So I Got A Tattoo
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 7:15AM For a while now I’ve had the idea of trying to turn my arm into a canvas of birth flowers for my family.
Last summer, August 2009, I went to a somewhat new tattoo artist and had the first three flowers tattooed. He did a damn good job, but it was clear my standards hadn’t been met.
So, I did what any dude did wanting some damn good ink thrown on their body and hit Google to find an artist. And that’s when I found Dawn Grace.
I emailed her, sent a picture or two, and she shot back, “let’s do this!”
It was March when I emailed Dawn. Her next available opening was in September. So I waited. And waited.
Then, the day came. I was nervous as hell. I rolled up, met Dawn in person for the first time and she immediately got what I was after.
The birth flowers:
Wife – Chrysanthemum
Kids – Calendula
Me – Water Lily
And then the final, the sunflower – the constant in the wife and our lives.
Since I’ve known the wife, we’ve always had a sunflower planted in the yard, or a picture placed on the wall, or stood in awe of sunflower fields running miles long. But, sunflowers were never our spoken connection, it just kind of was. So, I chose it.
Then, I wanted it all tied together by long, flat, thick reeds, to me symbolizing the intricate insanities of life surrounding love and family.
And here’s the results. In eight weeks I'll be going back to get it finished with color.
It was an amazing experience. The inside bicep of the arm is definitely a tender area. Although, I know it’s nowhere near as painful as the ribs, upper chest and inside thigh.
But still, it was painful enough to where I felt I “earned” my tattoo.
And I earned it from a kick-ass artist.
birth flowers, dawn grace, ink, tattoo
Reader Comments (18)
Looks great!
Wow - that is nice work! Can't wait to see it in full color. Now THAT will probably be painful!
SD
http://simpledudecomplexworld.blogspot.com/
Looks awesome man...you have earned it. Your making me anxious to get up the money for my tattoos for the girls.
Hi, I'm new to your blog and look forward to reading more. I love LOVE the tatoo and I especially love the meaning behind it...I can't wait to see the colors added.
Looks great Daddy!
Wow, that came out pretty badass. And it looks very painful. Don't scratch the scabbies!
What? Blood is the best color for a tatt symbolizing your family ... maybe the reeds can be puke green. Then you have it all covered.
Blood is thicker than water,
but puke is thicker than it all,
and if you bleed on me
then the puke will fall.
I haven't had my coffee ... shut up. (yes, I just made that amazing piece of poetry up for you, don't say I never wrote anything for you)
Oh wow, I must say not only you went to a great tattoo artist (I can say that with the way your tattoo looks so far, can only believe how awsome it will be with colour), but also had the best idea for a tattoo. (Family is all that matters) !! :) Totally Rad ! Hats off to you , for dedicating this tattoo to your family. God bless you all !! Also sunflowers are BEAUTIFUL !!
Just finally hopped over here from Twitter and am loving the blog (thanks for finding me there). Also loving the tattoo. Just got one on my foot this summer. But it is MUCH smaller than your badass sleeve. I've always admired and wanted the sleeve, but I think it might just make my arm look like a big ham hock. Maybe I could get a tattoo of a ham hock and just kind of embrace the inevitable.
Last time I got a tat there was this big dude in there wanting a full sleeve. They stenciled it out, applied it to his arm and as soon as they hit him with the needle.......... he passed out!
Yours looks good!
LOVE IT!!!!!
Love this! She did a great job too... You're making me want another one!
Wow, *that's* why Daddy is crying. That's quite a commitment. It looks bitchin though.
I would think about stealing your idea, but my birth flower is Chlamydia. It doesn't look that great against my skin tone.
It looks great! I have 7 tattoos and sometimes I want to get sleeves, but I'm not sure I am brave enough!
It looks awesome! I love the concept behind it too. Are both your kids born in the same month? Hence the same flower?
Nice ink, dude. I'm always impressed by full sleeves, knowing what I know of how tender the inside upper arm is (I haven't any tats there myself, but have enough friends with sleeves, and even the toughest among them admit it hurts like hell). And the flowers are really nice - it's a theme that sometimes comes out "girly" if not executed right, but your artist got it just right.
Now you have me jonesing to do the next tat in my "series" - I'm thinking a bird theme, but I don't want to say too much in public for fear of having the idea stolen.
Looks tight!
I'm betting that inside the arm job was far from pleasant.
very nice tricks and tips good work thanks