Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog): Traditional

Showing posts with label Traditional. Show all posts

Thanksgiving Re-Post: A Holiday Tattoo from 2010

Every year at Thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things, with my lovely wife and two amazing daughters at the top of the list. My new job cracks the top five this year, although it might appear as though my intense love of this blog is suffering as a result. As I've said before, you, the readers out there in the world, are also people for whom I am thankful. <i>Mahalo</i>, as they say in my childhood home, for visiting often.<br /><br />Posts have been few and far between, I realize, this fall. Nonetheless, I wanted to celebrate the holiday with this post from Thanksgiving 2010, slightly edited, which appeared <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-thanksgiving.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!<br /><br /><i>In honor of the holiday, I am sharing this, my newest tattoo, located above my knee on my right thigh:</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBomfF9pc8Ne37Pclb3x7gjl_YQlZXOpqz8RN4R2boegGA44pluZa2dE5bxPY2zJdwLSnwi_CFY2s_h2Sb-eXUaYIRXRvfQR3EEXzUzmnFSi7OzCz9CJFetZj-anrn79YLPl_dpVBc0Q/s1600/Thanks+tattoo+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBomfF9pc8Ne37Pclb3x7gjl_YQlZXOpqz8RN4R2boegGA44pluZa2dE5bxPY2zJdwLSnwi_CFY2s_h2Sb-eXUaYIRXRvfQR3EEXzUzmnFSi7OzCz9CJFetZj-anrn79YLPl_dpVBc0Q/s640/Thanks+tattoo+wm.jpg" width="640" /></a><i></i></div><i><br /></i><br /><i>This was done at <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/">Hand of Glory</a> in Brooklyn yesterday as part of the  shop's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/event.php?eid=171304776221493">$75 Thanksgiving Tattoo Special</a> ... </i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dNydf3UaugIQnHqUejKhOZCZXjeuHZpzRHywX18N_86tk6EXBUiH50XC0KWVIfnEK-ae8iBZo7UBNZ1UW8jvpvqWn9GSXoIm3vOduPzgvCDGVw8ziA1kI_fZkd1qI0rnFty3MBWUv-E/s1600/Troll_Skin_Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></i></div><i></i><br /><i>For those of you just tuning in, check the pre-post <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-thanksgiving-tattoo-event.html">here</a>, which includes  all the Thanksgiving flash designed for the occasion. I asked readers  to vote on which tattoo to get, and this one sneaked out a narrow  victory over the traditional Native American profile.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>I like this design because it combines a lot of traditional tattoo elements and delivers an image with a sociopolitical subtext.  We have the traditional American flag and handshake designs, but the  added element of crossed fingers serves as a reminder that, despite  apparent good intentions, there was subsequently a historical betrayal  of that initial good will.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>But that's just one perspective, of course, and the Thanksgiving holiday  focuses on the positive in our society. The mere existence of the  tattoo reminds me to be thankful, which I alluded to in my original  post.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>I was fortunate enough to have <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/pages/brian.html">BJ</a> as my artist again. He had inked <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/08/tattoosdays-trip-to-hand-of-glory.html">my  Friday the 13th tattoo</a> last August, and I appreciate that he works  quickly and concisely.</i><br /><i><br /></i><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;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftcrY9VFTZD4DcvA4EmLCGsI61VwFvY9M7slQBq5IYmGlPYS2MFDjs2796IeBBcMjqW8M02JzsGVr9wNTpHeB8pSyCQco02Uhvbp0HY5jiY0_mk9PPPvq6071gIlMkVhU9IHNYdH64VI/s1600/Brian+Faulk+At+Work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftcrY9VFTZD4DcvA4EmLCGsI61VwFvY9M7slQBq5IYmGlPYS2MFDjs2796IeBBcMjqW8M02JzsGVr9wNTpHeB8pSyCQco02Uhvbp0HY5jiY0_mk9PPPvq6071gIlMkVhU9IHNYdH64VI/s400/Brian+Faulk+At+Work.jpg" width="386" /></a></i></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>BJ at Work</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i>It was nice, also, that this design was one of  his contributions to the flash sheet, as he was kind enough to embellish  slightly on the original design, and it always seems better when an  artist is tattooing his or her own design. As for the idea behind it, he  was trying to represent graphically a broken treaty. I'm extremely  pleased with the end result.</i><br /><i>...</i><br /><br /><i>I want to thank all of the readers who voted for designs, and for everyone who reads and supports the site.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>And thanks again to ... BJ at Hand of Glory, and to my family, at home in Brooklyn and across the U.S., for their support</i><br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2013, 2011, 2010 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><br /><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 can contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Thanksgiving Re-Post: A Holiday Tattoo from 2010

Every year at Thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things, with my lovely wife and two amazing daughters at the top of the list. My new job ...

6:22 AM

Born on the Third of July (Dispatch from the Urban Tattoo Convention, Part 2)

When I went to the <a href="http://www.nycurbantattooconvention.com/index.html">NYC Urban Tattoo Convention</a> last weekend, I was expecting a lot, but I wasn't anticipating walking out with a fresh new tattoo. It was an early birthday surprise, to say the least.<br /><br />My night changed for the better when, turning a corner, I ran into Phil Phlash aka Phil Sheridan aka inkone aka Flex Sinatra. Phil and I worked together years ago, before he left for bigger and better things. He left the office and picked up a tattoo machine, but before he did, we had many office conversations about tattoos, and he was an early fan of Tattoosday.<br /><br />Fast forward to Saturday night at the UTC, Phil and I were catching up, and he asked me if I wanted to get tattooed. I knew he had recently started working at <a href="http://www.tuffcitystyles.com/tattoo.php">Tuff City Tattoos</a> and was trying to figure out how to make it to the Bronx, when he clarified, "No, <u>tonight</u>."<br /><br />I've been following Phil's work on the various social media and have seen his talents develop over the years. It had always crossed my mind that, one day, he might be adding to my collection, but it was not in my immediate plans. Until now.<br /><br />Phil brought me back to his booth, and he showed me a flash book of some classic old-school traditional designs. If you check him out on Instagram (under <a href="http://inst.ag/u/flex_sinatra/">Flex_Sinatra</a>), you'll see that his traditional work is solid, and his tattoos are done with confidence and passion. My head was spinning as he suggested designs, I kept wanting to defer to his better judgment. This wasn't going to be a tattoo with great, complicated meaning. It was, however, going to be my first tattoo inked by a friend.<br /><br />He turned a page and showed me an eagle. His face lit up. Mine did as well. It was decided. We figured out the particulars and the placement, and when I came back a bit later, the stencil seemed to have grown. This was no little Sailor Jerry shark; this was a big piece going on the side of my calf.<br /><br />When all was said and done, this was the final result, a traditional American Bald Eagle:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PoSwylq7W_QS9K6XOsU4xF6F5h3G_GxOcMsBQfZyR9aHf_0a-qjuMoso1njXj_Bnvhh4DH750CTgOz8eH-5WQZ2aaWo6m8MnUttkbDQHXQ5ZDmyUYxvnitTSzkG93A4gRbi2U4r2TnE/s612-no/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PoSwylq7W_QS9K6XOsU4xF6F5h3G_GxOcMsBQfZyR9aHf_0a-qjuMoso1njXj_Bnvhh4DH750CTgOz8eH-5WQZ2aaWo6m8MnUttkbDQHXQ5ZDmyUYxvnitTSzkG93A4gRbi2U4r2TnE/s612-no/photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>What better way to celebrate my upcoming birthday, on the eve of Independence Day, than with a traditional  piece of American flash?<br /><br />I even captured a snippet of the convention chaos while getting tattooed:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TozYD-6XJM0" width="640"></iframe><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, after we were done, Phil and I went around showing our work off to fellow convention-goers. Despite his expression below, he was fairly pleased with the end result:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSU51Kp3P_Z1LxCbLoPbD4BnTq1PUORGgYXdSJ7B95rD9AdwxU8IGyNKa7nKnL8v_wXJRiw3IY-1OMoHA2WacCiOXqE-KA0H6GqyMs4bFxxtYBdZUc61OUBGNsO1ule6QwV5aEeWwQhw/w830-h622-no/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSU51Kp3P_Z1LxCbLoPbD4BnTq1PUORGgYXdSJ7B95rD9AdwxU8IGyNKa7nKnL8v_wXJRiw3IY-1OMoHA2WacCiOXqE-KA0H6GqyMs4bFxxtYBdZUc61OUBGNsO1ule6QwV5aEeWwQhw/w830-h622-no/photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-Inflicted Photo with Phil Phlash</td></tr></tbody></table>I still have lots more to report from the UTC, so stay tuned. This moment, however, was the high point of the show, for obvious reasons.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to Phil Phlash for this awesome new tattoo in my collection!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><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><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4e72a7e0-a478-da6a-7e1f-89d23e07e73d"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span></div><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></div>

Born on the Third of July (Dispatch from the Urban Tattoo Convention, Part 2)

When I went to the NYC Urban Tattoo Convention last weekend, I was expecting a lot, but I wasn't anticipating walking out with a fresh ...

5:55 AM

Marianna Shares the First Rose of Spring

Today is the first day of spring! It's always a joyous time here at Tattoosday, as the temperatures rise and all the tattoos of my fellow New Yorkers come out of hibernation.<br /><br />Last week we were experiencing a lovely end-of-winter day with warm temperatures and I encountered this lovely first rose of spring on the F train:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBsCVRojBTIqfPdDLBb7GGV_0AiVyeiSa0ErZqZDGzNMLEV3ibTmL0osqTGF7h-wWkon5N4zKtl2VOmodfwFqDElwzmd_gN1ofL1oIs4wxoS9U2fNat9pqNQBL_ly0JqKHWDrj7t8wck/s1600/rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBsCVRojBTIqfPdDLBb7GGV_0AiVyeiSa0ErZqZDGzNMLEV3ibTmL0osqTGF7h-wWkon5N4zKtl2VOmodfwFqDElwzmd_gN1ofL1oIs4wxoS9U2fNat9pqNQBL_ly0JqKHWDrj7t8wck/s640/rose.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />This rose, on the upper left arm of a woman named Marianna, was just popping off of her skin having been freshly inked the day before by the talented <a href="http://www.eliquinters.com/">Eli Quinters</a> at <a href="http://smithstreettattoo.com/">Smith Street Tattoo Parlour</a> in Brooklyn. Eli's work has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/06/sean-shares-host-of-traditional-tattoos.html">here</a> and <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/06/two-amazing-tattoos-from-patrick-of.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Marianna had a lot of other interesting work in progress going on, so perhaps we shall see more from her in the future. In the mean time, however, we have this lovely rose which she offered up in celebration of the end of winter.<br /><br />Thanks to Marianna for sharing her beautiful flower with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span>

Marianna Shares the First Rose of Spring

Today is the first day of spring! It's always a joyous time here at Tattoosday, as the temperatures rise and all the tattoos of my fello...

3:25 AM

Two for Tattoosday - Dave's Scalpflower and Bethany's Lonely Whale

A couple weeks back, I met Dave and Bethany outside of the Borders Penn Plaza in Manhattan. Both had amazing ink and shared some tattoos with us. Let's start with Dave's "scalpflower":<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvNWWLQ7V5xJvrfbch_ZXmGja9laVKFoZyS-nySJZcTti5uSWoWMlEvDQUlKOLi2wKTIUeE00kuY-LgB8BNmSuPKEuUB2hwXcUMyoO8WXdnNRbiWLlJ_Lx2BfxwQVlACemtdFxZpCyT8/s1600/Scalpflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvNWWLQ7V5xJvrfbch_ZXmGja9laVKFoZyS-nySJZcTti5uSWoWMlEvDQUlKOLi2wKTIUeE00kuY-LgB8BNmSuPKEuUB2hwXcUMyoO8WXdnNRbiWLlJ_Lx2BfxwQVlACemtdFxZpCyT8/s640/Scalpflower.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dave explained that this floral tattoo on his scalp was inked by <a href="http://mikeadamstattoo.blogspot.com/">Mike Adams</a>, who was doing a guest spot at <a href="http://thickerthanwatertattoo.com/home.html">Thicker Than Water</a> in Manhattan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Dave elaborated:</div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"We had talked about some ideas when I saw him [Mike Adams] at the Philadelphia Convention. We showed up [at Thicker than Water] and he just showed me some of the drawings of the tattoos he had recently done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5BM3k4U38UuCSQWSOhcw9rIW2Y8MUC5O_flC_-_44t87qIS-1MTD4DZBjZD8RhxflTrzJcJw7Ag3aU8RvqYJrfnRKCTWoEsFQiZmP3t8uLFIyAjlMZyuHgQJhqmSNKIVLGmQVvV8E-0/s1600/Scalpflower+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5BM3k4U38UuCSQWSOhcw9rIW2Y8MUC5O_flC_-_44t87qIS-1MTD4DZBjZD8RhxflTrzJcJw7Ag3aU8RvqYJrfnRKCTWoEsFQiZmP3t8uLFIyAjlMZyuHgQJhqmSNKIVLGmQVvV8E-0/s400/Scalpflower+detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He had done another flower on someone else in the past week and I said 'Oh, let's do one of those.' He said, 'Yeah, that's awesome/ Let's do it.' "</div></blockquote>Dave, who is approximately 70% covered in tattoos, had mostly been worked on by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/TonyHundahl">Tony Hundahl</a> from <a href="http://www.rockofagestattoo.com/">Rock of Ages Tattoo</a> in Austin, Texas. Hundahl has done both of Dave's sleeves (including the traditional segment pictured below), his chest, stomach, back, knees and one of his legs.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCHihbQDNP44eLXujeA9fB2QO4DyoahOMj22keiLoCndnSaYkFKhalTTe1rXejQY1AmjewwOlB1qRbA9TxXO2bTS0_hbZYrdC1cl1YxmUHxMMqD3ROS4u-TrWQjwIiNrf4uIa4HbI4GM/s1600/Mom+Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCHihbQDNP44eLXujeA9fB2QO4DyoahOMj22keiLoCndnSaYkFKhalTTe1rXejQY1AmjewwOlB1qRbA9TxXO2bTS0_hbZYrdC1cl1YxmUHxMMqD3ROS4u-TrWQjwIiNrf4uIa4HbI4GM/s640/Mom+Dad.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><br />Dave added that, since moving to Washington D.C. recently, he started collecting work from other artists in the East.<br /><br />Along with Dave, I met Bethany who, shared one of her more recent tattoos, this whale by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/denotattoo">Deno Jr.</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Une94eOi3dEV3SZg9z5Mf5eiGSGdBoINw3a7z6oLMfSdkde6MfMGqnXidEte4jwKI2CUUFeO3ct3AWPlNprGDiGlZH8pRHyq_tmEdggIMbzoLpaaTlBNOoiuGkMGKG1KeHWl81ZooVY/s1600/Whale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Une94eOi3dEV3SZg9z5Mf5eiGSGdBoINw3a7z6oLMfSdkde6MfMGqnXidEte4jwKI2CUUFeO3ct3AWPlNprGDiGlZH8pRHyq_tmEdggIMbzoLpaaTlBNOoiuGkMGKG1KeHWl81ZooVY/s400/Whale.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Deno Jr. works out of <a href="http://circustattoomadrid.com/home.html">Circus Tattoo</a> in Madrid, Spain, but had recently done a guest spot at <a href="http://tattooparadisedc.com/home.html">Tattoo Paradise</a> in D.C.<br /><br />This tattoo is of <a href="http://www.good.is/post/the-loneliest-whale-in-the-world/">this lonely whale</a>, whose song is different from any other species, so it is an outcast, and she doesn't have a mate.<br /><br />Thanks to Dave and Bethany for sharing their amazing tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />  <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span>

Two for Tattoosday - Dave's Scalpflower and Bethany's Lonely Whale

A couple weeks back, I met Dave and Bethany outside of the Borders Penn Plaza in Manhattan. Both had amazing ink and shared some tattoos wit...

3:43 AM

Matthew Shares Two Tattoo, from Thailand and French Polynesia (by way of Biarritz, France)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnw7VdTFlP9sGiW3DXVaQkXua3xmeN9vlwAG-ds3ggc8FuGgPC0PkJk9fYDlxauGG1mPEez1Qj903fPZWGU_9tMMIxDH_EOHEEvMwb_TqwZRWGiXkUQ2VmhkD5agYafIdJimLEUf8lGU/s1600/Polynesian+bottom+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I generally do not ask people about tribal designs because they are not particularly interesting to me. That is not to say they are not good, just that thy are not my cup of tea. But occasionally, an exception will come along, and I will be more than pleasantly surprised.<br /><br />Take Matthew, for example. I spotted him sitting on Penn Plaza early last month, and something about his tribal piece on his left calf intrigued me:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6AWy8D41RUaFHLzqqB5KY07zAvAuDSqCO3viQUSEjxjQODxeUEKLTy6SdPqny8wDb5WSrRdnT2EJV56wbht1BYhfk3-Iyatg-EkQGvYcbeXC9sczsLfDJwTfr1QDt-7Pnd6Ex5wjnxE/s1600/rooster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6AWy8D41RUaFHLzqqB5KY07zAvAuDSqCO3viQUSEjxjQODxeUEKLTy6SdPqny8wDb5WSrRdnT2EJV56wbht1BYhfk3-Iyatg-EkQGvYcbeXC9sczsLfDJwTfr1QDt-7Pnd6Ex5wjnxE/s640/rooster.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br />Matthew, who is French, explained:<br /><blockquote>"I got it in Thailand in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Chang_District">Ko Chang</a>, which is an island at the frontier of Cambodia and Thailand ... it was done by a guy named 'Chung' - it was done in the old way of traditional Thai tattoo, which is with bamboo. So, basically, it lasts four hours and ... he put the bamboo in the ink ... between the thumb and the index [finger and] ... just tattooed ... three, four hours, all traditional.<br /><br />I went there and I already had the symbol in my head. I wanted a little rooster face here (because I'm French, I like the rooster) ... then he first designed it with a pen and we agreed on the drawing ... then he began it and four hours later I had it and I don't regret it."</blockquote>Then, Matthew totally blew me away when he raised his shirt to show me his other tattoo:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_GvbYGVoeImOcxSLUpT1P4Thhdj9cwZ1PZSgXcuCZ0IEI01nvBClbmys4FMkc9GNuxp8vsxYmzmrbzyzPhGXVUl5brmxfS-OomBm1CJ-cwRRuCptAtiSjS-qRjWJBjMSGBtprEGEryw/s1600/Polynesian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_GvbYGVoeImOcxSLUpT1P4Thhdj9cwZ1PZSgXcuCZ0IEI01nvBClbmys4FMkc9GNuxp8vsxYmzmrbzyzPhGXVUl5brmxfS-OomBm1CJ-cwRRuCptAtiSjS-qRjWJBjMSGBtprEGEryw/s640/Polynesian.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br />Matthew explained this amazing piece of tattoo craftsmanship:<br /><br /><blockquote>"It was done in France just a few months ago by a guy who is from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallis_and_Futuna">Wallis and Futuna</a>, which is islands in <strike>French Polynesia</strike> l’Océanie polynésienne...  So, it's a symbol of a family, so here you see too little men [at center]:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAU-259jB64gGP7ky59kfg0shpxpOGFq8lL2vc-JpJafT2db6tftWdn2qy_HJKp3GVvGF4BwRGGVZozZOs2o_Q66F4MFNReh4w4IR90FQpsYcRRdN8FDzxZKJLHoIimQEeGWsFKEaxGw/s1600/two+little+men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAU-259jB64gGP7ky59kfg0shpxpOGFq8lL2vc-JpJafT2db6tftWdn2qy_HJKp3GVvGF4BwRGGVZozZOs2o_Q66F4MFNReh4w4IR90FQpsYcRRdN8FDzxZKJLHoIimQEeGWsFKEaxGw/s320/two+little+men.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br />that's my brother and my sister ... This is the symbol of the god ... <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozPwNMV4u-iKNFGt2sN3803HZeCFx1r9ISC8JLklSB6_wPJ21WGEbaOQH7Q1gZ9mVbsf828tmnmkrdnPQIAcahUZPKr2KC0U6toe3uk_Z5DtvEnrcWutJ9ARHMVYLwWPSxEaPEdmh1AU/s1600/god+glyph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozPwNMV4u-iKNFGt2sN3803HZeCFx1r9ISC8JLklSB6_wPJ21WGEbaOQH7Q1gZ9mVbsf828tmnmkrdnPQIAcahUZPKr2KC0U6toe3uk_Z5DtvEnrcWutJ9ARHMVYLwWPSxEaPEdmh1AU/s320/god+glyph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />...which represents the man's strength. This is a ... lizard:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIU91h6Z-da6XNxq6ux4OHCMyKRIXEN48Yfhj0USl5j6zpqDXwZdK59xpcU66QCcWbYm0pwu6IEFtKH8jup7OAFVKtwZV3C5gHIFqaFAXjfHn8D1Rs-7xSO73fyZHZpfX7tCbjh1dsPQ/s1600/shark+teeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnw7VdTFlP9sGiW3DXVaQkXua3xmeN9vlwAG-ds3ggc8FuGgPC0PkJk9fYDlxauGG1mPEez1Qj903fPZWGU_9tMMIxDH_EOHEEvMwb_TqwZRWGiXkUQ2VmhkD5agYafIdJimLEUf8lGU/s1600/Polynesian+bottom+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnw7VdTFlP9sGiW3DXVaQkXua3xmeN9vlwAG-ds3ggc8FuGgPC0PkJk9fYDlxauGG1mPEez1Qj903fPZWGU_9tMMIxDH_EOHEEvMwb_TqwZRWGiXkUQ2VmhkD5agYafIdJimLEUf8lGU/s320/Polynesian+bottom+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />which, in the Polynesian culture, is a messenger of God, which looks behind you, in case of any danger."</blockquote><br />Matthew also noted that the top section of the tattoo is in the shape of a silver fern, which is symbolic of New Zealand, and Maori tattoo traditions:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7A0jY-BQZn6dDsDn0JQSw5J9-L4uDnD_AnuveVd1KXmP3V9z26qDgqIYqCfRbWtHlIvGMlQ_MtYjituAHQLD_BOBdPwjkTrtviZwYjlHNP4btJlYyWIALaVfHzU7L7mDVlMaQrVZyF4/s1600/Polynesian+top+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7A0jY-BQZn6dDsDn0JQSw5J9-L4uDnD_AnuveVd1KXmP3V9z26qDgqIYqCfRbWtHlIvGMlQ_MtYjituAHQLD_BOBdPwjkTrtviZwYjlHNP4btJlYyWIALaVfHzU7L7mDVlMaQrVZyF4/s640/Polynesian+top+detail.jpg" width="377" /></a></div><br /><br />He also pointed out the traditional shark's teeth, which is a popular element in traditional Polynesian tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIU91h6Z-da6XNxq6ux4OHCMyKRIXEN48Yfhj0USl5j6zpqDXwZdK59xpcU66QCcWbYm0pwu6IEFtKH8jup7OAFVKtwZV3C5gHIFqaFAXjfHn8D1Rs-7xSO73fyZHZpfX7tCbjh1dsPQ/s1600/shark+teeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIU91h6Z-da6XNxq6ux4OHCMyKRIXEN48Yfhj0USl5j6zpqDXwZdK59xpcU66QCcWbYm0pwu6IEFtKH8jup7OAFVKtwZV3C5gHIFqaFAXjfHn8D1Rs-7xSO73fyZHZpfX7tCbjh1dsPQ/s320/shark+teeth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The Polynesian artist credited by Matthew for this tattoo is Soane Paninia, who works out of Polynesian Cultural in Biarritz, France. <br /><br />Matthew also told me that "normally, the traditional Polynesian tattoo are much more thicker, but through the Western influence, they now are very thin ... I asked for a thinner one, because I preferred this way."<br /><br />A very special "merci beaucoup" to Matthew for taking the time to show and explain his tattoos to me. I may have missed an element of two, but nonetheless, both pieces are spectacular in their own ways.<br /><br />  <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Matthew Shares Two Tattoo, from Thailand and French Polynesia (by way of Biarritz, France)

I generally do not ask people about tribal designs because they are not particularly interesting to me. That is not to say they are not good...

6:28 AM

Andrea's Half-Sleeve with Mermaid

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FDeNawycuH18Srpw3m7SYoNHeFCxifBa_5euTlK_DBA5uTc8uV8qUe3UFaikND2XeG7AcbG1K-COjvdqb7uS5XcEQvjGTTiN9nHHGNyHq8Y7AGydLiv6VuVFvN1kEiv6_99Q2wtKi3s/s1600/Mermaid+R+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FDeNawycuH18Srpw3m7SYoNHeFCxifBa_5euTlK_DBA5uTc8uV8qUe3UFaikND2XeG7AcbG1K-COjvdqb7uS5XcEQvjGTTiN9nHHGNyHq8Y7AGydLiv6VuVFvN1kEiv6_99Q2wtKi3s/s640/Mermaid+R+detail.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br />Today we are checking out an awesome traditional half-sleeve by Charlie Foos at <a href="http://readstreettattoo.net/home.html">Reade Street Tattoo Parlour</a>. I spotted it on Andrea outside of the Fuse studios on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiVrbrfj6plTGFaDAhLHC6zZD9LG019NjSDoVgwh7y-Qpaxy0jnxrVSKVbGFpU21iniMrcelvXLX_VFjfvfOVEWRCeANpRtNHKD3d25bYCU6q-NAFU6CY6BY6h2yMkjnSXjksCRHZOnU/s1600/mermaid+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiVrbrfj6plTGFaDAhLHC6zZD9LG019NjSDoVgwh7y-Qpaxy0jnxrVSKVbGFpU21iniMrcelvXLX_VFjfvfOVEWRCeANpRtNHKD3d25bYCU6q-NAFU6CY6BY6h2yMkjnSXjksCRHZOnU/s400/mermaid+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Andrea told me this was completed in three sessions of three and a half hours each and was inspired by s piece of jewelery. "I bought this pendant of a ship," she said, "and I decided I wanted a half-sleeve of something traditional." The rest is history.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7B4HJs0Gt50_vDkCLpcVUvRvN_WuV3_YzW2tjGuFCsO5QxLuOW4SH_ze97Ddw3WMRo_tO13zduld1lURVH-kS1G8DxGQ16n4HxnFq54BEulFVfgouVDooPVnQ6xMINqxnqVbkC8IH_w/s1600/mermaid+L+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7B4HJs0Gt50_vDkCLpcVUvRvN_WuV3_YzW2tjGuFCsO5QxLuOW4SH_ze97Ddw3WMRo_tO13zduld1lURVH-kS1G8DxGQ16n4HxnFq54BEulFVfgouVDooPVnQ6xMINqxnqVbkC8IH_w/s640/mermaid+L+detail.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /><br />Thanks to Andrea for sharing this great tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />  <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Andrea's Half-Sleeve with Mermaid

Today we are checking out an awesome traditional half-sleeve by Charlie Foos at Reade Street Tattoo Parlour . I spotted it on Andrea outside...

4:02 AM

Corey's Traditional Creatures

I met Corey and Jessica last month outside of Madison Square Garden on a bright, sunny afternoon. Between the two of them, they have dozens of tattoos, so I had a lovely time chatting with them. They're originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and had been tattooed by a couple of artists who are friends of theirs working out of <a href="http://www.perkinsroadparlour.com/">Perkins Road Parlor</a>.<br /><br />Corey credited Brent McCarron and Chris Handford with this pair of cool, traditional-style tattoos: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHq5uXLLwHUWwI5fGQnlp7kHODgDo1LGwyUhMRCbwJY1mRq8PJ7yNGAJOOEQ4Rl_2jIPUKItBKdGDF6E4wcmujuyc8HsFeQOUK5ZD06F1oE7TQv9BwDXnILZujUe1fnJYCeo6Yo-Map0/s1600/sabre+toothed+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHq5uXLLwHUWwI5fGQnlp7kHODgDo1LGwyUhMRCbwJY1mRq8PJ7yNGAJOOEQ4Rl_2jIPUKItBKdGDF6E4wcmujuyc8HsFeQOUK5ZD06F1oE7TQv9BwDXnILZujUe1fnJYCeo6Yo-Map0/s400/sabre+toothed+spider.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;">Corey, who has 14 or 15 tattoos, just asked them to draw him something and they did.  This sabre-toothed tiger and his newest piece, the spider, about two weeks old in this photo, have a very traditional feel about them. I particularly love the yellows in the spider.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1czFeFjTxt15PQzSQbEaE-fxAiWvPqL-yG5rtx60Ng-1zIdbcF5MBYcYehKNti3ahsOC-Lvi497J_jYANQuwzVcwdvKDFapkqdVeUC8qwSfiY_GvR1Ju8hUyq5PUC_Ioe7IgX_UzSoN8/s1600/Spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1czFeFjTxt15PQzSQbEaE-fxAiWvPqL-yG5rtx60Ng-1zIdbcF5MBYcYehKNti3ahsOC-Lvi497J_jYANQuwzVcwdvKDFapkqdVeUC8qwSfiY_GvR1Ju8hUyq5PUC_Ioe7IgX_UzSoN8/s640/Spider.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks to Corey for sharing these tattoos with us! Check back tomorrow to see what Jessica had to offer!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">  </div><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>

Corey's Traditional Creatures

I met Corey and Jessica last month outside of Madison Square Garden on a bright, sunny afternoon. Between the two of them, they have dozens ...

2:53 AM

Three's Not a Crowd

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I met a trio of friends hanging out in Penn Station in early October, waiting for their train back to Rhode Island.<br /><br />I spotted Darius first, which was understandable, as he has seventeen  tattoos. Kenny and Katie, his friends, each boasted a modest three  tattoos apiece, and offered up theirs as well.<br /><br />Let's start with Darius, who has this traditional Mom and Sparrow tattoo on his forearm:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-uu-0LmAYWPSdKiZEs-75lL1Kp1Lq4rr5G2SKqIRAEx7voRaisSsU9hyphenhyphen9bM8gNXxkob1BIZUBL-btnaizt_6i7njkhugF3GvCbjFuaYH8XwCPj7OkZYFatQNnmISh_uZtoNGf640758/s1600/Mom+Sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-uu-0LmAYWPSdKiZEs-75lL1Kp1Lq4rr5G2SKqIRAEx7voRaisSsU9hyphenhyphen9bM8gNXxkob1BIZUBL-btnaizt_6i7njkhugF3GvCbjFuaYH8XwCPj7OkZYFatQNnmISh_uZtoNGf640758/s640/Mom+Sparrow.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br />He said that he and two other friends got the same tattoo.<br /><br />This was done by <a href="http://whiskeynotwater.com/home.html">Jae Audette</a> at <a href="http://mcinnistattoo.com/home.html">Mcinnis Tattoo Company</a>  in Providence, Rhode Island. Work from the shop appeared previously on the site <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Mcinnis%20Tattoo%20Company">here</a>.<br /><br />The other tattoo, on his bicep, is this set of brass knuckles that says "Knuckle Up":<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lBlP_akljLjFcQjQhoJadtrt7dZ_chYjscOo9tcon8FOkKgw7lW47nBI6MgqAg2HHHiZVuFQAcljPu2DFT-foKjNcMqbXCwwpuVUoV2VMc3T9m63O6AfguBhoDJbgjfVFELCQ6oIeKU/s1600/knuckle+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lBlP_akljLjFcQjQhoJadtrt7dZ_chYjscOo9tcon8FOkKgw7lW47nBI6MgqAg2HHHiZVuFQAcljPu2DFT-foKjNcMqbXCwwpuVUoV2VMc3T9m63O6AfguBhoDJbgjfVFELCQ6oIeKU/s400/knuckle+up.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This was done by <a href="http://www.alteredimagestattoo.net/forrest.aspx">Forrest Curl</a> at <a href="http://www.alteredimagestattoo.net/">Altered Images Tattoo Studio</a> in Cumberland, Rhode Island.<br /><br />Also from Altered Images is this still-in-progress rib piece on Kenny:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEQmhCIxcA7lN1jOJcduXMNbi83tI_OA7s568dSPXHU3pwnCtITjUUfOqWJmFOHxkpoSWnQ2i_qQJh2juB-fxZ7Q970iCFIISC4YtdF9jBylxdnLUfliEDzAFFuKRqKrRPv6KPlmMP7E/s1600/Crimson+King.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEQmhCIxcA7lN1jOJcduXMNbi83tI_OA7s568dSPXHU3pwnCtITjUUfOqWJmFOHxkpoSWnQ2i_qQJh2juB-fxZ7Q970iCFIISC4YtdF9jBylxdnLUfliEDzAFFuKRqKrRPv6KPlmMP7E/s640/Crimson+King.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />This is a depiction of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimson_King">The Crimson King</a> from <a href="http://www.stephenking.com/index.html">Stephen King's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Tower_%28series%29">Dark Tower Series</a>. As you would imagine, Kenny is a huge fan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.alteredimagestattoo.net/rob.aspx">Rob Young</a> is the artist who is working on this piece.<br /><br />Katie then generously offered to show me her tattoo, which runs down her spine:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NlfxUktwpxj1mka7xBAbw02joOrYzM0mlaLL6EKfG12M6Pc3Td6mjG3OUYrJqA2wo7oEwiKXLvcrPVzBHpx0uydpsb12rR4_kew8A2ViOEGI2suezu5M_JAOfyDrmhd6ko3ay3T81_A/s1600/Family+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NlfxUktwpxj1mka7xBAbw02joOrYzM0mlaLL6EKfG12M6Pc3Td6mjG3OUYrJqA2wo7oEwiKXLvcrPVzBHpx0uydpsb12rR4_kew8A2ViOEGI2suezu5M_JAOfyDrmhd6ko3ay3T81_A/s640/Family+1.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />When I asked if she wouldn't mind sending me another photo, since the  tattoo was partially obscured by her bra strap, she didn't hesitate to  unhook it so I could photograph the whole tattoo, unobscured:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGs0friAopPZmj1d08pycTLAYpebA24Vh1zG55D-VNVLka_9IheWUmfq1xn6UTW5iPWMxDzYeCMM0titg1g4bdBTyppydr9YdT425KXDkY9T4inmUwCV4bNs_RbtwYFsJdZODGU-a4t7o/s1600/Family+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGs0friAopPZmj1d08pycTLAYpebA24Vh1zG55D-VNVLka_9IheWUmfq1xn6UTW5iPWMxDzYeCMM0titg1g4bdBTyppydr9YdT425KXDkY9T4inmUwCV4bNs_RbtwYFsJdZODGU-a4t7o/s640/Family+2.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><br />Katie explained that her heritage is Armenian, and that the letters down her spine spell the word for "family".<br /><br />She added that two of her cousins have the same tattoo, but inked on their arms.<br /><br />She also noted that the infinity symbol at the base of her neck speaks  to the Armenian text and symbolizes, for her, "family forever".<br /><br />She did not recall the name of the shop where she had this done, but  recalled it was on Long Island, New York, and that the artist was "Joey  D".<br /><br />Thanks to Darius, Kenny and Katie for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Three's Not a Crowd

I met a trio of friends hanging out in Penn Station in early October, waiting for their train back to Rhode Island. I spotted Darius first, ...

10:52 AM

David's Traditional Hands

Last month I met David when I stopped after noticing his neck tattoo. However, it was his hands he offered up to us here at Tattoosday:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVwKYe8PZZ08d9rlxELe13YYUwOQCyjzO-u1j_GfF8odCsF0zPxvdfwoOaBcehMk_pdA0OzLbTrYVS2wZGPORIaPDMzh6XAdxAsOxd3DbnKBcLXXpcNa1EcWdQf7W974ZJYUwWimV_4I/s1600/Davids+Hands+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVwKYe8PZZ08d9rlxELe13YYUwOQCyjzO-u1j_GfF8odCsF0zPxvdfwoOaBcehMk_pdA0OzLbTrYVS2wZGPORIaPDMzh6XAdxAsOxd3DbnKBcLXXpcNa1EcWdQf7W974ZJYUwWimV_4I/s400/Davids+Hands+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />David works in construction and is a contractor. He also manages the band, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/DREW-NUGENT-THE-MIDNIGHT-SOCIETY/165439868308">Drew Nugent & the Midnight Society</a>.<br /><br />He has about thirty-five (35) hours of work done on his body, and he explained that these are traditional pieces on his hands.<br /><br />He was inspired to have his knuckles read "True Blue" as they speak to his belief that our country has lost its values that need to be regained. Key among these values are loyalty and honor, in the traditional, "true blue" sense of the words.<br /><br />To him, the panther represents that we need to fight to regain these ideals.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITq5S3luedbGdGbUR-Uw1a196t0jHKp3OpiviKiFKBDcvYwa0c3b32Yw7ycj_Q3EGirq8iNstsz7ik153SqxsIZRtQgOi1mbDWD0n8vyJZOyEb0EsXSF_HeW-JS8ESSCuCxFQYeZ19b0/s1600/Davids+Hands+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITq5S3luedbGdGbUR-Uw1a196t0jHKp3OpiviKiFKBDcvYwa0c3b32Yw7ycj_Q3EGirq8iNstsz7ik153SqxsIZRtQgOi1mbDWD0n8vyJZOyEb0EsXSF_HeW-JS8ESSCuCxFQYeZ19b0/s400/Davids+Hands+detail+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And the two roses represent the ideal (the healthy, red flower on the right hand) and what he called the "diminished," (on the left) that is, where we're headed with our loss of values.<br /><br />David embraced these traditional elements because he feels that "the only way to have a future is to look at the past".<br /><br />He had the panther done at a tattoo convention. The roses and "TRUE BLUE" knuckles are credited to Rick Meggison at <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/wrestling3/metalnips/about/">Marked 4 Life</a> in York, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />Thanks to David for sharing these very cool hand tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

David's Traditional Hands

Last month I met David when I stopped after noticing his neck tattoo. However, it was his hands he offered up to us here at Tattoosday: Davi...

3:07 AM

Sean Shares a Host of Traditional Tattoos

I ran into Sean at the Foodtown in my neighborhood and when I stopped to talk to him about his tattoos (he has nine), I ended up with photos of several pieces, all of which reside on his left arm.<br /><br />Most of the designs are traditional tattoo subjects, all of which were inked by <a href="http://www.eliquinters.com/">Eli Quinters</a> at <a href="http://www.smithstreettattoo.com/">Smith Street Tattoo Parlour</a> in  Brooklyn. Work from <a href="http://www.smithstreettattoo.com/">Smith Street Tattoo</a> has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Smith%20Street%20Tattoo%20Parlour">here</a>.<br /><br />First up is this amazing lighthouse:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEFqNyGBKS11I5B7tHIuUMZ05el12PIHQj4dQZZHQ-d4pc8Rv9RcosKlGhvKqcDN2PkaBLIM5zOvVvg70EHFzNjOLZyEMI7p9_mXkmLjHdzA_rOOzPwsBu3RbjOXXlfAO4lzkWeOf/s1600/Sean+Lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEFqNyGBKS11I5B7tHIuUMZ05el12PIHQj4dQZZHQ-d4pc8Rv9RcosKlGhvKqcDN2PkaBLIM5zOvVvg70EHFzNjOLZyEMI7p9_mXkmLjHdzA_rOOzPwsBu3RbjOXXlfAO4lzkWeOf/s640/Sean+Lighthouse.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><br />Sean explained that this tattoo is for his mother, as this tattoo is based on her "favorite lighthouse," the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastnet_Rock">Fastnet Lighthouse</a> on the most southerly point on the coast of Ireland.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFfYM6KWvs7fuXAWjDcNcV217V7GeiucOKp2ZVJKi6GRfd0qgacorujCXyPPdeAfVX-NEtOkizWs7Z1hWmZ5XJ2QY_gfeKGZFYSw9x6Fyf-1eZXitFymU5JrV_XOlaR5AR2FB3jU-/s1600/fastnet_lighthouse_rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFfYM6KWvs7fuXAWjDcNcV217V7GeiucOKp2ZVJKi6GRfd0qgacorujCXyPPdeAfVX-NEtOkizWs7Z1hWmZ5XJ2QY_gfeKGZFYSw9x6Fyf-1eZXitFymU5JrV_XOlaR5AR2FB3jU-/s320/fastnet_lighthouse_rocks.jpg" /></a></div><br />Then there is this owl tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSagis-8ZFJwh-iTK-rwHEH1fodTBwDgB2iodrzFNIjzYRLwnEvAs28ZjRoJ4GN9Bjs_Fhyphenhyphen6AC5v_zhtt72-ik-LfVJJSP3tRspHdyPXdOk71M7GXoCWe0XQIwvHkP4zYTg64g61Kb/s1600/Sean+owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSagis-8ZFJwh-iTK-rwHEH1fodTBwDgB2iodrzFNIjzYRLwnEvAs28ZjRoJ4GN9Bjs_Fhyphenhyphen6AC5v_zhtt72-ik-LfVJJSP3tRspHdyPXdOk71M7GXoCWe0XQIwvHkP4zYTg64g61Kb/s640/Sean+owl.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><br />This was done for no other reason that Sean has always liked owls. If you love owl tattoos, be sure to head over to <a href="http://owltattoos.blogspot.com/">this site</a>. <br /><br />Then there is the elephant tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDK38C5JEa0Ph490TiZVlmzYJwBIjIfy3A1iKhj5d4pLU9E4SZLJyOLmjQjKxtXJ7zr_Ws2cmLWUYsqfhKlVY8VEhuxhHSDmn64_l6evm-eFIaHvSPpZcPAk15lehDecEX1kKrutiE/s1600/Sean+Elephant+Left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDK38C5JEa0Ph490TiZVlmzYJwBIjIfy3A1iKhj5d4pLU9E4SZLJyOLmjQjKxtXJ7zr_Ws2cmLWUYsqfhKlVY8VEhuxhHSDmn64_l6evm-eFIaHvSPpZcPAk15lehDecEX1kKrutiE/s400/Sean+Elephant+Left.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><br />He has this piece because "elephants never forget". <br /><br />I know we posted a sugar skull yesterday, but here's another one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_S3XF0Klz0MBwJrN2hFMqvQmUlQvhCyvBQyLKHCh9UvQc8yX0jy3NcShKTJQH1C06sfo9ldFA48-kM2gMPQ_nEWKAeoZmXpY98snpf3edGCvZNvSnLsF3ps2hBlBwYGBIdcnJRBs0/s1600/Sean+Sugar+Skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_S3XF0Klz0MBwJrN2hFMqvQmUlQvhCyvBQyLKHCh9UvQc8yX0jy3NcShKTJQH1C06sfo9ldFA48-kM2gMPQ_nEWKAeoZmXpY98snpf3edGCvZNvSnLsF3ps2hBlBwYGBIdcnJRBs0/s640/Sean+Sugar+Skull.jpg" width="369" /></a></div><br /><br />This was all Eli's design. Sean gave him free reign and likes the fact that it is unusual in that there are not a lot of colors in it, like one sees in most sugar skull tattoos. For all that have appeared on Tattoosday previously, check <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Sugar%20Skulls">this link</a>.<br /><br />There is also the traditional female figure, not modeled after anyone in particular, just done in a traditional style:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ggmJLnf7laMJvChx1iJWDyY2IYxWB-KYshbFg_R2OTP7CEFJUGEYX6jGCuTUTDFgx9KXlvdwHEInfgsSjmmXr7ZhVKZqOX0hp42Wjy3eab-Big2YZPGXaazoiZ438gQxwjPmtADY/s1600/Sean+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ggmJLnf7laMJvChx1iJWDyY2IYxWB-KYshbFg_R2OTP7CEFJUGEYX6jGCuTUTDFgx9KXlvdwHEInfgsSjmmXr7ZhVKZqOX0hp42Wjy3eab-Big2YZPGXaazoiZ438gQxwjPmtADY/s640/Sean+woman.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br /><br />And Sean's last tattoo is this bat:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1FKCg4ivPe7YE6_vcLgNQbHN9UnzbzK6Y__cG2ywxSZoBTg24G7ZXPhqDB8GmfrCUh1kwqEGb1KEgx19DyTkoN0RHqvJlf6omU2_wP2nS50DoT_T-jnLJtlLzKXT2O6JpTPg4Ay6/s1600/sEAN+BAT+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1FKCg4ivPe7YE6_vcLgNQbHN9UnzbzK6Y__cG2ywxSZoBTg24G7ZXPhqDB8GmfrCUh1kwqEGb1KEgx19DyTkoN0RHqvJlf6omU2_wP2nS50DoT_T-jnLJtlLzKXT2O6JpTPg4Ay6/s400/sEAN+BAT+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />He told Eli that he "wanted something spooky" that included the moon. Quinters free-handed this piece, starting with a white <a href="http://www.sharpie.com/enUS/Home/default.html">Sharpie</a> and then finished with a darker Sharpie before finishing the tattoo.<br /><br />What's neat about all of Sean's tattoos is that they flow nicely together, as readers can see elements of many of the tattoos on the borders of the photos of specific designs.<br /><br />Thanks to Sean for sharing these amazing tattoos by Eli Quinters with us here on Tattoosday!

Sean Shares a Host of Traditional Tattoos

I ran into Sean at the Foodtown in my neighborhood and when I stopped to talk to him about his tattoos (he has nine), I ended up with photos...

3:34 AM

Juli's Right Calf: A Sugar Skull and More!

Back in April, I met Juli, who hosts a dozen tattoos, and counting.<br /><br />She offered up two pieces, both on her right calf.<br /><br />First was this sugar skull, inked by <a href="http://www.strangebreutattoo.com/">Chris Strangebreu</a>, who currently is working out of <a href="http://studio33tattoo.com/">Studio 33 Tattoo</a> on St. Mark's Place in Manhattan:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi06Nd_c63HdosGZCW1EY-4Zat57PFqM7tf_NRBU1T_-7KLKpGYn7vSw6in3HB_cus6bqufVhBXzJuTp_-F_-0n-lmRE3sNGy-AOQgfG5xh_zpS9nXVbQE-w2GrwjqEUHt9WRZwFF/s1600/Juli+Sugar+Skull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi06Nd_c63HdosGZCW1EY-4Zat57PFqM7tf_NRBU1T_-7KLKpGYn7vSw6in3HB_cus6bqufVhBXzJuTp_-F_-0n-lmRE3sNGy-AOQgfG5xh_zpS9nXVbQE-w2GrwjqEUHt9WRZwFF/s640/Juli+Sugar+Skull.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><br />Always a fan of sugar skulls here on Tattoosday, I was glad that Juli was more than happy to share this tattoo. She pointed out that the flowers are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerbera">Gerbera daisies</a> ("my ultimate favorite flower ever") and that the eyes and the tips of the daisies have unusual accents. Chris used an ink known as "Japanese pink,"  which makes the specific areas of the piece glow in the dark.<br />  <br />The other tattoo Juli shared is part of what she envisions to be a larger piece that will wrap around her calf and thematically connect with the sugar skull:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkCYCYIvfyxiImMqIijzzFDPEAV12nqMXmp-YWI_YJnWl9LFVhwcFTUsUD38iOCA9wAeIZoHn8Afw8TJ20uFeg1dJDe5TZsqHKPTPwJVca68i4iT0F6TukZ0eSwU5aj-gnctUfK1F/s1600/Juli+Tradiional.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkCYCYIvfyxiImMqIijzzFDPEAV12nqMXmp-YWI_YJnWl9LFVhwcFTUsUD38iOCA9wAeIZoHn8Afw8TJ20uFeg1dJDe5TZsqHKPTPwJVca68i4iT0F6TukZ0eSwU5aj-gnctUfK1F/s400/Juli+Tradiional.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><br />This was done by <a href="http://holeintheskytattoos.com/">Geoff Horn</a> at the <span id="goog_1349564425"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention<span id="goog_1349564426"></span></a>. <br /><br />I'm hoping that this won't be the last we see from Juli, and I thank her for sharing these great tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Juli's Right Calf: A Sugar Skull and More!

Back in April, I met Juli, who hosts a dozen tattoos, and counting. She offered up two pieces, both on her right calf. First was this sugar ...

3:02 AM

Amanda's Right Biceps

I met Amanda outside of <a href="http://www.thegarden.com/">Madison Square Garden</a> in April and she graciously allowed me to pick from one of her estimated fourteen to fifteen tattoos.<br /><br />I chose this piece on her inner right biceps:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wi0_yiiwwFW_MfIXoAthwu5x56-sBAiBPNxdqLmXI_uujeBsxvHS-5yRQQuNmMz383zEEUo3mLmT2Lxnb2ghjFKLcL9X1hKaaMQJODYpVg-2AkmpVRTMUfmWHRdv6xUta__eefbR/s1600/Indian+girl.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466403007949764514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wi0_yiiwwFW_MfIXoAthwu5x56-sBAiBPNxdqLmXI_uujeBsxvHS-5yRQQuNmMz383zEEUo3mLmT2Lxnb2ghjFKLcL9X1hKaaMQJODYpVg-2AkmpVRTMUfmWHRdv6xUta__eefbR/s400/Indian+girl.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />This is part of a greater plan for her arm which has a "cowboys and Indians" theme.<br /><br />This design, which fits the traditional "old school" style of tattoo, was inked by <a href="http://www.thedevilsrosetattoo.com/christianpeters.html">Christian Peters</a> of <a href="http://www.thedevilsrosetattoo.com/">The Devil's Rose Tattoo</a> in Long Island. Work from Devil's Rose appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/08/vincent.html">here</a> on Tattoosday.<br /><br />Thanks to Amanda for sharing this old-school tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Amanda's Right Biceps

I met Amanda outside of Madison Square Garden in April and she graciously allowed me to pick from one of her estimated fourteen to fifteen ...

1:30 PM

Markjames' Knuckles

Last week I posted <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/02/markjames-helps-start-february-with.html">this great owl tattoo</a> belonging to Markjames, a Pennsylvania-based tattoo artist.<br /><br />Prior to sharing it, however, I also snapped his knuckles:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoRUcbwcqmkq8AV8pI7_RV2HM6ZlJLd4lirR91bYeGP3xwbvCjWuzL5GstjMMIsECzbYY3hqQZlgSnUdG6LB3OcuU7cExpvYZ_9rLGaFstxCsabyvd_2MSS01BKD4y-6AXn9TvaBp/s1600-h/Soft+Soul.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436195103935625506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZoRUcbwcqmkq8AV8pI7_RV2HM6ZlJLd4lirR91bYeGP3xwbvCjWuzL5GstjMMIsECzbYY3hqQZlgSnUdG6LB3OcuU7cExpvYZ_9rLGaFstxCsabyvd_2MSS01BKD4y-6AXn9TvaBp/s400/Soft+Soul.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br />When I asked what this meant, he said "just a feeling". What is particularly cool about these knuckles are the traditional anchor and horseshoe standing in for the letters "T" and "U", respectively.<br /><br />These were inked by <a href="http://www.silkcitytattoo.com/russell-kelley/">Russell Kelley</a> at <a href="http://www.silkcitytattoo.com/">Silk City Tattoo</a> in Hawthorne, New Jersey. Work from the shop has appeared multiple times before and can all be seen under Silk City's Tattoosday label <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Silk%20City%20Tattoo">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks again to Markjames for sharing his work with us here on Tattoosday!

Markjames' Knuckles

Last week I posted this great owl tattoo belonging to Markjames, a Pennsylvania-based tattoo artist. Prior to sharing it, however, I also s...

2:45 AM

Colin's Left Leg is Traditionally Flash-y

I spotted Colin one afternoon while I was waiting for another tattooed individual to get off of her cell phone.<br /><br />(Not only have I come up with individual terms for things that are associated with inkblogging, but I follow a code, as well. One of its tenets is to never bother someone talking on a cell phone.)<br /><br />Colin ambled by and I bounded after him, stopping him and asking about his tattoos.<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFcgQQy8_8GQb9Im0v1GoJeDAbrvBDflhWjHl0dOp8qlDYlwZpi5-c6MtO6B1Qiez-WEd8859-xCfbqktLRQ1sbmnQtcLBGfYeJ5a5hlKuljfaJLVOVIgk4Ze13KOzCRNN60sxu0KLI8/s1600-h/Heart+Dagger.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385340050895541922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFcgQQy8_8GQb9Im0v1GoJeDAbrvBDflhWjHl0dOp8qlDYlwZpi5-c6MtO6B1Qiez-WEd8859-xCfbqktLRQ1sbmnQtcLBGfYeJ5a5hlKuljfaJLVOVIgk4Ze13KOzCRNN60sxu0KLI8/s400/Heart+Dagger.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />His left leg is covered with traditional flash, from swallows and bombs, roses, death's head moths,<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-lW_QVT_Kv0_HQzeVzyDEkCkX4byN2gIt9RQK6cEp_UQjoCQXF35PgfSXKqFLoKnyp_Db5xgzYVN2FFcjf6iRB4MZq1C2ZNCPDhjCx-XarUfjXpy3ap5bB145aronC4usZdrEz72jqc/s1600-h/leg+ink.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385339974470086578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-lW_QVT_Kv0_HQzeVzyDEkCkX4byN2gIt9RQK6cEp_UQjoCQXF35PgfSXKqFLoKnyp_Db5xgzYVN2FFcjf6iRB4MZq1C2ZNCPDhjCx-XarUfjXpy3ap5bB145aronC4usZdrEz72jqc/s400/leg+ink.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />and a pin-up girl, done in the Sailor Jerry style.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeabe8PbvVxcap9fy7Kq5ZoU2jGR0ZrIMOI_lO3axAI3FJ-p3uZW5jD44ogkp72i8yjfYNxfyorecyOPFfbDSKRipud4kyXtngj0zI7j-Zv_QkXylvoIvEVdgGXyU9w8nwrkC_Uh0nxXA/s1600-h/leg+ink+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385339878332443874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeabe8PbvVxcap9fy7Kq5ZoU2jGR0ZrIMOI_lO3axAI3FJ-p3uZW5jD44ogkp72i8yjfYNxfyorecyOPFfbDSKRipud4kyXtngj0zI7j-Zv_QkXylvoIvEVdgGXyU9w8nwrkC_Uh0nxXA/s400/leg+ink+2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />He explained that the sleeved left leg is a result of being "overzealous and excited" about tattoos.<br />Usually I try to talk about one or two pieces, but because most of his work is just flash, I captured most of his calf.<br /><br />No fascinating stories to tell, just tattoos.<br /><br />Thanks to Colin for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Colin's Left Leg is Traditionally Flash-y

I spotted Colin one afternoon while I was waiting for another tattooed individual to get off of her cell phone. (Not only have I come up wit...

2:50 AM

Sweet Pea Shares More Classic Brooklyn-Style Ink

My last tattoo (<a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-third-tattoo-hand-steeped-in-faith.html">here</a>) was inked by Pete who uses the moniker "Sweet Pea".<br /><br />I stopped by to say hi a few weeks back and I got a glimpse of him tattooing a koi on a client's leg.<br /><br />Sweet Pea invited me to snap a shot of his own leg, recently inked by legendary tattoo artist Tony Polito:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE6ba-fF1cD9U1dIO3hLDXHABv_YjOsvHnpI4gtaqXymJO47wvKF7AHTpioGN0X8RgCkr0wiiDnI3nxZUkDjL5Q19MFmae_giaRabfdc3EMk5IbF2l0kpMk6daQeq0gcg_OXw-zkAXl8/s1600-h/tony+polito.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383857103088470066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyE6ba-fF1cD9U1dIO3hLDXHABv_YjOsvHnpI4gtaqXymJO47wvKF7AHTpioGN0X8RgCkr0wiiDnI3nxZUkDjL5Q19MFmae_giaRabfdc3EMk5IbF2l0kpMk6daQeq0gcg_OXw-zkAXl8/s400/tony+polito.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />This piece of classicly-inspired flash, signed by Polito himself, is another fine work of body art on Sweet Pea's canvas. See the original post featuring his ink <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/06/peter-carusos-ink-old-school-brooklyn.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Sweet Pea for sharing this tattoo with us here on Tattoosday.

Sweet Pea Shares More Classic Brooklyn-Style Ink

My last tattoo ( here ) was inked by Pete who uses the moniker "Sweet Pea". I stopped by to say hi a few weeks back and I got a gl...

2:53 AM

Two for Tattoosday: Some Traditional Work Imported from California

Last week I spotted a young tattooed woman chatting with a friend outside of the <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/chelsea/">Chelsea</a> <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a> store. I hesitated because I was running late, but doubled back across the street and introduced myself. As it turned out, Krista and her two friends, Ryan and Jake, had recently moved from San Francisco to New York. All of them had tattoos.<br /><br />Her friend Jake shared his first, but I am deferring that one to a later, more appropriate date (hint: check back on Father's Day).<br /><br />After seeing Jake's tattoo, I turned to Krista and Ryan. "Who's next?" I asked hopefully.<br />Fortunately, I didn't get the "Wasn't the one tattoo enough?" attitude.<br /><br />Krista deferred to Ryan and he offered, with his friend's assistance, this amazing piece:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7TsDkQIzCPvTNxexvFSVJfbM4sqPyN2dL9ATEE2hw5ehtISKIhHmflh36egG3WNX5q-4j0ZPAM4fGSpohoURb4zHRDiBz_W8okTj0qyWFDjE0qEGrB74uaUQ2QmEL6w-t0NP8ZP05b4/s1600-h/Bald+Eagle.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347862451519153010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7TsDkQIzCPvTNxexvFSVJfbM4sqPyN2dL9ATEE2hw5ehtISKIhHmflh36egG3WNX5q-4j0ZPAM4fGSpohoURb4zHRDiBz_W8okTj0qyWFDjE0qEGrB74uaUQ2QmEL6w-t0NP8ZP05b4/s400/Bald+Eagle.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 343px;" /></a><br />I was surprised, to be honest, to see such a huge, traditional sailor tattoo on a tall young man with a finely-waxed handlebar mustache, so I had to ask what was behind this amazing piece.<br /><br />He had a simple answer, "I'm American." And the logic computes on different levels. The eagle is our national bird, and the art of tattoo, which was discovered by British sailors on the indigenous populations of the South Pacific, didn't really explode in popularity until American servicemen started bringing their body art home from overseas.<br /><br />There is something purely American in the naval tattoos that have embedded themselves in our cultural psyches and, although other cultures may argue the uniqueness of such art to U.S. citizens, that is the perception that has been re-enforced by our society.<br /><br />This amazing tattoo was completed in four four-hour sessions by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/zachjohnsontattoo">Zach Johnson</a> at <a href="http://idlehandsf.com/home.html">Idle Hands Tattoo Studio</a> in San Francisco. Mr. Johnson is no longer listed on staff there but, according to <a href="http://www.myspace.com/zachjohnsontattoo">his MySpace page</a>, he occasionally pops back in from time to time.<br /><br />Chest tattoos are notoriously painful and Ryan concurred: the pain, he said, especially over the diaphragm, was the worst he's ever felt ("worse than that from accidents" he has been in, he insisted). And he has seven tattoos, to boot, so he is no novice.<br /><br />I turned to Krista, inquiring, and smiled when it was clear she was contributing as well. I believe it was the first time I got three people together to participate, with three very different tattoos.<br /><br />She offered up this unique tattoo, also by Zack Johnson:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0Ek9yOLkU4vsAodkZOjCwnJ8OUHJZBDI4-ZF7tRncGnYB2ECsCUjbpaM34Lpmh0GUWv6MTWXAVoeobtNGNKb6dGccATs8iWThlhmkF-xT_DTzAnV_rCSjFKSNKtBRp0qDonw6qbosT8/s1600-h/Cat+Flapper.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347862358996164898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0Ek9yOLkU4vsAodkZOjCwnJ8OUHJZBDI4-ZF7tRncGnYB2ECsCUjbpaM34Lpmh0GUWv6MTWXAVoeobtNGNKb6dGccATs8iWThlhmkF-xT_DTzAnV_rCSjFKSNKtBRp0qDonw6qbosT8/s400/Cat+Flapper.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 153px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Krista explained that Zack had drawn up a whole series of flapper-esque, gypsy-style profiles, putting his personal spin on each one. This one has a feline appearance and, as a lover of cats, she took a shine to the design. The  tattoo, as a result, has a traditional feel, but with a modified spin that makes it more unique. I particularly like the collar with the bell attached to it:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx66y5Gf0s_uPbzdsyW358pAGAOECJf7rrk4mReV7H_jyxapEFBhb_YmBJr5oJMDv7uhDcdvoIAQdIGIuO0X6UXFVivU5THzVbbf5bg4fcty6TA0Fcei3WbVM90DfZCCCl7Ne4nth-EJg/s1600-h/Cat+Flapper+close+up.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347862251594242946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx66y5Gf0s_uPbzdsyW358pAGAOECJf7rrk4mReV7H_jyxapEFBhb_YmBJr5oJMDv7uhDcdvoIAQdIGIuO0X6UXFVivU5THzVbbf5bg4fcty6TA0Fcei3WbVM90DfZCCCl7Ne4nth-EJg/s400/Cat+Flapper+close+up.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />Thanks to Krista and Ryan for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Two for Tattoosday: Some Traditional Work Imported from California

Last week I spotted a young tattooed woman chatting with a friend outside of the Chelsea Whole Foods store. I hesitated because I was runn...

3:05 AM

Tattoosday (A Tattoo Blog)

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