Amy and Her Colorful Hot Air Balloon

Today's tattoos are from Amy, who I met a couple weeks ago in Penn Station. First is this stunning hot air balloon on her upper right arm:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnbQlNbiXUJDIwtxvbbOkL_fybSoMLQ-m3buS6V0sDDCog266cLwMGuA1ezoNIjJU8jQdfZZKJGBI9ojpjc58NSg76MQrVAWN9OYZwOpTXWFZUOG6vU1vdXR8evuj2G4t7XYQx6rBZNE/s1600/balloon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFnbQlNbiXUJDIwtxvbbOkL_fybSoMLQ-m3buS6V0sDDCog266cLwMGuA1ezoNIjJU8jQdfZZKJGBI9ojpjc58NSg76MQrVAWN9OYZwOpTXWFZUOG6vU1vdXR8evuj2G4t7XYQx6rBZNE/s400/balloon.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /> This was done by Brian Marsman at Powerhouse Tattoo Company in Montclair, New Jersey. "I just wanted a hot air balloon and I didn't have a picture for him or anything," Amy told me, "he just drew it up for me."<br /> <br /> She also had this tattoo, on her inner right forearm,<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeshRlTUtOSVSLL5c6CnIL1qq-_PJRZLAlkaBpqdPBxwnMJ9fcq3HTUdeuZjHu8pq33Z7nduwnoUeXMu5hnQYzNA2sdYViDFGDSwL79aq7rDILPLGR9E-W61ts1ISRTLQDzB3jL0LwPBk/s1600/girlhead+bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeshRlTUtOSVSLL5c6CnIL1qq-_PJRZLAlkaBpqdPBxwnMJ9fcq3HTUdeuZjHu8pq33Z7nduwnoUeXMu5hnQYzNA2sdYViDFGDSwL79aq7rDILPLGR9E-W61ts1ISRTLQDzB3jL0LwPBk/s400/girlhead+bird.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /> This is an interpretation of a watercolor by Angelique Houtkamp entitled "Edith Piaf":<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/AVvXsEhYEXR1JyLKLMe5tHVwp1QopRCNRs5SkpaOEGyI-PIPw4HFdH8zRT72aQA3qQ6DOg8ECiQ9xQx0JyNr7RbAzLYtauZtVds2PlJP53VE4Ckm0izuvWapwC_NbjCWOOhtrpfrke5ofyf7IcE/s1600/piaf+by+angelique+houtkamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEXR1JyLKLMe5tHVwp1QopRCNRs5SkpaOEGyI-PIPw4HFdH8zRT72aQA3qQ6DOg8ECiQ9xQx0JyNr7RbAzLYtauZtVds2PlJP53VE4Ckm0izuvWapwC_NbjCWOOhtrpfrke5ofyf7IcE/s400/piaf+by+angelique+houtkamp.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">©Angelique Houtkamp</td></tr> </tbody></table>This was done by an artist named Giordano who was visiting from Brazil, set up shop in Amy's dining room, and tattooed a handful of friends and family, including Amy's husband and father.

Amy and Her Colorful Hot Air Balloon

Today's tattoos are from Amy, who I met a couple weeks ago in Penn Station. First is this stunning hot air balloon on her upper right ar...

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Going Ape for Josean's Ink

Earlier this month, I met Josean, who was sitting waiting for a downtown express train at the 72nd Street subway stop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.<br /> <br /> Josean is pretty much covered in tattoos (70-80%, by his best estimate) and so I sat down to talk to him about his work.<br /> <br /> As it turns out, he is currently the piercer at Powerhouse Tattoo Company in Montclair, New Jersey. Work from the artists at Powerhouse have appeared previously on Tattoosday here.<br /> <br /> Josean offered up this colorful baboon tattoo on his left forearm:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U6jpOvI4QdbnAtPZSpaOAa6KXJvth_fctErDw7imDM5Xxuz2Vs0I_V7qV3aSU-HbLJdhHg6caXmX_gF1v7A-EHDtdGQyv_di4LF0Vp9UWYjBrp1b2Pujuwq8bXa4edBZJ-8HmrlUUvw/s1600/joseans+ink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U6jpOvI4QdbnAtPZSpaOAa6KXJvth_fctErDw7imDM5Xxuz2Vs0I_V7qV3aSU-HbLJdhHg6caXmX_gF1v7A-EHDtdGQyv_di4LF0Vp9UWYjBrp1b2Pujuwq8bXa4edBZJ-8HmrlUUvw/s400/joseans+ink.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br /> At the center of this piece is the monkey that screams out from his arm:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzcp9IH92zDwijzI6Ih9l7Tfy9qL0awz8Q75o1XdHp5m3HdIBOE1gXnZmLg6OwzypMNXOkxKqh9a1SbGXNXMFRwJVGFuXXbUgY4lka_26gzYvBCLC4AxVt1ki1kjolA83ynbeoc4MgF8/s1600/baboon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzcp9IH92zDwijzI6Ih9l7Tfy9qL0awz8Q75o1XdHp5m3HdIBOE1gXnZmLg6OwzypMNXOkxKqh9a1SbGXNXMFRwJVGFuXXbUgY4lka_26gzYvBCLC4AxVt1ki1kjolA83ynbeoc4MgF8/s400/baboon.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br /> Josean likes monkeys and figured this design would "look cool for a tattoo." He's absolutely  right. This was done by Juan Salgado, a great artist in Puerto Rico. Josean worked at Senzala Tattoo in P.R. before moving up to Powerhouse.<br /> <br /> Thanks to Josean for sharing his awesome ink with us here on Tattoosday!

Going Ape for Josean's Ink

Earlier this month, I met Josean, who was sitting waiting for a downtown express train at the 72nd Street subway stop on the Upper West Side...

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A Tattoo in Memory of Erin's Mom

I always feel privileged when I meet someone who is willing to share a tattoo that carries deep personal significance. Back in October, I met Erin while she was waiting for her train during the late afternoon in Penn Station.<br /> <br /> Last fall, Erin told me, her mother passed away. When her mom’s next birthday approached, Erin and her sister planned a fitting tribute. A year ago today, they got this tattoo on their left biceps:<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRP9kmn2qxRV7yj5ckzyOhPwPF8_d2fMQuqCyN1LJ-FD5e9xVZ8AZJhd50kv9Tj6RcK6DcX3z8Rt-G2X6E1BLsf5POh8pXRu3jnl9jeyAH4HVRyUQDU6toEf2Dhfp7Q71MQrQ1PvXMG6Q/s1600/love+from+mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRP9kmn2qxRV7yj5ckzyOhPwPF8_d2fMQuqCyN1LJ-FD5e9xVZ8AZJhd50kv9Tj6RcK6DcX3z8Rt-G2X6E1BLsf5POh8pXRu3jnl9jeyAH4HVRyUQDU6toEf2Dhfp7Q71MQrQ1PvXMG6Q/s400/love+from+mom.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><br /> This design incorporates a heart, a triquetra (Celtic trinity knot) and something unique – their mother’s handwriting ("Love you always, Mom), including the x’s and o’s representing hugs and kisses.<br /> <br /> This is a shining example of the type of memorial that has led to an increase in the popularity of tattoos. The inner left biceps is an ideal location due to its proximity to the heart.<br /> <br /> Erin credits Brian Marsman at Powerhouse Tattoo Company in Montclair, new Jersey, with this piece. A piece by Brian also appeared here on the site a couple months ago.<br /> <br /> Thanks to Erin for sharing this very personal tattoo with us here on Tattoosday. On behalf of our readers, I wish her happy memories on this anniversary of her mother’s birth.

A Tattoo in Memory of Erin's Mom

I always feel privileged when I meet someone who is willing to share a tattoo that carries deep personal significance. Back in October, I me...

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