Tattoos

[JCMx800]

Finally got an Oni around my nipple. Drawn on by Dansin.

[JCMx800]

And some Fudo mashup from Mister Coenen.

[Nik]

New one post marathon from a friend in Paris. He’s going downhill, in the opposite direction of me.

[EdH]

Nice clean lines. Slap a sheet of dermalize on that and it should be all healed up in a matter of days.

[Matt]

That’s terrific Nik. Reminds me of this sticker I got in Death Valley…

[EdH]

Got a new bit done today.

Lines:

Colour & shading:

(Still quite raw and angry here.)

We’re riffing on Sailor Jerry’s “Sailor Beware” design (below) so instead of the things a sailor should avoid, it’s the virtues a person should aspire to.

[A Former User]

@EdH nice one!

[endo]

that's pretty cool @EdH

[jskidder]

Been wanting a Yosemite Sam tattoo forever so I finally got this sick one from Fergus at Smith Street the other day.

[jskidder]

Got this little dagger from Carlos Chavarriaga yesterday at Greenpoint Tattoo.

[Oaktavia]

@jskidder that's cool I dig it.

[jskidder]

Got my fingers blessed by Swasthik Iyengar on Sunday. Pretty brutal experience but worth it.

[Oaktavia]

Yo that's sick!!! Damn dude, I love those fangers! Mine are blacked out on my left hand and I understand that brutality.

[jskidder]

@Oaktavia Thanks, dude! Had been wanting to do this for a while, and I'm glad I waited for Swasthik to come around so I could get it done properly by a woman from the culture.

[Oaktavia]

@jskidder said in Tattoos:

@Oaktavia Thanks, dude! Had been wanting to do this for a while, and I'm glad I waited for Swasthik to come around so I could get it done properly by a woman from the culture.

Awesome stuff for sure. Please post healed photos when you can!

[EdH]

Damn, that looks brutal to get done. What’s the culture/tradition/significance/meaning? I’m completely unfamiliar.

[jskidder]

@EdH said in Tattoos:

Damn, that looks brutal to get done. What’s the culture/tradition/significance/meaning? I’m completely unfamiliar.

I'm going to try to explain based on my knowledge without bastardizing it, but this is how it was explained to me (not being from that culture).

The patterns themselves are Indian Kolam or Kolangal designs. The specific patterns or designs themselves don't hold specific cultural significance, and it is totally acceptable to have them as someone who is not part of that culture. But there is power in the lines, and the designs themselves are said to be symbolic of good luck and prosperity, and are meant to ward off evil spirits.

The ritual of receiving them I believe is more significant than the tattoos themselves. As I understand it, they should only be tattooed by a woman (one who can give life) and should come from someone within the culture who has had the art form passed down to them (Swasthik learned to tattoo this style from her grandmother in India). And it should be considered an honor to have them applied in this way.

So in some ways, it's not totally unlike a Con Safos tattoo in that there is significance in how it is passed on and the symbolism behind it moreso than in the tattoo itself.

[sabergirl]

Very cool! I found this interview with the artist because I was curious about her style: https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/swasthik-iyengars-tattoos-are-a-celebration-of-self-discovery-indigenous-artforms

[Craneman]

@EdH just seeing this now you & @Nik nice work!
I like that Justice looks kind of slutty

[EdH]

@jskidder Thanks for the explanation. They're very cool. I hope they heal up well and nothing drops out of the knuckles!