Posts by Matt Hodel
Catie
I have been tattooing catie and her family for decades now. We added a caterpillar- butterfly on her arm. Her back is 10 years old and I love how it has aged! Check out these photos I got this week.
Read MorePhoto Studio is Back!
It’s been too long since my last photo shoot. I finally set everything back up in my new office. I was able to get 2 clients in this week. One has an awesome back piece of a Phoenix and the other has been collecting from me for so long I have forgotten everything we have…
Read MoreI ripped my TENT!!!
I ripped my slightly used canvas tent. Pretty bummed but I fixed it!! Watch the video and learn how to cook pork steak on an open fire, dig a hole, fill a hole, and have fun in the country!
Read MoreMissouri Auctions have a lot of Camo People
Pat and I went to an auction. I was hoping to get a four wheeler but no go! I did score a few goodies. I got a wood burning stove for 30$. Watch the video! Did people pay too much money for jeeps and guns???
Read MoreHanging out at the Campground
Me and Lady spent the day at the property this weekend. It was a great day for being outside. Watch the video and see what we got done!
Read MoreThe Grand Reopening of Randy Adams Studio Party.
Matt Van Cura Inherits a Legacy. Technically Matt purchased the shop from the legendary tattooist Randy Adams. Randy is the fellow with the hat on backwards in the photo above. If you got tattooed in the 80’s in Fort Worth, Randy did it. I know Randy from the covers of old 80’s Tattoo magazines. He…
Read MoreThe Arkansas “Little Grand Canyon”
The Ozarks has its Grand Canyon but if you head south to the Ouachitas you’ll find the Little Grand Canyon. The latter is one natural wonder you may have overlooked in Arkansas. This feature off of White Oak Lake is a peaceful spot and not to mention beautiful! Let’s go explore this underrated wonder. From…
Read MoreHot Springs Offroad!
Cheap fun. Rent a Side by Side! I’ve been looking at the Hot Springs Offroad Park on the Google box for awhile now. I’ve been looking for a cool place to take my Xterra and since we were driving through Arkansas on the way home, I thought it would make a great scouting trip. We…
Read MoreRoad Trip with Lady
Thursday, lady and I headed for Texas. It was the first van trip lady and I have done in the van. We have gone camping to test out the features of the van. Those early trips were mostly to see how comfortable we could get in freezing weather. We stopped in Oklahoma for the night…
Read MoreRandy Adams Tattoo Shop
My buddy Matt bought the famous Randy Adams Tattoo Shop in Fort Worth. Randy is a tattoo legend going back to the 80’s. This changing of the guard is historic and I wanted to see it for myself. This is why I took the dog and church van to Texas. I’m working at the shop…
Read MoreI had to do this.
I have never met Casey in my life. I joined an online community that focused on personal development. In that group I was introduced to Casey. I’m not sure how, but his energy radiated; even though all the interaction was online. I thought to myself, this dude seems pretty cool. As I am pissing and…
Read MoreChurch Van Upgrades
The Van Build 2022 The Van Build started in May 0f 2022. It was built for my duaghter Emma’s 9 week road trip. This was a down and dirty build. I know some van builds are nicer than your house but this van is built to live out of, not live in. It is made…
Read MoreCold Weather Camping.
Great Weekend It is amazing how much you can squeeze into a weekend. Above is just a few things we squeezed into the last few days. We built a platform for the tent entrance, dropped 3 trees, used the shooting range, found some caves, did a cold water bath , hiked a few miles, and …
Read MoreHow Much do I Charge?
How much should I save for my Large Tattoo? The cost of a tattoo sleeve can vary widely depending on several factors, such as the size, design, and location of the tattoo. The experience and reputation of the tattoo artist is also a factor. Some artists are in such high demand that they can charge…
Read MoreI Peaked
Washed up? I have been rebooting my career. I have been taking stock of what I have accomplished, and what I am worth. I have been trying to find the fire that has driven me for so many years. The truth is, no one can recreate the past. Here is what I have discovered. My…
Read MoreDoes Numbing Cream work for Tattooing?
Does numbing cream work for tattooing? Numbing cream can be used to reduce the pain associated with tattooing. The cream works by temporarily numbing the area of the skin where the tattoo will be applied. How long the numbing lasts is dependent open how much lidocaine is in the cream. The most common numbing cream…
Read MoreYour Taste is on Display
Your Taste is on Display Have you ever looked at a dude and said, “What in the hell did you do to your arm? Sometimes it baffles me what people choose to openly display on their bodies. Who Am I too judge? Well here is the deal, I tattoo for a living. I study peoples…
Read MoreStudy the EYE!
Sketching is the Artist Workout. I wanted to be a Scientific Illustrator. This was my original goal when I was in my teens. I still want to be an illustrator and any chance I get to freelance, I take it. Tattooing is cool but it demands a set of rules to follow that hinder the…
Read MoreReboot My Career
Rebooting My Career I Am Not Done Yet I’m rebooting my career. I have survived 27 years in an industry that has shaken off a lot of dead weight in the last few years. Tattooists from back in the day are succumbing to age, lack of drive and feeling irrelevant. I have friends in the…
Read MoreA day in the Country
It is time to check on the property in the Ozark Mountains. Matt and the Family and the Dogs drive down to see if the Canvas Tent has survived the snow and winds from the last few months. Join us as we off-road some logging trails, and scout for a new home for the tent.
Read MoreSamurai Tattoo Added to an Old Joe Allhoff Dragon
Old Tattoos Completed Chris got a really nice Dragon from an old coworker of mine. Joe Allhoff and I worked at Trader Bob’s from 2004 until I left in 2012. Joe was singled handedly the most naturally talented Tattooist I have ever worked with. I have never seen an artist render images so effortlessly. I…
Read MoreRyan Uses a Computer
Matt teaches Ryan Computer Ryan and I want to make a YouTube channel. We both do cool stuff and have fun lives. A good friendship is rare and we have been each others yin and yang for a decade or more. We help each other quite a bit. I think the trick to have a…
Read MoreSaturday Morning Cartoons
Cartoons Inspire Creativity I was born in 1975. The 1980’s world of Saturday Morning Cartoons was a small window of time from 7:30 am until noon. I cannot express enough what an escape those few hours were for me. The fantasy worlds of Smurfs and Dungeon and Dragons and He-Man were a stark contrast to…
Read MoreNew YouTube Channel!
Ryan and Matt TV Ryan and I have been good friends for years. We share a work space tattooing, share a garage, we have cabins next to each other and we have logged over 20k miles traveling together. It was brought to our attention that we should start filming. So here is Spring Break 2022.…
Read MoreCodye.
I did Codye’s first tattoo less than a year ago. As I remember he was quite the handful. He was rather nervous and really persistent at communicating the importance of the getting his first tattoo perfect. I don’t mind. I was told a while back that the energy like this just means the client is…
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