M'S SLEEVES

This is M, who I met at the 1994 NTA convention in San Francisco. He was standing next to me for about four hours as we watched the Japanese tattooists working by hand. He was curious as to my picture taking, and the fact that I seemed to know what they were doing.

His collection took the form of full sleeves. The tribal work on the right arm M had done at the convention. Turns out in short sleeves, the nipples of the girl in pink showed just below the sleeve line and it was starting to cause problems. Nudes are a longstanding tradition, and the coverup of the nipples is part of that old tradition as well, as many a nudie tattoo has gotten someone in trouble with someone else.

The girl on the left forearm is a knockoff of the Pamela Anderson painting by Olivia: they left off the silk stockings/ribbons and shoes on her.

mouse over the images above for more detail photos of the lower arms