Showing posts with label tattoo. Show all posts

More tattoos and Convention coming up!

August is here already, which makes me excited because It is closer to my favorite month, September! Plus, the weather will start getting cooler and I love Autumn! This month has a few awesome things coming up, such as The First Annual Virginia Beach Tattoo Convention! I have been talking about this for a few months ever since I first found out about it!

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I plan on going that Sunday since I am off work. I might get my knuckles tattooed possibly. That week is also going to be a Comicon in Hampton that Thursday and Friday. I really want to geek out and go and take the kiddos, but my schedule will be tight enough we wont be able to go.

I wasn’t feeling too well last week, but I did manage to get a little drawing in and some tattoo practice. Check it out:

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Its about 1am and I need to go to bed! I hope you all have had a good monday! See ya in the next post!

xoxox, cecilia

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New Pup adventures and VINE

Good afternoon my lovies! How is everyone doing? I just got back from taking the pup for a walk and sweating my butt off because the humidity is kickin high today, at least in my area. I live about 2 1/2 miles from the beach, so its not too bad, but it’s a bit muggy.

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We picked up our new puppy, Mystique, last night and she was a lil out of it due to her surgery. She is such a lovie dovie dog, and she slept with us all night long. She was afraid of the stairs, so she has been avoiding them, but the kiddos trained her by bribing her with food.

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I already have a funny story! So, you know I am a hairstylist and I have a few mannequin heads lying around, I threw one of the old ones on the floor and she went full frontal attack on it! It was actually quite hilarious. I managed to get a small video of it. I posted it on my new Vine Account, so if you wanna check it out, Find me I am user Sweet Surrender!

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Also, for any fellow artists that are reading, Check out Jerry’s Art-O-Rama Summer giveaway with Pinterest!

Check out more details by clicking on the picture below!

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I have a busy week! I am in search of a salon that is close to where I live, (at least in the same city) and also that suits me and my style and of course, my clients. I have a few interviews set up through out the week and next and I will more than likely be going back to my shaved side and bright colored hair, because I simply cannot stay away!

I have tons of tattoo designs to draw up for clients and I have been a bit behind. Oh yea, before I forget, I did a couple more tattoos, just did some filler, which I am not done, and did my first cover up. I am still practicing, so please bare with me!

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I am slowly building myself up and my skills. Smile 

Thanks for stopping by and see you in the next post!

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It’s Monday? No, wait it’s Tuesday

It’s 440am. I just got done with a tattoo illustration that took me all night to do. I wanted it to be just right. It’s a military tribute tattoo and I get a lil emotional drawing up those type of designs, especially since I have been overseas and have lost many dear friends. I hope to draw up my own tribute tattoo for the time I served, but just haven’t yet, because I want it to be just right. Here is a hint of what the tribute tattoo has in it. Hopefully, I will win this design at createmytattoo.com

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Oh yea, here is the design I won over the weekend:

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Last week was a busy week for me. I’ve been going hard on my new business, I finally manned up and got everything situated with my business license so now I can actually make a living from freelancing with makeup and body paint and all my artwork I have been doing. Whew, talk about paperwork and forms and fees. But it’s all worth it to me. I feel a sense of pride knowing that I work for myself and that I set the rules on how I want to work. I feel more motivated to work hard because it’s helping my family not some corporation. Ok, ok, enough of my tangent, it’s too late for that. Well, I guess it’s too early for that right?

My weekend was good, did a few gigs while hubby took care of sick kiddies who in turn got him sick with a stomach virus that I escaped unscathed! Mwahahahahaha (insert evil laugh) I’ve been doing a lot of shoots with Roger Mitchell’s Motiontography and I am loving it! It feels good to do something I love. Here are a few photos!

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I am so behind on my videos too! But I got a package from a blogger in Australia from Valentines day, I sent her a package, but it just returned to me ( I filled out customs sheet wrong and I cant send perfume or body spray) so I have to resend it to her and she prolly thinks I totally blew her off. (I’m sorry if your reading this, I will get it together again) I want to show you guys what she got me.

I am sooo tired now that I have stopped drawing, so I will wrap this up and go to bed. I will keep yall posted as always what random adventures I have going on! Have a great morning, or afternoon, or evening-whatever time it is where you are reading this!

 

xoxox, Cecilia

Find arms that will hold you at your weakest, eyes that will see you at your ugliest, and a heart that will love you at your worst. Then you have found true love.

Blue Horseshoe Tattoo

Almost every week, I drive by Blue Horseshoe Tattoo in Virginia Beach so one rainy day I stopped by there to see if I could get a price quote on a tattoo I have been wanting to get for a while now, which is Sweet Surrender below my collarbone with the colors of the galaxy shaded around it. I ended up talking to the head artist, a tattooist by the name of Gentleman Jim.

What I liked most about talking to him was that he was real down to earth and wasnt pushy or cocky like some artists are. I didnt feel pressured or intimidated at all. He offered for me to look at everyones portfolio's before deciding who I wanted to do my piece and after browsing his book, I made my mind up. I checked out his website as well, which you can see Here.

I booked my appointment a month in advance and August flew by and so before I know it, it was my birthday. I first had my appointment set up for the morning, until I had to reschedule it for the evening since I attended the Miss Uproar Beauty event with my school. Gentleman Jim was so nice and was cool with me coming in late because he understood what an opportunity it was for me to go to the Uproar Festival.

I got there at 9pm, but we didnt really start until 945pm. He put the stencil on me, I filled out all the paperwork while my stencil dried. Then I sat in the chair and he got to work. The outlining wasnt too bad and I was surprised at how well I sat through it. My last tattoos (nautical stars on my hips were painful!) The most painful spot was on the center of my chest where my bone is. click here to see those tattoos!


 I just closed my eyes and zoned out and remembering why I was getting this tattoo. If you would like to know why see my post on what Sweet Surrender means to me click  here

After the outlining, he used a numbing spray, which I have never tried before and I thought it was cool that he wanted to use it on my tattoo. Once he applied it to my skin and started tattooing, I didnt feel a thing! It was strange but nice at the same time. I was able to talk to my artist and have a meaningful conversation about life and tattooes.

we were done with the lettering at around 1145 and we were both too tired to keep going, so we decided that I would come back in 2 weeks after I am healed to finish the shading!

So, here is what I have so far! Enjoy!

Fresh Ink right after leaving the shop

healing nicely with colors shining :)

Close up of lettering. Colors look a lil deep but its purple,pink, lavender and white with of course black outlining.
It was an amazing way to wrap up my birthday. I went to bed with a big smile on my face because I love that i finally got this! I will keep you updated when I get the rest tattooed! Please subscribe for more fun updates!



Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival




2011 show poster by Brian Bruno of Absolute Art Tattoo, Richmond VA
The next Tattoo expo in this area is the Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival for the following weekend:

Friday, Nov 18th: 2pm-10pm Saturday, Nov 19th: 12pm-10pm Sunday, Nov 20th: 12pm-7pm

It will be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. The convention center is in the heart of downtown Richmond, VA.

Here are the prices of admission:
One day pass: $20 Three day laminate: $40 Children under 12: FREE Ages 12 - 17: $5

If you need or want any more info, or just wanna stalk their pages here are their Facebook and Website :

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/rvatattooconvention
Website: http://www.rvatattoo.com/

I have been researching which artist I want to work on me during that weekend. I may end up getting my sleeve started that weekend ( I am hoping to) I am thinking about getting a memorial to my grandmother done that weekend which I think will be good because she passed away on November 6, 2009, and the tattoo expo will be a week or two after that.

I have been cyber stalking Studio Evolve website: http://www.studioevolvetattoo.com/

There is an artist named Tanane Whitfield whom I am intrigued to have work done by: Check out some of his work at his website: http://www.tananewhitfield.com/





I love his character work, and the colors! I read that he likes to incorporate crayola crayons into his design because most artists start out with crayons and as they get older they dont use them as much, so in a way its putting them back into your life. I just love it! I am going to start plannign my weekend there. I dont know if anyone who reads my blogs will be in the area, but I am down to do a meet up and get to know other bloggers or readers! Contact me at cecilia@sweetsurrenderart.com!

Quote of the day:

A tattoo is an affirmation: that this body is yours to have and to enjoy while you're here. Nobody else can control what you do with it.

DON ED HARDY, Douglas Kent Hall's Prison Tattoos
Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

Irene oh dear Irene

It has been a while since I have been in a hurricane, or in the path of one. The last time, I was 15 or 16 years old and it was Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Our house was struck by lightening and there was a lil flooding and the power was out for like a week. Thats all I remember. So, this is the first one since then that I will be involved in as an adult. We just had an earthquake earlier this week, which is strange too.

The update so far is that by the time Irene hits Virginia Beach, it will be down to a category 1. We are not evacuating, although Sandbridge was evacuating, which is a few miles away from us. We got 4 cases of water, tons of food, gas in our tanks, everything tied down, and candles. 




This is a picture a few days ago...I hope Irene keeps this park in good condition!


My husband works at the Target down by the Oceanfront, and everything got wiped out: water, flashlights, batteries, coolers, candles(tealights) and whatever else needed for hurricane supplies. In fact, I had to go to a few stores to look for tealight candles, until I remembered that Micheals Craft Store will have them! and I was right! I found a 100 count box of tealights for only $5! so I grabbed 2 boxes and went on my way. I love Micheals, and what was cool is that it was not crowded at all, it was like my secret hiding place where only I could get them!!! well, and my aunt too, because I called her and told her to get them too!




I never got a chance to post that I did my whole head RED (well, actually its Vampire Red, from Hot Topic) and a cute lil updo I did!
The kids went with me while I ran last minute errands, plus they wanted Cookie Crisp cereal, which  sounded really good!

While I was driving, I asked the kids how they felt if I got their names tattooed on me and I figured they wouldve liked it, but they said they would prefer a picture of them on me which the idea I like way better, but I thought it was adorable that they suggested it! I have been on tattoo fever lately! So, I will keep that in mind for a portrait tattoo when the tattoo expo comes around in November. (I will do a post on that soon!)

Oh, and cool thing that happened to me today was that another blog I followed gave me a lil shoutout!
See his blog here http://ecentrikarts.blogspot.com/2011/08/tropical-paradise-aka-original-tropical.html
He makes the most unique custom shoes ever and I stumbled upon his blog sometimes last year, I dont even know how or when, but since then I draw inspiration from him and his site. I like to be in contact with other artists, it helps to get my creative juices flowing! So, thanks Elom!

Well, Just in case anyone keeps tabs on my blog, I may be absent for a few days due to Hurricane Irene. I will prolly do another post later tonight. Thanks for stopping by, subscribe or comment if you would like to leave any feedback!

Quote of the day:


Taking chances is one of the hardest aspects of life not only to understand, but may also be difficult to actually use effectively as well. Taking a chance is leaving a safety net and stepping out into the unknown. Sometimes the unknown is better than where you were before, and sometimes it simply isn't. Taking chances though is absolutely necessary to advancing in life.

Without doing so we would never make our lives better than before, our lives would simply be at a stand still. There are many ways that you can take chances throughout your day in order to change. From accepting a new job, or to buying a different kind of soft drink at the gas station, the smallest decisions to the biggest decisions change our lives everyday directly and indirectly. Make sure that your life is full of taking chances and calculated risks, in order to maximize growth and success.

Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

LOVE HATE



My grandfather has the words LOVE and HATE on the inside of his wrists, and I have always admired them. I even drew up a tattoo design a few years ago that I am thinking about getting tattooed on my forearm.




these rings are sooo cute. I found them at here

For me the love and hate represents relationships, the good side and the bad sides of any relationship. It doesnt even have to be about a marriage or a love, it can even be about friendships, or even be a metaphor for other events, like for me, can represent my feelings about the Army when I was enlisted. I loved many things about the army but hated it at the same time.


I never asked my grandfather the meaning of his tattoos...so I finally called him and asked him what the meaning or story was behind it. He told me he was drunk and he got it with a buddy of his and he couldnt even remember the other guys name. I couldnt help but laugh at him. It was really funny and we laughed over the phone about it.

Its interesting to learn about your family and the stories they have. I look up to my grandfather so much. He served 20 years in the US NAVY as a CW04 and then served 20 years as a correctional officer in Lakeland, FL. He is also prolly the biggest Tampa Bay Buccaneer fan ever. Not only is his house painted in BUC colors, and has every type of sports memorabilia ever, he also has various buccaneer tattoos. I look up to him in so many ways, so in a way this is a lil tribute to him.

Love and hate, Ce Cilia

Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

BOUND by Ink



I have found my new favorite tattoo magazine: BOUND BY INK! I picked up this baby when I splurged at Border's going out of business sale. What caught my attention to this mag, besides the gorgeous Queen Esther on the cover, was the design of the magazine (enter graphic design geek mode), the cover itself is nice and smooth and is a thicker paper which is nice because I like to take magazines with me everywhere and regular magazines get ripped easily.

I am starting to lean more towards magazines that feature stories about tattoo artists, or people with hella ink.  I like to learn about people and their walk of life, their background, the reasons why they get inked. I just love it.



I really enjoyed reading the article about Queen Esther, a model that made a name for herself and went on to open her own modeling agency. What impressed me is that she is not only a strong, beauitful, independent woman who owns her own business, but she accomplished all that with 5 kids! Yes, I said 5 KIDS!



I just wanted to share this with you and hopefully you will be inspired like I am

Thanks for stopping by as always!

Quote of the Day:


Seize the day that you are living in. When we make it a habit of putting off doing what we love, we send a message to ourselves basically saying that we aren't important. Life is really too short not to love every moment of it. Spend time exploring who you are at your heart's level. Make time to follow your dreams, and achieve the goals that you know you want to achieve.

Don't let the tough parts of life discourage you, for we all experience them. You are the master of your dreams, and only you can achieve them, nobody else will achieve them for you. Putting off the pursuit of your dreams will lead you to a dead end on Unfulfilled Street, and before you know it your whole life may have passed by. It is never too late to start going in the direction of where your dreams, and goals are located. As long as you are at least in the pursuit of your dreams by the time that it is your turn to go, the odds are better that you will be more fulfilled than if you would of never tried!

Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

Tattoo Book

With Borders going out of business, Jermie, Nique and I headed there a few weeks ago to grab some book marked down 40-60% off. I mainly wanted to get some tattoo books, not just magazines, but an actual technique book. I found only One book, actually Jermie found it for me. Its called "Advanced Tattoo Art How-to Secrets from the Masters by Doug Mitchell. Its taken me a lil bit to read through it, I only have time to read it on my lunch breaks at school, but I gotta say, I really enjoyed it. It doesnt give everything you need to know to tattoo, but it does give some good tips on the type of needles an artists uses, outlining and shading.

I finally finished reading it from front to back and I just wanted to share a good book for anyone interested in it.





This picture above was the last tattoo of the book and was prolly my favorite one because it resembles my style of drawing. Someone asked me what my style is yet, and I am not sure. I wanna say I am more of a classic style, but not sure because I like all styles. I guess with each drawing I do, I will discover my style.

I hope you enjoyed this post! I am off to go put some stuff in my storage unit and then get to drawing that memorial piece.

Quote of the Day:


Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

Thought Process

When someone asks me to draw something up for them, there is usually a process I go through. First, I get the basic details such as what they want, colors, and size. If it is a tattoo drawing, I like to know where it will go on the body so I can visualize it.

I have been watching tattoo shows such as L.A. Ink and Inked on Netflix, and just been basically obssessing about the tattoo culture. I have been paying attention to every detail I can, becoming a human sponge.  Last year, when I first moved back here, after seeing an ad posted online for a tattoo apprenticeship at a local tattoo shop, I jumped on it. I gathered all my drawings, all my sketchbooks and went down there and spoke to the lady in charge (of course a female tattoo artist) and she told me straight up about what it was all about-she didnt sugar coat it. (enter quick story)

She told me that an apprenticeship is tough work, it isnt paid, you have to be there everyday and it takes months before you can even pick up a machine. And trust me, this didnt scare me away, but I realized that it just wanst the right time for me. I needed to get a job, learn a trade I can work soon and fall back onto if I needed to. I told that manager thanks for the info, but that it just wasnt the right time. Enter going to Cosmetology school. I have been attending since January and will be graduating in December. So now, I am back on the tattoo track.

okay, okay- back on where I was going with this- and I think I remember where I was going with this. Oh yea- so when I am drawing up a tattoo, I get into the whole thing. It is not just a drawing, I love to hear the stories behind what it means to that person. I place myself in "their" shoes, when I draw, I imagine it as if the drawing is for me, as if I was getting that tattoo inked on my skin. Thats why I love watching tattoo reality shows, because the artists on there feel the same way I do about the art they are putting on someone. I feel more and more like I am meant to become a tattoo artist. With each piece I draw, I am one step closer to my goals.

So, for this next piece, is a memorial tattoo drawing. A friend of mine lost both her parents when she was young and as a tribute to them, she wants to get inked and she needed help coming up with something. I suggested two angels holding each other and the dates in scrolls under them.  This is my next piece I am working on.

Here are a few reference pictures I am using and going to take what I like and create my own version of what I think would be an amazing piece for her.





I hope you enjoyed this post on my thought process and how I help to create drawings. Sorry that I rambled on in a lil tangent. I am off to bed, I am not going to stay up until 3am again tonight.

Quote of the day:



Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

Capricorn Tattoo

My good friend, Jak-Jak asked that I draw this up for her. She wants a Capricorn symbol and when I tried to ask details of what she would like, she said "I trust you" and "Do what you want to".  I love when people tell me that because it gives me the freedom to put my own artistic flair on it. I put myself in their shoes and imagine how I would want the tattoo design. She wants this as a side piece or possibly on her hip.

I have been making my tattoo designs big so that it can be framed on a wall or something. So, here it is, the finished rendering of this tattoo.


Here is a fun picture I wanted to share from a fashion show where me and Jak Jak dressed up as "chula gangsta's" lol Enjoy!


I hope you liked it and that it inspired you!

Quote of the day:

Many of us are quick to assume that if we are breathing and functional that we are actually "alive". Being alive is actually being the person who you really are at heart. You might be living your life, but that life may not constitute you being alive if you aren't living as the person who you really know you are. So many of us feel pressure to run our lives as those who claim they love us want us to live it.

The people who really love you will allow you to live life as yourself, and will encourage you to follow your heart, as long as they know that it won't kill you. Following your heart is making a choice to be alive. Following your heart requires you to listen to no one but god and yourself in order to make your decisions. Following your heart will leave you fulfilled and will also lead to happiness. What are you following? Your heart's path? Or the path that everyone else wants you to follow?

Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.

Geisha Girl

Yesterday at Paul Mitchell, there was a contest going on between students on who has the best makeup and hair for "Cosmetology Through Time" and we could pick whatever era we wanted to create a unique and timeless look. I paired up with my friend Carole, and we grabbed whatever supplies were out and went to work. We grabbed red, green and yellow toulle, red plastic beads, 2 packages of synthetic hair (or we call it weave) and a ton of bobby pins.

We wanted to go for something fun and different from what enyone else would do, so we decided to do a "Geisha Girl" theme. While Carole went to work to try and tame my bright "Vampire Red" hair, I started on my face makeup! We made a great team and it all came together.




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There were other time era's too, including rocker, 80's, grecian and eqyptian. We used whatever we could to rock our look out. We took two draping capes and made a makeshift kimono out of it and wrapped toulle around my waist and Carole made a paper fan so I could fan  myself.  We had a mini show and the whole school voted on the best theme. When I walked across the stage, I walked really fast with tiny lil steps the way geisha's did wearing those tiny shoes. Everyone voted for the Geisha look and we won the contest for the day! It was excited! We got a gift card to a bakery nearby, but I dont really eat there so I gave it to Carole!

Here is a glimpse of the other models:




Egyptian Inspired makeup




Greek Inspired




80's Inspired




Rocker Inspired




Avante Garde Inspired




I was able to squeeze in a makeup application while waiting for the fashion show to begin :) 




My Nick graduated as well yesterday!!!! I am so proud of him!




Have you ever seen a geisha do the robot? Oh I get down! lol
So that was my day yesterday at school. The next big project at school, is that we are putting on a HUGE fashion show next month. More details to come! I am helping to direct this with Nick and I have to get to work on the flyer and programs! I will blog more about it as I pull it together. 

Here is a glimpse at the next tattoo drawing I am working on for my friend Jak-Jak :) Not finished yet, but I am getting there!




Capricorn symbol with Lily and Rose with Scroll detail line work
I will blog the finished drawing soon!

I hope this inspired you to be creative and surrender to your inner artist!

Quote of the Day:



Living life with regrets is in a sense, not really living life. Picture yourself trying to drive somewhere. Do you think that you would be able to make it safely from point a to point b by staring into the rearview mirror the whole drive? Of course not! We must use this as an example to the way we live our lives.

Sure we have all made mistakes, and sometimes we wish that things could have gone differently, but it is impossible to keep reliving these moments and expect to move forward in life. In order to move forward in life take the experiences from your past and use them as stepping blocks in order to reach your new goals and dreams. In other words, don't let your past hold you back, learn from your past and use it to help you further your future. Be who you are now, and not who you used to be.

Sweet Surrender Art. Beauty. Fashion.