This past Tuesday, after much searching and contemplation I took the plunge and got Tattoo #4. This one is a tribute tattoo to my brother Donny…who passed away 20 years ago…and to my sister-in-law Kim…who passed away 1.5 years ago. Being a double portrait, I wanted to be sure I go the right guy/gal to do the work. The patience paid off!

Here are the two pictures that Colin at Red Sky Tattoo was working from…and I asked him to add the phrase “With You Always” to the piece…

My Favorite Picture of Them Both

I got the recommendation to use Colin from the shop owner and I visited him a couple of weeks ago and set an appointment on the spot. When we showed up he took about an hour to do the stencil and once he showed it to me I was no longer concerned…it rocked! Here’s the stencil on the arm…

It's Big! Anita thinks too big, I think just right!

It took 2.5 hours of actual chair time to finish. I was in the shop a total of 5 hours, but that included the drawing time and breaks. Here it was after the first break…

Looking Good

There are three questions most people ask me about the tat the first time they see it. I’ve already answered two of them (where did you get it done and how long did it take). The first question is usually, “Did it hurt?” Answer: “YES!”

But the final result was SO worth it (added the photos so you can see the comparison “side by side”). It’s hard to get a good photo right now since it’s still healing, but you get the general idea…

Love It, Love It, Love It!!

The whole thing was a great experience and I absolutely L-O-V-E the tat. It was worth waiting to find the right person (and I highly recommend the entire crew at Red Sky Tattoo in Castle Rock). I miss both my brother and my sister-in-law very much, but they are always close to me now!