Today's post is a part of the Teen Book Scene Tour for Nickel Plated by Aric Davis. Aric joins us today to share his Top Ten Tattoos!
Not all of my tattoos are something I would get again. Not to say that I regret having them, more that I wish something else were there in place of them. On the other hand, there are some tattoos that I wear that I cannot imagine not having. These are some of them.
10. AmazonEncore logo on my right ring finger.
This is my newest tattoo, done by my friend Johnny Spinoso. I knew as soon as I started writing that if I ever got published, my first publisher’s logo was going in that spot, so it was an easy decision to get it done. I still haven’t told them, how much longer should I wait?
9. “Old School” Sailor Girl with British Flag on my inner right bicep.
This one was done in 1997 by Mario Barth while he was guest spotting at a rival shop in town. I got the tattoo to celebrate my English heritage, and well, girls. The design my tattoo was sourced from was found in the book “Pierced Hearts and True Love”, but the name of the original artist escapes me.
8. Heart on my left bicep.
It might be risky for some people, but I am never going to regret having my wife’s name tattooed on me. Scott Sylvia did the tattoo for me at a convention a few years ago, and added a calla lily, the flower she carried at our wedding. It’s almost too pretty for me to wear.
7. Bird on my right hand.
Pure simplicity. A bird cribbed from the work of Sailor Jerry, carrying a ribbon with my lucky number in it.
6. Mask on my shin.
Jon Clue did this one, it’s really ornate. The tattoo is a stone mask, with huge ears like me. There’s a city in the mouth of the mask, with a river of blood pouring from its lips, and atop the mask is a green snake. The detail is seriously amazing, especially considering I had this done in late 1999, it’s held up really well. This tattoo holds my personal record for the longest I’ve gotten tattooed in one session, ten and a half hours! I’m not ever breaking that one.
5. Shai’ Hulud with mandala and crazy rocks on my right forearm.
My Dune tattoo! I’ve loved these books for a really long time, and the artist who first did this left my forearm a mess. Luckily, my friend Guy Aitchison was able to make this sucker really sing. He also did some rocks and a mandala on the back of my arm. If you’ve seen Guy’s work before, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Guy is quite possibly the most talented tattooist to ever live, being able to wear his work, and call him a friend is a huge honor.
4. Book on my left hand.
My dear friend Shawn Heath did this one for me, and it’s super awesome, but really simple. I told my wife when I was twenty that I wanted a book on my left hand, and a bird on the right. She said fine, but to wait ten years. She didn’t think I really would! The book is different than I first imagined, but it’s better than I imagined, too. It celebrates my love of reading and writing, but hilariously, most people think it’s a bible.
3. Remembrance tattoo on the back of my neck.
The death of my maternal grandparents hit me hard, and I knew that I wanted a tattoo to celebrate them. My friend Johnny Spinoso was again my partner in crime for this one, and he did an awesome job. A banner with my mother’s maiden name in it, a hammer symbolizing a lifetime of building for my grandfather, and a spoon symbolizing the joy my grandmother took in cooking for her loved ones.
2. Infinity symbol on my left ring finger.
My wife and I had these done when we got engaged, mine by Guy Aitchison, hers by Guy’s wife, Michele Wortman. We sat in the same room and all four of us had a really great time. I’m pretty sure it was the first time Guy and Michele had done something like that as a couple, and of course it was a wonderful bonding experience for my wife and me.
1. My daughter’s name.
First name on my right wrist, middle on my left wrist. Just as simple as that, totally beautiful.
Thanks so much for joining us today Aric! Stop by in April for my review of Nickel Plated and be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour!