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...

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