The fox and the ratter

Today we got word that construction is gonna start on the kitchen in about 8 days.
I however, am not gonna get excited because, as regular readers may have already noticed, not a damn thing happened the last time someone told us "within a week".
Whatever, it has to happen some time, right?

Anyway, tattoos!

Here's what Eckel did on Zule today.
Oh, and Lucifer is back home after an extended weekend in the country with his human grandparents, and he was so excited to be back that he snuck into the forbidden zone, and managed to get in the picture too.

A fox and a Prague Ratter (who appears to be very interested in whatever Eckel is telling him)

Here's a majestic piece of embroidery that Allan bought for my office while i was sick

And, uhm, i actually bought this guy for the apartment (don't judge me) but i haven't figured out a safe way to bring him home on my bike yet

My parents brought us apples and pears

And Allans client Morten brought cake!

Allan posted the tattoos he did in London, so go check those out!
And also, go check out some pictures a friend took at the shop not too long ago.
Her blog is awesome, by the way, so stay and check out her work while you're there.

RIP Tony Curtis

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — His widow says the only thing Tony Curtis ever wanted to be was a movie star.

Curtis died last night at his home near Las Vegas. He was 85.

He began his movie career in frivolous roles that exploited his looks and personality, but then moved to more substantial roles -- winning an Oscar nomination in "The Defiant Ones" for portraying a white racist who escapes from prison handcuffed to a black man.

Curtis, also starred in "Sweet Smell of Success" and in "Some Like It Hot" -- considered one of the top Hollywood comedies of all time. In that film, Curtis — famously imitating Cary Grant's accent — and Jack Lemmon play jazz musicians who dress up as women to escape retribution after witnessing a gangland massacre. Marilyn Monroe was their co-star.

After his acting career waned, Curtis reinvented himself as a writer and painter whose canvasses sold for as much as $20,000. His daughter, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, says he left behind a "legacy of great performances in movies," and in his artwork.

Matt's Golden Silence

I met Matt one afternoon as he stood among the masses at the southwest corner of Madison Square Garden, waiting for a bus out of town.

This is his tattoo which he shared with us, covering his upper right arm:

The message is simple: silence is golden. I love how the side skulls spill off of the front skull, and how the teeth of the primary jaw are fused together.

Matt attributes this piece to "deep life experiences" and how it serves as a reminder to keep his head on straight.

He told me he's "been low and wants to stay higher" and that "keeping what I've done to myself has given me the ability to achieve what I have in life".

This tattoo was inked by Loki M. LaChapelle when he was at Kaleidoscope Tattoo & Art Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Loki now works out of Mazel Custom Tattoo & Piercing in Everett, Massachusetts.

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

The six tattooed characters are from an advertisement flyer for Sakura brand kitchen exhaust system, which means:

買櫻花

With purchase of Sukura system,

送油網

Free oil screen/trap

Back at work, and happy about it too

Oh hi, how are y'all doing?
Us? Well, we're back from London and we couldn't be happier.
The convention was a bit weird this year, and none of us had a truly great time, but i plan to rant about that on my personal blog tomorrow, so i'll spare you for now.
But Allan is gonna post the three tattoos* he did while there very soon.

In the meantime, i had a rare opportunity to get a sneaky shot of a tattoo he hasn't gotten any decent pictures of yet.
See, Nicolai came in to get some robot-spacechick-madness done by Nick last night, and while he was just sitting there, i got a few classy iPhone pictures of his penguin!

Penguin awesomeness, real pictures will pop up on the blog of Uncle eventually

More news, dates, updates, and that sort of stuff coming soon.
Right now i think i'm gonna try to convince Allan to watch some more Bored to Death with me!


*Poor guy had a terrible cold and couldn't work at all Friday.

Boardwalk Empire's Michael Kenneth Williams in GQ

As the legendary Omar from The Wire, and now the backstreet Kingpin on Boardwalk Empire, Michael Kenneth Williams brings charmed confidence to the screen. Here he hits the lumber of Atlantic City in the kind of three-piece suits that'll make anyone look like the boss. For the full article and more photos from GQ, click HERE.

Attention New York Giants Fans!

New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin will host his sixth annual charity gala on Friday, October 1, at Cipirani’s in midtown Manhattan.

All proceeds from the "Champions for Children" gala will benefit the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, which provides financial assistance and emotional support to families of children with cancer. The special honorees of the evening are Charles W. Allen, President and CEO of Athlon Sports Communications Inc; and Jerald F. Irving, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of ICAP Securities USA LLC, who will be honored for their philanthropic work for children. Both honorees exemplify excellence and teamwork in their fields of endeavor as well as outstanding civic leadership.

Scores of current and former New York Giants -- including Eli Manning -- are expected to attend the event, which has raised over $3 million since its inception in 2005. There will also be a major silent auction as the foundation pursues a fundraising goal of $600,000.

The event will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. with a red carpet cocktail party and silent auction, followed by a formal sit-down dinner and live entertainment. WNBC-TV Sports anchor Bruce Beck will serve as master of ceremonies.

Following the "Champions For Children" gala, the Giants will take on the Chicago Bears at the Meadowlands on Sunday, October 3rd. The season opener is September 12th at home against the Carolina Panthers.

About The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund

Founded in 1996, The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation was created in the honor of Jay McGillis, a member of the Boston College Football team who developed leukemia while a member of the team.

Then-Boston College head coach Tom Coughlin was inspired by the courage, compassion and faith he and his family demonstrated during the course of his illness. It is the mission of The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation to assist children with leukemia and other cancers and their families by providing emotional and financial support to help improve the children’s quality of life and to help reduce the family stress associated with going through this crisis. This allows the families to focus on what matters most – the health of the child.

The Jay Fund has expanded its outreach to pediatric oncology patients in the New York area by adding therapeutic diversion programs at the NYU Langone Medical Center; sending 10 pediatric oncology patients to Camp Happy Times this summer; and establishing an emergency fund at the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey to aid families in crisis with transportation and household expenses.

Tattoo from a Francophile

Earlier this summer, I posted a couple of tattoos from Joe, seen here.

Needless to say, Joe became a fan, and updated me with a new tattoo, below:

Joe explains:

"The picture is fresh from the artist finishing it. It is "C077X" and is a nod to James Franco and General Hospital. He is my fav actor and I have been watching General Hospital for at least 21 years. It is the the tag that "Franco" sprayed on everything when he recently guest starred on GH as an artist/serial killer. His character's name is Franco, reflecting that art imitates life. A motto the actor and character believe, and so do I. That is why I got the tattoo. To prove art imitates life!"

Photo Credit: ABC via http://sn.soapnet.go.com

The tattoo was inked by Rob at Brooklyn Ink. Rob originally appeared here as a contributor here. And is one of several artists that has represented Brooklyn Ink over the years on Tattoosday. This label links all of the work from the shop previously seen on Tattoosday.

Thanks to Joe for sharing his new tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Rachel's Bird Helped Her Let Go

The same night I met Brian, I met Rachel, who has eight tattoos.

She shared this one with me:

This piece on her left biceps is based on the work of artist Kurt Halsey. This little bird appears in multiple works by the artist, but Rachel imagined it for her own personal situation. She got it after a break-up a couple of years ago, and the tattoo gave her the strength to "let the bird go". In this case, the bird represents the ended relationship and the tattoo is a transitional piece that helped her recover from the difficulty of moving past it.

From Memphis, Tennessee, Rachel had this inked at Underground Art Tattoos and Body Piercing by Chris Fitzgerald. Chris had been a piercer at the shop and then moved into tattooing. He has since left tattooing and moved to photography. His new business is Cult Noir Photography, and his work can be seen here.

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

from: Rob B.
to: "tiangotlost@gmail.com"
date: Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 9:53 AM
subject: Help?

I've always wondered what my tat really says....

it supposed to be "wicked clown".

I don't even know what language it is.



Alan and I have figured out where the guy got "wicked clown."

歹 alone can also mean "bad," "evil" or "wicked", and 丑 appears in the word 丑角 (the simplified variant of 醜角) which does mean "clown" or "joker."

But there is no way that 歹丑 means "wicked clown" so we still think the guy is an ass clown.

Alan spotted this photo in BME's Kanji tattoo gallery:



Despite the great calligraphy (calligraphy as in fancy artistic penmanship), there is a huge typo on this person's torso.

Bushido, the way of the warrior in Japanese is written as 武士道, not with 侍 in the middle. 侍 itself means samurai or warrior, but 武侍道 makes no sense in Japanese. Especially considering Bushido is a Japanese concept.

"Bullshitdo", the way of bullshit, would be more fitting.

Brian's Ink Speaks About Art

I met Brian in Barnes & Noble, Union Square, back in August and he shared two tattoos with us. Put your thinking caps on, folks, because Brian, who is a video artist (website here), has very cerebral ink.

First up is this tattoo, on Brian's left biceps:

This tattoo is based on an illustration entitled "Every Night We Are Haunted by a Dream" by the artist Alfred Kubin (1877-1959).

Jede Nacht besucht uns ein Traum (Every Night We are Haunted by a Dream), ca. 1902-03
Pen and ink, brush, wash, and spray on paper
39.1 x 31.8 cm (15 3/8 x 12 1/2 in.)
Albertina, Vienna

Brian explained that this work corresponded very closely to the publication of Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams, and that Kubin's illustration represents "art between the cusp of pre-surrealism/expressionism and surrealism". It speaks to Brian's understanding of the perception of dreams and art.

Brian also had these words inscribed on his inner right forearm:

The words "Créer Dangereusement" are the French title of a 1957 essay by Albert Camus entitled "Create Dangerously". This "essay on realism and artistic creation" likewise spoke to Brian who acknowledged that "all art is a political act". It makes perfect sense, if you think about it, in that no great work of art was ever created by the artist playing it safe. It is those who created dangerously that are remembered as trailblazers and icons in their respective fields.

Brian had both of these tattoos done in Austin, Texas.

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

Because we can

Reader Spencer M. found this oh so delightful picture of Steven Seagal and, despite the fact that we have already done a few posts on him, I'm adding this gem to the collection. Seriously, there can just be a site dedicated to Steven and his hair, or rather the hair he wears now.

Danny's Koi Struggles Upstream

I met Danny in Penn Station early in August just as he was about to board a train.

Before he headed to his platform, however, he allowed me to take this photo of his tattoo-in-progress on his upper right arm:

He explained that the koi swimming upward on his bicep represented that he was still moving upstream, that is, he was "still overcoming struggles, trials and tribulations". He added that he would get another koi on his left arm, facing downstream, when he had completed his struggle in life.

Before we could talk further, however, he had to run for his train. Fortunately for me (and for you, dear Readers), he e-mailed me shortly thereafter with some more details:

"The leaves are Japanese maples...Everyone gets the traditional lotus flowers, etc. But I chose a leaf that represents no religion or significant meaning to it. I would have gone with the Korean national flower [Hibiscus syriacus] but that, too, had meaning behind it. Many flowers that are traditionally on bodies are either Buddhist or Catholic, etc. Coming from a Christian background, I chose one without any meaning. How can I live with a Buddhist lotus on my arm?

At the time I got the tattoo I was confused with life... Direction, purpose, goals, meaning.. I had obstacles and self goals I had to achieve and was in a standstill (not drug-related or any of that sort). I looked to the pain tattooing offers and how it puts your mind in a zoned-out state, which I now thrive for when I'm stressed. It's therapy to me. I'll update you when I find an artist to finish this tattoo. The windbars were left open to expand."

The tattoo was done by Lee at Infinity Tattoo in Manhattan.

Thanks again yo Danny for sharing his koi with us here at Tattoosday!

Steve's Sleeve of Leaves Ushers in the Fall Season

Earlier this month, I met Steve on the D train, as we headed home to Brooklyn.

He had a veritable panorama of fall foliage on his left arm and he happily shared his autumnal tattoos with us here at Tattoosday.

It only seemed fitting that, as summer has ended, we celebrate the new season with some fall colors.

Behold, Steve's sleeve o' leaves:

The eleven maple leaves on Steve's arm were all inked free hand by Mark Harada at Manhattan's East Side Ink over four sittings.

Steve acknowledges that the leaves changing colors represent a change, and these colorful symbols remind him that change is good.

Happy Autumn to all! And thanks to Steve for sharing his fallen maple leaves with us here on Tattoosday!

Sara's Psalm Speaks to the Desires of Her Heart

I met Sara on the 36th Street subway platform in Brooklyn last month during the late afternoon rush hour commute.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for words and this tattoo looked poetic:

Sara filled me in. She has three tattoos and this passage "spoke to her". She wanted something religious for her 30th birthday.

This is an excerpt (verse 4) from Psalm 37 in the Bible.

The verse reads "Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart" [King James Version]. Sara changed the thee and thine to read me and my, respectively, making the verse more personal.

This was tattooed by Alex Franklin at Brooklyn Ink in Bay Ridge. Work from Brooklyn Ink (and much from Alex) can be seen on this Tattoosday label here.

Thanks to Sara for sharing her source of inspiration with us here on Tattoosday!

Eagle with Skull

Gypsy

Fox

Khalil's Organic Biomechanical Arm

One thing regular readers may notice is that I tend to prefer singular tattoos, as opposed to larger "concept" pieces. This preference is what you see illustrated here on Tattoosday.

However, once in a while, I see work  that, although atypical of our content, is irresistible.

Just check out Khalil's sleeve, which I captured one day after work in Penn Station:

Representing thirty-two hours of work by Mike Boissoneault at Black Lotus Tattoo Studios, in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Khalil explained that this vision represents a spin on a biomechanical design, "but more organic".

To him, in a world in which people are becoming less human, this tattoo reminds him to be human.

Here's a "fresher" shot from the Black Lotus website:

Tattoo by Mike Boissoneault © 2008 Black Lotus Tattoo Studios

Thanks again to Khalil for sharing this amazing work with us here on Tattoosday!

Christina's Owl and Lighthouse

I met Christina one day after work while walking outside of Madison Square Garden.

She had this incredible tattoo, which she gladly shared with us here on Tattoosday:

This tattoo that covers her upper left arm was actually done in two segments by artist Orrin Hurley, who currently tattoos at Dare Devil Tattoo in Manhattan.

As for the source material behind this beautiful tattoo, Christina chose a piece of art by Frances Olive Esme Eve:

A closer look at the tattooed owl shows how it was changed, but you can still see that there is still a lot from the original design:

The lighthouse was inspired by the Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Thanks to Christina for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday.

Stacy's Amigo Tugs Her Back to Milwaukee

At the end of July, I ran into Stacy waiting for the F train at West 4th Street in Manhattan.

She had a panther peeking out from under her shirt on her back, but we couldn't get the whole tattoo in a shot, so she offered up this piece on her right arm:

Stacy is a poet and the Artistic Director of The Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church in New York City. She has been here five years and originally hails from Milwaukee.

Living next to Lake Michigan has many benefits. Having always lived in a location near a large body of water, I can relate to her admiration for the beauty of a seascape, whether it be an ocean or a great lake.

Stacy told me she enjoyed watching the tugboats in her home town, and that these small vessels are a "connective image" that draws her back to her original home.

This tattoo was designed and inked by Stephanie Tamez at New York Adorned. Work from Stephanie on Tattoosday can be viewed here.

This is also the second tugboat of the summer. The first one is here.

Thanks to Stacy for sharing her tugboat with us here at Tattoosday. Perhaps we'll see her panther when the Tattooed Poets Project returns next April for its third year!

from: d.h.
to: tiangotlost@gmail.com
date: Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 8:38 AM
subject: Here's one

This is supposed to mean passion. I don't think it does. In fact, i couldn't locate this configuration of radicals at all. What are your thoughts?



It means "hot, middle", which does not mean "passion".

This tattoo also reminded me the terrible hip-hop song by Nelly, Hot in Here.

from: Pb.
to: tiangotlost@gmail.com
date: Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 8:42 AM
subject: My tattoo..

Hey hi Tian.. stumbled over ur blog so thought i should hav my tattoo meaning verified.. I asked the artist to put the my birth date that is 24..
I would appreciate ur feedback..

Thanks
Pb..



The bottom character does not exist in Chinese or Japanese vocabulary.

肆 is used as four (banker's anti-fraud numeral)

Melinda's Medusa

Last month I met Melinda on the West 4th Street subway platform, a location I came to appreciate this past summer for its diversity of interesting tattoos.

Our conversation began on the platform in Manhattan and ended in Brooklyn after a trip on the D train.

Melinda has two tattoos and she shared this one, from her inner left forearm:

She explained that this tattoo is based on the shield of Minerva (in the Roman pantheon) and Athena (in the Greek pantheon).

The shield features the head of the serpentine-tressed Medusa who, if you didn't know, could turn creatures (men, mostly) to stone with a simple gaze.

Melinda loves the contrast between the Minerva and Medusa figures and the relationship between the two mythologies.

The tattoo was inked by Kelly Krantz, of the now defunct Hold Fast Tattoo in Brooklyn. Kelly now tattoos by appointment only, and more details can be found on his website here. Work by Kelly has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Melinda for her good company on the D train back in August, and for sharing her tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Liz Flexes Her Tyrannosaurus Rex

I met Liz last month on the West 4th Street platform as we were waiting for the D train.

She has six tattoos, including a really cool Brooklyn Bridge tattoo that she designed and, she proudly told me, Exene Cervenka once complimented her on.

The tattoo she shared with us, however, is this design of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, inked on her upper right arm:

The piece was modeled after the fossil displayed prominently in The American Museum of Natural History, where her brother had worked for a period of time. The tattoo is an homage to the time she spent there.

The tattoo was inked by Christopher Depinto aka The Ink Shrink at Shotsie's Tattoo in Wayne, New Jersey. Work from Shotsie's has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Liz for sharing her dinosaur tattoo with us here at Tattoosday!

The Jersey Boys Get a GQ Makeover

GQ tackles the “G” in the GTL, giving the guys of MTV’s Jersey Shore a gym makeover. Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino ditch the tattoo-print pants (with the fire-breathing dragons) and pit-stained, moth-eaten tees for slim-fitting black track pants and tasteful geometric tanks, toning their workout wardrobe. The guys also weigh in with gym advice, self-help tips, and their biggest workout pet peeves.

For more “after” shots, click HERE.

The October issue of GQ hits newsstands nationwide on September 21.

Photo credit: Eric Ray Davidson/GQ

Tyler's Bald Eagle

I spotted Tyler outside of my office building on Seventh Avenue last month.

Actually, the first thing I noticed was Tyler's eagle:

One of three tattoos he has, Tyler explained that he really likes traditional designs, and that eagles, in his opinion, are among the coolest animals.

He also likes the way feathers look in tattoo designs, and this eagle's plumage is inked exceptionally well.

He credits Jeremy at Imperial Tattoo in Portland, Oregon with this piece.

Thanks to Tyler for allowing his eagle to fly here on Tattoosday!

Sake maki

It's always difficult for me to get Allan (or any of the other guys for that matter) to give me pictures for this blog.
Understandably, they'd rather post them on their own blogs, and i can't exactly blame them, but in order for this blog to have the occasional tattoo photo, so it's not all about me whining about broken kitchens, i have to demand tattoo pictures.
As i did with this one when i said, "i'm taking the sushi and that's it!"
Or something along those lines...

Anyway, here's Kim's flying maki

And here are all those battles i did not win.
Until next time, Allan...

X