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Is that the coolest buffalo-on-a-bike tattoo you’ve ever seen, or what?!?

My new tattoo based on my buffalo-on-a-bike design, which is also uploaded a few pictures back. Why a buffalo on a bike? Do you really have to ask?

I’ve had this design idea in my head for at least a year. I had a guy I know draw a slightly different version of it a while ago, but this version I made myself by combining a buffalo silhouette that I found on the interweb with the bike symbol from a bike path sign. I had to stretch the buffalo’s legs a bit to fit them onto the pedals (buffalo aren’t exactly easy to anthropomorphise), and I angled the buffalo’s tail back with the wind, and then angled the front legs to rest them on the handlebars. It was fun. And now it’s permanently tattooed on my left shoulder.

I got it done at Shamus McInky’s in South Buffalo. The tattoo below it is from 1993.

-Thomas - Bike Blog

Meghan’s Burning Man Tattoo

I went to Burning Man in 2003 and 2004. My first year (2003) I was only 16 years old. It was a life changing experience for me. Burning Man taught me that I was an independent women who shouldn’t allow herself to be controlled by people around her. My second year was a chance at freedom and I built my first Art Project called “Freedom to Peace”.

The symbol of the “man” in my tattoo is the Burning Man symbol. The ring around the man stands for Unity among the human race and the sun over the man is my Native American Tribal sign.

I didn’t get the tattoo until 2006. I was in a relationship with a very controlling person and I wasn’t allowed to get one. Once I finally broke free the first thing I did I was get a tattoo, for me the tattoo is more than just a reminder of Burning Man but also a reminder that I am strong and can stand on my own two feet, it is a constant reminder that I am powerful.

My Step Dad David Breen hand designed it for me.

- Meghan

Inked by Angel at Tat Magic in Fairfield California

Samantha’s Dragonfly Tattoo

From the time I was 3 until I was about 13 my stepfather sexually molested me almost every night. In 7th grade I finally told someone and it seemed as if my life would always revolve around him and what I went through as a child. 5 years later I decided that it was time to put it all behind me and start with a clean slate.

I live in NY, but I got this tattoo in Canada, 2 months after my 18th birthday. My dad designed it for me with the tattoo artist that day. It means so much more to me because of that.

The dragonfly symbolizes endurance and my mental and emotional growth and maturity. It is said that people who have the dragonfly as their totem have had passionate and emotional early years, but as they grow older they achieve emotional and mental clarity and control. That’s me.

The character to the dragonfly’s left is the kanji symbol for “LIFE.” The symbol is a reminder to me that I have so much to live for, that the life I lead for last ten years does not have to be the one that leads me for the next ten.

And if you look closely there is an “S” where the dragonfly’s body should be because I am that creature and that creature is me.

I GOT THIS TATTOO SO THAT WHENEVER I LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER AND TO THE PAST I CAN REMEMBER THAT I HAVE ENDURED, THAT I HAVE GROWN, AND THAT THAT PART OF MY LIFE IS BEHIND ME…

- Samantha

Tattoo Artist: Sergei
Lower East Side Tattoo and Body Peircing - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Lizzie’s Forearm Star Tattoos

I had the black stars tattoo added to my arm shortly after my 19th birthday in response to contacting and meeting my birth parents. The top black star represents my mum and dad who have raised me, the other 2 stars represent my birth mother and my birth father.

I’ve spent nearly 2 years getting to know them both and the siblings that I have from each of them and decided that the tattoo needed to be finished with the addition of those siblings. Each outline represents a different one. The top one being my adopted brother who I have grown up with. I chose to get his star at the top because he is the closest connection to who I am. When our parents are dead and gone he will be the person I turn to in order to help me remember them.

The four stars at the bottom represent my half brother Perry (from my birth father) my half sister Hannah (from my birth mother) and my 2 other half sisters Dana and Molly (also from my birth father)

Although my star tattoo isn’t much to look at I do get a lot of questions about it and it has an important meaning to me.

Katie’s Ivy Tattoo

Courtney’s Ivy Tattoo

Courtney, my best friend of 20 years and I recently got matching tattoos. Our friendship is definitely significant enough for and worth of a couple of tattoos. Our parents went to college together and we’ve lived 2 houses away from each other our whole lives so there’s no stopping us now.

There are various meanings for ivy leaves but a few significant ones we found that made us choose it were “long and lasting friendship” and “reliable friend.” We each have the other’s first initial incorporated into the design.

Courtney came up with the original design and the final design was put together by the tattoo artist.

- Katie

Tattoos by “Johnny Truant” AKA Kenny of 4 in the Morning Studios - East Northport, NY