My New Roses Tattoo

I've received a ton of questions about my latest tattoo, so I thought I'd whip up a short little post about it!  It is probably the prettiest out of any of my tattoos (of which there are now fourteen), although I have to say I do love ALL of mine.

I got this baby done at Pioneer Tattoo Studio in Lakeview, IL.  It's my only piece from that particular studio, and I actually heard about it via a write-up about Chicago parlors on Refinery 29 (one of my all-time favorite blogs/websites).  Once I checked out their website, I stumbled upon some of the most gorgeous tattoo work I had ever laid my eyes on.  The pieces that I couldn't get enough of were done by David Allen.  

After digging a little deeper on the interwebs, I soon learned that not only was his work a.) extremely popular (his Instagram boasts 10,700+ followers, and there are over 12,000 "likes" on his Facebook page), but b.) extremely sought after.  Just check out the  "About" section on his website -- it states that his appointment book is closed, and he only handpicks new projects if the idea is "extraordinary" to him.  But.. I knew I had to get my sleeve worked on by David, so I immediately emailed him inquiring about my future forearm rose tattoo.

I, of course, received a 'bot-sent email reply, stating that David was booked until September 2015, and that he wasn't accepting any new clients/appointments.  My email was sent in September 2014.  To my disappointment, I sadly accepted my fate and moved on.  But then!! One month later, in October, I received an email from none other than David Allen.  He wrote me, saying he had sifted through his emails, found my concept very intriguing, and would like to give my tattoo a go.  What!! The next available slot was in January 2015, and I gladly paid my deposit and booked it up.

When the time came to finally sit down and start this piece, I couldn't have been more excited.  And to make the entire experience that much more enjoyable, he just so happens to be one of the coolest people I have ever met (and no, I am not exaggerating).  The people he tattoos, the friends he has, the places he travels.. I don't want to be too forthcoming with the details, so you'll have to take my word for it.

The tattoo itself took two sessions to complete (around 4 hours total), and I finished it up in February.  The detail is stunning, and I honestly can't stop looking at it!  It was definitely an investment, and worth a pretty penny, but I think that if you're going to have such a permanent and prominent piece literally etched into your skin, it better be done impeccably.  And that kind of work does not come cheap!

I already have a few ideas in my head for the rest of this sleeve -- which won't come for a while, trust me -- and have discussed future plans with David to get the ball rolling.  Although the huge ship, the feather, the key and the word "believe", and the roman numerals, were all done by different artists, I am definitely having David finish up any and all additions to my arm!

I'm so happy with the way this little (or big) guy turned out.  And I still can't believe it was done by such a creative genius.  At the end of my session, we even joked about how I can casually discuss that my tattoo was done by a guy, who, you know, is so exclusive he doesn't even accept new clients -- but I would never :P