FIND NOAH AT WWW.EVOLUTIONPIERCING.COM

Get a lobe of these amazing ear piercings! They’re the brainchild of Noah Babcock, head piercer and branding artist at Evolution Body Piercing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. He’s been skillfully poking creative holes in people’s flesh since 1995, and specialises in advanced ear-modding and designing progressive jewellery made from gold and fine gemstones. His piercings look beautiful and fit in innovative new ways, so when Bizarre asked him for a chat about his work, how could he say No-ah?

Noah, Tell us about the piercings in these pictures.

They’re multi-point industrial ear piercings. An ‘industrial’ piercing – sometimes called a ‘scaffold’ or ‘construction’ piercing – refers to any two holes connected with a single barbell-style piece of jewellery. These particular examples connect more then two holes, which is why they’re called ‘multi-point’.

How did you come up with the idea?

My friend Nick Martin, who owns Body Vision modding studio in Los Angeles, gave me the idea. In May 2008, he showed me some new jewellery he was using for industrial piercings. It had a decorative centrepiece with a hole drilled into either side of it. He screwed two straight metal barbells into the centrepiece – one in each hole – and inserted each barbell into a separate piercing, before fixing them in place with screw-on metal balls at the ends. I thought, “If you can screw two barbells into a centrepiece, why not screw in three, and thread them through a trio of piercings? Or more?”

How have you developed the idea?

I’ve developed unusual centrepieces in intricate designs, and commissioned the awesome crew at Body Vision to make them from expensive metals such as rose gold and platinum, and inlay them with precious stones. They’re designed to have up to five barbells coming off them, meaning that they can be fixed through the ear at five points. Because the jewellery is made of individual parts, it’s easy to customise. I can choose the perfect length for each barbell I attach, according to the size of my client’s ears, and the angle they want the jewellery to sit at. I can also bend each barbell to fit my customer’s ear, or to make the piercing look more interesting. It’s easy to change the centrepiece or the barbells to create a new look, or make the jewellery sit more comfortably.For example, I recommend that clients initially get pierced with longer barbells so there’s room for their ear to swell, then switch to shorter ones once the swelling has calmed down and the mod has healed properly.

What happens when someone gets a multi-point industrial piercing?

All the holes are made in the client’s ear during one piercing session. To start with, I look at the shape of the customer’s ear and the jewellery they want, and get a basic vision of how everything will fit. When marking and placing the first piercing, I choose the point in my customer’s ear which is most tricky to reach. Once I’ve made that first hole, I insert a barbell, attach the centrepiece, and allow everything to rest. Next, I look at where the threads in the centrepiece point to, then find the right angles and barbell sizes for the rest of the piercings. Everything must sit comfortably and neatly – you don’t want the jewellery to tug or be too tight. The whole lot takes about three to six months to heal.

Can you get more than one multi-point industrial piercing in the same ear?

Yes! One of my favourite jobs was working on a guy with one four-point piercing in the top of his ear and a second three-pointer in the middle – that’s seven pierced points in total.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m trying to make multi-point ear industrials more complex, and I’m applying the concept to other piercings, particularly eyebrows. I’m also working on attachments that join several healed microdermals together.

You’re based in the USA. How can UK readers get a multi-point industrial ear piercing without flying to America?

Readers should find a reputable, British-based piercing artist and encourage them to get in touch with Body Vision, via Bodyvision.net, or by calling 001-888-991-2639. They’ll ship this type of jewellery to the UK and they’re always up for discussing designs. Let’s take the modding scene to new heights!

FIND NOAH AT WWW.EVOLUTIONPIERCING.COM