Today a collector of tattoos came in to expand on a pre-existing small circular Celtic pattern on his upper arm. I added a custom knotwork pattern to begin the process of transforming this arm into a Celtic sleeve.
Celtic Knot Quarter Sleeve Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today I was excited to do a second piece in what promises to be my first ever Saxon sleeve. I love Celtic, and Pictish art, but Saxon is comparatively unexplored territory. This sea dragon was found on the shield of King Raedwald, one of the greatest of the early English warrior-kings. He ruled over what is now East-Anglia and was also overlord of all the English kingdoms. When he died in around the year 625 he was placed in an Anglo-Saxon war ship along with his armor, shield, weapons and other fine treasures. He was covered by a burial mound where he lay undisturbed until the site was excavated in 1939.
Sutton Hoo 'Saxon Dragon' Tattoo by Pat Fish
Here is a photo from 2011 of the Saxon 'Bird of Prey' Tattoo on the same client:
Saxon 'Bird of Prey' Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a man requested of his family that his seventieth birthday gift was to come with his son and get his first tattoo. The simple elegance of the shamrock fills the claddagh ring to form a perfect Irish tattoo. And now both he and his son wear it with pride.
Today a Bostonian Irishman returned to add to his extensive collection. Three years ago we did a large partial sleeve of Celtic interlace, and today we added more matching knotwork to bring it down to the wrist. Hooray for the ethnic ambitious!
Celtic Wrist Cuff Tattoo by Pat Fish
