We never forget our first love, and dedication tattoos are a timeless tattoo tradition. For this woman her first love was a Teddy Bear, so when she decided to get her first tattoo, the choice was an obvious one. And because she is a mathematician who studied knot theory she came up with an entirely unique idea: a Celtic teddy bear!
Celtic Knotwork Teddy Bear Tattoo by Pat Fish
Recently a man with Viking heritage chose to put this powerful symbol of a warrior on his body. Also known as the Borromean Triangles, this interlocked series of three triangles is the Walknot, the Knot of the Slain. It was placed on the graves of Viking warriors who died in battle, thus ensuring their passage to Odin's Valhalla, the Castle of the Slain. It is traditionally placed on the right arm, the weapon wielding hand.
'Odin's Walknot' Viking Tattoo by Pat Fish
This evening a policeman who takes pride in his position as a defender of the public chose to acquire this custom version of the Jerusalem cross. We placed it with a Celtic circle of knot work behind it, to give the appearance of a shield. Also known as the Crusader Cross, this five-fold cross design dates to the time of the First Crusade in the 10th century.
Celtic Jerusalem Cross Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a returning client with extensive Celtic sleeve work (glimpse-able on the right) returned to add a pattern of triquetras linked together to surround a ichthus fish and cross. We placed three triquetras on his back, another coming over the top reaching towards a clan crest installed last year, and tied it all together with a knot mirroring a band on his arm that I did when we first began this project many years ago. Extensive tattooing can often take a long time, and be added in stages, achieving a metamorphosing result.
Celtic Triquetra Extensions Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a native Californian now working out of state returned for a symbolic tattoo of the state flower, the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica. In keeping with a celestial theme in her previous tattoos of stars, we used a moon crescent of knotwork from the 8th century Rosemarkie Stone, a Pictish stone from the Black Isle of Easter Ross in Scotland. This way her birthplace and her bloodline are both incorporated in one embellishment.
Pictish 'Moon Poppies' Celtic Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a reptile fancier came for a permanent representation of her very favorite species, the Zebra-tailed Lizard. It required a lot of image searching, drawing and re-drawing, considering the perfect placement....... and now he perches on her shoulder, alert and ready.
Zebra-tailed Lizard Tattoo by Pat Fish
The zebra-tailed lizard, Callisaurus draconoides, is common and widely distributed throughout the Mojave, Sonoran and Colorado deserts and its range extends north into the southern Great Basin.
These very fast lizards are easily identified by their black striped "zebra tail." When agitated the lizards wave their very prominent tail, and it is thought that this provides protection. When predators go after a Zebra-Tail they often see the tail, so this is the point of attack. If that is the body part they grab it simply falls off, and the lizard escapes having lost a tail but not its life. You can often get surprisingly close to a Zebra-tailed Lizard. They will stand high on their legs as you approach, sometimes doing a couple of "push-ups" with their front legs. But when you finally are close enough to scare them off, they dash away with in blur. Look for them in sandy washes.
-http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/zebra-tailed-lizard.html
Today a woman chose this ethnic design to add to her forearm, a piece of permanent jewelry to show her love for her heritage. Modeled after a very old kilt pin, the thistle of Scotland is enclosed within the arms of a heart, a symbol of love for country and kin.
'Loyalty Thistle' Celtic Tattoo by Pat Fish
Recently I added this background pattern based on the Shandwick stone in Scotland to an eel/dragon tattoo begun several years ago. To balance a Japanese style chest-piece with wind-bars and a dragon on the other side, we did an entirely dot-work installation of these evocative Celtic triple spirals. I used a very deep blue for the lines and a brighter, lighter blue for infill.
Celtic Spiral Waves Background Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today this esteemed returning client went one step further toward the goal of full Celtic knot work sleeves. He began with the winged lion, then we added a background matrix for it, and today I took the same band and extended the pattern down onto the forearm. An ambitious man!
Celtic Knotwork Sleeve Tattoo Extension by Pat Fish
Today an extensively tattooed man came for two Celtic knot-work bracelets, one to finish off a sleeve and also this one, to begin a new project. It is rendered in my favorite style, with the braid wicker-shaded and the background colored, to bring the knots up and to the foreground on the skin. A strong choice for a man whose occupation demands that he command men.
'Kings' Braid' Celtic Band Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today the father of a fallen Marine son asked for this special tribute, a Celtic cross combined with his son's service rifle. Tattoos in honor of those who have passed on are an ancient and very important, poignant part of tattooing. Semper Fi.
Marine Rifle Memorial Cross Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today .a returning client came up with a most unusual request: combine one of the kerbstones from the Knowth, Ireland, neolithic passage tomb with a torc topped with finials of her favorite animals, a cat and a raven. I was pleased to oblige!
Knowth Kerbstone Torc Irish Tattoo by Pat Fish
"Knowth is a Neolithic passage grave and an ancient monument of Brú na Bóinne in Ireland's valley of the River Boyne. It is the largest passage grave of the Brú na Bóinne complex and consists of a large mound (known as Site 1) and 17 smaller satellite tombs. The mound is about 40 ft high and 220 ft in diameter, covering roughly a hectare. It contains two passages placed along an east-west line and is encircled by 127 kerbstones, of which three are missing, and four badly damaged. The large mound has been estimated to date from between 2500 and 2000 BC. - Wikipedia
Kerbstone K15, photographed during excavations at Knowth. -knowth.com
You can learn more about This particular stone, Kerbstone 15, here: http://www.knowth.com/knowth-kerbstone15.htm
Today a man came in for a repair on a tattoo design he bought from my online store LuckyFishArt. His local artist was a bit over-enthusiastic with the black ink, and a bit imprecise, and the result was a bracelet that was not what it should have been. A bit of time and after-dinner-mint green ink, and now it is improved.
'Tribal Journey' Celtic Bracelet Tattoo Improved by Pat Fish
Today I was able to complete a second version of this Pictish pattern derived from the key patterns on ancient standing stones in Scotland. It was the second session for this, tuning up all the lines and darkening the black. It is a maze, built of interlocking shapes, and quite a challenge to design and install. Meant to confuse enemies in battle!
Pictish 'Keymorphic' Sleeve Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today, a PhD professor of Materials Science came to get this eccentric tattoo. In addition to being occupationally relevant, each of the three equations represents the initials one of his three children.
The first describes the conservation of linear momentum, the second is a variation of Gauss's Law (relating to electric flux), and the third is known as the "J-integral" and is used to predict the spreading of fractures in a material.
Today a mechanic with en eye for precision requested this symmetrical knot, and I used varied line widths, wicker-shading, and tiny dots to create a small dimensional tribute to his affinity for balance.
Celtic Square Dance Knot Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today an adventurous woman completed this ambitious half-sleeve, a union of fire with Celtic knotwork. An unusual request, a challenging collaboration between artist and client to bring her vision to life. Next month we will begin the complementary water version on the other side.
Flaming Celtic Sleeve Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a client building a back-piece of animals got dot-work and shading to go another step further to bring his totems to life. As with all major work, it is evolving over time to express his affinity for his favorite species.
Celtic Knotwork Ram Skull Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a member of the armed forces added to his body armor collection with this chest piece tattoo, a tangle of symbolic Celtic animals. A peacock, lion and eel are all intertwined to form a shape similar to the one the Japanese love to place on the chest, creating the Western equivalent and moving this man forward toward a bodysuit.
Celtic Zoomorphic ChestPiece Tattoo by Pat Fish
Today a woman with a large extended family asked for this Family Tree tattoo on her back, with the initials of her loved ones inside the crown of foliage. Classic Celtic symbolism, personal meaning, color and delicacy expressing affinity.
Personalized Celtic Tree of Life Tattoo by Pat Fish
This custom tattoo is based on an image from the LuckyFish Art tattoo design store:
