Tattoo Tuesday V.23

This week I am featuring the ever darling Mia! You guys are going to die over this wonderful woman's beautiful tattoos. She's a full-time tattooer who lives and works in Hawaii (Waikiki to be exact!). Mia's blog is also a treat, and I hope all of you pop over her way, and while you're there, visit her Etsy shop and check out her gorgeous paintings and prints. I'm so, so in love with her Tea Party print. Thanks again Mia for sharing a little slice of your life with us all!

Name and blog name: mia graffam. www.gildedatrium.com

Age: 20

Occupation: tattooer

Age of first tattoo: i was sixteen and absolutely clueless when i got my first tattoo (a japanese style lotus blossom on my left hipbone). i picked a random shop and just had a vague idea of what i wanted. i’m lucky that i ended up with a good tattooer because i would have let just about anyone tattoo me at the time.

Favorite tattoo: i have a lot of favorites, but i especially like the tattoo on my upper right arm of a fancy lady holding a candlestick (brad stevens, fun city tattoo, nyc).

Featured tattoo/location: winged hourglass on my chest with a banner saying “this too shall pass.”

Artist/shop/location of featured tattoo: amy wagner who works out of tattoolicious in honolulu, hawaii.

1) Tell us about the tattoo you are sharing with us- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

my chest piece was one of my first visible tattoos, and one of the few tattoos i have that actually has a meaning. for the most part i tend to get tattoos that are pretty and decorative or i’ll let my friends draw up whatever they want to tattoo on me.

the hourglass with wings goes along with the saying “this too shall pass;” it’s basically a reminder to myself that everyday stress as well as the really tough parts of life are all very temporary.

2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?

left arm sleeve: zombie girl holding a lantern and skull, pocket watch, keyhole, feathers, roses. right arm: lady with a candle, rose in a shoe, australian seabird with a dagger and rose, and a space wolf. torso: snake with butterfly wings on the right side of my ribs, fleur-de-lis on my lower stomach, and a lotus blossom on my left hip. right leg: zombie hand holding a key on outer thigh, teapot and poppies on inner thigh, zombie lady holding a ram on the back of my thigh, penguin on my shin, and a circus elephant on my calf. left leg: hand holding opera glasses in a skull with a banner saying “only the dead have seen the end of war” on my shin, and a carousel horse on my calf. i also have a rose on my right foot and a dagger on my thumb.

3) Do you plan on getting more?

i plan on being almost completely covered, but i’m saving space for specific artists. right now i’m focusing on finishing my right sleeve and both of my legs. the last tattoo i want to get is an entire back piece, so i’m saving room for that.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?

my family definitely isn’t excited that i’m heavily tattooed, but they are pretty accepting for the most part. most of my friends are heavily tattooed, so I don’t ever feel out of place or get any negativity from them. I’ve have run into a lot of negative people however, who either comment on my tattoos or stare excessively, but I’ve also met a lot of amazing people who only have positive things to say.

5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?

tattoos are really attractive when done well, but they can also be complete eyesores if they aren’t executed properly. when i first started getting tattoos i wasn’t picky enough and i didn’t really know the difference between good and bad tattoos. i got a few tattoos that i either want to cover or i’m just going to have to live with. so know your stuff! don’t get a tattoo on a whim, and don’t be impatient. if you have to wait for an opening in an artists schedule, wait, don’t settle for someone who isn’t going to do a good job. and of course look at someone’s portfolio and make sure their stuff is clean and their style fits what you are looking to get. a tattoo can look nice at first glance but make sure to check out the artists line work (lines should be solid, flowing, and even), their shading/ color (it should be smooth, there shouldn’t be patches in the color unless its negative space, and it shouldn’t look rough), and see if they can actually draw well.