2 Day Sleeve by Mevin Todd

One thing about a City of Ink is that our artists are real artist... They have vision & drive.. They have something to prove to the world...this is a 2 day sleeve done by City of Ink's Melvin Todd....I love the idea of 2 snakes forming the DNA.. Very creative... And the quality of this piece deserves a blog from me and much respect to Melvin Todd for this amazing sleeve in a short period of time... I'm proud your apart of The COI Family

To book an appointment with Melvin Todd please call 404-525-4465 or just drop by from 1pm-10pm @ City of Ink: Tattoo & Art Gallery 323 Walker St (Castleberry Hill) Atlanta, GA 30313 closed on Sundays
































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Location:City of Ink

Corey Davis Returns: July 17-23

Corey Davis will be tattooing in Atlanta @ City of Ink from July 17-23! Book your appointment now... 100% custom tattooing





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Location:City of Ink

Anthony's Tribal Tattoo, Inspired by Fiji

Last month I ran into Anthony in Penn Station with this interesting, yet unfinished, tattoo on his left arm:

A visitor from England, Anthony let me take the photo, but he was in a bit of a rush, so I didn't get too much information from him, other than this was a Polynesian-themed design, inspired by a trip he took to Fiji.

He credited Toni at Lycan Ink in Liverpool, England, with the work.

Thanks to Anthony for sharing with us here on Tattoosday.

Lion Tattoo

This piece is a cover up... But I forgot to take the "before" picture...it was a 2 day session... I did the lion first... The next day I did the background & dove....his arm begin swelling so I didn't get a pic of the finished product...but he said he will send me a photo... Once I get it I will post it








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Location:City of Ink

Repost: Happy Independance Day!

Happy 4th of July. I am away for the weekend up in Woodstock, New York, so I'm reposting a patriotic tattoo that appeared here back in 2008. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!


I ran into Rob in my neighborhood in late August and he gladly shared his patriotic tattoo.

Rob is a Revolutionary War buff and has a distinct interest in American history.

He wanted an "old school" tattoo back in 2000, and wanted something patriotic back "before it was fashionable". He's referring of course, to the explosion of post-9/11 red, white and blue ink. He wasn't disrespecting or being critical of patriotic tattoos done after 2001, he was merely clarifying for me that his piece was not a product of the huge wave of emotion that surged through the country after that day of infamy seven years ago.

Rob's "Land of the free, Home of the brave" banner with the original 13-star flag was inked by Darren Rosa at Rising Dragon in Manhattan. Work from Rising Dragon has appeared on Tattoosday previously here.

Thanks to Rob for sharing his red, white, and blue patriotic tattoo with us here on Tattoosday on this occasion.

The Lovely Tattoo of Legs Malone

I couldn't help notice the striking woman standing on the subway platform waiting for the R train. She was tall, had long shapely legs, a close-shaven head, and a small tattoo on the back of her left calf.

The R pulled in and, as luck would have it, we sat down next to one another on the train.

I had to introduce myself.

Turns out, I was sitting with a burlesque performer named with the stage name Legs Malone.

We didn't have a lot of time to talk, as she was exiting the train a stop or two earlier than me, but she obliged me for a photo by taking my camera and shooting the tattoo on the back of her leg:

She told me that this small tattoo (the only one visible on her frame) was inspired by a heart-shaped bruise that she wanted to replicate on her skin, but in a more aesthetically-pleasing way. The flowers around the heart are cherry blossoms.

The tattoo was inked at Fly Rite Studio by Charlie Foos, who is now at Read Street Tattoo Parlour in Baltimore. Charlie's work most recently appeared on Tattoosday here.

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

City of Ink: Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa, & Currency

This Tuesday, Tuki Carter tattooed Rick Ross & Wiz Khalifa for the music video for the "Super High" Remix also featuring Currency... City of Ink had to close the shop to the public so the filming could be done...Tuki did his thing and will also be featured in the video as the tattoo artist.....Rick Ross always looks out for Tuki & City of Ink...so much love to their brother....me & Sophie was on the plane coming back to we missed everything but I heard the blunts were rolled up and the vibe was fun & beautiful...I will post the video once it's sent to me




Tuki adding on to Wiz Khalifa's tattoos




Rick Ross & Currency @ City of Ink this Tuesday... Video shoot

Also Follow Tuki Carter in Twitter @tukicarter


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Location:City of ink

Leaving....

Sitting on the plane... I had one of those moments...day dreaming of peace... Seeing my boys following their dreams...my kids doing their thang in school... My wife finding inner peace in her soul and be happy again with or without me in her life....my film project, my book... Which is almost finished.... My nephews and how I wish I could be closer to them to let them know their uncle is also working hard for them too... The direction my paintings are going in these days and when I will have another Miya Dreamland art show....in the air I think about all my people back in the projects I wish I could help... And my mother still having to work everyday when I feel she deserves to travel and see the world with me....the more success I reach the lonely my life seems....I suppose to be happy and I am happy but I still can feel
Saddness creeping up on me....the closer I get to my dreams... the farther I feel I grow from my love ones...no matter where I go, I still don't feel my family & friends understand my mission in life.... It's not about money and frame.. It's about creating jobs and helping people who deserve help....how can a mind grow if they never seen the world? How can you step out the box when your trapped and locked inside the box? I try to focus only on the positive but when you have to hear negative stuff everything and your the source of the positive energy most of the time it will get to you.... Looking out the window of the plane... I seen the sun... It felt like God was just telling me to "stay focused, they won't understand your every move but at the end of the day they will be thankful for the gift you will give them all in the future." I don't want to be a leader but it seems like I'm forced to be one... No one else is stepping up for the job... And why do I have these feelings to help my people when most of the time it don't even pay off? I guess it my nature to express, to teach other never to hold back... How not to focus on the flaws of others but to feed them with positive feedback to inspire them to move foward in their dreams...this isn't saddness but a God given instinct to do what i'm programmed to do... Open the doors for others... And spark something in their minds so they can see the world different... One person at a time if needed...





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Bullbog in Chicago

On the way to the airport... We stopped by a few stores....I picked up a new tie... I decided I will start wearing more ties and get my grown man on... As I stepped out the store I ran into a bulldog... As y'all know I'm a big fan of the bully breed.... This 3 year old girl was beautiful to me











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Wicker Park

My last night in Chicago I hooked up with some friends and hit up Wicker Park for some underground hip-hop....from taggin' to b-boyin' hip-hop is alive in the chi...




















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Location:Chicago

Sophie's Last Chicago Tattoo

Sophie usually hits the road Witt me... She a real hard worker and a go getter like me....I love to see COI artists getting that money and creating tattoos that will turn heads....here is her last tattoo from Chicago


To book Sophie in Atlanta or New York please call 404-525-4465 1pm-10pm closed Sundays. Sophie also takes walk-ins @ City of Ink 323 Walker St. Atlanta GA, 30313


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Location:Chicago

My Last Chicago Tattoos

The last day of the tattoo expo was an easy day...I was tired so I'm glad my last appointments didn't try to over work me... Time was limited, it was my wife's bday so i wanted to take her out on the town for a nice dinner... And my back was in serious pain from tattooing long hours without any real breaks.....enjoy these pieces...








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Location:Chicago

The Last Day at the Body Art Expo

This was the last day at the Body Art Expo.... Chicago people are REALLY cheap when it comes to quality tattoos... So I'm lucky I didn't take "walk-ins" and had my own appointments... My clientele pays me what my art is worth... And I'm very thankful to them.... I wanted to check out Chicago to see if there is a place for a City of Ink there... I love the city but I seen some really really really poorly done tattoos in the city... So I fear the first 4-5 years of business would be all cover-up work and that would make any tattoo artist depressed.. So I'm sorry Chiacgo I doubt I will be opening a shop there.... Too many scratchers and too many cheap customers... A city that beautiful really should have people covered in the best body art.... Instead I seen a lot of hood tattoos and poor quality work...I will have the NY & ATL shop so my Chi clients are always welcomed to visit my other shops...I promise you it will be worth the trip...tattoos are for life....the Body Art Expo was "ok" I still wish more black people would come out and support the black tattoo artists that were trained for them... Instead the black people just went to the booth who had the cheapest prices... Very sad... A cheap price over good quality is crazy to me... But hey to each Its own.... As long as COI supporters came out for me & Sophie... I'm thankful... I will be back many blessings!





















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Location:Chicago

Zulu She-Warrior & Lion: TATTOO

Here is the tattoo that was inspired by the big booty toy...it was honor.... Thanks bruh









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Location:Chicago

Big Booty Babe

I have always collected toys and figures... And the Big Booty Babes have always been some of my favorites...you rarely see figures with real curves, so props to the creator for designing these....one of my appointments brought one in to inspire his Zulu Warrior tattoo









Posted from my iPhone

Location:Chicago

Son's of Water

I wish I had a better photo of this tattoo on my iPhone... I will post better ones once I have time to sit down in front of a computer and download the photos....this piece was done in Chicago... She wanted something to rep her two sons... Both born on the same day.... 3 years apart....she also wanted it to rep for her husband... And the Aquarius.


I started off with my Shapier markers drawing a design straight to her body following her nature curves..


Next came the outline with a solid black background to give it a feeling of depth...


After the outline & shading I added warm colors to pop off her skin tone.... Now it's finished

Posted from my iPhone

Location:Chicago

Stephanie's Serpentine Strength

Under normal circumstances, I may not have stopped to chat with Stephanie about her wrist tattoo. However, she was playing with her new corn snake, which is not something you see everyday when passing through Pennsylvania Station.

Stephanie introduced me to her new friend Muñeca (the Spanish word for "doll")

and then elaborated on one of her three tattoos, the word "Strength" on her inner left wrist:

She had this done at a time in her life when she was depressed, so she put the word on her wrist to remind her to always be strong.

What's truly interesting about this tattoo and the juxtaposition of the snake is the serpentine nature of the letter "S". My friend and co-worker Maida also pointed out, when I showed her the photo, that muñeca also has the anatomical meaning of "wrist" in Spanish.

The tattoo was done at Progressive Tattoo in Lindenhurst, New York.

Thanks to Stephanie for sharing her tattoo and Muñeca with us here at Tattoosday!

Kristina's Labyrinthine Symbol of Hopi

A few weeks back, I met Kristina, after spotting the top of her tattoo peeking out from under her shirt and reaching toward her neck.

I was intrigued and asked her about it. She revealed it to be a much larger piece than I initially observed and explained that it is a Hopi symbol of mother-daughter unity that accompanies her on her spiritual journey through life.

From what I can gather, this is a variation on the symbol for Tapu'a, or Mother Earth, and the maze-like construction of the emblem represents one's journey through life.

She had this inked at a shop in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

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