Death Tattoo inspired by The Sandman

This lil ink blotch was probably around ten years in the making. It has been in my mind in some form for at least that long. About a year ago I decided to put things into motion and finally commit to getting it done.

I had originally intended to do the art myself but my once upon a time talent has over many years of neglect and un-use eroded away like a sand castle at high tide. I spent a few days doing very rough sketches and jotting down notes in the margins trying to get all the info from lo those many years onto the paper so I could hand it off to another more capable illustrator to bring to life.

I then put together a very short list of artists who had worked on The Sandman that I thought would be right for the job. I settled on Richard Case (remembered most for his classic run on Doom Patrol) for many reasons including a) He’s a super nice guy. b) He’s a fellow NCer. c) He worked on one of my fav arcs of Sandman. d) His style is very similar to where my own style was headed. and e) His art looked like it would translate well to being tattooed.

Rich took my sketches and notes and did an amazing job. There was very little that I asked him to change from his earliest sketches. I took his finished art and laid out the text in a graphics program myself.

Last but not least was the search for a Tattoo artist that I thought was good enough to do the work. No hacks for me, only true artists. My first choice fell through. He’s a busy, busy man. I settled on Sarah Peacock of Artfuel.inc studios in Wilmington, NC a lovely and talented British lady. She did a marvelous job, especially in helping me add a touch of color to the piece which I really wanted.

Eventually it will be a half sleeve but I’m still working on what I want as the background. Then I will book more time with Sarah. There is loads of symbolism packed into the design including a Blue Jay perched on the cross that is in memory of my Dad whose name was Jay. When Mom passes a Bumble Bee will be added to honor her, her name is Bea.

It’s all about the yin and yang of life and death, light and dark and how they balance and define each other. The Gaelic on the base of the cross is roughly translated as “My heart is within you”. All comments are welcome and appreciated.

Thanx.

Ivory

Design: Ivory, Richard Case
Tattoo Artist: Sarah Peacock, Artfuel.inc studios, Wilmington, NC

Tracy’s Elephant Tribute Tattoo

This is my second tattoo (my first one is on my ankle.) It’s located on my right shoulder. I got this for my Mother who passed away when I was only 15.I didn’t get it until I was 17 because I didn’t want to rush into just anything, it had to be something that would apply to her and me.

It was the craziest thing, one day I was sitting at my table and I looked at this notepad we had and there were two elephants on it. Since elephants were her favorite animal everything in my house is elephant. Why I never saw it before, I don’t know but once I saw that picture I knew that’s what I wanted.

So I made it personal by adding the Halo and the writing, Called up my tattoo guy and got it done. It really helped me get through the hard times and made me feel that now she would always be with me.

-Tracy

Tattoo Artist – Sean Duffy @ Phenom-A-Bomb Tattoo in PA

Steph’s Aestuo Tattoo

This tattoo was my 25th birthday present from my two best friends. I always knew I wanted to get inked but I’m a fickle girl so the ‘what’ was the big question. Finally one day it struck me–words. I love words and the power that they have, so then it was just picking the right one, one that would always hold meaning and be true.

I chose ‘aestuo’, which is latin for ‘i burn’, connotatively with intensity and passion and desire. As long as I do whatever I do with passion, everything in life is going to be okay. It’s the one thing I demand from myself and others, so it seemed appropriate to mark myself with the sentiment.

I got it done at Icon Tattoos in Murfreesboro, TN. Reverend Horton Heat was blaring from the stereo, and rather than it hurting, which I had always been warned, it felt kinda good.

Inked at Icon Tattoos, Murfreesboro, TN

Jackie’s Roisin Dubh Tattoo

My Roisin Dubh tattoo has a many layered meaning.

My father’s family is Irish, and my mother is South Korean. Roisin Dubh means “Black Rose” in Gaelic. I look more asian than Irish so it confuses most people to see an asian girl with Gaelic on her. They think it spells out my name. I’ve actually had people argue with me about my heritage. Which I find quite funny, because my last name is obviously Irish. I figure I’m quite dark for an Irish girl.

My birth month is June, so my birth flower is the rose. My tattoos with flowers have roses in them, so this just ties into the rest. This is also the only tattoo I have right now that is visible when I’m wearing my regular work clothes. (I work in a hospital.) Since it’s so well done, I haven’t had any complaints about it. And it’s usually the older people who absolutely love it. They seem to love the fact that I’m Irish.

And the last reason…I adore the band Flogging Molly. They have a song called “To Youth (My Sweet Roisin Dubh). It’s the song I love the best out of all their songs, so I got this to pay tribute to the band. Plus, no one who isn’t a Flogging Molly fan knows what it means, so it kind of helps me to find other fans. I’ve also shown it to the band member I met and he loved it.

John at Smiling Buddha Tattoo shop did this one. They are based in Savannah and Statesboro, Georgia. He works at the Savannah shop. I love his work and all the artists there are great. I’ve gotten all my tattoos except one done there. If you’re ever in the Savannah, GA area, go see them. They are some of the best artists I’ve ever met.

-Jackie

Inked by John at Smiling Buddha – Savannah, GA

What motivated me to get my tattoo? A lot of things. I’m Irish by birth and never really appreciated my heritage, because when I was little I always thought it was normal for people to have half of their family living in another country.

It never struck me until after my grandfather died and I visited Ireland with my grandmother that I was lucky to have all that I do, especially when it comes to my family. Even if some of them are across the ocean, we’re always there for each other. And my tattoo is something that has always been a family motto of ours, throughout all of the good and bad times: Maireann croí éadrom i bhfad – A light heart lives longest, in gaelic. Because it’s true, you know?

So this is a tribute to my family, my heritage, my life. That’s why the letters curve in a way, to give it a sense of whimsy, so that I always remember that not everything is going to be perfect, not everything SHOULD be perfect — and I think everybody should remember that. A light heart lives longest! Let the little things go, it’s not worth it.

- Jessica

Inked by Jack Lenz: Artistic Dermagraphics, Boardman, Ohio.

I was a drug abuser for many many years and lost sight of who I was and who I cared about…The tattoos across my back are like this…..The forever love tattoo was for my grandparents who died while I was in drug treatment…..The scorpio and the leo symbol are for me and my best friend with out whom I wouldnt have stayed clean…..The tiger represents the old me breaking through into the new place I want to be….

-tattedcntyprnces

Here’s the story behind Bobo, my octopus tattoo.

From 2000 to 2005 I had chronic abdominal pain caused by endometriosis, adenomyosis and uterine fibroids. Anyone who’s had chronic pain knows that it’s hard to talk about, hard to describe. You don’t want to be complaining all the time, and you don’t want people to feel sorry for you, but it’s also important to express what you’re feeling. It’s important to communicate your state of pain to other people so you don’t feel isolated and alone in your distress.

In 2002 I started characterizing my uterus as an octopus in my abdomen — a strong force of nature who was sometimes very angry and swollen, sometimes mildly stirring, sometimes blissfully asleep or gone. I named my octopus Bobo, and it was easy to talk about her. “Bobo’s very angry today,” I’d say. Or, “Bobo’s good, she’s off somewhere else and I’m so happy for her.” People could ask me, “How’s Bobo today?” and I didn’t have to feel like they were feeling sorry for me or judging me.

Talking about Bobo was an effective way for me to talk about my pain disassociated from emotions, lighthearted, playful and irreverent. The octopus was also an effective metaphor for the types of pain I was experiencing — whether she was squeezing, spikey, radiating or whatever. Bobo the octopus wasn’t bad or mean, she was simply a strong force of nature, doing what she had to do.

In February of 2005 I had a hysterectomy — a blissful, wonderful, freeing hysterectomy. I have been pain-free since my surgery and I am so thankful for no longer living with pain and pain medications. Bobo has been free in the world, set free, and I have been given my life back.

The octopus is still a powerful symbol for me. In May 2006 I got my octopus tattoo from Sasha at Electro Lady Lux in Vancouver, BC. Sasha created the custom design, and I’m so happy with it — it’s exactly what I wanted, like Sasha was reading my mind.

-Kelly

Tattoo by Sasha at Electro Lady Lux in Vancouver, BC
www.electroladylux.com

More Octopus Tattoos

The V tattoo is for my favorite nickname, Vieve. I’ve wanted to get a tattoo for a while, and I’m thinking about eventually getting a larger piece on my back of an ocean wave (my name means “white wave”), but I wanted something smaller for my first one.

A tattoo is something I never really thought I would get, I guess because it’s something I thought I shouldn’t want. Maybe I would regret it later. Maybe it would say something about me that I didn’t want other people to think. But I did want one, and so I decided, why not? If it’s something I want, I should do it. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and learning about myself lately. Instead of trying to figure out what other people want me to be or focusing on what I wish I were, I’m trying to figure out who I really am. Slowly getting there, and it turns out I like this real me a lot!

The V reminds me that I am me, if that makes any sense. I love it.

The left side is straight and strong, and the right side is delicate and whimsical. This represents me pretty well, I think. I got it in dark green ink because, well, I like the color green, and also because I love green living things.

I modified the Rossetti font a bit for the design, and Markus at Kaleidoscope (Cambridge, MA) cleaned up the drawing I doodled on the back of my cable bill and did the work.

- Genevieve

More Hip Tattoos

My father committed suicide in 1992, when I was 12. I was very close to him, and losing him so suddenly and tragically was a huge blow to my 12 year old mind. It took me years to be even able to talk about it or mention him without tearing up or getting excessively defensive.

Every August (the anniversary month of his death) I pretty much go mental…lose control of my emotions. August 2004 marked 12yrs with him, 12yrs without him, and I pretty much had a nervous breakdown. After I recovered from such a set back of healing progression, I decided that I would pay tribute to him the following year with a permanent reminder of his love and my love for him.

August 2005 came around and I realised I just couldn’t do it quite yet…it had to be the right time, not just because it marked a date, but rather because it marked a time in my life when I felt more healed. January 2006 I decided I was ready – to start a new year with a new outlook on life.

I had the tattoo placed on my back to remind myself that the past is behind me. That his love is still with me, but I can put the pain behind me forever and just remember the love and good times. It is centered on my back because he was and always will be the center of my heart, and it is at the top because I want to be able to touch it whenever I feel sad and somehow feel a connection to my daddy.

I am planning an addition to the tattoo this fall. Custom work being designed by Gene at Adrenaline (New Jersey, but he guests in Vancouver). It’s going to become a larger piece, the heart being the center of it, and more like a coat of arms style piece, incorporating aspects of my family ancestry/heritage plus images that I hold near and dear to my heart…

-Jaclyn (Jaclyn’s Aztec Tattoo)

Design: JaclynTattoo work/colour/shading: Gene at Adrenaline (Vancouver)

More Heart Tattoos

I’ve always been a wanderer…never good at staying in one place for long. As a kid my younger brother and I spend summers with our grandparents traveling around in their Lincoln Continental dragging a silver Airstream from the top end of the East Cost to the bottom end of it. I remember seeing the “Mud Flap Girls” on the mud flaps of many 18 wheelers during all those treks. They were also two of the first woman I fantasized about as a lesbian youth.

These girls are a beginning of an eventual large back piece that I plan to one day start again. I’m into dragons and I have a neat drawing of a dragon riding a motorcycle I want to incorporate with a Lincoln Continental and Airstream also riding a highway away from the Mud Flap Girls, road signs (with special meanings), puffy clouds, and other things that speak to my wandering needs.

Anyway, just thought I’d share the tat I have right above my butt crack.

-Tami

Tattoo by: Lea Smith – Lucky Lady Tattoo in Greensboro, NC
(she also did my Mama Bear and Mowing Dog tattoos)

More Lower Back Tattoos