Sunday, March 04, 2007

Today I went to the tattoo store to get my tattoo. I've been consulting with NYC's most experienced tattoo artist. He started creating tattoos about 3 years after I was born, when they were illegal, and he had to run an underground shop in the East Village, as if he were selling heroin. When tattoos finally became legal he opened shop in the same spot he'd been using all along, but now he could put a big flag outside with the word TATTOO and get licensed and all that. He is very respectful and sweet and elderly and looks like a reformed biker. His face is not tattooed. That may be the only spot on his body that is not. I've had this idea about getting a tattoo for about 6 years -- at first I was going to get matching tattoos on my calves going up to my knees, but now the idea has migrated to my right arm. I'm getting waves. Just stylized, Asian influenced waves, nothing else. The aged tattoo artist is taking my request very seriously -- I emailed him pictures of the sort of waves I like and he made a copy of the skin on my arm with some tracing paper. Today he called to let me know that he had a draft of the tattoo so I went in, hoping to start. I'm aware that the process will take several months. He had drawn perfect waves, but the size was a little off. So I didn't get to start today. I have to go back on Friday and see his new draft.

It will cost upwards of 500 dollars. Don't try to talk me out of it. I need these waves.

11 comments:

Radish King said...

The Surfer got a tattoo for Christmas. Here's his self portrait.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/385890262_0a0ade5bfa_o.jpg

Radish King said...

p.s. I have more than 5, less than 10. I'm not finished, I just ran out of money.

tattooed scribe said...
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Christine E. Hamm, Poet Professor Painter said...

Dear Radish,

Yay! You have tatts too! They must be really interesting! Your son's tattoo is suspiciously like mine. Has he been reading my mind?

I've heard that ability runs in your family.

Christine E. Hamm, Poet Professor Painter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael A. Wells said...

Christine- Last April my wife turned 50. For her birthday, our three girls got her a tattoo. She selected a little Lego skeleton man. A local TV station that has a mid-day news and human interest segment came out and filmed her getting it with the family all around her.

Christine E. Hamm, Poet Professor Painter said...

Michael,

a lego skeleton!? I'd like to see that!

Radish King said...

He said yes, he has been reading your mind.

Ernesto said...

Cool! I got an abstract-tribalesque waves tattoo in NYC, at Bowery Tattoo. Very cool shop. And I just got another one here in London!

I had noticed your shallow tee shirt in your profile photo. It rocks! As I write I am wearing a sweatshirt with two shallows as well. I've got two tattooed somewhere on my body...

Tattooed poets of the world, unite!

Ernesto said...

I meant "swallows", of course.

Christine E. Hamm, Poet Professor Painter said...

Ernesto,

I like swallows a lot. I actually paint them all over everything -- furniture, clothing, purses.

My tattoo place is just two blocks away from Bowery Tattoo.