Koi Carp

koi carp i tattooed on a friend

The carp is a large group of fish originally found in Central Europe and Asia. Various carp species were originally domesticated in East Asia, where they were used as food fish. The ability of carp to survive and adapt to many climates and water conditions allowed the domesticated species to be propagated to many new locations including Japan. Natural color mutations of these carp would have occurred across all populations. Carp were first bred for color mutations in China more than a thousand years ago, where selective breeding of the Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) led to the development of the goldfish.^[4]
Carp are known as koi in Japan. Of the various domesticated carp species, the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of the more commonly used in aquaculture. The common carp was aquacultured as a food fish as at least as far back as the 5th century in China.^[5] Common carp were first bred for color in Japan in the 1820s, initially in the town of Ojiya in the Niigata prefecture on the north eastern coast of Honshu island. By the 20th century, a number of color patterns had been established, most notably the red-and-white Kohaku. The outside world was not aware of the development of color variations in koi until 1914, when the Niigata koi were exhibited in the annual exposition in Tokyo. At that point, interest in koi exploded throughout Japan. The hobby of keeping koi eventually spread worldwide. Koi are now commonly sold in most pet stores, with higher-quality fish available from specialist dealers.^[

Skull Tattoo

The first skull tattoo ive done on a friend.
One of the more popular tattoo designs would include skulls.
Skulls can serve a number of symbolic purposes. The most common being of death and mortality. But, one can use the image of a skull to symbolize various things.
Other Skull symbolism include:

• Protection
• Strength
• Power
• Overcoming death
• Overcoming a tough time
• A past life, now changed, never to revert

Hope Faith Ambigram

Here is a hope faith ambigram tattooed on a friend.
An ambigram, also known as an inversion, is a graphical figure that spells out a word not only in its form as presented, but also in another direction or orientation.

There are many different types of ambigram.

Swallow Rose

An old tattoo now, but never gets old. My first tattoo with shading done within my first month of tattooing

About

Im learning about all aspects in art from photography to tattooing, im eager to learn more everyday. Ive self tought myself to tattoo safely and love everything about it. I skateboard, take photos, video, listen to music, go out with friends.