Sunday I went and got my first tattoo from Dave at Sacred Skin in Stones Corner and damn is his work good! Dave is a friend of mine and he did well to put up with my sooking because this one DID hurt! It's not finished yet but I thought it would be fun to document the stages, plus it looks amazing and I'm pretty excited about it so I couldn't wait to share it with you!

 

The image of the sacred heart is a pretty enduring symbol in tattoo culture and although it has religious connotations, that's certainly not the meaning behind this tattoo for me. The roots of the sacred heart are linked back to both early France and Mexico and by the time this piece is finished, it will certainly be looking more Mexican than anything. The Sagrado Corazon stands for sacrifice and devotion and, for me at least, also represents passion and loyalty through the flames and crown.

 

By the time the piece is finished, it will be a symbol for me, of love, sacrifice, devotion, passion, loyalty, light, strength and endurance. It's also a nice little marker of my impending visit to Mexico, somewhere I have wanted to travel to for a very long time. I have been fascinated by the art, culture and symbolism of Mexico since learning about it in school.