Tattoosday #1: Introducing Tattoosday

Hello BillyBlog readers!

Behold a new feature that may or may not be a regular feature here....I'm calling it "Tattoosday". And I'm not saying I coined the phrase, others have done so elsewhere.

Here's the goal.....every Tuesday I'll post a tattoo or two, along with some or a lot of back story.

The exercise is interesting on many fronts....I hope the casual reader will find it brain-tingling and entertaining. Similarly, I hope to have fun producing the weekly post dedicated to body art. But not just any body art. I aim to photograph, with the permission of the inked, of course, tattoos that I find cool, and give a little story behind them.

I hope to meet some interesting people, perhaps boost a little readership, and ultimately entertain the readers.

However, I have to start out with a little bit of cheating. The first tat belongs to a co-worker, Sephora Uddin (the one that gave me the CBGB book for my birthday).

Here it is:


What is it?

A Hindu om symbol.

Is this her first tattoo?

Nah. It's her third of five. Her first is a lotus blossom on lower back. Her second is an angel on her shoulder. Her third is a Hindu swastika on the back of her neck.



Her fifth, and latest, but probably not her last, is on her second toe (the one next to the "big" toe, or hallux) on her left foot, three lines representing the Aquarius symbol.

For the record, I have only seen this one and the swastika.

When and where did you get it?


New York Hardcore Tattoos, October 2005

Why?

"The aum or om symbol is sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism, and I find it comforting. It reminds me that I am aspiring to wisdom even if I don't succeed."

So, there you have it. The inaugural tattoo on Tattoosday here at BillyBlog. It should be interesting to see what else I can come up with from strangers, or if I have to revert to friends to help me in this project.

Foot Tribal

Another foot tattoo done to add up to the collection, within a week !!

Inspired by fateark.com, I made some minor changes to the original design and came up with this. Its the beginning stage, starting from the foot , which will end at the knee.

So here it is...

Roses and Names

Rose tattoos have been popular for the past couple of decades. They can be both a masculine and a feminine tattoo. They were once the preserve of sailors back in the day but have since become increasingly popular amongst females as more and more females started getting tattooed.

Roses originated in ancient Persia and were historically viewed as a masculine flower, however several thousand years of cultivation produced many exquisite and beautiful variations associating it with females and love.

I did this for a male customer who wanted to have his kids name around it as well and it came out pretty sweet...

Red roses can mean love, romantic love, and respect.
White roses signify spiritual love, purity, innocence or secrecy.
Bridal white means happy love.
Yellow roses signify joy, gladness, friendship and devotion.
Coral roses imply desire.
Light peach roses signify modesty or friendship
Orange roses say fascination.
Light pink roses imply grace, gentility and admiration.
Dark pink roses say "thank you."
Red and yellow roses mixed together can mean congratulations
Yellow and orange roses together imply passionate thoughts.
Red and white roses signify unity

Greeks mythology described roses as being white until the goddess Aphrodite pricked herself on the thorns, and her blood drops turned the blossoms red. Even today people attach meaning and emotional qualities to roses.

Credits to : http://www.tao-of-tattoos.com/rose-tattoos

Froggy Day !!

Hey there everyone!! It has been awhile since I updated the blog as I was caught up with shitloads of work after returning from the Tattoo Convention. Work, Work, Work !!

Anyway, I was asked to do a tattoo of a frog by one of my customers. And honestly, never have I, tattooed frogs on anyone in my life. But hey, like they all say, there is a first time for everything...

The frog is a tattoo design that cuts across many cultures. As a member of the animal clan, the Frog is seen as a teacher. A lunar creature that resonates with water, it also lives on land.

A cold-blooded creature, the Frog possesses an extremely sensitive skin which shamans consider magical. In many cultures, the Frog is associated with the ability to jump from one state of consciousness to another.

The frog is a symbol of generation, rebirth and fertility. The Egyptian frog goddess was named Heket.

Borneo Tattoo Convention Day 2

DAY 2

Woke up early this morning as I had an appointed with Ernesto to have my other fist tatooed at the convention itself.

I got off the cab and I was greeted by the press as they interviewed me, asking me bout my experience and the tattoo I got the day before. I never expected them to be there, but hey, I just love it !!

After the shoot and interview, I walked up to the hilltop where the convention was held and watched the Iban Cultural Dances before heading to the booth of Borneo HeadHunters where Enersto was waiting for me.

It was fun watching them dance and trust me, I really wanted to dance too..hehe!!

Booth of Borneo HeadHunters.

Picture taken by Ernesto himself.

Cameras all over me again...Hmmmm...

It was the most relaxing thing I ever did in my life. It was a great experience and to feel so good after that, is just beyond words to describe.

Final check of the alignment and its done !!

Ernesto and me posing for the camera !!

Robb and Me...

To summarize the whole experience and having a tattoo done traditionally was an enlighting moment for me. Never will I forget it and yes, I have learnt alot which I can use in what I do. I thank everyone who who made this trip possible and I thank the crew of Borneo HeadHunters for giving me a good experience.

I will be uploading video clips in my next post. Watch out for it...