WOW! I’ll be 26 in a month; I’m done with my first quarter-life.
And as a new decade ushers in, I think I need to have the things I wanted in life get done: Get to continue doing what I like, and –still- get paid for it, Network myself with creative individuals that can help me better the work that I do, Get fit/Look awesome (debatable matter), Progress to another phase of my career/get paid for my model work ^_^ (watch out! I’ll be taking over those that are lame and incompetent with the job they do), Get rid of things which prevent me from achieving my goals (or probably having more patience to ignore them), Become more focused and Have an unwavering drive to materialize my plans, Become more good-natured/become more bad-ass! (Either of the two is okay, or both), Develop a stronger sense of respect to people’s opinions no matter how stupid those opinions are (operative word: respect) and, Get Inked.
For the past months of 2009, while I was trying to be Mr.Career-comes-first, I’ve been researching on the art of tattoo, and on how I can have one. So, with much patience and dedication, here I am now, ready with a design I made for myself. And it’s a fish! NO, make it two fishes!
To be politically correct, it’s a Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta Splendens) Crown-tail Variant (I’m an addict I know) in it’s full glorious display, facing each other, placed just above my chest near the shoulders. It’s in Red, because Red is my color, it’s passionate and strong like me. Now, If you know me, I think there is no need to say the reason why it’s a fish, but for those who might be curious on why, it’s because I am an avid Aquarium enthusiast(Aquarist), my friends all joke about it but they know it is something that is dear to my heart.
Now, with the Siamese fighting fish, I chose it because
A: It is uniquely an Asian Fish
B: Like the fish, I am FIERCE and –ridiculously- Great-Looking (For some, this is where you stop and continue on doing the things more important to your lives. Haha ^_^)
C: It’s a Labyrinth Fish, which means it breathes air from the atmosphere (not from water… just like me! (haha, or to us all)… but basically it’s a fish unique to most of it’s kind, you get the idea
D: Because I really want it.
On a serious note, being an artist myself, aesthetics is important to me, it’s not everything but it is something I want to have incorporated in my tattoo design, and that fish seems to exemplify it the best. An option was my beloved Flowerhorn but when I drew it, it didn’t translate to my own liking as a tattoo design. Options considered were variations of goldfish hybrids, a school of shoaling neon tetras/livebearers and a graphic inspired illustration of a general silhouette of a fish. That one I posted was the standout in terms of appeal and relevance.
And after having it done (very soon, I can’t even sleep!) I am opting to have another ink done at my back, most likely lettering in script of my mantra (in which is reserved for another posting)
What do you think? Do you hate it? Love it? Regardless, I’m having it done. Tootles.
Lastly, this is a copyrighted image, I opted not to put a watermark on it for I believe that art is for everyone (specially if it’s well-presented) but having said this, I drew/made and created the design, so if you plan to use it, atleast have the decency to let me know (I can see myself being nice enough to share it to some, maybe-ish). Otherwise be prepared to be obliterated once used without my knowledge. Thank you. ^_^
Oh yeah, this was my message to the artists whom I contacted asking for a quotation for the work. ^_^ I have four options(Morbid Tattoo in Cash and Carry Mall c/o Luigi, Skinworkz Tattoo in Cartimar, Gene Testa at Robinson’s Galleria and Tush1 in EDSA) whom I am choosing from, actually, five, but I can’t seem to find an online contact information for the one (Ouch! Tattoo, Robinson’s Place Manila, not unless I have to go there personally in which is very tiring from me since I live South of the Metro)…
If you know a ridiculously great artist that you can refer… please let me know ASAP. Since I’m in the brink of having needled in. ^_^ I have a budget for this so I won’t be cheap, and as a fellow artist, I can relate to one’s creative input.
Oh yeah the letter just to share:
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Good Day!
Happy New Year! I am Enzo Mondejar, a Photographer and a Graphic Designer who’s looking into having a tattoo done soon. Attached is tattoo design that I superimposed to one of my self-portraits so as you can have a clear idea on the size of that tattoo I want to have. I’ve been doing some research over a few months now on where could be the best place to have it made and stumbled into your site, great works you got! The design is basically a reflected Siamese fighting fish (Two Tattoos facing each other) on my upper chest just below the shoulder. It’s actually a design I made to partially hide some stretch marks I gained from puberty. Don’t worry, the stretch marks are totally healed and they are basically not that deep to the point that it’s really irrelevant and unnoticeable, I just want to have them covered, and since I’ve been wanting to have a tattoo ever since, I thought of hitting two birds in one stone! ^_^
With the design, I would really appreciate it if you can provide a quotation on how much it costs to have it done, and if ever, if there are possible suggestions or restrictions with the design, you can share it too so as I can make some adjustments to it, to fit both aesthetics and financial issues for having it. You can send me a reply via my email which is ozonejamnerd@gmail.com.
Thanks much and more power guys! ^_^
P.S.
This might be irrelevant but after having this tattoo done, I am opting to have two more exactly in the opposite position placed in my back, though I have yet to design the tattoo for that, but is leaning towards a quotation/mantra that is dear to me.
