Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog): Lions

Showing posts with label Lions. Show all posts

Arielle's Lion of a Tattoo (at the Urban Tattoo Convention)

I posted last month about attending the <a href="http://www.nycurbantattooconvention.com/index.html">4th Annual New York City Tattoo Convention</a> <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2013/07/dispatch-from-4th-annual-nyc-urban.html">here</a>.<br /><br />I've been periodically posting some of the amazing tattoos I saw there, and wanted to share this one as well:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvErRb7XE3KDIYJEbWFRAkYzWVl2FwWDACDtW4BaIqOtoY8Wg3R-SzQa05ljyftJTGxcwpNDlM6K7mOQIszWoskPTZVAScgpyxMOCaqaa8Lyyu8b64w5XGPwwJkLau07w3AeF2YPUpvQ/w335-h658-no/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvErRb7XE3KDIYJEbWFRAkYzWVl2FwWDACDtW4BaIqOtoY8Wg3R-SzQa05ljyftJTGxcwpNDlM6K7mOQIszWoskPTZVAScgpyxMOCaqaa8Lyyu8b64w5XGPwwJkLau07w3AeF2YPUpvQ/w335-h658-no/photo.jpg" /></a></div><br />This incredible lion tattoo is on the left arm of Arielle, who credited the work to the artist <a href="http://deewhitcomb.com/">Dee Whitcomb</a> at <a href="http://www.wyldchyldtattoo.com/merrick.html">Wyld Chyld Tattoo</a> in Merrick, New York.<br /><br />Arielle told me her name means "Lion of God," so she went with this design which Dee drew up and tattooed on her. It's really a beautiful tattoo that certainly captures the grace of this majestic animal.<br /><br />Thanks to Arielle for sharing her lion 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-46881142-5ab7-b103-02d1-62374914f2b5"><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>

Arielle's Lion of a Tattoo (at the Urban Tattoo Convention)

I posted last month about attending the 4th Annual New York City Tattoo Convention here . I've been periodically posting some of the ...

2:39 PM

The Tattooed Poets Project: Shann Ray

Today's tattooed poet is <a href="http://www.shannray.com/blog/">Shann Ray</a>, who sent us this photo of his tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0syzDNEI6jorQKjMUhq7bk8pyKYGV0IhH8Pf4i5WFypEhgFUCHnlpAuEiUUpqeDSBDlxuI-DdzU6_5NpaXpSzypbmSGHXkK-L1Lz6XpCMgILGd8MrYWrLJ6JnLF-u54VNEiaBN_XPVQ/s572/shann+tattoo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0syzDNEI6jorQKjMUhq7bk8pyKYGV0IhH8Pf4i5WFypEhgFUCHnlpAuEiUUpqeDSBDlxuI-DdzU6_5NpaXpSzypbmSGHXkK-L1Lz6XpCMgILGd8MrYWrLJ6JnLF-u54VNEiaBN_XPVQ/s400/shann+tattoo.JPG" width="297" /></a></div><br />He explains:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">I got this tattoo the year I married my wife Jennifer, a bright fire of a girl who has only increased in incandescence. We've been together 27 years now and have 3 daughters.  The lion symbolizes the mysterious sacred text notion that the lion is the inverse of the lamb.  In the Christian tradition, Christ who was called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_of_Judah">Lion of Judah</a> appeared as a lamb that was slain.  This is a reminder to me to sacrifice the self-embedded ways that sometimes arise in me and live with a generous and kind heart toward Jennifer for the rest of my life.  The lion and the thorns remind me to help create the milieu of our marriage to be one in which Jennifer is deeply loved, respected, and given hope for each new day.  What a life it has been with her!  I still love this tattoo.  It is like a secret kindness between us that reminds us all we share. </blockquote>When I asked if he recalled the artist who did this, he explained,<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"The guy did become famous for tattooing the stars.  It was in Garden Grove down in the greater Los Angeles area.  Can’t recall his name or the name of the shop.  All tribal oriented tattooing." </blockquote>By way of a poem, Shann sent us this:<br /><br />NIGHT OVER THE SAPPHIRE RANGE, WESTERN MONTANA<br /><br />Tomorrow you lead<br />the people in worship<br />but tonight let me hear you<br />in the quiet strength of our bedroom<br />where I watch silver birds fly<br />from your mouth and remember<br />how you break me all the way down.<br /><br />How good it is to be<br />a vessel for the song<br />of this everyday world.<br /><br />Cup my hand to your hipbone<br />and give me darkness through the window.<br /><br /> ~ ~ ~<br /><br />Shann Ray is a poet and prose writer whose work has appeared in some of the nation’s leading literary venues including <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/245140">Poetry</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932416064/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1932416064%22%3EMcSweeney's%20Issue%2012:%20Unpublished,%20Unknown,%20&%20or%20Unbelievable%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1932416064%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">McSweeney’s</a>, <a href="http://storyquarterly.camden.rutgers.edu/index.php">StoryQuarterly</a>, <a href="http://nwr.uoregon.edu/">the Northwest Review</a>, <a href="http://www.bestnewpoets.org/">Best New Poets</a>, <a href="http://themontanaquarterly.com/">Montana Quarterly</a> and <a href="http://poetryinternational.sdsu.edu/">Poetry International</a>.  A <a href="http://www.nea.gov/">National Endowment for the Arts</a> Fellow, he is the winner of the <a href="http://www.middlebury.edu/blwc/bakeless_prize">Breadloaf Writers’ Conference Bakeless Prize</a>, the <a href="http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.aspx?nid=1180">High Plains Book Award</a>, the <a href="http://www.bookweb.org/btw/awards/The-American-Book-Awards---Before-Columbus-Foundation.html">American Book Award</a>, the <a href="http://subterrain.ca/">Subterrain Poetry Prize</a>, and the <a href="http://www.crabcreekreview.org/">Crab Creek Review Fiction Award</a>.  He is the author of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1555975887/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1555975887%22%3EAmerican%20Masculine:%20Stories%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1555975887%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">American Masculine</a> (<a href="http://www.graywolfpress.org/">Graywolf</a>), and<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0739169483/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0739169483%22%3EForgiveness%20and%20Power%20in%20the%20Age%20of%20Atrocity:%20Servant%20Leadership%20as%20a%20Way%20of%20Life%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0739169483%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"> Forgiveness and Power in the Age of Atrocity</a> (<a href="https://rowman.com/RLPublishers">Rowman & Littlefield/Lexington</a>).  His book of poems called <u>Balefire</u> will appear with <a href="http://www.losthorsepress.org/">Lost Horse Press</a> in the near future.  He lives with his wife and three daughters in Spokane, Washington where he teaches leadership and forgiveness studies at <a href="http://www.gonzaga.edu/">Gonzaga University</a>. His website is <a href="http://www.shannray.com/">www.shannray.com</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Shann Ray for sharing his tattoo and poem with us here on The 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=1555975887" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><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=0739169483" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"> This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">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 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: Shann Ray

Today's tattooed poet is Shann Ray , who sent us this photo of his tattoo: He explains: I got this tattoo the year I married my wife Jen...

9:01 PM

Orphans: The Hungry Lion

So what do I do with a tattoo photo that has been abandoned and forgotten?<br /><br />Why post it here, of course.<br /><br />Back on May 10, I met a guy in Penn Station and took a picture of his tattoo, which he referred to as his "Hungry Lion":<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ftPKdTl7SZTkXUXdM5I0NTyi42jzUQnnHhSt3cE6EoVvncb50XqJ1kBrhxbeKHE_MBsY7A-jTHlzxuhyphenhyphenDCvQ_BpgE-sHaSMDz1NYDOIRAyE0Wt6KV2hOUjcozgHs6sJho6N-Wk2cM5Y/s1600/hungry+lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ftPKdTl7SZTkXUXdM5I0NTyi42jzUQnnHhSt3cE6EoVvncb50XqJ1kBrhxbeKHE_MBsY7A-jTHlzxuhyphenhyphenDCvQ_BpgE-sHaSMDz1NYDOIRAyE0Wt6KV2hOUjcozgHs6sJho6N-Wk2cM5Y/s400/hungry+lion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And then, before I could talk to him further, his girlfriend emerged from the bathroom and he told me they had to catch a train.<br /><br />He had a Tattoosday flier, but never e-mailed me.<br /><br />So if anyone wants to adopt this tattoo, leave a comment. Or, if you know who the artist is, please let me know.<br /><br />Thanks to you, Dude, wherever you are, for sharing your cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><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>

Orphans: The Hungry Lion

So what do I do with a tattoo photo that has been abandoned and forgotten? Why post it here, of course. Back on May 10, I met a guy in Penn ...

6:26 AM

The Tattooed Poets Project: Michael Henry Lee

Today's tattoo was submitted by Michael Henry Lee:<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/AVvXsEjLViE3VKXMI9SZRNBfESZHgv-wbhPI7YrmuluPTpI1PkQJEirym3kAQb3NWpXZrQf23NZc64K3cLLNmBv1yU5AwMLdgtHhXADg2zPA4kudzB_6mKRy_oJ_g09JBLcMGEag_UCNdy8vaN0/s1600/michael+henry+lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLViE3VKXMI9SZRNBfESZHgv-wbhPI7YrmuluPTpI1PkQJEirym3kAQb3NWpXZrQf23NZc64K3cLLNmBv1yU5AwMLdgtHhXADg2zPA4kudzB_6mKRy_oJ_g09JBLcMGEag_UCNdy8vaN0/s400/michael+henry+lee.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Michael Henry Lee</td></tr></tbody></table>There's a lot going on here, so let's let Michael explain:<br /><br /><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"The work pictured began about 36 years ago in Kansas City, Mo. I only remember the artist's name as John. The piece started with the stylized exotic bird's head that John took credit for as his own. A few years later I found the same piece on the back of a <a href="http://www.mountainrockband.com/">Mountain</a> album cover. Imagine. Fast forward a couple of decades to a fantastic shop [<a href="http://soulexpressionstattoo.com/home.html">Soul Expressions Tattoo Studio</a>] in Temecula Ca. and an artist named <a href="http://soulexpressionstattoo.com/section/182964_Daniel_Adair.html">Dan Adair</a>. The sun and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_of_Judah">Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah</a> were added there. The sun was David's design and the Lion comes from the Ethiopian flag borrowed from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley_%26_The_Wailers">Bob Marley</a> album. The conceptual idea was mine and is meant to be symbolic of the Christian trinity: Father (as the sun), the Son (as the Conquering Lion) and our old buddy the bird (as the holy spirit). The seven is symbolic of the biblical number of completion and is repeated three times. The piece was just retouched and colored last year in Saint Augustine, Florida, by Tattoo Mike from <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=9gG&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=tattoo+garden+st+augustine+fl&fb=1&gl=us&hq=tattoo+garden&hnear=St+Augustine,+FL&cid=570080614392525222">Tattoo Garden</a>."</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div></blockquote>Michael also offered up several short poems, including some haiku:<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">"tattoo impressions"</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">    van goes home </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">stepping out in a starry night    </span></b><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">first appeared in graffiti kolkata Aug 2010)</span></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">~ </span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">tattoo garden</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> the blush returns</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> to mother's rose</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">~</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">What Love’s Got to do with It</span></u><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It was rumored of late</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">that Love;</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">is suffering from a stolen identity</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Eros has hacked into Agape</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">like the evil twin exchanged at birth;</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">     Ying for Yang</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">           The Pauper for the Prince</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                    Cain for Abel</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The imposter has taken control</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">using seduction and guile</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">to manipulate the hearts and minds </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">of whoever might be deceived</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love’s calling all investors</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Setting the record straight</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Distancing itself from a nefarious sibling</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love does not </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          sell cars, clothes, food, or personal hygiene products</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love knows</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          the grass isn’t greener in the next field,</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          and besides brown is highly underrated anyway</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love always makes deposits</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          but not withdrawals</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love is patient as water</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          smoothing stone           </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love knows the worst</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          but hopes for the best</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love bites its tongue and swallows its pride</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love looks at the heart</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          not: boobs, biceps, or bank accounts</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love is the first one into a burning building </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">          an the last one off a sinking ship</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love builds </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">         Marriages</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">             Families</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                  and  Nations </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                                                            </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love is an invisible necessity</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">         like  time, gravity, and oxygen</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love is beyond time and space</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Eternal</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Unconditional</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                          a</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                         gift</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                    a promise</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">            one poured out for all  </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                     that they</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                       might</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                        know</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                         that</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                         God</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                           is</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                           L</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                           O</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                           V</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bodoni MT","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">                           E</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">"What Love's Got to do with It" first appeared in <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heart-Pour-The-Love-Book/195634107114411?sk=wall">Heart Pour The Love Book</a> from <a href="http://poetplant.blogspot.com/">Poet Plant Press</a>, 2011</span></b></span></i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">~</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Michael Henry Lee is a husband, father and grandfather. He and his wife of 30 years reside in St.   Augustine, Florida; the nation’s oldest city, along with two cats, and numerous bonsai trees.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Michael is a member of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ancient-City-Poets/279133290875?sk=wall">Ancient City Poets</a> and the <a href="http://www.hsa-haiku.org/">Haiku Society of America</a>. The last Sunday of every month generally finds him at the Heart Pour Matinee; an open mic poetry reading that features seasoned artists as well as new talents. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mr. Lee serves as contributing co-editor for Poet Plant Press, and is a frequent contributor to <a href="http://haikunews.org/">Haiku News</a>, and Haiku Ramblings. His work has appeared in <a href="http://cobaltcrowproductions.blogspot.com/">Berry Blue Haiku</a>, and <a href="http://www.graffitikolkata.com/home.htm">Graffiti Kolkata</a> He was voted among the favorites in the 2009 <i>Alibi Weekly</i> annual haiku contest, and was awarded third place prize in the Yukei Teikei Annual Tokutomi Haiku Contest for 2010.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Mr. Lee is quoted as saying “my objective is to express the good news and mystery of life in every breath, through the simplicity of haiku”.</div><br />Thanks to Michael Henry Lee for sharing his tattoo and his work with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. The poems are reprinted here with the permission of the author.<br /><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"><span style="color: blue;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></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>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Michael Henry Lee

Today's tattoo was submitted by Michael Henry Lee: Photo courtesy of Michael Henry Lee There's a lot going on here, so let's let...

5:38 AM

Mike's Tribute to His Thai Heritage

There are generally two kinds of Tattoosday subjects (and by subjects I mean people):<br /><br />Those that let me take a picture or two and I never hear from them again, and those that send me nice messages and a correspondence more or less develops.<br /><br />Last weekend I met a guy named Mike at the laundromat (which is turning out to be quite a lucky locale for inkspotting) and he falls in the latter category.<br /><br />Not only was Mike friendly and interested in the site when I met him, but he has followed up our initial conversation with e-mails that have helped me create a much more thorough and well-rounded post than many readers may be used to.<br /><br />Mike's tattoo is a tribute to his heritage. His father is from Thailand, so he considers himself "50% Thai". Check this out:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42-hCpYrzj_mEDzUt8qaWk48wWa_kpKtBrXq2K6Jbsdf7vuapNyBCS9m-YLNnq_cfPZq2qX3P_nbIW3oUc87rKC-4HtoHbnq2zEueTI7aqvRZ6OYCZNGgS4YEcQWmf83lP1OEi1MLC0M/s1600-h/Mike's+Temple.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346851758734900898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42-hCpYrzj_mEDzUt8qaWk48wWa_kpKtBrXq2K6Jbsdf7vuapNyBCS9m-YLNnq_cfPZq2qX3P_nbIW3oUc87rKC-4HtoHbnq2zEueTI7aqvRZ6OYCZNGgS4YEcQWmf83lP1OEi1MLC0M/s400/Mike's+Temple.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 242px;" /></a><br />This piece does wrap around the left bicep, and on either side of the elephantine temple, there are "<span style="font-style: italic;">singha</span>" lions:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0NQLq1rirZPZlvazsVpCZ4ttQffnz2cwggexoLDcf4bIri4yp_zM7JsRRVw4OLoYI9p5rfVSNnvI1FIeDtam0hly0jNAw7EpMvcYmuseSFXWBlEzchHhm-NIjlxAtnUX8605FeZ2mpA/s1600-h/left+singha.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346851135394992530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0NQLq1rirZPZlvazsVpCZ4ttQffnz2cwggexoLDcf4bIri4yp_zM7JsRRVw4OLoYI9p5rfVSNnvI1FIeDtam0hly0jNAw7EpMvcYmuseSFXWBlEzchHhm-NIjlxAtnUX8605FeZ2mpA/s200/left+singha.jpg" style="float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 245px;" width="153" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_A16MNro38OLYqXdNiNMwYf5WQ6VUW9QXC0pF6HtpsrQwIcv95kujI6zj5c_ZA0Eg-V5Ru5QRcJsV0mtsRjqw71jL4l3rjgyF5OQeigvR0xdrLcPuve3g5Kd6HFC9ZPsZDvBukui_O2w/s1600-h/right+singha.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346851228370002914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_A16MNro38OLYqXdNiNMwYf5WQ6VUW9QXC0pF6HtpsrQwIcv95kujI6zj5c_ZA0Eg-V5Ru5QRcJsV0mtsRjqw71jL4l3rjgyF5OQeigvR0xdrLcPuve3g5Kd6HFC9ZPsZDvBukui_O2w/s200/right+singha.jpg" style="float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 219px;" width="136" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The idea for this tattoo started with a concept and evolved into the finished work in flesh above.<br /><br />Mike started with the basic images, found online in the form of the elephant and lion masks, and the photo of a Thai temple:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikEq0HWxXcGPuFvCHdEAlapIbqi_aYrD1M2NgwQroRi2nNSUiSSu1-0crt7cWNBhMwokPk_GHqmaUDQ7KNRRzBsYNuIQWh7X7U7TkIv0v979ZlPW2CVjqPdtUXZ3SOMhh-eu2anPBeq0/s1600-h/LionEleph_Originals.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346852013188019858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikEq0HWxXcGPuFvCHdEAlapIbqi_aYrD1M2NgwQroRi2nNSUiSSu1-0crt7cWNBhMwokPk_GHqmaUDQ7KNRRzBsYNuIQWh7X7U7TkIv0v979ZlPW2CVjqPdtUXZ3SOMhh-eu2anPBeq0/s400/LionEleph_Originals.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 309px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghndWV1iRWR9YdG3m9Ar4HGqTa17hoqan_S6XUn3Zc-PhL2kACnb7J0I5My1GMlTaxz0YUnQDFn2nsMcnCMCP9Vomwma9DWxRTI79TPeQwzyJwiaitmLU_56Hl7xThehGThnt06HdAC4k/s1600-h/Temple.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346852067351593474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghndWV1iRWR9YdG3m9Ar4HGqTa17hoqan_S6XUn3Zc-PhL2kACnb7J0I5My1GMlTaxz0YUnQDFn2nsMcnCMCP9Vomwma9DWxRTI79TPeQwzyJwiaitmLU_56Hl7xThehGThnt06HdAC4k/s400/Temple.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 278px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />He notes that he wanted to use the Tribal elephant mask "because the Elephant is a national symbol of Thailand, they [were] used ... in wars and ... represent strength.  I chose the Tribal 'wood' look mainly because it looks great and I thought it represented the 'old/history' of Thailand." He added that he finds Thai temples "amazingly beautiful" and that the two Singha lions on either side of the temple in the design "represent protection, and they usually are at the entrance ways of many Thai buildings".<br /><br />He then tinkered with these images in Photoshop and came up with this rudimentary design:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6oElWeLPwsG7dPA13R5vpC1WhPVscSDmToU19BeVeurAi2SOUmsWrg2jAKl9OVKeP8CVOsvhsfx-cEslOY8qw6mGT_Vg2KZOlTbzKmtq5lIX4z2p2VE4NGLIJWOOZ1a13Wke6pix0gEc/s1600-h/Tattoo_photoShop.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346852119949299330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6oElWeLPwsG7dPA13R5vpC1WhPVscSDmToU19BeVeurAi2SOUmsWrg2jAKl9OVKeP8CVOsvhsfx-cEslOY8qw6mGT_Vg2KZOlTbzKmtq5lIX4z2p2VE4NGLIJWOOZ1a13Wke6pix0gEc/s400/Tattoo_photoShop.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 332px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 309px;" /></a>He took this artwork to <a href="http://www.regnyc.com/">Regino Gonzalez</a> at <a href="http://www.troydenningtattoo.com/">Invisible NYC</a>. Mike explains, "I showed him my idea and he actually kinda chuckled a bit. I told him I realized [that] this was a real shitty representation of what I want and that I hoped that he could do ANYTHING with it."<br /><br />Mike continues, "...And then literally three days later, he called me into the shop and when I walked in, he had this HUGE AMAZING piece of art...I just turned to him and said, 'Let's do it' [and] I ... sat down right then and there for four hours and had the outline done ... I ... went back about three weeks later and had the black color and shading done, and then about three more weeks later I had the final color done."<br /><br />What Mike explains is typical of great tattoo work. So many novices to tattooing are surprised that a nice piece takes a while, unlike it does on the reality tattoo shows, when an eight-hour piece often is edited down to a few minutes of air time. It's also the recommended way to get a great tattoo: bring in the framework of an idea and let the artist go to town.<br /><br />And, if you have a good artist (which you should have, if you've done you're homework), you should put your absolute faith and trust in them. Case in point, Mike recalls "I asked Regino how he was going to color it and I was pretty nervous ... he looked at me and pointed to his head and said <span style="font-style: italic;">'Trust me, I have a plan'</span>. And that was it ... I walked away with what I think is an amazing piece of work ... I have since recommended Regino to anyone who asks my opinion, and I will continue to [do so] ....".<br /><br />Incidentally, work from Regino has appeared previously on this site <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/07/monas-pocket-watch-honors-her.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Mike for sharing his incredible work with us here on Tattoosday!

Mike's Tribute to His Thai Heritage

There are generally two kinds of Tattoosday subjects (and by subjects I mean people): Those that let me take a picture or two and I never he...

3:46 AM

Mike's Lion-Skeleton Tattoo

I met Mike outside of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Station_%28New_York_City%29">Penn Station</a> after work last Friday. He has five to eight tattoos in all, and he had this pretty cool piece to offer:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJae1g41SMOaDWzy3qBJXWmRfDdz8yzN-iA_szZqtkePyAGRVr3Zzu4sgCngr0BRYCze_1LNtcrdtDoCex5cLPqGKTHAY-Yq3bkzcua8dJ1OUAgSGdH_JPlUQ7Laqf7XqhyphenhyphenGYgmi03Bk/s1600-h/Mike+sleeve+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336386963507706722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJae1g41SMOaDWzy3qBJXWmRfDdz8yzN-iA_szZqtkePyAGRVr3Zzu4sgCngr0BRYCze_1LNtcrdtDoCex5cLPqGKTHAY-Yq3bkzcua8dJ1OUAgSGdH_JPlUQ7Laqf7XqhyphenhyphenGYgmi03Bk/s400/Mike+sleeve+1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />This piece is all original artwork by the artist, Doug White, formerly at the <a href="http://www.inkspot-tattoo.com/linden.html">Ink Spot Tattoo Studios</a> in Linden, New Jersey, back in 1995-6. Mike doesn't know where Doug ended up, but he believes he's now tattooing out in Texas.<br /><br />He also mentioned there's a figure at the top of the piece which is loosely based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_the_Head">Eddie</a>, the Iron Maiden "mascot":<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZVAidbZ-ALhr1GR8lSjfPtBmGQdgxwXNWJE8FGZDcFdX5kmqj8z77I5qAMfFr9isegvYwZvFHRPvxt0Aejctw6ExEajO8KCluR6Ifaz_p6h-Ifa-zMXEfbrm_qbdm6DYusdHBCRbSdU/s1600-h/Mike+top.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336391092280984786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZVAidbZ-ALhr1GR8lSjfPtBmGQdgxwXNWJE8FGZDcFdX5kmqj8z77I5qAMfFr9isegvYwZvFHRPvxt0Aejctw6ExEajO8KCluR6Ifaz_p6h-Ifa-zMXEfbrm_qbdm6DYusdHBCRbSdU/s400/Mike+top.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />This segment of the tattoo seems inspired by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Maiden">Iron Maiden's</a> album cover <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Son_of_a_Seventh_Son"><span style="font-style: italic;">Seventh Son of a Seventh Son</span></a>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGGijT0hg_JSczS9ri037HbGp4GIczAxCQHhRvHpTSpsGWsNlofO0ETm9OaXIQKjob8H5RJ07gXpBffGmakpwM36tPEpZcLxaVly0cdeOqCs2hT2k5M4b0TZFi5lrPdJ7ko7o900hmNM/s1600-h/Iron_Maiden_-_Seventh_Son_Of_A_Seventh_Son.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336391697423582322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGGijT0hg_JSczS9ri037HbGp4GIczAxCQHhRvHpTSpsGWsNlofO0ETm9OaXIQKjob8H5RJ07gXpBffGmakpwM36tPEpZcLxaVly0cdeOqCs2hT2k5M4b0TZFi5lrPdJ7ko7o900hmNM/s200/Iron_Maiden_-_Seventh_Son_Of_A_Seventh_Son.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" /></a><br />The lion is also very nicely done:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M8TOQ1jIUItOF_5saAcWS1oNR1xVd_I5mE5J1HvfdnaoBszPOH4K-BDXK_E_sRkxx-phy_yTLJ4ptNwZ0X_tLE5wGPxPADkrDpgU8MHJeJ-zr9V7r1LeSRjoZ-fVP8v9CUeJYIERyME/s1600-h/Mike+lion.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336392074548769538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6M8TOQ1jIUItOF_5saAcWS1oNR1xVd_I5mE5J1HvfdnaoBszPOH4K-BDXK_E_sRkxx-phy_yTLJ4ptNwZ0X_tLE5wGPxPADkrDpgU8MHJeJ-zr9V7r1LeSRjoZ-fVP8v9CUeJYIERyME/s400/Mike+lion.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Thanks again to Mike for sharing his tattoo with us here at Tattoosday!

Mike's Lion-Skeleton Tattoo

I met Mike outside of Penn Station after work last Friday. He has five to eight tattoos in all, and he had this pretty cool piece to offer:...

4:41 AM

Cathy's Cat-toos

I ran into Cathy at our local Rite Aid store where she was working replenishing the greeting cards stock.<br /><br />Her short sleeves allowed her to more than adequately show off two tattoos on her upper arms. The first I saw was this astrological depiction of her birth sign:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvBS2MoAXAH35QRvKAjbb-NRAmxrYmlF4tewqIiMm5FpxvqqUWplLhXOEX4Y2mfFazHPUFZpoFpcRQXpuCJBLSqJddxI6au-rDSNEDeWNG1PHDSQgJUIkj-_PlMRx7a5R9duEtSOxJYBQ/s1600-h/100_6705.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175599879571328034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvBS2MoAXAH35QRvKAjbb-NRAmxrYmlF4tewqIiMm5FpxvqqUWplLhXOEX4Y2mfFazHPUFZpoFpcRQXpuCJBLSqJddxI6au-rDSNEDeWNG1PHDSQgJUIkj-_PlMRx7a5R9duEtSOxJYBQ/s400/100_6705.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />That was, in fact, her first tattoo, inked back in 1993 at a shop in Philadelphia. No real explanation necessary. She is a Leo and wanted her sign depicted on her biceps. Leo was on the left.<br /><br />Cathy has 8 tattoos in all. She has two on the upper part of her chest, 3 on her lower back and behind, and 1 below her navel along the waistline.<br /><br />The tattoos on her chest were inked in London, and the one on her waistline was the only New York City tattoo.<br /><br />The three on her lower back and the one on her right biceps were done at the same shop in <a href="http://www.oceangrovenewjersey.com/">Ocean Grove, New Jersey</a>. She cannot recall the names of any of the shops or artists who  tattooed her.<br /><br />The one on her right biceps she's not completely happy with:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGkp7PZKS6YgvV6S733cZ-OJK0vl0-e1aFg4PneIamXVtJhspwRbJDqlMcMI1d8u8_JSaUtIgc_ACV3Jr9o7ISl17qy5e3Z17rr7UWEow2wR6pr3LxY1U3OGC9C7DtOq-HVRdY-wkKpEl/s1600-h/100_6706.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175599600398453778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGkp7PZKS6YgvV6S733cZ-OJK0vl0-e1aFg4PneIamXVtJhspwRbJDqlMcMI1d8u8_JSaUtIgc_ACV3Jr9o7ISl17qy5e3Z17rr7UWEow2wR6pr3LxY1U3OGC9C7DtOq-HVRdY-wkKpEl/s400/100_6706.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />"It was supposed to be a female lion," she said, to go with the Leo, but it didn't come out quite right. She loves lions and other big cats.<br /><br />She laughed and said, now that she thinks about it, she got the lioness on her right arm "the same time as I got my husband's name on my butt."<br /><br />I did not ask about all of the tattoos that were completely covered.  The tattoos on her chest are florals. She did say she would try to send me photos of the others.<br /><br />Thanks again to Cathy again for sharing her lions here on Tattoosday!

Cathy's Cat-toos

I ran into Cathy at our local Rite Aid store where she was working replenishing the greeting cards stock. Her short sleeves allowed her to m...

6:35 AM

Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog)

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