
<p>Step inside a world where skin becomes a canvas and stories are permanently etched in ink. Tattooing since 2009, Tymeless Tattoo and its artists–Tom Ward III, Sara Monster, and Todd Yoder–create a supportive tattooing experience for every client, whether it’s their first or 20th tattoo.</p>


Three of the shop’s employees gather at the front desk to welcome in clients. Halloween decorations cover the shop while sunlight streams in through the large windows.

AJ Chavar

Gregory Heisler

Tom Ward III is a 47 year-old tattoo artist who has worked at Tymeless for two years. “Even before I was a tattoo artist I was fascinated by the process,” Ward said. Ward’s first tattoo was done with a guitar string duck-taped to a Walkman and a Pepsi bottle cap full of ink. Ward doesn’t believe that every tattoo needs a deeper meaning, “you get a tattoo because you think it’s cool and you like the art… some things mean something and some things are just cool.”

Ward draws a tattoo design on his iPad for his client later in the day, on whom he will be adding onto a previous tattoo he did.

Zach Petrie and Ward discuss the details of Petrie’s tattoo, surrounded by the shop’s walls which are covered in art by all of the tattoo artists. A second-time client of Ward’s, Petrie said that Ward reminds him of his best friend, commenting, “We just have good conversation, like I could talk to him all day.”

Ward shows off his preferred tattooing needle. The tool has seven needles, four on the top and three right below, which help to fill in tattoos and shade.

Attlee screams in pain as his husband, Francisco Suevez, who is also getting a tattoo, laughs behind him. Having come to the United States in 2005 from South Africa, Shane Attlee wanted his first tattoo to celebrate where he came from. His tattoo features an outline of Africa with a lion's profile inside.

Petrie shows off his fresh Otto the Orange tattoo, while Ward smiles behind him. Petrie grew up attending the Orangemen games and has continued that tradition with his 8-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. Petrie commented “I don't think people should get tattoos based solely off of what people think.” when speaking about why people get tattoos.

The Stencil Wall features stencils of tattoos that artists have already done and display to inspire others.

As the day winds down, Ward tattoos his last client of the day as the clients friend waits, and Sara monster kisses her partner goodnight, who came to visit her at work.

Ward preps a client's skin with antibacterial soap and a moisturizer.

The Alexia Fall Workshop

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WHERE THE INK LIVES

Produced by

Solange Jain

Coached by

A.J. Chavar

Gregory Heisler