Saturday, October 16, 2010

In Omnia Paratus: a tattoo

Sketch from Erin Chance at Sacred Tattoo


When someone tells you that getting your ribs tattoos hurts? believe them.
I'm telling you now. It hurts. A lot.
This was by far my most painful tattoo. But I still adore it, and I'm so glad I have it. I just won't be rushing to get the second session (colour) done. It looks good as outline and shading. Thankfully.

Sarah-Rose = Nervous
nervous face!


So yes. I emailed Erin Chance at Sacred Tattoo an appropriately garbled description of a traditional style memorial tattoo, except with a camera instead of a person, a couple of roses and a peony, and a banner with "In Omnia Paratus" (Ready for anything) on it*. And that I wanted it on my ribs and landscape orientation and about the size of my hand.
She came back with something about 3 times bigger and portrait oriented but it was perfect.
This is why I always always advocate researching your artist. And giving them a bit of leeway. The orientation and size that I was originally envisioning wouldn't have left enough detail for the flowers OR the camera.
I had also wanted a more fancy font for the script but she pointed out that it would be getting a bit busy. And of course, she was right. That's why she's the artist.

Sacred Tattoo
Sacred Tattoo, K'Rd, Auckland


And that's how I ended up getting my ribs AND hips tattooed**.
I cannot emphasise enough that it HURT. Like really really hurt.
Which is why there are no being-tattooed photos. I could not let go of Craig. And I was worried that if I took a break that I wouldn't let her start again.
Ouch.

Outline done. Ouch.
After the outline and before the shading


Craig and I were talking about which bits hurt me the most. I came up with: the bony bits of my ribs and hips, right in the centre of the curve of my waist, when she did the long long lines, and the little lines on the leaves.
I was surprised that the middle of my waist hurt as much as it did. Same with the little lines on the leaves.

Thankfully the shading hurt less. It still hurt a LOT but less than the outline.
And I just adore it.

Peeking out of a pencil skirt

Day one: Achey


Also! Erin told me that I was the third large rib piece she'd done that week and that I had sat, by far, better than the other two. And they were dudes. I feel officially badass now.

* Yes. The latin is PARTLY but only partly a Gilmore Girls reference.
** Sorry mum!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Week Forty-One

The Week in Photographs

Sunday: Lying in the Sun
Sunday
Buddha head on the deck outside our lounge. I spent most of the afternoon lying in the sun and ended up sunburned. Oops.

Monday: ineffectual
Monday
A somewhat ineffectual lock.

Tuesday: the end of the protest
Tuesday
I caught the end of my baby sister's protest at Parliament but she had skived off back to work already.
I was not taking part, just stopping by to say hello.

Wednesday: new phonebooks
Wednesday
New phone books! I actually liked the picture on the front this year.

Thursday: sunlight hitting the top of the trees
Thursday
With daylight savings time, this is the kind of dawn I see now. Sunlight hitting the top of the trees.

Friday: Meadowlark ring
Friday
My meadowlark protea ring, purchased on sale a little while ago, arrived just in time for my birthday.

Saturday: Birthday lunch at Viva Mexico
Saturday
I had to work on my birthday so celebrated on Saturday instead. We went to Viva Mexico for lunch.


&


Self-portrait with KW necklace
the necklace was my birthday present from Craig.