Sunday, September 03, 2006

I went out to pick up some Tattoo Goo from Iron Legends and asked George, my tattooist, if he could re-ink my very first tattoo (not tattooed by him, I might add). It had suffered from overcare when I first got it and it faded badly. He siad "That would cost you $70 just for a few minutes work. Why not get a full tattoo and I can re-ink that for free?
"The thriftiness of that idea appealed to the Scot in me and I said "Okay!" and went off to look at some images. All my previous ones were my own designs except, of course, for my word so I wasn't sure I could come up with something in just a few minutes.
I picked up the Dover book of Celtic designs and flipped through it. Right at the back I found this bird design. I assume it is actually Phoenixes (Phoenixi? Phoeni?) or something but to my mind they look like a Herons. This time back in the year 2000 I had an encounter with a Great Blue Heron which, quite leterally, saved my life. I had been looking for some way of commemorating this, so it was the perfect design. It was simply black line with no colour but I asked George to make it blue. He had misgivings but said "If I just do highlights rather than fill it completely in, that would probably be okay".
I LOVE it and think it is perfect.
The photo is a bit murky because it was taken last night and it still has ink and ointment on it. Once I wash it and it heals, it will be brighter.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's gorgeous! And they do look like herons. Where is it?

And what's the heron story?

Mudhooks said...

Here: http://public.fotki.com/Mudhooks/my_stuff/year_in_photos/2007/new_tattoo/img_1358.html

I'll send you an email about the heron.

Rev.Paperboy said...

You've tagged Toots!


http://kevinswoodshed.blogspot.com/2006/09/what-book-has-changed-your-life-all-of.html

Mudhooks said...

Oh crap... I forgot about this....