Day after 12/5 session. Red has been filled in and some grey lines added. 

12/05/04 - Red Again

Dark and stormy night in Seattle. Christopher finished up the red on my right arm as well as laying in some grey lines. Those will help in showing where to change colors and make up another design on top/behind the flowers. It looks crazy right now, but once the other colors start getting put on it will look amazing. Bishop took a look at it and asked Christopher about what he was planning. It was cool to listen to him talk about what he was going to do. I still can't totally explain it to anyone, but I can see it in my mind. Anyway, I'm off for a month, then go twice in January. I'll post another pic soon. Total Time - 8.25 hours

Day after 11/15/04 session. Red getting filled in. Christopher says it will be the only solid color. 

Questions

Lots of questions from people at work. I'll try to post them and some possible answers.

Q - Why?
A - This one really depends on who is asking and the tone. Usually the answer is that its something I've wanted to do. Or it can be just because I can. Sometimes the answer is because I hate myself (for people who have a sneer when they ask).

Q - Does it hurt?
A - For me not that bad. For you it might be awful. Everyone feels pain differently. It stings during tattooing, and feels kind of like a sunburn for a day. The thing that bugs me the most is about a week later when it starts to ITCH. That sucks.

Q - How long until it is done?
A - I'm not sure. Christopher is the artist and when he says it is done, its done. This isn't a quick project and I wouldn't want him to rush it. I am also getting both arms done at the same time so it will take longer.

Q - How much does it cost?
A - Lots. Art is expensive.

Q - Have you shown your mom?
A - HELL NO! I'm waiting for the right time. Yes I'm a puss. A 38 year old puss.

11/15/04 - RED, RED, and more RED

Went in today for 2.25 hours of "mowing the lawn" work. Christopher wanted to get some of the boring work out of the way. All the flames need to be filled in with red, so we started that. The left arm has the most so we got those filled in and started on the right ones. The left arm didn't really bother me at all. When we switched to the right one though, MAN! Definitely felt it. Chris says that many people will feel more pain when switching from one side to the other. Very strange. Also apparently I don't bleed. Not very much anyway. We still have about half of the red to finish on the right arm. Christopher also mentioned that red is a hard color to fill with because your skin starts to redden from the tattooing. It makes it hard to see if the color is completely covering. There might be areas that will need to be hit again. Photo above. Total time - 6.5 hours

Outlines on both arms. Ready for some color. 

Left arm with outlines complete.  

Sunday 10/24/04

I went in for a short session. Christopher put the outlines on my left arm. Next time the color starts! Two days later (Tuesday) I'm really liking where its going. With outlines on both arms I can get a good grasp of what it will look like. Christopher was explaining what is to come next and I can't wait! I'll try to post photos later today. Total time - 4.25 hours

Work done on right arm 10/9/04. Photo is one and a half weeks after.

10/9/04 Round two.....

This session couldn't come soon enough. I've probably explained what I'm having done to my arms hundreds of times by now. Not everyone can see the vision. Oh well. The regulars at the bar are enjoying watching what happens. They get the tattoo experience but don't have to pay the cash or feel it. That reminds me that I have to post about the questions most often asked. I'll do that after this. Back on track. Chris (my wife) decided to go with me this time. We got a babysitter and made a date out of it. This time the right arm was to be worked on. Chris knitted Ian a super cool beanie with a big skull on it while I was worked on. By the end of two hours I had a big skull with horns and the outlines for the other objects. Once again, very cool! It is now almost a week and a half since the session and it has healed really well. Now I can't wait for the next session and for the color to start. Next time should be the outlining on the left arm. Total time - 3.5 hours

Left arm one month after 9/15/04 session

9/15/04 The beginning.....

I must admit I was very nervous. The week before was spent wondering what in the hell I was getting myself into. I have two kids for Gods sake! My father didn't get his arms covered with tattoos. What are my kids going to think about this? On and on it went. My wife and my good friend Ian helped me out tons with this. Huge props to them for listening to me whine about it.

SIDE NOTE - Ian has also had work done by Christopher and is currently getting an amazing tattoo done by Atom at Artcore.

Upon arriving and filling out the necessary paperwork, Christopher filled me in on what we were starting with. It would be the left arm halo skull. He was still tweaking the flames to flowers morph thing-a-ma-jiggy, so it would be the skull outline and shading. The session went fine and in an hour and a half I had a big skull on my arm. Cool!

By the time I got home the kids were in bed so they wouldn't see it until morning. All night I kept thinking they would think it was weird or scary and freak. In the morning I took off the plastic wrap and washed it up. I have to admit at this point I was thinking, "What in the hell have I done?" once again. The kids thought it looked cool, but Dean was bummed there was only stuff on "Emma's arm". After a day I got over my WTH? feelings and started wishing I could have got more done. With just the skull it looks like I'm some kind of rocker/devil worshiper. I am having to explain that there will be more, a lot more, and it will take some time to finish. Total time - 1.5 hours

The story so far.....

Up until 9/15/04 my arms looked like the previous photo. I had both of my kids names tattooed on my arms after they were born by Joe Who at Lucky Devil Tattoo . The tattoos have faded a bit because of the sun. Sunscreen will soon become my friend. Since my last one , almost four years ago, my wife has recieved two tattoos. Both were by an artist she had found some mysterious way named Christopher Gay. For her first one he was working at Slave To The Needle. Shortly after that one he had moved, along with another artist, to open their own studio in Georgetown called Artcore Studios . Her second one was done in the new studio. I had been thinking about getting something else, but really couldn't decided on what. After several years of listening to me whine about it, my wife got me some time with Christopher for my birthday in 2003. I went and met with him in September (03) and it became apparent I didn't have enough ideas to get started. Christopher gave me some things to think about and off I went. I must admit I was a bit defeated after our first meeting. I put the whole tattoo idea on the back burner. I would think about it from time to time, usually after a few pints, but still wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Finally in early summer 04 I got serious about it again. I made some rough sketches and gathered up some things I liked (Hellboy comic, photos of a motorcycle helmet, and some tattoo mags) and made another appointment with Christopher. This time I had enough ideas and we decided to do both of my arms from wrists to lower biceps. The main componets will be two large skulls, one with a halo and the other with horns, skull braclets, flames and flowers. It might sound strange, but in my mind it works. The following posts will follow the progress of getting my arms covered with art.

Arm tattoos before the big project begins 

Welcome

This blog is for me to write about and archive the progress of my tattoos. Please feel free to drop me a note if you wish.