Tattoo Endels

Monday, October 31, 2011

Repost: Eddie Graces Egghead's Shoulder

For Halloween, I felt like re-posting a piece that appeared here back in November 2009. To date, this tattoo is in my Top 10 that has appeared on Tattoosday. Enjoy! And have a safe, happy Halloween!

I recently met a gentleman from England, along with his wife, as they were milling about outside of Madison Square Garden.

He referred to himself as "Egghead," I'm guessing due to his bald head. I first noticed the logo for the band Slayer on the back of his calf, along with several other interesting looking tattoos. He estimated he has about a dozen tattoos.

But, like the best Tattoosday stories, he shared this amazing tattoo on his right shoulder, hidden under a sweatshirt, which he pulled off so I could see it properly:

That's a phenomenal piece, courtesy of his artist Ben Boston at The Tattoo Studio in Bristol, England.

The tattoo is a likeness of Eddie, mascot for the band Iron Maiden, one of the premiere metal bands that came out of England in the late 1970's/early 1980's. I won't bore the reader with the catalog of my Iron Maiden fandom, but it certainly made the tattoo even that more wonderful for me.

I even had a nice chat with Egghead and his wife about concerts we had attended.

I thank Egghead for sharing this awesome tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Mary's Call of the Wild

I met Mary outside of Penn Station on Seventh Avenue a couple weeks ago. She shared this tattoo on her right calf:

Mary explained:

"I got my wolf tattoo at some place on St. Mark's Place, I don't remember, I was drunk, after I read [The] Call of the Wild. I had broken my foot and they let me leave work early, so I went to a bar with my best friend and started drinking. And then, I was like, 'We should get tattoos' and she was like 'I'm gonna go home' and then ... she was like 'I'm not gettin' tattooed'. So we went to some shady tattoo shop where they let me run around without shoes on and drink beer like a crazy girl. And all I remember is him asking me if I like lavender and I said, 'yeah, I like lavender' and that was that."

Not your ideal tattoo story but, all things considered, this came out well.

Thanks to Mary for sharing her cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Girl in a Cape and a Book

I met David last month at the Bay Ridge green market at 95th and 3rd. He shared this tattoo on his calf:

David credited this, his first tattoo, to Tony at Citizen Ink on Avenue U in Brooklyn. "I just gave him the concept, and he drew it up," David told me, "A girl in a cape and a book."

Thanks to David for sharing his first tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Celtic & Irish Tattoo Meanings: Pictures & Design Ideas

Irish tattoos are a direct statement of the culture of the Irish people. Celtic tattoos are some of the most stylish of designs around today. The history of these tattoos are one of the reasons that they are so desirable.

Worn as an expression of the pride of their ancestry, many choose the Celtic tattoo because it is surrounded by mystique. This tattoo can actually be traced back to around 500 A.D.

Celtic And Irish Tattoo Meanings
Celtic tattoos have a wide range of styles and designs. The main reason they are so popular is the meaning behind them. They are more than simply a design - the meaning behind these tattoos are symbolic to the ancient Celtic way of life. From swords to crosses, these tattoos are a symbol of the history and religious beliefs of this heritage.

Although some may choose this tattoo because of the intricacy of the design and the universal symbol of the cross, there are many who wear it as a birthright. The Irish cross is different and this is what makes it stand out from other crosses.

Celtic Tattoo Ideas And Design Styles
They are often designed with Celtic knots placed at the points where the parts of the cross meet. The knot is representative of life. The belief that there is no beginning and no end is expressed in the Celtic knot.

Since this is such an intricate design, it requires skill to draw this tattoo. It is not just a series of lines; it is quite elaborate when done correctly.

The cross is actually a symbol that represents the four elements - water, fire, wind and earth - and today's tattoos often have the added features of vines and swirls and intricate geometric designs. The center of the cross represents life, which is surrounded by the natural elements.

Celtic Tattoo History And Specific Meanings
The Irish cross tattoo was placed on warriors many years ago before they went to battle to protect them from their enemies. The claddagh is an example of an Irish tattoo with a meaning that according to Irish culture is a symbol of love and friendship.

The design is two hands holding a heart and contains a crown. There are rings that are made with this design as well that are often given as a token of affection.

The shamrock is another Irish tattoo that is often seen. This is a symbol of good luck and is quite popular. The shades of green that are used for this tattoo can vary, but the basic meaning is still the same.

Another reason the Irish tattoo is so popular is that they can be beautiful in any size. Large designs or small, they are so complex and this is what adds to their beauty.

The Irish flag is often seen as a tattoo. This is a symbol of freedom for those who have Irish heritage. One of the more whimsical tattoos associated with the Irish is a leprechaun. This tattoo is often seen on men and is considered somewhat of a good luck charm.

According to Irish folklore, the leprechaun was the guardian of the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The story is that if you can get to the end of the rainbow before it disappears, you will have found the pot of gold. Perhaps a metaphor for living a successful life.

Collin's Gypsy Snake and Time

I met Collin back in August in the middle of Broadway, between 35th and 35th Streets, sitting at one of those tables that New York City had installed in the middle of the street.

He had a lot of ink, and chose to share this section of his upper left arm:

This piece, a snake with a gypsy head, circling an alarm clock, was done by Grez at Kings Avenue Tattoo in Manhattan on the Bowery. We promoted the shop opening back in May here.

Collin explained the elements of this piece that curves around the arm:

"The clock represents when I was born ... the candle's my life, burning, it's the time I have left ... gypsies are usually known to be good luck ... the snake is for the fucked up parts of my life and the gypsy head is for the good parts of my life, you know, the future."

Collin explained that Grez initially was concerned about all of these elements combined into one piece. "At first he [Grez] thought it was going to be too much," Collin told me, "but it worked out and I'm happy with it."

The clock is particularly remarkable:

Grez's work has appeared on Tattoosday before, here and here. He's a great talent, and I'm always happy to stumble upon his work.

Thanks to Colin for sharing this great tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Sue Shares a Werewolf by Deno

A couple months back, I ran into a woman during the afternoon rush hour in Penn Station who had this amazing tattoo on her right thigh:

Turns out her name was Sue Jeiven, and she is a tattoo artist at East River Tattoo in Brooklyn. More of Sue's work can be seen in East River's Flickr stream here.

This was her most recent tattoo (at the time) and was done by Deno, a visiting artist from Spain, who's Circus Tattoo in Madrid is a top-notch shop. The quality of this piece is phenomenal.

Work from Deno appeared earlier this year on the site here.

Thanks to Sue for sharing her amazing werewolf with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Amy and Her Colorful Hot Air Balloon

Today's tattoos are from Amy, who I met a couple weeks ago in Penn Station. First is this stunning hot air balloon on her upper right arm:

This was done by Brian Marsman at Powerhouse Tattoo Company in Montclair, New Jersey. "I just wanted a hot air balloon and I didn't have a picture for him or anything," Amy told me, "he just drew it up for me."

She also had this tattoo, on her inner right forearm,

This is an interpretation of a watercolor by Angelique Houtkamp entitled "Edith Piaf":

This was done by an artist named Giordano who was visiting from Brazil, set up shop in Amy's dining room, and tattooed a handful of friends and family, including Amy's husband and father.

Thanks to Amy for chatting with me and sharing these tattoos here on Tattoosday!