Well, it has been a repost sort of week, and as it is All Soul's Day, a.k.a. The Day of the Dead, this only seemed fitting. It's from my college friend, Michael, and it appeared here originally on December 30, 2008. Enjoy!

In reconnecting with old college friends through Facebook, my old friend Michael who I haven't seen in almost twenty years sent me an amazing tattoo he has on his right arm.

He sent me before and after shots so we can see the transformation from outline to spectacularly colorful body art. First, the before shots.....

The detail and the line work is exemplary and breath-taking. As someone with a guitar inked on my arm, I can appreciate the intricacies of a finely-drawn instrument. The detail on the mariachi's jacket cuff is incredible.

And now, for some color:

Michael explains the basic premise of this tattoo:

In a sense, this piece is a "memorial" tattoo, although I hate to call it that. Since I grew up in the Southwest, Day of the Dead was a regular thing, so I've always been drawn to that type of imagery, plus I like the meaning -- honoring the dead, and reminding us to live life to the fullest. I picked the mariachis partly because I am so into music, and partly because of the celebratory aspect of mariachis.

Like many intricate tattoos with multiple elements, every part has significance. The tulips, for example, that are growing at the mariachi's feet, "are an actual heirloom varietal that I have in the garden" [and] are for my wife -- tulips are her favorite flower".

And the angel at the top of the piece (and the top of the post)?

Michael informs us that "the angel is for my mother, who is no longer with us. The angel holds a purple iris (my mother's favorite flower), and looks down over the whole scene."

This amazing piece was inked by Susan Behney-Doyle who works out of Jinx Proof Tattoo in Washington, D.C. Mexican folk art is one of her specialties (see a gallery of her work here) and Michael says he "gave her a few reference pieces to look at, but she basically drew it after a consultation". He continues, "we made just a couple tweaks after I saw the drawing, but it's a one-of-a-kind custom piece".

The whole tattoo was crafted back in 2006 over a five-month, seven-session period. Michael notes that one of those sessions was devoted solely to shading the guitar. A closer look at the instrument reveals an incredible complexity of brown variations that truly makes the guitar jump off the skin.

Thanks again to Michael for sharing this amazing tattoo with us here on Tattoosday - twice!

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Design Year Book

Giant Red Rabbit Leaping at Sacramento Airport's Terminal B

Posted: 01 Nov 2011 10:36 AM PDT

One of the 14 art pieces at Sacramento Airport's newly open Terminal B, the 56-feet-long, 19-feet tall "Leap", a red rabbit made of steel and aluminum by Denver artist Lawrence Argent is an eye-catching public art for everybody in & out of the airport.

To integrate art into the airport architecture and utilizing the unique open/transparent aspect of the airport with the green space to the south, Lawrence Argent will bring the outside in with a sculpture titled, Leap. A rabbit appears to have leapt through the glass from the green space on the south side of the terminal and is diving into a suitcase that appears to have a liquid vortex opening on the top which is situated on the floor of baggage claim.

The rabbit is red to emphasize speed and our inherent desire to get to our "stuff" as quickly as possible. The artist says, "…Loose it, misplace it and disaster can erupt. Possess it, and it fills the gap of distance from home. What is it about our baggage that defines the nature of this emotion of connection with our stuff and who we are?" The rabbit was selected because its symbolism works on many levels. The rabbit is a symbol for cleverness, foolishness, of femininity and androgyny, of cowardice and courage.