High Voltage Tattoo (Hardcover)

by Kat Von D (Author) "I am a canvas of my experiences..." (more)
Key Phrases: dream tattoo, tattoo world, tattoo style, Los Angeles, Jack Rudy, High Voltage (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

High Voltage Tattoo is a graphic perspective on today's global tattoo culture by Kat Von D, star of The Learning Channel's L.A. Ink and one of the most talented and popular artists working today. Designed in a style that is reminiscent of a handmade Gothic journal with its red padded cover, ornate typography, and parchmentlike pages, it throws the door wide open to tattooing culture in the way only an insider like Kat can.

High Voltage Tattoo traces Kat's career as an artist, from early childhood influences to recent work, along with examples of what inspires her, information about the show and her shop, her sketches, and personal tattoos. The book goes deep into tattoo process and culture: readers can see up close the pigments, the tools, and the making of complex, even collaborative, tattoos.

With a foreword by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, the book features images and stories about celebrities, rockers, pro skaters, and everyday citizens, including Slayer's Kerry King, Anthrax's Scott Ian, Margaret Cho, Jackass' Bam Margera, David Letterman, and many others. It profiles and showcases the work of artists Kat has selected from all over the world, her interviews with people who have compelling tattoos and stories, and amazing images of extraordinary tattoo work. Numerous portfolios throughout the book showcase a range of relevant subjects, from the black and gray portrait work for which Kat is famous to a popular tattoo theme, such as the rose or biblical images. There is a knockout ten-page full-body spread of Kat—clad in a yellow bikini and seven-inch, rhinestone-studded red stilettos—that catalogs in detail all her personal tattoos on her front, back, left, and right sides—even her hands and head.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Collins Design (January 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061684384
• ISBN-13: 978-0061684388
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #558 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, January 21, 2009

By	Redfallon "Jamie D." (Dallas TX) - See all my reviews

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I ordered Kat's book. I saw how much work she put into it on LA Ink, so I preordered it. I expected some biography on her, maybe some stories, and some pictures of tattoo artwork.

This book has all of that, but it is so much more! Kat tells her story from her birth in Mexico, childhood and adolescence in California, running away at age 14 to Georgia, to her start in tattooing, going to Miami Ink, and being offered her own show, LA Ink.

She also includes photos of her favorite tattoos she has done and the stories behind them, as well as other tattoo artists and some of their tattoos. She has tattoo myths and etiquette. The artwork in this book is inspiring. Although it is a biography of Kat, it is more like an art book. I read it cover to cover and studied a lot of the tattoo photos closely.

The book itself is very nicely put together. The front and back covers have a sort of padding, and the pages have the look of old parchment.
This is a wonderful book and well worth the price. I paid $23 (including shipping) for a preorder and the book retails for $29.95. However, I wouldn't balk at an even higher price for the book. It is that well put together and beautiful. I have never done a review on a book before, but this influenced me to write one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Work of Art from an Equally Amazing Artist and Human Being, January 21, 2009

By	Shawn Kovacich "Author of the Achieving Kicki... (The Greatest Little City in the World) - See all my reviews

Well I guess I should start off this review by stating emphatically that I don't have any tattoos, nor do I ever intend on getting one. Not that I have anything against tattoos, it's just that they aren't for me, although I do appreciate the incredible amount of talent behind a lot of the great tattoo artists of the past and present. Now having got that out of the way, I absolutely love some of the intricate designs and artwork that goes into a lot of the tattoos that I have seen. Especially those I have seen on TLC's L.A. Ink: Season 1 and LA Ink: Season 1, Volume 2 reality series. Of which we all know Kat Von D is the owner of the tattoo shop High Voltage and star of the series.

I was surprised to learn that she had a book coming out and learned about it after watching the episode where she talks about it and finally gets a foreword for it by none other than boyfriend and heavy metal god, Nikki Sixx, guitarist for the incredibly talented band, Motley Crue. Ever since then, I have been anxiously awaiting January 20th, 2009 in order to get my copy, which I am proud to say I have and already read through it twice.

Kat is very open and honest in this book about her life growing up and all the trials and tribulations that she, and her family, went through as she went from sweet little girl to, how should I put it, not so sweet little girl. At least in the eyes of her parents and certain other people in her life. Not that everyone felt that way, but I am quite certain there were more than a few.

I really enjoyed the variety of personal photographs from her early years, and in one instance early seconds of her life that were included in the book. It really added something personal to the book and I felt really allowed the reader to have a quiet personal moment with her.

The artwork that is displayed prominently throughout this book, both from Kat and a slew of other artists, is simply breathtaking and quite beautiful especially when you are also able to read the stories behind the artwork. From early childhood drawings, I especially liked the one of Catwoman, to her latest tattoos, Kat Von D shows you in a modest, very personable and quite energetic way why she is without-a-doubt one of the best tattoo artists alive today.

This book showcases some of Kat's favorite tattoos and the amazing stories that go along with them. Some are quite funny, while others are tear flowing sad, especially the one about a man losing his best friend, his best friends wife, and their baby, all in the same day. He memorialized them with a beautiful black and gray tattoo on his side. This is just one example of the stories in this book and the amazing artwork that Kat has done to bring them to life.

It is also painfully obvious that Kat herself is an amazing human being in the way she looks at life through her tattoos and the almost worship like appreciation and respect she has for other artists in her field. Of which she so graciously names several and, in some cases, showcases them and their artwork towards the end of her book.

Even if you are not into tattoos, this book and the life of Kat Von D is such an entertaining and enlightening read, that I would strongly recommend that you pick it up and read it. If you do have a tattoo, you and it (your tattoo) just won't ever be complete until you also have a copy of this book.

Shawn Kovacich
Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book, January 21, 2009

By	M. J. Powell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is packed full of interesting facts and pictures. I read it all today; I couldn't put it down. I appreciate the different sections; it is not super long. She has a lot of experiences to share for someone of her young age. I love the show, so I had to pre-order the book. I was not disappointed; every time I pick it up I notice something new.