Home → Archives for June 2012

Serenity from Anthony

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I spotted Anthony's ink while biking along the Belt Parkway promenade at the end of May.

Always a fan of word tattoos, I stopped him while he was jogging and he was kind enough to stop and allow me to snap the photo above.

It was only after I got a chance to see it that I recognized the top verse as what is commonly called the Serenity Prayer:

God Grant me
the serenity to accept
the things I cannot change
courage to change
the things I can
and wisdom to
know the difference.

When I asked why he chose the Serenity Prayer as a tattoo, he said, "I think it's a good way to look at life, every day, with a positive attitude."

I am not as familiar with the passage below it

Living one day at a time
Enjoying one moment at a time
Accepting hardships as
the pathway to peace

It turns out that those four lines are the next in the sequence of the verse composed by Reinhold Niebuhr, from which the Serenity Prayer was adopted.

He credited an artist named Omar at a shop on Christopher Street in Manhattan with these tattoos. It likely could have been Tattoo Heaven.

Thanks to Anthony for sharing his tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Dave's Unusual Skull

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Just a quick post for Friday.

Earlier this week, I met Dave on the West 4th Street platform and took a picture of this tattoo on his leg:


I like this skull because it's so unusual. It has the feel of a sugar skull, but it's not quite, It's certainly not your typical piece, and the neon colors really make it jump off the skin.

He got this about three years ago at a shop in Atlanta called the Ink Spot.

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


This entry is ©2012 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.

"We know who we are..." Part I

I wanted to share this one, Sabine's left side tattoo in progress. 
The colors are done today in one go and she sat like a trooper!
I am amazed how much some people can take in one session... a lot. 
Lots of respect!

Laici's Astrological Cluster

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I met Laici last month outside of Penn Station, near the corner of 33rd Street and 8th Avenue. I was intrigued by this design on her upper right arm:


This design consists of several symbols from the Zodiac.

Laici explained, "My dad's a Cancer, my mom's an Aries, my sister and I are Scorpios, and my brother is a Sagittarius."


She designed this piece herself by combining the four symbols into a cohesive design:



The four elements combined on her arm to represent her family unit. It's a neat concept and it is executed rather nicely. I especially like how she combined the last two parts, Scorpio and Sagittarius, to form one fluid symbol that encapsulates her and her siblings together.

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


This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.
The four Zodiac symbols illustrated above were linked from TattooSymbol.com.


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.

Wakey wakey a hand with snaky

Today Robert got his new addition to his collection. 
Wakey wakey Robert's hand with snaky!!!




This year I will be working at International Tattoo Convention in Brussel. 
It will take place on 23 till 25 Nov. at Tour & Taxi- Shed 2 Havenlaan 86c in Brussel.
At this moment I still have some spots available.
If  You are interested in getting tattooed by me message Your idea to jankowzki@gmail.com
 
Dit jaar zal ik werken op International Tattoo Convention in Brussel.
Die vindt plaats op 23 t/m 25 november in Tour & Taxi-Shed Havenlaan 2 86c in Brussel.
Op dit moment heb ik nog wat plaatsen beschikbaar.
Alle geïntereseerden in een tattoo uit mijn hand, stuur mij een bericht met je idee naar:

Sierra's Mayflower in June

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Last month, I found myself at the corner of 86th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan, waiting for the crosstown bus.

I looked over to my right and saw a tattoo with incredible line work:


This tattoo belongs to Sierra, who was kind enough to send me a photo of the tattoo later that evening. She also told me a little more about the piece:
"My tattoo is of the Mayflower. My parents took me to Plymouth a lot as a child and it fostered a great love of American History. I wanted something to commemorate that. I chose this scale drawing because I wanted something 'antique-ish' and not to 'pirate-y'."
Sierra credits the talented Mark Harada at East Side Ink with this amazingly well-lined work. "I love [his] work," she wrote me, "and do plan to have him do another for me in the future."

Thanks to Sierra for sharing her Mayflower with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Anna's Ship, With a Nod to a Favorite Song

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Yesterday I posted Bjorn's Michael Jackson Thriller tattoo. When I met him, walking on the Coney Island Boardwalk, he was accompanied by Anna, who also had quite a few tattoos. She offered up this one on her left thigh:


The banner around this classic ship tattoo reads "Yo no soy marinero soy el capitán."

This is a refrain from the Richie Valens song "La Bamba," and is translated as "I am not a sailor, I am a captain." This was Anna's favorite song when she was a kid.

She credited this cool tattoo to Nick Caruso, when he was at Flyrite Tattoo in Brooklyn. Nick has since left Flyrite and opened up Bound for Glory Tattoo in Staten Island.

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


This entry is ©2012 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.

Remembering the King of Pop, Three Years Later

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It's hard to believe that it has been three years since Michael Jackson's tragic passing. It only seems fitting that we pay our respects by sharing this tattoo, which illustrates the King of Pop in one of his most famous incarnations: a zombie in Michael Jackson's Thriller.

This piece belongs to Bjorn, who I met earlier this month, out on the Coney Island boardwalk.

The tattoo is inked by Alex McWatt at Three Kings Tattoo in Brooklyn. It was part of one of their Friday the 13th tattoo extravaganzas.

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

And just because it is such a timeless video, here is Michael Jackson's Thriller:

 

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. The video is (C) 1982 MJJ Productions Inc.

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.

Update from the Mermaid Parade, 2012

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Yesterday I attended the 30th Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade. It was my first excursion to Coney Island for this specific occasion and, let me say, it is sensory overload, especially if you are interested in tattoos.

Fueled by Coney Island lager, I managed to meet a few people, take photos, and even get some ink stories for future enjoyment. What you'll see here today are pictures of people and tattoos of folks who I have no information on. I gave them cards and fliers, so I'm hoping seeing their photos here will prompt them to reach out to me so I can give their tattoos proper Tattoosday treatments.

First I want to share my favorite pic of the day:


That would be a sailor kissing a mermaid. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the cool New York City tattoo, with the Chrysler Building prominently displayed.

Here's a random shot from the parade on Surf Avenue:


I snapped this tattoo on the Boardwalk:


After taking this picture, I turned on my voice recorded and said, "Bailey Robinson, um, out on the Boardwalk. I have no idea what I just took a picture of. It was really cool and there's tattoos everywhere. Bye."

A day later, I can clarify this. It's obviously a circus lady sitting on an elephant. Bailey Hunter Robinson is a Brooklyn-based tattoo artist, and he actually posted this piece on his website when he first outlined it here.

From the Boardwalk I headed to the Tattoo Shot Lounge to cool off and regroup.

Hanging out there, I met a lot of people, two of whom shared their tattoos. The place was loud and I have no information on these tattoos:



I did find out that "Attempting to discover where to begin" were song lyrics and a little research reveals that the words are from the song "Waiting" by an artist named City and Colour.

Perhaps I'll hear from these inked women who can give me a little more info about their tattoos.

I also met Katy, who got this tattoo in Arizona:


And from the inside of her arm:


Stay tuned in the weeks ahead to see more tattoos spotted at the parade.


Thanks to all of the participants in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade who allowed me to photograph them, and who spoke to me about their tattoos!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Coney Island on My Mind

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Earlier this month I met Jamie outside of Macy*s on 34th Street. She has eight tattoos and shared this fantastic piece on her inner right arm:


Jamie got this because she is from Brooklyn and, like most Brooklynites, Coney Island has a special place in her heart. The piece is a collage of all the Coney Island icons, from the Cyclone, to the Wonder Wheel, the Parachute Jump, with the Boardwalk and the famous grinning face of Tillie, which has become an image synonymous with the location.

She credited freelance artist, Jack Jerz, with this tattoo.

Thanks to Jamie for sharing her slice of Coney Island with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Nicky Shares a Famous Mermaid

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With mermaids on the mind, how about this tattoo from Nicky?


I spotted Ariel, aka The Little Mermaid, on Nicky's arm while walking through Penn Station last month.

When I asked him why he got this tattoo, he replied that she was "my favorite since I was little - she's awesome." He credited an artist named Dan at Cliff's Tattoo in Long Island.

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

This entry is ©2012 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.

Sneak peek and stuff

I would like to announce that this year I will be working at International Tattoo Convention in Brussel. 
It will take place on 23 till 25 Nov. at Tour & Taxi- Shed 2 Havenlaan 86c in Brussel.
At this moment I still have some spots available.
If  You are interested in getting tattooed by me message Your idea to jankowzki@gmail.com
 
Dit jaar zal ik werken op International Tattoo Convention in Brussel.
Die vindt plaats op 23 t/m 25 november in Tour & Taxi-Shed Havenlaan 2 86c in Brussel.
Op dit moment heb ik nog wat plaatsen beschikbaar.
Alle geïntereseerden in een tattoo uit mijn hand, stuur mij een bericht met je idee naar:

And now a sneak peek of some projects that I am working on lately. 
En nu een voorproefje van een aantal projecten waarmee ik bezig ben de laatste tijd.

Nekogami from today's session
 


Fantasy dragon in progress, part of a tattoo that I've started while ago

Animals forest half leg sleeve in progress 


Part of an religious 3/4 arm sleeve

Huge coverup in progress

Lindsay's Mermaid Kicks off Summer

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Well, it's officially summer and we are expecting a scorcher here today in New York City.

I wanted to share a tattoo that would fit the theme, but I've been looking ahead to this Saturday's Mermaid Parade in Coney Island.

A couple weeks ago I rode my bike out to the boardwalk and was rewarded with a lot of sharing tattooed people. So, with the parade on the horizon and summer in the air, let's meet Lindsay and one of her tattoos:


Lindsay explained that she went to Black Cat Tattoos in Pittsburgh and consulted with the artist, Jason Lambert:
"I went to him and  ... told him my idea ... I wanted to go with the siren/mermaid theme, with like drunken sailors, luring them out to sea, and he drew it up and it went from there ... so this is original artwork."

Thanks to Lindsay for sharing this wonderful work with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Alfredo Shares a Sugar Skull with a Family Twist

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I ran into Alfredo last month in Penn Station and he shared this tattoo:


He credited this to an artist named Sy at Sunset Park Tattoo.

Alfredo, who has "over 23" tattoos, told me that this traditional sugar skull is embellished with a hairstyle modeled after the way his mother wore her hair on her wedding day. The rose at the edge of the tattoo is in tribute to his grandmother.

Thanks to Alfredo for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Spiro Shares a Cool John Lennon Tattoo

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Being that today is Paul McCartney's birthday, I thought I would share this tattoo of John Lennon, since he and Paul are considered one of the greatest songwriting duos in popular music.

This tattoo was spotted in Penn Station earlier this month, on the back of an arm belonging to Spiro.

He got this piece done by Dave Lopez at Ron & Dave's Tattooing in Staten Island. Spiro explained that he went in with a basic idea and that Dave drew up the design and had a stencil ready in no time. It should be noted that the musical notes seen above wrap around the upper arm.

Spiro told me, "I'm a huge Beatles fan ... more John Lennon and what he stood for and his message ... so I kinda try to live by that." He added, "I'm like a little hippie born in the wrong generation."

According to Spiro, the artist Dave's mother is a huge John Lennon fan, so he was super passionate about the design of the tattoo. It always helps when your artist shares your enthusiasm for a tattoo idea!

Thanks to Spiro for sharing this cool John Lennon tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 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.

Happy Father's Day from Tattoosday!

In honor of the day, I am re-posting a piece I featured on Father's Day in 2009:

Last week, I posted about a trio of friends that had recently moved from San Francisco to New York, all of them inked.

Jake was the first of the three to share his tattoo with us, and it is such a good piece, I saved it for a special occasion, Father's Day:



This is, of course, a portrait of the great comedian Redd Foxx. People of my generation (X) remember him as the bristling curmudgeon in the sitcom "Sandford and Son".


For those who are unfamiliar with the series, the show is about a widower, Fred Sanford (Foxx), raising his adult son Lamont (played by Desmond Wilson), and their junkyard business. It was a breakthrough show that was one of the first on network television to feature a minority cast.

The father-son dynamic is an ongoing theme, and Jake recalls watching the show with his dad and it being a bonding experience.

His father passed away about four years ago this month from cancer. The tattoo is not only a tribute to the great comedian, but a reminder of the times Jake spent watching "Sandford and Son" with his dad. Jake added, "I'm pretty sure if [my dad] was still around, he would get a kick out of seeing Redd Foxx on my calf."

This amazing portrait was tattooed on the back of Jake's right calf by Greg Rojas at Everlasting Tattoo in San Francisco.

As we celebrate Father's Day today, I thank Jake for sharing this awesome tattoo with us here, and invite everyone to revisit the host of tattoos previously posted on Tattoosday that pay tribute to dads. Click here to see the lot.

And, as a special treat, in the spirit of the day, I present the following clip:



Happy Father's Day from Tattoosday!

If you want more dad-related ink, check out this link which will show you all of Tattoosday's posts with a "father" tag.

Have a great day, all!

This entry is ©2009, 2012 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.

Blaise & A Unique Sugar Skull

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I met Blaise on a sunny spring day near the corner of 8th Avenue and 33rd Street.

He has a lot of ink, the majority of which was tattooed by Alex McWatt of Three Kings Tattoo in Brooklyn.


Blaise pointed out the sugar skull in the center of his arm:


This is a sugar skull with a twist - note the rainbow  spilling forth from the jaw and, in case you can't tell from the photo, that's a shark riding the rainbow wave.

Blaise singled this out because the tattoo was conceived in partnership with his little sister. It refers to a project they had done together.

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

This entry is ©2012 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.
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