Tattoos

As promised, this entry will detail my personal tattoos! Growing up, I always thought of tattoos as pretty taboo, and never thought I would get one. But as I entered my late teens, I took more of an interest in body art. Eventually, that led to me making an appointment and getting my first tattoo. The second I left the shop, I wanted my next one. Too bad they're expensive (at least the good ones). Enough rambling I suppose, on with the ink!



Here is the first tattoo I got. It was inspired by a rose that the band AFI used on their fan club website. Anyway, I took the picture to the artist, and he totally changed it up and added his own style. The only real similarity to the original is the skull inside the bud. It is unique, original, and no doubt the most personalized tattoo I have.



This heart was the second tattoo I got. It is inspired by a heart that one of my favorite artists (Elliott Smith) drew. The black and red lines are taken from the Sound Solutions wall in Los Angeles that are on the cover of Elliott Smith's album Figure Eight. The tattoo was done at a lower grade shop, and is definitely obvious when compared to my others. Honestly though, I like the simplicity and little flaws in it. It captures what I love about Elliott Smith. Unlike the first tattoo, this one is not an original, but it's a nice tribute.



This is my newest and most ambitious tattoo to date. It features two personified hot air balloons. Yes, it's pretty weird, but the detail and precision is amazing. It was inspired by a concert poster for another favorite band of mine, Rilo Kiley. This tattoo garners a lot of attention almost daily by people I meet at work, etc.

Well, those are the tattoos I have so far. Hopefully there will be more to come. People always talk about regretting tattoos later on, but I love mine and see them as a part of me. All three of my tattoos so far are semi-music related, but that won't neccessarily be a continuing trend. I have some ideas for what's next, but you'll have to wait, just like me!

-Joseph