Today the classic Celtic symbol of a phoenix in high color will serve as a permanent reminder of pleasant memories for this young man, who has lived an adventurous life.
Celtic 'Memory Phoenix' Tattoo by Pat Fish
Russian Birch Tree Tattoo
Today a young woman nostalgic for her Russian birthplace came in for a birch tree tattoo, an iconic symbol beloved of the people of that region. Vast tracts of land are covered by massive forests of this beautiful tree, most striking in the winter standing stark and leafless against the sky. Now she steps forward with that memory as permanent jewelry.
Russian Birch Tree Tattoo by Pat FIsh
Celtic 'Serpent Dragon' Calf Wrap Tattoo
UPDATE: See the finished product here: http://www.luckyfish.com/blog/celtic-serpent-dragon-tattoo-completion
Today I began a full lower leg wrap of Celtic knots that have a serpent dragon entwined within. I thought it might be instructive to post what one day's work achieves for such an ambitious project. Of course, we spent several hours in preparation yesterday, measuring and designing, to be able to get this accomplished today.
Celtic 'Serpent Dragon' Calf Wrap Tattoo by Pat Fish
Here is the charcoal rubbing that I made on one of my trips to Ireland that was the starting point and inspiration for this tattoo. I have many grave and monument rubbings in my archives, and it was a great pleasure that this client, who has worked in Ireland, was struck by this design and asked that it be the knot from which the leg wrap was built.
For every tattoo I do I prepare a drawing that lets the client see the final result. I usually make several, so that the visualization process is made easier and they can choose a style or shading method by comparing and contrasting. In this case we will be finishing the pattern all in black and grey, but this is the colored version that is included in the image file.
Blue Butterfly Tattoo
This returning client has several tattoos on her back, but I was very pleased that she finally decided to put one where SHE CAN SEE IT! She chose a blue butterfly to adorn her calf - a delicate symbol of beauty and femininity.
Blue Butterfly Tattoo by Pat Fish
"The White Admiral or Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) is a polytypic species of North American brush-footed butterfly, common throughout much of the eastern United States. L. a. astyanax. . . notable for their iridescent blue markings . . ." -Wikipedia
The morph this tattoo is based on is a mimic of the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor).