Geisha Inner Arm Tattoo with Red Carnations

Just finished this lovely red and black lady, off to do some serious drawing!!

Japanese Tattoos on an Autumnal Theme

Seems to be that without trying deliberately, the theme of tattoos in the studio this week have all been very autumnal - koi,maple leaves, reds,oranges and rusts... wonderful!

Art Deco Freesia Tattoo

Drew this tattoo for Kate a while back - but then life got in the way of her being able to get it done. Not to worry - she finally made it through to get tattooed this week, and we both agreed the result was worth the wait! She wanted me to draw her a spray of freesias in an Art Deco style, which took a bit of getting my head round at first, but once I got a handle on how I wanted them to look, I really liked the end result.

Red and Gold Geisha Tattoo

Fiona told me she would like one of my 'trademark' Art Deco geisha tattoos, but wanted the colourway to be taken from the beautiful costumes and headresses from an assortment of Chinese films, hence the reds and golds as a palette and the small creatures in her hair combs.
I took this photo on finishing the tattoo but it doesn't really do it justice, but I've been promised a healed up photo via facebook when it's all healed and lovely!

A Farewell Anchor Tattoo

I've been tattooing 'Japanese Paul' for a couple of years now - his Art Deco style Japanese Sleeve Tattoo was featured on my blog quite recently, but I'd already done him a few tattoos before that. Now he's finished his degree (in Japanese , appropriately enough!)and is off back to Tokyo to work and study. This tattoo is to celebrate him getting his degree (A First with Distinction , no less)- so I sent him off with a Venus Flytrap Tattoo T-shirt to fly the shop colours in Asia, a bottle of Sailor Jerry Rum (the old recipe, not the new one...), and what looks to be a cracking bruise developing in his elbow! (Ouch- bruises like a peach, that lad!)...

Geisha Backpiece Tattoo in Progress

This is the tattoo from 'Saturday - Part Two'.
This tattoo was originally designed to go on the right hand side of Alastair's back... but once the right hand side was complete he decided to go ahead and make it a complete backpiece.
There's still some way to go - patterns on her kimono fabric, the wisteria (top left) is to be coloured, and the screen has maple leaves on it... ...but she's starting to come together well now.

Lotus Tattoo with Ampersand, Orchids and Cherry Blossom

Just finished this very pretty tattoo on the inner forearm of Naomi,who also happens to be the daughter of my shop manager! It's kind of strange tattooing someone you've known since they were born (!)- but she sat great and the tattoo turned out lovely. Will get a pic once it's healed to better show all the colour gradations.

Japanese Dragon Tattoo in Blue

Two posts in one day - man I'm getting overenthusiastic.... Posted the lines for this tattoo almost a year ago to the day - and here it is finished. Richie came in to get me to zap over a couple of tiny patches in the lower clouds... ...probably caused by rubbing against his clothing while healing. Took a few minute to fix - and now he can show off the perfect version with pride (when it's healed anyway!).

Koi Carp tattoo with Cherry Blossom

Just finished this very pretty little koi and sakura tattoo on Kerry's ankle. Whilst colour tattoos will always be my first love, the longer I tattoo the more I appreciate black and grey work. As with a lot of things in tattooing - it's really pretty easy to do up a a certain level of proficiency - and insanely difficult to do well!! I'm becoming obsessed with how dark backgrounds should be relative to foregrounds (or vice versa!) - and how to contrast areas of great detail with very simple areas or negative spaces. Fascinating stuff. The tattooing voyage continues....

Japanese Style Tattoos - Photos from Australia

Just went into my email to find a whole load of photos from Jamie, a long-distance customer from Australia. He'd promised to send me some pics of the tattoo work I'd done on him, and here they are -
complete with added sunshine.

The first piece I did on Jamie was a fox (Inari) and rabbits against a traditional grey background. The upper half of his arm was already tattooed - so I drew the fox design to match his existing work and not create a 'join' halfway down his arm. The cherry blossom and the background are not drawn the way I would normally do - but in this piece continuity was obviously important so I adapted them to suit. I think this result works much better than a 'tattoo of two halves' would ever have done.

When he came to get his next tattoo from me, Jamie pretty much gave me free rein - he said he wanted a rabbit sitting at the waters edge looking down at a turtle which was swimming up towards it, and cherry blossom (always a good thing to add in my book!) The tattoo is to celebrate the birth of his beautiful baby daughter, Darcy.We did the tattoo in two longish sessions and one finishing session - because he was travelling halfway round the planet time was of the essence! I liked the way the 'underwater' effect worked out so much it's appeared a few times since in other pieces I'm drawing up.

Geisha Rockabilly Pinup with Cherry Blossom

Spent most of today waiting in for workmen... ...but not to be deterred I drew up the design for some red cherry blossom which I'm starting on Monday - they'll eventually trail from mid back over shoulder and down her arm - but they're pretty detailed so outlines on shoulder blade should keep us occupied day 1!

Once I'm done writing this, I'm gonna get on with making tiny paper chrysanthemums and origami insects for a headdress to be worn by one of my backpiece customers for her photoshoot.

So why the 'rockabilly' geisha photo? - Because after tattooing lotus flower and cherry blossom) tomorrow I'm running home to get changed and go round to Elvis Shakespeare bookshop on Leith Walk here in Edinburgh - where my lovely husband Paul (Paul Paterson) is playing a live set of blues,surf and rockabilly for their 5th birthday party around 6pm... ...Rock'n'Roooollll!

Sakura Geisha tattoo design in monochrome

Today was a day for red and grey tattoos - using sumi (charcoal) grey Japanese ink which settles down over time to become a beautiful silvery grey...

First up was a phoenix design - running from waist down to thigh. The softer plumage and the tail feathers are monchrome - the wings and body deep red.

Then came a Japanese style koi design - a pale speckled fish against a traditional looking dark background of water/wind - this time the red was in the form of mottled red maple (momiji) leaves overhanging and floating on the water.

As much as I love working in colour, I'll never get tired of working in monochrome too - I especially love the way these tattoos age and actually improve with time...

Art Deco Floral Hip Tattoo

I did this tattoo a while back for a Welsh customer who works in the theatre and shares my love of stylised Art Deco flowers.
This was her first tattoo so she was slightly terrified on the day but all turned out great as you can see...
She was up in Edinburgh for the Festival so came by to say hello and let me take a photo of it all healed up and lovely!