Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog): Dragons

Showing posts with label Dragons. Show all posts

Revisiting Dan and Checking Out His New Half-Sleeve by Guido Baldini

One of the things we don't talk about a lot here on Tattoosday are the friendships I have developed over the years with people I meet on the street. I'd say less than 10% of the people I interview become friends with me, but it is great to see their collection grow over the years.<br /><br />Dan is a prime example - I met him first in 2010, and he shared <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/dan-hosts-lady-liberty-like-youve-never.html">this piece</a>, done by his cousin Guido Baldini.<br />A year later, he updated me with the additional work that was done to the tattoo <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/08/daniel-gives-us-lady-liberty-update.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Just recently, Dan reached out to me and we were able to meet up in person for me to take a photo of the dragon half-sleeve that Guido did on him recently:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybZzH5oUeGz3t8_79WCmigKkeGOCs5Mcw2Jc4PctiIXikqZmkAfhw72ri3tlwelgoQtQSWqr3FuHzk2uRFECmikZbI1poIhJevWmNNiUaLFoVYNUMocrlhqWhjMdkRMduT6hkbGNM9oY/s659-no/2013-06-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybZzH5oUeGz3t8_79WCmigKkeGOCs5Mcw2Jc4PctiIXikqZmkAfhw72ri3tlwelgoQtQSWqr3FuHzk2uRFECmikZbI1poIhJevWmNNiUaLFoVYNUMocrlhqWhjMdkRMduT6hkbGNM9oY/s659-no/2013-06-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Here's some nice detail:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLwMukQKeZlUQSG12AtcD56jlQmLz24u7y0CSAvsagzbmGJHTHut_0mW7O88UCjQIqKSJiD8xVVNbgbxQWvANuBBGAkwVx-ZedsEiRwuDoBfLTKE3xG1TX3oCFOLNcbFoWrcTe3CYwuY/w470-h614-no/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLwMukQKeZlUQSG12AtcD56jlQmLz24u7y0CSAvsagzbmGJHTHut_0mW7O88UCjQIqKSJiD8xVVNbgbxQWvANuBBGAkwVx-ZedsEiRwuDoBfLTKE3xG1TX3oCFOLNcbFoWrcTe3CYwuY/w470-h614-no/photo.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><br />and<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANyugGEXfRTM6dUZD0gc1Z-m56YaZbjxtJqk4qJH3hbnlUOieyqJsy8jH0b00diQ9ZyWuRxUuVdAPJvyqwhNrmsc5lZN0BEEM_WfLJb7QaVsPt8LheyczWs73nql0IK3HzIRpGhweNcQ/w528-h659-no/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgANyugGEXfRTM6dUZD0gc1Z-m56YaZbjxtJqk4qJH3hbnlUOieyqJsy8jH0b00diQ9ZyWuRxUuVdAPJvyqwhNrmsc5lZN0BEEM_WfLJb7QaVsPt8LheyczWs73nql0IK3HzIRpGhweNcQ/w528-h659-no/photo.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br />Dan told me he specifically asked Guido for the dragon to be blue, which is not generally a traditional color for Japanese dragons. The red roses, as well, are generally not associated with dragon tattoos. Yet Dan loves this non-traditional take on the classic Japanese dragon.<br /><br />Check out more of Guido's amazing work at his new shop in Santa Fe, New Miexico at <a href="http://www.lostcowboytattoo.com/">Lost Cowboy Tattoo</a> <a href="http://www.lostcowboytattoo.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Dan for sharing his latest work with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.</span></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-388b3fbd-2e80-5e7c-dfdc-3623b71d75fd"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></div>

Revisiting Dan and Checking Out His New Half-Sleeve by Guido Baldini

One of the things we don't talk about a lot here on Tattoosday are the friendships I have developed over the years with people I meet on...

7:17 AM

The Tattooed Poets Project: kathryn l. pringle

Our next tattooed poet is <a href="http://kathrynlpringle.blogspot.com/">kathryn l. pringle</a>, who sent us this tattoo on her left arm::<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFTVwE_0442ojJQzo_w3TJCzVWb0rsEuVIqf8ehyphenhyphenAzsW7mymsSqTxEPDNvIUV7hOVUaTFjOSc-Sck-zNYmwIWbeyTJB2pPW1pWCRT4k2wxJSibFEvSYvMBu3IatAKUk_XGXby9pPrV8o/s615/pringle,+kathryn+l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFTVwE_0442ojJQzo_w3TJCzVWb0rsEuVIqf8ehyphenhyphenAzsW7mymsSqTxEPDNvIUV7hOVUaTFjOSc-Sck-zNYmwIWbeyTJB2pPW1pWCRT4k2wxJSibFEvSYvMBu3IatAKUk_XGXby9pPrV8o/s640/pringle,+kathryn+l.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br /><br />kathryn offered up this background of the piece:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"when i was 18 years old, i decided to get a tattoo of a spider on a purple web on my right shoulder. only, it never really looked like a spider on a web. it looked more like a peacock. so, at 26, very sick of people asking me about the wimpy peacock on my shoulder, i went into <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Monkey-Wrench/174250662585147">Monkey Wrench</a> tattoo shop in Santa Rosa, CA and talked to Billy the Pope about my options. he said only two things would do the trick: a panther or a dragon. intrigued more by the dragon option, i asked him to draw up some ideas and o, by the way, can you tattoo these chinese characters for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_wei">wu wei</a> [from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism">Taoism</a>] on my arm before i go home? and so he did. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uGn9QoWFfjRc5URwqB3iLva4Ox2bACo1YxiZBSpVM1J6lr2wftTBWwnVXTJGjZHwERcQaGqSR9yWGgGWamoI08bORwTTknW2ZqM4Hx82nrZOKmtChHy-SIA0TpRjfM1f5A-m-McUIjg/s570/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uGn9QoWFfjRc5URwqB3iLva4Ox2bACo1YxiZBSpVM1J6lr2wftTBWwnVXTJGjZHwERcQaGqSR9yWGgGWamoI08bORwTTknW2ZqM4Hx82nrZOKmtChHy-SIA0TpRjfM1f5A-m-McUIjg/s400/photo.jpg" width="365" /></a></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">two weeks later i go back in, and there's my dragon - carefully drawn out on very thin paper. we started work: it took 9 2-hour sessions. Billy was so excited, he was beside himself. he got to do something more creative than the usual rose or sailor. and i got to cover up that ridiculous peacock."</blockquote><br />kathryn sent us this poem:<br /><br /><b>from <i>civil engineering</i></b><br /><br />what do you know<br />of my lungs<br /><br />what of my breathing<br />my expansiveness<br />or pulmonary life<br /><br />in the pockets of yr lungs<br />the tiniest fragments<br />penetrating<br />careful not to puncture<br /><br />a stick in the ribs<br /><br />that’s what it feels like<br /><br />a stick in the ribs<br /><br />to care about humans<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~</div><br />kathryn l. pringle lives in Oakland, CA. She is the author of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890650706/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1890650706&linkCode=as2&tag=bill03-20%22%3EFault%20Tree%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1890650706%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">fault tree</a> (winner of <a href="http://www.omnidawn.com/">Omindawn’s</a> <a href="http://www.omnidawn.com/contest/poetry-contests.htm">1st/2nd book prize</a> selected by <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/728">C.D. Wright</a>), <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600010571/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1600010571&linkCode=as2&tag=bill03-20%22%3ERight%20New%20Biology%20(Heretical%20Texts)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1600010571%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">RIGHT NEW BIOLOGY</a> (<a href="http://www.factoryschool.org/ht/index.html">Heretical Texts/Factory School</a>), <a href="http://www.durationpress.com/bookstore/ebooks/pringle/pringle.pdf">The Stills</a> (<a href="http://www.durationpress.com/">Duration Press</a>), and <a href="http://taxtpress.blogspot.com/2006/06/pringle.html">Temper and Felicity are Lovers</a>.(<a href="http://taxtpress.blogspot.com/">TAXT</a>). Poems can be found in <a href="http://www.denverquarterly.com/">Denver Quarterly</a>, <a href="http://www.epiphanyzine.com/">Epiphany</a>, <a href="http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/publications/fence.html">Fence</a>, <a href="http://mrsmaybe.wordpress.com/about/">Mrs. Maybe</a>, <a href="http://www.phoebejournal.com/">Phoebe</a>, and fiction can be found in <a href="http://www.manorhousequarterly.com/">Manor House Quarterly</a> and <a href="http://horselesspress.com/horse-less-review/">Horse Less Review</a>. Her work can also be found in the anthologies <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466239549/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1466239549&linkCode=as2&tag=bill03-20%22%3EConversations%20at%20the%20Wartime%20Cafe:%20a%20Decade%20of%20War%202001-2011%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1466239549%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Conversations at the Wartime Cafe: A Decade of War</a> (WODV Press), <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934254339/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1934254339&linkCode=as2&tag=bill03-20%22%3EI'll%20Drown%20My%20Book:%20Conceptual%20Writing%20by%20Women%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1934254339%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">I’ll Drown My Book: Conceptual Writing by Women</a> (<a href="http://www.lesfigues.com/lfp/index.php">Les Figues</a>), and  <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937658074/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1937658074&linkCode=as2&tag=bill03-20%22%3EThe%20Sonnets:%20Translating%20and%20Rewriting%20Shakespeare%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1937658074%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">The Sonnets: Translating and Rewriting Shakespeare</a> (<a href="http://www.nightboat.org/">Nightboat Books</a>). In 2013, she was a very grateful recipient of a gift from the Fund for Poetry.<br /><br />Thanks to kathryn for sharing her poem and tattoo with us here on Tattoosday's Tattooed Poets Project!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1890650706" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.9407541751861572" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit </span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b>

The Tattooed Poets Project: kathryn l. pringle

Our next tattooed poet is kathryn l. pringle , who sent us this tattoo on her left arm:: kathryn offered up this background of the piece: ...

12:01 AM

Teegan's Dragon Tattoo Wraps Around Her Leg

I met Teegan at the end of July in Penn Station after spotting her cool dragon tattoo that wraps around her leg:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynZ177KlhyJUcmqCbtHMnzukzEELKZEvIQOKLq9yOvHx_O7LcLD3X4bvRGFsL__bdJhUpu527QmtoUh8dw1la18GQxES8xeOm1TLaVUKBKzseel_mlOYDJsyeqXTJxmtMJSbpU8zXkfA/s615/IMG_0618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynZ177KlhyJUcmqCbtHMnzukzEELKZEvIQOKLq9yOvHx_O7LcLD3X4bvRGFsL__bdJhUpu527QmtoUh8dw1la18GQxES8xeOm1TLaVUKBKzseel_mlOYDJsyeqXTJxmtMJSbpU8zXkfA/s640/IMG_0618.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />She credits this work to <a href="http://www.baltimoretattoomuseum.net/artists/adam.htm">Adam Jeffrey</a> at the <a href="http://www.baltimoretattoomuseum.net/">Baltimore Tattoo Museum</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbje1X0LIEVpKjNaHXji0C6xdPYPtcZtS0ZqWdDGwMyjZnDbFYKGNnJaMTrS7Gqsqi2ddzTrTPHwtwV8aaXYobL8au0r8YnLPW5CDywG3PGhllBedZ6lntpHVm-H2oPKb0of4pCYSSG8/s615/IMG_0611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbje1X0LIEVpKjNaHXji0C6xdPYPtcZtS0ZqWdDGwMyjZnDbFYKGNnJaMTrS7Gqsqi2ddzTrTPHwtwV8aaXYobL8au0r8YnLPW5CDywG3PGhllBedZ6lntpHVm-H2oPKb0of4pCYSSG8/s640/IMG_0611.JPG" width="496" /></a></div><br />The concept of the dragon wrapping around the limb is pretty cool and Teegan explained that she and the artist "worked on the design together... going back and forth."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKqgTc_s5CmFydfF9uCY0me7dm6S7pI44aWZW7tKYtOW_9K8sNLaBG__zwTp3T8Lu0imR9N-4TwqLrlMv6MsHI8IPWT71aVIzwPkqwJ-g2TgDqvW_f9T9cgUVnAfu9O-aOAZn-jl0WJE/s615/IMG_0614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKqgTc_s5CmFydfF9uCY0me7dm6S7pI44aWZW7tKYtOW_9K8sNLaBG__zwTp3T8Lu0imR9N-4TwqLrlMv6MsHI8IPWT71aVIzwPkqwJ-g2TgDqvW_f9T9cgUVnAfu9O-aOAZn-jl0WJE/s640/IMG_0614.JPG" width="366" /></a></div><br /><br />She appreciated the fact that dragon tattoos have a whole array of traditional meanings, which contribute to her appreciation of the tattoo.<br /><br />Thanks again to Teegan for sharing this piece with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7418008896056563" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b><br />

Teegan's Dragon Tattoo Wraps Around Her Leg

I met Teegan at the end of July in Penn Station after spotting her cool dragon tattoo that wraps around her leg: She credits this work to Ad...

7:26 AM

The Tattooed Poets Project: Amy Rafferty

<div class="tr_bq">Today's tattooed poet is Amy Rafferty.</div><br />Amy narrates her history of getting tattooed:<br /><blockquote> "I've never been that sure why I got my tattoos and to be honest I'd probably put it down to poor impulse control.</blockquote><blockquote>I got my first when I was seventeen. Me and my friend Suzy were wondering around bored one day and we found ourselves looking in the window at Terry's Tattoo Studio. We could see all the big, hard men in there, grimacing and posing, with their arms covered in thistles and doves and black panthers.</blockquote><blockquote>To us it looked dead exciting and grown up and 'cool'  and so we snuck in for a closer look.<br />An hour later we came out, all red-faced and tearfuI, me with a butterfly on my stomach and Suzy with a flaming heart on her shoulder.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH3xbPzEMFcic8q_Ft75spyQ7kHqyRnQOGH4rc97tBkuYb5YYb8KuhCM2Tz_8dA0pNwzrRNu3lbAIjWYtDJqDdD3Twgmmm3yysbPlFsVeE4x_zgZzlXL3DBp1EYUUnIWQvl4OyZmhZyE/s1600/rafferty+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH3xbPzEMFcic8q_Ft75spyQ7kHqyRnQOGH4rc97tBkuYb5YYb8KuhCM2Tz_8dA0pNwzrRNu3lbAIjWYtDJqDdD3Twgmmm3yysbPlFsVeE4x_zgZzlXL3DBp1EYUUnIWQvl4OyZmhZyE/s320/rafferty+back.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><blockquote>We thought we were pure rock 'n' roll but we were too scared to tell our parents what we'd done.  We both left it at that but then, ten years later, I got a Chinese good luck symbol on my back, ostensibly to bring me good luck but mostly it was to impress a sailor I was keen on.<br /><br />My dragon was next and that was to show I was brave (or getting braver) and the flowers on my leg started off as a single bud from when my friend Polly and I went to get tattoos together and over the years the bud has grown. I think there's some meaning in that.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuENQnLewmjYkyP1lO8JJBdkTk1C-aL-D8Dbq_s4-mPEeYL80k_VKO_St2HYgP1xEuQMLlRWAd1fNjU068Hz3T15J41XikR4TNkoMPe-BTvO91gMw2m8I3WGnUCM8cYsoARR2O4quq03c/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuENQnLewmjYkyP1lO8JJBdkTk1C-aL-D8Dbq_s4-mPEeYL80k_VKO_St2HYgP1xEuQMLlRWAd1fNjU068Hz3T15J41XikR4TNkoMPe-BTvO91gMw2m8I3WGnUCM8cYsoARR2O4quq03c/s320/rafferty+tattoo+1.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>In 2007 my Dad died suddenly and I had this strange instinct to let him know that I was okay, that I was coping, and so I think that's why my flower grew as it did. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtg4c9QFTriuNuhfk4ZTMmCsBDT3IZR7-e841SOlPxSDlwFWxloYGd9vYPS9iVm5uKczFYLLCx8aFXvuhYrT4HljepLV-LI2cOSUioYQiJnqs_uuz_pWdOoewc87prb8dxhtdrJRAIk_o/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+mid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtg4c9QFTriuNuhfk4ZTMmCsBDT3IZR7-e841SOlPxSDlwFWxloYGd9vYPS9iVm5uKczFYLLCx8aFXvuhYrT4HljepLV-LI2cOSUioYQiJnqs_uuz_pWdOoewc87prb8dxhtdrJRAIk_o/s640/rafferty+tattoo+mid.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><blockquote>And if somehow my Dad was aware of all this? Well he'd probably be shaking his head and saying ruefully "daft lassie, what are ye up to now?"</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLcwNJCh4FecY7c4gC36pMC7AFK6N50Y85bedx-jJcrvNVJpaYOQWmdqg__TVy4xDZLff9TpJyKrovW2K_L0Tyeh4SYPg7wPaFFKaQjP4JFX9LqSD_3ucEQBAxFI8fHiyhWfxved8Od8/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLcwNJCh4FecY7c4gC36pMC7AFK6N50Y85bedx-jJcrvNVJpaYOQWmdqg__TVy4xDZLff9TpJyKrovW2K_L0Tyeh4SYPg7wPaFFKaQjP4JFX9LqSD_3ucEQBAxFI8fHiyhWfxved8Od8/s640/rafferty+tattoo+finish.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><blockquote>I love the idea of that. He thought when it came to making big, life-changing decisions that I was an idiot and yes, he was probably right but he also showed a grudging and loving admiration for my impulsive side. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBlApFqjitW09-LXzupZ7boJqN8YcVv7TFwRjqo4BdfWHFfdhawqbip-mR-2lD8iJowPsdjyRKMBsDbKPbXs3USeXA0OPdzRVgHhIMIpN7zqjVZ273Kc6OG-4UiORg5oHCGU59sbP6kg/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+finish+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBlApFqjitW09-LXzupZ7boJqN8YcVv7TFwRjqo4BdfWHFfdhawqbip-mR-2lD8iJowPsdjyRKMBsDbKPbXs3USeXA0OPdzRVgHhIMIpN7zqjVZ273Kc6OG-4UiORg5oHCGU59sbP6kg/s400/rafferty+tattoo+finish+detail.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><blockquote>For now, I think I'm done with tattoos, but you never can tell when I'll take a wee notion for another."</blockquote>It's cool seeing the evolution of this, Amy's floral tattoo, that has grown along with her.<br /><br />She sent us this lovely poem:<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b>.<br /><br />What you remember of them most is<br /><br />that they could not stop talking,<br />and that the road from Inverardran veered left,<br />and took you from the kirk by the Toll<br />of Atholl to the Shoulder’s Choke<br />where you heard them both,<br />heralding their own as the worst.<br /><br />Then by Stob Binnien,<br />shrouded in cloud and the eldest,<br />who sucked black mints,<br />black-tongued, bright-eyed and spry.<br />She picked at stitches and thought aloud<br />if it had been made in ‘Ehberdeen’<br />then it would have been made fitter<br />for its own purposes.<br /><br />And the younger, the witcher,<br />the one you loved,<br />all hook-eyed and pleasure driven,<br />passing the pretty lace between them.<br />She pulled it through but worse<br />this time, tighter, the threads biting.<br />She winked at you, slowly, dropping a lid<br />and said “it just depends who you know”<br /><br />And then Ben More and the great pools,<br />the flooded lights of Saint Fillan,<br />patron saint of the mad and the over-bound<br /><br />and between them, a circle of pretty white lace,<br />holding them both together.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Amy Rafferty is a Glaswegian living in the West Midlands. Her poetry and prose can be found in several anthologies and publications, both on-line and off.<br /><br />In 2009 she received a highly-commended mention for her poetry collection, <u>Pétursdóttir and the Land of Tiny Voices</u> and in 2010, two of her poems were short listed for the <a href="http://www.fishpublishing.com/poetry-contest-competition.php">international Fish poetry prize</a>. Amy is a postgraduate student of Creative Writing at <a href="http://www.gla.ac.uk/">Glasgow University</a> and sings with the cult, Glasgow band, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/therecoveryclub">The Recovery Club</a>. She is also the baby in the graveyard scene of the original <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070917/">Wicker Man</a> movie but she doesn't like to talk about it.  <br /><br />If you should wish, you can hear Amy singing <a href="http://www.myspace.com/therecoveryclub">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Amy for sharing her words and ink with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoos are reprinted with the poet's permission. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"> If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Amy Rafferty

Today's tattooed poet is Amy Rafferty. Amy narrates her history of getting tattooed: "I've never been that sure why I got my t...

2:51 AM

Cecelia's Trio of Bats, or, The Girl with the Dragonlance Tattoo

Back in October, I met Cecelia on the D train in Brooklyn, and she shared these tattoos on her left forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-_ZNGy6zTEYk8BYih9KBj59PeSQeNOMjFvadiYP4ZTiq7XMSjiYbo8SYYInJPIBO0lRz7Uje2kRUHU32LHfwjq7RTRD5QFHGECoeuMP7Ko1O29hDrFy5Wre68dxzm7bDFMFc-4eY5_0/s1600/three+bats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-_ZNGy6zTEYk8BYih9KBj59PeSQeNOMjFvadiYP4ZTiq7XMSjiYbo8SYYInJPIBO0lRz7Uje2kRUHU32LHfwjq7RTRD5QFHGECoeuMP7Ko1O29hDrFy5Wre68dxzm7bDFMFc-4eY5_0/s640/three+bats.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br />Those three bats, named, from top to bottom, Ralph, Roberto, and John, were a birthday present from her friend Dan. Roberto, in the middle, was named after a fruit bat that appears in a couple of books by <a href="http://www.chrismoore.com/">Christopher Moore</a> (namely, <a href="http://www.chrismoore.com/love_nun.html">Island of the Sequined Love Nun</a> and <a href="http://www.chrismoore.com/stupidest_angel2.html">The Stupidest Angel</a>).<br /><br />The bats were inked by Steve Kane, owner and artist at <a href="http://alistindustry.com/">A List Industry Tattoo</a>, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.<br /><br />Cecelia also told me about another tattoo she had, but it was not one she could show me on the train, as it wasn't the day of the <a href="http://www.examiner.com/culture-in-new-york/no-pants-subway-ride-2012-photos">No Pants Subway Ride</a>.<br /><br />Fortunately, she did send us a cell phone photo later with this piece on her left thigh:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0iH9Y_Jsn6DcMeovkhKX49O1xEwncjjY2LT70wOyORsNOkpCkxfUBxPAbN4iLsuYyLQ3lelLP_TWS_SwdpZ6R7_x0sKIF6GRa9ZUyxAinWc6bTuJV1eh6lAvjVZAf8DsVz9BcsKtPoU/s1600/Dragon+Thigh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0iH9Y_Jsn6DcMeovkhKX49O1xEwncjjY2LT70wOyORsNOkpCkxfUBxPAbN4iLsuYyLQ3lelLP_TWS_SwdpZ6R7_x0sKIF6GRa9ZUyxAinWc6bTuJV1eh6lAvjVZAf8DsVz9BcsKtPoU/s400/Dragon+Thigh.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br />She explained:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"This tattoo was inspired by a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonlance">Dragonlance</a> book, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragons_of_Winter_Night">The Dragons of Winter Night</a>. Started in '95 by an artist from Buffalo, it was finished 10 yrs  later by Seven O'Brien @ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tattoo-Mania/159070824106090">Tattoo Mania</a> [Staten Island]. He is now at another shop.  He  came up with the fantastic background and border."</blockquote>Thanks to Cecelia for sharing her trio of bats and her dragon tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0786916095" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Cecelia's Trio of Bats, or, The Girl with the Dragonlance Tattoo

Back in October, I met Cecelia on the D train in Brooklyn, and she shared these tattoos on her left forearm: Those three bats, named, from t...

3:22 AM

Colleen Returns to Share Some Lovely Ink

I 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 <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/07/behold-quadrapus.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Colleen shared two tattoos that grace her upper arms:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNVEjP-6Nb6DW2sFbsIgXj6tYCdy2GVjFedAgDyoSamja4BXL5YreVSvoAcEFIvoY7-jVXl56zJ8CxoUZwJi6t7mKoBJTAMGH1PMcvjdrc9BE2wvMcr_VQmXPDsoYYY6ar9oZMvyb018/s1600/lotus+skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNVEjP-6Nb6DW2sFbsIgXj6tYCdy2GVjFedAgDyoSamja4BXL5YreVSvoAcEFIvoY7-jVXl56zJ8CxoUZwJi6t7mKoBJTAMGH1PMcvjdrc9BE2wvMcr_VQmXPDsoYYY6ar9oZMvyb018/s640/lotus+skull.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Colleen <b>loves</b> this tattoo and I can't say I blame her. As a Buddhist, she appreciates the symbolism of the lotus and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om"><i>om</i></a> on the skull. She explained:<br /><blockquote>"the lotus comes out of the mud at the bottom of the water and blooms out of that and that's ... birth. And the skull [represents] death."</blockquote>The piece encompasses the cycle of life and death. She credits this wonderful work to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Conlon_%28artist%29">Patrick Conlon</a> at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/gracelandbrooklyn?sk=info">Graceland Brooklyn</a>.<br /><br />Colleen also has this work on her right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvgYLGhlbYRj1mm3SZUvDtucd3qZq8guNSYOmZM1zYNoALptnbahCkP-DJ98zfR4CWU6v7oCda2mac09jJNIB1Rl81O56XhWrqv9bqAJj-JlffEhJ1ci18qLA_oAj8lsddNhhYJSO3-Q/s1600/dragon+colleen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvgYLGhlbYRj1mm3SZUvDtucd3qZq8guNSYOmZM1zYNoALptnbahCkP-DJ98zfR4CWU6v7oCda2mac09jJNIB1Rl81O56XhWrqv9bqAJj-JlffEhJ1ci18qLA_oAj8lsddNhhYJSO3-Q/s640/dragon+colleen.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br />Colleen explained that the dragon was there first, and then Patrick added the fire and pansies, to make it a much more beautiful tattoo.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeB8blhIXbu1aaTlQnkg2-9KaFZf13Lf6ZdJ9UvmYV_wbNBJ_XWECfqC9UiY9oqt0skEkPn384bAudk2kf9op_krsbnKusAjAYIr5Y8OVE9LewfQGk7mEDnFCYtvnxiuKUbNvz-FYX30E/s1600/colleen+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeB8blhIXbu1aaTlQnkg2-9KaFZf13Lf6ZdJ9UvmYV_wbNBJ_XWECfqC9UiY9oqt0skEkPn384bAudk2kf9op_krsbnKusAjAYIr5Y8OVE9LewfQGk7mEDnFCYtvnxiuKUbNvz-FYX30E/s640/colleen+detail.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><br />Thanks to Colleen for sharing her tattoos with us (again) on Tattoosday!<br /><br />  <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Colleen Returns to Share Some Lovely Ink

I 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 ap...

3:44 AM

Two from Samanatha, Including a Tattoo for Bubbie

I 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.<br /><br />She was kind enough to share two of her tattoos, both from her right arm. The first piece is this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamsa">hamsa</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u_sqXasSJ_GrkyX2j2nrfWXprS_WASTkQKUCF0ANcknk0vRWwsPnqNpJbRbLpfITE8FemHiTehlwhAYPMdEBRI2weRoJVR6r1l2VNPtmpHFvLAkcxPeb1txZ9qV0QP_7znU_b4ReTns/s1600/hamsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u_sqXasSJ_GrkyX2j2nrfWXprS_WASTkQKUCF0ANcknk0vRWwsPnqNpJbRbLpfITE8FemHiTehlwhAYPMdEBRI2weRoJVR6r1l2VNPtmpHFvLAkcxPeb1txZ9qV0QP_7znU_b4ReTns/s640/hamsa.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br />Samantha explained that she got this tattoo in memory of her grandmother, or "<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bubbie">bubbie</a>," as they're known among many Jewish grandchildren. Samanthha's bubbie passed away a few months ago. I asked her what she thought of her tattoos and she replied, "Well, being a Jewish bubbie, I don't think she was too excited about them, but I always asked her if, as long as she still loved me, then it was okay; and she always said, "<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ach">ach</a>, yeah."<br /><br />This hamsa, a symbol often associated with luck and warding off the "evil eye," was inked by Josh Schlageter at <a href="http://handofdoomtattoo.com/">Hand of Doom Tattoo</a> in Buffalo.<br /><br />Samantha also offered up this dragon tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDyq7RPdgPn-nVwYQ51hUV0Argcm404VgpDtSED-JtTgpzOajvas1dd6JaqoMFCybH0uWs6ccC1O5Swmblw1n_H7frbQXIU6dEBGHn9xtortfvoZDPeHyYezTvNitjCiRA6ECl3THR8Y/s1600/dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDyq7RPdgPn-nVwYQ51hUV0Argcm404VgpDtSED-JtTgpzOajvas1dd6JaqoMFCybH0uWs6ccC1O5Swmblw1n_H7frbQXIU6dEBGHn9xtortfvoZDPeHyYezTvNitjCiRA6ECl3THR8Y/s640/dragon.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br />She got this from <a href="http://smithstreettattoo.com/blog/?cat=9">Steve Boltz</a> at <a href="http://smithstreettattoo.com/">Smith Street Tattoo Parlour</a> in Brooklyn, explaining:<br /><blockquote>"It's called a  spaulding dragon - it's old sailor flash ... I just wanted to go to one of the guys that could do one really, really well. Everybody in the tattoo community up in Buffalo that I know said, 'you gotta go to Steve Boltz', so I traveled down here to got see him."</blockquote>Thanks to Samantha for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />  <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Two from Samanatha, Including a Tattoo for Bubbie

I 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, ...

3:32 AM

Dispatch from the 2011 New York City Tattoo Convention (A Recap)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrywxoPMEeDq9L2z_ju5Zs8gmvOj0cIrtOBIaPCzZt8P3sbRxeM3X0ZAcEo9QQCsHzsXS09BraT2dUZ3EZP21Nq_ZpyHVITe2G2fjk6PxVd8JJ-DUMe1i6Uw7VLMzXGOtQ9UcOB1zTQ0/s1600/convention.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrywxoPMEeDq9L2z_ju5Zs8gmvOj0cIrtOBIaPCzZt8P3sbRxeM3X0ZAcEo9QQCsHzsXS09BraT2dUZ3EZP21Nq_ZpyHVITe2G2fjk6PxVd8JJ-DUMe1i6Uw7VLMzXGOtQ9UcOB1zTQ0/s400/convention.jpg" width="308" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Yesterday I spent a half dozen hours at the <a href="http://www.roselandballroom.com/">Roseland Ballroom</a>, where the  <a href="http://www.nyctattooconvention.com/index.html">New York City Tattoo Convention </a>was holding court. This was my third  trip to the show, and each year, I have a different experience, as  Tattoosday has evolved as a site (read about 2009 <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/05/dispatch-from-new-york-city-tattoo.html">here</a> and 2010 <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/dispatch-from-nyc-tattoo-convention.html">here</a>).<br /><br />In years past, I have only highlighted one or two pieces, as I go into  sensory overload. What, outside of a convention's setting, would  normally pique my interest, seems commonplace and ordinary. This year,  however, I took many more photos, and actually interviewed four people,  so this will be Convention Recap Week.<br /><br />I do want to say the best part of the show was hanging and chatting with  Marisa and Brian from <a href="http://www.needlesandsins.com/">Needles and Sins</a>, as well as with Nathan from  <a href="http://www.knuckletattoos.com/">Knuckle Tattoos</a>. It's not a portrait of future world domination, yet,  but here's the three of us, masterminds of three of the best tattoo  sites around, and hands and above, the best three inkbloggers at the  show:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWfTp3Zz6Gk87Q_U0q8EJyN9jt3j7zH2a3_Rmh0OLEKY2Sb-feTFq3_nsJWr4B9qqOyFDagODGNY4Q0F1GxS4ETrueqYM5tUy2TkAme7Q5dzZwXSOGoGUKo6kLAVI4jHgy6VRT7amm18/s1600/Three+Bloggers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWfTp3Zz6Gk87Q_U0q8EJyN9jt3j7zH2a3_Rmh0OLEKY2Sb-feTFq3_nsJWr4B9qqOyFDagODGNY4Q0F1GxS4ETrueqYM5tUy2TkAme7Q5dzZwXSOGoGUKo6kLAVI4jHgy6VRT7amm18/s400/Three+Bloggers.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan, Marisa and Me (photo by Brian Grosz)</td></tr></tbody></table>That moment of self-adulation aside, I spent the first few hours talking  to vendors about advertising, chatting with colleagues, and saying  hello to people I've met in years past, like <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/05/dispatch-from-nyc-tattoo-convention.html">Greg</a> who was the high  point of last year's show for me.<br /><br />I also like to introduce myself to artists whose work has appeared on  the Site before, so I said hi to <a href="http://rosenthaltattoo.com/">Adam Rosenthal</a> of <a href="http://www.thinktanktattoo.com/">Th'Ink Tank</a> in  Denver, and <a href="http://www.tattoosbyvinny.com/Tattoos_by_Vinny/Welcome.html">Vinny Romanelli</a> at <a href="http://redrockettattoo.com/">Red Rocket</a> in NYC.<br /><br />I also took a slew of photos of people I didn't interview, so I will  just throw them up here. Unfortunately I can't credit any of the amazing  artists responsible. However, if you see your work here, shoot me an  email and I can give you your proper due. Many of these shots were taken  during the first round of the contest, which centered around black and  gray work:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0N0aVbugvSKid05JW0NPb3vLUmcnHn63RIMaXjixW_u95SQbYG2FUAssPkcNE0gl8oWXpDA50CrAWRk4W8kCE1BxJ4dcgOoXxAC5mDbLt1uBELMwcBHsARee7rr-JE_DIjkngphEdVp4/s1600/BG+MArilyn+Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0N0aVbugvSKid05JW0NPb3vLUmcnHn63RIMaXjixW_u95SQbYG2FUAssPkcNE0gl8oWXpDA50CrAWRk4W8kCE1BxJ4dcgOoXxAC5mDbLt1uBELMwcBHsARee7rr-JE_DIjkngphEdVp4/s640/BG+MArilyn+Back.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrdAAYxvo3piDUjRmluGp6l-MPpLCipOPQnER_8oxd80yIkJdsEfcKemnCXmp7Hb_-TmMvkg7Va25D0Y08Q9yK75kwHPY46VBYFpAR1HAE2S6GioK2y2-jpRZ_NybL4DPViimjgXgr7I/s1600/bg+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGrdAAYxvo3piDUjRmluGp6l-MPpLCipOPQnER_8oxd80yIkJdsEfcKemnCXmp7Hb_-TmMvkg7Va25D0Y08Q9yK75kwHPY46VBYFpAR1HAE2S6GioK2y2-jpRZ_NybL4DPViimjgXgr7I/s400/bg+face.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tILTCs_kyvoOadjOMVk-dizSoz8e1-1zUWHkbnZuO4KC9AHDBEO2ELUktoIDb5CT41dnSuv2-hsR3PK0in8yy0CLYJJBx1jyO3LKM3ioYZCskHWWnJeCGdhoHgGDG2VndeaDFJSJ5KM/s1600/BG+Aztec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3tILTCs_kyvoOadjOMVk-dizSoz8e1-1zUWHkbnZuO4KC9AHDBEO2ELUktoIDb5CT41dnSuv2-hsR3PK0in8yy0CLYJJBx1jyO3LKM3ioYZCskHWWnJeCGdhoHgGDG2VndeaDFJSJ5KM/s400/BG+Aztec.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxuLdoSFUMQ_tph-YAuyQcKaDkg_U6DR-8owJ7AgrlC9SO8j-SL0s10LxqmDRhy-6vxfCbDww40ZTAm9xlOS26cjYEhKRwiFwXAMDZgkgUGJUPG5Y1zBa8gvB06f3Qcdzr_IY5hNLbfM/s1600/BG+Cooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxuLdoSFUMQ_tph-YAuyQcKaDkg_U6DR-8owJ7AgrlC9SO8j-SL0s10LxqmDRhy-6vxfCbDww40ZTAm9xlOS26cjYEhKRwiFwXAMDZgkgUGJUPG5Y1zBa8gvB06f3Qcdzr_IY5hNLbfM/s400/BG+Cooper.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfwkNPndko2fonyirym6AiOf4eCa5YgR4_MLJt9N1z-DeLQc6iVOQkDuvkL8hSsHLxklVjiqQGkMz6W6WA-p5a_BbDL3Jnc8P1pfycXqXMqM-qBLYLvOyZ7RKpoZSDpfcqYjM6OF-UU0/s1600/BG+dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfwkNPndko2fonyirym6AiOf4eCa5YgR4_MLJt9N1z-DeLQc6iVOQkDuvkL8hSsHLxklVjiqQGkMz6W6WA-p5a_BbDL3Jnc8P1pfycXqXMqM-qBLYLvOyZ7RKpoZSDpfcqYjM6OF-UU0/s400/BG+dragon.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeICMfUcwOCD3k5o_1uCTMR-kpgixBT3pDK1-VYDrEaLmn-d5ljKjVZDTwgAqkWo7VsKF_stk8P7WpCt2GklqJUAF4JKkuGo9jF4j9TLPzYWHt0DhEVS4nHK0ztrKQqzLyeDDCxJSTiY/s1600/bg+monsters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAeICMfUcwOCD3k5o_1uCTMR-kpgixBT3pDK1-VYDrEaLmn-d5ljKjVZDTwgAqkWo7VsKF_stk8P7WpCt2GklqJUAF4JKkuGo9jF4j9TLPzYWHt0DhEVS4nHK0ztrKQqzLyeDDCxJSTiY/s400/bg+monsters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDrLzdvccZyIOryMgi4t_Is60oJMgIr_a39n8rDB_Ma6Ni_p9FS8vtxDrD8Okc767tumt1IgWRbNUAks8Y8dZ_cSsyKRZ-Yz1_8W9JqNpTNyoeY17utJl2SmlhPjuv4lIOt9lEvzsi8c/s1600/BG+pumpkinhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDrLzdvccZyIOryMgi4t_Is60oJMgIr_a39n8rDB_Ma6Ni_p9FS8vtxDrD8Okc767tumt1IgWRbNUAks8Y8dZ_cSsyKRZ-Yz1_8W9JqNpTNyoeY17utJl2SmlhPjuv4lIOt9lEvzsi8c/s400/BG+pumpkinhead.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeU-qXxNCwX1UsOjD0tk4aKF6AgtJnfReUU6fy3djSYwBy5_VAPo4JCK-Zm8EtiXJKIBwdUAFgXcx5GRZcqgv9xTcTrOBVu64axBclH2h5RsAC1eyguomgtMkTGH_dvUhl_WS6zkrUm0/s1600/BG+skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaeU-qXxNCwX1UsOjD0tk4aKF6AgtJnfReUU6fy3djSYwBy5_VAPo4JCK-Zm8EtiXJKIBwdUAFgXcx5GRZcqgv9xTcTrOBVu64axBclH2h5RsAC1eyguomgtMkTGH_dvUhl_WS6zkrUm0/s400/BG+skull.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This one was one of my favorites, especially considering the woman's reflection in the blade of the knife:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglJGNORvzCnxIIigiH2cWuN06EIo4pvceIFgOr7Ovausb0NcP4BbLhCYSnNvQXDzHKgq5yF3ml8yZrNJn3bqYLoD8ykWRBV6bxbgbE4zS3lEXxQ2weuZ-W0g1sZrqjufiToua75NYUlc/s1600/BG+Myers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglJGNORvzCnxIIigiH2cWuN06EIo4pvceIFgOr7Ovausb0NcP4BbLhCYSnNvQXDzHKgq5yF3ml8yZrNJn3bqYLoD8ykWRBV6bxbgbE4zS3lEXxQ2weuZ-W0g1sZrqjufiToua75NYUlc/s640/BG+Myers.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />And this Star Wars leg was totally cool:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpM6uhdqGLrUaP_wkyfGptKRgDAQ9_FFk3kby53dvAG3n4PPYnZ46lkmpH66M8ojd_b6PRYuZdZJd2sfmxZAE128I3VrSkYxdPftg_LoaEm2n9Uds9QSWG2alrBYTyejjvehODbYbqGlA/s1600/BG+Star+Wars+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpM6uhdqGLrUaP_wkyfGptKRgDAQ9_FFk3kby53dvAG3n4PPYnZ46lkmpH66M8ojd_b6PRYuZdZJd2sfmxZAE128I3VrSkYxdPftg_LoaEm2n9Uds9QSWG2alrBYTyejjvehODbYbqGlA/s640/BG+Star+Wars+2.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3NCatbdQ0s5z558bv9ccHPIIF8SRGdqtYYdIjkf-NR3ExzVBTPLRoKJqavEsaNk74AiB-pHekoOFBsG6BDWWn5e_cPRYGBNZs4TOm0Cfjlo-hmeaeU4pPzgjhI0-Cyi_4oRQrw5G7Zo/s1600/BG+Star+Wars+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3NCatbdQ0s5z558bv9ccHPIIF8SRGdqtYYdIjkf-NR3ExzVBTPLRoKJqavEsaNk74AiB-pHekoOFBsG6BDWWn5e_cPRYGBNZs4TOm0Cfjlo-hmeaeU4pPzgjhI0-Cyi_4oRQrw5G7Zo/s640/BG+Star+Wars+3.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzBF9TAlU_IXGu3qWYxI4zBtf5Oa7I1XcMRCDTWcWWxS2v3dY504oRTzqtSzfTe2DeakkP7beWaURZCIlBhFlC9dQ8Y0OyiAGTFk2ALIyZdtNolrS0Ct5qKdgsul-Jb2A9xjbqWW-viY/s1600/BG+Star+Wars+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzBF9TAlU_IXGu3qWYxI4zBtf5Oa7I1XcMRCDTWcWWxS2v3dY504oRTzqtSzfTe2DeakkP7beWaURZCIlBhFlC9dQ8Y0OyiAGTFk2ALIyZdtNolrS0Ct5qKdgsul-Jb2A9xjbqWW-viY/s640/BG+Star+Wars+1.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br />Finally, through social media, my friend Ben in Hawai'i requested a shot  of "80s West Coast punk rock logos." I thought I had failed in my  quest until, as I was leaving, I captured this tiny <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Flag_%28band%29">Black Flag</a> tattoo on a guy named Crash, who works for <a href="http://www.tattooartistmagazine.com/">Tattoo Artist Magazine</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ov1-UvHGnMerCuhH4E7zPQPyE8JFZlyLG12u_TiNxNHsILOo2rDzpqm0Zm1cSOdoR0L15cyO7K9MUPELFfpS-cELav9Gv8x3t5Drmsvb4D6u0nAerRDSP4XoO7Cx_nOFs_nm4NDs4Kk/s1600/Mini+Black+Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ov1-UvHGnMerCuhH4E7zPQPyE8JFZlyLG12u_TiNxNHsILOo2rDzpqm0Zm1cSOdoR0L15cyO7K9MUPELFfpS-cELav9Gv8x3t5Drmsvb4D6u0nAerRDSP4XoO7Cx_nOFs_nm4NDs4Kk/s400/Mini+Black+Flag.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Flag_%28band%29">Black Flag</a> Bars Tattoo by <a href="http://www.elmstreettattoo.com/shop.html">Oliver Peck</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />and this incredible <a href="http://www.misfits.com/">Misfits</a> piece to boot:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyd4P9gjEHhhww9qC3gf5f5Tm0s2RKoHSOPnTAWyPpOzV9nNfe68sr-jeNRHkA3KWSdT3DTBKvVPS5s7JsMq9p-OzAQWwFDdO-vUYXRIEk1hrrFXBx0zrLKcQEbhD4MowDQYKjE3JMroI/s1600/Misfits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyd4P9gjEHhhww9qC3gf5f5Tm0s2RKoHSOPnTAWyPpOzV9nNfe68sr-jeNRHkA3KWSdT3DTBKvVPS5s7JsMq9p-OzAQWwFDdO-vUYXRIEk1hrrFXBx0zrLKcQEbhD4MowDQYKjE3JMroI/s400/Misfits.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tattoo by Frank Lee at <a href="http://www.tattooblues.com/tattoos.php">Tattoo Blues</a> in Ft. Lauderdale</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Yes, we know, Misfits are an East Coast band. But it was too nice a tattoo to not photograph. Can you blame me?<br /><br />Check out the Tattoo Artist Magazine blog <a href="http://www.tattooartistmagazineblog.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />Check back throughout the week to see what four tattoos I found most blogworthy for us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Dispatch from the 2011 New York City Tattoo Convention (A Recap)

Yesterday I spent a half dozen hours at the Roseland Ballroom , where the New York City Tattoo Convention was holding court. This was my ...

9:47 AM

A Quartet of Tattoos from Greg

I met Greg outside of Madison Square Garden last fall, and he happily shared several of his tattoos, inspired by magic and mythology. On his upper left arm is this wizard:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOGDgFl4-09xqV0lmAZ1fkUtJ8aArDLpzFiTStDDUvNuyZ1S6eKSGIzUw4C35VrgdjkbVLR4lR15dyBQFNQlOPHwAJhqXVGvjL5E3ASPfSnpEMZyN8W_n74qi9-nFLxbNjXAw-lzkrUA/s1600/Greg+Wizard_picnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOGDgFl4-09xqV0lmAZ1fkUtJ8aArDLpzFiTStDDUvNuyZ1S6eKSGIzUw4C35VrgdjkbVLR4lR15dyBQFNQlOPHwAJhqXVGvjL5E3ASPfSnpEMZyN8W_n74qi9-nFLxbNjXAw-lzkrUA/s640/Greg+Wizard_picnik.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br />On his upper right arm, he shared this dragon:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3_ldlAoGrjOpIktznbOU805C2DyPZwrozlC-sg6KIXB6SHRMt3vt9pPKpV9d4uq2fWg4NhTZM1kpxqT5-3bEA8ect6Z-j_yz33eLfA6pND_yjvu_UIKrgZNmeHCaZaERJvc_VCqyxNU/s1600/Greg+Dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3_ldlAoGrjOpIktznbOU805C2DyPZwrozlC-sg6KIXB6SHRMt3vt9pPKpV9d4uq2fWg4NhTZM1kpxqT5-3bEA8ect6Z-j_yz33eLfA6pND_yjvu_UIKrgZNmeHCaZaERJvc_VCqyxNU/s640/Greg+Dragon.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br />Below that, on his forearm, is this fiery skull:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamnCg7_c-Eki3MAoyW270qQUUJvPr9n77shfbZkBagh8uOtJPWL454C-82XOIfTb-ity4QRcniQiCuULYL1WTHrCpLJQVVzkaNWtJeTrN96GXEOnw5_B7Xq7Lry2MYauUXYJU1BuJLXs/s1600/Greg+Skull+Fire_picnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamnCg7_c-Eki3MAoyW270qQUUJvPr9n77shfbZkBagh8uOtJPWL454C-82XOIfTb-ity4QRcniQiCuULYL1WTHrCpLJQVVzkaNWtJeTrN96GXEOnw5_B7Xq7Lry2MYauUXYJU1BuJLXs/s640/Greg+Skull+Fire_picnik.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br />And, in a tribute to his Irish heritage, is this coat of arms, with the Irish colors:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMKUTHqFKA8UY_EhoEQcoe8AwWFCMyUohIBZNW4g6eIcPUdrmme33QGFmTqIrlK_9KzHVDf8vGaw0QrnWF58yVEyj2OFEoaX-5Es6_wMcSWkoHUSA5DX5OIX3OqKKF_JUARFmQ65irbk/s1600/Greg+Irish+Coat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMKUTHqFKA8UY_EhoEQcoe8AwWFCMyUohIBZNW4g6eIcPUdrmme33QGFmTqIrlK_9KzHVDf8vGaw0QrnWF58yVEyj2OFEoaX-5Es6_wMcSWkoHUSA5DX5OIX3OqKKF_JUARFmQ65irbk/s400/Greg+Irish+Coat.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />Greg credited Eddie and Ray, at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/luckyheartstattoo">Lucky Hearts Tattoo</a> in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the artists responsible for his work.<br /><br />Thanks to Greg for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

A Quartet of Tattoos from Greg

I met Greg outside of Madison Square Garden last fall, and he happily shared several of his tattoos, inspired by magic and mythology. On his...

3:06 AM

Two-for-Tattoosday, Brazilian-Style

Sometimes, due to a) a language barrier and b) the passage of time,  we're not always able to give you the most in-depth story about our  subjects' tattoos.<br /><br />Such is the case with Celso and Reginaldo, who I met back in September outside of <a href="http://www.thegarden.com/">Madison Square Garden</a>.<br /><br />Both gentlemen were visiting from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Paulo">São Paolo</a>, Brazil and one of Celso's tattoos caught my eye:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEVTOOCp-zjNDuvH2WpHRiDXpTOTyHFUWOAbWSoQCDMlHqQhEl88GnvlWPVs50Mzo1fzCR0MGPZfYefeo7J1B0lxwNJZcagO9r85ckwTQTV8Aaz4SR33ihVa3ZMk-lnC2Dp5_C261lnA/s1600/Dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEVTOOCp-zjNDuvH2WpHRiDXpTOTyHFUWOAbWSoQCDMlHqQhEl88GnvlWPVs50Mzo1fzCR0MGPZfYefeo7J1B0lxwNJZcagO9r85ckwTQTV8Aaz4SR33ihVa3ZMk-lnC2Dp5_C261lnA/s640/Dragon.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />That was on his right arm. He also had this one on his left arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVGKo_2eHTTVkfZcET5o-hxH-PjFaFhiPwcDPeHctOw8OmjL1i95IBacUu0PrVaegxHP2w_5y_9GDzThepHecYYP5fPjmox7JrjGsYs_cPZDhvJLhLRFsCJuwG4syfQ8yzWvCPcO3Ags/s1600/Mermaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVGKo_2eHTTVkfZcET5o-hxH-PjFaFhiPwcDPeHctOw8OmjL1i95IBacUu0PrVaegxHP2w_5y_9GDzThepHecYYP5fPjmox7JrjGsYs_cPZDhvJLhLRFsCJuwG4syfQ8yzWvCPcO3Ags/s640/Mermaid.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br />Celso's friend Reginaldo pulled his shirt off so I could get the full view of his koi tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh028XG2aevJvmkrZZUkfIS-QCi2fdwMq9XokaEwEb0pjkoUaQfnLZyGbzqc36WHlyBwmsI4VxZ5Y235RjflaQTEjK6VnDkMF-po8rBN96DG-lM9Eu7rbLCIviwFqhvvxfRFYM6eRLkqBA/s1600/koi+BRazil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh028XG2aevJvmkrZZUkfIS-QCi2fdwMq9XokaEwEb0pjkoUaQfnLZyGbzqc36WHlyBwmsI4VxZ5Y235RjflaQTEjK6VnDkMF-po8rBN96DG-lM9Eu7rbLCIviwFqhvvxfRFYM6eRLkqBA/s640/koi+BRazil.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br />Celso credited Artur at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/TRUE-LOVE-TATTOO/107617653333">True Love Tattoo</a> in São Paolo for inking his dragon and his mermaid.<br /><br />Artur also was the artists who did Reginaldo's koi.<br /><br />Thanks to Celso and Reginaldo for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Two-for-Tattoosday, Brazilian-Style

Sometimes, due to a) a language barrier and b) the passage of time, we're not always able to give you the most in-depth story about our...

8:55 PM

Anthony's Dragon (and more!)

I spotted Anthony on the N train in Brooklyn and was happy to see him also switching for the local R train at 59th Street.<br /><br />As luck would have it, both of us were headed home to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Ridge,_Brooklyn">Bay Ridge</a>.<br /><br />Anthony has a bunch of tattoos, and I snapped this photo of the dragon on his upper right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qoz8awnJ0Y03-xj3GcspY5MRYs3llOSlEbjIw5DrtUEvFMUxYu2QzvShmmofpHZ4Jfq6h2u-GTROL3qMYnyIZ12GZ2GfuPZ9j_UgnSt3FN3LueSs_k-wTMEYrPNuA1MBLzlBzgBg/s1600/Anthony+dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qoz8awnJ0Y03-xj3GcspY5MRYs3llOSlEbjIw5DrtUEvFMUxYu2QzvShmmofpHZ4Jfq6h2u-GTROL3qMYnyIZ12GZ2GfuPZ9j_UgnSt3FN3LueSs_k-wTMEYrPNuA1MBLzlBzgBg/s640/Anthony+dragon.jpg" width="362" /></a></div><br />It was inked by Joe at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/brooklyninktattoo">Brooklyn Ink</a>.<br /><br />He estimated that the work so far has been completed in about three two-hour sessions.<br /><br />Work from Joe and other artists at Brooklyn Ink has previously appeared quite frequently on Tattoosday (all posts tagged as such <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Brooklyn%20Ink">here</a>).<br /><br />Anthony later emailed me photos of these shots as well:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmfyRSagy_vASYb_-7GlDrn8eKi83ljmjGgnEfjcJnMpu5cuv02JAVYwgnR_VDI42j2RLAD5kFP0eBExq47KNgLDvvdSxEE-ekNZ4BNU-Aafu0KzVhIVSKaGnJNAEzRUO3xax5KAl/s1600/anthony+forgive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmfyRSagy_vASYb_-7GlDrn8eKi83ljmjGgnEfjcJnMpu5cuv02JAVYwgnR_VDI42j2RLAD5kFP0eBExq47KNgLDvvdSxEE-ekNZ4BNU-Aafu0KzVhIVSKaGnJNAEzRUO3xax5KAl/s400/anthony+forgive.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwndqBga2ljAZCyHTV96dSZT7TlELSiC2NnmSFyYejQ3YIpJYRns6BCQ6zL5xhEH1aYtmGNotVnEOh882S_2W_MHh7-ewHWkqD_7USWhdKhUrcYBTfF8a-jQqKPaKukPU08fED70BS/s1600/anthony+tribal+sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwndqBga2ljAZCyHTV96dSZT7TlELSiC2NnmSFyYejQ3YIpJYRns6BCQ6zL5xhEH1aYtmGNotVnEOh882S_2W_MHh7-ewHWkqD_7USWhdKhUrcYBTfF8a-jQqKPaKukPU08fED70BS/s320/anthony+tribal+sun.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />The praying hands holding the rosary, I recall him telling me, were tattooed at Distinction Ink in Brooklyn. The tattoo reads "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned".<br /><br />He did not tell me where he had this tribal sun done, but it's definitely an attention-grabbing piece and certainly worth a mention.<br /><br />Thanks to Anthony for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Anthony's Dragon (and more!)

I spotted Anthony on the N train in Brooklyn and was happy to see him also switching for the local R train at 59th Street. As luck would hav...

3:22 AM

Tammy's Earth Fairy

Tammy says that, within an hour of meeting her, Steve Gagliano of <a href="http://www.tormentedsoulstattoo.com/main.html">Tormented Souls</a> in Kings Park, New York, knew exactly what to do with the tattoo she wanted covered up. He began freehanding a design over the existing tattoo, and the end result made her very happy:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgxOdsWd2wqgyHFt0PbhZq2NhIafwNCmfloN_bsl1F2qKHBl6gHEebteExfSvBegVSiQLxm0LFCgIBHVubjXxA9SBQVZ4cI2Sxrofj6W2CHRM5twNisRRnna9XUyfAPtYJkQEBzxK/s1600/Earth+Fairy+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgxOdsWd2wqgyHFt0PbhZq2NhIafwNCmfloN_bsl1F2qKHBl6gHEebteExfSvBegVSiQLxm0LFCgIBHVubjXxA9SBQVZ4cI2Sxrofj6W2CHRM5twNisRRnna9XUyfAPtYJkQEBzxK/s400/Earth+Fairy+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The artist utilized the tribal butterfly that already existed and expanded it into an earth fairy, with a dragon protector.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyVk_JOHntv1E4_9JGEFrzL8a4sdxdHrv_2WWMXkCSuEXhELl7GRJTbCOZl_r0bTs0UxpR0s8xX69bwyVuBWWgMEkLLCEM5EdDllojKC2I01cSUY7_kgELFNTqBAgS1sY5qA6s7Mf/s1600/Earth+Fairy+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyVk_JOHntv1E4_9JGEFrzL8a4sdxdHrv_2WWMXkCSuEXhELl7GRJTbCOZl_r0bTs0UxpR0s8xX69bwyVuBWWgMEkLLCEM5EdDllojKC2I01cSUY7_kgELFNTqBAgS1sY5qA6s7Mf/s640/Earth+Fairy+C.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><br />Thanks to Tammy for sharing this, one of her seven tattoos, here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />Be sure to click on the <a href="http://www.tormentedsoulstattoo.com/main.html">Tormented Souls link</a> to explore their site. It's one of the more creative tattoo shop websites.

Tammy's Earth Fairy

Tammy says that, within an hour of meeting her, Steve Gagliano of Tormented Souls in Kings Park, New York, knew exactly what to do with the...

3:10 AM

The Tattooed Poets Project: Brendan Constantine

One of the more satisfying aspects of this year's Tattooed Poets Project has been completing posts for poets who first contacted me in 2009 during our inaugural year of the endeavor.<br /><br />In <a href="http://www.brendanconstantine.com/html/home.html">Brendan Constantine's</a> first e-mail to me, back in February 2009, he mentioned being "extensively tattooed," a fact that, over the last thirteen months, escaped me. Brendan and I have stayed in touch, and he was finally able to send me a photo last night of one of his tattoos. I was surprised to see this amazing back piece:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqGOsJ1GIRwNs0I3azQ0rNOlT-Q61SmBKptpNqPV9DNsbEsQvP_gxTnLbzeONh3wIkskK3iMgmHjTQOiZU3Z28sEP4G4eUQD8GoM-N5sEfnDdj9kiEeBfFkkYQt_qA_dQvu9f3cIL/s1600/Brendan+Constantine+tattoo+over+shoulder+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461780065489192738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqGOsJ1GIRwNs0I3azQ0rNOlT-Q61SmBKptpNqPV9DNsbEsQvP_gxTnLbzeONh3wIkskK3iMgmHjTQOiZU3Z28sEP4G4eUQD8GoM-N5sEfnDdj9kiEeBfFkkYQt_qA_dQvu9f3cIL/s400/Brendan+Constantine+tattoo+over+shoulder+2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 364px;" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Photos by Shawn Burkley<br /></span></div>Brendan explains how this work came into existence:<br /><blockquote><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">"</span><span goog_docs_charindex="403"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="404"  style="font-size:100%;">In 1994 I went to an retrospective of legendary Japanese artist, </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanabe_Ky%C5%8Dsai"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Kawanabe Kyōsai</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanabe_Ky%C5%8Dsai" style="font-family: times new roman;"><span></span></a><span goog_docs_charindex="403"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="404"  style="font-size:100%;">, at the <a href="http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/">National Gallery</a> in London. Known as the ‘Demon of  </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="550"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="551"  style="font-size:100%;">Painting</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="562"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="563"  style="font-size:100%;">,’ </span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Kyōsai </span><span goog_docs_charindex="562"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="563"  style="font-size:100%;">was among the very first artists in his  </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="616"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="617"  style="font-size:100%;">country</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="627"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="628"  style="font-size:100%;"> to bring western techniques to bear upon traditional  themes, a move which earned him much criticism. I was transfixed by his work and  came home with a huge book of his prints. Artist, Kirby White, then with <a href="http://www.yonitattoo.com/">Yoni  Tattoo</a> in the San Fernando </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="871"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="872"  style="font-size:100%;">Valley</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="881"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="882"  style="font-size:100%;">, shared my  enthusiasm for this unique painter and said, “I would kill to work in this  style!”<br /><br /></span></span> <p  style="margin: 0pt;font-family:times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="981"><span goog_docs_charindex="982"><span goog_docs_charindex="983"  style="font-size:100%;">Unfortunately,</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1000"><span goog_docs_charindex="1001"  style="font-size:100%;"> halfway through the process, </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1034"><span goog_docs_charindex="1035"  style="font-size:100%;">Kirby </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1044"><span goog_docs_charindex="1045"  style="font-size:100%;">began to  experience chronic back pain which ultimately kept her from finishing the piece.  Nevertheless, I asked that she sign it, somethi</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1185"><span goog_docs_charindex="1186"  style="font-size:100%;">ng few if any people allow</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1215"><span goog_docs_charindex="1216"  style="font-size:100%;"> artist’s to do. </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1236"><span goog_docs_charindex="1237"  style="font-size:100%;">I know the work is supposed to be its own signature,  but I wanted the piece to bear Kirby’s mark the same as if it had been rendered  on rice paper.<br /></span></span></p><p  style="margin: 0pt;font-family:times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="981"><span goog_docs_charindex="1236"><span goog_docs_charindex="1237"  style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0pt; font-family: times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="1389"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXnB1Vggebhk24kGBP3WKrfwCkUyM_bE9e3RUPm5rcSVHKOXzIchg5CMU0qAjKZ7OEIqq88Si4eaYxB7MqpH1NFIDcZANTiFrFjPWRnys3dy6G4iBKTQI4SZElhKyajmsXzXStN7z/s1600/Brendan+detail.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461779987356780178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXnB1Vggebhk24kGBP3WKrfwCkUyM_bE9e3RUPm5rcSVHKOXzIchg5CMU0qAjKZ7OEIqq88Si4eaYxB7MqpH1NFIDcZANTiFrFjPWRnys3dy6G4iBKTQI4SZElhKyajmsXzXStN7z/s400/Brendan+detail.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" /></a></p> <p  style="margin: 0pt; text-align: right;font-family:times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="1392"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photos by Shawn Burkley</span></p><p  style="margin: 0pt; text-align: right;font-family:times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="1392"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></p><p  style="margin: 0pt;font-family:times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="1392"><span goog_docs_charindex="1393"><span goog_docs_charindex="1394"  style="font-size:100%;">About two  years later I met artist <a href="http://www.myspace.com/keynsong">Sung Song</a> at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/puretattoo">Pure Tattoo</a> in Los Angeles (he has since  moved on</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1494"><span goog_docs_charindex="1495"  style="font-size:100%;">, now at <a href="http://www.unbreakabletattoo.com/">Unbreakable Tattoo</a> in Studio City</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1556"><span goog_docs_charindex="1557"  style="font-size:100%;">) and discovered he was also devoted to the work of</span></span> Kyōsai  <span goog_docs_charindex="1556"><span goog_docs_charindex="1557"  style="font-size:100%;">. I showed him where Kirby left off and he enthusiastically finished the  job, adding his own improvisations while respecting Kirby’s work. The piece now  bears both their idiographic signatures as part of the  design.</span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="1833"><span goog_docs_charindex="1834"  style="font-size:100%;"> I’m a happy  gallery!"</span></span></p></blockquote><p  style="margin: 0pt;font-family:times new roman;" goog_docs_charindex="1392"><span goog_docs_charindex="1833"><span goog_docs_charindex="1834"  style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></p><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ykH60_jCqF7NynZAErX-WxqguYfYrSkBLif_NSi-Yo1lu9-QRlY7B11paC_D-304qyVRwxEhaKHqrTOR4MZ8pspLZx4eX2Cf5yOJqRkHZrXpXTgsckmWdHHrPSOCvbO5RKFmnFtY/s1600/Brendan+Cosnatine+tattoo+composite.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461779784504576146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ykH60_jCqF7NynZAErX-WxqguYfYrSkBLif_NSi-Yo1lu9-QRlY7B11paC_D-304qyVRwxEhaKHqrTOR4MZ8pspLZx4eX2Cf5yOJqRkHZrXpXTgsckmWdHHrPSOCvbO5RKFmnFtY/s400/Brendan+Cosnatine+tattoo+composite.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 331px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Photos by Shawn Burkley</span><br /></div>Thanks to Brendan for sharing this amazing work!<br /><br />Please be sure to head over to BillyBlog to read one of his poems <a href="http://oxypoet.blogspot.com/2010/04/tattooed-poets-project-brendan.html">here</a>.<br /><br /><span goog_docs_charindex="2"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="3"  style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.brendanconstantine.com/html/home.html">Brendan Constantine</a> is a poet based in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in  numerous journals, notably </span></span><span goog_docs_charindex="117"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i goog_docs_charindex="118"><span goog_docs_charindex="119"  style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.pshares.org/">Ploughshares</a>, <a href="http://www.ninthletter.com/">Ninth Letter</a>,<a href="http://www.cortlandreview.com/">The Cortland  Review</a></span></i></span><span goog_docs_charindex="169"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="170"  style="font-size:100%;">  & <a href="http://www.arctospress.com/runes.html"> </a></span></span><a href="http://www.arctospress.com/runes.html"><span goog_docs_charindex="177"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i goog_docs_charindex="178"><span goog_docs_charindex="179"  style="font-size:100%;">RUNES</span></i></span></a><span goog_docs_charindex="188"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="189"  style="font-size:100%;">.  His book,  </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Guns-Brendan-Constantine/dp/1597091383"><span goog_docs_charindex="205"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i goog_docs_charindex="206"><u goog_docs_charindex="207"><span goog_docs_charindex="208"  style="font-size:100%;">Letters To Guns</span></u></i></span></a><span goog_docs_charindex="228"  style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span goog_docs_charindex="229"  style="font-size:100%;">, was released in 2009 from <a href="http://www.redhen.org/">Red Hen Press</a>. He is  currently poet in residence at <a href="https://www.windwardschool.org/podium/default.aspx?t=2406&rc=1">The Windward School</a> and <a href="http://www.lmu.edu/Page3539.aspx">Loyola Marymount  University Extension</a>.</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=bill03-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=1597091383" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /></div>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Brendan Constantine

One of the more satisfying aspects of this year's Tattooed Poets Project has been completing posts for poets who first contacted me in 2...

2:27 AM

Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog)

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