Tattoos I Know: Paul, Part 5 or, The Great Cover-Up of 2008, continued...

In December 2008, we posted about our friend Paul getting some cover-up work done on his upper right arm. Revisit the report here.

We checked in with Paul again this past November to see the progress (here). And, just last Friday, he updated us again on the latest efforts by Horisei, who has one more session before this cover-up is done:


Horisei tattoos out of the Chelsea Tattoo Company, formerly the home of Rising Dragon.

Thanks again to Paul for sharing. I'm guessing we'll see the finished product later in 2010!

Two Tattoos From John: One for Superstition, One for Courage

Last Friday, I met John, who was in Penn Station in a t-shirt and shorts, certainly brave, considering the cold temperature outside.

He has four tattoos, and shared two with us. First, a four-leaf clover on his right elbow, which he got because he is superstitious:


And this Latin phrase "sine metu," which means "Without Fear" on his left forearm:


Both tattoos were inked by Eric Barrett, who currently works at Orange Tattoo Company in Annapolis, Maryland. Please note, I previously attributed this to a different artists named Eric in Annapolis. My apologies for the mix-up.

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

Lil Wayne Tattoos

Lil Wayne’s tattoos have always been a topic of great debate among his many fans, he has so many of them that it would be very difficult to describe them all in the space here. Since this is the case I am going to focus on the most obvious ones, the ones which are found on his face and mouth. One of his most controversial tattoos are the teardrops underneath his eyes. Now, in prison, teardrops usually mean that you have murdered someone. But, I think there is a different reason for this Lil Wayne tattoo. I think they represent three of his close friends who have died. Since he has two tear drops below one of his eyes and one tear below the other eye they probably relate to two separate instances when his loved ones died. Other Lil Wayne tattoos on his face include designs which are placed on his eye lids which together read "Fear God". He also has a letter "C" tattooed right in between his eyebrows, some people say that it stands for Carter which is his last name, right above that "C" there is a cross that indicates that he believes in God.

Basketball Tattoos

Sport tattoos have always enjoyed a certain amount of popularity. Whether the sport is baseball, hockey or soccer fans have always wanted to represent the game they love so much. And the styles and options available to the common sports fan are almost unlimited. Take this basketball tattoo for instance. The bearer has decided to represent the sport by having a basketball and hoop design inked into his skin. A nice touch to this basketball tattoo is the the slogan "NBA” imprinted on the ball. I like the design but I think that it could use a little splash of color. I would have at least had the ball shaded a nice bright orange or brown. Other basketball tattoos that could have been done include the portraits of individual ball players, specific team names and I have even seen a large tattoo of a basketball court. So, if your a fan of the sport then you might want to dream up a unique basketball tattoo of your own. Then you can proudly represent the game that you love and let every one know that you are a die hard fan. Imagine yourself going to your next game and showing off that beautiful basketball tattoo.

If your a sports fan you know how important it is support your favorite team. And it’s even more important for you to support the game itself. Whether it’s baseball, hockey or football that your a fan of then a well placed tattoo can show your loyalty to the sport. Take the basketball tattoo in the picture. It’s a wonderful design of a star with a basketball in the center of it. It’s well designed and shows that the bearer is a true fan of the sport. But, what really impresses me is the coloring of the basketball. Very genuine and it makes it look even more like a basketball. The bearer of this basketball tattoo can also add other elements to this design to make it pop even more. They could consider adding a basketball hoop, the name of their favorite team or even the numbers of their favorite ball players jersey. The options here are only limited by one’s own imagination. So, if your a fan of basketball and want to show your dedication to the game then you might want to consider getting a basketball tattoo. It’s something that can be worked into most tattoo design motifs.

Celtic Cross Tattoo

The art of the celtic cross tattoo dates back thousands of years when the early Celts showed an amazing talent for metal working and craftsmanship of all kinds. The celtic cross tattoo is usually made up of several of what are called celtic knots, which are never-ending loops and circles which are meant to symbolize the cycles of reincarnation and death. The never-ending loops and circles also stood for the physical as well as the spiritual and represented the permanence of love, life and very often faith.

The typical theory of people from North America is that they will wear a celtic cross tattoo as a way of remembering their descent, but I say that for the most part that is probably not true. Most people who get a tattoo are younger people and they do it because they like the way the tattoo looks and not for anything having to do with their lineage. Maybe when they get older they will claim that, but when they were young and got the celtic cross tattoo, I think they were simply being impulsive, with no hidden meaning what so ever. There are lots of very cool designs of Celtic Crosses out there so shop carefully before choosing yours.

This tattoo almost has a tribal feeling with the geometic designs they used, look at the patterns repeat themselves until you have a very complex design. I like the feeling this celtic cross tattoo presents when you look at it. I like the spiral effects the design gives off when viewed up close. You will notice on this celtic cross tattoo it has a some what religious feeling about it. The cross and the jewels remind me of a crown symbol of sorts. If you notice the weaving of the curls it makes this celtic cross tattoo look like it is for the common man and not of royalty. I believe this style of celtic goes back to the 8th or 9th century when celtic designs were used very often through out most of old europe.

I have a celtic cross tattoo on the back of my right leg. I have always felt anything celtic gave off the feeling of love and admiration to another. I like this tattoo a lot, probably better than the one I have on my leg. I might have to do another on my other leg and try to use some of this design to better it this time around.

Wing Tattoos

Wing Tattoos

I usually like wing tattoos a lot but I am not sure how I feel about this set of them. Apparently on the back of a guy, which is a little strange, these wings seems to be formed by what appears to be long and thin root type of material rather than be made up of wings covered with feathers which one would normally expect to see. I have never seen a set of wing tattoos just like this before and while I do find them interesting I don’t really like the design very much. I prefer the traditional looking wings.

These are meant to be angel wings of some type I am sure but I do not know what type that may be. This strikes me as something that would come out of the woods or the trees or something like that. I am not at all sure and I am not going to guess. All I can say is that they look earthy. If anybody out there know what these are meant to be I would love to hear from you. Really.

Wing Tattoos

There are many different styles and types of wing tattoos and this is a picture of one that you do not see very often. It’s a much smaller one than what is popular now and only takes up a small part of the back of ones shoulder. I can only guess as to its meaning and to the meaning of the intertwined rings in the middle of these wings. The wings are probably meant to be angel wings and that typically stands for a supernatural being who is looking over us and looking out for us. It can also stand fro grace and beauty and possibly the whimsical ability to fly away whenever the world get to be too much. We’d all be flying away if that were possible, wouldn’t we?

As far as the rings go your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps they are meant to stand for a bonding of sorts. A joining of two souls if you will. Or perhaps the connection between two hearts. Something having to do with love and a relationship I would think. As far as wing tattoos go this much smaller on could be a good alternative for someone who wants one that doesn’t cover the better part of their back.

Tribal Back Tattoos

Tribal Back Tattoos

Now this here is a very complete example of what tribal back tattoos look like when they are completed. And this one is a pretty wild looking one, isn’t it? And is it just the way I am seeing it, or is that tattoo meant to be making a big face? Do you see it? I certainly do. Maybe the face of a warrior. Maybe the face of a dragon. I don’t know, but it sure is a face just the same. Eye, nose, mouth, forehead. They are all there as clear as day to me.
Maybe this is not a warrior face or a dragon. Maybe it is meant to look like one of those warrior masks, the ceremonial style masks I mean. That much I would believe if someone told it to me. Of course I would tend to believe anything I was told about tribal back tattoos because I really don’t know much.

Whatever kind of face it is meant to be forming, this tattoo is a good tattoo and it’s hot. It looks good and it makes this person look good and frankly I am a bit jealous of this person and their ink. It’s time for me to start looking into one of these tribal back tattoos for myself.

Tribal Back Tattoos

If your contemplating getting a tribal back tattoo you should be sure to choose a design that reflects you aesthetic tastes and personal style. Once you have decided, the hardest and most important part comes: searching for the perfect design to put on your skin. Time and effort is mandatory in finding this perfect design. It can make or break your tattoo and how people will appreciate it. Take the time and the effort, it is definitely worth doing. Here are some tips on finding that elusive design for your tribal back tattoo. One good idea is to find a site which specializes in tattoo images. This site should help provide you with a unique design exclusively for your own use. Once you have chosen your design, you can work with a tattoo artist, and further customize this design for you. This way, your design will truly reflect your unique and personal taste. On pay tattoo sites you will also find groups and communities of other tattoo lovers. These people have a lot of passion and information to share; they are the perfect people to ask anything about your new artwork, especially if you’re a first-timer. Follow these suggestions and you’ll be that much closer to you new prized tribal back tattoo.