Pictish 'Duality Double Disc' Tattoo

Today a client with both Hawaiian and Celtic heritage returned for a second piece. His first, done a decade ago, has seen much surf and sun. The new addition melds a Celtic spiral whirl  taken from an ancient Irish metal brooch with a 4-spiral from a Viking sun stone, connected with a pattern from the Shandwick stone from Scotland. Like the wearer, it unites many cultures into one double-disc, a shape found on many of the ancient Pictish standing stones.

Pictish 'Duality Double Disc' Tattoo by Pat Fish

"The double disc is a Pictish symbol of unknown meaning, that is frequently found on Class I and Class II Pictish stones, as well as on Pictish metalwork. The symbol can be found with and without an overlaid Z-rod (also of unknown meaning), and in combinations of both.  -  Wikipedia

Celtic 'Manhood Knot' Tattoo

Today a teacher who guides his students to discover history and learn from it came in for a Manhood Knot. He helps to sculpt the thought processes and perspectives of children, and is one of those noble servants of the educational system  to whom we intrust the future of our next generation. True manhood expressed through kindness to the young.

Celtic 'Manhood Knot' Tattoo by Pat Fish

A warrior's shield pattern, this knot represents the three phases of a man's life: the youth, the warrior, and the sage. Each is balancing the rest, and they intersect in the middle and make up the flow of all life. A tattoo design for a man whose link to his Celtic heritage calls up visions of a stronger, bolder past.

Celtic Hummingbird Tattoo

Today a returning client from a decade ago was ready for something new, and was charmed by this Celtic hummingbird image I created last year. It makes me very happy to translate the beauty of the natural world into permanent jewelry for women, in a stylized way that both captures the spirit of the image and honors the Celtic semi-representational tradition.

Celtic Hummingbird Tattoo by Pat Fish

The splendidly delightful tiny jewel of the skies, the ruby-throated hummingbird, is rendered in Celtic knot work, to make a tattoo of unique charm.

Nordic Dragon with Thor's Hammer Tattoo

This week I completed a half sleeve begun last month, incorporating a Thor's hammer with a dragon derivative of and inspired by the art of Viking Tattoo specialist, Colin Dale . The Celts, Picts and Nordic peoples have intermingled their bloodlines and artistic styles for centuries, so it is an interesting challenge to combine elements that appeal to an individual client in a way that creates a new cohesive design.

Nordic Dragon with Thor's Hammer Tattoo by Pat Fish