Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - Sylvia's Back Piece

The one day in Hawai'i when I didn't take any tattoo pictures, I did pass out a few fliers. One I handed to a woman sitting in a chair at the Safeway Center on Kapahulu Avenue.

She had what appeared to be an incredible back piece, the top of which was visible to passers-by.

Sylvia later e-mailed me and shared a link to a site that featured a photo of the tattoo, along with an explanation of the piece. I have extracted it here for the enjoyment of the Tattoosday audience.

First, the tattoo:

Sylvia explains:

"My tattoo represents my ancestry...from the family of the 'Royal Hawai'ian Ole' (chanters of the Alii court), from the snowy mountains of Japan, the homeland of Portuguese Bean soup, and the inter-mix marriages of American Indians and Puerto Ricans. I believe the seven I have on my back describe who I am the best. Most locals have meaning for their tattoos but we also have people like Lindsay who just go with their flow. Many families have several signs that make up their families even as far as the Scottish Clan "Duncan" like me..."

What's wonderful about this tattoo to me is that Sylvia has incorporated so many cultures and motifs into the design which, as she acknowledges, is based on the wonderful mix of heritage and ancestry that comprises her background. This is very typical of people who live in Hawai'i, which is host to such an explosion of multicultural intermingling.

I love how the honu/sea turtle brings all of the elements together. The eagle, dragonfly, bear paw, wolf, buffalo, and shark all join to provide a rich tapestry of images that each speak to a different aspect of her heritage.

Sylvia's tattoo was inked by Joseph Garcia, Trigga Happy Tattoo in Waipahu. Eagle, Dragonfly, Bear Paw, Turtle, Wolf, Buffalo, and Shark.

Thanks to Sylvia for responding to me initially and for sharing her tattoo via her post here. We here at Tattoosday appreciate your contribution!

Japanese Tattoo Galleries

Japanese Tattoo Galleries

tribal wing tattoos - tips for new tattoo

You have decided that you want a tribal wing tattoos but you aren't necessarily sure how to start your research. This type of tattoo has become quite popular with tribal tattoo lovers. But before you head down to your local tattoo parlour and drop your hard earned money, you may want to do some research first. The truth is this research can mean the difference between a great tattoo that you're happy with or a disappointing tattoo. Would you like to know more?

My biggest concern is that I don't want you to do what everyone else does and that is start your research for artwork by using Google images. Google images isn't a bad place for ideas, but because everyone uses this method you run the risk of duplicating someone else's tattoo. And I am sure that isn't what you want.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to invest in a paid tattoo site. A paid tattoo site gives use so many resources before you get your tattoo. You will gain access to artists that specialize in tribal tattoo artwork. You can work with one of these artists to come up with something unique for your new ink. You also gain access to a huge community of tattoo enthusiasts that will be able to answer any questions or concerns you may have. These paid tattoo sites also have reviews of local tattoo parlors so you can find the right parlor for your new tribal tattoo.

Eric's Tattoo: Zero the Fool and an Obsession with Time

I met Eric on Seventh Avenue between 23rd and 24th Streets earlier this month.

This tarot card on his left forearm jumped out at me:

Eric is a mixed media artist whose website can be seen here. He is an illustrator and is currently in school studying toy design. The tattoo he has is primarily based on a linoleum block he had created that recalls the Tarot card "The Fool". Because it is an unnumbered card in the deck, it is often referred to as "Zero" or 0.

The Fool often represents the beginning of a journey, oftentimes a "foolish adventure". He had this tattooed to commemorate his decision to move from Boston to New York City. While the decision may not have been foolish, it did mark a new journey in Eric's life.

The card was tattooed by Hannah at Regeneration Tattoo in Boston.

One may have noticed that there is work around the tarot card, as well, so it's only fair to show the piece as a whole:

And the tattoo extends up the arm a bit from the pocket watch on the right:

The additional elements in the tattoo speak to Eric's obsession with the passage of the time. Snowflakes are only temporary as they fall from the sky and melt, or become mixed with other flakes and lose their singularity.

The flowers are imagined creations representing growth. Eric's floral images are inspired by the artwork of Henry Darger.

He also notes that the time piece is cracked and broken:

This, he says, represents the fight against the obsession and paranoia over the passage of time.

The work around the tarot card was all tattooed by Kelly Krantz at the now-defunct Hold Fast Tattoo in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. From what I can tell, Krantz is not currently affiliated with any one tattoo shop.

Thanks to Eric for sharing his thought-provoking tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Erin's Yellow Roses for Her Grandmother

Earlier this week, I met Erin and she shared this, one of her six tattoos:

Erin explained that these yellow roses on her left forearm are for her grandmother, her favorite person. Her grandma's favorite roses are the yellow variety.

Erin credits artist Jesse Gabriel at Halo Tattoo III in Syracuse, New York for this work. Work from Halo has appeared previously here on Tattoosday.

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

Real Butterfly Tattoos Are Great on the Lower Back

Real Butterfly Tattoos are symbolic of how fragile life really is. The butterfly tattoo is the most used artistic theme within the tattoo art industry, it's up there with the flower butterfly tattoos, they have forever captivated man. Artists have a real freedom of creativity when they are creating butterfly tattoos because the designs are not rigid. Do you need inspiration and ideas for a real butterfly tattoos, do you want to make a strong fashion statement, thinking of getting a armband tattoo or lower back tattoo of butterflies.. Butterfly flower tattoos and the butterfly tattoo design and their meanings have been one of the most popular tattoo designs requested by females for the past few years. Butterflies are unique, they are so colorful and make beautiful tattoos, they represent the fragility and transformation of life.

There are about 28,000 known butterfly species. The butterfly tattoo is the most effective means to symbolize one of the most extraordinary creations on the planet with the vibrant colors and artistic designs. Among the best things about lower back tattoos of butterflies is that they have the ability to aesthetically add a lot of color into your tattoo without the loudness that is occasionally related with color. The lower back tattoos of butterflies allows the artist and the recipient huge scope for the tattooist to show of there tattoo art ability.

No matter which real butterfly tattoos design you end up picking out, it is easy to instantly see the beauty that a butterfly tattoo holds and the deeper meaning and significance of a butterfly and its life process make for a very popular design for women...Whether it's a butterfly tattoo on a lower back or a dragonfly tattoo on your shoulder, insect images have become a popular choice for tattoo art enthusiasts everywhere. A butterfly is often found with a fairy on a lower back to make for a colorful fantasy tattoo.

Real Butterfly Tattoos Are Great on the Lower Back

Real Butterfly Tattoos are symbolic of how fragile life really is. The butterfly tattoo is the most used artistic theme within the tattoo art industry, it's up there with the flower butterfly tattoos, they have forever captivated man. Artists have a real freedom of creativity when they are creating butterfly tattoos because the designs are not rigid. Do you need inspiration and ideas for a real butterfly tattoos, do you want to make a strong fashion statement, thinking of getting a armband tattoo or lower back tattoo of butterflies.. Butterfly flower tattoos and the butterfly tattoo design and their meanings have been one of the most popular tattoo designs requested by females for the past few years. Butterflies are unique, they are so colorful and make beautiful tattoos, they represent the fragility and transformation of life.

There are about 28,000 known butterfly species. The butterfly tattoo is the most effective means to symbolize one of the most extraordinary creations on the planet with the vibrant colors and artistic designs. Among the best things about lower back tattoos of butterflies is that they have the ability to aesthetically add a lot of color into your tattoo without the loudness that is occasionally related with color. The lower back tattoos of butterflies allows the artist and the recipient huge scope for the tattooist to show of there tattoo art ability.

No matter which real butterfly tattoos design you end up picking out, it is easy to instantly see the beauty that a butterfly tattoo holds and the deeper meaning and significance of a butterfly and its life process make for a very popular design for women...Whether it's a butterfly tattoo on a lower back or a dragonfly tattoo on your shoulder, insect images have become a popular choice for tattoo art enthusiasts everywhere. A butterfly is often found with a fairy on a lower back to make for a colorful fantasy tattoo.

Japan Tattoos

Japan Tattoos

Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - Hail to the Chief

It's Fleet Week in New York City this weekend, so it only seemed fitting, with just a few Hawai'i posts remaining, that we share the following offering from Jack, a Chief Petty Officer (E7) in the U.S. Navy.

Jack's was the final tattoo I spotted at Pearlridge, on what turned out to be a record-breaking detour for me (five tattoos from five different people in just under two hours).

Jack's tattoo was fresh, as he had just completed a sitting less than a couple of hours before I ran into him, so the tattoo had that film of ointment that added a little glare to the picture:

The skull at the center of the tattoo is wearing a hat similar to those warn by Navy chiefs.

The artist for this piece is known as "Buddha" out of Liquid Metal Tattoo in Aiea, Hawai'i.

Thanks to Jack for sharing this, his newest of over ten tattoos, with us here on Tattoosday.

We here at the site salute not only all the men and women in uniform visiting New York during Fleet Week, but to everyone in all branches of the Armed Forces as we enter into Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to all for their service to our country!

tribal temporary tattoos

Temporary tattoos appear as many tribal cultures for long history but it has been popular in recent years among people especially young girls and kids. The procedure is easy and everyone can be a tattooist. Generally, all ranging in how realistic they appear, how temporary tattoo they are, how simple they are to apply and how much they cost, temporary tattoos conclude decal tattoos, airbrush tattoos and henna tattoos.

permanent tattoos, which also called traditional tattoo, originated from thousand years ago and had been extremely popular in centuries. Many people are crazy about it. Honestly, we must admit that after finished, the tattoo will really be attractive. But the processing is full of pain which is the biggest problem putting many people who want to get one off.

Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - Honu Thursday

One of the most popular symbols in modern Polynesian tattoo is the green sea turtle, or honu, as it is known in Hawaiian.

I saw a lot of honu tattoos while I was in Hawai'i, but I didn't snap any photos of them until my last day on Oahu, when I was wrapping up my trip with a last minute stop at Pearlridge. More specifically, I was at the Pearlridge Longs Drug Store, a great place to stock up on chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, and other tasty local snacks that are hard to find on the mainland.

While wandering the aisles, I spotted not one, but two honu-adorned locals, who were kind enough to share their tattoos with me.

First was Ash, who didn't say much about the four honu on his left leg, other than the fact that he has "always loved turtles," and that his brother was the artist who did the tattoos.

Next was Chantel, who has this lovely tattoo on her upper back:

This not only has the honu element, but also has a floral aspect, along with a Yin and Yang design.

When I asked her where the design came from, she laughed and said she had seen it on a sticker plastered to the back of a car. She liked it so much, she got some paper, traced it, and brought it into a shop called Big Fat Tatts, where the artist sketched it and cleaned up the lines.

Thanks both to Ash and Chantel, for finally getting me my photos of honu tattoos, just a few hours before returning to New York.

A Peek at the Final Issue of Holly Rose Review

 Tattoo by Sean Herman, from the June issue of Holly Rose Review

Considering that one-twelfth of the year, Tattoosday sheds its inkspotting  mission and, instead, plays host to tattooed poets in honor of National Poetry Month, it only seems fitting that I should pay homage to the final
issue of Holly Rose Review.

Holly Rose is the brainchild of Theresa Senato Edwards (who herself is a tattooed poet), who has given us four deliciously beautiful online issues that embrace both tattoos and poetry. The online literary 'zine juxtaposes brilliant tattoo work with the poems of an assortment of diverse and talented writers. Each issue bears a theme, and the last (and sadly, final) issue is "Worry".

What's unique about Holly Rose is the juxtaposition of poetry and tattoos. It's an illustrated volume, but Edwards assembles poems that not only speak to the theme, but almost seem as if they could be captions to the body art displayed. Issue four features tattoos created by Luba Goldina, Sean Herman and Maxime Lanouette. And their work seems to transcend the description "tattoo" as the illustrations serve as works of art that correspond to the themes illuminated by the accompanying poems.

But not every poem has a tattoo with it, which is fine, as it makes the appearance of ink more special, and allows the reader to focus on the poetry, as well. An added bonus is the audio player found on some of the
poems' pages, so the reader can not only read the poem, but hear it in the author's voice. One page even features a video of the poet reading her work.These added dimensions make Holly Rose a truly magnificent experience.

All four issues are currently available for perusal on the website http://www.hollyrosereview.com. If you're not a fan of poetry, check it out anyway and see some amazing tattoos. Maybe you'll discover some poetry you'll enjoy. Issue four features work from Dorianne Laux, Jayne Pupek and Changming Yuan. Issue three contains work from Christine Hamm and Joseph Millar, both participants in the 2010 Tattooed Poets Project. Issue two has poetry by Martha Silano and Daphne Lazarus (whose tattoo appeared here).

It's easy to get lost in the site, admiring great tattoos and reading fabulous poetry, so head on over to Holly Rose and see what a lovely pairing tattoos and poetry make!

tribal eagle tattoos

Eagle tattoos are among the most popular animal tattoo designs, in both men and women. in tribal, eagle popular with name tribal eagle tattoos. So, get yours cool tattoos now!

Below are some reasons why tribal eagle tattoos designs made popular:

1. Patriotism - American eagles are associated with the United States. That is why eagle tattoos are mostly worn by military servicemen. The eagle is also thought to represent a noble nature. So, eagle tattoos are considered as symbols of loyalty and dedication to the country.
2. Power and Strength - Eagle tattoos are popular with the brave and courageous firefighters, police and military personnel as well. This design inspires them to lend their power and strength to serve their countrymen, just as the eagle stands for power rising above the earth. Biker guys also like wearing this design because it can make them look tougher.
3. Wisdom, Pride, Freedom and Spiritual protection - Eagles were worshipped in Greece as well as by many cultures during ancient times. They were even used as ensigns by ancient kings of Persia, Babylon, and other empires. Eagles were believed to bear spiritual protection because of their special connection with both men and the gods since they were high flyers and can reach the sky. For the native American culture, eagles represent wisdom.

famous tattoos designs

famous tribal tattoos design

Mel's Star Shines from Down Under

Earlier this month, I ran into Mel coming out of Penn Station.

She has amazing work, and it was soon clear why. Mel was visiting from Melbourne, Australia, where she works as a tattoo artist at Get Smart Body Art.

I was drawn particularly to one of her newer tattoos, this dot-style Tibetan-inspired design:

I told her it reminded me of the style of Thomas Hooper, an artist at New York Adorned whose website (here) showcases some astonishing work, including tattoos made from the dot-style technique.

Mel noted that it was an original design that was inked using a rotary tattoo machine, with the purpose of achieving this effect. Thomas Hooper's style, she acknowledged, inspired her to attempt this ambitious tattoo.

In all fairness, she collaborated with Mick Kelly, at Get Smart Body Art, who did the actual tattooing.

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

hawaiian tribal tattoos

Hawaiian Tribal Tattoos are fast becoming one of the most popular tattoos on the market. These tattoos go back many years and stand for many different things. There are some things that you should know about these type of tattoos though before you make a purchase.



First always make sure you know the meaning of the tattoo is that you are getting. Nothing like having a tattoo done especially an Hawaiian one and you do not know the meaning.



Second make sure you have someone do the tattoo that does about the culture of Hawaiian Tribal tattoos. many times you may want to change a part of the design and if you do you could end up offending the culture by even a subtle change.

hawaiian tribal tattoos

Third get a tattoo artist that you can trust and make sure they know the culture as well. Do not get something you do not want. If you do get an Hawaiian tattoo you will be in a growing list of people who value these tattoos for their beauty and what they stand for.

Tattoosday Goes To Hawai'i - All in the Family, Part 5 (Ulu's Amazing Plumage)

In January 2008, when Tattoosday was a mere infant blog, my mother sent me photos of some of the ink my cousins possessed.

I already shared Keali'i's sleeves here, but included in that email from Mom was this astonishing piece from his kid sister, my niece, Ulu:

Photo by Diane Scrafton Cohen Ferreira

I reached out to Ulu (which is a shortened version of her middle name, Uluwehi, which is abbreviated from her full middle name, Kamali'iwahineuluwehi) and we exchanged messages, but we never connected to discuss the tattoo. Then, last month, I was in Hawai'i, at the home of Ulu and her husband Travis.

For the record, despite my inkspotting ways, I was never sure if I'd have the opportunity on this trip to document all my nieces' and nephews' ink. I knew I'd be seeing them, but my purpose for doing so was not tattoo-related.

But as you may have read over the last week, there I was at Ulu and Travis's place, hanging out with family, and the subject turned inky, and out came the camera.

Still, I wasn't sure I would be seeing the tattoo from my mom's photo - Ulu was wearing a dress and I'm always walking on eggshells when it comes to lower back tattoos. But I was taking pictures of everyone else's tattoos and Ulu's back piece was mentioned. She happily changed into sweats so I could take a closer look at this amazing peacock feather tattoo:

One of the things I had always wondered was how far around the feather went. I got my answer soon enough:

As you can see the tattoo dips gracefully down after it rounds the hip. I'm glad I got to see this side because I was able to capture the detail in the color and the tiny pink butterfly near the tip of the quill:

Ulu got this, aside from the beauty of it, to cover up a "tramp stamp" [her words, not mine - no angry comments, please]. The original piece is covered by the eye of the peacock feather.

The artist responsible for this incredible tattoo is Libra, who freelances in Hawai'i, but occasionally does guest spots at 808 Tattoo, and was at East Side Tattoo Studio at the time this was done.

In that original email from Grandma Diane (my mom), she also included the tattoos of Travis, Ulu's husband.

I had never met Travis before, but was welcomed by him as one of the family. I took my own photo of the forearm ink he wears, also by Libra, in honor of his and Ulu's children, Ezra and Trinity.

My deepest and most sincere thanks to both Travis and Ulu, not only for their hospitality and kindness, but for sharing their tattoos with us here on Tattoosday.

This concludes the "All in the Family" subset of the Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i series. A warm mahalo to all of my nieces and nephews for letting their mainland uncle help share their tattoos with the Tattoosday community.

Previously in the Tattoosday Goes to Hawai'i - All in the Family series:

Part 1, A Preface
Part 2, Keali'i's Sleeves
Part 3, Ikaika, In Progress
Part 4, Lehua's Eternal Tribute to Poppa John

History of Tribal

Tribal is the name that comes given to that category of tattoos that has asserted beginning from first years ninety and that it is based on the traditional tattoos of the aborigines of the several islands of the Pacific (Samoa, Islands Marquises, Hawaii), of the Dayak of Borneo, the Maori of New Zealand and from the Native Americans.

The Tribal style is characterized from separated designs, formed from lines from silhouette the much marked one, of usual filled up totally of black. Often the designs come carried out in such way to emphasize the natural lines of the body and the musculature. Equally it is diffused l' I use of lines many intricate and with geometric designs repeated that they represent the reinterpretazione of flora and fauna or natural elements, especially fire, air and water. The Tribal tattoos is expression of the spiritualità and the culture of many cultures.

maori tribal tattoos

Maori Tribal Tattoos history, the Maori tribes are natives of New Zealand. Though, they are part of the Polynesian heritage, they have given themselves a distinct cultural heritage that historians have separated them from the different tribes of Polynesia.

It is very much the same for their tattoo designs. The Maori tribal tattoos have their own unique identity compared to their Polynesian counterparts. Their spirals and curved shapes form a very intricate pattern that very distinctive to the Maori tribes. Legend said that a young warrior learned the art of the Maori tribal tattoos from the lord of the underworld, after winning back the heart of the lord's daughter.

For the Maori tribe, the tattoos are part of special rituals celebrating a particular or special event in one tribesman's life. A tribesman would receive his or her first tattoo as a rite of passage from childhood to adolescent and would be added whenever there are significant events in his or her life that would need to be celebrated. A tribesman that would be awarded with a tattoo would go into fasting before he or she was given a tattoo.

Both men and women of the tribe can be awarded with a tattoo as a show of courage, strength and would be given a specific status in the tribe. The tattoos for men in particular would cover the whole face while the women would only cover the cheeks and the lips, though sometimes the tattoos for women would cover the neck as well.