Skulls and Roses Tattoo

by Conan Lea

Published April 23, 2012

This client is a friend of mine who is enormous in heart, spirit, character, and body. Everything about this man is large. He knew I have a strong affection for Georgia O'Keeffe’s work and was seeking something in her style but in black and grey ink. He wanted skulls and roses but with the classic flow and feel of something from her portfolio. His idea intrigued me with its depth and universal application: to incorporate the simplicity and beauty of life with the realities of death, which is ever present, just behind the veil. The piece needed to stay light, open, and on the high end of the value scale. He gave me complete control, telling me I could do whatever I wanted, which was especially exciting. The piece was designed on the spot, approaching it from a fresh perspective with every session. I took the opportunity to test my freehand ability by drawing each part on as we went with little or no preparation and almost no reference. I tried to maintain a transparent sensibility about most parts of the design while giving thematic priority to the joints and parts of the leg that he could see. I wanted the knee and ankle bones to be interesting and his own view of the piece to be exciting, considering that it is impossible to see the entirety of your own leg at one time. For the viewer, I wanted new and exciting focal points around every turn of his leg. I also worked to weave in the obscure interplay of life and death, with some elements functioning conjunctly and others working apart, like a piece of music with many layers. This is one of the more fun pieces I achieved in 2012. It’s open, freestyle, and challenging. I would love to do more of this sort of work.