Tatoo I designed for my brother.  He wanted something "tribal" that represented family, faith and his love for music.  I convinced him not to do a "popular" tribal tatoo and pick a tribe important to him, and he chose Hawaiian, since we grew up there.  I designed the "band" that wraps around his arm based on a Hawaiian braid my mother made us make for family Christmas gifts one year.  We slaved over them for days and days.  He particularly liked that aspect of the tatoo, as a link to me and a shared torture.  The guitar represents his love for music, particularly the guitar.  The Sting ray is a symbol used to represent protection in Hawaii  (which I am giving him in prayer made in this design) and on it's back you can see a cross, representing our faith. The spiral shells represent general faith and life after death in many cultures, due to the spiral.  The Hammer-Head, seen as the tail of the ray  represents family and protection from ancestors on a family.

I created the design comonents, tattoo artist Nick Rose of Exposed Temptations Tattoo, did the skin adaptation and actual tatooing.  He is a fabulous artist and I look forward to seeing the final, finished product.  The tatoo is still in progress.