Marina's Hibiscus, Freshly Bloomed

A couple weeks back I ran into Marina on the corner of 30th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. She had just received this tattoo only two days before:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC2JqlygenyAo1bHAjWG8gffTwqRH44T7Z_VuzgPIpluEUhAmnh4iSo-pZBJtiesWPD65GKOOBI1z_E51GiuOXbzexTurj1zcDrAoNrTl0tCw_vKkJkGyBp1trg4escIE0k2YwC4iGVQ/s615/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC2JqlygenyAo1bHAjWG8gffTwqRH44T7Z_VuzgPIpluEUhAmnh4iSo-pZBJtiesWPD65GKOOBI1z_E51GiuOXbzexTurj1zcDrAoNrTl0tCw_vKkJkGyBp1trg4escIE0k2YwC4iGVQ/s640/photo.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><br />These stunning hibiscus flowers were tattooed by <a href="http://www.gustavorizerio.com/">Gustavo Rizerio</a> at <a href="http://invisiblenyc.com/">Invisible NYC</a>. Work from Gustavo has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/10/veronica-reveals-whats-under-her-sleeve.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Marina for sharing her lovely floral tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.0048649669624865055" 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 ©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 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: 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 /><br />

Marina's Hibiscus, Freshly Bloomed

A couple weeks back I ran into Marina on the corner of 30th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. She had just received this tattoo only t...

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Tattoosday Goes Tribal on Ink Master

<span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What’s the hardest thing about being an ink-blogger and getting a tattoo on a televised competition show? Keeping my mouth shut for almost six months about the experience. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2R2c-vx0SewZPGiikWuUNlQNUVFcvDLt9C4n72gR1OqvJN8Xofcoe6QSgcT8SifoOCEosTO2jTwDFAiCxdq4t7AI4t5IvjSBOKt_DmVvKZA0Wx8zMxZ11rImFzymuq281YAu4_dj7nc/s1600/Honu+Tribal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2R2c-vx0SewZPGiikWuUNlQNUVFcvDLt9C4n72gR1OqvJN8Xofcoe6QSgcT8SifoOCEosTO2jTwDFAiCxdq4t7AI4t5IvjSBOKt_DmVvKZA0Wx8zMxZ11rImFzymuq281YAu4_dj7nc/s400/Honu+Tribal.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the tattoo that  I received back in August in the course of my stint as a "human canvas" on  the set of Spike TV's <a href="http://www.spike.com/shows/ink-master">Ink Master</a>.</span><br /><br /><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What you didn't see on the show (if you watched last night) was the consulting session in which I sat down with the artist and hashed out the ideas and concepts that I wanted represented in this tribal piece that ultimately ended up on my left thigh.</span><br /><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The two main elements are the <a href="http://coffeetimes.com/aug97.htm">honu</a>, or Hawaiian sea turtle, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus">hibiscus</a>, which is the state flower of Hawai'i. Having grown up in the Aloha State, I wanted something that represented my childhood home.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-7z4t5dKp22UPUE227mhIa7cmvq8HqLzzDTREJ6hCSOd6mvyUJqg-LnpEknJ_Dy026UzDOAXbR2KXgGhqEXQeKTB7Qefzl5_29Q3tW5W1sW7bPd7t6CxH7sAoGO-te70Qy5gKdYDxfg/s1600/HeatherSin-blog-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-7z4t5dKp22UPUE227mhIa7cmvq8HqLzzDTREJ6hCSOd6mvyUJqg-LnpEknJ_Dy026UzDOAXbR2KXgGhqEXQeKTB7Qefzl5_29Q3tW5W1sW7bPd7t6CxH7sAoGO-te70Qy5gKdYDxfg/s400/HeatherSin-blog-thumb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The end result far exceeded my expectations. I want to again thank <a href="http://www.theartofheathersinn.com/">Heather Sinn</a>, my artist, for giving me an exceptional tattoo under less than ideal conditions. </span><br /><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7983786932645566" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I also want to share a little bit more about how I lucked into being tattooed by such a wonderfully talented artist.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The episode that aired last night was dubbed “Botched Head Tattoo” by the network. Fortunately, mine was not the botched head tattoo, although I have stayed in touch with the human canvas who chose to have his scalp inked and can say, with 100% confidence, the only thing botched about it was that it wasn’t completed in the five-hour time limit. The artist, <a href="http://www.bilivegas.com/bilivegas/Home.Blog/Home.Blog.html">Bili V</a></span><a href="http://www.bilivegas.com/bilivegas/Home.Blog/Home.Blog.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">ë</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bilivegas.com/bilivegas/Home.Blog/Home.Blog.html">gas</a>, ultimately finished the piece at his shop in New York, and Ryan, who shared one of his other tattoos with us <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/08/ryans-tattoo-commemorates-life-of-dolly.html">here</a> on Tattoosday back in August, is very happy with the end result.</span><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/AVvXsEi7lJSksrof7fViBh7bNtU-AVks2F6Ky1ivQdrTMOV7oFQiwi6CO2HimkOl67ywbv3Fu8PV6SqJa1Tc5qvsGDbN4GlBRz6_rYu17QF1L-ovN5q0VReXAVeNIuz5rmRrTHWASr5VS0mts_Q/s1600/ryan+head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lJSksrof7fViBh7bNtU-AVks2F6Ky1ivQdrTMOV7oFQiwi6CO2HimkOl67ywbv3Fu8PV6SqJa1Tc5qvsGDbN4GlBRz6_rYu17QF1L-ovN5q0VReXAVeNIuz5rmRrTHWASr5VS0mts_Q/s400/ryan+head.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of <br /><div class="MsoNormal">Bili Vëgas @ <a href="http://www.bilivegas.com/">www.bilivegas.com</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Back in July, I wrote <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/07/chance-to-cover-up-reality-style.html">here</a> about Ink Master’s call for candidates looking for a cover-up.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Shortly after posting the piece, I sent in my own idea for a tattoo for the show, thinking it was a long shot.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Within the hour, I got a response asking if I could come in and discuss the idea in person. Fortunately, I was off that day, and I went into Manhattan and met with production staff, discussing what I wanted in terms of a memorial piece for my step-father, who passed away in April 2010. This discussion also included a mention of my almost having been tattooed with a Hawaiian tribal memorial band.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Things moved quickly from there and after a series of phone calls, my original idea was scrapped and I was confirmed to be a human canvas on an episode dedicated to tribal tattoos. I am not generally a fan of tribal ink, but I thought that if I could get something with a Hawaiian influence, I would be cool with that. Having grown up in Honolulu, and with family still in the islands, it made sense to get something along those lines. I was concerned, however, whether whoever was tattooing me would approach the challenge with an understanding and respect for the culture of Hawai’i.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the designated day, I met at the rendez-vous point with three other human canvases near Times Square to be transported to the set by shuttle. The studio was set up at an old church building in Newark. We were shown to a holding room with five other canvases and, as is typical in television production, we waited.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We didn’t know who the judges were until moments before being led to the set, which was quite impressive, as is evident on the show. I was initially happy to pick the skull with artist Heather Sinn’s name on it and, after our consult, during which I threw idea after idea at her about what would be ideal in the tattoo, I was excited to see what she would come up with overnight.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the shuttle from Manhattan to the set the next day, we all chatted about our artists and talked about how we thought it would go. Ryan, who was about to have his head inked, was chowing down on a big bowl of red jell-o, a trick some tattoo artists recommend to minimize bleeding (the gelatin aids with blood coagulation). We were also still abuzz about the one canvas who was dismissed because of his psoriasis. The guy had been a veritable comedian in the holding room, and his absence was surprising.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After getting miked up and led to the set, we met with the artists in their work rooms and saw our designs for the first time. I was blown away by what Heather came up with, especially having looked at her online portfolio the night before, and noticed that she wasn’t an artist that did a lot of tribal work.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There was one glaring concern that I did have, however. Heather was not a happy camper. This was episode 2, so they had just started production, and one show was already in the tank. Mind you, they don’t wait a week between episodes, they are often shot in succession, and the hours are long and grueling, even to artists who spend hours on delicately maneuvering a vibrating machine doing meticulous work on a canvas that moves.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heather did not hide this sentiment from me, the client, and I was concerned, especially since the challenge was rigorously timed, and had dropped from 6 hours to 5 hours after the initial cover-up challenge of episode 1.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She assured me that she was going to do her best under the not-so-ideal circumstances. I would direct readers to <a href="http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2012/01/heather_sinn_ink_master_3.php">this interview</a> that recently ran with Heather in the LA Weekly. She wears her emotions on her sleeve and does not back down from her feelings.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heather told me she would not be very talkative when she was doing the initial line work as she was not accustomed to this type of tattoo. Fine by me. The cameras were around us constantly and Heather was very concerned that she would not have the time to finish the piece. She also expressed to me that she was not very fond of any of the judges. After seeing the flash challenge that preceded our meeting, I can see why.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When all was said and done, however, she powered through it and knocked it out with time to spare. The result left me with an awesome tattoo, and I have nothing but praise for her craftsmanship.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As for the show itself, so much footage went unused, including scenes in which the human canvases saw their tattoos for the first time in a full-length mirror, met with the judges, and did candid interviews with the producers.</span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I can say that, despite all the tattoo flaws picked out by the judges in the show, none of the canvases on my episode were disappointed with the final result of their sessions with the <i>Ink Master</i> artists. And, as much as I would like to bemoan the massive amount of "canvas" footage on the cutting room floor, ultimately the artists were being judged on the quality of their work, not on the stories behind their clients' tattoos, or their feelings about the final product.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think that this is one of the compelling aspects about <i>Ink Master</i> that makes the show so interesting from a technical standpoint. Sure, there's the reality show drama involving the artists' personalities, but the show seems committed, more than most of the other "reality" shows out there, to celebrating the tattoos for art's sake.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I'm not on any more episodes, but I'll keep watching.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><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><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>

Tattoosday Goes Tribal on Ink Master

What’s the hardest thing about being an ink-blogger and getting a tattoo on a televised competition show? Keeping my mouth shut for almost...

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Juliana's Hibiscus

I met Juliana last month and, although there's a section of her tattoo that is "in progress," she agreed to share it here:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFkmQdadwZEQfLo3KRKSaD4i_w3x3aUeixJE0ws4bijhghR6ggP_gCagcBI2IOUs81TgSfIyjmZ-nYpmYKd48_xS0SIg7DbM83Q-ItwoXQFbiu_QKUrSylSXFx6iIMCmdFNX5lQwKQuU/s1600/Hibiscus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFkmQdadwZEQfLo3KRKSaD4i_w3x3aUeixJE0ws4bijhghR6ggP_gCagcBI2IOUs81TgSfIyjmZ-nYpmYKd48_xS0SIg7DbM83Q-ItwoXQFbiu_QKUrSylSXFx6iIMCmdFNX5lQwKQuU/s640/Hibiscus.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Juliana explained:</div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"I took the picture of the flower myself. The hibiscus means eternal beauty, which I though was really cool. And the symbols [kanji] are respect, love, strength and energy ... so I call it my <i>Keep Truckin'</i> tattoo."</div></blockquote>The artist  is <a href="http://www.myspace.com/tattoosbyed">Ed Knowles</a>, who is currently at <a href="http://www.12tattoos.com/index2.html">12 Tattoos</a> in Groton, Connecticut. Work by Ed has appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/06/jolies-cupcake.html">here</a> on Tattoosday.<br /><br />The <i>kanji  </i>are, on the left side strength above energy and on the right side, respect above love:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rzoNKjwhCO5CQUvgYRlwZfmPYPLlw005wZNOnUXtQSPdefxw_1N9S3oLXcii2KTsOqS8w0mQK9HguMpuTtv0T8Bby4DFRGAFLSHMJoTAj15ue9AJt_d4f7HaD11USI3FEBVL1QeAXg0/s1600/Hibiscus+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rzoNKjwhCO5CQUvgYRlwZfmPYPLlw005wZNOnUXtQSPdefxw_1N9S3oLXcii2KTsOqS8w0mQK9HguMpuTtv0T8Bby4DFRGAFLSHMJoTAj15ue9AJt_d4f7HaD11USI3FEBVL1QeAXg0/s400/Hibiscus+detail.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><br />Thanks to Juliana for sharing her tattoo-in-progress with us here on Tattoosday! Keep truckin', Juliana!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><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>

Juliana's Hibiscus

I met Juliana last month and, although there's a section of her tattoo that is "in progress," she agreed to share it here:   J...

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Hawai'i and Germany Meet Halfway in Manhattan

Last Sunday, I found myself unexpectedly in my weekday stomping grounds, outside of Penn Station. I saw a couple sitting on the steps in Penn Plaza and noticed the gentleman had a remarkable tattoo on his outer left calf.<br /><br />We had a slight language barrier, as they were tourists from Europe. But Rico agreed to let me take the photo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABu4X61WWLWCUkNnklEVrf6F2DaJ-lclmMGOcDptJV2OrxBHqMUDCQCpR7RM51LeNiQ_f1aHBLueYmwnMTXTX-sE7b16kL7qZT5KVKe8Qq4VlLI4PnxxwoOcvUzSJjJMdnWS_YN1N/s1600/Hibiscus+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABu4X61WWLWCUkNnklEVrf6F2DaJ-lclmMGOcDptJV2OrxBHqMUDCQCpR7RM51LeNiQ_f1aHBLueYmwnMTXTX-sE7b16kL7qZT5KVKe8Qq4VlLI4PnxxwoOcvUzSJjJMdnWS_YN1N/s640/Hibiscus+wm.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />The tattoo was done by <a href="http://www.stechwerk.com/index.php5?p=gallery-tom">Tom</a> at <a href="http://www.stechwerk.com/index.php5?p=home">Stechwerk Tattoo Studio</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kempten_im_Allg%C3%A4u">Kempten</a>, Germany.<br /><br />Rico said he just liked the design and that Hawai'i is somewhere he hopes to visit one day. The surfboard and the archipelago outline are symbolic of our fiftieth state, and the yellow hibiscus is the state flower.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgDQ9mcz3oervhmWbrd04Q3EzI0GqYAKbNtGAnFWi9-Gn9MF2a202vYkvAvygu1tU860fausIWBLdFtFn2mSmm-az40bD7GTvUJU176G79hjwpCtcmXmqg9SDN65aKZjueCIbPVFX/s1600/Hibiscus+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgDQ9mcz3oervhmWbrd04Q3EzI0GqYAKbNtGAnFWi9-Gn9MF2a202vYkvAvygu1tU860fausIWBLdFtFn2mSmm-az40bD7GTvUJU176G79hjwpCtcmXmqg9SDN65aKZjueCIbPVFX/s400/Hibiscus+detail+wm.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br /><i>Danke schön</i> to Rico for sharing this cool Hawai'i-themed tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Hawai'i and Germany Meet Halfway in Manhattan

Last Sunday, I found myself unexpectedly in my weekday stomping grounds, outside of Penn Station. I saw a couple sitting on the steps in Pen...

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Tattoosday Goes to Hawaii: A Floral Sneak Peak @ O'Hare, Courtesy of Jennifer

When I first booked my trip to Honolulu and saw I had a brief layover in Chicago, I challenged myself to find at least one cool tattoo at the <a href="http://www.ohare.com/">airport</a>.<br /><br />Lucky for me, I found Jennifer from Portland, Maine, sporting this lovely <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus">hibiscus</a> foot tattoo:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcFbjUpOkAcMEkueTSfVK2VXLbnpwrxar1Rq0ZCEM5lfTXxC0faSt7V2sbZOIMPkC-PM051x0KJ-lR0PhjpmtP12LMakJhl4TGXD9icmxB1fDG27JSizkI6JQGsDe7al-kixWXUqC/s1600/Hibiscus+Foot.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468112947019529954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcFbjUpOkAcMEkueTSfVK2VXLbnpwrxar1Rq0ZCEM5lfTXxC0faSt7V2sbZOIMPkC-PM051x0KJ-lR0PhjpmtP12LMakJhl4TGXD9icmxB1fDG27JSizkI6JQGsDe7al-kixWXUqC/s400/Hibiscus+Foot.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The hibiscus being the state flower of Hawai'i, I saw this as a good omen.<br /><br />Jennifer explained that she based the design for this tattoo on a photo in a magazine.<br /><br />Why the foot? She had one tattoo on her back and "wanted one she could see".<br /><br />This floral piece was inked in about two and a half hours at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pinsandneedlesportland">Pins and Needles Tattoo</a> at home in Portland. Work from Pins and Needles has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/08/ben-commemorates-cat-and-tree.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Jennifer for humoring this traveling inkspotter and sharing her hibiscus with us here on Tattoosday!

Tattoosday Goes to Hawaii: A Floral Sneak Peak @ O'Hare, Courtesy of Jennifer

When I first booked my trip to Honolulu and saw I had a brief layover in Chicago, I challenged myself to find at least one cool tattoo at th...

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Mike's Incredible Aquatic Sleeve (and More!)

I had the good fortune of meeting Mike outside of Penn Station last week and, despite first noticing him because of his leg tattoos, he was extremely generous and unveiled an incredible sleeve that covered his right arm:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7J15i70pmrcmV29HI1LnqacvMXUB_vJ6cNqSy0BdbgQDOfX4AYsjCKCs9XH1Wa1psKfPsGS8-9K15ibM4FoXECb7C3V6rbtth9aUsquUpTfHiw83M61WPt3hZ6NNqphZipieRamM/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714388438253810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7J15i70pmrcmV29HI1LnqacvMXUB_vJ6cNqSy0BdbgQDOfX4AYsjCKCs9XH1Wa1psKfPsGS8-9K15ibM4FoXECb7C3V6rbtth9aUsquUpTfHiw83M61WPt3hZ6NNqphZipieRamM/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Mike is a fisherman and a loves the brightness, color and variety of oceanic life. Such things translate well to the body's canvas and make for some amazing tattoo work...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY9N5v6RaPBVfw9wCUASJXlpwZAnAPUMLuADzV4GNbBRNRtvBftgfoUsZeWy4eaA89CslMtBsinGlIfdhOLVc1Svv7uane89wgszrUKVMgJfgdFXiyHOpgaVF-9QHSLLFQgDCiisG/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714288290685826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY9N5v6RaPBVfw9wCUASJXlpwZAnAPUMLuADzV4GNbBRNRtvBftgfoUsZeWy4eaA89CslMtBsinGlIfdhOLVc1Svv7uane89wgszrUKVMgJfgdFXiyHOpgaVF-9QHSLLFQgDCiisG/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The giant octopus actually curls up over his shoulder and onto his chest, with one tentacle moving down his arm....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsfMfgCEOoQZVdxxIByxZQrE-Gog5q2AnvCUHu_2IrBplLM4oqEYx_E1WaBCe6Sejw-schUKqoosw81b5mqQ0z_kcmxm2SwyFS-02HrrNgPI9y1aMbiHyvHp2LvtO0-FTjdavffS9/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714182408603538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsfMfgCEOoQZVdxxIByxZQrE-Gog5q2AnvCUHu_2IrBplLM4oqEYx_E1WaBCe6Sejw-schUKqoosw81b5mqQ0z_kcmxm2SwyFS-02HrrNgPI9y1aMbiHyvHp2LvtO0-FTjdavffS9/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+3.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />The deep sea diver punctuates the middle of his arm...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzlRxe8OovLUycgZwdL14ynU31VZtgULwWoTvoqNw8Z8W1D7a1JIxCLKhDNz0YTGpCG4CznAAr7VUd6PA8wl2QSbNTiznX6JsmjtEBpxC96EmfZBORzy94UuDlK0feESGGHO-dh5K/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453714058152040130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzlRxe8OovLUycgZwdL14ynU31VZtgULwWoTvoqNw8Z8W1D7a1JIxCLKhDNz0YTGpCG4CznAAr7VUd6PA8wl2QSbNTiznX6JsmjtEBpxC96EmfZBORzy94UuDlK0feESGGHO-dh5K/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+4.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />At the bottom of the arm are tropical motifs including a huge tiki god and a hibiscus....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLom4WCTBlQJXi_RCRuvaiAW7KTIyKL55Nk8lJh_y3iCevgNHUCW1jZEfxU0_IJ-fNiWLdgX3J355XyC5VsSWoqNHRtH7OWzsYHX8qiVoGoc17NRFKhlzIiSP2vuuaAvw9X4GIgXB/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453713903699303730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLom4WCTBlQJXi_RCRuvaiAW7KTIyKL55Nk8lJh_y3iCevgNHUCW1jZEfxU0_IJ-fNiWLdgX3J355XyC5VsSWoqNHRtH7OWzsYHX8qiVoGoc17NRFKhlzIiSP2vuuaAvw9X4GIgXB/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+5.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />On the inside of his inner bicep is this fish which is a cross between an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglerfish">anglerfish</a> and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xyrichtys">razorfish</a>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-2E6FbXQ39A1Na-0fLz2KBsYAoiMqgp3f9MR1SygM84CMJZpQAh7XGSiltWDkMIdrDIqD2kW5goOgnz8nJrUUuBHGXpTm8qZyfFIrOOZ7sGtIN63Xm9kylZhxfhD4AA_tUKAflhv/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453713829412058290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-2E6FbXQ39A1Na-0fLz2KBsYAoiMqgp3f9MR1SygM84CMJZpQAh7XGSiltWDkMIdrDIqD2kW5goOgnz8nJrUUuBHGXpTm8qZyfFIrOOZ7sGtIN63Xm9kylZhxfhD4AA_tUKAflhv/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+6.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 167px;" /></a><br />And we ended with this piece that was so fresh at the time, that Mike had to peel back the protective plastic covering this amazing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffer_fish">blowfish</a>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOfpumURB8ox7g_XhiCwFkE62QId1noEem01LQN96Odft9YCj11ZngfusuR2j71y3DZrpLwmSJvjk4AF3lDpdGixcWXZXYywYTdwXWY3frFjATcSmQaQ-uCEFuZjh13-s2eQyzvuc/s1600/Aquatic+sleeve+7.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453713415661527714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOfpumURB8ox7g_XhiCwFkE62QId1noEem01LQN96Odft9YCj11ZngfusuR2j71y3DZrpLwmSJvjk4AF3lDpdGixcWXZXYywYTdwXWY3frFjATcSmQaQ-uCEFuZjh13-s2eQyzvuc/s400/Aquatic+sleeve+7.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px;" /></a><br />The artist behind this amazing work is Steve Woison formerly of <a href="http://www.electrictikitattoos.com/tiki.html">Electric Tiki Tattoo</a> in Patchogue, and now at <a href="http://www.520tattoos.com/">Studio 520</a> in Oakdale, on Long Island.<br /><br />Thanks again to Mike for taking the time to share his amazing aquatic sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!

Mike's Incredible Aquatic Sleeve (and More!)

I had the good fortune of meeting Mike outside of Penn Station last week and, despite first noticing him because of his leg tattoos, he was ...

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Nicole's Hibiscus Tattoo

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqyNnXiM4NjuAfF4Lj3-cCWHgH6AmaFJyO5706CWtVrtGLR0kJL4pvVpFb0yvn9vx1GCTeW5zjztLXVV9dA_XqkaEfV4KXp_X4-xxXLlg9jaKAg4MG0uUt98H4TfstyXqAguD1KhUQk-z/s1600-h/PICT0303.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229873959700528290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqyNnXiM4NjuAfF4Lj3-cCWHgH6AmaFJyO5706CWtVrtGLR0kJL4pvVpFb0yvn9vx1GCTeW5zjztLXVV9dA_XqkaEfV4KXp_X4-xxXLlg9jaKAg4MG0uUt98H4TfstyXqAguD1KhUQk-z/s400/PICT0303.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />I spotted the bottom of this tattoo peeping out from under Nicole's jeans cuff and asked her if I could see the whole piece. She obliged. Curiosity rewards the blogger.<br /><br />Nicole has this cool hibiscus tattoo on the top of her right foot.<br /><br />She ascribed no special meaning behind the piece, other than she liked the design and it represented Beauty.<br /><br />I can't say I blame her, especially as a former resident of Hawai'i, where the hibiscus is the state flower.<br /><br />This piece was inked by Dan at <a href="http://www.tattoolous.com/bab.htm">Tattoo Lou's</a> in Babylon, New York.<br /><br />Thanks to Nicole for sharing her floral foot tattoo with us!

Nicole's Hibiscus Tattoo

I spotted the bottom of this tattoo peeping out from under Nicole's jeans cuff and asked her if I could see the whole piece. She obliged...

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