It is not usual for me to publish posts about my tattoos on Travel & Things, but seeing that this particular one is a direct result of a tiger that I found on each day of a 6 day safari while at Pench National Park in India in 2018, I believe that it deserves to be featured here.
I have been planning this particular tribute piece since seeing Baras, but for one reason or another, it was never the right time.
COVID played a large part in me delaying the work as well the fact that my regular tattoo artist was not allowed to work during the pandemic…and then he chose to move to Cape Town.
But the Universe is strange, and I met the artist who would do this work at a family funeral…
Turns out that Daniel is the nephew of my brother-in-law and we got chatting after the service and we agreed that it was not the ideal setting to chat about tattoos, so we arranged to meet at Fallen Heroes in Emmarentia, which is where he works which was a more appropriate setting for a discussion of this nature.
This is Baras (the name means 12 in Hindi) to whom the tattoo is dedicated. My wife and I were on safari in Pench National Park in Northern India and we saw her on six separate occasions.
This image is from our final encounter and shortly after I took this picture, she vanished into the undergrowth alongside the road and it would be the last time I would see her.
We have kept in touch with our guide from that trip, so we know that she is still alive and producing cubs on an annual basis.
The number 12 that can clearly be seen above her left eye carries religious, mythological and magical symbolism, generally representing perfection, entirety, or cosmic order in traditions since antiquity
“The tiger, as an animal symbol is an emblem of dignity, ferocity, sternness, courage, and by itself is Yin energy. It is also a symbol of protection and images of tigers are often seen on clothing or in homes to ward off harm and to assure safekeeping“.
And so it begins…The stencil had been prepared before my arrival and as seen here it is actually in reverse so that it is correctly applied to my skin.
There was some discussion about elements that had been added at the last moment, but I believed that the additions would enhance the final work, it was time to settle down for what turned out to be a long day.
Daniel was not happy with the first placement, so he cleaned off my leg and started all over again.
Some might see him as pedantic, however, he is a perfectionist and even if the client (in this case me) had not noticed any line issues, he had and he wanted the end result to be up to his standards.
For the purists, I do realize that there are no tigers in Japan and this is not my original style choice. But having had Daniel spend time educating me on traditional Japanese tattoo culture, I quickly came to realize that this was the reason that I had postponed the piece for so many years.
Finally the Universe had put me in a place where it was the right design and the correct artist to put ink on my skin.
With the stencil in place…
The rear paw and claws is what makes this piece special for me. The detail in the line work is crisp and clean.
There are bamboo shoots within the piece to add yet another dimension to the work. A small detail, but an important one.
The orange lines are to make certain that any lines that did not transfer correctly have been corrected before picking up the tattoo gun.
“Are you ready”…if your tattoo artist does not ask you this important question, then might I suggest you get up and leave.
It is the mark of a professional that he/she will ask this to make certain that you are prepared for what lies ahead.
And so begins a marathon session, for me. that lasted for almost 6 hours.
Previously, the longest I have managed to sit for was 3 hours, so I was impressed by my stamina.
I think it is also due to the type of tattoo machine that Daniel was using which was silent and the needles that he used were easy on my skin.
That being said, it did start to hurt towards the end of the session. But is was bearable and that endorphin/adrenalin rush is part of why people get tattooed more than once.
Although Daniel was concentrating on what his was doing, there was a constant banter between us.
He, telling me about the meaning of certain elements of the tattoo and me sharing jokes with him. Trying not to make him laugh when he was doing long lines that needed precision.
With all the black and line work complete, I now have to wait for several weeks for it to heal before returning to Daniel to add the colour to complete the piece.
I cannot wait for the eyes to be done as that will bring life to this special tiger.
Bye Bye Baras.
Stay safe and keep producing litters that will grow up strong and continue your lineage.
To find out more about the product and what it offers, click on the image above.
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If you want to find out more about Fallen Heroes and the artists that work there. click on the logo above.
Daniel Feinberg has switched disciplines throughout his career. From interior design to fine art and having a few shows at the Premises Gallery, to Architectural Visualization, he has finally settled as a Tattoo Artist with a focus and love for Traditional Japanese Tattoo. This involves having a strong connection to Japanese myth and culture. The use of Ukiyo-E prints as a core for reference and inspiration mixes well with tattoo flash art sensibilities.
INSTAGRAM: @danielfeinberg
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