Friday, July 31, 2009

Black Wedding Design

You want your wedding other than the others ...??
Try to using black in your wedding design !!

It used to be that using black in your wedding design was strictly taboo. Black was considered to be too somber to incorporate into a festive occasion. Times have changed, however, and there are some very chic and elegant ways to use black in your wedding.

When you think about black, most young people associate it with being stylish and sophisticated, as in the little black dress. If you ask your grandmother what black reminds her of, though, she is likely to answer a funeral. The trick is to use black in a way that invokes its stylish side, not its somber side. The way to achieve this is to think of black as an element to create decorative patterns and designs, instead of using it in big solid chunks.

For the perfect inspiration for an elegant use of black, you must view the Audrey Hepburn film My Fair Lady. The scene at the Ascot races is one of the most absolutely incredible uses of a black and white color scheme that you will ever see. The dramatic use of black and white patterns, shapes, and forms (the hats!) is the height of elegance and style. There is certainly nothing depressing about the way black was used in this scene.

Another place to look for ideas on how to use black to great effect is Truman Capote's famous Black and White Ball of the 1960s. The world's most fabulous people gathered, all dressed in black and white, and held one of the most famous parties of all time. Although you will probably not be telling your guests what to wear, you can definitely use this as inspiration for the attire for the bride and groom and the wedding party.

The place to start with your wedding design is the attire. There are many very stylish bridal gowns available these days with a black on white design. This is seen most often in the form of embroidery, often in a scroll design. The men are easy: tuxedos will provide them the elegant look of black and white.

For the bridesmaids, you will want to choose carefully. Although many wedding parties these days do wear simple black dresses, you might want to investigate other alternatives. A whole group of women in solid black dresses does get away from the festive feeling you want a wedding to have, no matter how practical they may be. Spend the time to seek out dresses that have a color mixed in with black.

If you prefer to keep a limited color palette, one very chic idea would be to dress your bridesmaids in pewter colored satin dresses with black sashes or ribbons at the waist. For the richest black possible, velvet ribbons would be ideal. You can finish off the look with dramatic bridesmaid jewelry sets created from jet black Swarovski crystals or fabulous black pearls. The interesting thing about using jet crystals in your bridesmaid jewelry sets is that they can read either as very modern or a little bit Victorian. Black pearls will simply look luxurious.

It is certainly possible to use black in your wedding design in a way that suits the occasion. Done well, the sharpness of black against white creates a crisp and elegant design scheme. Find ways to use black in your wedding that are creative and rich looking for a fabulously sophisticated effect.



By : Phie

Search for a Black Wedding Dresses

It may seem like a very not-so-traditional approach to a wedding ceremony, a lot of bride-to-bes out there is into finding their ideal black wedding dress. The idea may not be much of a hit compared to the traditional white dress; but it is indeed a great and a one-of-a-kind option.

If you happen to be the type who can't help but picture herself in a black wedding dress, then you must find out about the handful of bridal companies you might want to look through in order for you to score that unique gown.

The Wedding Wardrobe

This store has a variety of dresses to choose from, they offer not only one black wedding dress but quite a few more styles. One of the most popular selection that they have is the Xena, embellished with hand sewn beads, fully-boned bodice accentuated by a pull back corset. There's a mixture of jet black Swarovski crystals and AB on a plain black silk bodice. The skirt is a narrow A-line skirt with a front drape that is detachable and a full length train that is also detachable. It was originally meant to be a black wedding dress but now, it is available in white, ivory, antique ivory, gold, burgundy and red.

Nordstroms

Another great store to guide you in your search for the black wedding dress, no doubt is it a recognizable name. First established in 1901, currently one of the nation's leading fashion retailers that offers various high-quality apparel, shoes, accessories for men, women and children all over the country

You have big selection to choose from for your favorite black wedding dress. Their website also provides links to a different website that offers the same style of dresses just in case you can't seem to find the one that you like with them.

Remember

Certainly you'll get a slice of critique pounded on your unconventional black dress, but keep in mind it is YOUR wedding, it's your day, so disregard whatever other people say.

The color black has been stereotyped with death and grimness, however, the color black is rumored to protect one from pain and misfortune because the color can repel the vibrations from negative energy.



Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Searching-For-a-Black-Wedding-Dress&id=1226519

Black Wedding Dress


Black wedding dresses are the choice of many brides today, as they pick this color not just for the slimming effect, but for the classy and elegant aura that it projects. Black doesn't have to feel funereal if the dresses are in the right designs. Not only that, these dresses are great if you want to make a statement.

Black wedding dresses are usually associated with themed weddings such as Halloween. But those aren't the only times when you can have a black wedding dress. If all black is too much for you, you can incorporate this color with other colors like white, silver of red. These will make the black less sombre and perfect for your wedding. Fabric wise, choose material that is light and airy and avoid dark and heavy makeup. This will make the black more suitable for a wedding.

Style wise, these dresses are most suitable when they come in close fitting gowns, which is very flattering. You can also opt for full ball gown skirts, but they should be paired with a tight fitting bodice. Go strapless, or if you must have sleeves, pick sheer sleeves. When wearing a black dress, choose simple jewelry that will not overpower you and make you look cluttered. That way you will be the picture of sheer elegance.

When trying to purchase your perfect black wedding dress, you need to do your shopping much earlier as there are not that easy a style and color to look for. You also need to be open to other alternatives such as bridesmaids' dresses or prom dresses that are readily available in black. Another alternative is for you to order your black wedding dress online, or o have one custom made for you. That way you will surely find the right style and design made just for you.



Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?Black-Wedding-Dresses-Do-They-Look-Too-Funereal?&id=2597431

Two Years Ago Today......

"So, there you have it. The inaugural tattoo on Tattoosday here at
BillyBlog. It should be interesting to see what else I can come up with
from strangers, or if I have to revert to friends to help me in this
project."

That's what I wrote two years ago today on my original site BillyBlog.

Little did I know how much this once weekly feature would turn into such a significant aspect of my life. In little over a month, I had spun Tattoosday off of BillyBlog, from a recurring character to a site of its own.

And we have grown! This month we will have our biggest visitor load of our short career here, reaching just under 30,000 hits. This month also marked a quarter of a million hits since Tattoosday stood alone in September 2007.

And we have our sights set even higher.

I once again want to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of the blog, from the occasional visitors, to the rabid fans, from the enthusiastic tourists and New Yorkers who have contributed their work, to the talented tattoo artists who created that work.

And most of all, I want to thank my friends and family, who have seen my passion for tattoo writing, and have supported me whole-heartedly. And to my beautiful wife Melanie, who is my biggest cheerleader, most avid supporter, and one of the most understanding women I know. Not may wives would be keen on their husbands taking pictures of tattoos of strange women
(and men) they've met on the street. But she is my number one fan. And I love her all the more for it.

A week from tomorrow my oldest daughter Jolee, who inspired this, my first tattoo, will be celebrating her bat mitzvah. The week ahead will be filled with planning and visits from family, so I am taking a week off in posting, so I can focus my energies on this landmark event.

Rest assured, I have two dozen tattoo posts in the queue and will likely be unable to restrain myself from collecting more photos and stories in the week to come.

I will resume posting on August 9th or 10th.

I thank everyone for their continued support and words of encouragement.

Bill Cohen

With a Cherry on Top and a Side of Morrissey


I met Jasen several weeks back outside of the Whole Foods in Chelsea.

Jasen's left right forearm has a variation of the torn flesh motif in tattooing where the artist creates an illusion that a person's flesh is ripping away under pressure from the matter below the skin.

I have seen people with biomechanical tattoos, showing steel below the skin. Or patriotic pieces reflecting red, white and blue deep below the surface.

But Jasen is different. He is a Vegan with not one, but many "sweet teeth". So, with the help of the tattoo artist, Nick Baxter, they devised the design that would reflect delicious desserts bursting out of his skin. Jasen agreed that he wanted something "colorful, fun, and kind of ridiculous".


Okay, I know, the quality of these photos is not great. Very sun-washed. So, I was fortunate enough to find the artist's photo on his website:


Nick's site is cool because he even comments on the pieces. For example:

"Why can't every tattoo be a ridiculous skin tear-out? I'm proud to add this to the collection I've done, along with the gay unicorn and the surfer kool-aid man. It's on an awesome vegan dude who wanted to pay homage to the sweeter side of our shared dietary choice. Thanks Jasen for giving me a good excuse to have some friends over for a dessert-making and reference-photographing party...this tattoo was fun before it even started."

Nick tattooed this at a shop in Branford, Connecticut called Transcend Tattoo & Art Gallery, but has relocated to Austin.


Jasen also has the autograph of the singer Morrissey tattooed on his outer right forearm:



He saw him in concert in Philadelphia two or three months back and had the opportunity to meet him.

We talked about people getting musician's autographs tattooed (see all that have appeared on Tattoosday here), and he told me that Morrissey was the only famous person he would do that for. The singer is a vegetarian and is very outspoken about vegetarianism and animal rights.

Thanks to Jasen for sharing his cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Chip and Tom and Frank

Sometimes, the subject of a tattoo is unclear to the un-illuminated eye. Curiosity compels one to ask: what is that?

And the answer makes sense. And one marvels at the mind behind the man (or woman) who says,"Yeah, let's put that on me forever."

Such was the case during rush hour on the N train. An guy named Chip stood nearby and his right forearm intrigued me. I couldn't make out what his tattoos were. Can you?


When I asked, he explained. The top piece is a photograph from a Tom Waits album:

Despite ascertaining this is a Tom Waits photograph, I can't pinpoint where it came from. If anyone knows for certain, please let me know. The tattoo was done by C-Jay at Rising Dragon Tattoos in Manhattan. Work from Rising Dragon has appeared previously here.

Below the Waits tattoo is a Frank Zappa piece:


This is based on artwork that appeared on the back cover of Zappa's autobiography The Real Frank Zappa Book:


This piece was tattooed by an artist he only identified as Chris at Marco's Tattoo in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

Obviously, Chip is a huge fan of both Frank Zappa and Tom Waits. That's all there is to it.

Thanks to Chip for sharing his cool and unusual tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Wedding Dress and Feng Shui

Did you know that the traditional Chinese bride has always been dressed in red? It is believed that wearing red on your wedding day stimulates joy, love, and strength within an individual and therefore the couple. Red is also strongly associated with the following combinations- prosperity and abundance, fame and reputation, love and relationships. This exciting and vivid color promotes romance, wealth, and happiness. What more reasons does one need to wear an elegant red wedding dress?

And a color so close to red is orange. Orange is associated with purpose and organization and can be used to strengthen concentration and creativity. This positive color offers the ability to portray enthusiasm and ambition as well as encouraging a lifetime of warm communications with her love one, especially when it is her second wedding.

A vibrant yellow is what brides want to wear if they want to brighten and bring lighter energies to their wedding. Strong yellow colors are associated with intuitive insight, joy, creativity, and wisdom. They encourage the ability to be flexible and adaptable. And doesn't the bride (and the rest of the wedding party) need the ability to be flexible and adaptable?

Are you having a winter wedding? Then please wear lighter yellows or ecrus which are the couture color du jour to wear. These colors are associated with the element of earth and promote good health. Pale yellows or ecrus also are unifying colors and encourage the bride and groom to always answer..."I do".

Are you environmentally inclined? Or have a bit of Irish in you? Then a gown of any shade of green will be best. Wearing green on your special day is an auspicious choice for a young bride. Green is considered to be a restful, refreshing color that can produce an atmosphere of balance. It is also believed that green symbolizes optimism as well as an eagerness to expand the couple into a family. One plus one equals two...or do we hear four?

Have you dreamed all your life of a beach/water wedding? Then the color for your gown on this special day ought to be blue. For blue is associated with exploration and adventure. Blues are simply heavenly as they encourage cool heads and calm hearts, which are most important when children are an integral part of the ceremony. Imagine the bride and groom dressed in blues resulting in an air of trust and peace for all to experience. Ugh!

And of course, there is always the western tradition of wearing white. Western belief is that white symbolizes confidence, purity, and poise. Within Feng Shui, it is also associated with the combinations of love and relationships, creativity and children, and helpful people and travel. Since white blends all of the colors, it is a symbol of harmony and purity. Need I say more?

Yet lest not forget, regardless the colors of the wedding...in all their glory the Bride and Groom will shine their radiance on this day that they become Husband and Wife. So when you hear, 'Here comes the Bride, all dressed in...'Stand, smile, and turn to see the bride all dressed in.

By : Phie

Beach Wedding Dresses

Beach weddings are fast becoming a trend now days. A lot couples want to move away from traditional weddings and have started opting for theme based weddings. And beach wedding is one of the more popular ones. The reasons why beach weddings are popular are that these can be arranged in a relatively shorted duration, can do with less decorations and is comparatively informal than traditional one.

So, if you have decided to have your wedding at a beach, you are going to pick up a dress which goes with this theme. The traditional gown and veil won't do. Think about it, you are going to make a mess of your beautiful dress on a beach if it is a long flowing white satin gown with a long train. The dress could end up in a mess. While choosing your dress you will have to make sure that you are very comfortable in it. Since the wedding is on a beach, it should not be long.

You can go for a lightweight material like chiffon, silk, linen or satin. It is best if it is pretty simple. A simple yet elegant wedding dress would add to the romantic setting on the beach. A sarong would make a lovely wedding dress if you can carry it well along with a nice halter top. You can also go for a strapless or spaghetti straps which would look very beautiful on the beach. You can also go a bit different than traditional white dress. There are various themes within beach theme like Hawaiian theme, carnival theme etc. Hawaiian theme would make a very good and colorful choice. Its your choice, have it your way.

Apart from the dress, special considerations should be given to the wedding footwear as well. Nice heels matching with the wedding dress may look good but they would be impractical to wear on a beach. For a beach wedding, brides should opt of either flat sloes or even barefoot. Sand can be pretty hot during summers therefore keep that in mind if you are planning to be barefoot.



By : Phie

Men's Beach Wedding Dress

If you've already decided to have a beach wedding then let me congratulate you on making a wonderful choice. Beach weddings can be some of the most romantic and memorable of weddings no matter what your budget happens to be. After all, the beach and the ocean provide a priceless setting, so all you have to do is properly fill in the details.

When considering men's beach wedding attire the number one rule is to follow the bride's lead. You will want the groom and the groomsmen to be within a certain range of the bride's vision, but after that choosing your clothes can be a simple, painless, and yes, even a pleasurable endeavor.

The simple guide for men's beach wedding attire is to stick with cotton and linen clothing. Cotton and linen are "breathable fabrics" that will allow the men wearing them to look good as well as feel comfortable. Seersucker suits and clothing are basically just another form of cotton clothing, so that can always fit the bill nicely.

Fortunately, there are many places to shop for "dress casual" beach style clothing. There are many "tropical" stores and websites that will have a wide variety of choices if you are going with a Hawaiian feel for your wedding. But don't overlook the Cuban, Caribbean, Latin and South American wear that is also available with the click of the mouse.

Many a groom and his groomsmen have been the hit of the beach wedding (after the bride of course!) when they show up in the beach "dress casual" wear from Cuba, Argentina, or some other culture that the guests are not very familiar with. There are many, many wonderful choices for your men's beach wedding attire if you take the time to look.

Most of the color themes of men's wedding attire are your basic whites, tans, and browns, and even orange. They alone can be classy and comfortable, but don't be afraid go with more robust colors, as long as it adds a little flourish to the brides overall theme. Just make sure it does not clash too much with what the bride is going for or you may find yourself regretting your attempt to add some piazza to your wedding ceremony.

To sum up, remember that you will be standing on a potentially hot beach, fully clothed. Cotton and linen are probably your best choices. Seersucker is also cotton and comes in many looks. Stick with the general tone the bride has set and you should be not just looking spectacular, but feeling good too. Now that you've got the right information I'm sure whatever you choose will be right for the setting and right for you.



By : Phie

Who's Better Than Us: Chris Honors His Father

I met Chris in Brooklyn Heights one afternoon and asked him about his ink. He has seven tattoos in all, but offered up this section of his arm:


What seems at first like an odd juxtaposition of figures makes more sense when it is explained.

The piece is a memorial based on a photograph of his father, who had worked as an editor on the original film of Woodstock, as well as the book documenting the process who worked with the team that made Woodstock (Paradigm), developing and experimenting with new film technology which was eventually used in the process of making the movie.

After searching for a while, I emailed Chris and asked if he could send me the photo. He generously obliged:


Seeing the source material on which this piece is based makes it cooler. The photograph appears in the book, and was taken up at Woodstock when the documentary was in production years laterby one of the cinematographers of the Woodstock film, Chuck Levey somewhere in New Jersey.

And the back of the arm features a quote from Chris's dad, a statement he would often make, which seems genuinely appropriate from someone so deeply immersed in the culture of the 1960s:


Chris had his tattoos inked by Nick Caruso at Fly-Rite Studio in Brooklyn. Work from Fly-Rite has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Chris for sharing his work here on Tattoosday!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

50 anos de tatuagem no Brasil comemorados com muita arte

O dia 20 e Julho é considerado o dia nacional do tatuador, este é o dia em que o tatuador Luck Tattoo, nascido na
Dinamarca, chegou ao Brasil cinqüenta anos atrás.

Esta feita é comemorada pela quinta vez com a Exposição de Arte "50 Anos da Tatuagem no Brasil". Trata-se de uma realização do Sindicato dos Tatuadores em conjunto com tatuadores associados. Desta vez o aniversário de 50 anos da tatuagem no Brasil foi comemorado na Morrison Rock Bar, em São Paulo.

A Exposição de Arte 50 Anos da Tatuagem no Brasil reuniu tatuadores, tatuados e apreciadores da arte em um espaço muito agradável, com exposições de pinturas realizadas por tatuadores e muito Rock and Roll.

Os tatuadores Brian, Brinquedo, Alex Cruz, Cubano, Rodney Calfa , Sharlão, Valderramos, Marcio Lima, Salim Tattoo, Tom Tattoo, Brice, Fabião, Marcio Duarte, Anselmo, Ximenes Tattoo, Joe, Flávio Cabelo, Alessandro, Jefferson Bastos, Willian Ferramosca, Grylo Tattoo, Átila e Poeta foram alguns dos artistas presentes neste grande encontro.

Esperamos ansiosos as fotos do encontro no fotolog do Dia do Tatuador e deixamos os parabéns à todos os tatuadores, tatuadoras, tatuados e pessoas envolvidas com o mundo das tattoos. Fica o convite para a matéria sobre Dia do Tatuador publicada no dia 20 de Julho de 2008.

Maureen Larrazabal

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Meredith Shares Two Inspirational Pieces for Tat-Twosday


Let's just say the third time's a charm.

It started with me getting off the subway in my neighborhood and noticing the woman walking several paces ahead of me. I saw that she had words inked around her wrists. As I generally shy away from tattoos that circle a limb (they don't translate well on a blog page, in my humble opinion), I made a mental note and we went our separate ways.

A few days later I was walking home, carrying dry cleaning (an activity that has delayed more than one Tattoosday post, for sure), when I ran into her again.

This time, we approached from opposite directions and I was able to introduce myself and maneuver my cleaning in order to give her Tattoosday info.

I was pleased to see, as well, two heretofore unnoticed pieces that she told me about and admired. Both were significantly original and very cool. We tentatively agreed to talk at a later date about featuring her work on the site.

A week later, our paths crossed again, and this time I was ready. So here are two of Meredith's tattoos, just in time for Tat-twosday!

We'll start with the wonderful piece dancing along the inside of her left forearm:


What we have here is the phrase "searching through the static" in an unusual font. With Photoshop, Meredith flipped the text to create a design with the phrase, base to base, almost zig-zagging across her arm.


Meredith is an artist (see her blog here) and she has lived in several places, trying to find her way through life. She did, here in New York City, and the phrase "searching through the static" resonates with her, as she has ventured through the chaos of life experiences to find her true path. She particularly loves this font because it resembles a cityscape, with some of the letters rising like skyscrapers over the street-like valleys between words.

The second tattoo she offered up is this stunning black and gray chest piece:


The center of the design is a broken snow globe, modeled after one that Meredith's grandmother gave her many years ago. Even though it is cracked, she has kept it as a treasure by which to remember her. She did change the snow globe design to contain a tree, not small people, like in the item on which this is based. The tree, she felt, was more appropriate for the tattoo.

The phrase that brackets the snow globe is "Keep going farther Beautiful Seeker." It is a mantra that she has adopted to keep her motivated and focused on a higher goal.

Both of these tattoos were inked by Alex Franklin at Brooklyn Ink. Work from Alex has appeared previously on Tattoosday here here and here. And clicking here will take you to all the posts from Brooklyn Ink that have appeared here on Tattoosday. As I've mentioned before, the proximity of the shop to my residence makes it the most frequently-featured purveyor on the site.

Thanks again to Meredith for sharing her wonderful tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Michael's Mythical Sleeves

I generally avoid featuring full sleeves here, because of the limitations that posting them has - it is difficult to fully capture the artistry in the work. But, on occasion, the tattoos are so amazing, I can't resist.

Such was the case with Michael, who shared portions of both sleeves with me. Here's a sliver of his right arm:


To fully capture the magic of this tattoo, here's a fresher, professional collage, courtesy of the artist Stacey Sharp:


Michael was proud of the fact that this tattoo took second place in the "Best Sleeve" category in the 2007 Philadelphia Tattoo Convention.

And although the top section of his left arm is still "under construction," the bottom half is no less spectacular:


The detail and shading is just absolutely phenomenal:


Michael, a professional make-up artist, explained that he embarked on these sleeves when he was going through a rough patch in his life and that, as a water sign, the creation and depiction of an aquatic dragon, helped mark a spiritual process that gave him strength while enduring life's trials and tribulations.

He estimated that the right, award-winning sleeve, took approximately 36 hours in total work and that his right sleeve is fifty hours in, and counting.

What's interesting about this post, aside from the brilliant tattoo work, is that I have a nice online friendship with the artist, Stacey Sharp, and that she provided me with her prospective of these sleeves. Generally we only hear from the host.

Stacey works out of Inkpulsive Custom Tattoos in Ronkonkoma, New York.

Stacey comments about her work on Michael:

Some interesting info about Michael's arms...

"The WaterDragon (right arm) was drawn on his arm at a moment's notice. He was only looking for 'a little something to add to his armband'. Took about an hour to draw on with a marker and another hour to outline. All of the blue background was done in one shot, 4 hours, including elbow and ditch (Michael advises to NEVER do those two areas at the same time). The lighter water swirls were added at a later date. The entire thing took 36 hours to complete. It's also the only tattoo I've done that has a 'Title'- A warm thing in a cold place. His species is WaterDragon. His proper name is Fathom... but sometimes we fondly refer to him by his nickname: The Sea Chicken!

The dragon on his left arm is Random. That's her name. Why? Because she is. :) Fur and feathers take much longer to detail. We didn't keep track of her time like we did with the WaterDragon. She's more of an Air/Fire combination... where the WaterDragon is more guarding, silent sentinel, she's the fun, spontaneous side. Whimsical."
So there you have it, an additional perspective, from the artist. It's interesting to get an additional point of view that expands on the notes I've scribbled down in the street.

Much thanks to Michael for enthusiastically sharing his work with us here on Tatoosday! And an additional thank you to Stacey Sharp for contributing her thoughts as well, in addition to granting permission to using the photo collage of the right sleeve.

Stacey's work has appeared on Tattoosday once previously, a much smaller, whimsical piece, here.