Joe's Blue Koi (and a Honu, too!)

Joe has this amazing koi on his upper left arm, part of a 3/4 sleeve:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRhc6k7B3zinnKc5ls94dTUCkaGcBgk9J8uTxMJkrrc9zM4K2ejvvqy9g4AjYTbKYtaCk-Texo-tl2C5oS9HY_L8NszByPdN0-oPBsfZOf8FQpVY6RUMsBPZk64I62ML2vZmrgOACBzc/s1600-h/Blue+Koi.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380917610134641330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRhc6k7B3zinnKc5ls94dTUCkaGcBgk9J8uTxMJkrrc9zM4K2ejvvqy9g4AjYTbKYtaCk-Texo-tl2C5oS9HY_L8NszByPdN0-oPBsfZOf8FQpVY6RUMsBPZk64I62ML2vZmrgOACBzc/s400/Blue+Koi.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Initially, our discussion was brief. He is a fan of traditional tattoos and loves the Japanese style. He had this inked in 2001 by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/civofficialsite">Civ</a> at <a href="http://www.lotustattoo.com/">Lotus Tattoo</a> in Sayville, New York. Work from Civ appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/08/kellys-memorial-for-best-friend-carpe.html">here</a> on Tattoosday.<br /><br />I certainly thought it was unusual to see a blue koi. It's certainly not the most traditional color for a koi tattoo. When I asked Joe about it, he replied, "...there is no significance and I believe it was suggested by Civ...I thought it would certainly be unique, since I had yet to see a blue koi. It was strictly an aesthetic decision."<br /><br />It was only later, when I was looking at the photo at home, that I noticed a fine detail I hadn't picked up before:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UyaUuJl3R2sdztYhBeVPLU_PDsaTdaJmRZrYb7Yc23OgGglDNjc5YFuwRbVa2nYbhv65eK9IgkrbfXZLRWwBsoBNm9P5_VdjbGbvUIo08-nOzD5jUG7QWUcAMaYAFRklKI7rgTklX3k/s1600-h/Blue+Koi+-+Honu.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380917512034796850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UyaUuJl3R2sdztYhBeVPLU_PDsaTdaJmRZrYb7Yc23OgGglDNjc5YFuwRbVa2nYbhv65eK9IgkrbfXZLRWwBsoBNm9P5_VdjbGbvUIo08-nOzD5jUG7QWUcAMaYAFRklKI7rgTklX3k/s400/Blue+Koi+-+Honu.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 354px;" /></a><br />Having grown up in Hawai'i, that certainly looked like a <span style="font-style: italic;">honu </span>design, or traditional Hawaiian sea turtle. I had remembered that Joe had a Polynesian-style tribal arm band on his right forearm, so I shot him an e-mail.<br /><br />He replied:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">The story behind the Polynesian sea turtle is ... I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii, 2001. I had wanted to get tattooed while there and found a shop in Waikiki, <a href="http://www.skindeeptattoowaikiki.com/">Skin Deep</a>. Walked in, shot the shit with one of the guys for half an hour, had an idea of what I wanted to do, a Polynesian band around my forearm being that we were in Hawaii. It seemed fitting as far as a "souvenir" tattoo. Since the band I decided on did not work in a perfect circle around my arm, I decided on the turtle to make it work. We did the tattoo in about an hour and I still love it...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></blockquote>Thanks to Joe for sharing his koi tattoo. I am looking forward to featuring more of his work in the future.

Joe's Blue Koi (and a Honu, too!)

Joe has this amazing koi on his upper left arm, part of a 3/4 sleeve: Initially, our discussion was brief. He is a fan of traditional tattoo...

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