A reluctant return to the internet

Oh hi, i trust you all had a great new years?
We sure did!
Eckel spent his in Barcelona and me and Allan spent ours at home. Good times!
I think i speak for all of us, or at least Allan, when i say that while it's good to be back, we sure could have used just one more day on the couch, watching Star Trek or playing xbox, and eating delicious new years leftovers. Just one more day... sigh...
But it is good to see the shop again, it always is!

I have a bit of early 2012 news for you, so let's start from the top, shall we?


-Nick aka Electric Pick is here! He arrived yesterday and he's already working today.
He is however, pretty much booked solid, so i hope everyone who wanted an appointment with him already got one! You can, as always, drop by to give him the gift of double espresso in a takeout cup if you wanna talk to him about future projects or just say hey.

Tattoo by Electric Pick

-Sarah B. Bolen (check out her fancy new website!) is coming back to work with us later this month.
The exact dates are the 20th till the 24th of January and if you want to get tattooed, email her at blackmirrorparlor@googlemail.com.

Tattoo by Sarah

-James Kiley (check out his sweet new blog!) is also coming back, this time to keep Eckel company while me and Allan are in Japan.
He will be at the shop from the 13th till the 17th of February and you can book with him through thetruesoul@hotmail.co.uk. 

Tattoo by Kiley

I will hopefully have some more 2012 guest artist news for you soon, and lots of general conspiracy awesomeness too, of course.
If you wanna read a little about some of our plans for this year, go check out Allan's post of not-new-years-resolutions (yeah, right!).

Ok, that's it for now, i gotta get back to scrubbing dumb tubes and writing emails like i'm three years old (seriously, vacations make me retarded, apparently)!

What not to write

Winter is on us like a big, heavy, grey blanket and it seems to be suffocating my need to blog.

But we're good, don't worry! The shop is doing great, and since it's not nearly as cold as last year, we're not even freezing our asses off inside like we usually do.

I believe our often partially dressed clients appreciate that too!

Allan is busy working on his art show and his book, Nick is tattooing almost every day as well as working on his new web comic, and Eckel... where is Eckel anyway? I believe he's in Hamburg today, actually. And also tattooing a lot, when he is around. And next weekend he'll be moping around Brighton, mumbling about some vegan burger joint that no longer exists.

So yeah, all is well at the Conspiracy, gloominess aside!

Me and Allan's trip to Japan is moving closer and closer, and just to emphasize how much we friggin miss that place, we've already bought tickets to go back in April, which should be good news for all the people Allan won't have time to tattoo on this coming trip.

Speaking of clients and booking, i do have a bit of practical info, possibly in rant form, that i could squeeze into this post!

You see, i have started to book from the Uncle Allan waiting list, and all in all it's going ok.

Except for a couple of things...

1. Some people still don't seem to understand that you shouldn't write a bunch of questions to the waiting list. I will not email you back, and you will not be added to the list.

If you have any questions, ask them before submitting your ideas to the waiting list, and ask them via our regular mail.

2. You will also not be added to the list if you don't include tattoo ideas and placement.

Also, it's up to you to think of something interesting for Allan to do. Try to make it fun. 

If i'm going through the waiting list and the choice is between someone with an awesome, well thought out tattoo idea, pictures of placement and reference, all wrapped up in a polite email, and a dude who's whole email goes something like this; "hey, i wanna get tattooed, i don't know what i want, so just do whatever, i don't care", well... it's not a super hard choice, is it?

3. Lots of people apparently only read the part of this page that has the email address in it, and so again, those people, who don't read the whole thing (yes, i know it's long) and leave important stuff out, they won't be added to the list.

4. If you get impatient and decide to go get tattooed somewhere else, at least have the courtesy to send us an email, so we can take your name off the list. If you sign up for a service of any kind, anywhere, and decide to back out for whatever reason, you let people know, right? 

This especially goes out to the people who couldn't wait for Allan and decided to get tattooed by Eckel instead. It's fine if you don't have the patience to wait, but for christs sake, let us know so i don't waste time writing emails offering you dates to get tattooed!

5. You don't get to chose the date you get tattooed, another thing that's explained on this page, so if you write an email saying "i'd like to get tattooed in June 2012", that's probably not gonna happen. Once we book you, we'll do whatever we can to find a date that works for everyone, but until then, you shouldn't assume you can get tattooed whenever you feel like it.

Whoa, with the angry teacher-type ranting, sorry about that, but seriously, a good third of the mails i get for the waiting list are either missing information or missing the point.

But the rest of them, those who get it right, we're so grateful that they take the time to read all the rules, come up with fun projects and wait patiently for Allan to have time to tattoo them!

If you read Allan's blog, you already know that he has claimed the month of March for his book project, but as soon as that's done, it's back to regular booking!

Ok, if you've read this far, you deserve some friggin tattoo pictures.

And even if you've only skimmed this... whatever, you still came by to read the blog, so you deserve some pretty pictures too!

Here's a couple of newer Eckel tattoos, one from 2011 and one from 2012. Enjoy!

Tattoo by Eckel

Tattoo by Eckel

 

Tattoo by Eckel

 

 Ps. Sorry for the obvious iPhone pictures... ahem...

Native Americana

Are you one of the people who, unlike me, wasn't lucky enough to get tattooed by Nick on this trip?
Well, that's a sad story and we feel bad for you, cause he's all booked up and leaving soon*, but there is still a chance to own some sweet Electric Pick artwork for your wall. That's a small consolation, right?

Nick has two versions of the same print available to buy at the shop, right now and here's the deets:

"First set is of a limited run of 50
pretty sweet matte yet untextured super paper
size: A3 (11" 3/4 x 16" 1/2 for you non-metric folks)
Hand signed and numbered and as usual will never be printed again.

Second set is of a limited run of 10
also pretty sweet yet different matte/fancy smooth paper
size: A2 (16" 1/2 x 23" 1/2)
Also hand signed/numbered"

The big one, A2 is 500 dkr and the small one, A3 is 230 dk.
There are 20 left of the A3 and only 4 of the A2.
And did we mention they're hand signed and numbered?

Og så lige en hurtig gang på Dansk, fordi denne post jo trods alt mest henvender sig til folk i Kbh og omegn:
Nick er fuldt booket og har ikke tid til at tage flere kunder, men tilgengæld har han taget nogle fancy flotte prints med sig fra Hong Kong, som han sælger her i butikken.
Der er to størrelser at vælge imellem, det store print koster 500 kr og det lille 230 kr, og du kan komme forbi butikken indtil Lørdag hvis du vil købe et.

The prints!

I'm just gonna include my new tattoo for your viewing pleasure (in case you haven't seen it on any of the other blogs!), not only cause it's super awesome, but also since it's the first time Nick has gotten to tattoo one of his indian chicks!

Hello gorgeous!

*I can't say how soon, cause that would compromise my ability to stay in complete denial about him leaving us at all.

Client's view

Our shop has come a long way since we moved in here almost two years ago (... really? has it been that long??), but since we're not in the construction phase anymore, thank god, we don't often get around to taking pictures of our progress.

So i was really happy when Luba and Roman from Russia sent me pictures from their visit earlier this month. 

It's nice to see the shop from a visitors perspective, and can i just say, it looks pretty good.

Of course we always see what's missing, and notice all the little things we'd like to improve, but all in all, it's not too bad!

No more talk, see for yourself!

Front room

 

 Front room/office view

 

Pretty Lucifer

Work room

 Uncle Allan

Electric Pick at work

 Hallway instax wall of fame

And Luba's free handed tattoo, stolen from Allan's instagram

THANK YOU COPENHAGEN!!!!

I swear we're still alive...

Sorry for the blog silence in the last, what, month?

Wow, that's embarrassing...

Anyway, not much shop stuff to blog about when you're not actually anywhere near the shop, but we're back now.

Our trip to Japan was wonderful, and i hope those of you who are on instagram have been able to follow Allan's tattooing there (@unclea), cause he did some really fun pieces on this trip!

We also went to some really fun places (as always), helped Inkrat move to their new shop, took Japanese lessons, and just enjoyed the crap out of Tokyo, our forever favorite city in the world.

But we're back at work now, on a more or less regular basis.

A few things have changed around here, though, for one thing, Eckel does not work here anymore.

So please, if you have any questions for Eckel, about anything at all, send them to: grifzzfizz@gmail.com.

And as you've maybe already seen here on the blog, Nick, or Electric Pick and some like to call him, is coming to visit for a month in August, and we're pretty fucking excited about that. Hope you are too!

Ok, i think that's actually it for news, but i could be wrong, i swear my brain is still in Tokyo...

I found this beauty on one of my film rolls...

I'll be back soon with some info about our upcoming mystery event in June... exciting, huh?
Yep, it will be!

EPHK - KBH

Yup! I (Nick (Electric Pick)) is back in Copenhagen for August this summer!!

There is only about 10 spots to book but still some available so let me know if you happen to be that kind of person who might get their fancy tickled by such news...

pick@electricpick.com

Rock!!

EP in DK

I know this blog has more guest artist posts than resident artist posts these days... and it's gonna stay that way, at least for now!
Because we have more exciting guest news!
Or, "guest" is such a weird word to use about our bro, our BFF, our favorite human, our man in Asia...
Yes, Nick, or Electric Pick, as the world has come to know him as, is coming to work at the shop, and soon too!
He'll be working here from the 2nd till the 31st of January 2012.
Regular clients with unfinished pieces in progress will obviously get booked in first, but he'll be booking new clients in for one shots as well (think pieces that can be finished in 8 hours max).
As always, you can write to him at pick@electricpick.com and he'll get back to you in a timely fashion (totally just kidding about that last part, but he will get back to you eventually!)

Here's some example of recent work, to see older pieces click here or use the labels to your right.

Ladies for sale... wait, what?!

I'm not really in a blogging mood today... or an anything mood really.
We're actually off for our summer vacation (ha!) but as in most of Europe, the weather in Copenhagen is crap.

But when summer depression (it's a thing now) is getting me down, so far down i don't even feel like blogging over here, that's when i'm happy i started this blog.
Cause when it comes to the shop, and our little shop family, there's always something good and positive to be said.

Right now, Nick just posted some brand new sketches and some new originals for sale on his pickturebox blog.
I know, exciting stuff, right? But wait, that's not all!
No, he's even offering free shipping from August 1st till October 1st!
So, get an EP original for as little as 128 USD and get free shipping worldwide.
Yeah, you're welcome, internet!

The Great Outdoors

A Tomahawk In Your Pants (a personal favorite of mine...)

Yellow Sneakers

Lilly Apacheee

Oh, and while you're there, don't forget to check the older 2010 originals too!

OPIN DA DO!!

>>>>>>> Postcard from Africa!

Zissou would be proud...

... Cousteau too!







>>>>>>> Postcard from the South Atlantic!

Sad, but true

Today was Nicks last workday at Conspiracy Inc.
In like, ever.
I mean, it's not like he's never coming back to visit, he totally will, but as of today, he doesn't really work here anymore.
It's strange to think about, after all these years. Too strange really, so i actually prefer not to.

... and his last official piece here was a touch up too... what!?!

Check his blog to see all the finally finished pieces, and one shots, he's been working on for the last few months.

Guns & ammo

Sunday we had our (first) annual Conspiracy Christmas party.
Or Christmas hangout you might call it, since four people in a kitchen does not a party make... but close enough!
Nick and me made some pretty amazing food while Allan tattooed Martin. Our friend Suzy came by, with Lucifer's best friend Palma, to sew some doggie clothes and i made Christmas presents.
After dinner we listened to jazz and then converted the basement into a shooting range.
That's just how we roll.

Our BFF came by to get his Christmas present (a portrait of his mom)

The Conspiracy library is both educational and entertaining

The tards getting ready for dinner

Beuf Veganoff (Get it? We thought it was hilarious!)

Presents for some, post-it's for others (what? I've been busy and i totally am gonna get them stuff, so back off!)

This is what "WTF?!" looks like

Don't worry, it's not real, we ain't THAT crazy*

One of the perks of having a tattoo shop; easy access to script books and stencil paper

Allans pile

Ready to settle it with the Canadians once and for all?

Lucifer wasn't a fan, but the rest of us had a great time!
The next day, me and the ninja went downstairs again to kill something

Only this time it wasn't innocent plastic bottles, but a terrible beast (possibly from outer space) we had to deal with

We're only gonna be at the shop some days during Christmas, so if you really need to get in touch, don't call or drop by, just send us an email.
But if there's any chance it can wait, please wait to contact us until after new years.

Happy holidays, everyone!


*If anyone should be interested in an explanation, and i'm sure that some of you are; Nick decided to get rid of some of his most priced possessions since he's moving to Hong Kong where everything is dirt cheap, and that's why Eckel is now the lucky owner of a bb gun!

GOD HATES DENMARK !

There's just no other explanation, really!

-4 million celsius, 5000 km winds and they predict it to get much worst gradually until the end of time itself!






All we can hope for now, is that the people who predict this unnatural weather are the same that usually have a hard time predicting what the weather will be like tomorrow!

It only took me 13 days to get it!

The darkness ... The darkness ...


Even though the town's been plunged in the dark like a canary no one wants to hear, from 3 in the afternoon till 10 in the morning, the lights have been on and bright pretty regularly down at the HQ for the last 2 weeks! Eckel and I, freshly back from our very own British adventures and busy as ever (well me more, he hardly does anything actually)! Someone's gotta work around here! Not everyone can take a never ending, nose picking and ceilings staring Japan-acation!!! Shop's got to keep going, ya know!? Work work work! We've had to do lots and lots of overtime lately (directly because of the above described missing staff situation) so I've decided to share the extra hours evenly! Eckel's taking the 1st shift (8 to 5) I'll be taking the second (5 to 8) just so it's fair! No one likes to be the boss but someone's got to do it anyway! I've also decided that until the missing staff are back everyone visiting the shop will have to:

A): Start and/or resume smoking.

B): Love doom stoner metal.

C): Have a minimum of 3 double espressos per visit.

D): Bring us gifts (expensive ones would be best)

E): Be ready to convincingly explain, in detail, their perfect plan of exactly what they would do (step by step) in the tragic case of a zombie invasion!

That will be all for now but please check back regularly for new updated rules and regulations of the Conspiracy inc. in the days to come!
-Because without rules ... There is chaos!



Here are the more general free tips of the week...


Spontaneous visits: Go towards the right, towards the light!

Weather report: It's gonna get much worst before it gets better!

Health report: Being vegan does not make you immune to Ebola!

Health report 2: Eating meat doesn't either!

Awesome report: Yes it's true!





EP-out!

*I-am-a-musical-robot*

I think i'll take a quick break from wasting my time looking at gorgeous apartments that i'll never be able to afford, and post this sneak peak of what Nick has been working on today.
You'll most likely be able to see the whole thing in a much fancier format, tomorrow on the plog.

Not just any robot, no, this is in fact a musical robot

I have been doing some redecorating in the front room today, but i just can't seem to get any good pictures of that room.
I'll keep working on that.
Hey, maybe my new online-apartment-hunting obsession can teach me a thing or two?