Two Segements of Renae's Arm

I spotted a whole lot going on with Renae's left forearm, while browsing at the Chelsea Salvation Army store, so I just had to ask.

Let's deconstruct:

The first part of this tattoo is the dark heart on the inner part of the forearm. Renae attributes this to Rob at the Orlando branch of Hart and Huntington. In over three years of inkspotting, this is the first piece on Tattoosday that has been credited to one of their shops.

Renae, who has "no idea" how many tattoos she has (which is synonymous for "too many to count"), wanted to add to her arm, so she headed to Brooklyn Ink in Bay Ridge.

Alex Franklin was given free reign, according to Renae. Her exact quote was "use your imagination and run," which must be music to many a tattooists ears.

Alex did the flourishes around the original tattoo, along with the phrase "gutta cavat lapidem," a Latin phrase by Ovid which translates to "dripping water hollows out a stone," which is a shortened version of the line "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence." This quote is known to many New Yorkers who have seen it inscribed underground here (with a broader description here).




And he tattooed the piece on the other side of the arm:

Work from Brooklyn Ink (and a lot by Alex) has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

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

John's Root People

At the end of July, I coincidentally exited the A train at 14th Street at the same time as John, who was visiting from Nevada.

I had been admiring his sleeve on the train, but didn't have the opportunity to speak to him about it until after he got off the subway.

He referred to these creatures as "Root People":

It's an abstract collaboration with the artist, Rickett, at The Ruby Lantern in Carson City, Nevada.

They started working together in January of this year, and they're not yet finished with the whole sleeve. As you can tell, it's very unusual and has a very unique approach.

These designs are all on John's right arm, and I am particular to the female tree person above on his inner forearm.

Thanks to John for sharing his Root People here with us on Tattoosday!

Gina's Phoenix

In late June, I ran into Gina in Penn Station and complimented her on a tattoo she had on her back. At the time, she was wearing something with straps that covered part of the design. I gave her a flier and she remarked that she had just recently discovered the site through this post on the tattoo of Julie Powell.

Alas, like so many folks to whom I give fliers, I didn't receive any emails or photos. But a month passed and one day I was pleasantly surprised to see an email from Gina, with the following photos of her phoenix tattoo:

I'll let her explain the rest:

"... I had completely forgotten [about sending in the photo] until I found the picture I took for you on my camera... This was done by Junii at the Diamond Club in San Francisco. [Bill Salmon, Junii's husband, is the studio owner]. She does amazing line work.  She's also incredibly conscientious about design and her clients.  For both my tattoos, she spend a lot of time talking with me, looking at the 20 pictures I had brought in of bits or aspects of what I wanted, then went off and did her own research, always coming back with exactly the right drawing.

This one - I got it after a really, really difficult year. So, obviously, not the deepest symbolism - just wanted to remind myself of the possibility of renewal."

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

Alex Shares a Floral Tattoo, Roots and All

Sometimes I see tattoos before I see people.

Back in July, for example, I approached a guy on the West 4th Street subway platform to ask him about this tattoo on his right forearm:

It was only after I said hello to him that I realized he was someone named Alex who lives in my neighborhood in Brooklyn.

In fact, Alex had a tattoo featured here back in 2009, after I stopped  him in the laundromat.

This floral tattoo is a representation of how a flower overcomes obstacles and pain to lay down roots, rises up, and blooms.

He draws the comparison to life, as nothing comes without hard work and bypassing obstacles.

The tattoo was created by Shon Lindauer at Thicker Than Water in Manhattan. Shon is the same artist that did the tiger on my calf. Other work from Thicker Than Water has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Alex for once again sharing his work with us here on Tattoosday!

Kevin's Gravitational Tattoo

I love word tattoos so I couldn't help but stop Kevin at Barnes & Noble earlier this month. He had this tattoo inked on his inner right forearm:

He explained that he enrolled in school not knowing for sure what he wanted to do. He was on a path for a career in finance, but also has a keen interest in art and graphic design.

He says that the tattoo is a reminder that, although gravity is all around us, and pulling us toward the status quo, he should stay true to himself and never give up his interest in art.

He had this done by Betty Rose at Red Rocket Tattoo in Manhattan. Work from Red Rocket has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Kevin for sharing his Gravity with us here on Tattoosday!

Travis and Another Perspective of Ganesh

People who are familiar with being featured here on Tattoosday know that there is a process, in which I generally go chronologically, and it often can be several weeks before I post their work.

But there are always exceptions.

Take, for example, Travis, who I met on Monday near the corner of 32nd and 8th Avenue waiting for a bus.

Under normal circumstances, you'd have seen Travis's tattoo in September but, the next day, I got the following mysterious tweet: "@Tattoosday post pictures of that guys tattoos- you were talking to him yesterday outside MSG plzz! *stalker*".

What?

Well, a little bit of digging, and I discovered that the source of the message was Hannah, who appeared last month on Tattoosday here. And since I'm a sucker for my fans, I'll gladly oblige and share Travis's tattoo with us here today. Here it is:

Travis's tattoo depicts the Hindu deity Ganesh. However, unlike this Ganesh tattoo, this one has a twist.

Travis explained that one of the common beliefs is that Ganesh was born with a human head, but that he was beheaded as a boy, and his head was replaced with that of an elephant. He obtained a third eye so that he could make sure he was never betrayed again.

Travis says that he often feels "too aware" of others, to the point that it detracts from his enjoyment of life. Thus, his tattoo of Ganesh has him literally slicing off the third eye, wielding a sword with his trunk, which metaphorically translates to Travis "cooling out" and being less aware so that he can enjoy life more.

The "F.I.A." on the banner stand for "Fuck It All".

Travis has eight tattoos, which includes a full sleeve, all by artist Brad Stevens at Dare Devil Tattoo in New York City.

Thanks to Travis for sharing this interesting interpretation of Ganesh with us here on Tattoosday!

Small World, Tattoosday-Style

I have a few days off and was buying some milk at the grocery store when an older gentleman in line behind me complimented me on the tiger tattoo on my calf, which has been well-documented here, in this initial post, and subsequent ones.

The gentleman asked who the artist was and mentioned his son was an artist as well. "Who?" I asked, and he told me, Mike Perfetto, aka Designs by Michael Angelo in Brooklyn. I gave him a flier and he introduced himself as Ralph Perfetto, our Democratic District Leader here in Bay Ridge.

I know you're likely thinking, "Nice story, Bill, but is it really that much of a small world coincidence?" Actually, yes, because my backlog had brought me to posting a couple of tattoos on Peter, who I had last seen at the Matty No Times benefit back on July 17. One of those tattoos, you guessed it, is by Mike Perfetto.

Let's take a look:

Pete also shared a tattoo on his leg by legendary Brooklyn artist Tony Polito. As you can see, Pete has quite a collection of ink, and he takes pride in the work he has from "old school" New York artists tattooing in the American Traditional style.

Pete explained that "Old Calcutta" was a nickname for Tony's shop from the early '80s to the mid '90s because of the high intensity atmosphere of the shop and the people who were there.

Thanks to Peter for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday (again and again). Peter has been working hard at New York Hardcore Tattoo on Stanton Street. They have recently remodeled the shop and are working hard on producing quality art on the denizens of New York City. Be sure to stop in and meet their crew.

Under One Small Star - Two Tattoos from Anna

I met Anna earlier this month in Penn Station. I felt compelled to stop her when she walked by and I caught a glimpse of this amazing tattoo:

I love seeing ink that is new and original, and I had never seen a line of anything run up the length of a leg like this.

Anna explained that this was a line of poetry that reads "My apologies to time for all the world I overlook each second" that she heard on a trip to Cambodia. Her group leader, Jan, had shared the poem, "Under One Small Star" by Polish Nobel Laureate Wislawa Szymborska, and the verse meant a lot to her during her trip there. This one specific line really resounded with her, so she first "paid a Khmer translation site and then had a friend [she] made in Cambodia, Ponheary, check the translation just to make sure it was correct".

I love the international flavor of this tattoo - a poem originally in Polish, translated to English, then re-translated to Khmer, transcribed in flesh in America!

The line runs from top to bottom and was inked by Jason at Powerhouse Tattoo Company in Montclair, New Jersey.

The poem is reprinted in its entirety at the end of this post.

Since it is Tat-Tuesday, let's look at a second tattoo from Anna, this one on the back side of her right arm:

This is Joan of Arc, "a hero of mine," says Anna, who admires her from the feminist perspective and finds her an "unbelievably inspirational" historical figure.

This piece was tattooed by the wonderful Stephanie Tamez at New York Adorned. Stephanie's work has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks again to Anna for sharing these two of her seven tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Under One Small Star

My apologies to chance for calling it necessity.
My apologies to necessity if I'm mistaken, after all.
Please, don't be angry, happiness, that I take you as my due.
May my dead be patient with the way my memories fade.
My apologies to time for all the world I overlook each second.
My apologies to past loves for thinking that the latest is the first.
Forgive me, distant wars, for bringing flowers home.
Forgive me, open wounds, for pricking my finger.
I apologize for my record of minuets to those who cry from the depths.
I apologize to those who wait in railway stations for being asleep
today at five a.m.
Pardon me, hounded hope, for laughing from time to time.
Pardon me, deserts, that I don't rush to you bearing a spoonful of water.
And you, falcon, unchanging year after year, always in the same cage,
your gaze always fixed on the same point in space,
forgive me, even if it turns out you were stuffed.
My apologies to the felled tree for the table's four legs.
My apologies to great questions for small answers.
Truth, please don't pay me much attention.
Dignity, please be magnanimous.
Bear with me, O mystery of existence, as I pluck the occasional thread
from your train.
Soul, don't take offense that I've only got you now and then.
My apologies to everything that I can't be everywhere at once.
My apologies to everyone that I can't be each woman and each man.
I know I won't be justified as long as I live,
since I myself stand in my own way.
Don't bear me ill will, speech, that I borrow weighty words,
then labor heavily so that they may seem light.

--Wislawa Szymborska

Caitlin's Pin-up with a Heart on the Sleeve

Earlier this month, I ran into Caitlin as I got off the A train at West 4th Street. She has twnety-three tattoos and, as customary, I asked if she could pick one to share with us here on Tattoosday.

She obliged, selecting this, her most recent tattoo:

This is based on the artwork of the pin-up stylings of Baron von Lind. I believe the piece that this is replicating is his work "Daphne":

I wish I could give proper credit to the artist, but it was a noisy train platform, and I scribbled down Willie Childress, Asheville, North Carolina. If anyone knows who this is, or what shop he belongs to, please let me know so I can give the artist his proper due.

Thanks to Caitlin for sharing her pin-up with us here on Tattoosday!

Be sure to head over to the Baron von Lind website to see more of his art.

Jason's Pennsylvania Devils

I ran into Jason on the West 4th Street platform back in July. He was on his way to Smith Street Tattoo, to accompany a friend who was getting tattooed by Bert Krak.

I asked him if he wouldn't mind sharing some of his work, and he gladly complied.

I snapped some photos and chatted with him all the way to Brooklyn. Check them out:

Why a devil on his leg? Jason said he was considering putting something on his leg that he was afraid to place there. When he asked himself if he should really do that, he reasoned, just by asking himself that, meant he should do it. He also gave some advice that I thought was very valuable.

Jason said that when he is looking to get tattooed, and isn't sure what he wants, he'll go to an artist and ask them what they're currently drawing. Most artists in the shop, when they're not tattooing, are either drawing, sketching, painting, or creating something. Jason reasons that if you ask for what the artist is currently doing, he or she will be that much more passionate about the work.

This logic is behind several of Jason's tattoos.

The work above was created on Jason by Ryan Westvall at Old Soul Tattoo in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

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

Garrett's Peacock Recalls the South

I met Garrett back in June in Penn Station when I was still reeling from the loss of my camera.

I had yet to replace my photographic equipment and I had yet to receive the loaner from my awesome friend Jill.

So, I did the best I could with a flash-less BlackBerry camera to capture Garrett's awesome sleeve:

Yes, folks, it's another peacock in our midst, in a summer during which we have been treated to a variety of peafowl.

Garrett's choice to get this tattoo stems from his love of these birds, combined with an appreciation of fashion, and how the peacock speaks to that sensibility. He also likes how the males are the fairer of the two sexes.

What's especially remarkable is that this is a black and gray tattoo, with no plans to take on any color ink.

The inclusion of magnolias, azaleas and violets, all in homage to the South, make this potentially dizzyingly colorful tattoo more remarkable in its basic palette. Rather than explosions of color, we are rewarded with subtleties of shading.

Credit goes to Myles Karr at Three Kings Tattoo in Brooklyn. Work from Myles has previously appeared here on Tattoosday.

Thanks to Garrett for sharing his amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Jessica's Chest Piece and a Tale of Two Tigers

There may be eight million people in New York, but it's still, at times, a small world town.

Last month in the Amtrak section of Penn Station, I spotted Jessica, a young woman with a beautiful tattoo across her chest:

This piece even was our banner here for a few weeks, thanks to Jessica.

The inscription reads "Never Love, Never Lose," which is certainly thought-provoking, a slight spin on the aphorism, "It is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all." It also recalls an Irish claddagh ring, with two hands holding a heart. Feathers on the ends of the hands were added to even out the design.

I particularly like the fact that Jessica is wearing a key around her neck and, in the photo, it is lying across the keyhole at the center of the heart.

Jessica collaborated with the artist known as Ollie XXX in Montreal. If you look at his portfolio on his site, slide 87 shows a brighter original version of the tattoo when it was first completed.

When I asked her how many tattoos she had, she said, twenty-two, and showed me her most recent, a Peanuts tattoo. When I inquired where she got it, she said Thicker Than Water on the Lower East Side. "Oh," I commented, "you got one of the $50 specials?" I knew that the shop had done a $50 tattoo event the previous Saturday. Jessica confirmed that she had, in fact, attended with a friend.


I continued, "Shon Lindauer was the artist for my tiger,"and I rolled up my pant leg to reveal the piece Shon had inked at the beginning of the year when they were in "Year of the Tiger" mode. Well, you could have knocked Jessica over with a feather and her aunt, who Jessica was seeing off at the station, was also surprised. Why?

Jessica pulled down her right sleeve to reveal a familiar, but more feminine version of my tiger from my calf.


Shon had inked a variation on the tiger for her in February. Jessica's aunt insisted we pose with our tigers together.

I love how the designs are so similar, yet hers is much more feminine (or mine is much more masculine).

Granted, inkspotting certainly reduces the odds, but nonetheless, our paths crossing still seemed incredibly amazing.

Thanks to Jessica for sharing her work with us here on Tattoosday!

Kristine's Globe and a Memorial for Mom

Kristine has seven tattoos, two of which she shared with us late last month in Penn Station.

The first one I  noticed when she walked by was this piece from the back of her calf:

This is an homage to her travels, having recently returned from ten months in New Zealand. The Latin phrase below the globe, "On Omnia Paratus" translates to "ready for all things".

She also shared this lovely floral tattoo on her upper right arm:

Kristine explained that these tulips are a memorial to her mother, who passed away from lung cancer.

These tattoos were done by Chris Pesonen at Fat Kat Tattoos in Keyport, New Jersey. Work from Fat Kat has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Kristine for sharing her tattoos with us hereon Tattoosday!

Claire's Hemaris Thysbe Flutters on Her Forearm

Butterfly tattoos can be a dime a dozen (no offense, butterfly fans), but moths, on the other hand often get a bum rap, taking a back seat to their more flamboyant insect cousins. To the chagrin of some inked lepidopterists, you don't see as many moth tattoos. This, however, is a lovely exception, perched on Claire's forearm:

This is Hemaris Thysbe, more commonly known as the Clear Wing Hummingbird Moth, a beautiful insect that gets its name from its large size and rapid wing speed.

Claire, who I met in Borders at 2 Penn Plaza, is originally from Vermont and this moth reminds her of back home. There are certainly no Hummingbird Moths fluttering about New York City!

She found a picture she liked and took it in to Yoni Ziebler at Brooklyn Adorned where he recreated this lovely specimen.

Work from Adorned appears here often and can be seen together under this tag.

Thanks again to Claire for sharing her Hummingbird Moth with us here on Tattoosday!

Girl Sexy Places to Tattoo

Sexy Places to Tattoo

Thigh sexy Tattoo

Sexy Lower Back Tattoo

There are some areas of the body where a tattoo can look sexy as hell. It stands out and screams, sometimes accentuating the body part, but always accentuating the person as sexy. Here are some unique areas for a sexy tattoo.

1. The upper thigh. Short skirts have always been attractive and sexy. Much is due to that upper thigh area. As soon as you travel six inches or more above the knee, you are in uncharted erotic grounds. So it makes sense that a tattoo already has the advantage of landing on erotic ground, and it will be a sexy addition to a female body.

2. The feet. Yes the feet can be a very sexy place for a tattoo to be placed. Women spend an enormous amount of time accentuating their feet through owning enormous pairs of sexy shoes and having their toes pedicured and painted. So another permanent addition to dressing their feet up can be a sexy foot tattoo.

3. The upper arm. There’s something to be said about upper arm tattoo placement on a female. Wearing a tight t-shirt with a tattoo peaking out from one of the sleeves can be very sexy and alluring. It’s a classic place for tattoo placement, yes, but still an upper arm tattoo can be very attractive looking.

4. The lower back. Although the low center back tattoo has become somewhat of a trend and likely has been overdone with many females jumping on the bandwagon to get a tattoo placed there, it still can be a sexy place for a tattoo. Many males have been turned on by the low back tattoo, due to a vivid imagination of a certain sexual position while being in full view of the tattoo. So the low center back still remains a sexy place for a tattoo!

Top Star Sexy Tattoos

Star tattoos are one of the most popular types of body art for women. One of the most popular reasons for the popularity of this type of body art is the many different designs which are available and the many places that these creations can be placed on the body. Stars are popularly placed on the foot lining upwards towards the ankle and the calf, or on the lower back, and even on the side of the torso.

Stars may not be the most original design to begin with, but working with an experienced tattoo artist can create a piece of work that you have created and that no one else will have. The artist can take the inspiration from the original picture that you like and create this custom design that can be placed on various parts of the body. This original artwork is often included in the price of the tattoo therefore; it can be easy to create a custom piece that includes the original inspiration and a new take on the design. There are many ways that you can incorporate multiple tattoos into one to create this newly customized star body art by working closely with the artist and suggesting ideas that you would like to see in the piece.

Should you use multiple colors within the tattoo or should you choose one color? Depending on personal preference, there are many ways to design the shapes within the body art. There are multiple tattoos that have included stars on the body in multiple colors. These colors are than placed in various stars, and may even be used in just one star in the design, using multiple colors. Colors may fade over time and therefore may require touching up. This should be kept in mind when choosing this type of design and colors.

Star Sexy Tattoos

For a softer look to choosing star tattoos consider using star designs that do not include the outlines of the edges of the stars. This can create a harsh edge and cause the tattoo to become unattractive over time as the edges begin to fade and the colors begin to drown into one another. There are many designs that incorporate the design without using edges; these should be looked at when trying to choose the design of your body art.

Star designs are suitable for women of all ages which make them more popular than ever when it comes to choosing art to display on the body.

Best Lower Back Tattoo Designs

lower back girl tattoo

I think that tattoos are one of the best ways someone can express themselves. Tattoos are an art form that is meaningful, sophisticated and deeply creative. It is a way for people to give tribute to the people or things that hold a special meaning for them. Or a way to capture that special event or significant time to them.

One of the most popular locations for women to place a tattoo is on the lower back. And these lower back tattoo designs can be placed to the side or right smack in the middle of the back. They also can come in various sizes. From very small to quite larger ones that can spread from side to side all across the lower back.

Now any design is absolutely OK for the lower back. In the past, the more popular ones were often Celtic or Tribal. While those lower back tattoo designs are still prominent and attractive. There are certainly other designs to choose from these days.

However, I urge you not to rush through the process of choosing the right lower back tattoo design for you. Please take your time and think about what tattoo design has the most significance and deeper meaning for you because let’s face it, it is going to be a permanent body art. But you don’t have to choose a traditional design if you don’t want to. The final choice is yours so be absolutely sure the final design is the one you want.

lower back sexy tattoo

Now, many women are choosing from a wider variety of tattoo designs these days for their lower back. They can be of animals such as a bird perched on a limb to a bird that is in glorious flight of freedom. Some girls like to have tattoos of insects that look like they are crawling out from her waistline. There are Koi fish, butterflies, and other pets or animals.

lower back tribal tattoo

And be sure to go to a good tattoo artist. One that can add personal detailings and styling that makes your tattoo “sing.” A great tattoo artist can make your animal look alive and very realistic. Some people may prefer their tattoos look a little more cartoonish. But really, the ultimate judge that should decide what tattoo looks best on you is… you!

How about words? Many famous Hollywood starlets have just words tattooed on their body. And it is quickly becoming more popular as lower back tattoo designs. And no wonder, the lower back is a flat canvas that you can write special words and meanings. Many times you can even add some art to the words to give it that extra special pizazz.

Don’t forget to consider symbols too. Symbols like moons, hearts, stars, religious symbols and peace symbols are just perfect for the lower back tattoo designs. A lot of women love flowers because they symbolize love, romance and feminine. And flowers would look fantastic on the lower back but really, flowers would look great anywhere on your body. But you don’t need to limit yourself to flowers of course!

Other tattoo designs to consider for your lower back can be of nature itself that has a special meaning. Such as leaves, acorns, snowflakes, pine cones or even a dragon-fly perching on a single blade of grass. I have seen wonderful and awe-aspiring images of nature such as rivers, lakes, forests and mountains spread across the lower back.

There are many places to look for that perfect design for your lower back. You could go to your local tattoo studio and check their portfolios. Or you could continue looking on the Internet. Many people have a general idea what they would like and then describe it to their favorite tattoo design artist who of course is a naturally talented artist that can draw it down so you can look at it for approval.

But like I always say, please choose the tattoo design wisely. Also it is really a very good idea to get the best tattoo artist that you can. A cheaper one may give you a lifetime of regrets. And good to great tattoo artists won’t be shy about their talents and will show you their portfolio upon request. After all, they want you to be confident in their abilities and that is the best way to determine that. Are the pictures, images and other tattoo designs by that artist very good? Chances are then you found someone that you would like to draw that canvas on your lower back.

And of course, always make sure your tattoo designer is up to date on the latest policies on sterilization of equipment. How the needles and ink are dispensed and used. And if there is anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, then listen to your feelings and find another studio and artist.

Lower back tattoo designs are very personal and usually hold special meanings to the wearer. You should treat the whole process very seriously because once that tattoo design goes on your lower back, it can be very hard and expensive to get it off if you changed your mind later on. So make your tattoo design a good one. One that you absolutely love and adore and wouldn’t hesitate to show off to your lover and close friends. A great tattoo design is one that is very meaningful to you and is a perfect expression of who you are. And besides, lower back tattoos are very sexy!

Carrie's Astonishing Peacock

Last year at this time, it seemed as if everywhere I turned I was photographing gypsy tattoos. Let's call this season, the Summer of the Peacock.

At the end of July, I ran into Carrie outside of Madison Square Garden and she shared this breathtaking tattoo:

This piece isn't yet complete, but represents close to sixteen hours of meticulous work by Norm Wright Jr. at Art with a Pulse Tattoo Studio in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The detail is incredible and Carrie explained that he free-handed the design with Sharpies, and then followed up with the tattoo needle.

Aside from the beauty of the peacock, Carrie explained that she was inspired by a trip to India, and that this beautiful creature is the country's national bird, which imbues the tattoo with even more personal meaning for her.

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

Brian's Mat-tree-monial Tattoo

Late last month, I met Brian on the 34th Street A platform and he shared this amazing tattoo:

The piece was relatively fresh, having been inked only a couple weeks before.

He explained that this tree represents the Tree of Life. He alluded to the roots that spread out, firmly symbolizing family.

Brian also explained that it was an investigation piece: he added a key, hanging from a branch. This symbolizes his desire to unlock the meaning of life.

What's doubly special about this tattoo is that it is also a marriage tattoo. Brian's wife has a similar tree on her right arm (Brian's is on the left), only with cherry blossoms instead of a key, and a baby in the design as well.

The couple are linked not only by their vows, but by their similar ma-tree-monial tattoos. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

The tattoo is by Kaz at Brooklyn Adorned. Work from Kaz has appeared previously on Tattoosday here. And this tag, links all previous Adorned work on the blog.

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

Linda's Tattoo Honors Her Grandmother

One of our readers, Linda, e-mailed me this photo of one of her tattoos back in March and we have been patiently waiting to share it here until today, August 14, which is an integral part of the tattoo.

I'll let Linda do most of the talking:

"This is a tattoo that has an extreme amount of meaning to me. It is in remembrance of my grandmother, and as far as I'm concerned is a work in progress. The heart reads "I will never forget the way I felt that day," reminding me of the day, and the way I found out [about] my grandmother's passing who, along with my mother and my grandfather, was one of the most important people in my life, and still is. "Memento Mori" is a Latin a phrase which was said to Roman generals who would parade through the city after a battle to remind them that tomorrow is another battle, they may have been victorious today, but must remember they are only mortal. August 14 is the day that she died...

...The first installment of this tattoo was done on my birthday in June [2009] and the second part, the date, I saved to be done on August 14, 2009, the 10-year anniversary of her death. This tattoo is on my back between my shoulder blades..."

The artist who inked this is Curtis Richter, and he co-owns and manages Art N Soul Studios in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Thanks to Linda for sending this our way, and waiting patiently for us to post it. We here at Tattoosday are wishing you strength as  you recall the anniversary of your grandmother's passing.

One Last Friday the 13th Post, for Melanie

So one of my friends Jenise had contributed to the Great Friday the 13th Tattoo Experiment and her votes for my tattoo were not along the finalists.

She was also keenly aware that we collected $31 in donations for my tattoo, $11 more than needed. Ginger, another friend, had added a dollar to the kitty for my lovely Friday-the-13th born wife Melanie, so Jenise, in an effort to make the experiment a complete success, chipped in the funds to bring us to an even $40, and she, Ginger, and Melanie separately concurred that this design was the one for her:

Much to our surprise, when we went back at 6:00 pm, business was brisk but it was only a 30-minute wait.

Artist Joey Wilson tattooed the Zoe Sonenberg-designed flash piece right below Melanie's $14 Valentine's tattoo (that story here).

The end result is lovely:

Thanks again to all contributors and supporters of Tattoosday through this process, and for everyone's patience while I went "off-book" for the last couple of days.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.