Recently in tattoos Category

One mariner's dolphin done, one to go. We have two last sessions more and then i'm DONE.

(click to embiggen)

My friend Tricia Allen has a new web site (finally).

She's the tattooist who did most of my Polynesian work, and is, I think, one of the world's leading experts on Polynesian tattooing.

Go check out the new site at ThePolynesianTattoo.com

(that's not Tricia, but it is some of her work)

Anyone who's ever gotten a 'tramp stamp'; I feel for you. This hurts.

(ok, my sympathy does not preclude me taking erotic interest in your pain)

Sixth session. Shading is almost done, color is starting to enter the picture. I actually had no clue what this looked like til I got this picture, I couldn't get a good angle even with a mirror.

Click to embiggen.

The eagle, as they say, has landed.

Fifth session: I was a little hung over today (man, what a party that was last night), so we made this a short session. Just the shading on the eagle. The only thing left to shade is the ship, and then we're ready to start coloring. That should happen at my next appointment in June.

We're starting to work on detail and shading.

This gives a better idea of what this will look like when we're done. The difference between shaded and un-shaded is striking.

I wound up having to re-schedule my planned surgery (it'll be pushed out a month or so).

Which means I was able to get my second tattoo appointment in after all (luckily, Klem hadn't filled it).

Hence, second session. Outline is done; next time, we start on adding details (scales on the mermaids, more detail on the eagle wings and ship, etc). After that comes shading, and then color.

Click images for bigger version.

A picture being worth a few words, I'll stick to pictures.

First session; three hours.

(click to see larger)

I feel like I should be writing about the 'new era' ushered in today, with Obama's inauguration. Or maybe about the end of blackest era in american politics since McCarthyism. About how history must remember George W Bush as what he is, the worst president in american history, at least in terms of negative effects and failures.

But you know, I kind of feel like that job is getting done.

Meanwhile, it's all about me.

I'm starting my back piece at noon tomorrow. And I can't wait.

I don't expect to have much to post. This is going to take a long time, and we're not going to rush it. I don't like sitting for more than two or three hours when I'm getting tattooed (the endorphins run out after two and I start getting fatigued). This will be months in the making, then.

I don't know what part we're going to work on tomorrow. But the rough sketch I saw last week was fantastic. Klem understood exactly what I loved about the source drawing, and exactly what needed fixing, and nailed it all effortlessly, working together original feel with modern, personal touches. So whatever portion we attack is going to be great.