view tattoo, tattoo, update tattoo, pic tattoo: 2011

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

New Mach Five [VIDEO]

Corey & Aware do it again... New video directed by AJ... Love to see everyone working together....

- Posted from my iPhone

City of Ink: Amsterdam [Video]

Miya Bailey, Tuki Carter, Melvin Todd, Paper Frank, Samba & AJ in Amsterdam. Since Melvin & AJ don't smoke it was more for us.... Yeahhhhhhhhh! City of Ink Euro Tour 2011

City of Ink EuroTour pt 3. from artemus jenkins on Vimeo.

- Posted from my iPhone

Friday, October 14, 2011

Taking Walk-Ins $50 & Up

City of ink is taking "Walk-Ins" today... Starting as low as $50 for CUSTOM freedhand tattooing..... 6 artists to pick from

- Posted from my iPhone

Thursday, October 13, 2011

I am a Dream Chaser [Screening in LA]

- Posted from my iPhone

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Kristina: Aon Grá

Over the summer, we were having a yard sale, when Kristina stopped by to peruse the goods. She shared this, one of her four tattoos:

Located on the inside of her right arm, the phrase "aon grá" is Irish for "one love". This decorative tattoo with a powerful message was tattooed by Rob at Brooklyn Ink in Bay Ridge. Work from the shop which, due to its close proximity to "home base" for Tattoosday, has appeared often over the years on the site, and can be seen here.

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

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 http://tattoosday.blogspot.com 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.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Julianne's Owl

I spotted Julianne on the 36th Street train platform in Brooklyn last month and struck up a conversation about her ink. She has eleven tattoos and offered up one of her more recent ones, this owl on her shin:

This was inked by Justin Stephan at A Stroke of Genius Tattoos in Boca Raton, Florida. I like the shop's website because not only was I able to find the tattoo in the artist's gallery, but Justin also commented on the piece a little, saying this was "a cool owl tattoo I did on a walk-in, she was a champ, sat like a rock, the tattoo is in the middle of her shin...".

Julianne likes owls and this is one of her favorite tattoos.

Thanks to Julianne for sharing her owl tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Lynn, Týr, and the Fenris Wolf

I met Lynn in my neighborhood over the summer as she was headed to Green Spa & Wellness Center, where she works as a massage therapist. She has a ton of ink, and shared the piece that dominates her right arm:

Lynn explained that this piece depicts the Norse god T ý r and the Fenris wolf.

She elaborated:

"Týr got his hand bitten off by the Fenris wolf to prevent chaos from entering the world ... I kind of identify with that because I do massage therapy. I help people ... I injured myself helping people - I'm right-handed ... it's not quite the same thing, but [it's] the whole idea of self-sacrifice. You know, the greater good."

Lynn credits Willie Paredes, co-owner of Brooklyn Tattoo, with creating this piece.

Thanks to Lynn for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Kyle's Industrial Sunflowers

Riding uptown on the 3 train, I see a sleeve half way across the car that just looks amazing. I can't make out the specifics, but the color and detail tell me it's a fantastic piece.

The problem is, it's a crowded express train during rush hour, and unless this guy gets off when I get off, I won't get a chance to talk to him.

As luck would have it, he does xit the train at the same stop, and as I am trying to catch up with him as he heads upstairs, and across Broadway, I recognize his left sleeve. His name is Kyle, I interviewed him in 2008 (using a borrowed camera, no less) and his post appeared here.

This is new ink, however, and when I finally catch Kyle on the north side of 72nd, it takes a moment, but he remembers me, and is happy to share his new work, which bears a similar theme to the tattoo I spotted last time our paths crossed:

It is by the same artist, Myles Karr, who had done the tattoo from the original post when he was at Saved Tattoo. Myles is now at Three Kings, also in Brooklyn.

Like the prior encounter, from over three years ago (May 2008), the right sleeve is a dichotomy. The left sleeve is a city vs country tension. This piece is dominated by a burst of sunflowers, which travel down the arm and circle the elbow.

On the flip side is another cityscape, this time more silhouetted, and he explains that his near-pastoral umbringing was punctuated by the sunflowers he and his mother harvested. This, juxtaposed by the industrial city, is the center of the tension between the two aspects of the tattoo.

As an afterthought, I snapped a shot of the murder of crows lining the inside of his arm. "I just love crows," he told me.

He also offered up this shin piece, also by Myles Karr:

He explained it is an old-time traditional circus strongman, as old circus and sideshow imagery being another style of designs that he likes.

It was great seeing Kyle again and appreciating the amazing work he had added since our paths last crossed three years ago. Thanks to Kyle for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

1000 Followers on Instagram....

I just reached 1000 followers on Instagram...it's dope people want to see a window into my life.....i share what I can...

- Posted from my iPhone

Friday, September 30, 2011

Mach 5 is BACK!!!

- Posted from my iPhone

Lauren's Hourglass

Occasionally we'll share a reader submission and today we have a piece contributed by Lauren. She sent in this cool hourglass:

Lauren explains:

"I decided on an hourglass after wanting something to represent living your life to the fullest and realizing time is precious. After thinking and going through all the quotes I could find I decided I would get an hourglass to represent it all. Paul Anthony Dobleman at Spider Murphy's Tattoo in San Rafael, CA is a genius. He has done about 75% of my tattoos and he took my idea and ran with it. Exactly what I wanted. Couldn't be happier! The tattoo is located on my left rib cage."

Thanks to Lauren for sharing her timely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Anthony's Phenomenal Marilyn Monroe Portrait

Without question, Marilyn Monroe has appeared more on Tattoosday than any other celebrity, living or dead. You'd think I'd get tired of seeing her in ink, but I never do. Probably because there are artists out there doing this:

This portrait is on the left leg of Anthony, a photographer I met on Penn Plaza a couple weeks ago. The work is based on this famous photograph:

Anthony credited the artist as Horacio Martinez, at Golden Eagle Tattoo in Santa Barbara, California. The detail in the piece is really spectacular:

When I asked why he chose to ink the legendary actress on his leg, he said, "I was in photo school at the time and we were doing a lot of Hollywood glamor stuff and it was just kind of, on a whim. Why not?"

The piece is two years old and took only three and a half hours for Horacio to complete.

To see all the Marilyn Monroe work that has appeared on Tattoosday, click here. You can also see Anthony's work as a photographer on Tumblr here, or you can visit his website here.

Thanks to Anthony for sharing this incredible tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

COWBOY BEBOP opening credits

Because @marcbernardin reminded me. I actually went online to learn how to make ringtones for the iPhone so I could make my own for this tune.In the comments -- your favorite opening credits, animated or not.

Frank's Koi Blends Traditional and Modern

Back on the first of July, I met Frank as I was headed home through Penn Station. He shared this tattoo on his lower leg:

Frank explained that the tattoo artist was Gus, who works out of John's Tattoos in Islip, New York. He elaborated, telling me, "I originally wanted a koi fish ... not too traditional, but a little bit different. Some modern twist on it ... Gus put the traditional with the modern and there it is."

Thanks to Frank for sharing his koi fish and cherry blossoms with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Jacqueline's Blood Rose

Two weeks ago I spotted Jacqueline and knew I had to ask her about this large tattoo in the center of her back:

Jacqueline explained that she and her older brother got this same tattoo in the same spot. "We just wanted to get a matching tattoo," she told me, "and, you know, we're both blood relatives". It's as simple as that.

She credits Seth Wood with this tattoo. Seth currently works out of Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn. Work by Seth appeared previously on Tattoosday just last month here.

Thanks to Jacqueline for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Andrea Shares a Gil Elvgren Pinup by Shane O'Neill

Earlier this month, I met Andrea while waiting for the A train.

Andrea is covered with tattoos, estimating she has over 50% of her body inked. I always feel privileged when someone so dedicated to the art of tattoo agrees to share their work. Andrea offered up this amazing pin-up on her right forearm:

This amazing tattoo is based on the work of legendary pin-up artist Gil Elvgren. The tattoo artist responsible for this incredible work is Shane O'Neill, who is based in Middletown, Delaware. The detail in this piece is incredible.

Work by Shane has appeared previously on our site here.

Thanks to Andrea for sharing her amazing work with us here on Tattoosday!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Miya Bailey on the term "Black Art"

Miya Bailey..Life outside of Tattooing

Q&A w/ Miya Bailey: Part 1

City of Ink "Euro Tour 2010"

Made Rich tattooing @ City of Ink: Oct.6-8

New York Tattoo artist: Made Rich will be tattooing @cityofink Oct. 6-8

Shout out to One Stroke Tattoo...in Queens

- Posted from my iPhone

Location:323 Walker St. atlanta, GA 30313

Natalie's Geisha Butterfly

Last month, I ran into Natalie on Seventh Avenue and 24th Street. She had several tattoos, but shared this geisha, with butterfly wings, floating on the top of her back:

She got this about six years ago in the city of Leeds from an artist named Diego.

When I asked why she got this particular tattoo, she replied, "I kind of just wanted something that was quite girly, yet strong at the same time."

Natalie is a professional photographer whose work can be seen on her website here.

Thanks to Natalie for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

2 days left Tattooing in LONDON

We have a few #Tattoo openings left in London... 07758 609 728 We leave on Sunday for Amsterdam....so call us asap... Miya Bailey's direct number is: 07589 497 639 miyabaileybooking@gmail.com

Tuki Carter
Melvin Todd
Paper Frank
Miya Bailey

- Posted from my iPhone

Nick's Street Sign is Self-Explanatory

Earlier this week, up in Columbus Circle (see, I don't spend ALL my time in Penn Station!), I ran into Nick, a much-inked individual who kindly allowed me to photograph this tattoo on his left shin:

Nick explained that his friend James tattooed this Pedestrian Crossing sign on him. When I asked him why he chose to get this iconic street sign on his leg, he replied, simply, "We were just bored, and I walk everywhere".

Thanks to Nick for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Troy Davis....

Posted from my iPhone

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

900 followers on Instagram..

I reached 900 followers on Instagram....bout time.... Thanks for the support y'all

Follow me on instagram @miyabailey

- Posted from my iPhone

Kristen's Anchor - Dedicated to Daddy

"This tattoo is for my father," Kristen told me, as we sat talking at the laundromat earlier this month, "because he's my anchor and he's the only man that could ever hold me down and take care of me."

She credits an artist named Twace who works in Brooklyn. [On October 4, 2011, I learned Twace is working at Citizen Ink.] Twace does all her work and is working with Kristen on her sleeve, which is based on family and inspired by Sailor Jerry flash.

When I asked her about coming up with the design, she praised Twace, her artist:

"What I love about him is that we designed the entire piece together ... I paint and do artistic things, as well, which you find [can be] very difficult with tattoo artists to put your inspiration in ... The heart rope was my idea, the color scheme, we basically worked together, bounced ideas off each other, which makes it even more like a special event."

Thanks to Kristen for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, September 19, 2011

City of Ink "Euro Tour 2011" VIDEO [Part 1]

As long as we got internet over here in London...we will keep yall updated with videos....this is Part 1...when we arrived in London...

Just got my UK phone, hit me: 07589 497 639

I just got my personal phone for London so if you need to talk to me please call/text 07589 497 639 I'm open for interviews, event, parties, etc...

If your in London and want a tattoo by me, Tuki Carter, Melvin Todd, or Paper Frank (small, med, large tattoos) please call/text: 07758 609 728 ... Our manager, Samba will handle everything... We are in South London creating masterpieces... COI

- Posted from my iPhone

Saturday, September 17, 2011

It's a Blog World, After All

It's not unusual to occasionally run into someone who's been featured on the blog before, especially in my neighborhood, but this morning I ran into four former Tattoosday subjects. So, out of sheer laziness and the desire to share these encounters, we'll be revisiting these old posts.

First, I ran into Melanie, whose Marilyn Monroe tattoo appeared earlier this year here.

I spotted her where I first met her, in the laundromat. We were chatting when Sandra walked by and said hi. I also met Sandra in the laundromat back in 2009. Her tattoo was featured here.

Then, I ran into James and . James was also a laundromat encounter, although his son went to school with my youngest daughter, so we had seen each other around the neighborhood a lot. Today I ran into him about a block from the laundromat. James was here on Tattoosday in our second post, back in 2007! It's worth checking out here, just to get a perspective of what the site was like "back in the day."

James was walking with his girlfriend, Jeanette, who I met on the subway in 2009, and featured here. What's remarkable is that, at the time, James and Jeanette were not a couple, and I only learned they were together almost a year later, when I ran into James and he told me that his girlfriend had been featured on the site as well.

So, there you have it, folks. Small world, Tattoosday-style!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Corey Davis tattooing in ATL

Corey Davis returns to City of Ink from sept.20-30 call 404-525-4465 mon-sat 1pm-10pm to book for appointment

- Posted from my iPhone

Erin's Tribute to Thomas, Her Grandfather

Back in June, I met Erin on the subway, and she shared this section of her inner forearm:

This tattoo is a tribute to her grandfather, Thomas, who served in the U.S. Navy.

The work was done at High Street Tattoo in Columbus, Ohio.

Erin explained:

"I just told [the artist] that I wanted something that would relate to the Navy, I guess, so that's the anchor. I like Old School tattoos, I like Sailor Jerry classic-style."

Erin also has a Friday the 13th tattoo below this, on her wrist:

This was done at Only You Tattoo in Atlanta.

Thanks to Erin for sharing these cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

"The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo"

Seriously. Seriously.

A Beacon for Marci on Buddy's Arm

I met Buddy a while back while riding the subway. He had 13 or 14 tattoos and shared this piece, from his left forearm:

Buddy explained that this old gas-lit street light serves a memorial piece for Marci, his French bulldog, who passed away at the age of 14. Marci was his "light in the dark" for a dozen years,

The tattoo was inked at The End is Near in Brooklyn. He couldn't remember the artist's name, but based on his description (and my rudimentary knowledge of the artists there), I believe the tattooist was Joey Wilson, who has moved on to Asylum Studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

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

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Ashley's Scarabs

I met Ashley a couple months ago, over the summer, on a Friday afternoon at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station.

She had two tattoos on her upper left arm that jumped out at me:

These two scarabs were tattooed by Jason June, from Three Kings Tattoo, in Brooklyn. Why scarabs? Ashley explained that they have "a family significance from the scarab bracelet that I have." She showed me the bracelet and two of the stones matched the colors in the tattoos. Pretty neat.

Check out posts tagged Three Kings here to see the work we've featured from the shop on Tattoosday.

Thanks to Ashley for sharing these scarabs with us here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Good Time Sam and the Mad Hatter

Last month I ran into a young lady who called herself "Good Time Sam" in Penn Station. She was very enthusiastic about sharing one of her tattoos. She has "at least twenty". She offered up this memorable character:

That is, of course, the Mad Hatter, from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Sam credited this piece to her friend Justin from Pigment Custom Tattoo and Piercing in New Orleans.

She chose this for a tattoo because she likes the character, Hatter, from the book, and she always wears a hat.

The image is based on the original John Tenniel illustration

although it seems that the tattoo artist added some additional detail, along with the phrase "live the madness"

Thanks to "Good Time Sam" for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Holy Ship! Isaac's Vessel and a Biblical Quote

There are a few tattoo artists whose work is so good that, when I'm lucky enough to stumble upon one of their clients, I consider it a great day.

Such was the case on a Monday in August on the Upper West Side, when I stopped Isaac in Trader Joe's as he walked past me. I knew, even before he told me who the artist was, that this piece was special:

Isaac explained that this ship was inked by the amazing Amanda Wachob of Dare Devil Tattoo in Manhattan. Amanda was featured in a small post in the New York Times earlier this year here. I have been fortunate enough to stumble across her work personally once before, as documented in this post from last October.

Isaac explained that this ship was inspired by The Flying Dutchman, a painting by Albert Pinkham Ryder.

One of the amazing things about Amanda Wachob's work is how her tattoos look like they are painted onto the skin. Check out the front of Isaac's ship:

"I used to write 'I'm a Son' on my arm all the time," Isaac told me, "as in a son of God," so he refers to this as his sonship.

He also shared this piece on his left biceps:

This is a Biblical reference, from 1 Corinthians 13, Verses 4-8. The passage is

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."

Isaac and his wife have the same piece, with hers being on her right arm. I love the font that the artist used. He attributed it to Kelly at East Side Ink. Kelly is absent from the shop website, so must have been a former or visiting artist.

Thanks so much to Isaac for sharing these wonderful tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!