Ana's Progression In The Art Of Tattoos

A novice tattoo artist shares the progression of her education and pictures of her work.

Shawn brought the idea to me and we settled on a cool font to execute it. This will be next on my agenda.

DILLIGAF (Does It Look Like I Give A Fuck)

DJ wanted me to do this one, even though my hand isn’t at full strength, we did it. First real skin I’ve been on since April of 2009. Shading to follow in another sitting. My hand was getting tired by the inside of his leg. The flower is the only part I did. The other that it is worked into was done by another guy.

Much more exercise needed to strengthen and build up endurance.

Still working the hand, strengthening and it’s getting there. Hopefully, will be up to par in strength soon.

Messed with this some more today, color, worked my hand on some shading… hand needs a lot of exercise and work but I’m happy it’s beginning to find the groove again.

The hand started to tire so taking a break. Could feel it getting heavier– it shows in some of the shading.

New tubes and fat steel grip came today as well as this:

Working on color for the evil jester today– and lovin it!

It’s been about a year since I’ve had a tattoo machine in my hand.  I’ve been dealing with cervical spinal stenosis from a car accident that occurred in 1980 and it finally caught up with me.

The doc said the issues are permanent so I decided to see if I could “retrain” my hand and regain ability to do what I love again, tattooing.

Yesterday, machine in hand, I began the rehabilitation of my art:

Not as good as I used to be, but this is going to change.  Tattooing on fake skin or plainly put–rubber, is always more difficult than actual flesh.  It doesn’t take the ink as well, the needles do not always travel smoothly no matter how much petroleum jelly you spread on it.  The transfers don’t take worth a damn either so it’s a rather frustrating way to practice.  At the moment though, I’m not going to dare my hand on any person’s body until it is up to par.

“Failure is not an option.” – Gene Kranz, Apollo 13 Flight Director.

If anybody knows of any decent alternative to “Almost Skin” or a better brand to work with, please comment on here and let me know.  I’d surely appreciate it.

So life has been real hectic, what can I say?  Had to move my stores to another server, etc.. upgrades… traveling…

Hand was back in action today though working some temp tattoos.  Going to pick up the machine this weekend and work the hand some more.  It feels good.

I also have a wacom drawing pad now and that is a trip.  Been working with it  a bit.  Hand eye coordination between a screen and the pad in your hand is wild.

Back to real flesh…

So the house was empty and I had a few Mich Ultras…  Picked up the pencil and worked on this a while.  Not sure where it’s going but I’m enjoying the ride there!

Finalized this practice…the scan finally came out closer to the actual coloring of the tattoo.

a lot of fire in it… just hope I can manipulate the existing piece to a resemblence of this.