Right off the bat, I need to say this. I am not a tattoo guy. I don't think I can stand the pain. That being said, I admire people that can transform their body into a canvass, and I admire the artists that can decorate that canvass.
In the new book The Force In The Flesh: Star Wars Inspired Body Art, Shane Turgeon explores over 20 collectors (as he calls them) and just under two dozen artists. That's a whole heck-of-a-lot of Star Wars images. From classic to prequel trilogies; individual to full back art; this book covers the gamut of Star Wars body art.
You'd expect a book about tattoos, excuse me, body art to have pictures. Well the art in this book is presented in large, crisp, colorful images. Anywhere from one to four images per page make the images large enough to see the detail, while also allowing multiple images of some designs to show off all the angles.
The format of the book also adds to the impact of the photography. It's set up to showcase the person on the left-hand page (whether the collector or the artist). There's a large photo of the person, with a moderate sized biography. The right hand page in the spread focuses on their body art. These pictures continue over multiple spreads as necessary. When there's a picture of full sleeve (that's a full arm tattoo, much like the sleeve of a shirt), it is depicted in three images, showing all angles.
I think what really is most impressive about this book, is the care and effort that has gone in to presenting the body art to the reader. Turgeon is obviously a huge fan of the art form.
Those of us that know him, can tell you this is absolutely true. His own body art is showcased in the book, but it also goes much further than that. April of 2005 showcased the first tattoo track at Celebration III in Indianapolis, IN. It seems that the appreciation of Star Wars Tattoos has grown considerably over the years.
This year, Celebration IV will also host a Tattoo Competition, Sunday, May 27 from 3pm to 4:30pm. This is followed by the tattoo mixer, where fans can mingle with the artists and contestants.
Fans will also be able to purchase this book at the Tattoo Exhibit in the Fan Fair Hall. It's a hefty 208 page hardcover and retails for $50. Whether you have Star Wars tattoos, or just are interested in the artistry behind them, this book is a unique entry in the pantheon of Star Wars coffee table books.