Today's interesting assignment was to fill a long thin space up the spine with Celtic dogs........ this is a traditional bit of marginalia from an illuminated manuscript but changed, adding a little bit more knot work to weave around the main bodies of the dogs and using dots to give bold dimensionality. Just the thing for someone born in the year of the dog!
Celtic Knotwork Dogs Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today's tattoo would have been a challenge even BEFORE my time-out, but to do it today so soon after returning to work, well, let's admit it, I am seriously STOKED. The client came from far away, and absolutely insisted that I do it all in one day. I promised him I'd give it my best, if HE could handle it. 7 hours later, he has been transformed from a guy with just an armband I did 6 years ago on the other arm to >>> a heavily tattooed guy with a half sleeve.
A complex full-coverage half sleeve in a bell shape that follows the contours of the shoulder and ends at the elbow. A bold statement of integrated Celtic knot work that covers all visible sections of the upper arm and has the appearance of chain mail armor.
I am pleased to say that today I did this extremely complex piece, a knotwork starting with two birds and knots on the top of the foot that all weave into a band around the ankle. The client is an Irishman who came by way of Thailand for this, and we planned it out yesterday afternoon, I got it drawn up overnight, and then today installed it in a marathon 6 hour session. He was a tough guy getting so much on a highly sensitive body part, and I felt wonderful that I was able to do this much only 9 days after returning to work. I AM BACK.
Celtic Tattoo by Pat Fish
It took a couple of days for me to get the hang of how I need to adapt moving my arm to help out the shoulder as it continues to heal, but I am quite happy to be back at work and had no trouble tattooing at all. This is the tattoo I did today. The Brotherhood of the Arrow tattoo symbolizes the bonding together of men as brothers, whether by blood relationship, in war, or in unity to succeed in life. Representing virility and power, the arrow is the point of intent sent straight to the target to achieve the win.
Brotherhood of the Arrow Tattoo by Pat Fish
