Melissa's Feather of Memory

Back in October, I reviewed <a href="http://www.katvond.net/">Kat Von D's</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tattoo-Chronicles-Kat-Von-D/dp/0061953369?ie=UTF8&tag=bill03-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Tattoo Chronicles</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bill03-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0061953369" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (<a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/10/tattoosday-book-review-kat-von-ds.html">here</a>).<br /><br />I also went to a book-signing and met Ms. Von D.<br /><br />As you would expect, there was a long line to see the author, who is indisputably the most famous tattoo artist in the world.<br /><br />Despite the long line, I did have a chance to chat at length with several other people at the event. We talked tattoo as we queued along 46th Street, around the corner onto 5th Avenue, up an escalator, and through a maze of book stacks.<br /><br />One such fan was Melissa, a student, who was accompanied by several friends. Talking with Melissa and her friends made the two-hour wait much more bearable, indeed.<br /><br />Melissa offered to share this tattoo with us here on Tattoosday:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><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/AVvXsEi5fDikgzqk4okF5POOpYQYjX6mdOh5125NzWiELWsG5iTB3e-aKhYB6dtKSBQGu7lFVxGdu99trZJ8w9qksSdTRNrWmxXK7QbTkYovLJJKIeFVPoX-__pjOHt0gwzgVZm8_NBdXAya7FI/s1600/feather+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fDikgzqk4okF5POOpYQYjX6mdOh5125NzWiELWsG5iTB3e-aKhYB6dtKSBQGu7lFVxGdu99trZJ8w9qksSdTRNrWmxXK7QbTkYovLJJKIeFVPoX-__pjOHt0gwzgVZm8_NBdXAya7FI/s640/feather+detail+wm.jpg" width="386" /></a></div><br /><span id="goog_1877593629"></span><span id="goog_1877593630"></span><br />This white feather on the inside of her right wrist is tied to the memory of her mother who passed away a couple of years ago.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lNGQxZ_ssB4-jJHPaYq-Zqmgj4pd_BVvHFMnjKQVmxIuVRsNR45jB4HNqSlvLujwLYRHA3NGUE8ivy05LS0NmRj09u9SSL0hBgG9goGljSMeeHvvSgIkDlmM6MZXwYIzd9_UBkU_OlI/s1600/feather+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lNGQxZ_ssB4-jJHPaYq-Zqmgj4pd_BVvHFMnjKQVmxIuVRsNR45jB4HNqSlvLujwLYRHA3NGUE8ivy05LS0NmRj09u9SSL0hBgG9goGljSMeeHvvSgIkDlmM6MZXwYIzd9_UBkU_OlI/s320/feather+wm.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Melissa's aunt often said that a floating white feather represents the soul of someone who's died. That said, whenever Melissa sees one, she thinks of her mother. By tattooing it on her wrist, she is assured that the memory of her mom will always be close at hand.<br /><br />The tattoo was inked by Kerry O'Neill at <a href="http://www.shotsiestattoo.com/">Shotsie's Tattoo</a> in Wayne, New Jersey. Work from Shotsie's has appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Shotsie%27s">here</a> on the site.<br /><br />Thanks to Melissa (and her friends) for keeping me company on that long day in October, and a special thanks to Melissa for sharing this poignant tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Melissa's Feather of Memory

Back in October, I reviewed Kat Von D's The Tattoo Chronicles ( here ). I also went to a book-signing and met Ms. Von D. As you would ...

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A Quartet of Art-Inspired Tattoos

When I asked Brian how many tattoos he had, back in October when I met him at Borders in Penn Plaza, he kind of shrugged and said "I don't even know". A great answer, in my opinion.<br /><br />Brian is an interior designer and many of his tattoos are inspired by the art he admires.<br /><br />Three of the tattoos I photographed are on his right arm. First is this red tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgY08ALJ6BJ-sOGcc0LiToHCdtZrttvXE8EG4MbWtPOcEOJwUsnbNPgjiPDrkC9pzXdgxyLlX_oHjECMOiJAhs3cyOhjlbYVHoxHHiOV8VerPzJ8yAZQYVWvgaD2fMet8fVSton9XL7U/s1600/Dada+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgY08ALJ6BJ-sOGcc0LiToHCdtZrttvXE8EG4MbWtPOcEOJwUsnbNPgjiPDrkC9pzXdgxyLlX_oHjECMOiJAhs3cyOhjlbYVHoxHHiOV8VerPzJ8yAZQYVWvgaD2fMet8fVSton9XL7U/s400/Dada+wm.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This, Brian explained, is a piece that pays homage to Dada, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dadaism">Dadaism</a>, a cultural movement from the early 20th Century that included one segment of the arts. Brian is inspired by this movement from an artistic perspective.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On his upper arm, Brian has this Buddha image, which he says has an Andy Warhol-inspired perspective:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlZ7_8hiqqYlkCXyDN0tMlHPrlrEGISQpU9Y27OalEQEY4M5xtFOiRoj7kSvfNBgLEeVUwXT_vn4Cn-Mi7wQfsduGKIcUeZIIg3zcYGwXFsKVEzoe0gE8dela_z9cg0uRsCRr_hnBddk/s1600/Warhol+Buddha+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlZ7_8hiqqYlkCXyDN0tMlHPrlrEGISQpU9Y27OalEQEY4M5xtFOiRoj7kSvfNBgLEeVUwXT_vn4Cn-Mi7wQfsduGKIcUeZIIg3zcYGwXFsKVEzoe0gE8dela_z9cg0uRsCRr_hnBddk/s640/Warhol+Buddha+wm.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is on the outer part of the upper arm, on the inner side is this item:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kIl7YXk4onBjlmv5RddfUC1d20nY3peZnkwqXrk4IiptKNXR5eY0xhjfyD5jZD-0QDUlZI3qgTaXZu5YXbvdXIkexrIxuvGLjhhu2XFOVFyMVRwM1Po6Et4TeOrTJeHcR6Lh8SOgu5s/s1600/Egg+Chair+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kIl7YXk4onBjlmv5RddfUC1d20nY3peZnkwqXrk4IiptKNXR5eY0xhjfyD5jZD-0QDUlZI3qgTaXZu5YXbvdXIkexrIxuvGLjhhu2XFOVFyMVRwM1Po6Et4TeOrTJeHcR6Lh8SOgu5s/s640/Egg+Chair+wm.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a take on the "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_%28chair%29">Egg Chair</a>," a piece of furniture whose style became popular in the forward-looking 1960's. The form above is more like the Scandinavian <a href="http://www.ovalia.com/eng_entre.htm">Ovalia</a> style of egg chair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And finally, Brian showed me one of his favorite tattoos, just above his waistline:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPjrdBdbzXtrWZV6ld99ZjsuwV5ECIXxaN2cKX3IovR_kXOcoYodjFqnY11GF5ThOlee-ba4KkbHTJDMNDakvX2uCYxnHo6lGexxofAlCmFbqVRx2yFFoGa3UNclr8KS17pDNHVK92so/s1600/urinal+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPjrdBdbzXtrWZV6ld99ZjsuwV5ECIXxaN2cKX3IovR_kXOcoYodjFqnY11GF5ThOlee-ba4KkbHTJDMNDakvX2uCYxnHo6lGexxofAlCmFbqVRx2yFFoGa3UNclr8KS17pDNHVK92so/s640/urinal+wm.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As mentioned above, Brian is inspired by Dadaism, and one of the figures that became most associated with the movement was the artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp">Marcel Duchamp</a>. This tattoo is based on his work <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_%28Duchamp%29">Fountain</a>, which caused quite a stir in 1917.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcHbkmXZoMeblpqH3dOv-Wo8HTpLWrfDTWYSM92RAh334Mdl9CxQW7gUOILO353Azp2lDkj_g-J2XuzKAk1JB4szAQWTU9pWtBsihDt6RafhSHVxFgvnmOLDhBK5rengV26X7YeZcIAc/s1600/Duchamp_Fountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcHbkmXZoMeblpqH3dOv-Wo8HTpLWrfDTWYSM92RAh334Mdl9CxQW7gUOILO353Azp2lDkj_g-J2XuzKAk1JB4szAQWTU9pWtBsihDt6RafhSHVxFgvnmOLDhBK5rengV26X7YeZcIAc/s400/Duchamp_Fountain.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These tattoos were inked by Texxx at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/">Flying Monkey Tattoo</a> in Pittsburgh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks to Brian for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!</div>

A Quartet of Art-Inspired Tattoos

When I asked Brian how many tattoos he had, back in October when I met him at Borders in Penn Plaza, he kind of shrugged and said "I do...

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Sharon's Bird on a Saturday

At the end of September, I spotted this bird on the left side of Sharon's upper back:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeduzZbSnmQO2rUAKxYWZUwFl44uiKl_qBjuIzcaSAgIuCoj7sY6p7-NZXf4nEP8ppxxM6SaNg1o99r997cdzRRik5hAv83_6OQGIs7G3S_7QthRcn6KnItYo-zhzEpCWuMQjoAv_htk/s1600/Sharons+Bird+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeduzZbSnmQO2rUAKxYWZUwFl44uiKl_qBjuIzcaSAgIuCoj7sY6p7-NZXf4nEP8ppxxM6SaNg1o99r997cdzRRik5hAv83_6OQGIs7G3S_7QthRcn6KnItYo-zhzEpCWuMQjoAv_htk/s400/Sharons+Bird+wm.jpg" width="317" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sharon drew this herself and had it tattooed at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/fatcattattooshop">Fat Cat Tattoo</a> in Sacramento, California.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd love to tell you more about this tattoo, but Sharon never e-mailed me to give me more details. Nonetheless, it's some nice work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9qd47PV4w-f8BbgYhCJqV725lJSCIzb9eM9M3oM1_lcVaqioErnBe_cd5zDNQNloaf6whA984_SjCUMpH6VA_fq6cQRd7LQ01s2rEBE0bljml_k7ntAoHILwr0URlKsWGTuWN9IyHt0/s1600/Sharons+Bird+Detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9qd47PV4w-f8BbgYhCJqV725lJSCIzb9eM9M3oM1_lcVaqioErnBe_cd5zDNQNloaf6whA984_SjCUMpH6VA_fq6cQRd7LQ01s2rEBE0bljml_k7ntAoHILwr0URlKsWGTuWN9IyHt0/s400/Sharons+Bird+Detail+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Thanks to Sharon for sharing her bird with us here on Tattoosday!

Sharon's Bird on a Saturday

At the end of September, I spotted this bird on the left side of Sharon's upper back:   Sharon drew this herself and had it tattooed at ...

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Mike's Flying Saucer and Pyramids Were Meant to Appear Here

There are often times that I see interesting tattoos but the opportunity to speak to their hosts is not ideal, so I make peace with the fact that featuring them here is not meant to be. If it's meant to be, I believe, we shall meet again, even in a city of seven million people.<br /><br />This may seem silly to some, that tattoos are fated to appear on Tattoosday, but one example amazes me and makes me wonder.<br /><br />On October 12, I planned to sell a couple bags of books at the <a href="http://www.strandbooks.com/app/www/p/chelp/?t=180">Strand Bookstore</a>. I left my office on 31st and 7th and headed east down 31st on the north side of the street.<br /><br />Halfway down the block I noticed the guy walking in front of me had tattoos. It was when he took off his jacket or sweater that I realized he had several interesting ones.<br /><br />I sighed. I was laden down with books and he was moving at a pretty brisk pace. At 6th Avenue, he turned right, downtown. I shrugged and thought "oh well," and turned left to the north.<br /><br />I walked a block to 32nd Street and entered the Subway at Greeley Square. I caught the train to 14th Street/Union Square and came out on 14th and Broadway. I walked two blocks south to the Strand at the corner of Broadway and East 12th.<br /><br />I stood in line for a bit, and then met with the bookbuyer who gave me a fair price. I left the store, heading north on Broadway, crossing the street and depositing the money I had just received for the books at a Chase ATM machine. I exited the vestibule and headed back to Union Square. I had just crossed East 13th when a familiar face passed me. Rather, familiar tattoos. I whirled and caught up to the guy I had seen 18 blocks and 2 avenues away, approximately 1.1 miles, according to <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=875+Sixth+Avenue,+New+York,+NY&daddr=835+Broadway,+New+York,+NY&hl=en&geocode=FXLEbQId3gOX-ylLeUcsr1nCiTGSfEO39LRQlA%3BFfGMbQIdEvyW-ylVNscCmVnCiTHUX1EmLCBd4g&mra=ltm&dirflg=w&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=28.472892,56.513672&ie=UTF8&ll=40.742055,-73.981419&spn=0.026532,0.055189&z=14">Google Maps</a>. <br /><br />I thought the odds of seeing him again so soon were too great not to interpret it as a sign, I was meant to speak to this person.<br /><br />He introduced himself as Mike, a director and he shared this tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIS1n4HPSrAHtBhzcrwM-9bTNPbix_d_8cwSv8tw_2LBJBevUEiXl6dVsLZVcSw5F7UQV9ojFvE1muB_qXBJ71KB4O91HvrzFnaWZ2qgZZxgR4O3_UhZFQQyBKVqoIz_DoOUe17WbhIw/s1600/Aliens+and+pyramids+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIS1n4HPSrAHtBhzcrwM-9bTNPbix_d_8cwSv8tw_2LBJBevUEiXl6dVsLZVcSw5F7UQV9ojFvE1muB_qXBJ71KB4O91HvrzFnaWZ2qgZZxgR4O3_UhZFQQyBKVqoIz_DoOUe17WbhIw/s400/Aliens+and+pyramids+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This tattoo represents Aliens building the Pyramids. Mike is into conspiracy theories and the mystery surrounding the construction of these magnificent structures continues to stir the imaginations of humankind after thousands of years.<br /><br />The tattoo itself was a two-part construction. The flying saucer was the first to be inked.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXcAJ_GlP7XyLdXwWSWudWVAdlORqMRXhDzsbjpBQ6StO3rXdG2emU8JkmDoYdm-vbQjHmQDQMZ_2jbJ2o2jk3pyEGy_C7-X6BxQ4kT-eXdbqJ4ae4zjCXnweCQ_7pXgUVvCdR7mBjCM/s1600/Aliens+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXcAJ_GlP7XyLdXwWSWudWVAdlORqMRXhDzsbjpBQ6StO3rXdG2emU8JkmDoYdm-vbQjHmQDQMZ_2jbJ2o2jk3pyEGy_C7-X6BxQ4kT-eXdbqJ4ae4zjCXnweCQ_7pXgUVvCdR7mBjCM/s400/Aliens+wm.jpg" width="367" /></a></div><br />The artist was <a href="http://www.lovehatetattoos.com/james-hamilton.html">James Hamilton</a> at <a href="http://www.lovehatetattoos.com/">Love Hate Tattoo Studio</a> in Miami. Love Hate, for those who don't know, is the shop featured in the show <a href="http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/miami-ink/miami-ink.html">Miami Ink</a>.<br /><br />The pyramids were later added by <a href="http://thecodeofconduct.com/artists/jason-hoodrich/">Jason Hoodrich</a> at <a href="http://thecodeofconduct.com/">Code of Conduct</a> in Chicago. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHs93q0ch_E0tfAF7qRryCnenjHNcSzUQ1jKlGbw5ZOe3QHwc6QKtwSoRrLKGWU176Wu9bN5m3leBs8ZX_ka_VvcIizXXHw2pvqjUJzaA7bulZ26G6RPFC93206nYSD7VeZqLdj25z4Q/s1600/pyramids+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHs93q0ch_E0tfAF7qRryCnenjHNcSzUQ1jKlGbw5ZOe3QHwc6QKtwSoRrLKGWU176Wu9bN5m3leBs8ZX_ka_VvcIizXXHw2pvqjUJzaA7bulZ26G6RPFC93206nYSD7VeZqLdj25z4Q/s400/pyramids+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Thanks to Mike for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Mike's Flying Saucer and Pyramids Were Meant to Appear Here

There are often times that I see interesting tattoos but the opportunity to speak to their hosts is not ideal, so I make peace with the fac...

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The Tattoosday Product Review: Troll Skin Aftercare

Two weeks ago, Americans celebrated Thanksgiving in a variety of ways. Most had large dinners with families, many went on a televised football binge, and others watched the Macy*s parade and/or the Philadelphia dog show on NBC. I, of course, nursed <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-thanksgiving.html">my new Thanksgiving tattoo</a>.<br /><br />For those of you just tuning in, late November found me being thankful for the good people at <a href="http://www.skinactives.com/aboutus.aspx">SkinActives</a>, for sponsoring a little contest we had here to choose which of these tattoos that I should get inked to commemorate the holiday (and <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/">Hand of Glory’s</a> cool Thanksgiving Special).<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/AVvXsEg5OB4mYGDD16U3_HysrRMTQP__7la3R-VW4v6djB18iJac_Q-7zNyHSKdhyioD6aZRPxH8P-hOyGoTy1dcHJTUe73HmCIN_fgc-6FPTTtgk9gNSVib0RAWcS1dJAioSFas9Kklug8GQAI/s1600/Brian+at+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OB4mYGDD16U3_HysrRMTQP__7la3R-VW4v6djB18iJac_Q-7zNyHSKdhyioD6aZRPxH8P-hOyGoTy1dcHJTUe73HmCIN_fgc-6FPTTtgk9gNSVib0RAWcS1dJAioSFas9Kklug8GQAI/s320/Brian+at+work.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brian Faulk at Hand of Glory, Helping Me Celebrate Thanksgiving Permanently</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Why would a skin care company sponsor such an endeavor? Well, they wanted me to sample their <a href="http://www.trollskin.com/">Troll Skin Tattoo Aftercare</a> product and I suggested that the best way to do so would be to have a fresh tattoo on which to use their product. The rest, they say is history.<br /><br />Immediately after the agreement was reached, however, I had some concerns. What if Troll Skin was not something I could positively review? Into what kind of moral conundrum had I wandered? I assured myself that the Troll Skin Aftercare folks wouldn’t be sending out samples to an inkblogger if they weren’t 100% confident in their product.<br /><br />Fortunately for me, no such moral dilemma surfaced, for I found the Troll Skin product to do remarkably well. In fact, I am so pleased with it, I intend to use it for all future tattoos.<br /><br />My most recent tattoos were treated the same way. Aquaphor ointment for the first 72 hours, and then Lubriderm cream until the tattoo had fully healed. This regimen seemed to work for me, but it has its drawbacks. For example, whatever clothing you have that may cover the tattoo that has been treated with Auquaphor, bid it farewell. The spot of clothing near the tattoo absorbs the ointment and is discolored permanently. It is also a thicker, gooier substance.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-KS79996xhcC0VpZOnIhe2tQ8Ipqfj5fZObARdg7Axxj2Cy_7RhfPpV9x1rrAAmDNzs1cUKYI1oPWoqYLDv5lzKM91SyfDlZEVgGC-zBXjRMhoqz270J6bzIV9DvMmtdfkIlVDAseWc/s1600/Troll_Skin_Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-KS79996xhcC0VpZOnIhe2tQ8Ipqfj5fZObARdg7Axxj2Cy_7RhfPpV9x1rrAAmDNzs1cUKYI1oPWoqYLDv5lzKM91SyfDlZEVgGC-zBXjRMhoqz270J6bzIV9DvMmtdfkIlVDAseWc/s1600/Troll_Skin_Logo.jpg" /></a>The Troll Cream instructions indicated I could safely apply the product as part of the initial tattoo treatment. Not only did the recommendation of keeping it in the refrigerator help soothe the new tattoo upon application<br />of the cream, but it was 90% neater. No gooey mess to confront, and no clothing had to be sacrificed. This is because the product is water-based, so it absorbs better into the skin and less into the fabric around it.<br /><br />More importantly, <u>the healing process went faster than I remembered it had in the past</u>. I was starting to see the peeling process as early as Saturday, only three days after getting the tattoo. This can be attributed to ingredients like natural oils from jojoba, sesame seed, almond, and avocado, as well as sea kelp extracts, Epidermal Growth Factor and Copper Peptides. This is what it looked like a week out:<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/AVvXsEiMhXfgYFZcqk-vey3uE4UqCcMYDEyA81PWlAzB5dsZOXycvq3XuKbodq9Ykaf-y5Dg8J2_Lh3Y2OZew5TrUWZDS-ENWx4dGhOKOp-67lt5ImBv2AVuYJEv1sceccSdxhQEkLf_Q5cjIlY/s1600/Thanks+Tat+1+week+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhXfgYFZcqk-vey3uE4UqCcMYDEyA81PWlAzB5dsZOXycvq3XuKbodq9Ykaf-y5Dg8J2_Lh3Y2OZew5TrUWZDS-ENWx4dGhOKOp-67lt5ImBv2AVuYJEv1sceccSdxhQEkLf_Q5cjIlY/s400/Thanks+Tat+1+week+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Week Old, Just a Little Scabbing Remains</td></tr></tbody></table>The piece has healed quite nicely, as can be seen from the following photo of my two-week old body art:<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/AVvXsEj2liKFisKfztOQJRTh4tO9zzD-ecLfuIB30yNB-11LAa__lRk6MJnMAl_RJgW5v2w5NFcd4AONC_1eborqrlfwXIOrMOmdej2MvY88IIeyQ1QLenhbf6HjNQ23IfXQ20uE8f7Tb3LU3Wk/s1600/Thanks+Tat+2+weeks+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2liKFisKfztOQJRTh4tO9zzD-ecLfuIB30yNB-11LAa__lRk6MJnMAl_RJgW5v2w5NFcd4AONC_1eborqrlfwXIOrMOmdej2MvY88IIeyQ1QLenhbf6HjNQ23IfXQ20uE8f7Tb3LU3Wk/s400/Thanks+Tat+2+weeks+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 Weeks, Healed and Vibrant!</td></tr></tbody></table>Amazing that originally, the stencil looked like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKgPkBmO9wGIp7VB-RKIh3OHo4zmp1-SviCs7GC4kQpkq9hq-mbkgK1BUymmTCv6i4omnRasuXFYdCsNhseFesHzBPYnElw3nqGAV5O6rbsOvgjwqXcrhiJMcUhXPlpod-vaizdgELV4/s1600/Stencil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKgPkBmO9wGIp7VB-RKIh3OHo4zmp1-SviCs7GC4kQpkq9hq-mbkgK1BUymmTCv6i4omnRasuXFYdCsNhseFesHzBPYnElw3nqGAV5O6rbsOvgjwqXcrhiJMcUhXPlpod-vaizdgELV4/s400/Stencil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I also like that the Troll Skin Aftercare cream comes in a little round tin, rather than a tube or cap-top bottle, which has the potential to open or break in transit.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-kJVYWnadmjLUG8KcI27OS36Q5_gTzMBphNXxqioMLwSdKPytyXTeEWs8XTue9DAtk1a25HmBTdefCza7ItoKYvKHn2eaXMrCyNl-glaLXmEsh38lkybOdk266qkpKB7kOElnesI0Pg/s1600/main_page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-kJVYWnadmjLUG8KcI27OS36Q5_gTzMBphNXxqioMLwSdKPytyXTeEWs8XTue9DAtk1a25HmBTdefCza7ItoKYvKHn2eaXMrCyNl-glaLXmEsh38lkybOdk266qkpKB7kOElnesI0Pg/s320/main_page.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The biggest drawback? Perhaps the price. Suggested retail is $27.50. However, considering this is a treatment for protecting a lifelong investment that can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to obtain, it’s a veritable bargain. Consider also that my old treatment involved Aquaphor (approximately $8) and Lubriderm (also $8), you’re only paying  a little bit more, for what I deem to be a superior treatment.<br /><br />Troll Skin also comes as a serum (MSRP $14) which is recommended for post-healing for “continued skin health and to maintain the vibrancy of the artwork”.<br /><br />Readers of Tattoosday know that I don’t generally endorse products here, aside from an occasional book review. However, I would certainly recommend this product for tattoo healing. I know, I know, people are generally overprotective of their new tattoos and don’t like to change their healing regimens. Nonetheless, why not embrace a product if it’s an improvement to an old process, and why not spend a little more to protect something you will carry proudly for a lifetime?<br /><br />For more information, visit the Troll Skin website at <a href="http://www.trollskin.com/" target="_blank">www.TrollSkin.com</a> and <a href="http://www.skinactives.com/aboutus.aspx">SkinActives Scientific</a>.<br /><br /><br />Thanks again to the good people at SkinActive for their cooperation with this project!

The Tattoosday Product Review: Troll Skin Aftercare

Two weeks ago, Americans celebrated Thanksgiving in a variety of ways. Most had large dinners with families, many went on a televised footba...

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Laura's Two Tattoos

I met Laura in October after I spotted this tattoo on her foot:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTR1Ymv2xFc3oOWn3RS64I8GOrvRArPHIF08x749cytzMKi255hYycc9E4sBSp5RSw0cZxhvRrEjPmiUCkkUpffvVe2_lqsibaYDCjC_llhnnyjRyAVB0Zcd5FjcaeSFjy3lyd6vXP64/s1600/Leopard+Frog+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTR1Ymv2xFc3oOWn3RS64I8GOrvRArPHIF08x749cytzMKi255hYycc9E4sBSp5RSw0cZxhvRrEjPmiUCkkUpffvVe2_lqsibaYDCjC_llhnnyjRyAVB0Zcd5FjcaeSFjy3lyd6vXP64/s400/Leopard+Frog+wm.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />This is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_frog">leopard frog</a>, which reminds her of growing up, when she spent time in <a href="http://www.shawmere.com/">Shawmere</a>, near <a href="http://travelingluck.com/North%20America/Canada/Ontario/_6062309_Lyndhurst.html#local_map">Lyndhurst</a>, in Eastern Ontario, Canada. She nostalgically recollects her summers as a young girl,  fishing and catching frogs.<br /><br />Laura has a second tattoo, just above her waistline, which she generously shared with us, as well:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxvogrLz44ocQa8JqrtUyeGTonESnBg1l4A-Wa3YqeQKV1HB_Pi_vjPZIfJRnhwBqRxHk8UJIwmKEuCbDSiqUd9bE-cY61Wo0xmOedU4erCkfKnOQqd-CWjxlZ4OqU59TZc52FOB-z1c/s1600/edelweis+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxvogrLz44ocQa8JqrtUyeGTonESnBg1l4A-Wa3YqeQKV1HB_Pi_vjPZIfJRnhwBqRxHk8UJIwmKEuCbDSiqUd9bE-cY61Wo0xmOedU4erCkfKnOQqd-CWjxlZ4OqU59TZc52FOB-z1c/s640/edelweis+wm.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><br />This floral tattoo depicts a bouquet with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium">geraniums</a> and the white <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelweiss"> edelweiss</a> flowers. The edelweiss is the unofficial national flower of <a href="http://www.switzerland.com/en.cfm/home">Switzerland</a> and this tattoo commemorates not only the month she spent there as a visitor, but because she loves the Swiss culture and it is her favorite country.<br /><br />Both tattoos were done by Patrick Dean at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/neptunetattooville">Tattooville</a>, in Neptune, New Jersey. Work from Tattooville has appeared previously on our site <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Tattooville">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Laura for sharing these two cool tattoos on Tattoosday!

Laura's Two Tattoos

I met Laura in October after I spotted this tattoo on her foot: This is a leopard frog , which reminds her of growing up, when she spent ti...

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Anja's Tattoo - A Brother and Sister Find Common Ground

Anja was visiting New York City from Denmark earlier this fall, when she ran into me in Penn Station. Of course, I was thrilled when she agreed to share this tattoo with us here on Tattoosday:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDud0A0dNJG6Nm_E78qikVQSZuTJvKvgMEeKJeY78HbhdrXg873eg7v4NCDuhiXlzMoZ11jqR0WpYaya-plzpSaKRVIa_gqhWuaJrlAdXn_ae2w-IB7otbL7sw5dKYrNhg4yW63WPc354/s1600/Anja%2527s+Calf+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDud0A0dNJG6Nm_E78qikVQSZuTJvKvgMEeKJeY78HbhdrXg873eg7v4NCDuhiXlzMoZ11jqR0WpYaya-plzpSaKRVIa_gqhWuaJrlAdXn_ae2w-IB7otbL7sw5dKYrNhg4yW63WPc354/s640/Anja%2527s+Calf+wm.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br />This tattoo on Anja's calf is based on the cover art from <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Es_ist_soweit">Es ist soweit</a></i>, a 1990 album from a German band called <a href="http://www.onkelz.com/">Böhse Onkelz.</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNSopAMAIkZAZtHmcLNBP8E0dSoZZ4nsjyOWUR8epgpB0HtWKCb9rQseEAj0gU3ZHSWhNWN4w0oriApTVVLM_r2R7jKDVErbKpVFYNQvcFQBrO4_t-wuZyWtI7EEbxr1528M9SFC1_Nk/s1600/B%25C3%25B6hse_Onkelz_-_Es_ist_soweit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNSopAMAIkZAZtHmcLNBP8E0dSoZZ4nsjyOWUR8epgpB0HtWKCb9rQseEAj0gU3ZHSWhNWN4w0oriApTVVLM_r2R7jKDVErbKpVFYNQvcFQBrO4_t-wuZyWtI7EEbxr1528M9SFC1_Nk/s400/B%25C3%25B6hse_Onkelz_-_Es_ist_soweit.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><br />This record has significant meaning for Anja because it helped bring her and her brother together. She explained that they lived apart and didn't talk much, growing up in separate households. She was living with her grandmother, and came to visit her father and she was walking past her brother's room and heard him listening to this record. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJMYz1aTgnFkqG0a8IABD35KEf2D0UyuvwoyY3LglsDr-hF6I3yqzQwpTdSWJUxxY7iFCspSniaNkIzztQQ8cvIliSw-oXF1PAzhyphenhyphenrFYVKz2NOoUmFMHq55FmphhoqyLdr6TeIUaIaik/s1600/Anja%2527s+Calf+center+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJMYz1aTgnFkqG0a8IABD35KEf2D0UyuvwoyY3LglsDr-hF6I3yqzQwpTdSWJUxxY7iFCspSniaNkIzztQQ8cvIliSw-oXF1PAzhyphenhyphenrFYVKz2NOoUmFMHq55FmphhoqyLdr6TeIUaIaik/s640/Anja%2527s+Calf+center+detail+wm.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><br />The music brought them together, as she stopped to talk to him about it, learned that he had been listening to <a href="http://www.onkelz.com/">Böhse Onkelz</a> longer than her, and this common ground broke the ice. Whereas before they had very little to talk about, Anja credits the band and this album with helping establish ties with her brother.<br /><br />The top of the tattoo starts a lyric<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qYrOA-Z60jdHFORA4lIc6wKRkGv0rekZQd_blM6aP955BG5HJLOuB_4SvUrp_sHNJhyoLQ6SrFk-D3Y1uVXwragdH8UBqGLAtJIAz3g7FH2yo-z7EtQbsncb2VnIW1H1lTQQAxIhmX0/s1600/Anja%2527s+Calf+top+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qYrOA-Z60jdHFORA4lIc6wKRkGv0rekZQd_blM6aP955BG5HJLOuB_4SvUrp_sHNJhyoLQ6SrFk-D3Y1uVXwragdH8UBqGLAtJIAz3g7FH2yo-z7EtQbsncb2VnIW1H1lTQQAxIhmX0/s400/Anja%2527s+Calf+top+detail+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />and ends with<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdxHDB4J-kPyH1o2tQhWNsuxFs5dNckN3ZzWe_3ChwRs-KudrJILyNWb0LObxcvv3rYLOjSOxppybMzEg69TpF4T77ptrdSOy6m2Ueo-KR27SQmlniXG-2KppHwn_mVjft_veiOo_4Ng/s1600/Anja%2527s+Calf+bottom+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdxHDB4J-kPyH1o2tQhWNsuxFs5dNckN3ZzWe_3ChwRs-KudrJILyNWb0LObxcvv3rYLOjSOxppybMzEg69TpF4T77ptrdSOy6m2Ueo-KR27SQmlniXG-2KppHwn_mVjft_veiOo_4Ng/s400/Anja%2527s+Calf+bottom+detail+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The lyric in question, "Let's forever be that Rebel Monster" is actually from a song by <a href="http://www.volbeat.dk/2/index.php">Volbeat,</a> a Danish rock band, on their first album <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strength/The_Sound/The_Songs">The Strength/The Sound/The Songs</a></i>. The date below, "29-07-19--" is her brother's birth date.<br /><br />This cool, meaningful tattoo was inked in Denmark by an artist named <a href="http://is-is.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21366410775">Dennis Wehler</a>. I love how the words seem to be carved in her flesh.<br /><br />Thanks to Anja for sharing this wonderful tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />As a bonus, here's a little "Rebel Monster" from Volbeat:<br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GqU4Z8g0CPg?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GqU4Z8g0CPg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Anja's Tattoo - A Brother and Sister Find Common Ground

Anja was visiting New York City from Denmark earlier this fall, when she ran into me in Penn Station. Of course, I was thrilled when she agr...

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Robbie's Red Balloon, with a Nod to Seattle

Here it is December and I have all these loose ends, tattoos I photographed in the summer and, for some reason or other, never wrote about.<br /><br />One such example belongs to Robbie, who is originally from Seattle. I stopped to talk to him at the corner of 34th Street and 7th Avenue, and he was kind enough to share this tattoo on his upper right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4R8MuPoWNCB7XlIjOUfGVMpNTMQLEnDEOfuilJF8N31dCOAWS7602TcvIR0WEFS5D2DGLnSm4x9gZz524X0tG-QlP6C2j6s88x_gxCYIEsYJYbhyphenhyphenaZs5MTwy2-Nba60akVMpM6VFqDDY/s1600/red+balloon+collage+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4R8MuPoWNCB7XlIjOUfGVMpNTMQLEnDEOfuilJF8N31dCOAWS7602TcvIR0WEFS5D2DGLnSm4x9gZz524X0tG-QlP6C2j6s88x_gxCYIEsYJYbhyphenhyphenaZs5MTwy2-Nba60akVMpM6VFqDDY/s640/red+balloon+collage+wm.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br />Robbie explained that the red balloon is a family reminder about his grandmother, and that in addition to his own tattoo, his mother, brother, cousin and aunt all have tattoos that contain a red balloon, as a nod to the family matriarch.<br /><br />The skyline depicted is punctuated by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Needle">Space Needle</a>, Seattle's most recognizable landmark. Robbie is from Washington State, and the addition of this famous structure to a metropolitan cluster of buildings, which includes a scaled-down replica of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building">Empire State Building</a> to its right, is a nod to his home town, while also recognizing New York City, his current home.<br /><br /><br />Robbie credited the tattoo to Liz at <a href="http://addictionnyc.fotki.com/tattoos/">Addiction NYC</a>, although he noted she tattoos somewhere out on Long Island now.<br /><br />Thanks to Robbie for sharing his tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Robbie's Red Balloon, with a Nod to Seattle

Here it is December and I have all these loose ends, tattoos I photographed in the summer and, for some reason or other, never wrote about. ...

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Mrs. Dirtbird's Wedding Tattoo

Yesterday we enjoyed seeing <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/11/introducingdirtbird.html">the neck tattoo</a> of a Missouri-based artist nicknamed "Dirtbird," as well as <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/11/introducingdirtbird.html">a piece</a> he had inked on his friend Shawn.<br /><br />In addition to meeting both Shawn and Dirtbird across the street from where I work, I also met Katie, who half-jokingly referred to herself as "Mrs. Dirtbird". She shared this tattoo with us:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qWXXuYuHb4GQ3TmUlj7_-dCdRF0q9d-fMqm2ZX51Q3ZvfZO5PcTzJhz8Df9BsfnSfmOuuyB7xOdwybgdGXkDZfaDNEre6jLEsgSFikqmYBumhVeC49_dj084aaGIbnTCBcSgxbfvuDE/s1600/Mrs+Dirt+Bird+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qWXXuYuHb4GQ3TmUlj7_-dCdRF0q9d-fMqm2ZX51Q3ZvfZO5PcTzJhz8Df9BsfnSfmOuuyB7xOdwybgdGXkDZfaDNEre6jLEsgSFikqmYBumhVeC49_dj084aaGIbnTCBcSgxbfvuDE/s400/Mrs+Dirt+Bird+wm.jpg" width="357" /></a></div><br />Katie explained that this is a wedding tattoo. The piece depicts a heart, comprised of a male and female bird, sewn together. Since she married Dirtbird, this seems like and appropriate expression of their matrimony.<br /><br />The tattoo was inked by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/angie2_bap">Becky "Pink Eye" Ashcraft</a>, who works with Dirtbird at <a href="http://www.punkteur.com/">Punkteur Tattoo</a> in Joplin, Missouri.<br /><br />Thanks to Katie for sharing her cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Mrs. Dirtbird's Wedding Tattoo

Yesterday we enjoyed seeing the neck tattoo of a Missouri-based artist nicknamed "Dirtbird," as well as a piece he had inked on ...

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Introducing...Dirtbird!

Occasionally in my wanderings, I will meet not just tattooed people, but tattoo practitioners, and often those visiting from outside of New York City.<br /><br />So it was no surprise, when I approached a gentleman across the street from where I work, at 31st and 7th, to learn that I was talking to an artist.<br /><br />Working out of <a href="http://www.punkteur.com/">Punkteur Tattoos & Piercing</a> in Joplin, Missouri, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/dbirdtattoo">Derek "Dirtbird" Wieberg</a> estimates he has 130-150 hours of work inked on his personal canvas.<br /><br />With so much to choose from, he offered up this piece, on the right side of his neck:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8BKMl0mjmvGGHTf9PeK5iAUijljVMHpX92GTMBJEsvXf1PbtBBadqMjD52jM76kfUzbcV_CQtTktnfApYiT0cAIgpb3s0tW3OVaA0TQeyQ-tJdYBZorK9RWacoypoX-U3gVRVXWlksE/s1600/Dirt+Bird+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8BKMl0mjmvGGHTf9PeK5iAUijljVMHpX92GTMBJEsvXf1PbtBBadqMjD52jM76kfUzbcV_CQtTktnfApYiT0cAIgpb3s0tW3OVaA0TQeyQ-tJdYBZorK9RWacoypoX-U3gVRVXWlksE/s640/Dirt+Bird+wm.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br />It seemed fitting, considering his name.<br /><br />Dirtbird praised the artist, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/slzybstrd">Rick Pierceall</a> at <a href="http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Karma.Tattoo.And.Body.Piercing.918-728-8088">Karma Tattoo</a> in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who has done all of his throat work.<br /><br />Considering it is Two-for-Tattoosday, I'll share this photo as well:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRkjcbU7tvDOb4ViEtnpA317_yY5qLhfAi5ZEwAGEK2ov7sjKFxG9UkEbAJWRFpd9w4GsFB5lyPlJmoNw6TqcvzsAsIeNzXx5qvDTlUscCemKRuKU-YxsdJvFu6vut6AXmpLnoo_K5qU/s1600/Dirt+Birds+Bird+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRkjcbU7tvDOb4ViEtnpA317_yY5qLhfAi5ZEwAGEK2ov7sjKFxG9UkEbAJWRFpd9w4GsFB5lyPlJmoNw6TqcvzsAsIeNzXx5qvDTlUscCemKRuKU-YxsdJvFu6vut6AXmpLnoo_K5qU/s640/Dirt+Birds+Bird+wm.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />That's not Dirtbird, but it's his handiwork! The owner of this tattoo is Shawn, who had the good fortune to be inked by Dirtbird. They collaborated on the design together.<br /><br />Thanks to Dirt Bird and Shawn for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br />Tune in tomorrow to see a tattoo from Katie, aka Mrs. Dirtbird!

Introducing...Dirtbird!

Occasionally in my wanderings, I will meet not just tattooed people, but tattoo practitioners, and often those visiting from outside of New...

Read more »