Indigo Buntings, Yellow Warblers, and Tulip Flowers

The first time Brooke got a tattoo, she wasn’t nervous at all. I’d say she was more excited than anything. For her latest tattoo, the emotions were quite different. As we drove down Lorain Road, I could see her shifting in her seat. We were almost there and her nerves were building a bit. I’m sure the nervousness was from a combination of factors. The memory of her first tattoo must have still been fresh. Plus, the scale of the new tattoo was much, much larger.

We arrived at Tattoo Faction just in time for her appointment. Another minute and we’d have been late. Dave Wulff was there waiting and ready to go. Brooke and Dave discussed the concept for the tattoo while I stood listening. Many of you may know that my wife is a professional biologist and avid environmentalist. Like her honey bee tattoo, Brooke’s plans for her new tattoo involved fauna, but also flora. She wanted indigo buntings, yellow warblers and tulip flowers. Dave listened closely, and then said “Have a seat and I’ll sketch this out.” A few minutes later he returned with a drawing. “Perfect,” Brooke said with no hesitation. Just like her vision, the drawing was realistic, also like an Audubon print.

Below are some highlights of Brooke getting the outlines completed. Unfortunately I won’t be present for the shading or the color, as I have to work elsewhere. After seeing just this small part, I can say one thing – Brooke is tough. Really tough! She took the hold thing in stride and did an amazing job. Truth be told, I’m not surprised one bit. For a long time I’ve known that my wife is made of the hardest metal. Also worth noting is that Dave did an amazing job. Brooke searched for years to locate the perfect artist, and Dave has certainly proven worthy. We wish he was staying local, but he’s headed across country soon for awesome new adventures.

Personally, I love the look of tattoo shops. They are like graphic dreams. Every inch is covered with detailed artwork, and Tattoo Faction is no different. I especially like the Durado fish mounted on the wall, the “Drunkenness Prohibited” sign, and the large tiger head gate guarding the back room. For the technical minded, the above was all shot on a Contax 645 with Kodak Portra 800 film. Enjoy!