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!

Disney Tattoos

As you know, Walt Disney Pictures has produced some of the greatest works of cartoon cinema the world has ever seen, with classic movies such as Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Jungle Book, Lion King and the list goes on and on.

So its not surprising to see the fans of these heartfelt movies, recreating the characters in the form of tattoo designs, proudly inked on the location of their choice to show the world their support of these classic cartoon masterpieces.

Alice with Cheshire Cat tattoo on right shoulder.

Disneyland castle with Tinkerbell.

Smattering of Disney cartoon creations tattooed on back.

Mickey Mouse as fantasia.

Peter Pan portrait.

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!

Comic Book Tattoos

Whether we are willing to admit it or not, the fact of the matter is, comic books were a prized possession for many youngsters while growing up.

The never ending battle of good vs evil, starring such character as the Hulk, Superman, Batman and a few hundred other highly influential heroes and villains from various comic books.

Not surprisingly, many of these comic book icons have remained with us throughout the years, and many people are representing these characters with the tattoos.

Fantastic four battle tattoo idea.

Hellboy partial sleeve tattoo idea.

The Punisher with gun artwork.

Face of the joker on back of calf.

Iron-man ready to launch.

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!

Cartoon Monkey Tattoos

And just when you thought monkey tattoos couldn't get anymore fun-loving and colorful, take a look at this picture collection of joyful little cartoon inspired monkey tattoos.

Dream of ice cream and cherry.

Stunning 3D artwork with cone and huge glassy eyes.

Acting silly with spider, skulls and jack in the box.

Great artwork with magical brain power.

Funny belly button butt on stomach.

Cartoon Frog Tattoos

Passionate for frogs and looking to step outside of the traditional tattoo artwork idea? Perhaps consider getting a cartoon inspired tattoo!

These little slimy creatures are sometimes portrayed with a kings crown or other royal items, plus the classic singing and dancing frog with cane and top hat known as Michigan J. Frog by Merrie Melodies, seems to be a fan favorite.

Big blue eyes and small crown.

Speak, see and hear no evil on lower back of girl.

Classic cartoon character.

Animated lazy while smoking.

Cartoon Devil Tattoos

If you are looking for a demonically menacing tattoo with a touch of cartoon animation, perhaps consider getting a cartoon devil tattoo.

One of the most popular designs is the cute little devil baby wearing a diaper while brandishing a pitchfork and pointy tail. Checkout those pictures below.

Mean looking three eyed creature on neck.

Asian themed evil artwork with fangs on back.

Cute artwork on right butt cheek.

Small design on back left shoulder.

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!

Cartoon Character Tattoos

During the course of out childhood, most of us latch onto cartoon characters who we relate to, for whatever reason. Typical favorites include the likes of Batman, Superman and of course the web slinging Spiderman, among countless others.

So naturally when we get older, there is still a part of our childhood memories that enjoy these cool cartoon characters, which inspires many people to search out and ultimately tattoo a portrait of these crime fighting do-gooders, or perhaps a villain in some cases.

Classic Superman tattoo.

Old school Spiderman tattoo on calf.

Iron-man ink on lower leg.

Batman and joker on upper arm.

Super Mario on bottom of foot.

Cartoon Angel Tattoos

Cartoon tattoos of all types have always been quite popular, and not necessarily just characters from popular television programs, in fact traditional designs are are often requested to have an animated theme, like these cartoon inspired angel tattoos below.

Cute angel girl with halo and purple color scheme.

Baby angel with name scripts.

Anime inspired artwork with large wings and plenty of color.

Adorable praying baby on cloud with small star.

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!