Sarah Channels Emma Goldman

I recently had the intense displeasure of discovering that my camera had broken. For someone whose spare time is spent taking pictures of other people's tattoos, this was a harrowing experience, especially since my BlackBerry's camera is flash-less and takes good pictures under only specific lighting conditions.

So what's a poor inkspotter to do? Pass out his card and hope for the best.

And despite dozens of cards distributed to many people with cool tattoos, the only one who has really come through for me is Sarah, who I met last Friday on the subway platform at West Fourth Street, as I waited for the D train to Brooklyn.

Possessor of several tattoos, the one of Sarah's I spotted was on her inner left forearm. My photo was blurry and, as the D pulled into West Fourth, she handed me her card so I could follow-up with her. Thankfully, she is a woman of her word, and sent me this photo yesterday:

Since Sarah is a writer and journalist, I'll let her do the talking. You can check out her work at  her website ohyouprettythings.net and/or read her blog at champagnecandy.tumblr.com. Sarah explains:

It says "It's not my revolution if I can't dance to it"

The tattoo is my most recent, and it's a paraphrase of a possibly-apocryphal Emma Goldman quotation. It's a line that spoke to me the first time I heard it. I'm a political journalist and a feminist activist, and Goldman's always been someone I looked up to. Also, I became a political person through music, and dancing and music have a particular significance for me.


It was done by Ryoko at Brooklyn Tattoo [who we most recently saw inked Julie Powell's tattoo here] and she's super-awesome...

As a lover of type tattoos, I had inquired about the font used and Sarah did not disappoint: "the font is Garton and the words revolution and dance are in Miama".

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

Ganesh Waits for the A Train

Actually, Kerry was waiting on the platform for the uptown A Train when I walked by at 34th Street.

How could I not stop and ask her about this tattoo:

This absolutely stunning depiction of the Hindu deity Ganesh took between eight and nine hours to complete.

Guy Ursitti at Thicker Than Water is the tattooist responsible for this work of art, the newest (at the time I met her) of Kerry's approximately fifty tattoos.

The detail in the tattoo is absolutely incredible.

Work from Thicker Than Water has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

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

Knuckle Tattoos

Knuckle tattoos aren't exactly the most common location to get a tattoo, however many tattoo fanatics find the knuckles to be the perfect place for a four letter word tattoo.

Here we have a list of some famous people with knuckle tattoos gracing their hands.

Also checkout these hand tattoos.

Robbie Williams love knuckle tattoo.

Ozzy Osbourne "Ozzy" knuckle tattoo.

Josh Homme has "Cap" and "Cam" tattooed on his knuckles.

Tim Armstrong PUNX knuckle tattoo.

Benji Madden has "Made Man" tattooed on his knuckles.

Carey Hart knuckle tattoos.

Lower Back Tattoo - Look Sexy With the Right Tattoo Design

Lower Back Tattoo

So you want to look sexy, and hence decided to get a lower back tattoo? But before that, make sure you follow certain rules while selecting your tattoo design. Also, read through these tips for getting a "lower back tattoo".

Sean Shares a Host of Traditional Tattoos

I ran into Sean at the Foodtown in my neighborhood and when I stopped to talk to him about his tattoos (he has nine), I ended up with photos of several pieces, all of which reside on his left arm.

Most of the designs are traditional tattoo subjects, all of which were inked by Eli Quinters at Smith Street Tattoo Parlour in  Brooklyn. Work from Smith Street Tattoo has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

First up is this amazing lighthouse:

Sean explained that this tattoo is for his mother, as this tattoo is based on her "favorite lighthouse," the Fastnet Lighthouse on the most southerly point on the coast of Ireland.

Then there is this owl tattoo:

This was done for no other reason that Sean has always liked owls. If you love owl tattoos, be sure to head over to this site.

Then there is the elephant tattoo:

He has this piece because "elephants never forget".

I know we posted a sugar skull yesterday, but here's another one:

This was all Eli's design. Sean gave him free reign and likes the fact that it is unusual in that there are not a lot of colors in it, like one sees in most sugar skull tattoos. For all that have appeared on Tattoosday previously, check this link.

There is also the traditional female figure, not modeled after anyone in particular, just done in a traditional style:

And Sean's last tattoo is this bat:

He told Eli that he "wanted something spooky" that included the moon. Quinters free-handed this piece, starting with a white Sharpie and then finished with a darker Sharpie before finishing the tattoo.

What's neat about all of Sean's tattoos is that they flow nicely together, as readers can see elements of many of the tattoos on the borders of the photos of specific designs.

Thanks to Sean for sharing these amazing tattoos by Eli Quinters with us here on Tattoosday!

Sugar Skull Sunday - One From Ryan

Since I seem to capture more sugar skulls than any other design, why not reserve a day just for these decorative symbols which, at their roots, have deep religious significance?

Two weeks ago, I met Ryan, who has ten tattoos.

Of that lot, he offered up this design on his left bicep, which Charlie Foos created for him at FlyRite Studios in Brooklyn.

Charlie Foos is now at Read Street Tattoo Parlour in Baltimore.

Aside from the traditional nature of the sugar skull tattoo, Ryan also loves Mexico and this design recalls that beautiful and diverse culture south of the border.

Thanks to Ryan for sharing this decorative tattoo with us on Tattoosday!

Work from Charlie Foos has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.
Tattoosday posts tagged FlyRite Studios are here.
Tattoosday posts tagged Reade Street Tattoo Parlour are here.

Swallow tattoos

Swallow tattoos are considered old school sailor tattoos. But they have been revived and are making a great comeback. Swallows symbolize freedom, love and loyalty. You see many people with "pairs of swallows", one looking forward and the other looking back, representing ending one chapter and starting a new chapter in life. You can use your imagination and come up with a unique twist to your swallow tattoos if you have the right tools. I'll tell you what those tools are.

Choosing a tattoo can be a hard decision. It will be with you for life so you want it to be unique and imaginative. Stop wasting time looking at website after website. Check out this review and make an investment now in one of the best membership tattoo gallery sites.
Find great swallow tattoos by joining an online tattoo gallery and looking through thousands of the best tattoo designs all in one place. Get unlimited downloads of tattoos so you can find the best tattoo designs for you.


navy tattoos, sailor tattoos, sparrow tattoos, swallow tattoos, unique tattoo designs

Head Tattoos

Believe it or not, head tattoos have been picking up stream in recent years and become quite popular among serious tattoo enthusiasts.

Here we have a gallery of head tattoos, both partial and complete head tattoos included.

There are only a couple of famous people which come to mind, who actually have head tattoos, and those two people are Tim Armstrong of the punk band Rancid and of course Boy George.

Head tattoo with gun and flowers.

Tim Armstrong complete head tattoo.

Eye on back of head tattoo.

Breakfast head tattoo.

Tribal art head tattoo.

Cat man face head tattoo.

Artsy back of head tattoo.

Boy George head tattoo.

Katie's Tattoos: A Tribute and a Memorial

I met Katie on 34th Street one afternoon when I stopped to ask her about her foot tattoo:

This tribute piece on her left foot is for her cousin, whose initials are JMS. The letters sit astride the ribbon designating awareness for the disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The two feet represent the fact that she helps raise awareness in the fight against MS by participating in an MS Walk each year.

For more information on MS, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's website here.

Katie also shared with me these wings on the back of her neck:

The initials "MCF" refer to her brother Mark, who was killed with a friend a few years back when a train struck them. This memorial piece ensures that her brother is always with her.

Katie's tattoos were inked by Spencer at Fat Kat Tattoos in Keyport, New Jersey. Work from  Fat Kat has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Katie for sharing two of her four tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Cool and Stylish Celtic Tattoo Designs

Cool and Stylish Celtic Tattoo

Celtic tattoo designs are a popular and cool option when considering symbolic tattoos. There is no limit to the designs available or the art in question, so Celtic tattoos are a frequent choice with tattoo enthusiasts of all ages.
Celtic tattoos are based off of Celtic art. When used in reference to tattoos, the adjective "Celtic" is pretty much synonymous with "tribal." Not only are they considered stylish now and very popular, they are historically popular as well.
The most popular Celtic designs are variations on the Celtic cross, which is typically a cross comprised of woven lines and a circle around the intersection of the lines of the cross. Also, the woven Celtic arm band is worn by both sexes with pride. Other popular designs classified as Celtic are the "Celtic knot" and the Claddaugh, which is the known Irish design that has two hands holding a heart.

Since Celtic culture dates back to six centuries BC, you can be sure that people have been getting Celtic tattoos since the inception of tattoos themselves. People today see Celtic tattoos as a way to connect with their roots by displaying an ornamental design.
Celtic and tribal art are the main inspiration for tattoos described as such. Celtic art is based heavily off of symbolism, and is not based in nature. The typically curved or woven lines are clean and monochromatic, with black being the standard. They vary greatly, and there really is no "typical" Celtic tattoo. Standard of the style, though, are thick lines full of asymmetrical, curved lines that frequently weave together.

Body Tattoo pictures girl sexy

Leyna's Balloon Keeps Her Grounded

Leyna was leaving the Borders at 2 Penn Plaza when I spotted one of her tattoos and asked about it.

This was the tattoo in question:

It is located on the back of her left leg, on the calf.

The design was inspired by the cover art from the Modest Mouse record We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.

Leyna thought the anchor was cool, and she feels it is a good representation of herself in her 20's.

The tattoo was inked by Derik Snell at Hand of Glory Tattoo in Brooklyn. He liked the design because he had never tattooed a hot air balloon before. Work from Hand of Glory has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Another one of Leyna's tattoos  caught my eyes, as well:

This two-word snippet, "ecstatic and insatiate" is an excerpt from Allen Ginsberg's Howl. I'd speak more about it, but it appeared first on the most awesome blog, Contrariwise. I'd direct you over here to read what Leyna had to say about this tattoo, and encourage you to linger about and check out the seemingly endless array of literary ink.

Thanks again to Leyna for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Patsy Kensit Tattoos

Patsy Kensit is an English actress and former singer.

Patsy Kensit has been spotted with 3 tattoos, including a winged creature on her back, a small tattoo design on her right ankle and some words on her left foot.

Patsy Kensit small ankle tattoo.

Patsy Kensit back tattoo between shoulder blades.

Patsy Kensit foot tattoo.