Medusa

I’m not sure when it happened, but it did. I’ve become the lucky S.o.B that  gets numerous cover-ups to do. I like doing them. I feel like I could be on that Tattoo Nightmares show. Check it out when you get a chance, it’ll make you think 4 and 5 times before you get a craptastic tattoo. This client came to me and asked for a cover-up of some sort to cover her old tribal tattoo from the 90s. Damn those 90s and their cursed tribal tattoo era. Tribals are a bitch to do because they take a while to do an

 

d they don’t show off an artist’s talent really. When she asked me for a Medusa to cover her 90s cursed tribal thing I damn near jumped out of my skin for joy. This was a gift from the tattoo gods lol! This took about 3 sessions and roughly 9 hours to complete. Not bad really and she sat extremely well for it. During the last session, I looked over it and thought to myself “This thing needs more texture…” referring to the snakes. So the scales were added last. I’m glad I added them, it breathed a little life and dimension into the piece.

This was created with a 3 tight liner, #08 08 bugpin liner (it creates some of the most beautiful lines I have experienced. I’m hooked on this needle), #08 11 bugpin curved magnum, #08 17 curved magnum and intenze and eternal inks.

Enhance, Cover, Wrap around and Fly! Session 1

I remember when I was 16… 19 years ago. The crap that I was into made me seem like a saint compared to some of the stories I’ve heard in my life. I wasn’t the druggy kid nor was I a true bad-ass, I did graffiti on illegal walls and tagged the joint like a vandal, but that was really it. I never got busted doing the vandalism so I have no arrest stories like that fortunately. That leads to this client, at 16 she received her first tattoo… She loved it at the time and adored it til adulthood. This is why I refuse to tattoo anyone under 17. No one’s mind is right at that age. We are all horny and stupid and all teen-agery. We will say “I love pink and I’mma wear Timberlands to my wedding while dunking on Shaquille O’Neal…” Crazy teenage crap.

This was created with a 9 tight liner, 13 curved magnum, and intenze zuper black ink. Color coming later

Tiger Tiger Cover-up!!!

This was a serious challenge for me. She received a flaming panther at a tattoo party she attended and immediately hated it. For a few years she just lived with it because she didn’t have a choice. Then she asked me if I could cover it and how. With a scratch of my head and some basic ideas that she liked, we moved forward. This was birthed from that pow-wow. I like it a lot because of the challenge it presented to me. Definitely a proud moment.

This was created with a 9 tight liner, 18 round shader, 9 curved magnum, intenze black ink  and alla prima white.

Pete’s Last song

For many years the name “Peter” plagued this woman who once loved him enough to get his name tattooed onto her wrist. Now, years after they split from each other, she’s ready, able and willing to cover the past and remember a more important man in her life, her father.  I really enjoyed doing this tat because of it’s significance to her in so many ways. Well, in the end, Pete no longer plagues her.

This was created with a 3 super tight liner and a 15 bugpin curved magnum and intenze ink.

Hi Errin, Bye Errin

This client walks in and shows me a tattoo on her chest. I look and ask what would you like me to cover that with? She replies “No tribal, something pretty.” I explain it’s gonna be a bit bigger and a hell of a lot more colorful. I suggested a rose and away we go! This is a lesson to all people who want a name that isn’t a family member or their children’s put permanently on their body… You will one day want to remove or cover it! Think!!!!  Nonetheless, thanks for the challenge on this one.

I created this using a 5 super tight liner, 9 curved magnum, intenze and eternal inks.

Purple and Orange HAZE!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a NYC friend of mine who has a friend who wanted a tattoo. She explained to me that it will be a cover-up of an ancient tattoo she received 8 years prior. A little thing that she though was bad-ass at the time. Damn our young thoughts lol! Well, stars have become passé and now she wanted something more meaningful, edgy and timeless. Enter the god-talent Jimi Hendrix. She wanted Jimi to go over the stars and for him to look psychadelic and funky. After a few sketches and honest feedback, Super-Fro Jimi is born. This is a multi-session deal so finishing will happen in a few weeks. But for now, I share the progress

This was created using a 5 super tight liner, 9 curved magnum, Eternal, Intenze and Starbrite Inks.

Out with the old, tattoo me new

The super sister Wyze came through again and received some new work. This time on her right arm. A tattoo from 10 years ago had faded into obscurity and she wanted something totally new. She sited references by and artist named Callow Lily. When I took a look at the work she referred me to, I got giddy. I mean like 4 year old getting chocolate giddy. Callow Lily has some bizarre and beautiful work that I’m now a fan of. Extremely colorful, big, expressive eyes, strange subject matter that makes sense the more you look at it, and above all, well executed. This design is heavily based on Callow Lily’s work with some touches from me to make sense on the arm.  7 hours and a sunrise later, this was born. It’s session 1 of 2. We only stopped because she had to get home to her cute son.

This was created using 5 super tight liner, 9 super tight liner, 9 curved magnum, and starbrite and eternal inks. Long process, very challenging, brain enlargening, tons of fun.

Scooby-dooby-doo, where are you

Many years ago this woman got a tattoo of scooby doo because of her love for dogs. Time moved forward and she bought a cute lil toy pincher (I think I spelled that right). Well, she felt the need to represent that dog so she asked me to hide scooby. Scooby’s gone, say hello to Hans.
This was created using a 5 super tight liner and a 15 curved magnum using starbrite inks.

FAITH LOVE WISDOM

 

Some weeks back, the sister Wyze asked to have an ancient, very faded tattoo covered. She asked me to design something using the words faith, love, wisdom and to make them look like a tribal eagle. The result is what you see. 6 hours of me injecting ink into her dermis. She’s a serious trooper. Mad props to her for taking it like a ‘G’ lol!