Ok but why is learning new things so hard?
Things that have been happening: I’ve been learning a ton over the last few months, and challenging myself to take on new kinds of projects. A few of the tattoos that stand out: tattooing a hand for the first time, a collarbone wrap-around dragon, a cover-up tattoo, my first large full color tattoo, and two new hand poke tattoos I did for myself.
I’ve learned it’s muuuuucccchhh easier for me to follow through on tattooing myself when I have a buddy with me. The two tattoos I did recently actually happened because my friend Greer and I scheduled time to get together and tattoo (ourselves). Both times, I wasn’t sure what I was going to give myself until the morning of, and then just kind of went for it. Granted, both designs were drawings I’d already made for past flash. But still. It really only happened because I had another human being showing up at my door, and I’d already committed. It’s also helpful to have someone around to say “yeah that’s cool. you’re not crazy.” So thanks Greer!
I also did my first tattoo trade recently! I connected with @jessbakertatts over Instagram earlier this year. She’s a tattoo artist who’s finishing up her apprenticeship at another shop in Brooklyn. It’s been lovely to have someone to bounce tattoos ideas around with, and vent about tattoo challenges. So naturally, we had to tattoo each other! I gave Jess a ladybug tattoo, and she gave me a little storm cloud above my elbow. It was really helpful to watch Jess make this tattoo. It’s a hand poke tattoo, which was something I wanted to make more of myself. Seeing her make this one definitely helped me gather the courage to try it again.
If you’re not familiar, hand poke tattoos are also known as “stick and poke” tattoos (you know, the kind associated with kids giving themselves at home). Of course, it’s not the same, because you use real, sterilized tattoo needles and the usual professional tattoo supplies. BUT, you are holding a needle in your hand and poking yourself, by hand, instead of with a tattoo machine. Two of my favorite artists doing these tattoos are @crybabyricecake and @mel.honeypokes . Their work is so freaking cool. If you want to know just how gorgeous a hand poke tattoo can be, you should really go check them out.
Now that the flowers are all in bloom, I can’t stop taking pictures of them. I know I look silly crouching down next to my neighbors’ flower beds. But I’m an artist darn it! My source material has got to come from somewhere! My camera doesn’t want to focus unless I put my hand in the frame, which is why I now have many pictures of flowers featuring snacks. I tend to walk and eat, on lunch breaks and when I need to think. So… now there are a few rosebuds sprinkled with Cheeto dust for the bees to enjoy.
I’m hoping to draw some more flash designs soon, but in the meantime, I found this old drawing I made at jury duty earlier this year:
Cute, right? These are available for hand poke or regular machine tattoos. They range in size from 2-4.5 inches and are priced at $100-$125. You can get a better look at these on my website along with a bunch of other tattoo ideas.
And that’s all I got for now! Thank you to all the lovely folks who have trusted me with their tattoos lately. I’m really proud to have been part of some beautiful memorial tattoos, a bunch of first tattoos, and so grateful to my generous friends who’ve (knowingly!) volunteered to let me try new tattoo techniques on them. You all keep me learning and growing, and I couldn’t do this without you.