Getting A Tattoo to Celebrate Obama’s victory
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 | Tattoo Blog | No Comments
MORENO VALLEY - Terry Whitaker celebrated Barack Obama’s historic election by getting a tattoo of the soon-to-be president on his arm.
The tattoo of Obama’s profile in front of the White House will serve as a permanent symbol of hope and change, he said, not just for the country but also for himself.
“My tattoos are stuff I believe in,” Whitaker said.
Get a Tattoo for Obama
Whitaker, of Moreno Valley, said he hopes people in the U.S. will learn from the election and cast aside racism and hatred.
“He’s going to be a good president and start changing things,” Whitaker said. “That’s something I need to do — throw away all the childish things I have in my life and start looking toward the future, for my kids.”
The Nov. 4 election was Whitaker’s first time in the voting booth. Even as he cast his ballot, Whitaker, 28, was not confident that Obama could win. He feared that racial prejudice would influence voters, he said.
“I didn’t think it would happen. I didn’t think it was possible,” Whitaker said. “I had to wait until the next day for it to sink in.”
The Saturday after the election, he headed to Tried N True Tattoo Studio in Moreno Valley.
Whitaker’s friends and family watched as tattoo artist Anthony “Tee” Celestino, 34, etched black ink into Whitaker’s upper left arm.
Whitaker’s sister, Tiffany Carrigan, of Moreno Valley, supported Whitaker’s decision to get the permanent memento.
“It shows he has faith in the country,” Carrigan said.
As Celestino worked, Whitaker and his onlookers chatted about the election and its effects.
“It’s the making of history,” Whitaker said. “It shows that anything can happen.”
Joshua Watson, 28, of Moreno Valley, was one of Whitaker’s friends who watched the image take shape.
Watson, who knocked on doors and made phone calls urging people to vote for Obama, said he wished he had thought of commemorating Obama’s victory with a tattoo.
“It’s cool,” Watson said. “He is the first black president and it (the tattoo) is all that embodies and symbolizes.”
Article from pe.com
The Most Impressive Tattoo I Have Ever Seen
Monday, November 17th, 2008 | Tattoo Blog, Tattoo Designs | No Comments
As a tattoo fans, I have seen a lot of tattoo designs. Some designs are horrible, some are awesome, some are beautiful, some are thoughtful, some are meaningful etc. All are impressive. But I’d like to say the following is the most impressive one which shocked me from head to toe.
Choosing Your Tattoo Design
Monday, November 17th, 2008 | Tattoo Instruction | No Comments
Choosing a tattoo design is a hard decision to make, but it’s an important decision that should not be taken lightly. After all if it’s a permanent tattoo then it’s one you will have to live with for the rest of your life, and if you’re not happy with it then you’ll have to go through the painful process of removing the tattoo.
So with that in mind, here’s 3 important points to consider when choosing a tattoo design:
1. Does the tattoo design reflect your personality and/or personal interests?
Many people choose to have tattoos on their body that reflect their personality, so it’s often a good idea to choose a design that you think matches your own unique character traits. For example, if you’re a strong masculine character, you may choose to have a lion tattoo. Similarly if you a cat-lover then you may choose a cat-related tattoo design, for instance.
The important thing is that if you do insist on getting a tattoo, then because of it’s permanency it’s always a good idea to choose one that actually says something about you, rather than just choosing a random image that you happen to stumble across. These impulsive tattoos nearly always lead to disappointment and possible removal later on in life.
2. Is the tattoo design appropriate for the part of the body where the tattoo will go?
Certain tattoo designs suit particular types of body more than others so this is another point to take into consideration. You don’t want to choose a great design only to put it on a part of the body where it looks completely out of place. Location is very important. You have to think about the prominence of the tattoo design as well. Do you want lots of people to see it, or is it a more personal tattoo that you only want romantic partners to see.
3. Is the tattoo design timeless?
Following on from the last point, it’s important to choose a design that is not just a passing fad. For example, you don’t want to choose the latest fashionable tattoo designs because in a few years time they could be out of fashion again, and you’ll be stuck with it. You want one that only looks cool now, but will continue to look good in years to come.
It’s easy to make impulsive decisions when you are young, but you have to remember that any design you choose will be with you for the rest of your life. For example, lots of men often get tattoos done signalling their love for their current partner or wife, but with the high divorce rate in modern society is this really a sensible idea?
So to sum up, when choosing a tattoo design you ideally want one that accurately reflects your personality, is appropriately placed on your body, and is one that you will be happy with for the rest of your life.
Every Tattoo has its Story
Sunday, November 16th, 2008 | Tattoo Blog | No Comments
Every tattoo has a story
Waving flags, soaring eagles and Jesus with arms spread were just a handful of the highlights Saturday night at the Most Patriotic Tattoo contest held by the VFW Auxiliary.
About 20 contestants bared their arms, legs and chests to show off patriotism that runs so deep for them that they emblazoned their bodies permanently with it, and judges said they had a difficult time choosing who should win by contest’s end.
“I liked to see if I could tell the story myself without asking,” said judge Linda Schultz. An art director at Wincraft, Schultz is also a bit of a tattoo expert with some body art of her own. “We looked for smooth lines, color and meaning,” she said. “We had to take age into consideration because lines will feather with age, but it doesn’t change the meaning.”
For Mike Fox, winner of the evening’s contest, the meaning behind his large back, arm and side tattoo was close to his heart. “It’s just to represent the men and women of the military,” he said. “These are the men and women who stand for us, it’s the least I could do.”
Fox, an Army infantry scout between 1975 and 1981, was just one of three military men who took top honors in the competition.
After 21 years in the Army, second place winner Dave Tropple had seen two wars and a lot of friends lost. On his arm, dog tags, an insignia for POWs and a bold eagle against barbed wire tell the story of days and people he will not forget.
For third place winner Nathan Gribbons, his fighting Uncle Sam tattoo is a tribute to friends shot down in Iraq just six months after he received his own release to return home. “I have pictures of them, but it’s not enough, it didn’t do them justice,” he said.
For judges, such emotional stories moved them.
“I think the tattoos really represent something to the people who have them,” said local artist and judge John Durfey. “If you want to express something and you put it on your body, it’s a pretty strong commitment. With vets, it’s something more poignant, it’s their life.”
Judge Pete Beer, a frequent contestant in other tattoo contests, said he saw a lot of beautiful work throughout the evening and knows the crowd that gathered was just as interested in the stories told by the entrants as the artwork on their bodies.
The fundraiser was the first of its kind for the VFW, which hosted about 100 people for the evening’s festivities.
Article from Winona Post
