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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Sarah Channels Emma Goldman

I recently had the intense displeasure of discovering that my camera had broken. For someone whose spare time is spent taking pictures of other people's tattoos, this was a harrowing experience, especially since my BlackBerry's camera is flash-less and takes good pictures under only specific lighting conditions.

So what's a poor inkspotter to do? Pass out his card and hope for the best.

And despite dozens of cards distributed to many people with cool tattoos, the only one who has really come through for me is Sarah, who I met last Friday on the subway platform at West Fourth Street, as I waited for the D train to Brooklyn.

Possessor of several tattoos, the one of Sarah's I spotted was on her inner left forearm. My photo was blurry and, as the D pulled into West Fourth, she handed me her card so I could follow-up with her. Thankfully, she is a woman of her word, and sent me this photo yesterday:


Since Sarah is a writer and journalist, I'll let her do the talking. You can check out her work at  her website ohyouprettythings.net and/or read her blog at champagnecandy.tumblr.com. Sarah explains:

It says "It's not my revolution if I can't dance to it"


The tattoo is my most recent, and it's a paraphrase of a possibly-apocryphal Emma Goldman quotation. It's a line that spoke to me the first time I heard it. I'm a political journalist and a feminist activist, and Goldman's always been someone I looked up to. Also, I became a political person through music, and dancing and music have a particular significance for me.


It was done by Ryoko at Brooklyn Tattoo [who we most recently saw inked Julie Powell's tattoo here] and she's super-awesome...
As a lover of type tattoos, I had inquired about the font used and Sarah did not disappoint: "the font is Garton and the words revolution and dance are in Miama".

Thanks to Sarah for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Ganesh Waits for the A Train

Actually, Kerry was waiting on the platform for the uptown A Train when I walked by at 34th Street.

How could I not stop and ask her about this tattoo:



This absolutely stunning depiction of the Hindu deity Ganesh took between eight and nine hours to complete.



Guy Ursitti at Thicker Than Water is the tattooist responsible for this work of art, the newest (at the time I met her) of Kerry's approximately fifty tattoos.

The detail in the tattoo is absolutely incredible.


Work from Thicker Than Water has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Kerry for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, June 28, 2010

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.

Most of the designs are traditional tattoo subjects, all of which were inked by Eli Quinters at Smith Street Tattoo Parlour in  Brooklyn. Work from Smith Street Tattoo has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

First up is this amazing lighthouse:



Sean explained that this tattoo is for his mother, as this tattoo is based on her "favorite lighthouse," the Fastnet Lighthouse on the most southerly point on the coast of Ireland.


Then there is this owl tattoo:



This was done for no other reason that Sean has always liked owls. If you love owl tattoos, be sure to head over to this site.

Then there is the elephant tattoo:



He has this piece because "elephants never forget".

I know we posted a sugar skull yesterday, but here's another one:



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 this link.

There is also the traditional female figure, not modeled after anyone in particular, just done in a traditional style:



And Sean's last tattoo is this bat:



He told Eli that he "wanted something spooky" that included the moon. Quinters free-handed this piece, starting with a white Sharpie and then finished with a darker Sharpie before finishing the tattoo.

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.

Thanks to Sean for sharing these amazing tattoos by Eli Quinters with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Sugar Skull Sunday - One From Ryan

Since I seem to capture more sugar skulls than any other design, why not reserve a day just for these decorative symbols which, at their roots, have deep religious significance?

Two weeks ago, I met Ryan, who has ten tattoos.

Of that lot, he offered up this design on his left bicep, which Charlie Foos created for him at FlyRite Studios in Brooklyn.


Charlie Foos is now at Read Street Tattoo Parlour in Baltimore.

Aside from the traditional nature of the sugar skull tattoo, Ryan also loves Mexico and this design recalls that beautiful and diverse culture south of the border.

Thanks to Ryan for sharing this decorative tattoo with us on Tattoosday!

Work from Charlie Foos has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.
Tattoosday posts tagged FlyRite Studios are here.
Tattoosday posts tagged Reade Street Tattoo Parlour are here.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Katie's Tattoos: A Tribute and a Memorial

I met Katie on 34th Street one afternoon when I stopped to ask her about her foot tattoo:



This tribute piece on her left foot is for her cousin, whose initials are JMS. The letters sit astride the ribbon designating awareness for the disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The two feet represent the fact that she helps raise awareness in the fight against MS by participating in an MS Walk each year.

For more information on MS, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's website here.

Katie also shared with me these wings on the back of her neck:



The initials "MCF" refer to her brother Mark, who was killed with a friend a few years back when a train struck them. This memorial piece ensures that her brother is always with her.

Katie's tattoos were inked by Spencer at Fat Kat Tattoos in Keyport, New Jersey. Work from  Fat Kat has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Katie for sharing two of her four tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Leyna's Balloon Keeps Her Grounded

Leyna was leaving the Borders at 2 Penn Plaza when I spotted one of her tattoos and asked about it.

This was the tattoo in question:


It is located on the back of her left leg, on the calf.

The design was inspired by the cover art from the Modest Mouse record We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.


Leyna thought the anchor was cool, and she feels it is a good representation of herself in her 20's.

The tattoo was inked by Derik Snell at Hand of Glory Tattoo in Brooklyn. He liked the design because he had never tattooed a hot air balloon before. Work from Hand of Glory has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Another one of Leyna's tattoos  caught my eyes, as well:


This two-word snippet, "ecstatic and insatiate" is an excerpt from Allen Ginsberg's Howl. I'd speak more about it, but it appeared first on the most awesome blog, Contrariwise. I'd direct you over here to read what Leyna had to say about this tattoo, and encourage you to linger about and check out the seemingly endless array of literary ink.

Thanks again to Leyna for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Chris Returns with a New Tattoo Putting a Face on Addiction

Earlier this month, I posted about Chris's tattoos (here) and how they represented his battle with addiction.

This past weekend, Chris sent me a follow-up, showing me a new tattoo he had just had inked. It's certainly worth sharing here, as it is not only impressive work, but it continues addressing his struggle with addiction.

Check it out:

Chris explains:
"Just yesterday [June 18, 2010] Ii had an absolutely incredible piece done on my left shoulder. I work at The Painted Bird Tattoo and the newly-opened Boston Tattoo Company (same owners) ... To help celebrate the grand opening weekend of the Boston Tattoo Company, we were fortunate enough to bring in a very talented artist (not to mention one of the nicest most genuine people I've ever met), named Christian Perez. I was able to get an appointment with him and he channeled exactly what I wanted into my skin.

I talked to him prior to his visit and told him that it seemed like every tattoo I thought about getting lately was all dark imagery which I attribute to the disease of addiction which still lives inside me. I wanted to bring all the evil, sickness, and wickedness of my past life to the surface, give it form so I can "see" my demon, if you will. This was the result ... you should think about making trip to Boston sometime. Lots of great artists and great work around here. Also, as of July, Christian will be tattooing out of Hope Gallery in New Haven, CT."

Thanks to Chris for following up with us and sending in this photo of his new tattoo. Former contributors are always welcome to submit their new work for us all to see and enjoy here on Tattoosday.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Anthony's Dragon (and more!)

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

As luck would have it, both of us were headed home to Bay Ridge.

Anthony has a bunch of tattoos, and I snapped this photo of the dragon on his upper right arm:


It was inked by Joe at Brooklyn Ink.

He estimated that the work so far has been completed in about three two-hour sessions.

Work from Joe and other artists at Brooklyn Ink has previously appeared quite frequently on Tattoosday (all posts tagged as such here).

Anthony later emailed me photos of these shots as well:




The praying hands holding the rosary, I recall him telling me, were tattooed at Distinction Ink in Brooklyn. The tattoo reads "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned".

He did not tell me where he had this tribal sun done, but it's definitely an attention-grabbing piece and certainly worth a mention.

Thanks to Anthony for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Jenn's Ink Celebrates a Seventies Vibe

On a day that found me unsuccessful with inkspotting the 5th Avenue Festival in Bay Ridge, Fate walked me past Jenn, sitting outside a laundromat a block away from my home.

She happily shared the work on her upper left arm:



These stunning colors encircled her biceps.


She said this piece, inked by Jared Stomber at Kustom Kulture Ink in Baldwin, New York, is an "ode to 1970's fashion". This is one area of interest to her that moves her artistically and she wanted to express it through body art.

Fictional character Rhoda Morgenstern (from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and spin off Rhoda) was among the cultural icons that inspired the design.




The inner part of Jenn's arm also features artwork that recalls the animated birds from the opening sequence of The Partridge Family.


Although her birds are much more elaborate.


Thanks to Jenn for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Lisa's Guardian Angel

I met Lisa recently on the subway platform at West 4th Street.

She had this cool tattoo on her right forearm:



The tattoo, which took four hours to complete, is Lisa's guardian angel.



Lisa told me that this is a representation of her guardian angel, a "spiritual guide," although she emphasized that she's not religious.

She had the basic idea for the tattoo and took it to Scott Campbell at Saved Tattoo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She pointed out that she absolutely loves the work he did with the shading in the tattoo:


Work from Saved has appeared previously on Tattoosday here. This, however, is the first work we've seen by Scott Campbell in our travels.

Thanks to Lisa for sharing her angelic tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

A Father's Day Bonus: Janet Spots Ink on the Subway

Last month, my friend Janet (whose ink was featured on Tattoosday here) sent me the following photo:


 Janet reports:
"I took this pic in the 1 train, 23rd Street downtown subway station. The guy was *lovely* and looked like a big construction worker. His name is James, and so is his son's, pictured."
I figured this would be a nice father's day bonus.

Katie Carries Her Father's Heart (and Her Mom's and Brother's, Too)

As a tribute to dads today on Father's Day, here's a tattoo from earlier in the week:


This tattoo, on the upper left side of Katie's back, is more of a family tribute, than just a father's honor, but her dad did have a hand in the design.

The words are from the last line of an e.e. cummings poem, "i carry your heart with me":

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
 
The three hearts were drawn by Katie's mother, father, and brother. As she sees it, she is always carrying their hearts with her at all times.

It's a nice tribute to her family.

This is one of three tattoos that Katie has. The font used is designed to look similar to cummings' typewriter-style of print.

The artist was Cash at Addicted to Ink in White Plains, New York. Work from Addicted to Ink has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Katie for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Rose Tattoo Designs and Their Meaning

Getting a rose tattoo is cool. Aside from the fact that roses are among the most exquisite, beautiful, interesting and popular tattoo designs, it would be thrilling to know that roses are rich in symbolism. Whether the tattoo is a big one or a small one, for sure, a rose would always be an eye catcher. Men and women both prefer to have rose tattoos. It is interesting to note that despite its floral and feminine nature, the rose tattoo design is popular among men. Take note that men wearing rose tattoos do not have to be gay. A great number of straight guys also decide to have a rose marked on their skin.

Among the most usual and logical reasons why roses are popular is its overall beautiful and interesting design. Roses are interesting flowers, and as such are always good to look at. Rose tattoos often come with colorful color schemes. There may be hues and shades of read and some green parts. The tattoo design is so colorful and is almost always artistically done and implemented. The tattoo is also fun to look at and is often taken as a personal symbolism. Roses for tattoo fanatics mean liveliness and eagerness for specific life factors. The traditional symbolism is love and devotion, though now those symbolisms are becoming negligible.

A tattoo design can easily be personalized. Often, you can see rose tattoos bearing personal names. Men would readily have the names of their wives or girlfriends embossed and integrated in a rose design. The tattoo design itself, without any letters or names, is a sufficient symbolism and representation itself of romance and love. Thus, it is easy and logical to infer that a person getting a rose tattoo is romantically inclined and is a believer of the power of love.

Most of all, rose tattoos are among the most popular. You know how people would always be prepared to jump into bandwagons. The examples set by celebrities and icons also further bolster the popularity of the tattoo design. A rose is hardly related to femininity despite its floral nature. Thus, people still see a sense of mystery for reasons why people would prefer to get the simple, yet attractive rose tattoos on their skin. If you aim to get a tattoo now, consider having a rose design made and find out for yourself why such a choice is always satisfying.

Chest Tattoo For Women - Hot Designs and Ideas For the Best and Sexiest in Female Designs



If you have been considering getting a chest tattoo then now is the time. These are one of the hottest tattoos ever and they have honestly stood the test of time. Not only they but they are growing quickly in popularity now. With the advancements in color ink, feminine tattoo designs and the popularity of these great tattoo it has never been a better time to get a chest tattoo for women then now.

Locating The Design

Often one of the main reasons a person does not go and get a tattoo is lack of a design or idea. Often people have already made up their mind that they want a tattoo of some sort. They might have even chosen the location but finding the right design can be downright frustrating. The best way to go about locating a design is to take a bunch of ideas of things you have seen and like and even some possible designs and then consult with a professional tattoo artist. They will be able to easily listen to you and what you are after and then shape a design that is just right for you using the resources and ideas you bring to the table.

Design Shapes For Good Fit

A chest tattoo typically covers right under the collar bone area and across the upper part of the chest. This is a rather large tattoo and a good time commitment from the person seeking the tattoo. Therefore you want to consider the design carefully and match it to fit well in the area. Typically large rectangular shapes with a slight concave of v shape to them work best. Also since chest tattoos are such classics it can often be a good to look at the classic designs out there. You can always add to the design to make it unique and your own. However, anchors, swallows, a banner and other such classic themes can easily be restyled with new ink colors and a good conversation with your tattoo artist will help easily come up with something you are going to love.

Considerations

This is not meant to discourage anyone wanting to get a chest tattoo for women design however; you should know all the facts and plan for them ahead of time. One of the main considerations with chest tattoo is the professional setting you work in. Do you need to cover up tattoos and will you be able to cover it up easily? If not then you might want to look at a smaller design done a bit lower down the chest. Another consideration is the cost. Since chest tattoos are typically pretty large and often intricate pieces it can take some money to invest in such a design.

Overall chest tattoos are definitely growing in popularity. These days anything to do with women and tattoo designs is growing rapidly. Due to this rebirth of women and tattoos there have been tons of new bold design styles and ideas out there. Remember it is best not to rush the process. Instead find designs and ideas you like first. Then take you time to locate an artist that you can work easily with.

Celtic Tattoos - How to Best Choose Tattoos

Celtic Tattoos are designed by embedded inks inside the skin surface.

The first tattoos probably were found by mistake. Celtic Tattoos are leaving a lasting impression on the public. People have become "tattoo crazy" and these insignia on the body have also turned into a stylish remark. Tattoos are beyond art, and it is a great opportunity to Awaken the Mind.

Celtic Tattoos are a method to express who you want to be, um, permanently. Talk about bang for your buck. Tattoos are created by using needles to position ink underneath your skin, but not really into your muscle mass. So, the question of "does this hurt" is really more the question of how high your pain threshold is. Tattoos are meant to make permanent marks into human skin.

Tattoos are very hot among plenty of Leos because of the flair for the dramatic. If you are one of those people looking for a Leo tattoo for yourself or maybe you want to find a great tattoo for the Leo in your life then this article is for you. Celtic Tattoos are everywhere, or so it seems.

Rock stars, sports figures, fashion models, and movie stars flaunt them.

Traditional tattoos can take up to double the amount of time. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tautau.

Wear something old so you don't have to fret about possibly getting it destroyed. Put on clothing that you wouldnt mind getting a bit of colouring on. The ink will wash out of most clothing, but it might require bleach.

Celtic tattoo knots represent a crossing of physical and spiritual interlace (e.g. This is much of why Celtic tattoos are so popular. Celtic tattoos are one of the most popular design choices . With their intricate weave, and such a wide variety of art to choose from, it is any wonder that such a different selection of people have chosen it as their tattoo. Celtic tattoo designs are very popular, probably because Celtic tattoos have been around for thousands of years when all of Europe was Celtic. Celtic knots and interwoven braid designs signify a mixture of Christian and Druid beliefs and are crucial in beautiful Celtic Mystique Cross temporary tattoos.

Celtic Tattooing that we know came around the period of Celtic stone carvings and metalwork . To the ancient Celts, tattooing wasn't just an art form. Celtic tattoos are typically tattooed on armbands, lower back, on ankles, shoulders, and the upper back area and so on. Are hunting for some great Celtic patterns or armbands? Celtic tattoos are mainly popular amongst the people of Celtic origin. Being flexible in stature, the Celtic patterns have always been a famous choice to be considered by the tattoo artists.



Girls Tattoo Designs - The Additional Appeal to the Sexiest Girls

From past few years, it has been observed that the tattoo industry is growing rapidly and in most of the times people are having much knowledge about tattoo ideas. Most of the people are still not having much knowledge about these tattoos. One thing I need to say is these tattoos will speak sexy language of the body. So, most of the people are interested to design tattoo on their bodies to tell the language of themselves. Especially, the youth are following some fashion rules and regulations with these they are able to motivate them selves.


However, the following few lines will provide some tattoo ideas repeatedly. Every one of us would like to design the tattoos, which we saw them at galleries and many places. When it comes to the originality, this one is the absolute must. When it comes to the flowers, most of the people are interested to have flowers on their body parts. You need to consider so many things, like you are interested design a flower tattoo, that one must be bright, colorful and nice vines that will add more grace to the tattoo. Some of the tattoos are showing the lifestyle of the person. And remaining flowers like lily, rose and hibiscus is the remaining popular one that has a very different symbolic meaning


When it comes to footing area, most of the people are interested to design star tattoos on their foot. And also there is a wide range of foot array tattoo is available. So many people are interested to design single star, shooting star and some clusters of small starts and many more. And designing a literary or quote tattoo is one of the greatest ideas and it should be an Italian, Spanish language, and also Japanese also suggested to design. You need to have so many formats in these traditional language tattoos by printing some photos and many more to do. However, there are some incredible foot designs are available in internet. Take your own time and select eh best one for your needs and after that you can design tattoo on your body.

These tattoos are most popular in these days and tattoos for girls right now. Finally, there are some well established and experienced webs sites are offering some find tattoo design for their clients.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Belinda's Penny-Farthing

At the end of May, I spotted Belinda's unusual bicycle tattoo on the 34th Street subway platform during Friday afternoon rush hour:


Of course, I asked her about this piece on her left ankle, since it isn't too often you see old-fashioned bicycle tattoos on people.

Belinda explained tha a while back she had gone on a pilgrimmage to Spain, which included a 100-mile trek on bicycles. This design is of the "high wheel bicycle" that was introduced in the late 19th century and is more commonly referred to as the penny-farthing. She told me that this was a much more efficient bicycle than had been seen before. The larger wheel allowed it to travel better, although the falls from a much greater height were a problem.

Belinda added,

"The purpose of the pilgrimage was not religious but more a curiosity to see this path (the Way of St. James) that people have been taking for hundreds and hundreds of years just because of faith. I felt it was a great way to see the real "Spain" by riding through the small villages and woods...we ended in Santiago de Compostela..."
This tattoo was inked by one of the artists at NY Adorned. Work from Adorned has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks again to Belinda for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Minimizing The Pain Of Tattoos

No matter what you may hear, there really is no way to predict the amount of pain that you’ll experience when getting a tattoo. If you arrive with determination and the right frame of mind, it may not hurt you as much as you thought. On the other hand, if you arrive at the studio scared half to death – it will more than likely hurt you more than you thought possible.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2136/2183690848_97b4683b25.jpg

Tattoos involve piercing into skin, which almost always involves pain. No matter how big or how small the tattoo may be or where it is located, you can expect to feel some pain. The overall amount of pain you experience though, all depends on your tolerance. If you have a high pain tolerance, you may feel next to nothing during the entire process.

When you get a tattoo, the needles will puncture your skin at very fast rates and variable depths. The outline of the tattoo is easily the most painful, as the needles will be used to create a black line that will stand out on the tattoo. This part need to be inserted fairly deeply and carefully to ensure that it’s done correctly. The shading of the tattoo normally isn’t painful, although it depends on the penetration depth and effect that you desire.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/images/2005/08/03/tattoo_10a_340x250_470x353.jpg

Normally, the pain you feel is a slight burn or scratching feeling. If the tattoo is going to be on an area where there is less bone and tissue such as the wrist or chest, the pain will be a bit more intense. Areas like the arms and legs however, normally aren’t that painful. Areas such as these have more tissue and muscle, which will lessen the amount of pain you feel.

Even though some pain is to be expected, there are ways that you can minimize the pain. Below are some tips that will help you deal with the pain.
  1. Never show up to a get a tattoo on drugs or drunk. This will thin out your blood, causing you to bleed more.
  2. Always choose a tattoo artist that you are comfortable around. If you have confidence in your artist you can minimize the pain a great deal.
  3. Show up at the studio with sheer determination. You should accept the fact that the tattoo will take time. Quality work is an art – and should never be rushed.
  4. If the pain becomes too much to bear, you should let your tattoo artist know immediately. He will allow you to take a break, or stop and come back later. You can always break up your sessions, as tattoos don’t need to be finished immediately.
  5. To ease your mind, listen to music. This way, you can take your mind to a different place and focus on something other than the tattoo.

Airbrush Painting on Sexy Girl













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