Dark Tower Tattoos

[Regulus1010]

Thanks, Ben!

Honestly, this was the first session (of 9 so far) where after an hour in I was just thinking "can I be done for today?" That hadn't happened up until this past weekend. The healing/sticking/peeling/annoying as hell part of it, I've more or less gotten used to. I feel like if I take a break and don't keep going every 2-3 weeks whether I'm having a "good" day with it or not, I'll not complete it. That is something I just can't have when I've put in nearly 40 hours! I'm gonna guess I have at least another 30 more, give or take. Maybe even 40+ depending on how it all pans out when the finishing touches come together.

I'll keep you all updated - next session is 12/28!

[Garrell]

Very nice!!!

[ICry4Oy]

It's looking fantastic! I know what you mean though. I laid down for my back in 6 sessions at 5 hours each. About the 5th time and about two hours in, it was pure hell. My artist remarked that day how he could tell I wasn't enjoying it as much any more! Just hang in there though - it is all worth it in the end!!!

[Regulus1010]

Session #10 - 4 more hours in. I think I'm a little under the 45 hour mark at this point. Today, we got the first skull in from start to finish, and Jake at Divine Machine Tattoo (Buffalo, NY) did an amazing job. Have a few different shots showing the skull in varying lighting for your pleasure. This isn't anything directly related to the series (unless you want to think of it as the skull that yields the jawbone in the basement of the Way Station in Book 1), but is more there to support the general theme of death in the book; more specifically, that the Gunslinger brings death with him everywhere he goes. Next up, on the other side of my shoulder, is going to be a rook's skull - Lookout, from Wizard and Glass, actually! It's there to support the same theme but in a different way, and obviously that being more directly from the series. I've also decided to get lettering up each side of my back to border in the piece later on. One side will say "Seppe-sai" and the other will say "We deal in lead." Once my entire back is done, I'm still toying with the idea of getting my ass done in the scene with Walter in the golgotha under the Cyclopean Mountains. That's still a long ways off, though.

[ICry4Oy]

I love seeing the progression shots of someone else's MASSIVE tattoo like this, keep 'em comin'! The skull is sick!

[Ben Staad]

The execution and design are top notch. Keep the updates coming, Regulus.

[Regulus1010]

Got Lookout on my left shoulderblade - Cuthbert's rook skull! It's an odd, jagged shape so there's going to be something around it to even out the harshness. Jake was thinking a bird's wing and some scattered bones so it looked like a pile of decay, which I am considering. It does go well with the heavy theme of death in the novels, after all. I have a few angles for you all to look at.

Let me know what you think!

[Ben Staad]

Looks good but I do think something around it will certainly help. Made me look up a rooks skull on google and your guy did a good job.

[ICry4Oy]

It is just looking better every time you add to it!


...since the tattoo I got tonight isn't Dark Tower, I just put some pics in the Tattoo thread in the Starkblast forum...
http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/...179#post824179

[Regulus1010]

Thanks! I commented on your post recently

[Alloucarte]

First tattoo is finally done. Right lower arm. Picture is not that great, I'm sorry.

Quote is in german and translates as: "Stand and be true."

[Ben Staad]

Congrats on your DT art! Is this your first Stephen King tattoo?

First tattoo is finally done. Right lower arm. Picture is not that great, I'm sorry.

Quote is in german and translates as: "Stand and be true."

[Alloucarte]

Yah, it's my first, but not the last i'm afraid... ^^ My thoughts are with a new one already... ^^ In this thread there are so many amazing pieces... Good motivation to get more... ^^

[KatetOfNineteen]

I'm designing my Dark Tower themed sleeve right now. On my inner forearm I will have Roland standing at an open door that shows the Dark Tower behind it(the Tower being very tall). My wrist will have roses around it at the base of the tower and my inner elbow will have the Eye of the Crimson King above the tower. My elbow will be the Ka symbol. I'm think of getting Blaine on my outer forearm or upper arm. I'm trying to finish the design in my head before I sketch it all up. I will have the Rose of the Eld and 19 incorporated somewhere then just a matter of filling in with other Dark Tower related things. I might re-read the whole series to add in small things.

[Regulus1010]

Hey guys, I got this a week ago and haven't had time to post them - got sick 3 times in a row and had to miss my tattoo appointment last month too

Anyway, got the field of roses filled in under the tower (and above the larger roses), and the first of my 6 siguls - the symbol of the Eld and the symbol for Ka. The roses are supposed to fade into the doorway of the tower. The symbol for Eld is supposed to look like it's been carved in stone, hence the cracks. The symbol for Ka is supposed to look like it was done roughly with fast brush strokes. Next time, I'm working on the other 4 symbols: the rose, gun and keyhole (in 1 sigul); black 13; the bleeding eye of the Crimson King; and, lastly, the symbol for "unfound." Then after all that is done in 1-2 sessions, it's finishing out the body of the Gunslinger, lettering on the side ("Seppe-Sai" on one side and "We deal in lead" on the other) and background texture.

Enjoy!

[Ben Staad]

Glad you came back. Can't say enough about the progression and the work you've put into this. Good stuff.

[Regulus1010]

Got some more eye candy for you! Got my lettering done today - "WE DEAL IN LEAD" and "SEPPE-SAI," or death-seller. I've always love that phrase from the high speech, and I think that this frames out the entire piece nicely. It might seems out of place now due to the fairly stark color and design contrast, but once the background/shading/rendering filles in the rest of my back, it will all blend together along with the muted reds that will be highlighted in after the rest of the pieces are complete. Let me know what you think!


Finished (left side):


Finished (right side):


Only the lining done - 1:


Only the lining done - 2:

[ICry4Oy]

Hell yes Regulus! That's a turn-on awesome!

Love the cracked marble look on the sigul as well as the touch of color. I know those words hurt like a mother.

[ICry4Oy]

First tattoo is finally done. Right lower arm. Picture is not that great, I'm sorry.

Quote is in german and translates as: "Stand and be true."

Damn, I missed this one. Sweet!!!

[Ben Staad]

That sounds great. I love hearing about someone planning out a great design and placement.

I'm designing my Dark Tower themed sleeve right now. On my inner forearm I will have Roland standing at an open door that shows the Dark Tower behind it(the Tower being very tall). My wrist will have roses around it at the base of the tower and my inner elbow will have the Eye of the Crimson King above the tower. My elbow will be the Ka symbol. I'm think of getting Blaine on my outer forearm or upper arm. I'm trying to finish the design in my head before I sketch it all up. I will have the Rose of the Eld and 19 incorporated somewhere then just a matter of filling in with other Dark Tower related things. I might re-read the whole series to add in small things.

[Ben Staad]

I think it looks good. The placement is excellent and should create a nice frame.

Got some more eye candy for you! Got my lettering done today - "WE DEAL IN LEAD" and "SEPPE-SAI," or death-seller. I've always love that phrase from the high speech, and I think that this frames out the entire piece nicely. It might seems out of place now due to the fairly stark color and design contrast, but once the background/shading/rendering filles in the rest of my back, it will all blend together along with the muted reds that will be highlighted in after the rest of the pieces are complete. Let me know what you think!

[Regulus1010]

Haha, thanks! I was actually pretty dreading my side/ribs and the first 15-20 minutes were no fun, but I settled into it after that just all the other areas - although, it was definitely tied for worst with my love handles. It's really interesting because every tiny little hand stroke with the tattoo machine plays a different symphony on your nerves, as one second it could be fine and then the next, your entire side feels like it's been lit on fire.

[Regulus1010]

@Ben - I was honestly not sure how I felt about it when it was done on the one side, because it felt SO out of place and bold in comparison to the soft, dark lines I have everywhere else. But, like everything else I've had done so far, I've trusted Jake Anderson (my artist) and he hasn't let me down yet. I can see where his head is at and I'm thinking it'll end up being as good as he thinks it will be.

[Ben Staad]

I think he made a good call. Can't wait to see your work completed. Do you have any idea how many more sessions/hours you have left?

@Ben - I was honestly not sure how I felt about it when it was done on the one side, because it felt SO out of place and bold in comparison to the soft, dark lines I have everywhere else. But, like everything else I've had done so far, I've trusted Jake Anderson (my artist) and he hasn't let me down yet. I can see where his head is at and I'm thinking it'll end up being as good as he thinks it will be.

[Regulus1010]

Well, I have a consult with him in the next few weeks to outline the last few smaller pieces and exactly how we want to lay them out and how the final portion, the background (what will bring everything together) will look. We're probably going to do red and black "polka trash" style. I know that sounds funny but look here and tell me that the avant-garde, post-modern-esque style won't catch the eye splashed with black and the same color red as the lettering...even if it is a little loud and purposefully clash-y.

https://www.google.com/search?q=polk...w=1698&bih=914

I obviously don't intend for some of the more obnoxious pieces to resemble what I'm getting as it's more the background rather than the foreground (obviously, since mine is mostly done at this point), but these specific images embody the type of background/splash I'm going for. I want it to be laid back in with the black because it matches, and some red so it looks like Roland and the entire scene is smattered in blood after a battle like Tull or Algul Siento, for example: