This is part of our ongoing series titled Inked, the human stories behind Charlotte’s tattoos. Daniel McCall is an instructor at Yoga One.
Photo of tattoo
When did you get it?
Main shoulder piece (1/2 sleeve) was done December 2014 through January 2015.
Where did you get it done, artist’s name, costs?
Brut Tattoo on Monroe Road. Nic Rummel is the artist and it cost $750.
How’d it go down?
I have a background in graphic design and art and I knew I wanted someone who had the skills to bring my tattoo vision to life. I went into my first meeting with so many different themes and Nic was great about listening to each idea and working them into the overall design. I wanted sacred geometry, text, a compass, lots of color, watercolor paint, and an art brut style that looked nothing like traditional tattoos.
What other design did you consider?
Nic and I spent almost two whole months going back and forth between rough designs and feedback. The very first sketch I got was nothing like what I wanted. At first I thought, is this the right guy for the job? After just one round of feedback the tattoo looked like it was on track to being what I envisioned in my mind.
During the design process there were several things that got edited out that may make it into a future piece!
What’s the story behind it?
This tattoo is a combination of so many influences and themes in my life. The compass and text “True North” represent the path of my life and what I’ve learned about navigating the ups and downs with grace and staying true to my highest self.
The sacred geometry, flower of life motif represents the interlocking parts that make up the whole. Above every truth there is a higher truth, and it goes on forever. The fox is something of a totem animal for me. In Native American medicine the Fox represents adaptability. The Fox is able to shed it’s color in the winter to be able to thrive and survive, and shift back to red in the spring when it’s time to be seen! It’s my reminder to stay flexible and resilient in life.
The watercolors and large splashes of ink remind that HUEmans are meant to be multi-HUED — as in, we are meant to live life in the full spectrum of colors.
What’s next?
More tattoos of course! Next up is linking the top 1/2 sleeve with existing forearm tattoos for that full sleeve sex appeal.
