Last weekend my sister Olivia moved to Australia. Before she left, we decided to get matching sister tattoos, so that no matter how far we are apart, we will always have something to remind us of each other.
Shoreditch sisters - we were cool from a very young age. Always trend setting...
We chose a design that represents our home – a traditional English rose – and keeping in touch – an envelope. Our appointment was booked with Cassandra Frances for 14th February, not intentionally, but it seemed like the perfect way to spend Valentine’s day…
We travelled up to End Times in Leeds from our hometown in Leicestershire – and we took our dad along for the ride, too.
Here he is chilling with a paper in the tattoo studio.
We both fell in love with the design as soon as we saw it.
Sister tattoo stencil - incorporating the rose and the envelope idea.
Getting tattooed at End Times was a lovely experience and we spent the day chatting to Cassandra – who told us some very interesting tales about how she got into tattooing.
Here is Olivia under the needle - she went first.
And here is the final ink. I am so glad we both have a permanent reminder of our sisterly love.
Sister tattoos - rose and envelopeThe final sister inkSaying goodbye at the airport last Saturday...Bye bye mama - a quick pic of us kissing our mama at the airport.
Feature girl: Claire Cocks Location: London Occupation: Cataloguer at an autograph auction house and retailer
Claire Cocks
Victorian Silhouette Tattoo
Where did you get your tattoos done?
I got my silhouette by Lucy at Into You and my Victorian lady “Gwendolen” by Miles at Frith Street.
What got you into tattoos and what was your first tattoo? I’ve always loved tattoos, but I was a bit dubious about whether I’d want something so permanent, until last year! I mentioned to a friend what I had in mind and he gave me a list of artists to check out and away I went. At first I wanted a simple cameo within an ornate frame, but the design evolved until I decided on a solid black silhouette portrait of my mum.
Are you planning any more tattoos? Yes definitely – although it took a few months after Gwendolen to think about having another one. I’d love to get a skull and crossbones that I saw on the floor of the Campo Santo in Pisa. The crossbones have a ribbon tying them together and I love the juxtaposition of the two. I’m also looking into getting a Victorian animal engraving, so I’m hunting around second-hand bookshops for an original drawing to work from at the moment.
Where did your inspiration come from? Victorian engravings and adverts, woodcuts, history of photography.
How would you describe your style? Vintage inspired, but without sticking to any particular period or style, although I’m always keen on Victoriana, 1920s cross-dressing (Louise Brooks in ‘Beggars of Life’) and the 80s 1940s revival.
Is there anyone you would like to get tattooed by? I’d love to get tattooed by either Volko Merschky or Simone Pfaff from Buena Vista Tattoo Club – their designs are amazing. I saw them at work at the London Tattoo Convention and it has definitely spurred me on to do some saving!
Victorian Corset Tattoo - Gwendolen
Do you have a favourite tattoo? As I only have two I think it would be unfair to have favourites!
Do your tattoos have meanings? The portrait of my mum is commemorative – I wanted something really simple in a place that I could always see. Luckily she liked it. Gwendolen on the other hand is just pure aesthetic joy – a corset advertisement I found one day and fell in love with!
From start to finish – this is the story of my beautiful new cameo tattoo.
I blogged about my inspiration a couple of months ago: Beautiful cameo tattoos. I have always found cameo and vintage jewelery extremely pretty and I used this to inspire me.
I picked Andrea Furci at The Family Business to design it for me, his art is very feminine and soft, with a traditional tattoo feel.
Here is the photo story of my cameo tattoo – from bare wrist to lovely new tattoo.
Bare wrist before the tattoo.Putting on a brave face pre-tattooThe stencilI approved the design and it got stencilled onto my wrist...
Once the tattoo is stencilled onto my wrist, I check the position in a mirror and see if I approve. I approved without hesitation, it felt right as soon as I saw it.
Now of course comes the hard bit…the pain…
The outline (it didn't hurt a bit...honest...)
How it felt
It is very difficult to describe what the tattoo process felt like, I am sure it differs from person to person…but I didn’t think my tattoo hurt – hurt is the wrong word, it just felt uncomfortable. I could feel a burning sensation on my skin, but more than that I was fascinated to see how the tattoo transformed – from stencil to outline to colour. Watching the ink go into my skin and seeing how accurately Andrea Furci could tattoo. So many intricate and delicate little details, yet never straying outside the lines. Such clean lines and vibrant colours.
During the tattoo...The tattoo with shadingno colour yet...
The grand unveiling…the beautiful tattoo with full, vibrant colour – reds, blues and warm yellows.
The final piece - my beautiful cameo tattoo by Andrea FurciPost-tattoo happinessThe tattoo is wrapped in cling film to protect it for the first night.Bandaged and ready for a beer.
Now, I would quite like Andrea to design a man in a cameo frame for my other wrist, maybe with a top hat and pipe, facing into my cameo lady.
Thanks Andrea, I can’t wait to get tattooed by you again in the future.
