say what you mean

I had a comment to do a post about what my tattoos mean. I feel strongly that anything that goes on my body has to have a meaning and a story or significance to me or else it just ends up some cool looking thing to look at. Tattoos are that for me too, don't get me wrong, it's very much an aesthetic thing but it has to have meaning just about as much as I like the way it looks.

Tattoo # 1

Right shoulder, clavicle, and back

This tattoo got on my 18th birthday and wanted something that was big and made a statement. "No wimp tattoos" for me was what I was thinking going in asking for my first tattoo to reach from my clavicle to the middle of my back. I liked the idea of swirling and that part is pretty much because I think it looks cool but the lotus flower has 18 petals for my 18th birthday. I got the idea for a lotus flower because of a little pond they have in the parking lot of the stadium for ASU (Lot 59- it's the farthest and cheapest parking permit available) and would see these beautiful lotus flowers growing in this yucky pond with beer cans and trash all around it. Walking to campus everyday ipod in two I feel in love with how they just grew prettier and prettier no matter the condition of the pond and they gave me inspiration. Being 17 and a freshmas at ASU, moving out and really experiencing life for the first time, I was changing and starting the transition into adulthood. During high school I had let the people around effect me too much as to how I acted or my tastes in style and music and I decided on a louts for strength to be myself and to blow into the person I really wanted to be no matter what was going on around me.

Tattoo #2

left shoulder/back

This tattoo was a spur of the moment where I just instantly needed a new tattoo. I had been envisioning and wanting music notes for a long time and new it had to be a Beethoven song. I had played viola (pictured with me) since 4th grade and sang in high school and know bits and pieces of some piano music but basically live my life in music. My piece is a bar of music from Moonlight Sonata from the bass piano part. I printed off the sheets, found an open tattoo shop, and within about 2 hours went from idea to new tattoo.

Tattoo #3

NOT PICTURED (YET)

behind left ear

This one was another spur the moment thing. I went with a good friend, Liana, to get get her first tattoo but it took about 3 hours and I do not do waiting well. There some free tattoo artist so I asked one to draw up a little moon and write the word luna underneath. I got this idea from a song my mom used to sing to me when I was little about tuna fish, lagoons, and asking the moon for replacement tuna fish. It's simple and sweet and reminds me of my mom and makes me smile.

Tattoo #4

left shoulder, upper arm

This tattoo I got about two weeks before I moved back home. I planned it for then because I had the money I would have used for next months rent, no longer needed to pay rent, and knew that moving back home meant respecting my parents rules and not getting another tattoo until I moved out again. This is the start to my sleeve piece where it will all be Mexican iconography, this is a Dia de Los Muertos skull, done in traditional american tattoo style. I wanted to do this for my heritage. My parents are both from Mexico so these are all images I grew up with but me and my siblings were all born and raised in the US so I wanted to honor all the traditional and up-bringing from my mexican parents in an american style media for the place I call home. I plan to add Loteria cards, a virgin mary, and some more flowers and scrip. You can read about it here.

Thanks everyone for the awesome comments on my ink and the photo-shoot- made my day!