Seven Questions for Typographic Tattoo Maven Ina Saltz

By Stephanie Murg on June 23, 2010 2:34 PM

Ever been tempted to ink your mother’s maiden name on your forearm in Helvetica Neue Bold? Imagined commissioning an indelible epidermal etching of lorem ipsum placeholder text to tell the world you’re a type A type nut? Fancy the lyrics of a Smiths song looping around your neck in perpetuity? Such distinctive inkings are the specialty of Ina Saltz (at right). The vivacious art director, designer, and writer continues her exploration of typographic tattoos in Body Type 2 (Stewart, Tabori, & Chang), the sequel to her best-selling Body Type: Intimate Messages Etched in Flesh.

The new book presents lush photographs of more than 200 tattoos—from a discreetly positioned Bell Gothic comma to an armful of Maori creation myths—alongside the ideas and emotions of their wearers. Saltz credits the boomlet in typographic tattoos to “the higher levels of education and cultural sophistication among those now choosing to get a tattoo. And, because we are living in a ‘golden age of typography,’ there is more awareness of the power of the letterform to express the meaning of the text.” In answering our seven questions, she explains the origins of Body Type, her own dream tattoo, and one of the book’s most memorable contributors.

1. How did you come to write Body Type?
I saw an amazing tattoo in 120-point Helvetica (lowercase) on a guy’s arm as I was taking the crosstown bus; I asked him if I could photograph it, and one thing led to another…shortly thereafter, I attended my first tattoo convention, and I noticed that, while there were many books on tattoos, there were none on typographic tattoos (which were the most interesting to me as a type geek). I loved the odd intersection of typography/literature/ poetry/lyrics/homage to the letterform with the edginess and commitment and passion of the tattooed and felt it needed to be documented. Also, I found the stories behind the tattoos to be equally fascinating (as did my readers); I may have been the first to include those stories along with the photographs of the tattoos.

2. What led you to write a sequel?
The first volume became a cult hit, and was sold everywhere from museum shops to stores like Urban Outfitters. Body Type inspired people from all over the world, many of whom sent me fan mail and photos of their tattoos. I had no idea it would resonate with so many different constituencies and cultures. Naturally the popularity of the first volume led to Body Type 2. I am already collecting even more wonderful typographic tattoos for volume three of Body Type!

3. Do you have any tattoos? If you were forced to get a typographic tattoo, what would you choose?
I do not have any tattoos, for a whole host of reasons. Chief among them: a phobia about needles, and the designer’s need to re-design at will; tattoos are very permanent! But if I were to get a typographic tattoo, it would be one which would signal to fellow type-lovers that I am a member of the tribe: an obscure dingbat from a favorite typeface, for example.

4. What is the strangest or most surprising typographic tattoo you’ve ever come across?
Where to begin? There are so many! But one might be the giant black slab-serif question mark on a guy’s chest, where his nipple became the “dot” underneath the question mark. Very creative.

5. What’s on your summer reading list?
I am immersing myself in typography books, re-reading books like Robert Bringhurst‘s The Elements of Typographic Style, since I am writing a massive typographic reference book which will be published by Rockport next year. Other than that, I read several weekly magazines, two or three daily papers, and a bunch of monthly magazines…no time for fiction, I’m afraid.

6. What was your best/most memorable design-related encounter?
I have had so many memorable design-related encounters, thanks to Body Type and Body Type 2; I have now interviewed and photographed over 500 people with typographic tattoos, and these have been some of the most interesting people I have ever met. These encounters have truly transformed my life. If I had to choose just one, it would be a fantastically vibrant woman from Australia who had been given a diagnosis of cancer, with eight months to live. She had the most radiant energy and clarity despite her dire situation, and photographing her beautiful red script tattoo of lyrics from a Lou Reed song will always be one of my most poignant memories.

7. What was your proudest design moment?
Seeing my first book for the first time in the gift shop of the Museum of Modern Art…what a thrill! I never imagined that I would author a book, and to see it in MoMA…well, it was just indescribably moving. I made such a fuss that the salesperson came over to see what was the matter; when I told her it was my book, she asked if I wanted to sign the copies. That made it an even prouder moment!