet, these skulls often carved or elaborately mounted with precious metals and jewels. The heavily embossed cup is usually made of silver-gilt bronze with lid shaped like a skull and with a handle made in the form of a thunderbolt.


a Tibetan skull for rituals


And the design development from the idea of Tibetan skull is vary, including on Dimas Praja's tattoo work:

a Tibetan skull tattoo by Dimas Praja, done in 2009

Celtic cross tattoo

A celtic cross tattoo, done by Dimas Praja on April 2009





Body painting rally at Japanese Fest 2008

It was a real crowd!!
These pictures were pics from the second day, we had only some secs to take shots!
thanks for Duta Wacana Christian University.



the handmade banner :)

the crowd on booth, you can't even see the painters!

ahh here's one. This is Dimas Praja.

and this is Indra. at the time when we move the blog and repost this report, Indra had took off his dreadlock.

we're always open for design consultations

Lois met an old friend, Dita

finally can have a sip after many, many body paintings

a group of happy girls after got face paintings

cherry blossoms!

more cherry blossoms!

this is a ghost-girl cosplay, of course. because if she's a real ghost, Rio won't even take a pic with her!

Japanese Festival 2008


it’s today!! November 15-16, 2008.
It’s held in Duta Wacana Christian University, Jogjakarta, Indonesia for her birthday. the ticket is Rp.10.000.
Every Japanese culture will be present here. we’re opening a tattoo booth there, but we only do some temporaries, since we can’t get any clean area there for real tattoos. Just come and enjoy the weekend :)
the busy busy afternoon preparing the fest. GC and Rio made koi and dragon banners. Lois and Indra, the dreadlock maker, made fonts for the backdrop.






CarpeDiem TattooStudio


Welcome to Carpe Diem Tattoo weblog.
In this weblog we’ll presents our news, information, tips, flashes and tattoo pics.

If you're in Indonesia or specifically, Jogjakarta, please visit us at:
Jl Janti Baru no 18 (below Janti flyover)...

If you're not in Jogjakarta or Indonesia, but planning to come and to get tattooed, you can contact us via +62274 9198282 or tattoocarpediem@yahoo.com. You can send or describe your design references, put your down payment, and we'll work on it and set up your appointment date with the tattooist you choose :)

For beauty is skin deep, get tattooed! :)