Needles + Neko = Tattoo
I had passed her Second Life tattoo store countless times in my wanderings. It was impossible not to look inside.
No matter what the hour, there were always two or three would-be victims (sic) people perched on the edge of her ragged couch, paging through tattoo magazines, distractedly awaiting their turn on the tattoo throne.
What intrigued me the most were their faces. Eyes glassy with the thrill of a dare or a secret passion (or maybe just fear), moods passing over their countenances like clouds — I’d try to memorize their emotions and guess what style of tattoo they might end up with. Did the bold ones always go for skulls, dragons, and knives? Hearts, butterflies and flowers for the timid? Was it a commemorative thing? Or a way to strengthen life aspirations? (or maybe just an addiction to the adrenaline of the needle…)
Best of all were the ones who were there because of the art, offering up their naked flesh as an ever-expanding canvas, proud of their dedication to one of the oldest art forms known to man.
Where to Find a Tattoo in Second Life
(including Bruised, Bloody, Scratched or Dirty Marks, and Bandaids too)
Maddison Mokeev’s tattoo parlor (from the store Cloud 9.1) was more than enough to inspire my story, however being the list maniac that I am, I couldn’t stop with just a story. No, I had to create a resource page containing every major tattoo store I could find in Second Life, alphabetized and complete with slurls. Cuz, you know… keeping up 12 *other* Neko resource pages full of slurls just wasn’t enough. *Cough.*
While I was at it, I decided to include some bruises, blood, mud, and bandaids… but only those that could be worn on your existing skin like a tattoo. Yes there are lots of bloody, bruised and scratched skins available in Second Life, but I gotta draw the “slurl upkeep line” somewhere…
So without further ado (drumroll please), please click here:
Second Life Tattoo Stores (and more)
Stacia’s outfit (click image to enlarge) — Background: Dream Ink Tattoo. Inset photos, clockwise from top left: RQ Kitten parts (ear); League Booty shorts, WWI Boyfriend socks with garters, and side view of Manna’s Montmartre belt; CatNip Sucker Punch bloody arm wrap; rear view of Manna’s Montmartre belt, and the RQ tail; Virus’ Mini Steak Dinner necklace and May Creations’ Cuff with aspirin; Manna’s Mayween L’Aventuriere boots, WWI Boyfriend socks with garters, and Urban Dare’s Needles Thigh Strap.
What Maddison was wearing:
| Tattoo | Garden of Ku: Rock & Beers
| Hair | Defectiva: Gaze in black
| Glasses | Steinwerk: Etienne
| Tank Top | Sassy Kitty Designs: Formal shirt, short sleeves
| Necklaces | Naith Smit: Rock ‘n Rolla
| Bracelet | EDO: 19 chain bracelet
| Skirt | *el*: Disorder punky outfit
| Leggings | *el*: Disorder punky outfit
| Boots | UBU / Urban Bomb Unit: Pirate rain boots
(If you want to add a finishing touch to this outfit, consider CatniP’s Inked Tattoo Belt!)
What Stacia was wearing – and why
| Hair | Mirai: Tura in Strawberry – cuz berries were one of the first inks used in ancient tattoo art
| Tattoo | Dream Ink Tattoos: NT-4-4 – cuz I wanted a cool tattoo that covered my arms and belly, from a store few people had heard of
| Ears and Tails | RQ / Red Queen: Kitten parts in Brick – cuz I’m a Neko, duh…
| Tank Top | Neo: Daisy Ripped Tank – cuz I had to get ripped to handle getting tattooed, and I’m not talking clothing, gals…
| Necklace | Virus: Mini Steak Dinner – cuz I kinda felt like a piece of meat
| Wrist Wrap, right wrist | CatniP: Sucker Punch – cuz I thought I might bleed! (I wore hand and right forearm parts; the set also comes with a left forearm piece)
| Arm Straps, left wrist | May Creations: Cuffs with Aspirin and Key – cuz I’ll probably be wanting aspirin after I’m done… if not something stronger…
| Belt | Manna: Montmartre Belt – cuz after all, tattooing *is* an art…
| Shorts | League: Booty Shorts in Light Blue – do I need a cuz on this?
| Thigh Strap | Urban Dare: Leather Leg Strap with Needles – cuz what if her needles broke in the middle of a tattoo?
| Socks | WWI: White Boyfriend Garter socks in grey – cuz wearing something from your boyfriend gives you courage
| Boots | Manna: Mayween L’Aventuriere – cuz getting a tattoo was definitely an adventure!
Visit Cloud 9.1’s tattoo parlor:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ten%20Thousand%20Shadows/174/79/31
More info and photos of Cloud 9.1’s tattoo parlor here:
http://virtualdecay.com/2009/04/second-life-tattoo-parlor-by-cloud-91.html
Second Life Tattoo Stores Resource Page:
https://virtualneko.com/secondlife-tattoos-dirty-bloody-scratched-skins-bandaids/
Photos by the au naturel beau Bobby Yoshikawa <3***
© Stacia Villota / Virtual Neko in Second Life – 2009
http://virtualneko.com
=^..^=
Virtual Neko in Second Life 
Wow Stacia, very nice! And Bobby, great pictures!! Thnx for all the LM’s, I know what to do when I log back in!
*purrrs
Great story, makes me wanna get more tat2’s. Watch out though, tat2’s can be addicting (just like the ones in RL)
I am exspecting a full body shot of the tat2 though *grins*
Again another astounding well made post, dear Stacia. Always so impressed by the depth of your talent, kitty :)))
You again outdid yourself! Not just in putting up the list but presenting such a great story to go with it! And the photos are purrfectly matched with it. We are not worthy! (Loved your ROLE Magazine article this month, too!)
[…] in Second Life, alphabetized and complete with slurls? Look no further. It’s all there on my Virtual Neko blog — just click the new Second Life Tattoo resource page link at the end of my tattoo […]
i have a question…
this is a game???
where i find this game???
i love the clothes…
thanks
This is “Second Life.” Some people think it is a game, but actually it is a virtual world… where you can meet real people, play games / role play, learn / take classes, explore, take photos, listen to live music, visit museums, earn real money / spend real money… and much, much more. It is life. ^_^
More info here:
http://www.secondlife.com
wow is very interesting, thank you. i download “second life” in my PC.
thanks for you help ^^
awesome – can a tattoo indusry be born in second life ? Would RL Tattoo Artists be able to make a living – use it for publicity – i have over 300 RL tattoo artists coming to singapore for TAT2 2010 – I am sure they would like to know the answers.
Hi Andrew… I’d say there’s no reason at all why a RL tattoo artist couldn’t set up electronic shop in SL… transforming their past work into layers that can be worn electronically by avatars (much like my avatar appears in the photos above).
I’ll send you an email with details, but in short, I think it would be helpful if they 1.) already knew photoshop reasonably well, 2.) educated themselves about making virtual clothing (tattoos are worn on transparent clothing layers in SL), 3.) had some basic retail knowledge, and preferably 4.) had a buddy already in SL that could show them the ropes of getting started… both as an avatar, and as a business entity in SL.
Now bear in mind the exchange rate of linden dollars to real dollars is not conducive to a “get-rich-quick” scheme, but being able to sell multiple copies of a tattoo that you created once electronically has helped many a tattoo store in SL earn a side income in first life (and sometimes a primary income).
As for using SL as a way to promote their RL business? It’s not unthinkable! 🙂