No gun needed kids, just get a piece of bamboo and bind on some of your Mum's sewing needles!
Right on the number one spot!
Mother-in-law and I doing a little bonding!
Jen and I, finding our "power".
Anon and I. You can tell by the smile on my face that it is all finished.
People have asked me in the past if I wanted a tattoo. My response has always been less than enthusiastic. From the moment we arrived on Phi Phi island, I was inspired by the artwork I saw adorning the locals. I did not even know about the bamboo technique of tattoo. Instead of the "gun", artists use a piece of bamboo and bind needles to the end. It is all done by hand with no mechanised process. The technique is also very slow. The bamboo may contain between four and 30 needles depending on the desired effect. Each bamboo is made speciffically for the application. And yes Mum it is all safe and hygenic.
After a week of putting my ideas together and talking to arists I found Anon and we got started. Anon is from Thailand and his Grandmother is from Cambodia. I walked into his shop with a drawing that I had sketched on a napkin and from this he drew freehand onto my body. Within three hours I had a outline on my body. We negotiated a price and before i knew it we were beginning the outline. People say that the bamboo technique is less painful than the gun, but I dont know because I have never experienced the gun. The locals told me that I had chosen the "number one spot" for my tattoo, right on the rib cage and they all agreed that I would need to find my "power" to finish it.
The tattoo took around 15 to 20 hours to complete and this was spread out over five nights. I definately found my power. On the second and third night we were working on the shading of the tree. Deep, strong "jabs" were used by Anon to obtain the desired effect. The result was quite a bit of pain for me that left me chugging beers or "buckets", which ever was closer. On the third night I really did not know how I was going to finish what I had started. Jennifer (my mother in-law) wanted to know what it felt like. So at age 64 she decided to find her "power" and get her first tattoo. (Which she had been talking about doing for quite some time!) She remarked that after giving birth to four kids she had "power" and it would be no trouble. As we lay there together, I felt her squeeze my hand tightly as the bamboo perforated her skin. She got a beautiful little dolphin on her ankle, but this is a tale for her to tell.
Anon is a truly an amazing person. He has so much precision and attention to detail. It was only after we had finished the tattoo that he told me how he had wanted to do a piece like this for over 6 years. It was chance that both of us should come together and share the same idea. Anon not only left an image on my body but he has made an everlasting impression on Chelle and Me. Chelle was there with me every night, every minute and I love her for it. Anon is now part of our journey.
Anon and I. You can tell by the smile on my face that it is all finished.
People have asked me in the past if I wanted a tattoo. My response has always been less than enthusiastic. From the moment we arrived on Phi Phi island, I was inspired by the artwork I saw adorning the locals. I did not even know about the bamboo technique of tattoo. Instead of the "gun", artists use a piece of bamboo and bind needles to the end. It is all done by hand with no mechanised process. The technique is also very slow. The bamboo may contain between four and 30 needles depending on the desired effect. Each bamboo is made speciffically for the application. And yes Mum it is all safe and hygenic.
After a week of putting my ideas together and talking to arists I found Anon and we got started. Anon is from Thailand and his Grandmother is from Cambodia. I walked into his shop with a drawing that I had sketched on a napkin and from this he drew freehand onto my body. Within three hours I had a outline on my body. We negotiated a price and before i knew it we were beginning the outline. People say that the bamboo technique is less painful than the gun, but I dont know because I have never experienced the gun. The locals told me that I had chosen the "number one spot" for my tattoo, right on the rib cage and they all agreed that I would need to find my "power" to finish it.
The tattoo took around 15 to 20 hours to complete and this was spread out over five nights. I definately found my power. On the second and third night we were working on the shading of the tree. Deep, strong "jabs" were used by Anon to obtain the desired effect. The result was quite a bit of pain for me that left me chugging beers or "buckets", which ever was closer. On the third night I really did not know how I was going to finish what I had started. Jennifer (my mother in-law) wanted to know what it felt like. So at age 64 she decided to find her "power" and get her first tattoo. (Which she had been talking about doing for quite some time!) She remarked that after giving birth to four kids she had "power" and it would be no trouble. As we lay there together, I felt her squeeze my hand tightly as the bamboo perforated her skin. She got a beautiful little dolphin on her ankle, but this is a tale for her to tell.
Anon is a truly an amazing person. He has so much precision and attention to detail. It was only after we had finished the tattoo that he told me how he had wanted to do a piece like this for over 6 years. It was chance that both of us should come together and share the same idea. Anon not only left an image on my body but he has made an everlasting impression on Chelle and Me. Chelle was there with me every night, every minute and I love her for it. Anon is now part of our journey.
