I very recently got a tattoo that i have been planning on getting for several years now, credit goes to Mark Walters at Living Canvas in Tempe Arizona.
I wanted a decent size koi to go with my kanji that I already had, the story behind the whole idea of the tattoo is a lot to explain but if people are interested enough I could fill you in. The tattoo is finished, its just my own personal preference that I like tattoos that are minimal and have an “unfinished” appearance, there is a possibility for color wayyyyyy down the road but is far as im concerned its done.
Took 2 and a half hours.
Hope you guys like it!!!!
Cheers!!
Zinn
This isn’t specifically about Zinn’s koi, but why the popularity of them? It seems like every website, book, flash sheet, and shop artist have a zillion different ones that all essentially look the same. I’m not knocking, I’m just curious as to where they come from and what meanings are carried with them.
my artist had a difficult time walking away from it, but he was better than other artists who we assholes about it. its just the way i like them. If its going to be on my body forever i think id rather have it the way i like than the way other people expect it to be. Anyway you never know I may add color, in a couple years i may get bored and need a fix (seems to happen with the ‘addiciton’ that is tattoos) so maybe i will slowly add color ive already planned to add other symbols throughout my life. So techincally its a work in progress, but it will be a work in progress till im 6 feet under.
Anyway hope you like it, and yes the line work turned out amazing the guy i went to was really really impressive, designed the koi himself as well.
cheers
Zinn
Curious why you chose the 3-kanji compound translated as; rank holder; rank holding person; Black Belt etc.
有 = yuu / 段 = dan / 者 = sha = yuudansha.
Way to pick up on that!
Well the story goes like this, the kanji has been there for a long time, long before I ever got the koi done. See, when I was younger martial arts was a big part of my life and something that me and my father shared as a common hobby. Its practically all we did lol. So after almost 13 years of work me and my father got our black belts together, big deal for both of us. In the ceremony they welcome you to the yudansha, the holders of black belts, saying that once you are in the yuudansha you are a black belt for the rest of your life whether you ever do martial arts again or not. My dad and I saw some cool symbolism in this and decided to get the tattoo, so we both have that kanji.
To me though, as Ive grown older, my tattoo has seemed incomplete. Rather than most kanjis which are symbolize a belief or ideal mine was an event, an accomplishment in time. As I was looking for something to add, something to make it more complete I came across Koi fish (which Ive always though make beautiful tattoos). The story of the Koi is fighting up the river to the Dragons Gate with the symbolism of goal achievement and worldly accomplishment, which Im sure most of you know.
So I thought this fit perfectly and what I plan to do throughout my life, for other extremely significant and important events is to add a kanji to the river my koi swims through as symbolism of a goal finally reached. For example, the next one I will get will be after college. Finishing college has been extremely difficult for me and a very emotional journey. So when I graduate (this may!!!) I will add a kanji to the river symbolizing this achievement. And so forth throughout my life.
Aaaaaaaanyway this is the idea/symbolism behind my ink!
Looks sweet! I love black and grey work too but I’m half on the ‘finish it!’ bandwagon… I know what you mean about the unfinished appearance being appealing but personally I’d add just a bit of grey shading to the edges of the fins and perhaps fill in the centres of the cherry blossom or put a tiny bit of grey in each of them, just so it looked like it was supposed to look unfinished as opposed to really looking unfinished. But then I’m an obsessive compulsive perfectionist!! If you like it how it is then that’s great, and honestly it’s a wicked tattoo, congrats!
Got it done at Living Canvas in Tempe Arizona
Website is http://www.livingcanvastattoos.com/
Mark designed and inked the koi, owner of the shop
A more recent pic lovin my tat in public!
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