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Van Gogh Starry Night Reproduction Tattoo
By Conan Lea - Voluta Tattoo
I had only been tattooing for about three years in 2002, when this client asked for this reproduction. In those days, there wasn't much guidance in Cincinnati for high-art tattoo at that time, so I had to simply do my best and reach for the stars.
The size of this piece is over one square foot. Looking back, I know that I should have photographed the wearer's entire legs to show scale, but photography with a newfangled digital camera and Photoshop was a crazy idea back then. To be honest, I made whole thing up on the fly. Now, I know to photograph the entire body part to show context in the portfolio.
Patterning this piece onto skin was challenging, because I wanted to capture as many of Van Gogh's original strokes as possible in the final tattoo. I also had to struggle to find the perfect palette, because finding accurate, well-lit photographs of fine art at that time wasn't easy.
I put about 40 hours into this piece. Now, 13 years into my career, I could do it in half the time. It was insanely fun to give this piece a go at such an early stage in my career, and I'm grateful to have translated one of the greats into tattoo.
Keyword Galleries: Body Part Leg Tattoos , Color Tattoos
Three days of becoming a better artists, tattooers, and people! The Rock River Tattoo Art Expo will combine aspects of artist-focused professional development events with the style of a larger tattoo convention, open to the public. The two convention floors will be filled with artist and vendor booths, with the artists showcasing not only tattooing but work in other mediums as well. Some booths will feature live painting alongside the tattoo booths. There will be additional vendor booths in some of the hallways and auxiliary spaces along with a museum exhibit showcasing some important tattoo artifacts including some of local significance. Throughout the weekend there will be activity on the main stage including interviews, talks by high-profile speakers, a historical discussion, tattoo art critiques, and a daily showcase of work that was completed on the convention floor.
