Tattoo 2

I consider it a deep compliment when asked to design a tattoo.  I've only been asked twice and I take it very seriously since it is by far the most permanent work I do.  If you think about it, most design work either gets thrown away right away or, in the event of a logo, last only a decade or so before it's replaced.  Tattoos last a lifetime.

John Penzien of BI Worldwide gave me a rough sketch of the elements below and I added some embellishment. Interestingly enough, I spent as much time researching crests and coat of arms as I did rendering it.  I get lost in the detail of the art created hundreds of years ago by amazing designers.

Knowing John will carry this image with him for (hopefully) 40 or more years, I didn't want it to be trendy. So, I picked a style that has been around for several hundred years. (: