Luis Shares Two Lotería Cards

I met Luis in Borders, Penn Plaza, last month and asked him about his tattoos. He has more than fifteen altogether, and three are based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loter%C3%ADa_%28board_game%29"><i>Lotería</i></a> cards, which are used as part of a Mexican bingo game, as well as in fortune-telling.<br /><br />He shared two of these cards with me and explained that, as a first generation Mexican-American, these Lotería cards remind him of growing up.<br /><br />The first one he explained is number 21, <i>La Mano</i>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqza0q3THyPIX7SNsqqN_kHhgKKbEosUsi-bGFcE51nSIySRM89tX43TwEFhkt84gPN1kgA2MeW7lAjKR7ZakbnebALhGRLucjPjPGhOY1_BS5OD56wA4Il_dORCWuIj4xX5mrgxwH_kc/s1600/La+Mano+Loteria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqza0q3THyPIX7SNsqqN_kHhgKKbEosUsi-bGFcE51nSIySRM89tX43TwEFhkt84gPN1kgA2MeW7lAjKR7ZakbnebALhGRLucjPjPGhOY1_BS5OD56wA4Il_dORCWuIj4xX5mrgxwH_kc/s640/La+Mano+Loteria.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br />Luis explained that he relates to this card because "la mano" is Spanish for hand, and  he is a builder/electrician/carpenter by trade. He considers himself a "designer of ideas," and because he works with his hands, this is an appropriate card to have as a tattoo.<br /><br />The second one he let me photograph is number 27<i>, El corazón:</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdupX3nYlA_RRea7wrIMGhzbJiAh4E2PUgDLnlOAMEF_cJjC8XL-S93x4aVtdALfNBzAJFZdyj0su2-2nCPUSGZ6Z83D16rzcuN6t5LqDQ1O8YJsCTrMIncY76brl-7GhGT7l04JKtdk/s1600/El+Corazon+Loteria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdupX3nYlA_RRea7wrIMGhzbJiAh4E2PUgDLnlOAMEF_cJjC8XL-S93x4aVtdALfNBzAJFZdyj0su2-2nCPUSGZ6Z83D16rzcuN6t5LqDQ1O8YJsCTrMIncY76brl-7GhGT7l04JKtdk/s640/El+Corazon+Loteria.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br />This card is appropriate, according to Luis, because "El corazón" means the heart and, Luis said, smiling, "I've got a big one".<br /><br />There are a lot of different artistic representations of these cards out on the web, which tells me that they serve as inspiration for a lot of people.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZFqz8bH7gvsRSjzDl0AB77pOXbH59yrJLy5Su52FocjyXpWIDd9t2QHZ7eY9UEHHUryBYUAUbrdIujqF0TEuDaeNcmMACRn2h1WANNzpeYSC5vYSpIMRym52S_S9dEdnsgcz2z9WlEA/s1600/loteria-contents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZFqz8bH7gvsRSjzDl0AB77pOXbH59yrJLy5Su52FocjyXpWIDd9t2QHZ7eY9UEHHUryBYUAUbrdIujqF0TEuDaeNcmMACRn2h1WANNzpeYSC5vYSpIMRym52S_S9dEdnsgcz2z9WlEA/s400/loteria-contents.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.luckymojo.com/loteria.html">"The Lucky W" Amulet Archive by Cat Yronwode</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Luis had these tattoos done by a tattoo artist named <a href="http://thinktanktattoo.com/index.php/fish/">Fish</a>, who was visiting <a href="http://www.savedtattoo.com/">Saved Tattoo</a> in Brooklyn, but generally works out of <a href="http://www.thinktanktattoo.com/">Th'ink Tank Tattoo</a> in Denver. Work from Th'ink Tank appeared <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/11/scotts-heart-is-testament-to-love-and.html">here</a> once before.<br /><br />Thanks to Luis for sharing these two Lotería cards with us here on Tattoosday!<i> </i><br /><i> </i>

Luis Shares Two Lotería Cards

I met Luis in Borders, Penn Plaza, last month and asked him about his tattoos. He has more than fifteen altogether, and three are based on ...

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Jess Shares Her Colorful Rooster

I met Jess last month and, still using a loaner camera, managed to get a shot of one of her three tattoos, located on her right forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeQyWhW2ZgHghESs0p11rwtkUrXllpkx4qhClViUkFhq7ltu6TIdXw4DbEc0VotAuJW3Yw7JnD5EWBqIbTEEyWqK13y5-WqLLYNt8LPqLb0rYPNKx0cEzwY4XdtnmhUvOy60j7moV/s1600/rooster+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeQyWhW2ZgHghESs0p11rwtkUrXllpkx4qhClViUkFhq7ltu6TIdXw4DbEc0VotAuJW3Yw7JnD5EWBqIbTEEyWqK13y5-WqLLYNt8LPqLb0rYPNKx0cEzwY4XdtnmhUvOy60j7moV/s400/rooster+collage.jpg" width="343" /></a></div><br />Aside from the fact that the picture is not ideally crisp, one can still see how beautiful and colorful this tattoo is.<br />The inspiration came from a book of Chinese propaganda posters.<br /><br />Jess noted that she asked the artist, <a href="http://www.johnreardontattoos.com/">John Reardon</a> at <a href="http://www.savedtattoo.com/">Saved Tattoo</a>, to give the rooster a "gentler eye" which she hoped would "embrace [its] masculinity while poking fun at it". Reardon's work has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/12/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-tattoo-with.html">here</a> and <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/11/no-hope-but-home.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Jess for sharing this lovely rooster with us here on Tattoosday!

Jess Shares Her Colorful Rooster

I met Jess last month and, still using a loaner camera, managed to get a shot of one of her three tattoos, located on her right forearm: Asi...

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Niki's Memorial for Elizabeth

Last week I was down in Chelsea when I spotted Niki from a distance. She appeared to have a colorful Madonna-like tattoo on her right shoulder, so I changed course and caught up to her only to discover this lovely tattoo instead:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5mEsXslvtzM7bQgIn4mtln90TvDyd2VkcjdAzPm-ZflIdUYv-XUxwYFzNMxvqPz33eRCZ_gxSS4LoiGbhieTqyHWzJp2pEEd2NjPu3WkFeq-vToj7FRXkDmHkDgPeI7SOzCnfBPB/s1600/34659_10150249155630553_721910552_13627607_93070_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5mEsXslvtzM7bQgIn4mtln90TvDyd2VkcjdAzPm-ZflIdUYv-XUxwYFzNMxvqPz33eRCZ_gxSS4LoiGbhieTqyHWzJp2pEEd2NjPu3WkFeq-vToj7FRXkDmHkDgPeI7SOzCnfBPB/s640/34659_10150249155630553_721910552_13627607_93070_n.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br />This lovely photo was supplied to me by Niki, as my own camera's battery had run out of power and my BlackBerry photo seemed inadequate:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTHYepR7EDx81RotBdRNkIvnJI6Vb-U1RxpE-xaGnr20veF1L-zBTLKpDcX0iIKwcmdJ46H4lx2yWRj9ooH8mKOXGHUUQYyRZssHOWMcV6Znfa6LwxY83JchdS-frafhUjtpthfL2/s1600/Elizabeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTHYepR7EDx81RotBdRNkIvnJI6Vb-U1RxpE-xaGnr20veF1L-zBTLKpDcX0iIKwcmdJ46H4lx2yWRj9ooH8mKOXGHUUQYyRZssHOWMcV6Znfa6LwxY83JchdS-frafhUjtpthfL2/s400/Elizabeth.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br />Niki explained that, after her beloved cat Elizabeth passed away, she wanted a memorial tattoo to honor the friend she had for fourteen years.<br /><br />She went to artist <a href="http://www.johnreardontattoos.com/">John Reardon</a>, then at <a href="http://www.savedtattoo.com/">Saved Tattoo</a>, and told him she wanted a memorial in the style of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe">Virgin of Guadalupe</a>, and the look of Mexican shrines and altars.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1GkxO2n4xrKT56SRnVdmNsDC5RaY23qmWlRv164vojkomIVJNS48beCLAdJzvW7P_BUECUndnnZGqa_eBkLH5Jp4k-PdowzAt1VnUwuZgGEqMwEaNP-lQl3v0ElH-vKbfzrvv9jR/s1600/Virgen_de_guadalupe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1GkxO2n4xrKT56SRnVdmNsDC5RaY23qmWlRv164vojkomIVJNS48beCLAdJzvW7P_BUECUndnnZGqa_eBkLH5Jp4k-PdowzAt1VnUwuZgGEqMwEaNP-lQl3v0ElH-vKbfzrvv9jR/s400/Virgen_de_guadalupe1.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><br />One can see Reardon hit the ball out of the park, as proven by my mistaking the piece from a distance as a religious icon.<br /><br />John Reardon is no stranger to Tattoosday. His work has appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/12/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-tattoo-with.html">here</a> and <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/11/no-hope-but-home.html">here</a>.He now works out of his private studio in Brooklyn.<br /><br />Thanks to Niki for sharing her beautiful tattoo with us on Tattoosday!

Niki's Memorial for Elizabeth

Last week I was down in Chelsea when I spotted Niki from a distance. She appeared to have a colorful Madonna-like tattoo on her right should...

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Lisa's Guardian Angel

I met Lisa recently on the subway platform at West 4th Street.<br /><br />She had this cool tattoo on her right forearm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFbZ2hagQPMJ92rSGz41xbV6Zl8uzciU0iTd9WYlfImIEV-6qiJ5bdXJyD5B2hsmcWX9P79KnGfSfivPQOCruVSVB3Pz1paDLsxqCVv6T0tXMitsOlt3o0NZfK44LVP6UbkToS9n1/s1600/angel+middle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFbZ2hagQPMJ92rSGz41xbV6Zl8uzciU0iTd9WYlfImIEV-6qiJ5bdXJyD5B2hsmcWX9P79KnGfSfivPQOCruVSVB3Pz1paDLsxqCVv6T0tXMitsOlt3o0NZfK44LVP6UbkToS9n1/s640/angel+middle.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br /><br />The tattoo, which took four hours to complete, is Lisa's guardian angel.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38jHjPG01xFpWqTXgNY8xxgmh-TfYL3bSBuukHCDF1ZnG_Q_8-uCpQw2N9fqpbgUbu4xl94oVIKwOfvqpu_AZ90lp1Z0P4gWb4U26D19ImgJVQNEq3PlYSREB0VtfGPKZo8h8N-_s/s1600/angel+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38jHjPG01xFpWqTXgNY8xxgmh-TfYL3bSBuukHCDF1ZnG_Q_8-uCpQw2N9fqpbgUbu4xl94oVIKwOfvqpu_AZ90lp1Z0P4gWb4U26D19ImgJVQNEq3PlYSREB0VtfGPKZo8h8N-_s/s400/angel+collage.jpg" width="393" /></a></div><br /><br />Lisa told me that this is a representation of her guardian angel, a "spiritual guide," although she emphasized that she's not religious.<br /><br />She had the basic idea for the tattoo and took it to Scott Campbell at <a href="http://www.savedtattoo.com/">Saved Tattoo</a> in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She pointed out that she absolutely loves the work he did with the shading in the tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZB-G1l6UXhQng6z7TDghUSorU7_wacJygNMGNnb9dxjfFUWVPtF78Qow6JFl0mlQbQbERdSlqq4w7pIhtMyr9zIT5EwPTnC3861ka26Pvt15Xi2q8mJJC6AAiYYZeMN1MuVJx_s3/s1600/Angel+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZB-G1l6UXhQng6z7TDghUSorU7_wacJygNMGNnb9dxjfFUWVPtF78Qow6JFl0mlQbQbERdSlqq4w7pIhtMyr9zIT5EwPTnC3861ka26Pvt15Xi2q8mJJC6AAiYYZeMN1MuVJx_s3/s400/Angel+detail.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><br />Work from Saved has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Saved%20Tattoo">here</a>. This, however, is the first work we've seen by Scott Campbell in our travels.<br /><br />Thanks to Lisa for sharing her angelic tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Lisa's Guardian Angel

I met Lisa recently on the subway platform at West 4th Street. She had this cool tattoo on her right forearm: The tattoo, which took four ho...

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