Original Permanent Tattoo: 2008

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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....

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!

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.

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.

THE PASSION

THIS IS ONE OF THE HOMIES WHO WANTED TO DEDICATE HIS BACK TO THE PASSION AND CENTER IT WITH THE SACRIFICIAL CROSS TOPPED WITH A CROWN OF THORNS AND FRAMED WITH ANGELIC CLOUDS TO ENHANCE ITS SIGNIFICANCE. YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH DOING A PIECE THAT CAPTURES YOUR BELIEFS.

PROFILE: DANNY D & BUGS GONZALES

WE BROUGHT YOU FLICKS OF BUGS AND DANNY D'S TOOLS OF THEIR TRADE.. HERE IS A PROFILE SHOT OF THEM AND A COUPLE OF ONE OF "THE MANY" THEY HAVE COLLABORATED ON. THEY HAVE ALSO COLLABORATED ON STORE FRONT PIECES FOR UNDEFEATED, SUPREME, STUSSY AND THE "LAST LAUGH" WHICH I HAVE FEATURED ON MY BLOG BEFORE...

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

I JUST WANT TO WISH YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING THE TIME WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. AS YOU KNOW "THE LAST LAUGH" WAS OPEN ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND THE "FINELINE" T-SHIRT HIT THE SHELVES. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO CAME OUT TO PICK IT UP, IF YOU HAVEN'T PICKED UP DON'T SLEEP CAUSE THEY ARE GOING FAST. I HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING ON A FEW "TOP SECRET" ITEMS FOR YOU LOYAL ONES, SO STAY ToONd FOR THE UPDATES..

A Knight to Remember: Veronica Shares Her Ink

I received a pleasant surprise yesterday, just before leaving work, when Brooke (see her tattoos here and here) introduced me to her friend Veronica, who was visiting her in the office.

Veronica enjoyed the posts on Brooke's ink, and was willing to share her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday:

I correctly identified the tattoo, on the left side of her back shoulder, as the chess piece known as the Knight.

Although it is a horse, Veronica noted, most people who see it don't realize at first that it is a chess piece.

So why a chess knight?

Several years ago, Veronica went on a date with a guy who had a similar tattoo. Not only had he been a chess player, but his nickname in the military had been "Crazy Horse". He had designed the tattoo himself and Veronica was drawn to it. She knew she wanted one just like it, but they both agreed, as their relationship progressed, that it would only be appropriate if they were married.

Well, we all know where this is heading. When the time was right, Veronica's boyfriend didn't pop the question, he popped the suggestion, "Let's go get that tattoo". Which she did, customizing his original design by making it a little smaller, and adding a feminine curl to the front of the Knight's mane. They went to a shop on Broadway in Santa Maria, California. There are three shops currently on Broadway, so I can't give proper credit to the shop or artist at this time.

The formal proposal came shortly after the engagement was "inked".

Veronica married the man with the matching tattoo but, as life would have it, they split up amicably after three years.

Her ex-husband-to-be told her that he wouldn't be offended if she decided to cover the chess piece up, but the thought never crossed Veronica's mind. She wasn't worried about future girlfriends (or wives) getting the same tattoo. She recognizes it as a unique symbol of a past chapter in her life of which she has little regret.

Oftentimes, people are remorseful about their ink, especially when the piece is tied to a relationship that no longer exists. It is always nice to see a tattoo that holds great meaning, even while transcending a bond that has broken.

So the chess piece remains, and we here at Tattoosday extend our thanks to Veronica for sharing this part of her personal history with us.

LOST ART

I JUST VISITED MY CLUB BROTHERS AND LONG TIME FRIENDS DANNY D AND BUGS GONZALES. NOT ONLY ARE THEY CUSTOM CAR PAINTERS THEY BOTH HAVE BEEN STRIPING FOR 20 PLUS YEARS. ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO MEET UP AND DISCUSS THE SCIENCE OF LOWRIDING. I WAS ABLE TO GET A FEW GOOD FLIKS OF THEM AT WORK AND SOME DETAIL SHOTS OF SOME OF THE TOOLS. WE ARE CURRENTLY COLLABORATING ON A COUPLE TOP SECRET PROJECTS AND I WILL BE BRINGING YOU SOME FLIKS AS WE MOVE FORWARD...

HERE IS A THE NEW DESIGN I DROPPED JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. YOU CAN COME PICK IT UP OVER AT THE LAST LAUGH. WE ARE OPEN ON TUESDAY 12/23 AND ON CHRISTMAS EVE 12/24. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL THE STORE AT
213.488.0313
THE LAST LAUGH
129 E 6TH ST
LOS ANGELES, CA 90014

Original Permanent Tattoo

Laman