Andrew's Traditional Sleeve by Horisei

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}</style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ps9JgoTyHqwLxPRGBgeRFmYIcY552tH7_yOBKgu5Jp0MywQzJmOETly7evEg9dXJTGI-jeH_nIpU-QrnQhoFdB_MCzBzAhIiITosFu_px8YHvesn8r9xAWSVR82tez8tueM9PeEsN1s/s1600/horisei+super+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ps9JgoTyHqwLxPRGBgeRFmYIcY552tH7_yOBKgu5Jp0MywQzJmOETly7evEg9dXJTGI-jeH_nIpU-QrnQhoFdB_MCzBzAhIiITosFu_px8YHvesn8r9xAWSVR82tez8tueM9PeEsN1s/s400/horisei+super+detail.jpg" width="347" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Every once in a while, it's nice to appreciate a tattoo for its own sake. This is especially rewarding for me when I am familiar with the artist, and I know people who have been tattooed by him or her, which has allowed me to appreciate their craft over time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Two of my friends have been fortunate enough to have been tattooed by the wonderful <a href="http://www.horiseitattoo.com/">Horisei</a> (their work appeared <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/02/tattoos-i-know-paul-part-5-or-great.html">here</a> and <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/06/robs-traditional-japanese-dragons.html">here</a>). Horisei works out of <a href="http://www.chelseatattoocompany.com/">Chelsea Tattoo Company</a>, former location of <a href="http://www.risingdragon.com/">Rising Dragon</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, when I spotted Andrew, coming out of Penn Station last month, I was more than thrilled to take shots of his Horisei-crafted sleeve.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmqc1nw_-mv38qpOXW2TeML9dUcKyHhz2UcMAxsFbrgwAzMetJ7w2VmLct0jk3Hql7-eq8KtCNLi_m2jMLNQVB5AlNJMcsQ2pGcbLpwI12g8r_V4prsD9C51asWHPIn4LzIcKrrhZmas/s1600/horisei+sleeve+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmqc1nw_-mv38qpOXW2TeML9dUcKyHhz2UcMAxsFbrgwAzMetJ7w2VmLct0jk3Hql7-eq8KtCNLi_m2jMLNQVB5AlNJMcsQ2pGcbLpwI12g8r_V4prsD9C51asWHPIn4LzIcKrrhZmas/s640/horisei+sleeve+front.jpg" width="116" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvR8KLPLdf-4G074TBShRIbTIbQvymYLJdfW-JHVUM1z52wxIMitldGuUZA9LzsPZkmv9ms_E2lclAeY03j8w90GGJOFhx9DICsQblAz2hEMFvCiY7gxOayI-3kWV3KPsfXmksOmLfJ-w/s1600/horisei+sleeve+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvR8KLPLdf-4G074TBShRIbTIbQvymYLJdfW-JHVUM1z52wxIMitldGuUZA9LzsPZkmv9ms_E2lclAeY03j8w90GGJOFhx9DICsQblAz2hEMFvCiY7gxOayI-3kWV3KPsfXmksOmLfJ-w/s640/horisei+sleeve+back.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> Andrew estimates that this took about twenty hours of work, over a two to three month period.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18pb7vmKfR2Kr7rHtq1EpriRADhyphenhyphenNTafzXvLCBlsX29jblKFHPFIzBHAHiUOm80_YehyphenhyphengBz5LSVOcdRSvd1Ibk6EyXYay4nqVYEtby_tQK817M4leDhlE4ul5Wo2Bll4Vr8pAxsO5EQM/s1600/Horisei+sleeve+tiger+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18pb7vmKfR2Kr7rHtq1EpriRADhyphenhyphenNTafzXvLCBlsX29jblKFHPFIzBHAHiUOm80_YehyphenhyphengBz5LSVOcdRSvd1Ibk6EyXYay4nqVYEtby_tQK817M4leDhlE4ul5Wo2Bll4Vr8pAxsO5EQM/s640/Horisei+sleeve+tiger+detail.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">His traditional Japanese sleeve consists of a tiger, two koi, and peonies, in addition to the water background.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u0C4jOr3QF2-0ka0QfrYOJ6HYCwR0HQEB5OXr7ykV5mY-7rCe81AclxTRX4NW5FPIcpqn8O0tMO3tdYD2nUSionG-NLugh4HgNYSpHTNdnLA7WabkbTV0banBCEzkICEUmnR1JpDMjY/s1600/horisei+sleeve+front+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_u0C4jOr3QF2-0ka0QfrYOJ6HYCwR0HQEB5OXr7ykV5mY-7rCe81AclxTRX4NW5FPIcpqn8O0tMO3tdYD2nUSionG-NLugh4HgNYSpHTNdnLA7WabkbTV0banBCEzkICEUmnR1JpDMjY/s640/horisei+sleeve+front+detail.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Thanks to Andrew for sharing his awesome sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Andrew's Traditional Sleeve by Horisei

Every once in a while, it's nice to appreciate a tattoo for its own sake. This is especially rewarding for me when I am familiar with ...

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Christmas House Cleaning

Regular readers of Tattoosday will notice that, although I generally follow a chronological order when I share tattoos I have encountered.<br /><br />However, certain pieces, for various and sundry reasons, have been bypassed, and haven't made it to the blog, until now.<br /><br />I was originally going to post a dozen to represent the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I settled for eight. For the nights of Chanukah, perhaps?<br /><br />Without intending to offend anyone for not receiving a post all to themselves, I have lumped these tattoos, spanning from late August to late October, in one post.<br /><br />These are the neglected tattoo pictures that are just a little off, some not through the fault of the contributor, but for reasons beyond their control.<br /><br />The quality of the photo may not be ideal, or the host and I faced a language barrier that prevented a good back story from emerging, or I didn't find the story behind the tattoo especially compelling. And then<br />there's what is likely one of the poorest tattoos I have seen, but the story behind it is somewhat compelling.<br /><br />So, without further ado, here is a Christmas cleaning, eight posts rolled together into one gigantic one.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />First up, we have Esteban, who shared his sleeve when I met him in September, at <a href="http://www.fairwaymarket.com/Directions/redhookdirections.html">Fairway</a> in Red Hook:<br /><br />Alas, I was still using a borrowed camera, and several shots were over-exposed and/or blurry, but I was able to salvage this one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCKpO9H6mA_MZ5ou0CpD-J2GxeRk5BO22IgXm2D1q3nv-aiJZciRF6GQkQT9zEvURzPbrUADwkMXgWYESPM5JR0zCNFWBvDeNtpGFrQz8ko2I5vsCK6glxYHmWQCxHF4MN3EYkBj4m4Q/s1600/esteban.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCKpO9H6mA_MZ5ou0CpD-J2GxeRk5BO22IgXm2D1q3nv-aiJZciRF6GQkQT9zEvURzPbrUADwkMXgWYESPM5JR0zCNFWBvDeNtpGFrQz8ko2I5vsCK6glxYHmWQCxHF4MN3EYkBj4m4Q/s640/esteban.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><br />The artwork is pre-Colombian in its inspiration, and is part of a larger tropical motif. <br /><br />Next up we have Dave, who I met in Penn Station. He has over 25 tattoos and selected this one to share:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivUYW36jsOIdEdy7Br_K51DbhbKVpJZeviRPRK6c-dv9bN7PoJzWNGOq4cjBho_9y2pwP2dw78jJb83c9WIIRagbp5oqwOcoAIEC6y4dr-kPO0yq4sGALADusGIlFL2l3zzTknV1E_iw/s1600/United+and+Strong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivUYW36jsOIdEdy7Br_K51DbhbKVpJZeviRPRK6c-dv9bN7PoJzWNGOq4cjBho_9y2pwP2dw78jJb83c9WIIRagbp5oqwOcoAIEC6y4dr-kPO0yq4sGALADusGIlFL2l3zzTknV1E_iw/s400/United+and+Strong.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />The phrase "Uniting the Strong" is the title of a song from <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victim_in_Pain">Victim in Pain</a></i>, the second album from the band <a href="http://www.agnosticfront.com/">Agnostic Front</a>. This is a friendship tattoo that stresses unity and the host's nod to the hardcore punk scene.<br /><br />Dave credits Jelena at <a href="http://www.lonewolftattoo.com/">Lone Wolf Tattoo</a> in Bellmore, New York with this piece.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />Next we have Orlando, a Fine Arts student at <a href="http://www.fitnyc.edu/">FIT</a>, where I met him outside while walking toward 23rd Street on my lunch break, also in September.<br /><br />This ship tattoo is an homage to his father, who served in the navy for thirty years. He wanted a "classic look" in the Sailor Jerry style.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f_MXKN9uSjgLjcday1WfHZN1TZSdu2fRosiuhNWHNcnHsbuMf69hOk3WvRa0TpmTaeTwHemlJSbsx-iavyVZVmgEthqjSm4ZPOSm3ivAxyf4zMkEFd4mWqMDaxFGsII4m_z29TW1StQ/s1600/Orlando+Ship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f_MXKN9uSjgLjcday1WfHZN1TZSdu2fRosiuhNWHNcnHsbuMf69hOk3WvRa0TpmTaeTwHemlJSbsx-iavyVZVmgEthqjSm4ZPOSm3ivAxyf4zMkEFd4mWqMDaxFGsII4m_z29TW1StQ/s400/Orlando+Ship.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br />Orlando confirmed for me that his dad loves the tattoo.<br /><br />It was inked at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/crazy-fantasy-tattoo-new-york">Crazy Fantasy Tattoo</a> in Manhattan by an artist named Antonio.<br /><br />[Update: I got a better, crisper picture from Orlando of the ship tattoo in May 2011:]<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXuKT0m7hHLVSvg4hcB4lChONTyq6mAC6bl2w7Do8p_j0wS9DaVXTGrI3YJGxXwQATLk9GJNzuWE6Kafg9b3YmujeAmfHBZq-OSsc54qNKLBwhyphenhyphenbdREno1tdPBnXga6HtWT0KJWab7wI/s1600/Orlando+Ship+2011_picnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXuKT0m7hHLVSvg4hcB4lChONTyq6mAC6bl2w7Do8p_j0wS9DaVXTGrI3YJGxXwQATLk9GJNzuWE6Kafg9b3YmujeAmfHBZq-OSsc54qNKLBwhyphenhyphenbdREno1tdPBnXga6HtWT0KJWab7wI/s400/Orlando+Ship+2011_picnik.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />Orlando has seven tattoos in all [in May 2011, he updated this number to ten], and shared this one, as well, inked at <a href="http://www.daredeviltattoo.com/">Dare Devil Tattoo</a> on the Lower East Side.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZZvCEjXPnsUIZo5PVmbnlgU5aTF1FXanSPmRG1RnmRhHCfY6hdMuejtxSu5VKPGL3NUoGVfNX7f8-r9MAu_izIL8oxI0YofyOis2GFZ4TDf2e-Uv9MwjoOagh9SwEpSBsyu1p_ZDwiY/s1600/Orlando+Bon+Iver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZZvCEjXPnsUIZo5PVmbnlgU5aTF1FXanSPmRG1RnmRhHCfY6hdMuejtxSu5VKPGL3NUoGVfNX7f8-r9MAu_izIL8oxI0YofyOis2GFZ4TDf2e-Uv9MwjoOagh9SwEpSBsyu1p_ZDwiY/s400/Orlando+Bon+Iver.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br />The quote, "<span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">This my excavation and today<i></i> is Kumran"</span> is from a song called "re: Stacks" by <a href="http://www.boniver.org/">Bon Iver</a>.<br /><br />Orlando explained that he interprets this quote as a reminder that "every day has the ability to make you or break you. It just depends on what you do with it." Other interpretations are <a href="http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858674649/">here</a>.<br /><br />For the record, I did email Orlando to ask for an opportunity to get clearer pictures, but I did not hear back from him.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />I met Farkas in <a href="http://www.unionsquarenyc.org/">Union Square</a> back in October. He had this wolf on his right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMA9a9FQPdqfB8UFR6MAWlhxzNETG9XACGNz2uBX5BnprYOKwltlwngCfa1eSaHky1albtHSpBK726mOjzqOuhHZH5VGXhXv0WovIhOrBI5x1v-oSb86MIz0V0Wp7w5ryBG8Q0qU9QRLg/s1600/Farkas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMA9a9FQPdqfB8UFR6MAWlhxzNETG9XACGNz2uBX5BnprYOKwltlwngCfa1eSaHky1albtHSpBK726mOjzqOuhHZH5VGXhXv0WovIhOrBI5x1v-oSb86MIz0V0Wp7w5ryBG8Q0qU9QRLg/s400/Farkas.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />He explained that his name means "wolf" in Hungarian, and that one of his friends in Hungary did this tattoo for him.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />A couple days after meeting Farkas, I met an Israeli named Ran on 34th Street across from <a href="http://www.macys.com/">Macy*s</a>. He shared this iguana on his right leg:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHj2VounzL4T6Mx3cKaxi-zeRl040YaomM-YqtDCvi8VRfCmdpZHf74w8Ryg1n3rXY3p5vJ6azsEr4mCA1u8BlpJOoKnIYTP1QrFdKgLCxLdZrPl7RSC62Id019VaFMOnZhDff55WnuM/s1600/Iguana_picnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHj2VounzL4T6Mx3cKaxi-zeRl040YaomM-YqtDCvi8VRfCmdpZHf74w8Ryg1n3rXY3p5vJ6azsEr4mCA1u8BlpJOoKnIYTP1QrFdKgLCxLdZrPl7RSC62Id019VaFMOnZhDff55WnuM/s640/Iguana_picnik.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /><br />It's a pretty nice tattoo, but he hasn't sent me any further details about it.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />A couple weeks later, I was in the West Village before a concert, and met Carlos, a manager at the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&expIds=17259,27342,27642,28067&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&cp=9&qe=cWRvYmEgMTAwMA&qesig=ioAfmDfQL9io8qJXivfDRw&pkc=AFgZ2tn4CORECvVIyeLyU2neM3rYho1uXF-JgkCMN3WPXIASZMzsBqf9zoXZYVCZMemdAnlBQwpPIUCXg07_bR4jmJS4wGewDw&client=firefox-a&hs=mBF&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=qdoba+10001&fb=1&gl=us&hq=qdoba&hnear=New+York+10001&ei=-DoWTejMIM6s8AaP58W7Dg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CAQQtgMwAQ&iwloc=3378200444570630634">Qdoba Mexican Grill</a> where we were having a quick bite before the show. He shared this intricate tattoo on his right arm:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8KUnEG425eSfjpANGwbxuUSu-w2jJZCT2xzDpA4H05-MXMrw9ZIyOZFF6rYlCx-rPDwnSqfT526k8_7fsGRDjTcesXnP7Lqr3eVmI9FzLCIiNFq4d4G1cp4Utm8VK7bE7CIf_TZjsTE/s1600/puzzle+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8KUnEG425eSfjpANGwbxuUSu-w2jJZCT2xzDpA4H05-MXMrw9ZIyOZFF6rYlCx-rPDwnSqfT526k8_7fsGRDjTcesXnP7Lqr3eVmI9FzLCIiNFq4d4G1cp4Utm8VK7bE7CIf_TZjsTE/s640/puzzle+wm.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br />He and friend collaborated on this tattoo together. He told me that, when he was little, he did jigsaw puzzles with his mother a lot. The tattoo reminds him of those fun times growing up.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />The following week, I ran into Iancu in Penn Station, and he shared this piece on his upper left arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila4qrxm6SgDAx48PTDTSd93tZiNLvZrZ9pm02Xr9fGp-SM7AgtwiL9L7_1pCHfJCb0Kxw6ebhkEV4I7M83bq-zVJszsVpRh0Mmk6PcVWqjXMAOBL2M58lp2qjTTUkY2KIXQnZBqSM404/s1600/guns+roses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila4qrxm6SgDAx48PTDTSd93tZiNLvZrZ9pm02Xr9fGp-SM7AgtwiL9L7_1pCHfJCb0Kxw6ebhkEV4I7M83bq-zVJszsVpRh0Mmk6PcVWqjXMAOBL2M58lp2qjTTUkY2KIXQnZBqSM404/s400/guns+roses.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />Iancu told me he came to the artist, Rico, formerly of <a href="http://www.risingdragon.com/">Rising Dragon</a> in Manhattan, who was initially unwilling to do the tattoo. However, he convinced him to do it. It's basically a <a href="http://web.gunsnroses.com/index.jsp">Guns N' Roses</a> tribute although, he<br />noted, the guns were added about a year and a half after the original design was inked.<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />And finally, I must first say that  it is very rare that I ever criticize the quality of a tattoo.<br /><br />Even if it is inferior to the work of much better artists, I always like to believe there are some redeeming qualities in a tattoo.<br /><br />Which is why I struggled with this next tattoo, which I photographer back in August, and which I have included in this odds and ends post in December.<br /><br />I approached a guy named Danny who had a lot of interestingly-tattooed words and such on his arms.<br /><br />However, he offered to remove his shirt in Penn Station so I could photograph this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tErFkoR-1ZguP7shaYccHEfl1TmXehyphenhyphenugnQkyYRXSAx4R84vjq09C4-v26HETL4z79Ge7O81RmsTALz7RTgEW9cH0hwgqzjM856GwE8X6K-lO8T62RVUcJ7ht-yM4F-dGyMqxnvqPjs/s1600/diamonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tErFkoR-1ZguP7shaYccHEfl1TmXehyphenhyphenugnQkyYRXSAx4R84vjq09C4-v26HETL4z79Ge7O81RmsTALz7RTgEW9cH0hwgqzjM856GwE8X6K-lO8T62RVUcJ7ht-yM4F-dGyMqxnvqPjs/s400/diamonds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Um, yeah.<br /><br />If this was done by an experienced artist, I would likely not have posted it. Despite its obvious flaws, it is compelling, in my opinion, because Danny told me, like all his tattoos (15 or 16, he told me), this one was<br />self-inked. Now, I can see tattooing one's arm or leg, but I cannot even fathom how challenging it would be to self-tattoo your chest. He estimated this took one and a half hours to do.<br /><br />The message is "Diamonds Aren't Forever," or, in  Danny's words, "don't take what you have for granted".<br /><br />~~~<br /><br />So there you have it, a Spring Cleaning for Christmas.<br /><br />I do sincerely thank the individuals who shared their tattoos in this entry. Happy Holidays, y'all!

Christmas House Cleaning

Regular readers of Tattoosday will notice that, although I generally follow a chronological order when I share tattoos I have encountered. H...

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Two for Tattoosday: A Purple Lotus and the Fletcher House

In keeping with the spirit of duality, today's post is a two-for-Tattoosday Tuesday special.<br /><br />Yesterday outside of <a href="http://www.thegarden.com/">Madison Square Garden</a>, amid throngs of <a href="http://www.ironmaiden.com/">Iron Maiden</a> and <span id="goog_997700808"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Dream Theater<span id="goog_997700809"></span></a> fans, I met two guys who just happened to be there. If you want to see a great Maiden tattoo, look back in the archives <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/11/eddie-graces-eggheads-shoulder.html">here</a>.<br /><br />I met <a href="http://www.romanrimer.com/">Roman</a>, who conceived and performs in "<a href="http://magnettheater.com/viewshow.php?showid=35311">Evolution</a>," showing Tuesday, July 13, and Tuesday, July 20, at the <a href="http://magnettheater.com/">Magnet Theater</a> (254 W. 29th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues). With him was Louie, who directs the show which is billed as "international and comedic true stories intertwining spirituality, sex, laws, identity, drug vusts, discomfort, fear and discovery from a spontaneous road trip down south".<br /><br />Roman shared first, which seemed only fair, as it was his tattoo I noticed,creeping out from under his left sleeve:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSrkYCqx3xtOTTyiPPkyh_OP1ltf1IqRWqes7bvylAZQkn8aK-1y4c2mZTIwHRLBN4K0iCD1_TI0BFAcHbM1h-IQaamHcgnzS1V6EkxGVP6wm5hZe46b3xc_YlTupimOhtCaibWQO/s1600/purple+lotus+true.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSrkYCqx3xtOTTyiPPkyh_OP1ltf1IqRWqes7bvylAZQkn8aK-1y4c2mZTIwHRLBN4K0iCD1_TI0BFAcHbM1h-IQaamHcgnzS1V6EkxGVP6wm5hZe46b3xc_YlTupimOhtCaibWQO/s640/purple+lotus+true.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />He got this purple lotus because he likes the color purple (the actual color more than <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088939/">the movie</a> of the same name). And the lotus is special because, in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism">Buddhism</a>, he understands the lotus to symbolize "freedom of attachment and desire".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNAFqmIdx6kpcu2sTOEI9QI-sDA2cC8KbwKrekGWFnghXjrLx8vBj7r8fswVGUzCRlv2zYk_3qIsyx-2Mg69ioy6fB0EgRI436LqmbZelpHezO9MicGT_rjF8vjlAiN6IAgCSltVo/s1600/purple+lotus+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNAFqmIdx6kpcu2sTOEI9QI-sDA2cC8KbwKrekGWFnghXjrLx8vBj7r8fswVGUzCRlv2zYk_3qIsyx-2Mg69ioy6fB0EgRI436LqmbZelpHezO9MicGT_rjF8vjlAiN6IAgCSltVo/s400/purple+lotus+collage.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><br /><br />This tattoo took 3 to 4 hours and was inked by <a href="http://www.senaspace.com/">David Sena</a> when he was at <a href="http://www.risingdragon.com/">Rising Dragon</a> when they were at their 23rd Street location, although Sena is now at <a href="http://www.northstartattoo.com/index.php">North Star Tattoo</a>, the shop he co-founded in the East Village.<br /><br />Louie's tattoo was much smaller, but it had a more elaborate story:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaKwzOukYNzPYaD5iLvbuwPnlHOCi5l5T5ayVE33lksFxG_vz38oFYZ3ph8lzdxsJFENTMvxN2cmMkHxRaD5m4aCHgjdei_nb8hp3YwGF4yWE_Zh2V5ed5GcVWUjITEnaWQ0PeTz8/s1600/Fletcher+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaKwzOukYNzPYaD5iLvbuwPnlHOCi5l5T5ayVE33lksFxG_vz38oFYZ3ph8lzdxsJFENTMvxN2cmMkHxRaD5m4aCHgjdei_nb8hp3YwGF4yWE_Zh2V5ed5GcVWUjITEnaWQ0PeTz8/s400/Fletcher+House.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />This small design, on the outer left ankle of, represents a house in <a href="http://vancouver.ca/">Vancouver</a>, British Columbia, in which he and seven different people lived at different times during their college days. The house and the memories they all shared together there are so important, that Louie and six other friends share the same tattoo.<br /><br />The narrative took on a more elaborate spin, as Louie explained that his group of friends came up with a family name to represent the denizens of this house. They were/still are "the Fletchers," all residing in the Fletcher House. He likened them to an extended family like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramones">The Ramones</a>, and they chose the name because it sounded tough.<br /><br />So, as Louie a.k.a. "Rock" Fletcher tells it, his friend "Slim" Fletcher drew up the simple design for the house tattoo, and they had it inked at <a href="http://www.addictioninknyc.com/">Addiction Ink NYC</a>. Over the years, when one of the Fletcher family came to town, they went down to the shop to have the family member tattooed with the same design, not necessarily on the ankle, like Louie/Rock.<br /><br />It should be noted that Kim Fletcher, who is a relatively new mom (congrats Kim), has avoided the tattoo, so the rest of her Fletcher family created a needlepoint design of the house for her, so that she has the tattoo in a different shape and form, needled, but not in her flesh. Yet. Now that it is written here, forever on the pages of Tattoosday, it is only a matter of time. Kim Fletcher, you destiny is calling.<br /><br />Thanks again to both Roman and Louie for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday! Be sure to catch their play "Evolution" at the Magnet. If you show up at the box office and mention this post, you won't get any kind of discount, but I'm sure that they'll be thrilled to hear that you showed up as a result of their contribution here!

Two for Tattoosday: A Purple Lotus and the Fletcher House

In keeping with the spirit of duality, today's post is a two-for-Tattoosday Tuesday special. Yesterday outside of Madison Square Garden ...

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Repost: Happy Independance Day!

Happy 4th of July. I am away for the weekend up in Woodstock, New York, so I'm reposting a patriotic tattoo that appeared here back in 2008. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-yKHWZpsuo5IE1FaQvBQyOzsDqAbB97twBX9JowN4eSV8DpebqL5kXjzBo06NBuoFOKVgw0_Wp9JqsNxyCKjrsIHIH19kDaUhX1KlVmHbAd5x9BctKIPP0x6Yyy-vmw-5_9OTvJbfmtk/s1600-h/PICT0546.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240692972449207778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-yKHWZpsuo5IE1FaQvBQyOzsDqAbB97twBX9JowN4eSV8DpebqL5kXjzBo06NBuoFOKVgw0_Wp9JqsNxyCKjrsIHIH19kDaUhX1KlVmHbAd5x9BctKIPP0x6Yyy-vmw-5_9OTvJbfmtk/s400/PICT0546.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />I ran into Rob in my neighborhood in late August and he gladly shared his patriotic tattoo.<br /><br />Rob is a Revolutionary War buff and has a distinct interest in American history.<br /><br />He wanted an "old school" tattoo back in 2000, and wanted something patriotic back "before it was fashionable". He's referring of course, to the explosion of post-9/11 red, white and blue ink. He wasn't disrespecting or being critical of patriotic tattoos done after 2001, he was merely clarifying for me that his piece was not a product of the huge wave of emotion that surged through the country after that day of infamy seven years ago.<br /><br />Rob's "Land of the free, Home of the brave" banner with the original 13-star flag was inked by Darren Rosa at <a href="http://www.risingdragon.com/">Rising Dragon</a> in Manhattan. Work from Rising Dragon has appeared on Tattoosday previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Rising%20Dragon%20Tattoos">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Rob for sharing his red, white, and blue patriotic tattoo with us here on Tattoosday on this occasion.

Repost: Happy Independance Day!

Happy 4th of July. I am away for the weekend up in Woodstock, New York, so I'm reposting a patriotic tattoo that appeared here back in 2...

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