Posts tagged red

As with most large scale pieces this particular design has a lot of intricate, interweaving elements. The client approached me with a request for a half torso + half sleeve design as a celebration of accomplishments and personal victories, as well as a reflection of overcoming struggles in his past.

The main theme is the classic good vs. evil battle, illustrated here by a tug of war between a pinup demoness and a warrior angel. The demoness is seated on a throne of skeletons on a trail of death leading to a pool of blood within which lost souls writhe in anger and agony. The black snake sent by her is the manifestation of problems and personal darkness, as it disappears into the tattoo bearer’s skin and comes out again to wrestle with the warrior angel. Parallel to this imagery the rope which the angel is tugging represents the fight, success and determination, and it buries itself into the skin as well, before it resurfaces to tie up the wings of the demoness. The illusion of objects surfacing from beneath the skin symbolizes internal struggles.

Detail: Demoness and Snake

The evil jesters represent prominent personas in alliance with the demoness, as one of them is being hanged by the rope from the angel and the other two are up to no good offering poison and the Dead Man’s Hand, a combination of cards in poker.

Additionally, the client asked for symbols from aviation and travel: the flags, the compass and the iron wings of the angel.

The design was reinterpreted by Eno Kuiken from Guru Tattoo, (San Diego, CA, USA) into a full sleeve and will be used for the half-torso piece as well.