Celtic 'Saint Matthew's Band' Tattoo

Today's client was a seriously wave-weathered old surfer, battered and blessed by the sea, who wanted this Celtic band from the margin of the Saint Matthew page in the Book of Kells because it looked to him like rolling waves. Now he has a permanent testimony to his enthusiasm.

Celtic 'Saint Matthew's Band' Tattoo by Pat Fish

This intricate pattern is the border around the evangelist's portrait page of St. Matthew's Gospel, from the 4th Century Celtic illuminated manuscript the Book of Durrow. This amazing flowing series of interlocked spirals looks beautiful in black and white or in color. Because it is a bold pattern it can be rendered any size from bracelet to leg band. 

Celtic 'Tree of Lines' Tattoo

Last week a gal came in and got this same tree of life image in black graphic, with an added sun and moon. Strangely enough, yesterday another client asked for the same pattern but done in lines and shading, so I had the unique pleasure of rendering it in two different ways just days apart. Scroll back and compare, the two different rendering styles give quite a different effect. Possibly someone will come in next week and want it in color!

Celtic 'Tree of Lines' Tattoo by Pat Fish

The flowing grace of an eternal Tree of Life captured in a weaving line, the Celtic knots returning to the primordial source of Life. 

Celtic 'Bridging Band' Tattoo

These two views illustrate how different an arm tattooed with a continuous pattern of knotwork can be when viewed from different angles. The goal here was to span a space between the bottom of a Celtic cross I had done on his upper arm and cover the elbow and go down a few more inches to match up with the length of an Asian style sleeve he has going on the other arm. So it was a tube of knots, a very wide band, and we worked up a pattern that links a knot with recurving ends with a basketweave interior. The densely woven parts fit very well across the elbow and inner arm, and the loops and curves work well on the sides. The finished product has a lot of complexity, and is snugly fitted to the shape of the arm.

Celtic Bridging Band Tattoo by Pat FIsh

A very wide Celtic knotwork band, designed to bridge the gap between the bottom of a short sleeve and cross over the elbow and onto the forearm. Many times people make the commitment to a short tattoo sleeve and then when they want to go further they have to deal with an awkward space. This knot is special because it has two areas with knots and loops, and two areas of basket-weave interlace that work very well over the elbow and the inner arm.

Elysian Celtic Band Tattoo

The simplicity of a Celtic band, with no beginning and no end, was chosen by this man as the logical termination for a planned half-sleeve. He asked for blending of green and blue, just a blush of color making the dimensionality, a light touch and the beginning. What will be added to the arm above, that remains to be seen.

Celtic Elysian Band Tattoo by Pat Fish

A gentle band evoking the waters crossed over to attain the Elysian Fields, whose inhabitants include those chosen by the gods, the righteous, and the heroic, in a place where they would remain after death, to live a blessed and happy life hereafter.  http://www.luckyfishart.com/elysianband.html