Tattoo Design: skeletons

Repost: Michael's Mariachis

<i>Well, it has been a repost sort of week, and as it is All Soul's Day, a.k.a. The Day of the Dead, this only seemed fitting. It's from my college friend, Michael, and it appeared here originally on December 30, 2008. Enjoy!</i><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269720254143055906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQG-ZjqGAKyU6o5IkT212dRhV7cOIi2W7HddOZIXsB72SOF90r-RjM_nNv1Hfi8Ifuhxuw4sdYLrGcK3uJDHfm0GgTE0d5lQcprCSOt0j021YLHmUWrrFwYS4l3ZjZFZoSSlVcJONl7RaL/s640/mariachi+with+iris.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 356px;" width="569" /><br />
In reconnecting with old college friends through Facebook, my old friend Michael who I haven't seen in almost twenty years sent me an amazing tattoo he has on his right arm.<br />
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He sent me before and after shots so we can see the transformation from outline to spectacularly colorful body art. First, the before shots.....<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269719225156372226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpyG47s5Ab8GZzuoS1FNB8aCl6O5cyuj1MnBuap7LOWhUMnchVn3JFTHDRp3jp_8Qf3ovzh-NWrElPPFHCkDJ8D2Q8z2SkscaSM_B2igTRLp9BgJuNE4DdnGC7Zmy0YB8reZu3q2wALOv/s640/mariachi+outline+1.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 214px;" width="342" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718659087915346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnGG_JoKA7YaO8p5uY6xCGuMGVrQ-Ug8saDlDuUcYjb5OewHZtBPUuQolSqr7IGkoGuGdqSstRU94FTHgeUWLeHQs6uUynfxGCSuZWQl0wRdJG8aVAXnm-QGqHoFYXAsq1Yyy6Eo-Q7qt/s400/mariachi+outline+2.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 176px;" /><br />
The detail and the line work is exemplary and breath-taking. As someone with a guitar inked on my arm, I can appreciate the intricacies of a finely-drawn instrument. The detail on the mariachi's jacket cuff is incredible.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269719773239210498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_l-1sUP3l96Ox7DiTETQXOY_F1uscr0b7P3uVOeZ4tHe5gSarTKznkbnkcap-aenmNE9vjrEfXRfxugUEiEV1bUJmsjK3QeNa2WQtOiwwldtQzgF-2AgZNUfoescCovX7yIPpxubNF-0/s400/mariachi+detail.jpg" style="display: block; height: 147px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
And now, for some color:<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718515179009634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pAPO8cWZeRiCaE2-jdLHiwmt33iPqti0yQESq2p5cNjr7VS2sTgcJwikiCwYl3nYlqJyWo7PPmB1z6aLPQcjdB0-GXkhHSFcafNMRepEcsjeu-wyg6SYwkN8iEJ061ItGHzzQGsidxFa/s400/mariachi+right.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 193px;" /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718414681594482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtWDXReXnqg3HDBDUK7BPOjKt99Qe1IHfY_AjLpTapDXiwUpeeAd8ypGYjRzEoEp0KW6ACKQUzEiTrt2eGbbLNrVN4u6LMuPXRZOhJy1BRgt_r8D_eKlz3soTjtjrnT-lofp2Tr9Rmps2/s400/mariachi+left.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 146px;" /><br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269718302019198898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-ThIFKR8Yi6K_WHVGW27xaw-cGmn5vr7AK-mH52kev55n1Hv_Bjn8M0fzc9Bmfd_nGSb9hXkbwWy5oH2KL7zFnBfNm3vm6abfsGQEJ9NVByyhmpfKPe1QqwpFpvaJejRVG08tuQ8NR9C/s640/mariachi+center.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 190px;" width="304" /><br />
Michael explains the basic premise of this tattoo:<br />
<blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">In a sense, this piece is a "memorial" tattoo, although I hate to call it that.  Since I grew up in the Southwest, Day of the Dead was a regular thing, so I've always been drawn to that type of imagery, plus I like the meaning -- honoring the dead, and reminding us to live life to the fullest.</span>   <span style="font-style: italic;"> I picked the mariachis partly because I am so into music, and partly because of the celebratory aspect of mariachis. </span></blockquote>Like many intricate tattoos with multiple elements, every part has significance. The tulips, for example, that are growing at the mariachi's feet, "are an actual heirloom varietal that I have in the garden" [and]  are for my wife -- tulips are her favorite flower".<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="285" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285329957944922738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyypf3FaboSBnBjkOPRfrUF_csDwPo1u81Ose2h3NbCMs1DVJKS8xe8vOLgJdiE8a_AqmVqC3zUTQFLpepfjm5Ip-F7MFn9c8dIo5iU6GOdnf3uDFyCxzwydpn6vTwH9FFIPA5nX6Xt-JO/s400/mariachi+tulips.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /><br />
And the angel at the top of the piece (and the top of the post)?<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="355" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269719465230803490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQhPyNCz5SQAgi4FPybnIrR8V13KKaOtnWvM0L9mmMFFUIxL4aY6TyQYI1l69dL5JHWaVQSyWC_A1YJct_xxWj50DfxfcducZ7DYV26H87rSkgJ1FEIAENz2_Z7koI1TCcQhLuQmMnBsx/s400/mariachi+top.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="400" /><br />
Michael informs us that "the angel is for my mother, who is no longer with us.  The angel holds a purple iris (my mother's favorite flower), and looks down over the whole scene."<br />
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This amazing piece was inked by Susan Behney-Doyle who works out of Jinx Proof Tattoo in Washington, D.C. Mexican folk art is one of her specialties (see a gallery of her work here) and Michael says he "gave her a few reference pieces to look at, but she basically drew it after a consultation".  He continues, "we made just a couple tweaks after I saw the drawing, but it's a one-of-a-kind custom piece".<br />
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The whole tattoo was crafted back in 2006 over a five-month, seven-session period. Michael notes that one of those sessions was devoted solely to shading the guitar. A closer look at the instrument reveals an incredible complexity of brown variations that truly makes the guitar jump off the skin.

Repost: Michael's Mariachis

Well, it has been a repost sort of week, and as it is All Soul's Day, a.k.a. The Day of the Dead, this only seemed fitting. It's fro...

7:19 AM

Kate Reminds Us: Two Calves Are Better than One

I met Kate last month and she shared these two, of her eleven tattoos:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LXUpHhOV08WgFK9wb9Ao2__e36bhgRu0wGDFjcOp9YompaJ0Cv_pILtzq-NCXjSSKpvMWPd3pn2SQB9Y9oHFz3_zgCAKxNSkWZp344j4xxrtn-a5QPPOgd27mx4FRRkpmjFAK2AQXBU/s1600/2+Calves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LXUpHhOV08WgFK9wb9Ao2__e36bhgRu0wGDFjcOp9YompaJ0Cv_pILtzq-NCXjSSKpvMWPd3pn2SQB9Y9oHFz3_zgCAKxNSkWZp344j4xxrtn-a5QPPOgd27mx4FRRkpmjFAK2AQXBU/s640/2+Calves.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Kate says these don't have specific meanings behind them, she "just liked the art". Nothing wrong with that at all.<br /><br />On the left calf, Kate has an exquisite black and grey piece by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/benjaminmoss">Benjamin Moss</a> at <a href="http://www.apocalypsetattoo.com/">Apocalypse Tattoo</a> in Seattle.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuATRIocjdJaI54CmbcvmvXLxuz8zDN-ZIILSKktQ5FRfwe4LSoARCuOQgheEVwakpryWzVZBwyjsX3fvZZcaxxni-OFQcChizG5clrM-amTybdYOmgQVUC57tFfAcFnMqTTC_sHxmLVs/s1600/2+skeletons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksJ1Vj9RGBObMsdUPGJ52szfZN9hqEx2mBU72daKJt6BnZXzbqmJhtqP-AZqR034ZsiNPmNoVBTpQwqc06dBK1_LHSOd5mH6KqqOyTxKO7HkzGWVuQulbIsLzIw-3tSw7lzDF583GC-g/s1600/2+skeletons+alt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksJ1Vj9RGBObMsdUPGJ52szfZN9hqEx2mBU72daKJt6BnZXzbqmJhtqP-AZqR034ZsiNPmNoVBTpQwqc06dBK1_LHSOd5mH6KqqOyTxKO7HkzGWVuQulbIsLzIw-3tSw7lzDF583GC-g/s640/2+skeletons+alt.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><br />The romantically morbid idea of two skeletons sharing an eternity in the same coffin is a haunting image.<br /><br />On her right calf is this dagger:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBobQc3OJ0DweWbZ8dqhjvqAhxqUtpo3D_uZsiToQrLLPuHp4c10-pusXEHrE-Ss-1idVL9lkqhDdgzz7nUFauWYvD9Q6SyBVR4Rqt7Hv4fJczItRbNlmeuy2kgdRaO6sfbw00k6bBhS8/s1600/Dagger+Calf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBobQc3OJ0DweWbZ8dqhjvqAhxqUtpo3D_uZsiToQrLLPuHp4c10-pusXEHrE-Ss-1idVL9lkqhDdgzz7nUFauWYvD9Q6SyBVR4Rqt7Hv4fJczItRbNlmeuy2kgdRaO6sfbw00k6bBhS8/s640/Dagger+Calf.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />The phrase "MORTE PRIMA DI DISONORE" translates to the expression "Death Before Dishonor". This tattoo was created at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Addiction-NYC/282610705212?sk=wall">Addiction NYC</a> on St. Mark's Place in Manhattan.<br /><br />Thanks to Kate for sharing these great tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<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><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">  </span><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>

Kate Reminds Us: Two Calves Are Better than One

I met Kate last month and she shared these two, of her eleven tattoos: Kate says these don't have specific meanings behind them, she ...

8:34 AM

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Repost: Michael's Mariachis

Kate Reminds Us: Two Calves Are Better than One

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