Shoreline Crips Scratcher Turned Street Tattoo Artist | Under the Ink

When Looney, an OG Shoreline Crip from Venice Beach, CA, was incarcerated, he learned how to tattoo using a Walkman motor and an ink pen. Although illegal, being a “scratcher” (someone without formal tattoo training) in prison gave Looney the ability to cross the cultural divides that normally exist between different segments of the population and helped him gain respect amongst his fellow inmates. Since his release, Looney has worked on building up his tattoo skills and continuing to learn by studying the works of Paul Booth, Bob Tyrrell, and Mister Cartoon. But since most of his training was done inside a prison cell instead of through an apprenticeship at a tattoo studio, he’s constantly had to prove to others that he’s more than just a scratcher. VICE catches up with Looney as he tattoos his friend Blue Rag and learns about his tattoo journey. About VICE: The Definitive Guide To Enlightening Information. From every corner of the planet, our immersive, caustic, ground-breaking and often bizarre stories have changed the way people think about culture, crime, art, parties, fashion, protest, the internet and other subjects that don't even have names yet. Browse the growing library and discover corners of the world you never knew existed. Welcome to VICE. Connect with VICE: The VICE YouTube Network: