Virginia's Flowers Forecast Spring

This is a quick one for Monday morning, on the last day of February, with spring looming just around the corner. Here's one of Virginia's tattoos:

Virginia is a long-time reader and fan of Tattoosday who I have met on anumber of occasions. This is the first piece she has shared with us.

This floral tattoo is at the top of her right shoulder and was done by Craig Rodriguez at Hand of Glory in Brooklyn.

She explains further, "We are all hoping for an early spring. Daffodils and forget-me-nots. It is a memorial tattoo. I always bring yellow flowers to the cemetery when I honor my family members."

Work from Hand of Glory has appeared previously here on Tattoosday. A piece of Craig's was featured here.

Amen to the early spring! Thanks to Virginia for sharing this lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Mark's Tattoo is Bound by Faith

I met Mark in Penn Station on Friday, as I was passing through the New Jersey Transit waiting area. It was a rainy, unseasonably warm day, so I spotted his tattoos easily, as he sat in a short sleeve shirt waiting for his train.

Mark has six tattoos in all, and he shared this one on his left forearm:

There's a lot going on here, in this tattoo which was completed in two sittings.

In essence, this is a religious tattoo, which Mark considers an expression of his Christian faith.

The base of the tattoo may look familiar, as it resembles the caduceus, which is now a symbol of the medical profession.

However, Mark explained that this symbol was originally attributed to the cult of Mithraism that existed in Rome in the first to fourth centuries, before the city became the center of Christianity. The caduceus was originally attributed to the Roman god Mercury, and the symbol also important to the god Mithras. The Vatican in Rome is built over the remnants of Mithraism and Mark bears this symbol that represents that which Christianity replaced.

At the base of the tattoo are the letters "XIVI". This is the Roman numeral for "17". Again, there is more to this than meets the eye. Many may think that the number 17 in Roman numerals is written differently, as XVII. However, Mark explained that this reversal of letters is intentional. According to wikipedia, "In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky. When viewed as the Roman numeral, XVII, it is then changed anagramatically to VIXI, which in the Latin language it translates to "I have lived", the perfect implying "My life is over." (c.f. "Vixerunt", Cicero's famous announcement of an execution.)". It is this "I have lived" phrase that resonates most with Mark, who told me that the "XIVI" number is often seen on gravestones. 

And finally, the word "SINNER," which runs vertically down the caduceus, is the belief that "we are all sinners". Again, this ties in deeply to Mark's faith.

The piece was tattooed by Matt Pope at Another Tat2 Shop in South Amboy, New Jersey.

Thanks to Mark for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tattoosday Weekend Recap

I just wanted to share some interesting tidbits that have come my way over the last few weeks:

First, someone has been sharing links in the comments section anonymously on several recent posts. As is my custom, I only approve comments if they are related to the post in question. Nonetheless, the links point to a YouTube channel for Sullen TV. I thought I'd share one here, which features the artist Nikko Hurtado, and interested parties can explore their YouTube channel here.

~

The other day I came across a cool site called FreshTrends.com that has a really nice collection of body jewelry, a lot of which would look great with a new tattoo. It's definitely worth a look!

~

Last June, I featured this tattoo by artist Scott Campbell. I was recently told about this short film on the site Nowness.Be sure to check it out!

~

And finally, we're about a month away from April, and our third annual installment of the Tattooed Poets Project. I wanted to give a shout-out to one of last year's poets, Erica Rivera, whose tattoo was featured here. Her new book Maneater is available on Amazon:

Visit the Man Eater Facebook page for a taste of Erica Rivera's writing.

Repost: The World is Full of Kings and Queens

In lieu of something new, something borrowed, or something blue, I am offering up a post from three years ago, in Tattoosday's infancy, from January 2008:

I've been relying heavily on Tattoos I Know since the end of summer, but today, in the chill of January, I spotted a cool tattoo on a stranger and added him to the Tattoosday gallery:


It was in the mid-30's when I asked Frank about his tattoo. He gladly offered up his newest piece, this playing card queen.

Frank is heavily-inked. He briefly flashed a leg and an arm covered with tattoos. But we stuck with this one. This particular piece, his newest, was done by Mike Profetto at Designs by Michael Angelo in Brooklyn.

When I asked him why he had this queen of hearts, he said it only made sense to complement the king of diamonds on the right side of his neck:


Incidentally, that's a spider on the back of his neck, between the two royal tattoos.

The queen, being the newer piece, is much brighter and crisper.

Frank is the first Tattoosday subject to offer up side neck pieces. He gave me his contact information, so I hope to feature Frank's work again in the future, with more detail about his tattoos, and the stories behind them.

Thanks again Frank!

*******

February 26, 2011: Alas, we never heard from Frank again....

Tattoo Shop Loyalty: A Shop Owners Perspective

Tattoo Shops and the employees that work at the studio have a relationship that is unmatched in other industries. I can only think of a few industries where the people who work at the establishment are running their own business. Real Estate Sale People are Independent Contractors running their own business, but after working briefly in that industry I found the work environment more cut throat then even the tattoo business. Most of the time you were lucky to see those who worked in the office because they mostly were on the road or worked from home mostly. An office environment was mostly a place where people were more cut-throat to their peers. It was often encouraged by the broker.

The Tattoo Environment is more often then not a very fun place to work. Of course it has a competitive atmosphere but the owners of the shop should ensure fair play. Some times it can be taking turns on walk-ins or if one artist needs to fix another artist work within the shop- the artist who made the mistake needs to pay the one artist fixing the work the money for his time. An owner of a shop should never allow one artist to still another artist clients. An owner should ensure that if someone is advertising their business out of their own money- that artist receives the request from the customers.

In turn for a good owners loyalty to the artist. The artist should in return respect the things that the shop has provided them. If the shop is a fun place as well as a place where money is being made then some loyalty should be shown in reverse. Shop jumpers are an example of an artist with an attitude problem or a god complex. Shop Jumpers are those who like moving shop to shop after only a few months and when something doesn't go their way they up and leave. It's funny in the end how most the time they are often left without a shop to tattoo in. Word spreads very quick among the shops and usually those shop jumpers are black balled.

It is amazing how artist take for granted the opportunity to work in a shop environment. Many people spend years and thousands of dollars to get the chance for a studio job. It should be a lesson to those already working in a shop that they should keep hungry and loyal not only to the shop but also their clients. Ever since opening the tattoo school at Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo I've seen alot of people who are dedicated to the profession and co-workers they are with. I've got the best staff an owner could wish for. They are always willing to learn and eager to work. They do not have the God complex and treat the customers how they should be treated. When they graduate the program and choose to go off on their own I'm hopeful I taught them to be respectful to clients, perform your best work, and be loyal to the shops they work at. That loyalty if you have a good shop owner will always be paid back double and triple. After all most of the studios I've worked for everyone was like a second family. 

Lost and Found: Toni's Cameo

I'm calling this a "lost and found" post because it features a tattoo that was a buried treasure in my e-mail archives. I was sitting on my living room couch when the existence of the photo surfaced in my head. "Whatever happened to that e-mail?" I asked myself and, after a brief search I found it. So, let me explain....

At the end of November, my wife Melanie received an e-mail from someone she met through her job. She often encounters people with tattoos and, if the work is interesting, and the subject arises, she will act as an ambassador to Tattoosday.

Toni is one such person who checked out the site, took pictures of her tattoo, and sent them to Melanie. She showed me the photos and promptly forwarded me the e-mail, which then sat for a spell in my in box before I inadvertently filed it away until I recalled it two months later.

So, without further ado, here is Toni's tattoo:

Not only did Toni send along this picture of the small cameo tattoo on her wrist, she sent along a healthy story to accompany the piece. We'll let her tell us about it in her own words:

My mother passed away six years ago on 11/17/2004. For a long time I wanted to get a tattoo in memory of her without doing the RIP MOM thing I’ve seen so many times before. I think it’s nice, but it is not my style. A little over two years ago my sister and I were going out with some friends for dinner and my sister was wearing this very Victorian-style blouse. Pinned to the front collar of the blouse was a cameo that has been in my family for many years. It was passed down from my Grandmother to my mother and now to my sister. As soon as I glanced at it, it hit me! I will get a tattoo of this Cameo and then realized it would not only be for my mom. My mother, my sister, and I are obsessed with the Victorian era! We love everything Victorian. My grandmother loved the Victorian times as well. 

 

So I decided to bring the cameo with me to Twin Moon Tattoo shop [in Floral Park, Long Island] and had the artist Cindy sketch the cameo ... I love this tattoo so much, not only because it represents an era that I love but it also represents the three most important women in my life: my Grandmother, my Mother, & my sister! [Cindy] thought it was a little strange that I wanted it just below the inside wrist of my right arm and suggested I put it on the back of my neck or make it really big and put it in the middle of my back. I had explained the meaning behind the tattoo and how important it was for me that I see it everyday....That being said, she agreed and sketched it the actual size of the cameo and tattooed it on the inside of my arm right below the wrist.

Thanks to Toni for sending along the photo and the story behind it to Melanie, and for consenting to share her lovely cameo tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Sean's updates from GimmeLove1@40b Sago street

Check out Sean's new amazing colour realism pieces! He is one of Singapore's most underrated tattoo artist to date...so guys, do call or email him at +65-84844838 or sean_hotmail@hotmail.com if you guys like his style of work and would like to get a piece done by him. The end result will be so much more than what you'll expect...

	-Baldwin-

Cat's Hands-ome Tattoos

I met Cat earlier this week at Borders, which has been the go-to locale for inkspotting during a very sparse winter.

He has fifteen tattoos, but we discussed the two I noticed, on the tops of his hands:

The tattoos are variations on Celtic pagan designs that he modified to make his own.

The right hand represents the chalice of the goddess, who represents expressiveness and creativity. Wiccan principles acknowledge that the goddess is the source of all expression.

Cat's other hand is decorated with a Celtic triquetra. The three markings around the design are letters drawn in the Theban script, each corresponding to the first initials of his three children.

Cat says that these, as well as his other tattoos, were inked by Neo at Village Moon Tattoos in Jackson Heights, in the borough of Queens.

Readers interested in these tattoos may also be interested in checking out our old friend Livia Indica's site NeoPagan Ink.

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

Sneak peek

An old classmate of mine came by today to work further on his leg. We shared our comic obsession during school and he always mention  to get Cover image from Witchblade tattooed. 
So here a small sneak preview of how it turns out till today.

And then a bit of  Greek mythology...

Image of a Tattoo Artist

When you think of a tattoo artist what do you envision? In this business the artist is more diverse then the work that is performed on the clients. When you think about the many types of backgrounds artist come from it's mind boggling. For instance I'm considered by most to be a Biker. I ride choppers and like the Biker scene more then say going to a progressive art show. Some other artist come from the "Hood" where they started on graffiti then moved onto doing house parties and finally into a shop. Both types in this example started their careers on the rebel side of society as I like to call it.

Then you have artist that done nothing but draw all their life because it was a passion. The passion drove them to explore different mediums to practice the craft until they were led to tattooing. Some of these artist came from middle class and higher income neighborhoods. Then of course the one type of artist that doesn't fit the bill of any of the above. "The Punk Rocker" This is an artist that takes the freedom of the craft to a whole different level. They take everything to the extreme and it shows in their artwork as well as their piercings.

I believe with all these different personalities, this is the reason why our industry is one of the best to work in. The art that is produced is just out of this world. The best place to see all of these types of artist mix is on the convention circuit. It's always a trip seeing everyone who is a different kind of artist sling their type of art on someone. I love watching the suspension shows that are put on. Thats when they put hooks in someones back and suspend them in mid air. 

So what type of artist do you consider yourself? Depending on what type you think you are is how your work will be classified. I'm proud to be considered in the Biker category. You could even say I'm in the Hood category also. I like being at the street level of things. I grew up in Melrose Park right outside of Chicago's North Side. I was around gangbangers and bikers all my life. My artwork shows that style and passion. I love seeing all the people come in that really match my style. The names tattoo and paw prints, the traditional sparrows and more. Of course I've really taking a liking to Traditional Japanese and look forward to really diving into this art form.

Frank's Laserbeak Tattoo Transforms His Flesh

I met Frank in the Penn Plaza Borders yesterday and stopped to ask him about his tattoos.

"How many do you have?" I asked and he responded vaguely "a lot". That generally means at least a dozen, if not more, and he offered up this two-part tattoo, from his right arm:

This is a Transformer. More specifically, "Laserbeak," a Transformer that does reconnaissance.

This is one of the first tattoos that Frank got and, as one would expect, he had this done because he likes Transformers.

He credited the tattoo to Cort Bengston at Cort's Royal Ink Tattoo Studio in Patchogue, New York.

Thanks to Frank for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Customer Service in the Tattoo Industry

The tattoo industry is the same as all industries. You have to have exceptional customer service in order to build a client base. After all this industry is becoming more and more competitive by the day. Studios are popping up all over these days and the old mentality of shops fixing prices are a thing of the past. What do I mean by fixing prices? Shop Minimums point blank are the wrong business model in these times. Customers are now coming from the mainstream population. Those customers are now educated enough to know that when they walk into a store ore studio they expect to be treated like they are number one.

Who can blame them? When I walk into a small shop or small retail establishment I expect to get greeted at the door and offered assistance. At Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo this is a mandatory practice. As artist and business people this should be second nature to all of us. Just because we practice a craft we need to put our attitudes and attitudes to the side. People who visit our establishments are the reason we make the money we do. Without those individuals coming into the door we don't make any money and I believe this is the number one reason why shops go under. Yea bad artwork is a reason why many don't make it in the industry. But poor attitudes will lead many to tell their friends in which will tell more people that the studio is not a place to be, next thing you know you have no customers.

The place we are at now is a great example. We've heard the horror stories about the previous owner never showing up to his appointments, talking just plain stupid when he did have customers. He also would have posted hours and never keep them. So now he wonders why he went out of business and puts the blame on everyone but himself. You cannot sit there and talk about how big your dick is or keep a shop in bad condition. When you have posted hours you have to keep them, yea it sucks sitting around all day and no one come in. Well thats the industry! You have to have a good marketing plan in order to obtain the business. When you do get the business you have to do everything in your power to keep the business and have a good return rate.

Regardless of the marketing plan "Word of Mouth" will continue to be the biggest way any studio gets it's business. Spending $50,000 a year on radio commercials like one shop does in our area isn't going to keep the customers coming in. The shop in question has poor customer relations skills, customers come into our shop all the time talking about the bad experiences they had with this particular shop. I'm all to willing to provide them with the best experience because I know I want to turn them into a regular customer. I take customer complaints very seriously. When I get them I address the issue with the staff involved and get it fixed right away. My staff knows or should know that the fastest thing that can get you dismissed from the job is being unprofessional with clients. Since all my employees are independent contractors they should know that the very first thing on their agendas should be to treat every customer as they want to be treated.

Sal's Tattoo Takes Wing

Today's tattoo comes to us courtesy of Sal, who is making his third appearance on Tattoosday. We first met him in 2008 when he shared this Guns N Roses tattoo, and then again, in 2009 with this quote, inked on his forearm.

Both times I ran into Sal at the video store where he works in Brooklyn Heights. He alerted me to the fact that he had new ink, so I just had to stop by and see in person:

The collage might not bring out the finer details as seen in a closer view:

The bird is an American Robin. Why this particular bird? Sal explains: "Robins mean a lot to me - not just for their beauty, but for their meaning of hope and new beginnings".

American Robin -- Humber Bay Park (East) (Toronto, Canada) -- 2005, by en:User:Mdf

The tattoo artist is the phenomenal Mark Harada at East Side Ink in Manhattan. Work from Mark and other East Side Ink artists has appeared previously on our site here.

Thanks again to Sal for sharing his awesome new tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Bonafide Bags Winners and Special Discount for Tattoosday Readers!

Congratulations to the following readers who were among the winners selected among the 51 commenters on the original Bonafide Bags post.

American Pride winners:

Theresa Senato Edwards
Beverly Cornell
Thumper


Day of the Dead winners:

Kristina V.
Jason
Alex


Koi Winners:

Alicia
Crackle
Sammie K


American Traditional Winners:

Virginia
Sarah
KC


I will be emailing winners by Monday. If you are a winner and don't hear from me, please follow up with me at tattoosday@gmail.com.

For those of you who didn't win, I thank you for participating and suggest you check out this amazing offer from the folks at Bonafide Bags:

We also thought we would like to reward your readers for participating and give them some incentive as well to get some bags whether they win or not. We created a discount code specifically for the readers of Tattoosday to receive an additional 10% off any order of at least $20.  They can get the savings by entering the following code in the voucher section of the checkout page, the code is "tattoosday".  This code is good through March...if we want to create new designs and keep pumping them out from lots of different artists, we have to sell these to make that happen.

Please take advantage of this great offer and head over to Bonafide Bags and get some!

Thanks to all of our readers who made this giveaway so much fun for all! And thanks to the good folks at Bonafide Bags.

Everybody has one...

Yep everybody has one... or more then one,  let's hope it won't visit you to often. The best solution to that problem is just keep doing something... anything...
It has been too long, so I finally found some time to get back to my watercolors.

 Something I manage to finish few weeks ago on a very devoted blues fan.

A Reaper for a Saturday

A couple weeks ago, I ran into Vinny at a Duane Reade on 86th Street in Brooklyn.

He had several tattoos and shared this one, on his left forearm:

Thanks to Vinny for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Maori flash to real tattoo photos

Hi,

Today I received two photos, one of a customer who bought "Shoulder tattoo 150" a few weeks ago. The tattoo healed and lookes really nice.
The second tattoo is the shoulderblade design I did on february 18th, you can see the sketches and work in progress in the previous posts.
























Get back soon with some updates!

Kind regards, Mark Storm

Baldwin Horikawa's updates from GimmeLove1 @ 40b Sago Street

On behalf of all our GimmeLove crew, i would like to wish all our families, friends and readers a wonderful and prosperous rabbit year ahead! Been a while since i've last posted anything so here it is...Some pieces that im working on recently...Thanks to my group of really dedicated and determined clients that i always had lots of fun working on them...Hope you guys enjoy the pics below...On a sidenote..our website www.gimmelovetattoo.com is undergoing some major changes now so do check back for the newly revamped site sometimes next week!



Do call or email me at +65-98463142 / piercedjerk@hotmail.com for appointments!

-Baldwin-

Shoulder blade tattoo maori samoan style

Hi,

It has been a while, but I just finished a nice tattoo piece. It's a design for the shoulderblade and back.
My customer wanted to cover quite some skin, with nice Maori Kirituhi shapes and some Samoan patterns.

First I made a template from the measurements I received, and started sketching:

I really enjoy to make the first basic koru shapes, this gives the tattoo a nice flow and "cuts" the large template into smaller pieces that can be filled with other intricate patterns, like triangles, spearheads and repetitive lines.


Once the basic layout is set, I move on to the next fase.



My client asked for some Samoan patterns, which are mainly formed by even lines filled with very detailed shapes (upper left side of the tatoo):




















In the centre of the pencil sketch I drew a row of arrowheads and triangles, but I removed it later as you can see in the completed sketch:

The final high resolution image was traced with a black felt-tip marker and scanned.

After optimizing it and creating a linedrawing I sent it to my customer.






Kind regards, Mark Storm
info@storm3d.com
www.storm3d.com

Lewd Screwed pic

Long Overdue Pictures from Lewd, Screwed & Tattooed event. By the way, sorry folks, this is only so much I can expose, so too bad to those who did not make it to the event ...