A year later...

Wowzers!!!

It's been almost a year since I've posted on 9mag (I've missed you... *sniff*). Well this has been one of the most exciting years of my life honestly. Many things have changed and made me a better person in the long run. Without saying much, I've gone through quite a few trials, nothin major...just growing pains ya know. Personal relationships, learning the business side of art, and hell just growing up were major parts of what makes Melvin Todd from the last post to this one.

There's no success quite like a good failure!

That seemed to be an important saying for me last year because I took quite a few bumps in the road, but they definitely made me better...mainly on the business end. The funny part is I don't consider them losses but growing pains. But I'm doing what I love and that is shaping everything into the way it is supposed to be. I have a new focus and my brand Loveless Society is on the right path and is scheduled to have a 1st quarter launch in 2012. I'm so happy to see this occur. I feel it is something that people need in their life.

I needed loveless...it made me reevaluate my life and get it on the right path (with personal relationships, wealth and what it really is, leadership, and a positive attitude that can't be broken). If I could just inspire one person to feel the same I'd be good, but inspiring millions on millions is the goal. Then I feel I could be truly happy.

With that said here is the first post in awhile. I want to promise that I'll post on 9mag all the time, but this is kind of the place where I can just spill my lil artist mind. Most of my typing will be on loveless and such (lovelesssociety.tumblr.com and the eventual site :-) but if I ever want to give you all a personal piece of me then this is the fuckin place to come.

The above vid was done by my homie Alexandria Pham (@MizzPham) and was for a school project. I see many interviews and write-ups in the future involving Loveless so it was good having our first video turn out pretty cool. Sit back and enjoy, and follow her. If you need more of a fix from me, be sure to follow me @MelvinTodd_LS.

#Loveless

Loveless Society...

Coming soon...

Dolemite 2000!!! lmao!

I was not ready for this insanity today. I'm a lover of blaxplotation films, so I'm no stranger to Dolemite. I can't say I've seen any whole Dolemite movie as I'm more of a Superfly, Blackbelt Jones, the Mack type of guy. Hell I even liked black dynamite.

So I guess they made an updated version of Dolemite, but still used the original actor who looks like he done been through some things. It was hard enough to watch as they expected us to believe that this old man could do any of these stunts. But when he pops out that bottle of Voodoo Potion #10 (aka liquid crackrock aparrently) crazy shit starts to happen. I aint about to go start no fight with no Jay no time soon.

I was laughing too hard at this...I'm still laughing as I look at it

just click it please...lmao smh

RIP Michael Jackson

Like everybody else in the world, I want to claim ain't nobody as big of a Michael Jackson fan as me. The truth is the guy was just so amazing that we all were hardcore fans. Me and my girlfriend debate whether there will ever be another Michael Jackson...entertaining and can sing his ass off...being great at every stage of their career from kid to adult...while breaking all race divisions in music...a guy capable of making whole albums that can have every song turned into a single.

I don't think we'll see it in our lifetime, so we have to appreciate that we got to witness his magic while he was here. His legacy will live on....the music's just too good to deny. Little kids can pop out some Michael lyrics and dance moves for you right now, lol.

Yesterday I had a customer fly in from DC to get a tattoo dedicated to her love for music. At the same time it was a Michael Jackson dedication piece. She had the sheet music for "Man in the Mirror" (which was her favorite song), music symbols making the phrase "I love Music" and Michael on his toes from Moonwalker. She gave me free range so I threw my specialty of realism in the mix and added his eyes for the background. While we were doing it, she brought it to my attention that those were the eyes from "Man in the mirror". That was pretty cool cause I can't say I planned that. those eyes just had so much power.

I'm glad I was apart of this piece and can finally say I got to do a Michael tat which is something I've wanted to do for awhile.

You guys have a good day,
I got some tats to draw

out

Lol!

It's no secret that I love the comics...I definitely don't keep that hidden.

But most people assume that I only love big heroes doing all types of crazy action.

On the contrary, I actually love funny paper comics and indie comics quite a bit more. i used to love reading full color sunday comics. Those things used to be the shit. for a short time I thought that that would be my destiny, but for one, I'm not funny enough to come up with a clever joke everyday of the week and two, I do have an appreciation for stories. So naturally I'm taking my personal comics to the indie side. Doesn't mean i still don't love those quick gag comics.

One of my favorite ones was Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. His Jokes were always on point and above all, I felt like it was masterfully drawn for a funny paper comic. Look back at some of them, they are quite detailed.

So I found out in the new issue of Superman/batman that they were gonna pay homage to the series by replacing the characters with Joker and Lex Luther. i was skeptical at how this would turn out, but it's done so well I'm surprised Watterson didn't do it himself. Great job coming from Brian Azzarello on the keyboard and Lee Bermejo handling the art.

Maggie the tattoo model

I got tons and tons of cool tattoos I've done and really need to upload the pictures. I just had to immediately post this one though.

A new customer of mines, David, came down from Connecticut with his wife to get a couple of tattoos from me after going to melvintodd.com. What made this special is that he really wanted me to do one with Maggie as the model! I was ecstatic. My lil chica was going to get to add to her resume.

What was really interesting is that Maggie is more cartoony, but my tattooing style is realistic. with that, I got to give her even more life in the tattoo giving more dimension. Man I had a blast on this piece and thank David for being apart of it. I may have to get Maggie tattooed on me one day, I was kinda jealous. And yes the words in the banner say "pink panties over a bald monkey". You know I make Maggie do all types of things she dont wanna do. boobie exposed and all, lol.

Well til the next time,
outtie

Second video appearance...Rick Ross x wiz khalifa

This is kind of a late post, but nontheless noteworthy. I appeared in my second video cameo...by just simply coming into work and doing my job.

you never really know who's gonna come into the shop.

I'm a big Rick Ross fan, and an even bigger Wiz Khalifa fan, so to be in a video with those two is a good look. I'm not one to be star struck or anything and this was no exception. When it comes to getting nice tats, we're all one and the same.

Shout out to those guys for supporting one of the best tattoo shops in the nation.

Ninja turtle time lapse drawing

Well I promised the drawing process...Enjoy.

My favorite Saturday morning cartoon

Earlier today I checked facebook (like I usually do...sad addiction actually). It's not unusual for me to find questions about tattoo requests and such but today, I got one that really got my attention.

This guy I used to tattoo in Auburn told me he's gonna come soon and get a half sleeve...
again nothing unusual. Until he told me of what...

A NINJA TURTLE HALF SLEEVE!!!

Dude, me and the ninja turtles go wayyyy back. For one, my love of that cartoon is what let me find out at the tender age of 8 that I could draw. My classmates shared the same psychotically intense love of these half shelled creatures, but they were forced to trace them if they wanted to create them. Not I. I could draw them, and while they probably sucked, they were easily identifiable by anyone who saw it.

"Wow that's a ninja turtle! You can really draw!"

You hear that shit enough and you start to believe it, lol. That lead to much practice and the artist you see here today.

I can't wait to do that tattoo, but in my excitement I decided to draw a ninja turtle for old times sake. Man, I've gotten a little rusty, lol. above is the image. I have a video recording of the drawing I'm editing now so come back to see that tomorrow.

Enjoy

MELVINTODD.COM is up and running!!!

I've been working alot harder than you guys may think... The comic is definitely coming and trust me when I say it's gonna be good. I already got the story for the first four issues pinned and drawing is about to commence soon. In short, I can't wait. In the meantime, I've gotten my personal site up and running...

and no it's not replacing the blog
(which I've been neglecting anyway)

It's just the place to make me look good, with all the new work and all that good stuff.

No worries, my random talk will still be here.

Go ahead, check it out and let me know what you guys think...

http://www.Melvintodd.com