Lauren's HourglassOccasionally we'll share a reader submission and today we have a piece contributed by Lauren. She sent in this cool hourglass:Lauren explains: "I decided on an hourglass after wanting something to represent living your life to the fullest and realizing time is precious. After thinking and going …
Anthony's Phenomenal Marilyn Monroe PortraitWithout question, Marilyn Monroe has appeared more on Tattoosday than any other celebrity, living or dead. You'd think I'd get tired of seeing her in ink, but I never do. Probably because there are artists out there doing this:This portrait is on the left leg of Anthony, a photographer I met on Pen…
Frank's Koi Blends Traditional and ModernBack on the first of July, I met Frank as I was headed home through Penn Station. He shared this tattoo on his lower leg:Frank explained that the tattoo artist was Gus, who works out of John's Tattoos in Islip, New York. He elaborated, telling me, "I originally wanted a koi fish ... not too traditio…
Jacqueline's Blood RoseTwo weeks ago I spotted Jacqueline and knew I had to ask her about this large tattoo in the center of her back:Jacqueline explained that she and her older brother got this same tattoo in the same spot. "We just wanted to get a matching tattoo," she told me, "and, you know, we're both blood relatives…
Andrea Shares a Gil Elvgren Pinup by Shane O'NeillEarlier this month, I met Andrea while waiting for the A train.Andrea is covered with tattoos, estimating she has over 50% of her body inked. I always feel privileged when someone so dedicated to the art of tattoo agrees to share their work. Andrea offered up this amazing pin-up on her right forearm…
Natalie's Geisha ButterflyLast month, I ran into Natalie on Seventh Avenue and 24th Street. She had several tattoos, but shared this geisha, with butterfly wings, floating on the top of her back:She got this about six years ago in the city of Leeds from an artist named Diego.When I asked why she got this particular tattoo, s…
Nick's Street Sign is Self-ExplanatoryEarlier this week, up in Columbus Circle (see, I don't spend ALL my time in Penn Station!), I ran into Nick, a much-inked individual who kindly allowed me to photograph this tattoo on his left shin: Nick explained that his friend James tattooed this Pedestrian Crossing sign on him. When I asked him …
Kristen's Anchor - Dedicated to Daddy"This tattoo is for my father," Kristen told me, as we sat talking at the laundromat earlier this month, "because he's my anchor and he's the only man that could ever hold me down and take care of me."She credits an artist named Twace who works in Brooklyn. [On October 4, 2011, I learned Twace is wo…
Colleen Returns to Share Some Lovely InkI spotted a woman with some really great tattoos out on Penn Plaza and, after talking to her a brief moment, realized it was Colleen, who appeared on Tattoosday once before, back in 2009, as chronicled here.Colleen shared two tattoos that grace her upper arms:Colleen loves this tattoo and I can't sa…
It's a Blog World, After AllIt's not unusual to occasionally run into someone who's been featured on the blog before, especially in my neighborhood, but this morning I ran into four former Tattoosday subjects. So, out of sheer laziness and the desire to share these encounters, we'll be revisiting these old posts.First, I ran i…
Erin's Tribute to Thomas, Her GrandfatherBack in June, I met Erin on the subway, and she shared this section of her inner forearm:This tattoo is a tribute to her grandfather, Thomas, who served in the U.S. Navy.The work was done at High Street Tattoo in Columbus, Ohio.Erin explained: "I just told [the artist] that I wanted something that …
A Beacon for Marci on Buddy's ArmI met Buddy a while back while riding the subway. He had 13 or 14 tattoos and shared this piece, from his left forearm:Buddy explained that this old gas-lit street light serves a memorial piece for Marci, his French bulldog, who passed away at the age of 14. Marci was his "light in the dark" for a d…
Ashley's ScarabsI met Ashley a couple months ago, over the summer, on a Friday afternoon at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station.She had two tattoos on her upper left arm that jumped out at me:These two scarabs were tattooed by Jason June, from Three Kings Tattoo, in Brooklyn. Why scarabs? Ashley explained that t…
Good Time Sam and the Mad HatterLast month I ran into a young lady who called herself "Good Time Sam" in Penn Station. She was very enthusiastic about sharing one of her tattoos. She has "at least twenty". She offered up this memorable character:That is, of course, the Mad Hatter, from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderl…
Holy Ship! Isaac's Vessel and a Biblical QuoteThere are a few tattoo artists whose work is so good that, when I'm lucky enough to stumble upon one of their clients, I consider it a great day.Such was the case on a Monday in August on the Upper West Side, when I stopped Isaac in Trader Joe's as he walked past me. I knew, even before he told me w…
Re-Post: Paul's 9/11 MemorialThis post originally appeared in 2008 and again in 2009. It seems appropriate to re-run it again today:Earlier this month, I mentioned meeting Paul here, on the bike path that runs along the southern tip of Brooklyn.I saved the other tattoo photo I took of Paul's work for today, the seventh annivers…
Lola Loves Shoes. Here's One.In late spring, I met a young lady down the block from me and, after noticing a tattoo of scissors on her foot, talked to her about her ink. She was walking her dog at the time, so she took a Tattoosday card and said she might be interested in sharing some of her work at a later time.Fast forward a …
Patti Shares a Stunning Floral SleeveToday we have some work submitted by a reader, who patiently waited a month and a half for me to post her sleeve work. Although I do post submissions, they generally take a back seat to tattoos I encounter in the streets.Patti sent in these photos of her stunningly beautiful floral tattoos running d…
A Devilish Start for AnthonyWhen I ran into Anthony last month in Penn Station, he was happy to share the beginning stage of what he envisions to be a full leg piece, that will run all the way up his limb:Anthony explained that this Japanese demon:"is by my good friend, Nate Osborne, of True Tattoo (3) in Ballston Spa, New Y…
Joe is Armed with Words of StrengthLast month on 86th Street in Brooklyn, I met Joe, who shared this cool tattoo on his right bicep:Joe credited Matt Van Cura, formerly of Lark Tattoo. Matt now works out of Da Vinci Tattoo in Watagh, New York. Joe came in with an idea for this piece, armed only with the phrase "Increscunt animi vires…
Leigh's Skull with a Mouthful of BlossomsLast month, I ran into Leigh, getting off the C train at 34th Street in Manhattan. She estimates she has 40% of her corporeal canvas covered, and she offered me this tattoo on her left forearm:We've had a lot of sugar skulls here on Tattoosday, but everyone is different and unique. This one, inked …
Southpaw in the SubwayA couple weeks ago, I met a woman on the West 4th Street subway platform after I noticed her last name inscribed on her back. This tattoo, however, I found particularly cool:I don't have a lot of information regarding this tattoo, as the young lady took my card as her train rolled in and never got b…
Patricia Loves SummerThe Borders book store in Penn Plaza is closing in less than two weeks, which is sad on so many different levels. When its doors finally shut for good, we here at Tattoosday will personally mourn the loss of one of our favorite spots to browse and, of course, spot ink. Over the years, this particula…
Two from Samanatha, Including a Tattoo for BubbieI met Samanatha last month in Penn Station and asked her about her many tattoos. She's 26, and has been getting inked since she was 18, and appears to be going at a steady clip, because she has a lot of great work.She was kind enough to share two of her tattoos, both from her right arm. The first pi…
