Ladies Man Tattoos

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The Tattooed Poets Project: Erica Rivera

Today's tattooed poet is Erica Rivera from Minneapolis. She sent along this lovely photo:

Erica explains:

"This tattoo was both a 24th birthday present to myself (and perhaps a mini-rebellion after my divorce as well). It is the astrological symbol for Gemini, which I chose because I embody the twin personalities Geminis are infamous for.

The tattoo was done at the Ink Lab in Minneapolis by a man whose name I know longer remember but recall as being very gentle, especially since this was my first time. I’ve since gone on to get four more tattoos: another astrological symbol on my forearm and three emblems from the marathons I’ve completed on my ankles."

Erica Rivera is the author of Insatiable: A Young Mother’s Struggle with Anorexia (Berkley, 2009). She is the former first-place winner of the Powderhorn Writer’s Festival and her poetry has appeared in Moon Journal, The Mirage, and Writer’s Journal. She blogs at http://www.maneaterbook.com/blog.htm.

Head on over to BillyBlog to read one of Erica's poems here.

Facebook tattoo ideas

Facebook logo turned out to not only be taken as layout ideas, but also could be beautiful and sexy tattoo designs.

facebook tattoo styles with sexy tattoo model

Monday, April 5, 2010

Japanese Symbol Tattoos

Traditional Japanese Tattoo

Japanese Tattoo Design

David Duchovny Tattoos

David Duchovny is a fantastic American actor, best known for his role as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and Hank Moody on Californication.

David Duchovny has a couple of tattoos which we have spotted, one being a compass tattoo design on his inner right ankle.

The actor and his wife Tea Leoni have matching wedding band tattoos, which read "AYSG".

David Duchovny tattoos.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Christine Hamm

Today's tattooed poet is Christine Hamm:

Christine, a fellow Brooklynite, explained her tattoo as follows:

"Why my tattoo? Is it a museum on my arm? Is it some kind of message from outerspace? Children run to me just to touch it: ask me what the words mean, what I'm trying to spell. There are no words, only water.

For many years, I had been thinking about getting matching tattoos of waves splashing up my calves to my knees, as if I were wading in the ocean, perpetually. I thought about the cost, I thought about how the tattoos would look with a miniskirt -- I realized that if I got them, I'd always want to be wearing jeans rolled up to my knees and salt-stained t-shirt. I can't carry seashells all the time in my pockets, I can't be brushing the sand out of my hair every five minutes. So I decided to take less of a plunge, enter the water one arm at a time. It started off quite slow. Are you sure you don't want a fish, the artist kept asking me as we mapped out my image on tracing paper. Everybody else gets a fish. Just water, I said, just waves. The tattoo was to celebrate --- some kind of new awakening, finally going back to grad school to get my PhD in Lit like I always wanted, finally believing I could achieve something more. The waves are Asian-inspired; many who see my arm mention Hokusai, but the water is not taken directly from him. I was thinking of Zen when I finally decided on these particular waves; I was thinking that if I could just be in the water, neither sinking nor floating above, if I could just be. Water has always suggested to me some kind of slower, purer imitation of our world, something more real and less sharp. Not just amniotic fluid, not just rain, but the color, the there-not there texture, the kiss of it."

And that explanation, my friends, is one of the many reasons I love the Tattooed Poets Project.

She credits the work to Mike Bakaty at Fineline Tattoo NYC on 1st Avenue in Manhattan, who inked this about three years ago.

Christine is a PhD candidate in English Literature, teaches at CUNY in New York City, and was runner-up to the Queens Poet Laureate. Her second book of poetry, Saints & Cannibals, is coming out this spring. For more about her, go to her blog here.

To read a poem from Christine, as part of the Tattooed Poets Project, head over to BillyBlog here.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Japanese Flower Tattoos

Japanese Flower tattoos are becoming very popular particularly among women who often see their tattoo as an extra accessory. Many women choose to have a tattoo because they think of it as having a piece of artwork that you can have with you wherever you go. Flowers have their own individual meanings and it is a good idea to find the meaning behind the flower that you choose.

An increasing number of women choose the lotus flower as a tattoo. The Lotus flower has a long history and in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions it is seen as a sign of waking to a spiritual reality. Most tattoo artists feel that the lotus flower is emblematic of life in general because if starts off in mud and turns into something beautiful. Many people who have had a rough time of things will sometimes have a lotus tattoo as a symbol of the fact that they are coming out of the other side of trouble. Lotus flowers are also quite important in Japanese symbolism. Japanese tattoo artists will work with lotus flowers, sometimes combining them with koi fish as the two things are often found together in the ponds in front of Japanese temples.

Flower tattoos come in all shapes and sizes. Until recent years many women who had a flower tattoo would have it placed somewhere on the body that was normally covered by clothing. Nowadays society has a far more open attitude to women with tattoos. A rose can signify eternal love and beauty but if the rose is black or is entangled with barbed wire then it tends to have a darker meaning. Many women start with small flower tattoos and then add to their body art over time. Hawaiian flower tattoos are worn by both women and men they might be a yellow Hibiscus or a flowery orchid. The Hibiscus flower comes in red or yellow and is often accompanied by a rose in body art. Tattoos are extremely popular in Hawaii and it is not unusual to see both men and women sporting tattoos. Women tend towards the floral designs whereas men seem to prefer tribal design tattoos.

One of the biggest attractions of flower tattoos is the fact that they tend not to date and will probably just as popular in twenty years as they are now. Some women have a floral tattoo around the navel or on the ankle bone. Many women like their tattoos custom designed and so they will take an ordinary flower and add their own adornments to it so that they finish up with a tattoo that is uniquely theirs. The beauty and delicate nature of cherry blossom makes it a popular choice for many women who want a tattoo. Cherry blossom is heavy with significance in both Chinese and Japanese cultures. The Chinese regard cherry blossom as a symbol of female power and at the same time as a symbol of love. In Japan on the other hand the cherry blossom signifies the transience of life. It makes sense to try to understand the symbolism behind the tattoo before you have it done

Tattoo Japanese Design Ideas

Getting Japanese tattoo design ideas can help anyone find the perfect tattoo that reflects exactly who they really are. We are going to discuss some basic tattoo designs to help you get an idea of where to start and what to prepare for.

Tattoos are an undying symbol of who you are. They can help remind you of where you came from, where you are going, or who you want to be. They are a pure form of self expression and a representation of your inner self. Tattoos may tell a story or keep remembrance of a love one alive. Try to keep this in mind when you are figuring out which tattoo you would like. It is extremely important that you choose wisely.

Below are just a few basic styles of tattoos. The type of designs may help you spark some great tattoo ideas.

1. The Tribal Tattoo Design - Tribal Tattoo designs have its roots from early cave paintings. Many cultures from the Mayans and Aztecs to the early Egyptians used tribal tattoos. They have many meanings and represent a number of ideals. Tibal Tattoo Designs are great because they hold much deep inner meaning and can symbolize everything from strength to purity. There are literally thousands upon thousands of different kinds of tribal tattoo design ideas. Discover which one is right for you.

2. Celtic Tattoo Designs - Celtic Tatto designs are also one of the most famous kinds of tattoos. Celtic Tattoos symbolize the celtic genre and are often a very intricate weave as with all celtic designs. Most often seen is the Celtic Cross tattoo. Celtic tattoos are a great tattoo idea and there are literally unlimited choices for the kind of tatt idea you are looking for.

3. Zodiak Tattoo Designs - Zodiak tattoos are also extremely popular. Zodiak tattoos are a great symbol of who we are. Those who practice and follow astrology often find this style of tattoo a winner. Whether your looking for a Pisces tattoo, a Leo tattoo or an a Gemini tattoo everyone can find a style that they can relate too.

4. Japanese Tatto Designs - Japanese tattoo designs and other kinds of oriental tattoos are often popular in the west as well. Oriental tattoos are stylish and can represent something that no one else (unless they are oriental) may understand. Japanese tattoos make great tattoo ideas and can be very beautiful.

5. Dragon Tattoo Designs - Dragon Tattoos can represent anything from strength to luck. Dragon tatts are great and beautiful and have its place in history as well. These style of tatts are culturally defining and look very exotic. This is a great choice for a tattoo idea.

Whichever style of tattoo design you are looking for, make sure it is what fits you exactly. Tattoos are long-term and will follow you wherever you go. It is a great idea to make sure you choose wisely and invest time in to deciding which one is right for you.

Chinese and Japanese Tribal Dragon Tattoos

Dragon tattoos are one of the most popular designs all over the world. It can go in any category, whether abstraction, naturalistic, dedication, stylized or combination tattoos.

Throughout history, dragon tattoos have never been out of fashion and had been used as a symbol in some parts of the world. It can be drawn as menacing or regal depending on your choice of design.

Dragon tattoos come in two popular forms: the Chinese or Japanese dragon of the east with its long, snake-like body and the European dragon of the west with its powerful wings and long neck. The European dragon usually symbolizes power and fear, a depiction of evil where as the Chinese dragon usually symbolizes unity and conformity, a depiction of good.

You can find many different designs of dragon tattoos in different forms and colors. Some of these dragon designs have additional background scenery where they are depicted flying in the clouds, swimming in the ocean, crawling on top of mountains or ravaging small villages. But the most common depiction of a dragon is being done as tribal dragon tattoos due to both its simplicity (the majority color being in either black or gray with the additional color to highlight the dragon) and its complexity.

Most often, the eastern dragons are the ones being used as a basis for the designs for the tribal dragon tattoos. Chinese and Japanese designs are the ones most common to be created into tattoos. Both have similar features: long, snake-like body, wingless and have horns. The only difference between these two dragons is their claws. Japanese dragons have only three claws where as the Chinese dragons have five. Their long, wingless bodies are less complicated to draw and since tribal tattoos are mostly being done in one color (two at the most), the outcome of these dragon are more elegant looking and sophisticated.

Though, some in today's society, eastern dragons that are being created into tribal dragon tattoos is being depicted as a symbol of fear and power; a contrast to the real symbolism of the eastern dragons.

Some people today would ask for a tribal dragon tattoo when they want to look tough or powerful. They would look for the best dragon design and ask to have it done. But there are still those who see the eastern dragon as a symbol of wisdom and would ask for a dragon as a sign of respect. And still, others would just like a tribal dragon tattoo because the artistry is very well made and it looks good in the body.

The most common place to find a tribal dragon would be on the whole arm length or at the back.

There are still some parts of the world where dragon tattoos are still used as a symbol in society. Whether they are being used as a status symbol in an organization or a clan, they are a mark of respect and power to the people who still value them.

The Tattooed Poets Project: Mark Nickels

Today's tattoo comes to us from the poet Mark Nickels:

Mark explains:

"This tattoo dates from the end of the Clinton era, I'm thinking 1997, 1998. It can't be true, but getting a tattoo feels like the last unmotivated thing I did. No regrets, I just can't remember exactly what it was all about. You forget about it and then glimpse it in your steamed bathroom mirror and think, Oh. Uh....freedom, or something like that...not so much the word as the feeling, sort of a lovely, aimless, Saturday morning feeling you don't recall having had lately."

If I may interject, I love hearing things like this, because I often ask people about their tattoos, and they dismiss them, "Oh, well, it doesn't mean anything," they often say, as if that somehow makes the tattoo less interesting. However, tattoos often symbolize times, places, memories, or feelings, and Mark is able to capture that perfectly in his explanation of the tattoo.

He continues:

I was interested in medieval stuff at the time, especially medieval and Renaissance music, and found this griffin design in a book of Dover copyright-free medieval motifs. A very good artist at Dare Devil Tattoo drew it freehand for practice, referencing the book, then started on my arm and tattoo'd' it straight off. It hasn't faded much, as you can see. I remember I asked for red and yellow, outlined in black, and that's exactly what she gave me.

Mark Nickels lives in New York City. His book Cicada was published by Rattapallax Press in 2000. He has won the Milton Dorfman Prize (1996), the Ann Stafford Prize from USC (2002) and been a finalist and semi-finalist at Lyric Recovery Festival (Carnegie Hall). He is a 2006 New York State Arts Foundation Fellow in fiction, and two poems from his 2o00 collection were recently selected for inclusion in the on-line archive of the Poetry Foundation (aka Poetry).

Thanks to Mark for sharing his tattoo with us here on Tattoosday! Please be sure to check out one of his poems (one that mentions a griffin, too!) here on BillyBlog!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

The Tattooed Poets Project: Nikoletta Nousiopoulos

Today's tattooed poet is Nikoletta Nousiopoulos:

This tattoo is on Nikoletta's left bicep. At the time she got it, she was researching the Tarot and she felt especially connected to the card representing The Lovers. She explains that "the original card had a giant angel in place of the Eyes of Ra. I preferred the eyes over the angel."