T-Shirt Designs - Photo Shoot

Model - Katy Gandy
Photos - Scott McCool

Great Water Landing - Photos of US Airways

There are plenty of photos on the news, but these are upclose. Taken from the tugboat that worked this crash.

















If I'm every in a "water landing" I want this pilot, wouldn't you?

How to Get the Perfect Kanji Tattoo You Truly Deserve?

Kanji was originated from Chinese Characters.

Kanji is the term for Chinese characters that are used in the Japanese language. There are two different types of characters that are used in written Japanese: kana, which includes the types of writing known as hiragana and katakana, and kanji. All written Japanese evolved from written Chinese, and were modified to create the different sounds of the Japanese language. Kanji in Japanese are typically characters from the Chinese language that have been adapted to mean Japanese words. The meanings in Chinese and Japanese can be the same but pronounced differently, or they may have entirely different meanings. Some kanji were developed in Japan and are not seen in the Chinese language at all. Still other kanji are written in different forms but have the same meaning.

Japanese Kanji Tattoos VS Chinese Symbol Tattoos.

The Kanji Tattoos you have seen in the tattoo parlor or anywhere else are actually Chinese Symbol Tattoos, when you are planning to get a Kanji Tattoo, Choosing Chinese Symbol Tattoos instead of Japanese Kanji Tattoos, Why? Japanese Kanji only have hundreds of writing symbols which evolved from written Chinese Symbols, You can not get whatever you want to express by using Japanese Kanji. Whereas, Chinese Symbols have about 4000 year history and there are 47,035 Chinese symbols in Chinese Kangxi Dictionary. Put it simple, You can get whatever you want to express in Chinese symbols.

How to Get a perfect Kanji Tattoo you truly deserve?

My Name is Yingying, I am a Chinese tattoo artist, and have been helping the western people get their Kanji tattoos for three years. Kanji have a complex beauty as well as individual meanings. People who get Kanji tattoos are often drawn to this. Unfortunately, the flip-side is that there are a lot of Kanji tattoo Mistakes. I have personally seen such elementary mistakes as Kanji being tattooed backward and meant something else other than intended. My goal is to help people explore the beauty and complexity of Kanji safe in the knowledge that they are dealing with the professional. Why many western people make mistakes with their kanji tattoos, the main reason is because they made no preparation before inking and just walked into a tattoo parlor without knowing what they would get. And then their Chinese tattoos became the permanent source to embarrass them. Yes, they can get their tattoo removed, but removing unwanted tattoos is a very expensive, lengthy and painful ordeal! You are wise to research your best possible options before going through with it.

First: you need to find a pro to do the translation, instead of anyone who speaks Chinese. The Chinese symbol (Kanji) has a time span of 4000 years and a geography span across countries like China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. It simply takes knowledge and expertise to do the translation well.

Second: the Chinese Symbols need to be custom designed by writing them into Chinese calligraphy. Your body deserves Chinese calligraphy art, NOT kanji writing! Chinese calligraphy is not just Chinese kanji writing, neither just writing well. It is an art that can display spirits. People can feel the mood, feeling, thought from the calligraphy. Having a Chinese calligraphy tattoo is a love and a respect of yourself. Moreover, Custom designed kanji Tattoos also include stencil outline. Most people don't realize that every tattoo design has a matching stencil. To apply tattoos on the skin, the tattoo artist needs both a good clear reference of the actual design, and well drawn stencils (line drawings) as the "blueprint" for the actual tattoo. When inking, your tattoo artist will use stencil outlines to trace the artwork onto your body. Stencil outlines are vital for inking kanji as it can prevent tattooists from making mistakes while inking.

Something I thought interesting. Any comments?

Lower Back Tattoos - Why Are They So Popular?

Lower back tattoos have been steadily growing in popularity since the early 1990's. But since the millenium the growth in the number of these tattoos has been explosive.

And part of the reason for this surge in popularity is the general growth in the number of women who are getting tattoos. Lower back tattoos are almost exclusively worn by women and the fact that women account for an estimated 65% of all new tattoos goes part of the way to explain this modern trend.

Beyond that, tattoos placed on the lower back are widely regarded as a symbol of a highly sensual woman. Careful choice of design can help to highlight the curves of the female body, from the curve of the lower spine, to the hips and the top of the buttocks. And as such, placement of tattoos on this area of the body has become a way for women to celebrate their curves and express their sexuality.

But apart from the sensual aspect of these designs, there are many advantages of placing a tattoo on the lower back.

1) Long Lasting

The skin around the lower back is less likely to stretch in the event of weight gain, whether due to normal weight fluctuations or pregnancy. This is a major advantage as it reduces the risk of tattoo designs (especially symmetrical designs commonly used for lower back tattoos) becoming distorted and stretched.

2) Visually Flexible

Lower back tattoos are also extremely flexible in terms of visibility. A revealing top or low cut trousers will help to display the design to the world, while a quick change to more formal attire will easily conceal the wilder side of your personality. This flexibility is an important consideration for people who have to present a more sombre appearance in their professional lives.

3) Highly Personal

A lower back tattoo is a highly personal piece of body art. Not only does it sit on a semi-intimate part of your body, the design can be created to match the shape, size and flow of your curves. This helps to reflect your individuality and greatly increases the chances of ending up with a design that's completely unique.

4) Wide Choice Of Designs

There's a wide range of designs that can be incorporated into a lower back tattoo. For example, you could select a celtic design, or go for a floral motif, or how about a tribal design. In fact, almost any v-shaped, symmetrical design can be used, so the options are virtually endless. This allows you to search for a design that's full of personal meaning and expresses part of your personality.

For example, as the lower back is a recognized chakra point, it's closely connected with the flow of spiritual energy. So a tattoo that consists of energy radiating from the design represents someone who is full of energy and vitality. Alternatively, a floral lower back design is a sign of beauty and fertility.

However, this location for tattoo placement carries one major disadvantage. The lower back is generally recognized as one of the most painful areas of the body to have tattooed. Fortunately, women are better at tolerating pain and discomfort.

Yes, it's official, most women have a higher pain threshold. According to numerous tattoo artists, women are much better than men when it comes to dealing with the pain of getting tattooed. Nobody knows why.

It could be due to gender based expectations. Men like to think that they're macho and can withstand pain. This rather cavalier attitude causes them to underestimate the pain level and pass out as soon as the needle touches their skin.

On the other hand, women tend to anticipate the pain more accurately, helping them to avoid nasty surprises and maintain a higher level of tolerance.

And finally, while lower back tattoos are now widely accepted in many parts of the world, there are still some places and communities where they're regarded as a symbol of promiscuity and low morals.

Although this is a rather minor issue for most people, it's worth bearing in mind if you live in a particularly narrow minded part of the world or are overly concerned with what other people think of you.

Ultimately, your choice of tattoo design and placement is up to you. All that matters is that you find a combination which makes you feel good and has the ability to stand the test of time.