Sarah's Chrysanthemum

I spotted this lovely flower on Sarah while she was waiting for her train in Penn Station:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApxg1d9o43iIi2BBtzd16jJ3zolRkjeX1ImCmIXwPK1tKosE5uBPebAcvj_HX-SnZ8TBoayCmFFBpjo_O4VTQiHrpF8lhw7IlbiutbXKUOlQcjtpPm4Fr6Jliv1I90zupHcEPUWus/s1600/chrysanthemum+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApxg1d9o43iIi2BBtzd16jJ3zolRkjeX1ImCmIXwPK1tKosE5uBPebAcvj_HX-SnZ8TBoayCmFFBpjo_O4VTQiHrpF8lhw7IlbiutbXKUOlQcjtpPm4Fr6Jliv1I90zupHcEPUWus/s640/chrysanthemum+wm.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br />This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysanthemum">chrysanthemum</a> is her first tattoo and sits on her upper left arm. Sarah is a big fan of Eastern art and understands that chrysanthemums are symbols of joy (except in Germany, she noted). She feels that <a href="http://www.silkcitytattoo.com/russell-kelley/">Russell Kelley</a> at <a href="http://www.silkcitytattoo.com/">Silk City Tattoo</a> in Hawthorne, New Jersey did a nice job of merging Eastern and Old School styles on this beautiful flower. Work from Silk City has appeared multiple times before and can all be seen under Silk City's Tattoosday label <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Silk%20City%20Tattoo">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Sarah for sharing her tattoo with us, and Happy Labor Day from us here at Tattoosday!

Sarah's Chrysanthemum

I spotted this lovely flower on Sarah while she was waiting for her train in Penn Station: This chrysanthemum is her first tattoo and sits ...

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Tattoosday Goes To Hawai'i: Mark's Sleeve Pays Tribute to East and West

I spent a good chunk of time at <a href="http://www.alamoanacenter.com/">Ala Moana Center</a> one of the days I was in Hawai'i. Even in paradise, malls are great places for inkspotting.<br /><br />It was there that I met Mark, who had a full sleeve to offer up.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyR7WWcJejZ1IIi2XTpnc7cZYsvlPx-RYGDv5VzeZc5NycXCMzoMeqROfKn-_aNpY77-6YhBxBrxCNuzHasZty93_Nt_Tyd1BBkNshZVJvmGY0nPKhyphenhyphenvJxjm7F1bWiqJyUHpISwNO/s1600/Mark+sleeve+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyR7WWcJejZ1IIi2XTpnc7cZYsvlPx-RYGDv5VzeZc5NycXCMzoMeqROfKn-_aNpY77-6YhBxBrxCNuzHasZty93_Nt_Tyd1BBkNshZVJvmGY0nPKhyphenhyphenvJxjm7F1bWiqJyUHpISwNO/s640/Mark+sleeve+1.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><br />Now, before we begin, let me just say that I generally shy away from featuring full sleeves here on Tattoosday, out of respect to the host, the artist and, most of all, the tattoo. A work of art laid across flesh is often difficult to express in two-dimensional photos on a computer screen.<br /><br />But Mark's sleeve was exceptional and I loved the color detail in the work. So let's check it out....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAZZImG-nkGen25mLO4bkuSCltjl7zwwS-0CGXONPUgUsG7HDSp362xVyLcX03yeXsd2R7o0-PX8xr7fjVPLUaamEAbdR2gDRmDWO3tFBiMf3vFc-PulxNePp3cVHZGsiRWIPQon2/s1600/Mark+Lower+Sleeve+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAZZImG-nkGen25mLO4bkuSCltjl7zwwS-0CGXONPUgUsG7HDSp362xVyLcX03yeXsd2R7o0-PX8xr7fjVPLUaamEAbdR2gDRmDWO3tFBiMf3vFc-PulxNePp3cVHZGsiRWIPQon2/s400/Mark+Lower+Sleeve+Collage.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br />Items to note in this work:<br /><br />Mark was born in the year of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_%28zodiac%29">Snake</a>, which explains the serpent.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsTbsVYUBK0Dit59Ft9JWitrFUV6amqAq2BHKpCLYz8RUSSY9sQvKoiDB1EbNtYe68lmKJe7dGodzgm514ckB-73m4ZVdM-5ZuB6YLgd4m1ufz1-QsmdNxjgRZ3-s0Ng_f02jqze3/s1600/Mark+snake+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsTbsVYUBK0Dit59Ft9JWitrFUV6amqAq2BHKpCLYz8RUSSY9sQvKoiDB1EbNtYe68lmKJe7dGodzgm514ckB-73m4ZVdM-5ZuB6YLgd4m1ufz1-QsmdNxjgRZ3-s0Ng_f02jqze3/s640/Mark+snake+detail.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><br />He was also born during Autumn, which is why the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_maple">Japanese Maple</a> leaves are sporting fall colors.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBjhWwFNTA0BoxvPvQjLALrwAO2JW8SOaujz1evJRWmn9pRT-HT-faNp48ccL36AC5bbZcmhG-OGwUkZQd6OjArfHkJCXybydBucCfw_DZt5X0K8wUsoxeEgC0lCrI8WSfJ49JuZs/s1600/Mark+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBjhWwFNTA0BoxvPvQjLALrwAO2JW8SOaujz1evJRWmn9pRT-HT-faNp48ccL36AC5bbZcmhG-OGwUkZQd6OjArfHkJCXybydBucCfw_DZt5X0K8wUsoxeEgC0lCrI8WSfJ49JuZs/s320/Mark+rose.jpg" /></a></div><br />It's also generally non-traditional to see a bright red rose in a sleeve that is predominantly Japanese. He incorporated because he is, as he described it, "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapa_haole">hapa</a>," a shortened form of "hapa <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haole">haole</a>," or a person of mixed heritage, part of which is Caucasian. To make a long story short, the red rose is a nod to the "Western" aspect of his lineage, as it is more a traditional element in tattoos in the west. The rose is complimented by the chrysanthemum, which is a more traditional Japanese flower design.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNqbcIl0y6wsU2uVF-XGoio_IB7tdQ5T_w0k2CLu2nMe5P2ycWYPTadcHj2q-hkH8l6UtS3NueS4e2qxKev5EgB3uoY4xpRx20nv8DlHDwLQjdbjKZnpwj69L2uiM44yuj0PffHLW/s1600/Mark+Upper+Sleeve+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNqbcIl0y6wsU2uVF-XGoio_IB7tdQ5T_w0k2CLu2nMe5P2ycWYPTadcHj2q-hkH8l6UtS3NueS4e2qxKev5EgB3uoY4xpRx20nv8DlHDwLQjdbjKZnpwj69L2uiM44yuj0PffHLW/s320/Mark+Upper+Sleeve+Collage.jpg" /></a></div><br />Similarly, the skull element at the top of the arm is more of a Western flavor, juxtaposed nicely with another chrysanthemum. <br /><br />I also love the multicolored pebbles in the design. They really pop out, especially among the milder tones of the autumn leaves and snake scales.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioP74aZhprHi4OV2_xRWRkyONEZjdHM3RLhbt8paQ6gtZUyoWizGywg0x7lKOmFUINtDZ-IYOEaLF6Z0otCG24kMi2SAa_Ut_R3FIpJWUnj4559ovZ5pCwFt9Wq9KUFUrRLJX5LH5B/s1600/Mark+color+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioP74aZhprHi4OV2_xRWRkyONEZjdHM3RLhbt8paQ6gtZUyoWizGywg0x7lKOmFUINtDZ-IYOEaLF6Z0otCG24kMi2SAa_Ut_R3FIpJWUnj4559ovZ5pCwFt9Wq9KUFUrRLJX5LH5B/s320/Mark+color+detail.jpg" /></a></div><br />Mark informed me that the whole sleeve was completed in five or six sittings by <a href="http://soulsignaturetattoo.com/?page_id=95">Lucky Olelo</a> at <a href="http://soulsignaturetattoo.com/">Soul Signature Tattoo</a> in Honolulu.<br /><br />Thanks to Mark for sharing his amazing work with us here on Tattoosday!

Tattoosday Goes To Hawai'i: Mark's Sleeve Pays Tribute to East and West

I spent a good chunk of time at Ala Moana Center one of the days I was in Hawai'i. Even in paradise, malls are great places for inkspot...

Read more »