New Ink
So, some years ago, I decided I was going to get a tattoo.
I thought about what I was going to get for a while, and as with many of my concepts and ideas, the more I thought about it, the more complex, intricate and baroque it became. Eventually, after mulling it over for some time, I knew exactly what I wanted. Then it took me over a year to find a tattoo artist who thought they could do what I wanted, and who I thought could do what I wanted, and whose style I liked. Once I found him, I told him what I wanted, he worked up a few sketches of how it could all be put together...
And so, after some 20+ hours ( divided up into 5 sessions), and having my skin pierced by needles approx. 3,960,000 times... This is the result
I still need to have it touched up a bit... some white added to Doc's image, the central image darkened/highlighted a tad more etc, etc... but for all intents and purposes, it is done.
And, since the few people who have seen it, and don't know me all that well, ask about the symbolism, here is the meaning behind the image/images...
The snake in the tattoo is a memorial to my snake Doc. Doc was a Reticulated python whom I had had since he was a 2 day old baby snake a mere 1 foot long. When he died 14 years later, in 2006, he was 21+ feet and over 200 lbs. Doc was, for lack of any better term, my Familiar. I trusted Doc with my life every time I interacted with him, which was on an almost daily bases. Doc entrusted his life to me that day at the reptile breeder's where I purchased him when he curled up in my shirt pocket and fell asleep. So, I felt a memorial tattoo was fitting. After his death, Doc's skeleton ended up in the Boston Museum of science, and Doc's skin ended up with me, and is currently mounted on my study walls.
The image of a snake swallowing it's own tail is an ancient symbol of eternity, and the cyclical nature of existence, along with many other meanings known as the Ouroboros
The design at the center/ being encircled by the Doc/Ourobous is the Veve for the Voodoo loa Dhamballa Flambeau, which is the aspect of Dhamballa with whom I have the most affinity.
The flames surrounding the Doc/Ourobous represent the flames of creation.. artistic passion, etc. etc.
The women dancing within within the flames are of course, the Three Muses ... with whom I have had a long and tumultuous relationship.
And so while this is my first tattoo... it will certainly not be my last! I have discovered that I like the process of having a large tattoo done, and so I am already planning my next tattoo. But that is several years down the road yet, as it is going to take my back a few months to completely heal from this one (Dan did a lot of layering... which means going over some of the same places many, many times!) Plus, it is going to take my budget a lot longer than just a month or two to recover!!
And to give credit where credit is due, this amazing work of art was created by Dan Soule who currently works at Milltown Ink
, and is an amazing artist, and really cool guy as well!
I thought about what I was going to get for a while, and as with many of my concepts and ideas, the more I thought about it, the more complex, intricate and baroque it became. Eventually, after mulling it over for some time, I knew exactly what I wanted. Then it took me over a year to find a tattoo artist who thought they could do what I wanted, and who I thought could do what I wanted, and whose style I liked. Once I found him, I told him what I wanted, he worked up a few sketches of how it could all be put together...
And so, after some 20+ hours ( divided up into 5 sessions), and having my skin pierced by needles approx. 3,960,000 times... This is the result
I still need to have it touched up a bit... some white added to Doc's image, the central image darkened/highlighted a tad more etc, etc... but for all intents and purposes, it is done.
And, since the few people who have seen it, and don't know me all that well, ask about the symbolism, here is the meaning behind the image/images...
The snake in the tattoo is a memorial to my snake Doc. Doc was a Reticulated python whom I had had since he was a 2 day old baby snake a mere 1 foot long. When he died 14 years later, in 2006, he was 21+ feet and over 200 lbs. Doc was, for lack of any better term, my Familiar. I trusted Doc with my life every time I interacted with him, which was on an almost daily bases. Doc entrusted his life to me that day at the reptile breeder's where I purchased him when he curled up in my shirt pocket and fell asleep. So, I felt a memorial tattoo was fitting. After his death, Doc's skeleton ended up in the Boston Museum of science, and Doc's skin ended up with me, and is currently mounted on my study walls.
The image of a snake swallowing it's own tail is an ancient symbol of eternity, and the cyclical nature of existence, along with many other meanings known as the Ouroboros
The design at the center/ being encircled by the Doc/Ourobous is the Veve for the Voodoo loa Dhamballa Flambeau, which is the aspect of Dhamballa with whom I have the most affinity.
The flames surrounding the Doc/Ourobous represent the flames of creation.. artistic passion, etc. etc.
The women dancing within within the flames are of course, the Three Muses ... with whom I have had a long and tumultuous relationship.
And so while this is my first tattoo... it will certainly not be my last! I have discovered that I like the process of having a large tattoo done, and so I am already planning my next tattoo. But that is several years down the road yet, as it is going to take my back a few months to completely heal from this one (Dan did a lot of layering... which means going over some of the same places many, many times!) Plus, it is going to take my budget a lot longer than just a month or two to recover!!
And to give credit where credit is due, this amazing work of art was created by Dan Soule who currently works at Milltown Ink
, and is an amazing artist, and really cool guy as well!