'Rose Tree' Celtic Tattoo

Today's challenge was to incorporate into a new pattern a small triangular tattoo and the melanoma-removal scar in it. The client had a very clear concept of what he wanted, and a triple tree of life pattern by the Welsh artist Jen Delyth worked perfectly to give him the circle of trees he had envisioned. To honor his recently deceased horticulturalist father we added three roses, making the piece a dedication. A nice way to rehabilitate a scar, and give it new life as the central element of something more meaningful.

'Rose Tree' Celtic Tattoo by Pat Fish

The pattern for this tattoo is available for purchase and immediate download at:

http://www.luckyfishart.com/rosetree.html

Celtic Forearm 'Gauntlet' Tattoo

Today a Police Officer came to complete a long forearm piece begun last month. I've been tattooing him since his days as a Marine, and in defiance of police department regulations he has now decided to have a tattooed sleeve. If that means he wears a concealing fabric sleeve to conceal it while in uniform, it is clearly worth it to him. In the highly competitive world he travels in, this will be the occasion for envy amongst his peers. Sweet.

To read more about how this kind of custom sleeve tattoo is accomplished, visit the Full Knotwork Sleeves page.

Celtic Forearm 'Gauntlet' Tattoo by Pat FIsh

The look of a warrior's gauntlet is created by this knotwork pattern that wraps the entire forearm. A woven cross shape commands the center front, and intricate weaves complete the inside. Ready for battle.

Celtic 'Canine Infinity' Band Tattoo

Today a man who is graduating from the Sheriff's Academy got this tattoo as a present from his wife. It represents the essence of the two sides of the work of the police. A good officer must be a well trained and willing dog, part of the team, eager to follow orders from superior officers, unquestioning of the hierarchy. But he must also be able to think on his paws like a wolf, and it will be that alert awareness that helps him make fast decisions in times of danger. In this design they are united.

Celtic 'Canine Infinity' Band Tattoo by Pat FIsh

Both dogs and wolves are subspecies of Canis lupus. The one lives to grace our hearth, the other to haunt our dreams. The one represents fidelity and the most loyal of servants. the other the force of the wild nature we wish to tame. This design is a classic meeting of the two sides of canine nature, as an infinity symbol, Möbius band of duality.

The pattern for this tattoo is available for purchase and immediate download at:
http://www.luckyfishart.com/canineinfinity.html

Celtic Green Man Tattoo

Today, a returning client whose shoulder we decorated with hawthorn leaves and berries last month returned for a Green Man. This ancient symbol is a representation of natural vegetative deities, a symbol of rebirth representing the cycle of growth each spring. It is a face composed of leaves with human eyes peering forth, and similar examples both religious and secular have been found in many cultures throughout the world. 

Celtic Green Man Tattoo by Pat Fish

The pattern for this tattoo is available for purchase and immediate download at:

http://www.luckyfishart.com/woodwoseman.html