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Progress image. From sessions 2, 6, 9 & 14.

Session #15Pre-Fifteenth Session. January 30 2004. 7:45AM.
My friend Jon Loose once said I was a "Viking gone Buddhist."
True on the face of it and it got me thinking. It made me think more deeply about the connections between my heritage (Norse/Sicilian) and the cultures I enjoy studying these days (Asian.) I've spent a lot of time in Norway, Sweden and Denmark over the years and I look forward to visiting Japan in the near future.

It's rewarding to compare things like the Sagas & Sutras / Valhalla & Seppuku / Barbarians & Bushi / Shinto & Asatru / Thor & Fudo / Berserkers & Kamikazi / Mead & Sake / Thatch & Staves / Oslo & Edo / Runes & Kanji / Broad sword & Katana.

Post-Fifteenth Session. January 30 2004. 11:00PM.
First 15 minutes were a bitch. Couldn't get comfortable on the table. Couldn't get comfortable for the entire two hours. Funny, Chris said this was his "most gratifying session." He clarified by saying the coverage and seeing it come together really hit home this session in particular. I think he's gratified that soon enough, he won't be seeing me every other damn week. Bastard.

I took some pictures of the shop on the way out the door and here is a picture of the view I've had for the duration.

Again, these pictures don't do it right. The work is swollen, dried blood, glare from the ointment and the left over marker all combine to make it, well, crappy looking. But as the black fades to that wonderful sumi-e like deep grays and the blues blend into each other...

Session Fifteen  Session Fifteen

> Paul Binnie Tebori Ukiyo-e Prints
> Oxford Thesis on Tattooing in Japan
> Asian tattoos on BME
> rec.ponds
According to Japanese mythology, there lives a big carp, nine feet long, in Lake Biwa and which devours people who drown there. Lake Biwa is the largest lake of Japan, in west central Honshu, near Kyoto, and figures prominently in Japanese history and legends.
© 1995-2004 Encyclopedia Mythica
Aftermath Koi menuki on Tozando Iaito under leather tsuka-ito

Session #16Pre-Sixteenth Session. March 5 2004. 7:30AM.
I heal black so much better than red. Odd. And fast. Seems like the blackwork heals in five days where the reds take ten or more.

We're really almost done. Wild. We saved the worst for last. As I mentioned in the session #12 entry, tattoo on the butt hurts beyond what can be called "pain." I'll quote myself:

"And holy crap, tattoo on the ass doesn't just hurt, it's kind of not-describable. It's not like the pain on the rest of your body. All  those types of pain are identifiable. Sharp, annoying, dull, whatever. But the pain on the cheek isn't even a pain, per se. It's this crazy sensation. I'm at a loss for words about 
what it feels like" 

So, I'm obviously not looking forward to it. But tonight is really the last session. This last bit wraps it up. I do have one more session booked, though. I was able to book a final session on April 16th just for detailing and touch ups. That's one year to the day that we started. Pretty cool in my book. We'll use that day to fill in a few spots and do some final touch-ups. I think it's pretty cool that when some one asks "how long?" I can reply "one year to the day." Of course the project manager in me will want to add "that's duration, not effort."

Post-Sixteenth Session. March 5 2004. 11:50PM.
That was a quick one. About one hour. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. And as usual, the pictures don't do it justice. I will definitely do a proper shoot after the last session heals up. But, essentially we are done. I can only see two or three little empty spots. Some water on the left side and a bit on a fin. We also need to do the final "tying in" of my sleeves to my back.

It's anti-climactic in a way. I have no great "deep thoughts" to share as we near completion. I do have a good feeling of seeing something through to the end. Of having a vision of what I wanted and steadfastly, little by little working towards it. I'll be happy when its complete. Like something is off of my mind and I can move onto the other tattoo work I need to complete. I've started discussions with Stephanie Tamez about finishing up my chest work.

There was also a cool little surprise waiting for me at the shop. A picture of Chris tattooing my back made it into the Tattoo issue of Juxtapoz magazine.

I've been getting some super cool emails about this site and how helpful it is for people looking to understand Japanese tattoo in general and Koi symbology in particular. Want to drop me a note? Click here.

 Session Sixteen Session Sixteen Session Sixteen

Session Sixteen Session Sixteen

Man Saves Fish With Kiss of Life
"A quick-thinking former ambulance driver from Belgium recently
saved the life of his pet koi fish by giving it
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
He suspected that the koi had had heart attack. He took the fish out of the water and gave it a heart massage, and after about fifteen minutes the fish started to move. Mr. Van Aert replaced the fish in the water, but it then stopped moving again. At that point Van Aert removed the fish from the water and administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, also known as the kiss of life, as well as continuing the heart massages. His actions saved the koi's life." - Sherry Morse

Session #17Pre-Seventeeth Session. April 16 2004. 9:10AM.
Looks like that's about that. Just a few little things to finish up tonight. A bit of water, a bit of orange, a bit of black work tying the sleeves into the back work. On a work related note, I started a new job since my last session. I took a position as the Chief Technolgist at a cool marketing agency. Experience engineering to be "exact."

Post-Seventeeth Session. April 16 2004. 10:45PM.
Done. I can't believe I started this a year ago. To the day. I'm not going to post the final images until I get something really sharp done. A few photographers have volunteered and I'll have something up within a few weeks.

Thanks to everyone who has read along and sent me email.
Good luck to you.

Treo 600 Image Treo 600 Image Treo 600 Image

Tools Used

Liner Machine: Seth Ciferri Handcrafted
Shader Machine: Seth Ciferri Handcrafted
Power Supply: Lucky's Tattoo Supply
Needle Groupings: 7 mag, 9 mag, 5 under & 8 under
Total Hours
 42
Total Cost
 Don't ask
Total Misc
Used 32 ounces of Lubriderm©, ruined three fitted sheets & one duvet, blew off one funeral, spent 18 hours working on this site, changed jobs twice, called in sick once, co-hosted 15 hours of satellite radio, pissed off countless usenet posters, 156 pictures on a Sony Cybershot P72, 3 on a Handspring Treo 600......
Thanks To
 My always supportive family, Lori Levin, Michelle Tarentelli & all the artists at NYA, Bruce Bart, Matty Jankowski, rec.arts.bodyart,
shouts to BME, Nefarious Freedom et al. And of course to Chris O'Donnell, who took my general idea and turned it into a powerful & dynamic piece of living art.
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photos: KA, COD, Melissa Medina