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Meet the Thai Artists Aiming to Set a World Record for BAYC Tattoos

BY nft now Staff

June 19, 2024

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Are you still holding your Bored Ape? A collective of Thai tattoo artists is looking for those who want to make their bond permanent.

Based in Thailand, TGL Tattoo emerged from a group of friends passionate about tattoos and art, exploring the digital frontier through NFTs. TGL Tattoo blends traditional ink with digital ownership, creating a unique, collectible art form. By offering custom NFT tattoos, the project aims to make body art more accessible and valuable in the digital age.

Now, TGL Tattoo is setting its sights on a Guinness World Record for the most Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) tattoos. By completing 2,500 tattoos inspired by the popular NFT community, the project wants to bring the credibility of a world record to the nascent world of NFT tattoos to showcase their transformative potential.

nft now caught up with TGL Tattoo founder Torch to learn more about the project and its record-setting campaign.


Credit: TGL Tattoo

nft now: What is the origin story of TGL Tattoo?

Torch: The origin story of TGL Tattoo begins with a group of friends passionate about tattoos and art, who explored creative art forms until discovering NFTs through one member’s involvement in crypto. Operating under the banner “Torch,” we embarked on various art projects. These included auctions of artworks addressing social inequality and photos of chicken carcasses to symbolize the plight of lower social classes, alongside transforming characters from our novels about societal inequality into NFTs. Although these ventures didn’t meet our expectations, they shaped our journey back to tattooing.

Our “Thank God for Alcohol” project linked the art of tattooing with the culture of drinking, capturing both the pain of tattooing and the bitter-sweet experiences of alcohol consumption. Despite its initial setbacks, this project helped us reconnect with our core passion for tattoo art, leading to the creation of TGL-tattoo, a venture dedicated to offering customized NFT tattoos.

Tell us about the mission and the specific focus on NFT tattoos.

We love and are passionate about all forms of art, whether tangible or abstract, physical or non-physical. We always respect the people who create these works. Although the advent of NFTs has annoyed many in the art world, we believe this is more of a transitional phase rather than a threat. In the current NFT market, general art can greatly benefit from NFTs, even physical artworks.

The tattoo art industry faces many limitations due to its specific nature. We engaged with various groups: those with tattoos, those who like tattoos but don’t have them, and those who don’t like tattoos but appreciate certain designs. Everyone supports the idea of transferring or selling tattoos without sacrificing skin. Sellers can use NFT technology to authenticate tattoos. Traditionally, tattoos are sold through “skinvertising” or agreements where tattooed skin is transferred upon the seller’s death. Regardless of their stance on tattoos, people are unlikely to tattoo everything they like, even if they own the NFT. Our project, TGL-tattoo, leverages NFT technology to make tattoo art more accessible and engaging. NFT tattoos offer another option for collectors. While tattoo art has imperfections due to skin color and elasticity, it becomes a beautifully imperfect form of art. This makes our project distinct, introducing a new dimension to the NFT and tattoo art world.

We hope tattoos can be something that can be transferred and valued according to the market price. Additionally, it can open up new perspectives for people in other industries, allowing them to develop and create new and exciting things.

Credit: TGL Tattoo

How did the Guinness World Record come about? What’s the significance and the strategy you’re employing to set it?

Even though the direction and framework of our tattoo project have become clearer, we were still stuck on how to create value for the NFT tattoos. Despite making tattoos transferable and incorporating uniqueness into the designs, it still didn’t add value to them.

We decided to scale our project until it gained widespread attention. We tried to find connections between tattoos and other elements but couldn’t find a perfect fit until a teammate suggested that the number of tattoos in our project could set a world record. The Guinness World Record met our needs perfectly. It has a clear brand identity and is widely recognized. Mentioning the Guinness World Record requires little explanation, aligning with our project’s goal to become widely known and add value to the NFT tattoos for current and future owners. An NFT tattoo project that sets a world record will make history for both the NFT and tattoo art industries.

“An NFT tattoo that sets a world record will make history for both the NFT and tattoo art industries”

TORCH

Collaborating with Guinness World Record also creates a positive image for our project. We believe it will generate interest and excitement within the NFT community and familiarize the general public with NFTs.

After reaching a conclusion with the team, we contacted the Guinness World Record and received a positive response. Discussions with their team led us to decide to set a new record for the project with the most BAYC tattoos in the world.

Credit: TGL Tattoo

What are the details of the 2500 tattoo auction? How can people get involved?

We will be tattooing a total of 2,500 BAYC designs, so only BAYC holders can participate. We offer two options for those interested in joining our project.

Option 1: Purchasing TGL Tickets (for 2,499 tattoos)

To participate, you need to purchase four TGL tickets for one tattoo from our OpenSea collection. After purchasing, fill out the tattoo form. Ensure you buy tickets directly from us to avoid purchasing redeemed tickets. If you don’t purchase enough tickets, do not hold BAYC, or fail to meet any conditions, your entry will be invalid. TGL tickets can only be used once. Ticket holders will receive an NFT tattoo video (sample) after the tattooing is completed. The owner of the NFT tattoo can transfer or sell it, and each NFT tattoo will be unique (1/1) with no additional copies created.

Option 2: Auction for a Special Tattoo (1 design)

We are auctioning a special tattoo through Foundation. This special tattoo is created by our artist and measures 22 x 30 cm. It features four Ape legends, with the winner of the auction being the fifth Ape (or another NFT collection). The winner can add other details like product logos. This auction also aims to raise funds to purchase our first ape.

Credit: TGL Tattoo

Why did you choose the BAYC community?

The BAYC project is legendary to us. It’s like watching our first football match and instantly falling in love with the team, even though we knew nothing about football at the time. Initially, we saw BAYC as a team that impressed the audience. As we learned more, our admiration grew, and we no longer wanted to be just spectators or fans; we wanted to be a part of it.

Credit: TGL Tattoo

What is the web3 community like in Thailand?

The web3 community in Thailand is now entering the practical application era. Previously, the launch of new exchanges, both Thai and international, increased Thai people’s understanding and acceptance of crypto, making Thailand one of the top countries for crypto holders. Recently, new projects raising funds through ICOs, including film and real estate projects, have shown positive growth. An annual national blockchain event receives widespread attention, and the SEC is issuing regulations to protect investors and provide guidelines for new entrepreneurs.

“The web3 community in Thailand is now entering the practical application era.”

TORCH

In the NFT space, Thailand has a strong web3 community that continuously updates on industry news. Many Thais participate in global projects, and Thai NFT collections like Gangster All Star have gained international recognition. Thai artists, such as Taitern NFT, participate in international NFT events, and many emerging artists are bringing their work to the web3 community.

The crypto market’s lack of boundaries allows anyone with access to be a customer, presenting both opportunities and challenges due to daily new entrants. Meeting market needs is crucial for success. The still-nascent web3 industry offers vast opportunities for innovation. We believe it will grow significantly, increasing our customer base. Success hinges on creating solutions that meet community needs, finding strong partners, and leveraging good media outlets.

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