Step by Step: Tattoo

I finished this piece tonight... Thanks for the tip bruh... Most people forgot about tipping their tattoo artists... Meant a lot





Sharpie marker time...


Outline & solid blacks done....


Shaded the hands against the brick wall


Shaded the face & skull and finished the piece





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Location:City of Ink

Friday June 4th

When Yellawolf & Hollyweerd performs the same show.. It's always amazing! So be there


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Location:Smith's Old Bar

Chest Piece

This is the "Temptation" chest piece I did yesterday at City of ink... He asked me for negative space and lots of flow...He has another appointment tomorrow to go down to his art...I will keep y'all updated





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EZ Flow We Crave Passion

This is EZ Flow We Crave Passion. I know it's a terrible picture. I'm going to re-do it one of these days. This might be one of the rarest polishes in my collection- I didn't even know EZ Flow did polish! I had never heard of it until I stumbled upon it and I've never seen another since. I've never seen pictures of it or heard anyone mention it. I have no idea how old it is but it's sure as hell not Big 3 Free (you can smell this sucker from a mile away, omg, it's bad). The color is a rich reddish purple with tons of glass-flecky gold shimmer. It's like OPI Peel Me A Gobi Grape on steroids, and frankly, it's about 800 times awesomer.

I have a few other polishes from EZ Flow that I never got around to swatching, but they're pretty cool too... Anyone out there own any from this brand? I wonder what their color line was like. They had at least a purple, a green and a sweet stringy multi glitter!

Recent stash enhancement

Haven't felt much like swatching lately, but I took some bottle pics of some pretty stuff!


Some Ulta brand polishes that were buy two, get two free (isn't that really just buy one get one free?). I forgot the name of the purple one. Material Girl, Envy (yes, envy, not just one but two Ulta green shimmers with envy in the name!) and... Jaded? I must admit I liked the old bottles better because these square caps don't align properly after you open them.



These were on sale at Ulta too! I only had two or three Borghese polishes before this- Espresso Brown and Stellare Notte and one I got on clearance at TJ Maxx which I've never worn and can't find. These are Almondine (really cool nude with speckles!), Plumaggio Purple (which looks awesome with 2010/Hidden Treasure on top) and Menta (super sheer turquoise shimmer that looks too blue in this picture)


Some of the new Finger Paints. I think the multi-colored glitter in the middle of the top picture is limited edition but the rest are permanent! How cool is that?! I couldn't find the one that's supposed to be an Absolutely Alice clone, I'll have to hit another Sally sometime. I think it's awesome that they've added a whole bunch of greens and glitters to their permanent collection.

And of course, the crown jewel... The Ulta Glam Goth collection. This picture kinda turned out weird. But these are awesome. Sure, they're all really similar to other polishes, but they're just so awesome all together like this.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pass out in a miserable allergy-induced coma. *achoo*

It never stops...

Thoughts are unlimited...everything comes in..mixes up and come out beautiful...nothing is wasted...memories are gas fueling flames of untamed thought patterns... Different from yours... But understood by my kind...artist they call us...the creators of worlds...the masters of turning nothing into something...worshipped by some.... Hated by those who don't understand... We are visual angels....taking orders to create by the Most High.. We are artist and it never stops


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Eye of the Day

I'm on a huge makeup kick right now. That silly Bare Escentuals Foiled Eye kit set the whole thing off. I may have hauled just a little too much makeup this month... but... I got a couple of my recent purchases in the mail today and I had to play around a bit. I like how this one turned out.

Natural light.

Flash.


This was:
MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
Fyrinnae Leopard-Print Galaxy on lid
Fyrinnae Dokkálfar in crease
Fyrinnae Arcane Magic Dark Fantasy on lower lashline
Bare Escentuals Emotion with MAC water-based mixing medium as liner
Laura Geller Wonder Wand highlight
Urban Decay Zero tightline
L'Oreal Double Extend with Lash Boosting Serum mascara

The Leopard-Print Galaxy shadow is pretty cool- it's a soft antique gold with kind of a... coral? Coral pink? sheen and shimmer to it. Dokkálfar is awesome in the jar, but I had a hard time keeping the intensity once it was on the lid. I think I need to work on my technique more. Maybe I should use it wet next time.

Bare Escentuals Emotion is *awesome*. It's like if Essie Sexy Divide was an eyeshadow. So glad I got that one. I have plans for this one. Oh yes.

Then I was goofing around taking stupid pictures and ended up with the GIANT SCARY EYEBALL!!!!


OH NOES!!!!!!!

The reason I walk...

A lot of people ask me "Miya, everytime I see you, your walking by yourself" that's because I walk for a reason...it's because I'm never in a rush unless I'm tryin to go see a movie or caught a flight out of town...I rarely get alone time so this is the perfect way to enjoy "peace of mind" and think of some new art ideas...and really enjoy not hearing other peoples voices....people miss so much of the small things driving... Maybe it's just my Asheville hippie side but I want to feel the sun... I want to feel the cold.. I want to enjoy each of the Earth's seasons...for example today.. Me & Rabbit were walking over to my art studio... And I almost stepped on a baby bird, because I was listening to UGK radio on Pandaro...I tried to help the bird but it started crying for it's mother...she showed up and I kept it moving...didn't feel like being attacked by birds today...but it's those small things that inspire my art and my life.. God send us lessons in strange way sometime... It's up to you to dicipher the message.








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Location:Atlanta GA

Lotus Dragonfly: SLEEVE

This is my 2nd session on this arm...it's started off as a cover-up.. She gave me 100% creative control on the colors, ideas, shit everything....so it didn't feel like "WORK" this is something I would have done for free... But she still paid me..my back started hurting so I decided to stop right at the dragonfly...the next season I will add more colors...Tuki Carter showed me a coloring shortcut that cut my tattoo time in half so I got a lot more skin covered in a shorter time... Thanks bruh!!












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Location:City of Ink

Mike Giant: Rebel 8

When I think about FREEDOM, I always think of tattoo artist, visual artist, and fashion designer, MIKE GIANT...I always blog about Mike because there are a few artist that are REALLY "free" and he is one of them...I have watched his company" Rebel 8" grow over the years..and I was told he only started his company with $400...thats an example of NOT making up excuses...I just wanted to take the time out to say THANK YOU Mike Giant for inspiring me to be a better businessman...and not me afraid to express who I am to the world...you are my all time favorite artist, never stop and cont' blessing the world with your vision...I'm taking notes and oneday I will have that FREEDOM you have...see you there "Rebel 8"

Mach Five's "Just Go"

Mach Five's "Just Go" from Corey Davis on Vimeo.

Kevin Nottigham & Greedmont Park presents Mach Five's "Just Go", a short film about a gangster named Domino who will stop at nothing to deliver a mysterious suitcase. The video, directed by Corey Davis, is off their latest mixtape, “Millenia”, which receives a stamp of approval from A Tribe Called Quest’s Phife Dawg.

Grip Plyaz- "What is Purp, Wind, & Fire"

My homie, Grip Plyaz just dropped this video explaining his new album "Purp, Wind, & Fire"...Grip is one of my favorite artist out Atlanta..he ALWAYS spit that real shit..I think I became an instant fan after hearing that song "Fuck dat Hipster Shit!" if you miss that real Atlanta soul with that edge of street appeal check out Grip Plyaz, and shout out to Governed By Loyalty...keep doing yall thang! Rep dat "A" bruh...we need it!

Grip Plyaz Explains Purp, Wind & Fire from Governed By Loyalty dot Com on Vimeo.

Homeless Pitbull

I was walking through 5 Points and this homeless dude asked me for some money...he had this pitbull with him that got my attention... I keep running into dogs with 2 different color eyes... Some of y'all might remember "Lola the English Bulldog" from the DC post.... She also had those crazy eyes... I wonder if it's a sign or somthing





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Location:5 Points, ATL

Nubar Night Sky Collection Spring 2010

The Nubar Night Sky collection is a set of three mattes and a bottle of Diamont Seal and Shine topcoat (which is pretty awesome topcoat, I'm a Diamont fan) so you can do a mixed-finish manicure like a matte french with shiny tips or whatever creative idea you can think of. Pics first, my thoughts second.


Midnight Matte. I'm not sure if the name is Midnight Matte or Midnight (matte). The label says Midnight Matte, but I wasn't sure if it was like Borghese's letters (like Espresso Brown F) or Sally Hansen's finish declarations (Trendy Creme!). Anyway. Charcoal matte with lots and lots of silver sparkle. Little bit like Orly Iron Butterfly, but lighter.


Sunset Matte. Medium orange-brown gold with lots of shimmer. Maybe it's just my skintone skewing it, but sometimes it looks like an antique brass shade on me, while in other lights it's definitely gold.


Twilight Matte. Medium silver-grey matte with lots of sparkles. Lighter than Zoya Loredana.


And of course, with topcoat:

Midnight Matte with Diamont

Sunset Matte with Diamont

Twilight Matte with Diamont

With topcoat they transform into super-sparkly foil like shades. Kind of a cross between OPI Suedes and Orly Matte Metals. Lots and lots of shimmer.

And since I had my bottle of 2010 (which is Nubar's 10th anniversary special polish- a flaky opal topcoat) next to me on the table, how about with 2010?

Midnight Matte with 2010

Sunset Matte with 2010

Twilight Matte with 2010

I must say, 2010 looks incredible over these. Instead of being super flashy and obvious like it is over cremes (especially dark ones), it lends a subtle yet fascinating iridescence on the top of the polish without changing the color. I actually wore each of these as a full manicure with 2010 over them and I couldn't stop looking at my nails. It's just really interesting, it looks magical and you just kinda want to look at it for a while to figure it all out.

The formula on these was awesome. These are the best formula mattes I've used. They don't dry while you're applying them so they are very forgiving. They're thin like normal polish, not super thick like some mattes. They dry very quickly and the matte finish is a true matte, none of that sorta-matte satiny rubbery halfway stuff. Opacity is good- I did two coats but if you're careful you can probably do only one coat with Midnight and Sunset.

My first impression of the set was, "More mattes? And not even unique colors. Gold, silver and black. You can already get a gold, silver and black matte from other brands!" And that's when it dawned on me. You can get them from other brands. Lots of people have been getting into the matte thing lately. It's only natural for brands to want to secure a place for themselves. While I would have liked to see more interesting and unique matte colors, I understand why they did these. The formula is at least better than average. And I'm not even sure why I complain about mattes not being unique shades when I have at least six different brands of matte topcoat to mattify any color I want.... I'm rambling now. Deep thoughts about matte polish.


(These were sent to me for review.)

BEST CRY EVER: A & E show "Intervention"

I know I shouldn't be laughing at crackheads...but hey somethings in life are just funny..so I hope no one takes this too serious..I'm human and I do LAUGH..lol I hope he is clean and off drugs today...and hit up youtube for the remix in autotune.

Mike Flo – The Gospel [Video]

I love to see my friends and family connect...proof that we can stand on our own without asking for help from outsiders...unless those outsiders are the ones supporting our art and buying our music...Miko Flo is like a brother to me..a MAN who isn't afraid of expression and a freedom fighter for us all...and Corey Davis did a beautiful job with matching Mike's words with the visual...the use of the christian church was genius!!! None of my close friends follow a religion but to use a church in this video was PERFECT!...so listen to the words to this song...Corey, you did it again lil' bruh...don't stop keep those videos coming and I will cont' to post them.

Mike Flo - The Gospel from Corey Davis on Vimeo.

In the words of Corey Davis (taken from Greedmontpark.com) "Here’s another video I shot for Mike Flo [of the RBG Family, emcee and DJ for Dead Prez] at a Church in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. From his Less Is More LP with Leo Goetz. So far it’s one my fav’s, check it out!"

ATL: Tattoo Film update

We have started filming in Atlanta now...the first person we interviewed was one of the founding members of City of Ink (and 1/4 of Hollyweerd) Chris McAdoo....here are more sneak previews of me & AJ's tattoo film





We even got a few scenes of Tuki Carter tattooing...beautiful work








Shot by Artemus Jenkins

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Mach Five's "Just Go" May 24th

Corey Davis will be releasing his first short film on Vimeo this Monday, May 23rd, called Mach Five's "Just Go"





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China Glaze Vintage Vixen Fall 2010

Finally had a few hours of sunlight. This has been a weird spring. It feels like it went from winter straight to summer for a week and now it's October.... But it's actually May....

Okay. Here goes.


Bogie. Eggplant frost. More of a metallic than a scary frost. Really rich beautiful color. A little vampy, a little sparkly, a little smoky.


Classic Camel. This color is a light golden straw color in some lights and a spicy mustard color in other lights. It has noticeable gold shimmer. It's the type of color that seems like a work appropriate nude shade but it is unique and unusual and very interesting. It reminds me of a more wearable version of Street Wear Dijon. Would look great on darker skintones- I'd love to see this on someone deeper-toned than me.


Emerald Fitzgerald. Sweeeeeeeet. This is a dark blue-green frost. Emerald. Teal? Whatever shade it is, it's blue tinged. This is another one of those little bit smoky colors. Maybe I'll call it... smoky peacock.

First Class Ticket. Can you guess what I'm going to say? I'll say it anyway. This is a purple polish- purple doesn't photograph well- it's less blue in real life. Dark vampy purple that's still obviously purple and not black looking. It's a 'frost' but really it's more metallic shimmer. No icky brushstrokey silvery aging frosty-frost.

Foxy. You've got to be mine, all mine... Oooh... Foxy lady! Totally a foxy color. Autumn red with a little golden brown and a little burgundy. Lots of shimmer. Very cozy.



Goin' My Way? Good gravy do I ever love this color. It's bronzy-brown with gold shimmer and it's gorgeous. It reminds me of late September. It seems almost duochrome because the bronzy base and the gold shimmer are so reflective... It looks... liquid?


Hey Doll! This one reminds me of Sanna! :D This is a pinky-mauvey soft type of color with silver and champagne toned shimmer. Frost. But it's really shimmer.

Ingrid. Soft taupe-brown with gold shimmer. Another new take on that taupe polish trend. I'm not gonna complain- I love it! It looks like suede.


Jitterbug. Gunmetal-silver foil. A little blue, a little grey, a little sliver. Mostly silver. Super sparkly.

Midnight Mission. HOT!!!! Deep blue (but not too dark) with lots of metallic fleck glitter. It doesn't feel like the traditional particle glitter like, say, Dorothy Who has. It feels like very thin metallic flakes, like the kind foils are made of. Sparkle and drama. Perfect.

Riveter Rouge. Autumn red frost with lots and lots of silver microglitter. Teeny tiny glitter, and this one has the traditional glitter, not the thin flake kind like Midnight Mission. It has a tendency to look bumpy because of the glitter in the frost base, but the overall effect is very eye-catching. Sort of a distant cousin to Crystal Ball, just not as flashy.


Swing Baby. Very pretty champagne foil. The particles are a mixture of different colors- I see silver, gold, champagne and even some darker bronze looking ones. Tons of sparkle.


The formula on these was a little tricky. It has a little case of three-free syndrome. You know how that is- you think you've wiped all the excess polish off the brush and then all of a sudden a drip comes out of nowhere and floods your nail? Yeah, a bit like that. Not horrible or unmanageable like the early three-free formulas, but definitely has that runny-yet-thick thing happening. Application itself was fine once I got the hang of the formula. I did two coats in all these pictures so you can see that the opacity on these is great. The dry time is on the long side.


Overall, I think this collection is perfect for fall. These colors all scream fall to me, and everyone knows fall is my favorite... soooo... It's no great leap of the imagination to figure out that I LOVE THESE! Even the reds. They're so sparkly and velvety and vintage-sexy. I don't know if I can even pick a favorite, I like every single one. I think I might wear Goin' My Way, Midnight Mission, Ingrid, Emerald Fitzgerald, Bogie and Jitterbug the most often... But yeah. I like them all. Good job China Glaze!

When I hear the word 'frost' I shudder. You know how I feel about frosts. I know that I'm definitely not the only one, either. So I was a little worried about these until I saw them. I am extremely relieved that they're not that kind of frost. That would have been a huge bummer.

(The skittle swatches are here in case you wanted to compare the sunlight swatches to indoor light.)

(These were sent to me for review.)