The girl with the tiger tattoo

One of the most unusual illustration commissions I have been asked to do was to help my dear friend Daisy design a tattoo.  Of course, because she is my friend, I was both flattered, and keen to assist.  The idea, however, that someone would be stuck with one of my drawings on their skin for the rest of their life was something I felt very responsible for. 

Daisy had a good idea of what she wanted.  She gave me a postcard of a beautiful painting by Henri Rousseau, with a tiger stalking through the jungle.  This was to form the basis for the design, but to include stylised tropical flowers and foliage.  Daisy is tall and slim and she has a beautifully long back - calling out to be painted.  Although she had described how the tattoo would cover her entire back and how the tiger was to follow the shape of her body, I was still a little surprised when I first saw the tattoo by how impressive and imposing it was.

One other thing that struck me on seeing the tattoo in the flesh, was how much my style of drawing had come through; I think I was expecting it to look totally different; like 'tattoo art' and for the tattoo artist to have had more of an ego, and wanted to stamp their signature style onto her skin.   I should point out that the tattoo took over six months to complete - working in stages of outline and colour, with a bit of healing in between.  I am too much of a coward to have a tattoo, or maybe its that I'm too fickle, and I know I would change my mind about the design very quickly. 

The tattoo design might suggest that maybe my friend is something of a wild child, but I wouldn't describe her this way - however, she is certainly not boring:
Daisy is brave, original, refreshing and inspiring in everything she does.

Daisy with 'The Jubilees' - a home spun synchronised swimming troop back in 2010.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/things_to_do/newsid_8755000/8755931.stm