Project Album - My Mandala Tattoo (Page 1)  

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I regard all of my tattoos to have personal spiritual significance, and at this part of the journey, I was feeling like I would really like to have a mandala. I'd have it put in the center area on my back. Not so big that the current 'mural' becomes overwhelmed. I still wanted for the picture as a whole to have a look that is tasteful and a feel that is spirited.

On about On June 28th of 2006, I found an image that I completely fell in love with and wanted to take to the tattoo artist that did my peacock. (Blake Weaver at Future Tattoo in Fullerton, California, USA)

Shrunken Mandala ImageThe image here is very shrunken where the detail cannot quite be truly appreciated. To me in this image, the mandala in its entirety represents the universe, with suns, moons, stars and rainbows. The center of the mandala representing the vibration of 'all'.

When I first showed this to friends and also my partner, everyone thought that there is no way that the detail in the picture could be matched when done as body art. I had a good feeling that it could be done, or at least, some slight improvising would have suited me just as well.

 

 

At 100% size, it is very large.This image is an enlarged section of the drawing above at 100% size. The image is quite large, and even at a resolution of 1024x768 on a computer screen it won't fit completely on the page. It's just that big. Heh.

I was worried that it would run into the other tattoos that I have on my back, for sure! In my mind at the time I just wanted it to be large enough where it would be nicely detailed as closely to the photo as possible without the artist having to do a lot of fixing up of it.

Boy was I surprised when I had made the appointment to get this done! Photos below!

 

My boyfriend was kind enough to come with me and take photos and also some video clips. The photo on the left was taken just before leaving to get to the tattoo studio, so I could have a nice series of before-during-and-after shots.

It wasn't until I saw this photograph after having the mandala done, that I noticed the coloring on my peacock tattoo has held up really nicely! I don't think I'll have to have it touched up for another few years. Thank you to all who have sent emails with compliments!

 



The tattoo artist that did this work is the same artist that did my Peacock bird; Blake, from Future Tattoo in Fullerton, California. Again I want to give an acknowledgement to Blake because from everything I was hearing about this tattoo it sounded like a real sonofabitch to do because of the intricate lines. Little did I know! Thanks, Blake!

Here is a photo of the outside of the studio. I'm holding a large Gatorade bottle in my hand to hydrate while getting the work done.

 

 

This is me waving hello to you all! Yay!

This is Blake again. He gives a big hello to everyone. Hi!

My boyfriend and Blake say things that make me giggle.

Here he begins the work at about 1:00 PM.

Up-closer shot of the stencil he traces with the tatttoo gun.

Here he is working at the top very carefully.

 

A bit before it all started, I was getting pretty nervous, and was anxious to just get in and out of the place.

As exciting as getting ink done can be, sitting in the same position uncomfortably for 2 or 3 hours is something I wanted to be over and done with lol.

I think my beau was feeling the same way, having to be there and not knowing what to do besides click the button on the camera!


When we get started, my boyfriend and Blake were saying things to make me giggle. Incidentally, the area that he started ended up swelling up really badly. More-so than any other area that he worked on. If I posted pictures I have of the aftermath for that section of work, I think you guys would be grossed out.

I was going through my Gatorade at a pretty good pace. We took a break when it hit one hour of work, so we could all get up and stretch out a bit. I was feeling pretty good. I had mentioned in some of my previous tattoo posts that it isn't a painful experience for me. This one was uncomfortable in some places but nothing out of the ordinary...which for me means that it feels like I'm standing under a hot shower. Not so bad, eh?

By the end I was worn out and I think my endorphins had just about had it. I felt like I wanted to take a nap, and my guy said I was looking a little peaked. I was feeling a litle bit green myself. I just wanted to stretch out and snooze for a bit, man lol. It was about 3:15 or so when everything was finished up.

In this photo taken on the morning of August 6th, 2006, it shows how the new outline is more or less layered underneath the peacock. I wish I could show you the larger version so you could really see the detail. Alas, I only have so much bandwith, and so do you. :)

I am so incredibly pleased with the results so far. As of today, the 9th of August, it is healing up excellently, and my entire back is itching like crazy.

Actually before I forget, when Blake was cleaning my back up when he finished, he sprayed alcohol on it, and I tell you what: getting sprayed with alcohol on my back when it was feeling so raw was terribly painful. GAH!



Here is a view of the outline and how it blends in with my other tattoos. the size and shape of it is so perfect, "it's almost as if it was meant to be there", my boyfriend said. Since showing the photos to people in body art communities, I've had a great deal of compliments.

Two weeks from the time the outline was done, I am scheduled to have some coloring and shading done for this piece.

As always, the photos can never really do the actual artwork justice. I absolutely love it and look forward to having it colored.



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