Emily's Typewriter

Last week, on Eighth Avenue, I spotted an incredible tattoo on the back of a woman's calf and knew that I had to speak to her about it. Check it out:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb5KlY2hxPHC7Ej6SqEzjoZLzVujnU41EqXuwgi2VjpIYWm_ausRIqt9yiVUgXOD_VJrtFDejxcwV2R9Wu5hbOyss938Ye1mus_IQaw0JrKHWLF_g7qrKhN6Rt0xbBCfIbT9H32r7CQE/s1600/emily+types.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb5KlY2hxPHC7Ej6SqEzjoZLzVujnU41EqXuwgi2VjpIYWm_ausRIqt9yiVUgXOD_VJrtFDejxcwV2R9Wu5hbOyss938Ye1mus_IQaw0JrKHWLF_g7qrKhN6Rt0xbBCfIbT9H32r7CQE/s640/emily+types.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br />This vintage typewriter belongs to Emily, and was tattooed by one of my favorite artists in New York, <a href="http://virginiaelwood.wordpress.com/">Virginia Elwood</a> at <a href="http://www.nyadorned.com/home.htm">New York Adorned</a>. You can click the tag at the bottom of the post to see other work of Virginia's that I have been fortunate enough to spot in my Tattoosday travels.<br /><br />Emily explained that she is a writer, and wanted a vintage typewriter inked to represent her vocation. My guess she had decided on one of these <a href="http://www.machinesoflovinggrace.com/royals.htm">Royal</a> typewriters, and then Virginia worked her magic. Emily elaborates:<br /><blockquote><br />"I asked her originally to give me a little typewriter on top of the books here:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkH1JorQenz-DvL6cYFYhxEKrDkq3Pyzfyy04IYJAi7215_e4KgPv4JZ-RIk1gf-aKHO21-i7Fx5FNleSd6MezUlO03x2k8udfOPjfujn6PXowKXkzWixxpx4JeAX14BbDj7iYYOxomw/s1600/Emilys+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkH1JorQenz-DvL6cYFYhxEKrDkq3Pyzfyy04IYJAi7215_e4KgPv4JZ-RIk1gf-aKHO21-i7Fx5FNleSd6MezUlO03x2k8udfOPjfujn6PXowKXkzWixxpx4JeAX14BbDj7iYYOxomw/s400/Emilys+books.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />but there wasn't enough room ... [Virginia] was like <i>It'll be too small if I put it on your arm, we'll have to do a big one to get the best detail</i>."</blockquote>The rest, as they say, is history.<br /><br />Emily has nine tattoos in all, counting a half-sleeve as one large piece, and all of her work has been done by Virginia.<br /><br />Emily is managing editor for a website called <a href="http://www.xojane.com/">xoJane</a>, and has even written about her tattoos. She directed me to <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2ABM4y/www.xojane.com/sex/my-tattoos-make-guys-think-im-easy">this article</a> she recently wrote, called "<a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2ABM4y/www.xojane.com/sex/my-tattoos-make-guys-think-im-easy">My Tattoos Make Guys Think I'm Easy</a>." She's got a smart style that really taps into the heart and soul of the subject. I'm sure many tattooed women can relate to the sentiment in that piece. She also pointed to a <a href="http://www.xojane.com/entertainment/ny-ink-megan-massacre-sexism">more current article</a> she wrote, with some input from Virginia, as well, about <a href="http://www.xojane.com/entertainment/ny-ink-megan-massacre-sexism">sexism in tattoo shops</a>, specifically with the drama in the premiere (and subsequent episodes) of the latest tattoo reality series, <a href="http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/ny-ink"><i>New York Ink</i></a>.<br /><br />I, for one, certainly recommend checking out Emily's site, <a href="http://www.xojane.com/">xoJane</a>, and exploring not only her contributions, but those of the other writers, as well.<br /><br />Thanks to Emily for sharing her incredible work with us here on Tattoosday, and for talking with me, even though she was running late. I do appreciate it and hope we'll see more of her tattoos here in the future!<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /><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>

Emily's Typewriter

Last week, on Eighth Avenue, I spotted an incredible tattoo on the back of a woman's calf and knew that I had to speak to her about it. ...

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Melanie's Marilyn

A trip to the laundromat on Saturday yielded a meeting with a young lady who had a couple visible tattoos on one of her feet and an ankle. Fortunately, my curiosity got the better of me because, when I asked her about them, she revealed much better work, namely this phenomenal Marilyn Monroe portrait 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/AVvXsEgeIUBDXh5fRbobDSyrvEnojGaDWxPU4mC7USkQ_jv3fan2APE9G3CCxKuX_bQu5XMIHQVDoe5Dk5FQk4SjtvkrtZ2FLDlRj1T8LRy0VayFSCIQcE67EjNXnvIOozVP_Kc1CT1CFi3Sp3k/s1600/Marilyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIUBDXh5fRbobDSyrvEnojGaDWxPU4mC7USkQ_jv3fan2APE9G3CCxKuX_bQu5XMIHQVDoe5Dk5FQk4SjtvkrtZ2FLDlRj1T8LRy0VayFSCIQcE67EjNXnvIOozVP_Kc1CT1CFi3Sp3k/s640/Marilyn.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br /><br />This stunning work was created by the incomparable Virginia Elwood at New York Adorned. I have been fortunate to encounter Ms. Elwood's work previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/08/kristinas-rooster-crows-in-honor-of-her.html">here</a> and <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/03/stevies-tattoo-calms-and-inspires.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Melanie is a huge fan of Marilyn Monroe and she is proud to wear this icon on her sleeve. Clicking on the tag for Marilyn Monrow below will reveal other Marilyn tattoos that have appeared previously on Tattoosday.<br /><br />Thanks to Melanie for sharing this phenomenal portrait with us here on Tattoosday!

Melanie's Marilyn

A trip to the laundromat on Saturday yielded a meeting with a young lady who had a couple visible tattoos on one of her feet and an ankle. F...

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Kristina's Rooster Crows in Honor of Her Son

It was funny, now that you think of it, the way everything came full circle.<br /><br />I was picking my younger daughter, Shayna, up from camp, when I spotted a woman approaching from the opposite direction.<br /><br />It was after six, on a weekday, and she had a small boy in tow, wearing a t-shirt indicating that he was in the same camp, albeit a younger group, as my child.<br /><br />She was displaying an amazing rooster tattoo, covering her upper left arm.<br /><br />Initially, Kristina seemed hesitant to let me take a photo, but as we talked, she changed her mind, and let me snap away.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmeZ1Gb2CBAvh_s5CLgH-9PBYYDgnqIeZ6uohdhbFNHTK1adYPcaW73eCnxUZ97FHmqMu_UmRkVGJXV4XOY_ngtlMBWCT7yZhlRLR3K8FQPtPOaCAlXBuCtZMaeDao-v51ef2imiX/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/AVvXsEgHmeZ1Gb2CBAvh_s5CLgH-9PBYYDgnqIeZ6uohdhbFNHTK1adYPcaW73eCnxUZ97FHmqMu_UmRkVGJXV4XOY_ngtlMBWCT7yZhlRLR3K8FQPtPOaCAlXBuCtZMaeDao-v51ef2imiX/s400/Rooster+collage.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br />This was inked by the incomparable <a href="http://virginiaelwoodtattoo.com/">Virginia Elwood</a>, who does incredible work, especially with bird tattoos. Work from Virginia, at <a href="http://www.nyadorned.com/#bg=h">New York Adorned</a>, has appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/03/stevies-tattoo-calms-and-inspires.html">here</a> on Tattoosday.<br /><br />In all fairness, the right side of the tattoo is compromised in the photo above by the sun (and the bane of a borrowed camera), so the best view is the front part of the rooster: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQG17fjiAgXDqprW2u-BfK0RT7uFKwnIMDXRkU5-UaYdsXS8OEuivJR4d9skA01gxTxwxGEI-m1VI5mf6-hH-7ZhuI9l6Lt1AcyLZWLeR_JzD4vSTeHMGAtzp45FmNkgdPEEB6rjO/s1600/rooster+left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQG17fjiAgXDqprW2u-BfK0RT7uFKwnIMDXRkU5-UaYdsXS8OEuivJR4d9skA01gxTxwxGEI-m1VI5mf6-hH-7ZhuI9l6Lt1AcyLZWLeR_JzD4vSTeHMGAtzp45FmNkgdPEEB6rjO/s640/rooster+left.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br />Kristina explained that she chose the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_of_the_rooster">Rooster</a> because that was the year in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac">Chinese Zodiac</a> in which her son was born. It certainly is a wonderful way to commemorate her child.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1GCzQpS9WCrFXCIvURKN5XO_2-WBAqaf3wGp4vAU3bMxoT12nbGB6XLhuUFswa-0Rh9522Pa0rQ5JIRbXgd1J6rNJN-VzHQ-ingw52rkuVjnxM-2sYPdIK0gOCWT4d1ts25JNQj3/s1600/rooster+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1GCzQpS9WCrFXCIvURKN5XO_2-WBAqaf3wGp4vAU3bMxoT12nbGB6XLhuUFswa-0Rh9522Pa0rQ5JIRbXgd1J6rNJN-VzHQ-ingw52rkuVjnxM-2sYPdIK0gOCWT4d1ts25JNQj3/s640/rooster+detail.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br />Almost as an afterthought, Kristina mentioned that a couple years back, on a subway platform, someone had asked her if he could take a picture of her tattoo, still in progress, for his blog, but she politely declined.<br /><br />I thought about it for about a second when I smiled and exclaimed "That was me!"<br /><br />In three years, I've approached a lot of people about their tattoos, and they all blur together.<br /><br />But I still recall the disappointment I felt at 34th Street, when the woman with the unfinished rooster tattoo from Adorned politely declined my request.<br /><br />Lucky me, time solved that missed opportunity, and I got to see the finished product, in the bright afternoon soon, years after I had asked.<br /><br />And it was certainly worth the wait.<br /><br />Thanks kindly to Kristina for sharing her incredible rooster tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Kristina's Rooster Crows in Honor of Her Son

It was funny, now that you think of it, the way everything came full circle. I was picking my younger daughter, Shayna, up from camp, when I...

Read more »