Off The Map Tattoo

I know this will seem odd coming on the heels of my last post about money, but I assure you (not that I have to) that what I just did came after many months of buying up gift certificate deals (amounting to free money) and specific, targeted savings for this event.

So, that said….  I spent ALL day last Sunday in western Mass at Off The Map Tattoo in Easthampton, MA getting my latest art work done.  It was a long day.  I left the Cape at 9am and arrived there just before 11:30.  This is my second tattoo with Max Rothert who is a brilliant artist. My first being a memorial for my folks pictured below.

I have long had this fascination and love for river otters, so I decided to have my next piece focus on one.  I didn't want something so photo/real specific as the chickadee was, so I gave Max an idea of what I wanted and he went with it.  He came up with a great premise and we tweaked it last Sunday.  I'm quite pleased with the result, though I eventually need to discuss with him a minor detail that I want to have altered at some point in the future.

Once Max had the drawing down and the stencil ready I entered his work area and the process began.  He started the preparation by cleaning and shaving the area on my lower right leg, then made up the stencil based on his drawing.  After applying that he went to work.  In the mean time, my friend Jennifer, who hooked me up with Max, stopped in and sat with us for a good while.  She brought us coffee which was my only request after a long drive.  We all caught up and chatted.  It was a great visit!

Max working.  I had prepared myself so much better than my first session with him having brought more food high in sugars and water.

This is a shot of the tattoo prior to the final touches.  I don't have anything of my own beyond this, but there was much more done as far as shading and detail after this.  I am currently in the peeling stage of the healing process, so it will be a bit before I have more images to add, but you get the idea. The tattoo continues to my ankle and onto the top of my foot. I expect to stop by OTM to see Max after it is well healed in June on my way to camp in Vermont and will discuss with him then the slight change I want to make.  Nothing big, just a technicality.

This was a tough day, especially the last couple of hours, but I got though it.  I was convinced by the end that I was all done, but of course, I am not.  I have my other shoulder I want done at some point by the end of the year, and would like that to (over a couple sessions) go over the top of my shoulder and onto my back to encompass and enhance my first tattoo, a memorial to our dearly departed Logan which was not done by Max.  Right now it's just sort of floating there on my back and it needs to be anchored.

This definitely needs the touch of Max Rothert to complete it.