Steve's Zombie Apocalypse - In Progress

A couple weeks back, on an unseasonably warm and sunny February day, I spotted Steve on Penn Plaza, wearing a short-sleeve shirt, with some pretty cool ink peeking out from his arm.

Intrigued, I approached him, and started up a conversation about his tattoos. He showed me several pieces, but was most proud of this, a back piece that is in progress:

Take a closer look - this is pretty cool. I spoke to Steve at length about his work. He had recently left the U.S. Marines, where he had been stationed overseas in Japan. It was there that he chanced upon an artist named Aya, at a shop called Silent Ink, located in the city of Iwakuni.

As Steve, explained it, Aya is a deaf-mute (thus the shop name) and he became a huge fan of her work while serving in Japan. "It's a full zombie apocalypse scene," he told me, and he plans to fly out to Washington State when Aya next travels to see her fiance in the U.S., so she can complete the work.

I always defer to the contributor, as to whether they want to share work in progress, and Steve had no qualms about letting us see this early stage of the back piece. I was able to get a closer look at the completed sections:

I just love the colors and shading behind the tree that borders the upper right arm:

Steve estimates that she has already spent approximately 38 hours on his canvas over several sittings. "I like to sit for a long time," he told me.  I certainly look forward to hearing back from him when Aya has completed this work!

Thanks to Steve for sharing his ink with us here on Tattoosday!


This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.


If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Inkbursts: Spring Awakening

So I'm digging these inkbursts for now. This is the third in the series, each piece composed on the New York City subways.

On Thursday it was 60 degrees in the Big Apple and, I read somewhere that this has been the fourth warmest winter on record. You wouldn't know that from the paucity of posts these last few months, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.

We had a bat mitzvah to throw in February, and I have been working behind the scenes recruiting contributors for our upcoming fourth annual Tattooed Poets Project in April. To which I can exclaim, "More poets! More tattoos! More FUN!"

I used to feel guilty about letting a day go by post-less. I pictured inked fans worldwide waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, only to be gravely disheartened by yet another day gone by without a new Tattoosday post. No more. This blog is neither the center of my universe, nor a viable way to help support a family of four. I have come to terms with that.

But, with spring rapidly approaching and blog traffic at an all-time high (50,000+ visits per month in January and February!), I am in high spirits and am hoping to do a lot of great things with Tattoosday in the months to come. Thank you for checking in and checking us out!

Danielle's Mother Walks with Her

Last week I met Danielle in Penn Station and spotted this tattoo on her left foot:

She explained that November 7, 1958 was her mother's birth date. Danielle was just a little girl of eight years old when her mother passed, and she got this, her only tattoo, to memorialize her mom.

The reason she got it on her foot was because her mother's funeral card had the famous "Footprints" prayer:

“Footprints:
One night a man had a dream. In it he was walking along a beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the final scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints and realized that they came at the hardest and saddest times of his life.

Bothered about this, he questioned the Lord, saying "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most burdensome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." 

She had this done at a tattoo convention by an artist from Long Island's DaVinci Tattoo Studio.

Thanks to Danielle for sharing this very personal tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.

Inkbursts: I See Your Tattoo but I Won't Ask You About It

I take pride in the fact that I can sit on a train and spot tattoos.

I'm not talking about the obvious, but the subtle.

Remember, I have been inkspotting for over four and a half years (!). I am adept ar detecting scribbles on feet, a word on an inner wrist, and the edges of sleeves peeking out from under sleeves.

Does this help me? Rarely. My general rule is, if I can't identify it, I won't ask someone about it.

Imagine, someone walking up to you and asking to see more of your barely visible ink. It reeks of creepiness, a characteristic I so desperately want to avoid, as it is well-documented that the world is full of people who do not respect tattooed people's boundaries, and often demand to see someone's tattoos, as if it is their right.

But, I digress.

This all started because I spotted an interesting shape on a guy's inner left wrist on the R train this morning. I wanted to ask him about it, but I didn't.

It was way too early for that.

Inkburst: Commenting on Tattoosday

I am writing this post on the subway, on my Samsung Galaxy S II's Blogger app, in what I will call an "Inkburst." That is, a small, mini-post, that I hope people find interesting.

Readers may notice that there aren't a lot of comments on this site. I have a filter set up that requires my approval before a comment sees the light of Tattoosday.

I tend to approve benign and positive statements, and reject ads, spam and, more controversially, negative remarks.

Why won't I allow negative feedback? I think it's counter-productive and it goes against the grain of this site's philosophy - meeting and appreciating tattoos.

So, when a recent reader named "Anonymous" dropped comments blasting two posts, they didn't make the cut. And, I agreed with his or her opinion about one of the posts!

But this site is not always about museum-quality body art. Sometimes, bad, or merely average ink is interesting, too. If you want nothing but high end work, I recommend Tattoo Snob.

The way I see it, if I hand a flyer to someone on the streets of Manhattan, and they're on the fence about contributing, they'll be less likely to participate if they think there's a chance of getting flamed by a inktroll.

I do occasionally let a constructive comment through, however, if I feel it is relevant to a piece's flaws, and it is written objectively, and not soaked in sanctimonious venom.

Feel free, however, to praise away! And thank you again for visiting us here at Tattoosday!

What Beauty Products Make You Feel Beautiful?

When it comes to beauty products, just about any woman will tell you there are a handful of items that she just can’t live without. And who can blame them? Whether you carry a full arsenal of beauty products or just have your essential favorites in your purse, the end results can make any woman feel like a supermodel. But what specific beauty items make women feel the most beautiful?

Mascara: They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and what better way to enhance your peepers then by coating your lashes in good quality mascara? The latest technology has allowed mascaras to now work better than ever. Many come with voluminizing, lengthening, curling, and thickening formulas, which can transform any pair of eyelashes and let you perfect your “come hither” stare. The latest versions of mascara even have the ability to bring out and enhance the color of your eyes. What more can you ask for?

Eye Cream: Regardless of your age, taking care of your complexion is a must in warding off the signs of premature aging. Eye cream has the ability to eliminate, minimize or prevent the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles. Many eye creams and serums contain potent ingredients and power-packed formulas that are able to not only keep your eye area fresh, smooth and youthful, but can also keep away dark under eye circles and puffiness.

Facial Scrub: When skin becomes dull, dry, flaky or discolored, having a good facial scrub handy can refresh your complexion with little to no effort. Gentle exfoliation once to twice a week is enough to slough off layers of dead skin cells and improve skin tone as well as prevent your pores from becoming clogged. Using a quality facial scrub product lets you revitalize your complexion in a matter of minutes.

Hand Cream: If you want to age gracefully, you have to take everything into account, not just your face. The hands are usually a dead giveaway as to a woman’s real age, making the need for hand cream vital. Because hand cream can be used on a daily basis or as needed, you can keep your hands smooth, supple, and free of age spots, veins, and other unsightly signs of wear and tear. For protection against sun damage, choose a hand cream that contains SPF 15.

Hair Spray: It doesn’t matter what hair type you have, we all experience our bad hair days. With the right hair spray product, whether it’s for voluminizing or shaping, you can tame even the worst hair days. Many hair sprays now come with gentler ingredients that help repair, nourish and add shine in addition to maintaining a great look.

Yoga and Pregnancy Tips

Practicing yoga postures during pregnancy helps relieve the pain while keeping your muscles flexible. Prenatal yoga classes are often offered at health centers and community organizations, fitness clubs and some hospitals. Remain active throughout your pregnancy helps maintain your energy levels, increase flexibility in your hips, and relieves stress and anxiety. Exercise also releases endorphins, which helps improve your mood.

Maternity Yoga Benefits

Yoga postures to help keep your muscles toned and loose, and improves balance and circulation. Yoga places little or no impact on the joints, pain that can begin during pregnancy. Breathing techniques taught in yoga classes to help reduce stress and lower blood pressure. These tips may be useful in breathing during labor and help you fight the desire to contract your muscles when you feel pain. Some yoga poses to reduce heartburn, nausea, bloating and during pregnancy, according to “Yoga Journal” magazine. Regular exercise and the birth of swimming gives you the opportunity to meet other pregnant women in a supportive environment.

Ayurveda Weight Loss Formula increases the rate of metabolism and lose weight.

Poses

Most prenatal yoga classes are safe for pregnant women until the security measures, especially after the first quarter. Avoid excessive exposure to the abdomen due to work in a difficult position of the uterus during pregnancy. Most of the stands will be done throughout pregnancy, with minor changes if you are struggling for balance. Use a chair or a wall to make a permanent cause, including a warrior and I take II, wood, lead, and lead to wide triangle, in the second quarter. Other causes are safe for pregnant women because a cat-camel, modified, and the dog down because Cobra.

Positions to avoid

Avoid standing twists, especially in the early months of pregnancy, since it puts too much pressure on your abdomen. Since blood pressure can drop when you are pregnant, avoid performing inversions. They direct the flow of blood from the uterus and can cause dizziness. Curves are still back in their place because of the pressure causes the stomach area. Bridge is the only acceptable result back to the curve during pregnancy.

Attention

Consult your obstetrician or midwife before starting any exercise regimen during pregnancy, including prenatal yoga. Your chances of tension or pulling a muscle increases during pregnancy because of the pregnancy hormone relaxin. Avoid trips that require you to be in the exposed position, such as the lotus position and after the first few weeks of pregnancy. Bikram yoga, or “hot” yoga is not recommended for women who are pregnant because of the risk of overheating. Avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back after the first trimester, because it reduces blood flow to the uterus.