Laman

The Tattoosday That Wasn't

A trip to New Jersey included a stop at the very-crowded Garden State Plaza on the way to see relatives.

Near a food court, I spotted an inked biker dude, and was going to approach him, but I balk at bothering people when they're eating or about to eat. And I used his SS belt buckle as an excuse to leave him alone.

Moments later, I stopped a mall employee with an interesting horseshoe tattoo on his right forearm. He was on break and seemed uninterested. He said he was in a hurry and I left him with a flier.

Moments later, in Hot Topic, an employee with numerous tattoos, including a piece based on the art of Angelique Houtkamp, took a look at a flier, but handed it back to me and said he'd remember the name Tattoosday and check it out.

So the mall was a bust (not that I went there for the sole purpose of inkspotting), but I was optimistic that I would get pictures from Beth, my wife's cousin, who we would be seeing at the family function to which we were heading. We had chatted the night before, and she was totally cool about sharing her butterfly, dancing bear, and New York Yankees tattoos.

Alas, Beth was not up for it this evening, and I came away photo-less. There was another guest at the house (one of the host's neighbors) who had a cool black cat with arched back tattooed on her chest.

I wanted to speak to her about it, but it didn't seem appropriate under the circumstances.

So this is what I meant the other day when I mentioned my blogging about the misses, in the absence of successes. What do you think? Was this remotely interesting? Let me know in the comments section.
Read More

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

ONCE AGAIN ANOTHER COOL TATTOO THAT IS NOT A CLOWN OR A NAKED BROAD. ITS NOT EVERYDAY I GET TO TATTOO A SET OF CLIPPERS ON SOMEONES ARM. SO WHEN IT HAPPENS YOU GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AND GET LOOSE.

Read More

Currently Reading: The Tattoo Artist by Jill Ciment


Winter is not conducive to good inkspotting in the big city, so I've got nothing for you today.

Nothing, at least, in terms of tattoo photos.

I will report, however, that I am reading the book The Tattoo Artist by Jill Ciment.

A work of literary fiction, The Tattoo Artist tells the story of Sara Ehrenreich, who was born in the early part of the 20th Century, became an artist, went to the fictional island of Ta'un'uu, where the art of tattoo is celebrated as a cultural and spiritual form of expression.

I have only completed a brief section of the novel, but am enjoying the narrative immensely. The protagonist's tattoos are described by her briefly as the tale progresses. I have yet to reach the point where she becomes a tattoo artist. However, she describes early on, as an old woman looking back on her life, how she is covered fully by ink.

Here's how she describes one of her tattoos:

His portrait graces my left breast. It is the first tattoo I engraved on myself. The portrait, however, in no way resembles the face I kissed that night; an unlined, untested face of cavalier certitude that the future would be as easy to read as a palm. The face on my left breast is desecrated, pillaged of all illusions, and though it breaks my heart to admit it, it is also the weakest part of my design--the point on my flesh where my emotions exceeded my skill--and no amount of virtuosity can disguise that weakness. The face on my left breast is a living death mask, as far removed from the young Philip as I am from the girl I was.

I haven't finished the book, but would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys literary fiction and has even a cursory interest in the art of tattoo.

Thanks to Cynthia, my mother-in-law, for yet another inspired holiday gift!

Here's a link to a review of the book in The New York Times.

Read a preview/excerpt in Google Books here.


Read More

TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH

CHECK OUT THIS BACK PIECE I DID A COUPLE YEARS BACK ON A SCHOOL TEACHER. TEACHERS ARE DEFINITELY GETTING HIP, UNLIKE THOSE OLD DINOSAURS WHO USE TO TRY AND TEACH ME MATH. WHO KNOWS, MAYBE IF THEY WOULD HAVE COMBINED MATH AND ART I WOULD HAVE PAYED ATTENTION. I EVENTUALLY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL ONLY A YEAR LATE BUT SCHOOL TEACHER AS TATTOOED AS JOE D..

Read More

Turning the Page on a New Year, a New Month


One of my holiday gifts in 2008 was a cool tattoo calendar from my mother-in-law.

I've decided that, on the first of each month in 2009, I'll post the photo that accompanies each month.

The photo fpr January is credited to photographer Uli Niedersteiner at Mauritius Images.



Happy New Year to all!
Read More

MR. CARTOONS CLASSICS/ PRISTINE 63 RAG



THIS IS JUST A TEASER..

CHECK OUT THIS FRESHLY BUILT 63 IMPALA WITH A RARE COLOR COMBINATION. THE CAR IS A VIRGIN, IT HAS NEVER BEEN CUT FOR HYDRAULICS, NEVER HAD THE DASH CUT FOR MODERN STEREO INSTALLATION. AND DRIVES LIKE A DREAM. THE REBUILT MOTOR HAS HAD NO EXPENSE SPARED. THIS CAR IS A FRAME OFF RESTORATION. THE PAINT JOB IS STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW AND RECENT.
THE CAR SITS ON RADIAL COKER TIRES AND ORIGINAL HUB CUPS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR THIS CAR ARE ZENITH WIRE WHEELS. ALPINE HEAD UNIT AND ROCKFORD FOSGATE SYSTEM GIVES IT A CLASSIC SOUND.
PURCHASE THIS CAR THROUGH CARTOONS CLASSICS TODAY FINANCE IS AVAILABLE.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED WE CAN SEND YOU SOME NICE DETAIL SHOTS OF THIS PRISTINE CLASSIC.
SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY! WINDOW SHOPPERS AND TIRE KICKERS NEED NOT APPLY
EMAIL: asst@mistercartoon.com



Read More

2008 Wrap-Up, Looking Ahead to 2009

For those of you following Tattoosday, I am going to take a different approach to the blog in 2009.

The concept will be the same, but I am going to enhance it a little bit. All posts will be dated and time-stamped around the time that they happened. So, if I don't get around to posting the ink for a few days, it will be back-dated for chronological effect.

I also want to blog above and beyond the successes (i.e. the people who said "No") and expand to other tattoo-related topics, when they arise.

For example, if I stop in Borders and look at a tattoo book, I'd like to link it here. I am hoping to turn all the "no thank yous" into items of interest.

I also have a couple of new features in the works that I hope to unveil in the new year that will continue to make Tattoosday the interesting experience that I believe it is.

In an effort to start out with a clean slate, I am cleaning out my drafts and posting all the remaining drafts I have in house, including several pieces by Jessica, who I met back in June.

Once again I want to thank everyone who regularly reads Tattoosday, and those who visit once in a while. 2008 was a banner year, registering over 100,000 hits this year alone. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2009 will bring. Happy New Year!
Read More

More of Jessica's Ink: Blue Stars and Random Art

Here are some more tattoos from Jessica, who inked much of this work herself. She has over 50 tattoos, and has work featured before here.

She has inked some blue stars....


And that is Italy as well, with the red, white and green colors of the country's flag. The blue stars accompany a tomato slice and what I assume to be a Madagascar hissing cockroach...


and a koala bear.....


Thanks to Jessica for sharing all her ink here at Tattoosday.
Read More

More of Jessica: A Death's-head Hawk Moth and Knee Flames

Here's more of Jessica's ink. "Flames on my kneecap and the death's head moth from The Silence of the Lambs....."





That is the Death's-head Hawkmoth:


which came to cultural significance when featured on the movie poster for the Jodie Foster movie mentioned above.


Thanks again to Jessica for sharing her ink with us here on Tattoosday!
Read More

More of Jessica: Moogoogaipan and Red Foo

Here are the last two pieces I have on Jessica (I'm sure in '09 she'll send me more...). They are her foo dogs, which she has dubbed Moogoogaipan (named after the Americanized Chinese food dish moo goo gai pan) and Red Foo.



Jessica has shared a lot of ink here. She actually has some other foo dogs in an arm sleeve (shown here) which are well worth seeing again. Thanks again Jessica!
Read More

FAMILY TREE

PORTRAITS ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH AS FAR AS POPULARITY GOES. THE OWNER OF THESE TATTOOS CHOSE TO GET THESE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. PORTRAIT TATTOOS WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE. PORTRAITS WERE MADE FAMOUS BY SUCH ARTIST AS JACK RUDY, MARK MAHONEY AND FREDDY"COYOTE"NEGRETE. NOW THERE ARE UP AND COMING PORTRAIT TATTOO ARTIST SUCH AS JOSE AND CHUY.NOT JUST ANYONE CAN DO PORTRAITS. SEARCHING FOR AN ARTIST LOOK FOR THE SKILLS NOT THE LOWEST PRICE. IF THAT FAILS CALL YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT AND COME SEE ME.
Read More

PROOF - R.I.P

CHECK OUT EMINEMS BROTHER NATE KANE. BLASTED OUT HIS BACK PIECE IN TWO DAYS. TRIP OUT ON THE JOE LOUIS FIST MONUMENT IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT CITY. THIS THE SECOND PIECE HE GOT FROM ME. HE WANTED TO CUT OUT THE BULLSHIT AND GO STRAIGHT FOR A BACK PIECE.

Read More

Michael's Mariachis Celebrate Life with a Burst of Musical Color


In reconnecting with old college friends through Facebook, my old friend Michael who I haven't seen in almost twenty years sent me an amazing tattoo he has on his right arm.

He sent me before and after shots so we can see the transformation from outline to spectacularly colorful body art. First, the before shots.....



The detail and the line work is exemplary and breath-taking. As someone with a guitar inked on my arm, I can appreciate the intricacies of a finely-drawn instrument. The detail on the mariachi's jacket cuff is incredible.



And now, for some color:




Michael explains the basic premise of this tattoo:
In a sense, this piece is a "memorial" tattoo, although I hate to call it that. Since I grew up in the Southwest, Day of the Dead was a regular thing, so I've always been drawn to that type of imagery, plus I like the meaning -- honoring the dead, and reminding us to live life to the fullest. I picked the mariachis partly because I am so into music, and partly because of the celebratory aspect of mariachis.
Like many intricate tattoos with multiple elements, every part has significance. The tulips, for example, that are growing at the mariachi's feet, "are an actual heirloom varietal that I have in the garden" [and] are for my wife -- tulips are her favorite flower".



And the angel at the top of the piece (and the top of the post)?


Michael informs us that "the angel is for my mother, who is no longer with us. The angel holds a purple iris (my mother's favorite flower), and looks down over the whole scene."

This amazing piece was inked by Susan Behney-Doyle who works out of Jinx Proof Tattoo in Washington, D.C. Mexican folk art is one of her specialties (see a gallery of her work here) and Michael says he "gave her a few reference pieces to look at, but she basically drew it after a consultation". He continues, "we made just a couple tweaks after I saw the drawing, but it's a one-of-a-kind custom piece".

The whole tattoo was crafted back in 2006 over a five-month, seven-session period. Michael notes that one of those sessions was devoted solely to shading the guitar. A closer look at the instrument reveals an incredible complexity of brown variations that truly makes the guitar jump off the skin.
Read More

THE LAST LAUGH/ SECRET STASH

WE STASHED A COUPLE OF OUR PERSONAL COLLECTION OF BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND EDITION "LOST ANGEL" TOYS THAT ARE IN STOCK AND FOR SALE AT THE LAST LAUGH STORE LOCATED AT 129 E 6TH ST
LOS ANGELES CA, 90014(BETWEEN MAIN AND LOS ANGELES ST)
YOU HAVE TO SEE THESE TOYS IN PERSON. DON'T MISS OUT AGAIN! GET YOURSELF ONE....









Read More

Tattoos I Know: Paul, Part 3, or, The Great Cover-Up of 2008


Earlier this year, I featured the first tattoo belonging to Paul, a co-worker and friend. Later on, he showed me his sleeve (here).

I am just getting around to show you his new work in progress, a cover-up of a tattoo on his right bicep, located above the first one of his that I featured here.

This isn't completed, but it does display a stage of the work that is interesting. Documenting it now will make it more interesting when the piece is completed.


That's an om symbol at the top of the piece. The basic design is a traditional Japanese half-sleeve. The work is done by Horisei at Chelsea Tattoo Company. Horisei inked my friend Rob's traditional Japanese tattoos (here).


Thanks again to Paul for sharing his work in progress here at Tattoosday. We're looking forward to seeing the final work in 2009!
Read More

THE CHEST PIECE

THIS IS THE CHEST PIECE THAT GOES WITH THE BACK PIECE I BROUGHT YOU YESTERDAY. RAY IS SICK WITH IT WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING WORK DONE AND SITS THROUGH A SESSION LIKE HE IS GETTING A HAIR CUT.. LOOK OUT FOR HIS RIB CAGE PIECES WHICH I WILL POSTING SOON.

Read More

CHASING THE DRAGON

THIS IS ONE OF MY LONG TIME CLIENTS WHO HAS BEEN LOYAL IN HIS PURSUIT TO GET A JAPANESE BACK PIECE. SINCE THEN HE HAS BLASTED OUT HIS RIBS AND CHEST.. HE DOES EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND IT SHOWS WHEN YOU SEE HIS COLLECTION.

Read More
DISCLAIMER
If you are the copyright owner of any of these articles or image and don't want me to share them, please, write comments on pages and I will gladly remove them.