Hi 2026
happy new year to you and you and you and you
I started this substack newsletter 2 years ago in January 2024 and I wrote one every month that year but then last year I kind of forgot about it or didnt really know what I was doing. Really I just wanted it to be a newsletter update for anyone who might not see my posts on instagram but still wants to know tattoo dates, see new tattoo flash and hear about my art related information. But it seems like people use substack more like a personal blog or something, I guess that is what I am doing anyway and maybe to accept that a little bit more this year. I share stuff on instagram without thinking but this format feels too formal to me. Kind of like talking to an imagined audience, up on a stage giving a speech, whereas instagram feels a bit more connected to whoever you are addressing, bit more feedback and conversations started. Also generally writing can make me uncomfortable, reminds me of school, which reminds me that I am stupid because I am a visual person, not a wordy person (thats what we are taught at school, not what I actually believe but being made to feel stupid in formative years obviously sticks with you).
Anyway maybe I shouldn’t think about it too much and maybe I should try to do one of these every month again just to see where it goes and what happens. Also still as a general newsletter, as I feel like more people are gonna get off instagram this year potentially. I am happy for those people, I wish I could but I still need it for work and I also like to see peoples art on there and stay connected to people. Although I really enjoyed taking a break from social media and deleting instagram for a week over the Christmas time. I felt like I had more brain space to think and day dream and create, I was enjoying doing these painting on nice thick recycled ‘Khadi Paper’. After re-downloading the app after a break I realised how much the videos are what overwhelm me the most but also what is being pushed on to us increasingly. But if you slow processor and visual person like me then I will be sharing visuals here, so maybe just seeing that is enough and maybe most peoples wont even notice what I am writing here, could be saying anything…
It’s the new year and I suddenly got in to the idea of making comics this week, so this is me trying to sum up some resolutions for 2026, which are not really new resolutions cos it just what I was doing last year but just more of that. I guess there is some sort of feeling pushed on people that we are meant to be shiny and new in the new year and change our lives or something? I definitely don’t feel like that but i remember being more sensitive to that narrative when I was younger, it inevitably makes you feel bad about yourself. It’s the middle of winter, it’s time for hibernating not reinventing yourself. So I guess what Im saying with this comic is that it’s absolutely fine and nice just to do more of the things that you enjoyed last year and you don’t need to change anything just because there is an outside pressure.
That being said maybe you feel like a new tattoo to start the new year? Here is a poster with my January dates, still have lots of time available for people and I will be in Glasgow, London and Brighton. I am gonna be giving everyone who gets a tattoo from me in January a FREE ‘tell me how you feel’ zine as a thank you! (if you look back at my substack posts you will see a newsletter all about the zine). It’s a slow time of year so every booking this month is very appreciated, if you have been thinking of getting a tattoo from me then maybe now is a good time. I also had a strange dramatic December, my partner broke his ankle badly and had to get surgery, which meant he was trapped in our Glasgow flat for weeks and I became his carer over Christmas. We managed to make the best of it and have a cosy time but it was still sad to cancel all our family Christmas plans in Brighton and also a very big stress to have to cancel half of my December tattoo appointments, as a self employed person I don’t really have any security if I suddenly cant work for any reason. It is what it is though, just glad it’s not a worse situation.
If you would like to get a tattoo from me then you can either email me here or send me a message on instagram at @rachellou_tattoo , you can also see all my available tattoo flash on there, lots of stuff to choose from and I am always happy to work with peoples budgets.
Ok thats enough from me for now, wishing anyone who reads this a happy new year!
I hope all your dreams come true in 2026!
no pressure though.
Lots of love,
Rachel
Spiky black frenetic spiderweb shirted tear reflections. Just soooooper!